Sunday Morning Coffee + Creating Household Rhythms

Sit and sip your (reheated) coffee with me as we snack on warm sourdough and discuss household rhythms and how to find joy in the less-than-joyful household tasks.

You’re hot and you’re cold, it’s yes and it’s no… You know the tune.  

But that’s also the never-ending cycle of my coffee temperature followed by the answers my toddler gets while he’s asking a never-ending slew of questions.

Despite this, Sunday mornings have got to be my favorite mornings. You, too? 

They’re slow(ish) and I usually only have to heat up my coffee twice before I drink it all. Small wins. 

There are no plans beyond attending church. No pressing errands. No expectations. And I love that.

Being a working mom, I often find myself attempting to catch up on the house things on Saturday and Sunday. Putting away laundry and washing the floors… trying to get things squared away for the week. 

I want to do something different this year. 

I want to make the weekends more restful, while spreading out the to-do’s throughout the week. 

So as I drink my twice-reheated coffee this fine Sunday morning, ponder with me the ways we can adjust our routines a little to make the days feel restful and un-rushed. Let’s talk about household rhythms.

Household Rhythm 1: Laundry

I know that a solid laundry routine is effective in keeping my three children from wearing the same pair of pants for four days in a row. Let’s commit to washing, folding, and putting away a load each day. That way it won’t all be calling my name on Saturday morning. 

Laundry is one way I intentionally work prayer into the day. I pray over my children’s clothes that God is with them while they wear them, and that they are brave, courageous, and kind.

Household Rhythm 2: Dishes

Dishes are a peeve of mine. I’m not particularly fond of them, but I’m realizing that if I blend a little prayer and thanksgiving in there, it’s not all that bad. Thanking God for food to fill bellies, to keep us healthy and well-nourished. 

Every evening, the dishwasher is run so that it is ready to be unloaded in the morning. There’s a good chance that it will only need to be run every other day as I wash my larger cooking things by hand, leaving cups, plates, and cutlery to the dishwasher.

Alright, laundry and dishes down. 

Household Rhythm 3: Sweep

A quick sweep of the house after the kids are off for the day is helpful in keeping the dust and crumbs at bay. I need to be better about that. There’s nothing worse than crumbs stuck to your foot to be tracked through the house. 

Household Rhythm 4: Mop Floors

Once a week the floors need to be washed. Finding the “best” time to do that can be hard for me. Is there a “best” time with three small children and two dogs running amok? I think not. 

Sunday night makes some sense in my mind, to wash away the chaos of the last week and the weekend. Fresh for Monday morning. I love to use a little Branch Basics concentrate and hot water on my floors with my trusty O-Cedar Spin Mop. 

Household Rhythm 5: Bedroom Reset

The bedrooms get a reset every morning before the kids leave, most days. They pile their toys in the buckets and I give the room a quick once-over. 

Okay, so that’s basically it. And before this turns into a cleaning calendar, I’d better wrap it up.

Household rhythms are tricky to get into. They’re easy to fall out of. They require intentional actions and commitment to see them through. The more I build these intentional actions into my daily routine, the more peace I find in my days. A mindset shift goes a long way, too. 

Will you add some (or all!) of these household rhythms into your days? Let me know! I’d love to hear any suggestions you might have or examples of ways to find joy in the not-so-joyful parts of the day.