Finding and Keeping Joy in the Ordinary Days of Homemaking

By Contributing Writer Samantha

Finding and keeping joy in the ordinary days of homemaking can be hard sometimes.

We want extraordinary days! We have them here and there for sure, but most days are just ordinary days… but they can be some of the best days if we let them!

There are definitely ways to finding and keeping joy in the ordinary days of homemaking.

One thing to keep in mind about homemaking is it really does take some effort! Finding and keeping JOY in your homemaking will take time and effort too! We want things to be so instant these days that we often forget the amount of effort we need to put into our days to achieve our goals.

Joy is not the same as happiness.

You can be happy and not have real joy. Only true joy comes from having Life in Christ.

It is a contentment of the heart, no matter life’s circumstances. It can be likened to a “still small voice,” a great and marvelous thing, which can usually only be observed when attempts are made to  do so.

Joy has a component of gratitude, and is necessary for Joy… “In everything give thanks.”(1 Thes. 5:18) Also, the Lord is the source of our joy…”the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10), and lastly, joy is a choice, a matter of obedience since the Lord commanded it in Phil. 4:4 “rejoice in the Lord alway.”

Finding and Keeping Joy in the Ordinary Days of Homemaking

Positive Attitude

When it comes to homemaking we need to have a positive attitude! Our outlook on the task of homemaking will make a world of difference! Not only for you but also your family.

I’m sure we have all heard the saying “If Mama isn’t happy no one is happy.” And really there is some truth in that!

You will set the tone and attitude of your home.

Having a positive attitude about homemaking will help you to cultivate joy in your homemaking! It will take effort to do this…because let me be honest cleaning toilets, cleaning up messes, and doing laundry are not always fun, but if we can have a positive attitude it will go a loooong way!

Keep in Mind the WHY of Homemaking

Homemaking is more than just keeping a house. That is a huge part of our day but it not the the most significant part.

It is about making a house a home where your family can come to and find refuge and rest. It is about the relationships that thrive in the home.

No matter if you’re a stay at home, work from home or a work out of the home woman, you are still called to be a keeper of your home.

Knowing the WHY of homemaking is soooo valuable. Your why (and how) will look different from the next person.  As a Christian women though we are all called to it. Taking time to know your WHY (and HOW) is important!!!

By knowing the why it will be easier to have joy in your role as a homemaker.

Remember the PEOPLE you serve as a homemaker

As a homemaker we serve the most important people in our lives! The ones we love the most and are our everything!

Instead of grumbling that we have to cook 3 times a day everyday, think of how your meals will nourish the ones you love. Think about them as you do their laundry that you are providing for their need of clothing. If you work outside/at home think about how you are helping your husband and lightening his financial burden of caring for the family.

These are some of the basic things we can do for them! These are the tasks the Proverb 31 woman did. We should remember that we are serving them and serve them with a happy, joyful heart!

Thank the LORD everyday for the great calling HE has given you. There will be hard days and those are the days we should find ourselves in prayer for the ones we love and for the Lord to give us the endurance, love, and patience to serve. (Gotta love the toddler years!) 😉

Find a Routine that works for you

You can find so much information out there for creating a routine! And it can be helpful for sure. But what my routine is and how it works for me will differ from yours.

Just because it works for me to get up 2 hours before my family, doesn’t mean it will work for you. Just like staying up late to get extra things done doesn’t work for me.

One book I have found super helpful is Tell Your Time by Amy Lynn Andrews. It is filled with excellent tips for knowing your priorities and making a routine that works for you.

As you go through different seasons in life, realize you will have to change your routine.  I would advice by starting with creating morning and evening routines first. Personally my routines take me about 30 minutes each day. They both help my day go smoother even if we get off track from our daily/weekly routine!

Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

It can be nice to read blogs, be on Pinterest, talk to friends to get inspiration on better homemaking, BUT be careful how much time you spend. It can be easy to get sucked in and just compare compare compare… then well you lose your joy in homemaking because…. well you just don’t do it as good as Suzy or it isn’t Pinterest perfect and so forth.

One thing that has helped me in my homemaking is to get off the internet to to just get busy doing the things I know how to do and doing them to the best of my ability. I can clean, organize, and cook, but I’m not a great decorator. It’s fine to try to get inspiration in this area and to improve but do beware not to become discouraged and lose your joy.

Have Pride in your Accomplishments

Take time to step back and look at what you have accomplished in a day.

Did you get the dishes done? Did you read to your little one? Get the laundry put away? Make your hubby’s favorite meal? The little things make up the big picture.

Take time to acknowledge them and have pride in your work!

It can be so easy to just look at all that needs to get done or what didn’t get done that we forget what we did accomplish in a day. This is where keeping a running to-do list and seeing what you have done on paper can help. Or write down things as you do them throughout the day so you can see how you spent your time.

Being there for your family is the most important homemaking job you can accomplish! If your little ones are having a “needy” day and you just need to be there for them then that is a great accomplishment. Maybe your husband needed to talk to you and spend time together and that means you didn’t get the house picked up. You met the needs of your love ones and that comes before the housework.

You will get the housework  done. Maybe not exactly when you planned. Keep your priorities in the right order and know that you have accomplished the right things for that day. And be proud of those accomplishments!

Find Joy in Work…hard work

This really follows finding pride in your accomplishments doesn’t? Find joy in work… in hard work.

There is a joy that comes from working hard and accomplishing goals. This is something we should teach our little ones and might be something we have to even teach ourselves. Life is full of work- all different kinds of work be it a job, school, home, motherhood, parenting, marriage etc. They all take work.

We have to learn to embrace our roles and the work that comes with it. Do you find joy in parenting, on building and maintaining your marriage, and in being a homemaker? Find joy in the work you are called to do. Work is not easy but there should be joy in accomplishing work.

Take Time for Self Care

As a wife, mother and homemaker I know and also personally struggle with taking time to take care of myself. The struggle is real! We can not truly serve the people we love if we are running on empty. It is important to take time for self-care everyday.

Start the day off right with some quiet time and getting dressed and ready for you day. This will prepare your heart for what the day holds.  When we get dressed for the day even the ordinary days it helps us to feel good about ourselves and we will more likely accomplish more. I have noticed though when I am dress and feel good about how I look (positive attitude!) I am more productive than if I just in my comfy clothes 🙂

As I have been on my journey to better health and fitness it is important to schedule time to eat healthy meals and exercise. Make sure you’re taking caring of your basic needs and not just grabbing something to eat when you remember to eat. I can tell a difference in my energy level on days I exercise to days when I don’t.

Take care of Mama so that Mama can take care of her family!

Find Time to Enjoy a Hobby

I know our days are full and it can be hard to find time to enjoy a hobby or a good book! Is reading a hobby?? 😉 I love to read. I try to find time each day to read or craft.

By taking time to enjoy a hobby and relax you will be able to refresh yourself so that you don’t wear yourself down.

Remember the saying Work hard Play hard?

Remember to work hard throughout the day and week but then take a little  time to play hard too! It is so easy in our culture now days to just want to play hard and all the time. Entertainment is always before us.

I don’t think we need to be entertained as much as we need time to refresh ourselves. It is easy to stare at a screen but is is really refreshing and relaxing?

Think about how you spend some of your down time? Can you use some of your TV/Computer time to enjoy a hobby that you keep telling yourself you will get to one day? Once your work has been accomplished remember to take time to refresh yourself!

Remember our ordinary days can be extraordinary if we look at them with the right perspective! May we learn to find joy in our calling as homemakers.