Modern Homemaking: Embracing Your Role in Every Living Space
I consider myself a homemaker living in a small house, and my full-time job is all about sharing that part of my life with you.
Traditionally, a homemaker has been defined as a person—often a stay-at-home parent—who manages and maintains a household, including tasks like cooking, cleaning, childcare, and budgeting. Usually, it’s someone whose primary role is making a house a home.
But I’d like to adjust that definition.
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What is a Modern Homemaker?
Working full-time? You’re a homemaker.
Raising kids? You’re a homemaker.
Doing both? You’re a very busy homemaker.
Living solo in a studio apartment or a small house? You’re still a homemaker.
From an early age, most of us are exposed to chores and responsibilities around the home—and that continues throughout our lives. Some seasons make it easier to stay on top of things, while others can be more challenging. The secret to enjoying all these seasons is to give yourself grace. Don’t focus on perfection—focus on “good enough” to create a peaceful, happy life.
What Does Homemaking Really Involve?
Let’s break this down into some of the responsibilities and tasks that fall under the role of a homemaker.
And here’s an important reminder: if you share your home with others, all the tasks don’t need to fall on your shoulders. I wish I’d learned earlier that a harmonious household is the result of shared responsibility. The pursuit of perfection often led me to take on everything—and it left me overwhelmed and, honestly, resentful.
Letting go of that mindset, allowing others to help (even if they do things differently), has made my life and my state of mind so much better.
Daily Tasks:
- Cooking
- Cleaning
- Laundry
- Grocery shopping
- Organizing
- Paying bills
- Keeping track of schedules
- Home maintenance
Emotional Labor:
- Creating a peaceful environment
- Forming routines
- Caring for others
- Practicing self-care
- Adding personal touches
- Decorating your home
- Meal planning
- Preparing for birthdays and anniversaries
- Planning and prepping for holidays and special events
This isn’t a comprehensive list—every homemaker will need to create routines and systems that work for them and their lifestyle.
Embrace Your Unique Style of Homemaking
There are different styles of homemaking, and discovering what works best for you will make life more manageable and enjoyable. Don’t compare yourself to others—do what makes sense for your lifestyle and brings you joy.
Tidy Minimalist
- Likes things in their place and maintains this by paring down belongings
- Prefers clean lines, neutral tones, and a calm environment
- Focuses on quality over quantity
- Streamlines chores using systems and routines
Cozy Clutter-Lover
- Enjoys having visible items throughout the home
- Believes that when things are out of sight, they’re often forgotten
- Keeps papers, books, or to-dos where they can see them as a visual reminder
The Organized Overachiever
- Color-coded pantry? Absolutely
- Uses time-blocking, chore charts, planners, and printables
- Finds satisfaction in spreadsheets, lists, and a highly structured home life
The Creative Homemaker
- Sees the home as a canvas, filled with DIY projects and thrifted treasures
- Loves seasonal decorating, crafting, and upcycling
- Blends function with beauty in expressive, often eclectic ways
I personally am a little bit of all of the above, but I would consider myself a tidy maximalist. 😊
I like my small house to be neat and tidy, but I also enjoy my “things.” I love vintage, and collections are definitely my thing. What helps me is rotating collections out when they no longer bring me joy, and I do my best to keep them manageable.
Having my small home organized is very important to me. That said, I need things out in the open to remember to take care of them. A few strategies that help me stay on top of clutter include:
- Handling mail and bills the minute they come into the house
- Using baskets to contain clutter and keep spaces tidy
- Time-blocking my day to stay on schedule and reduce overwhelm
I decorate for most holidays, but my absolute favorite is Christmas. You’ll find at least five full-sized decorated trees in my small house—each one with its own unique flair!
“Home is the Nicest Word there Is”
Tips for Making Homemaking More Enjoyable
Working around the house doesn’t have to feel like a “chore.” With a few routines and some simple, joyful touches, I try to find happiness in the things I do to make my small house a home.
