Five Simple Changes That Have Made Life Easier

Just a few weeks ago we celebrated six months in our new home. On March 14, to be exact. I cannot believe we have lived here for half a year. It’s still so crazy at times to think we moved our little family of four, plus two fur babies, down south in the middle of a pandemic. But did it we did, and are so happy to be in our cozy home and to finally enjoy a bit of a routine. It was a tad hectic there for a bit- with so many changes and so little routine- but over the last few months we’ve found our groove again, and we’ve made a few {very} simple changes that has helped make life just a little bit easier these days.

Five Simple Changes We’ve Made in 2021

Lay out Clothes Before Bed

One of the biggest transitions we endure after our move was the incredibly early start to Maddie’s school day. Luckily, Maddie is an early riser by nature; but, she’s five and mornings are hard, and sometimes it felt impossible to get ready and out the door by 7am. OUCH. I found that when she would come downstairs in her pajamas from the night before, the process of going back upstairs to get dressed before school was… trying, to say the least. A friend of mine suggested laying out her clothes the night before and asking Maddie to get dressed before she came downstairs for breakfast. It’s been an absolute game-changer for our mornings and takes little to zero effort.

Run the Dishwasher Every Night

I heard this tip from my Insta-friend, Ana, of Top Team CT- she’s an organizing and cleaning extraordinaire and shares the best tips and trick on her Instagram {here}. As a family of four now, I was getting overwhelmed by constantly needing a specific cup or cutting board or kitchen tool that would inevitably be in the dishwasher, dirty, from the day before. Now, each night we run the wash- no matter how big or small the load. It helps to wake up to all freshly cleaned dishes.

Swap to Smaller Laundry Hampers

I made this swap a few months back, when I realized we were “missing” so many of our favorite items of clothes buried in the depths of our too-big hampers. It was time for an upgrade in the basket department as it was, so when I replaced them I opted for smaller, more compact versions. Yes, I do laundry more often; but the loads are so much more manageable, and we never go too long without our favorite pieces of clothing.

Wake Up Before the Kids

This one can be a bit tricky these days based on an eighteen month sleep regression that makes our mornings somewhat unpredictable; but, in theory, we have made an effort to wake up before our kids. A five o’clock wakeup is something that would formerly had made me cringe; but, nowadays, I relish that sliver of time to myself before we tackle the day. Whether its squeezing in an early morning spin class or simply enjoying a cup of coffee with Phil in peace, it’s always worth it.

Meal Prep {ish}

I first tried my hand at meal prep at the beginning of the year, and it was something that instantly made our life just a little easier. Trying to figure out what to make for dinner last minute, particularly with a household of picky eaters, was something that was quickly becoming a daily hurdle. Nowadays, sitting down over the weekend to prepare and having a rough idea of what I can cook to please the entire Matkovic crew has freed up a little headspace during the week and has led to some great mealtime traditions- cue Monday’s oven roasted chicken. For me, the key to our meal prep success is not being too rigid, keeping it super simple, and only committing to cooking dinner four nights a week, with one night for takeout. Having one less thing to think about has been a blessing; and cooking at home has been beneficial for both our wallets and waistlines.