Letting Go and Saying No! Steps to a Decluttered Schedule

'I'm just a stay-at-home-mom', I said to the lady who asked me what I did for a living. If you've ever been one or been married to one, you know it's not 'just' staying home with the kids. There are bottoms to be wiped, dishes to be cleaned, laundry to be sorted, meals to be planned, ect. Add homeschooling to the mix and you have lessons to plan, science experiments and art projects to clean up after, math and phonics to be taught, and the list goes on. This year we've also tried to include Little Man in some extra curricular activities like 4-H, as well as homeschool field trips and our Culture Day club. I am also a piano teacher 3 days a week with 3 students for each of those days, and on top of that I help teach a Wednesday night class at my church as well as being the Sunday School teacher for the Pre-K/Kindergarten class.

If you follow me on Instagram and Facebook, you'll know that in December, we found out we were expecting baby #3, this was 4 days after we celebrated Baby Girl turning 1! Yes, this means that in 6 months, I'll be adding to the number of rears needing wiped, and 2 of those bottoms will be under the age of 2! As I thought about what that would entail, and all the things on my list already only getting half accomplished, I sighed and thought, 'Something has got to go'.

Where do you start? If you are also finding yourself overwhelmed, whether a stay at home mom or not, maybe this can help you find the confidence in saying no to things so that you can be fully present for the most important things!

Figure out what is most important

This may feel like a 'duh' thing, but a lot of times we let the 'fluff' stuff take so much time that we don't have time for afternoon walks with the kids, morning devotionals, or making a homemade meal for our families. Perhaps we need to take a step back and make a list of what is most important, and the things that are on the bottom of the list may be the things that need to be let go.

For me what is most important is:
My relationship with Christ- This means morning devotionals, teaching God's Word to my children, and Mine and my husband's Bible reading in the evenings

My family- My husband comes first, then my children. Their well being and education need high priority. Under their education comes keeping a home that is maintained (not perfect, but at least not stress inducing!)

My church- I didn't include this in my relationship with Christ, because sometimes service inside the church can become 'fluff' if I am doing it just to 'do it' and not because I am called to the service I am doing.

Everything else- This includes the extra curricular activities, homeschool clubs, and even my 'side hustle' as a piano teacher.

Take what is at the bottom of the list and choose what needs to go

This is what will be difficult. It may even hurt some people's feelings. Remember though, what is most important needs to be front and center. Soccer games, ballet recitals, birthday parties, are all fun until they start to take over one of the most precious commodities you have-time. You will never get back that time again.

For me I chose to let go of teaching piano next school year. It was such a hard decision to make, as I love my students and the relationships I've built with the parents. I may also say no to extra homeschool activities, if it starts to feel overwhelming again. My goals are to have a cleaner home and an emptier schedule. I want more time to take my children outside and less time in the car going from activity to activity.

I think what this translates into is peace. What can you let go of to have more peace in your home?