Start the Day with Quiet Time and Routine
- To begin with, I always start my day with a cup of coffee and a few minutes in my planner to organize the day and catch up on email.
- In addition, I make my bed every single morning. For some reason, this simple act sets the tone for the rest of my day!
Create a To-Do List or Use Time Blocking
- Moreover, writing things down helps keep me on track and reduces decision fatigue.
- I also use timers to stay focused on tasks—it’s amazing what you can accomplish in 15-minute bursts!
Add Beauty to the Chores
- Turn on your favorite music while tackling your to-do list.
- Light a candle or run a diffuser to change the mood of your space.
- Finally, when I finish tidying a room, I treat myself to fresh flowers—it’s a beautiful way to say, “Well done!”
Use Tools to Make Life Easier
- Additionally, meal planning helps take the stress out of dinnertime.
- I use Instacart for grocery delivery, which saves me time and keeps me from impulse shopping.
- A simple laundry routine helps too—I do one load every day to stay on top of it.
- Lastly, using a cleaning rotation system can make the process feel more manageable and less overwhelming.
Celebrate the Little Victories
I start each day thinking I’m going to take on the world. My to-do list has 20 things on it—and then life happens. Sometimes, I’m lucky if I get two of those things done.
That’s why the key to successful homemaking is to celebrate the little victories.
A made bed, a clean fridge, a fresh dinner—these are achievements. You don’t have to do it all to be “enough.”
The Deeper Side of Homemaking
Ultimately, homemaking is an act of love—to yourself and to the people (or pets!) in your space. It’s about creating peace, order, and comfort in a chaotic world.
Now more than ever, I find it so important for my small house to be our sanctuary. My goal is for it to be a place where we can rest, heal, and ground our souls.
Final Thoughts
Here on the blog, you’ll find everything from organizing tips to how to host a great party. My hope is to help you discover the part of homemaking you love—and encourage you to embrace it.
Whether you love chores or hate them, the little things you do to care for your space matter. I hope you’ll find joy and pride in the effort—not just the result.
Find a way to make homemaking your own. And if you ever need inspiration, I’ve got you covered.
Peace and Love,
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Behind the scenes
Hi, I’m Lynn
After years in corporate America, I’ve channeled my interior design degree and passionate creativity into transforming our 1,300 square foot house into a cozy, inviting haven that proves beautiful living doesn’t require massive square footage.
My slightly OCD tendencies fuel my love for organizing while my “Handy” husband helps bring my vintage-inspired decorating visions to life in our empty nest, where we entertain, garden, and cook from scratch.
Join me as I share practical wisdom, a little humor, and professional insights for making the most of every square inch—because I’ve discovered that living large isn’t about the size of your home but how you fill it with style, function, and heart.
Good post with solid information about homemaking. When my kids were young, I did a load a day and planned meals for the week. When we lived overseas, I did the meal plan but we have full time help so my usual routine for cleaning, etc changed. honerstly it was tough getting back into a routine when we moved back! Being retired and almost empty nesters, new routines will be adopted
Thanks Linda – I still like to meal plan even with the kids gone. It just keeps me more organized with grocery needs and my daily routine when I know what we are going to have. I can only imagine how your life and routine had to start all over every time you moved, especially from a different country.
I also love being a homemaker! I really need to try time blocking, I seem to have zero time and so much I want to accomplish. Love this blog post!!
If I didn’t time block, I would be all over the place. I’m someone who can start a project and then walk into another room to get something and start something completely different so even with time blocking I need help. I set timers on my watch for everything. The key to making it successful is to allow extra time because sometimes, things don’t always go the way you plan. I time block the “must do” things in my day and then that gives me some leeway maybe to do something just for me!
Such a great reminder and a very grace-filled and modern take on being a homemaker! I think all my readers would love to see this — sharing in next weekend’s newsletter
You are too kind my friend! Thank you so much for sharing – I think it’s a nice reminder that while we are all homemakers in one way or another, there is no right way to do it!