The Ultimate Weekly Homemaking Routine for Stay-at-Home Moms

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Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the many household tasks you have to do as a stay-at-home mom?  How do you manage your ever growing to-do list? A structured weekly homemaking routine brings order to your home. It reduces stress and creates a more peaceful environment for your family.

Without a structured routine, important household tasks can 1. fall to the wayside, 2. derail the rest of your day when you try to squeeze it in, OR 3. leave you feeling frazzled. For me, this combination can make it difficult to have a joyful disposition towards my family. 

In this post, I want to help you consider what needs to be done in your home each week. We will also talk about how to balance the work so that you don’t run yourself into the ground. 

Ultimately, my hope is that you walk away with your own weekly routine–if you don’t already have one. I believe this will help you take care of your home with greater joy, excellence, and peace.

“She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.” — Proverbs 31:27

Why a Weekly Homemaking Routine Matters

In another post, I talked about creating daily routines as a part of your homemaking schedule. This is foundational to your routines as a stay-at-home mom, so I recommend focusing on that if you haven’t already. In fact, start with your morning routine! This is the most important part of your daily routine. 

There are differences between your daily and weekly routines. Daily routines focus on consistent rhythms throughout each day. A weekly routine helps meet other important needs of your home that are less frequent, but necessary. A well-thought out weekly routine provides structure & reduces decision fatigue (thus, stress!). Overall, it helps you be more peacefully productive as you manage your home. 

The weekly routine that I recommend is rotational. This means that each day is assigned a theme, and is usually consistent throughout the weeks (i.e., laundry day, town day, etc.). This fits well with the life of a stay-at-home mom, since it provides structure but allows life to happen. Because it is rotational in nature, there is consistency that provides cushion for the unexpected. If you miss a day one week, it is likely that you will get back to it the next week. You aren’t totally derailed. It’s lovely! 

Another huge benefit of doing it this way is its simplicity. It makes having a to do list much easier to manage. More on this later!

How to Set Up a Weekly Homemaking Routine in Four Simple Steps

1. Identify Your Priorities – What must get done each week? Laundry, deep cleaning, errands?
2. Assign Theme Days – Choose a focus for each day (e.g., Laundry Monday, Errand Tuesday).
3. Incorporate Focus, Buffer and Golden Free Days – Balance high-energy days (deep cleaning) with lighter ones (office work). And be sure to rest!
4. Use a Weekly Master To-Do List System
5. Adjust as Needed – Life changes, so be willing to tweak your routine when needed!

✨ If you want a little help bringing more order to your days, I’ve got you covered! This Editable Weekly Routine Printable is designed to help you create a flow that feels good for your family. Subscribe to grab your free copy!

Step 1: Identify Your Priorities as a Stay-at-Home Mom

The Lord created rhythms of work and rest in our week. We would do well to agree with our Creator that we need rest. For that reason, I recommend picking five or six categories (not seven) to include in your weekly routine. Let the seventh day be a Sabbath rest for you and your family.

What are the non-negotiables that need attention each week? Some ideas:

• Laundry day–big laundry day vs. a day to wash sheets and towels, mend, iron, remove stains, etc.
• Homestead/Gardening day– to tackle some of the bigger weekly homestead projects
• Town day– try to keep errands, appointments, package returns, and etc. all in one day! This will save you time and money, and give consistency for you and your children. 
• Sabbath prep day– to prepare your sabbath meal and clean the home 
• Deep Cleaning day– Would you rather clean a little each day, or on one big day?
• Hospitality day– Write letters, host a family for dinner, etc. This can easily be a more low key day to check off other small tasks.
• Office day– Pay bills, budget, file papers, plan, make phone calls and appointments, etc. 
• Kitchen day– meal prep, extra baking needs, and kitchen attention (i.e., organize a drawer/cabinet, clean out refrigerator, wipe appliances, etc.)

Step 2: Assign a Theme to Each Day

Once you know what needs to happen, assign a theme to each day as it makes sense. Example:

• Monday – Office Day 
• Tuesday – Hospitality 
• Wednesday – Meal Planning & Prep 
• Thursday – Deep Cleaning Day
• Friday – Town Day & Buffer
• Saturday – Golden Free Family Day (more on this in the next section)
• Sunday – Worship & Buffer Day

Some “themes” require greater focus and energy than others on a given day. Try to avoid putting more than two of these themes back to back. Label each day as a buffer day, focus day, or a golden free day. This is one way to pace yourself during the week as a stay-at-home mom.

Step 3. Incorporate Focus, Buffer, and Golden Free Days as a Stay-at-Home Mom

Buffer, focus, and golden free days come from a time management tool originated by Dan Sullivan, an entrepreneurial coach. I learned about applying his strategies to manage my week as a stay-at-home mom through Katie Voetberg. She has a fabulous homemaking course called the Get it All Done Club (I highly recommend this course!).

The Basic Premise When Applied to Homemaking:

• Focus Days = Big tasks (deep cleaning, meal prepping, major errands)
• Buffer Days = Catch-up days for unfinished tasks or light work
• Golden Free Days = Fully unplug from homemaking duties and rest

How to Structure Your Week Using This Method:

Here is an example of a themed weekly routine that incorporates focus, buffer, and free days for one stay-at-home mom:

Day	Theme	Main Tasks
Monday	Office Day (Focus)	Pay bills, budget, plan meals
Tuesday	Town Day (Buffer)	Grocery shopping, appointments
Wednesday	Meal Planning & Prep (Focus)	Meal prep, clean fridge, bake
Thursday	Deep Cleaning Day (Focus)	Floors, bathrooms, dust
Friday	Hospitality (Buffer)	Write letters, host dinner
Saturday	Golden Free Family Day	No major chores, family time
Sunday	Worship & Buffer Day	Church, Reset and plan for upcoming week

Step 4: Adjust As Needed

Seasons wax and wane in all of our homes, and needs change. A home with little children will look much different than a home with teenagers. Also, there are many fluctuations in motherhood–first trimester, postpartum, new baby, sickness in the home, etc. Adjust your weekly homemaking schedule as necessary!

✨ Having a loose but intentional routine has been a game-changer in my home. That’s why I created this Editable Weekly Routine Printable—so you can create a rhythm that serves you well. You can get yours for free when you subscribe!

How to Manage Your To-Do List as a Stay-at-Home Mom

1. Start with a Master List
   • Brain dump everything you need to do this week (or at some point)
   • Include housework, appointments, personal tasks, and reminders.
   • Anything that you did not accomplish the week before can roll over onto your new list
2. Assign Tasks to Themed Days
   • Example: Make your dentist appointment on Office Day. Mend the hole in  your son’s pants on Laundry Day.
   • This keeps you from scrambling every day!
   • Side note: not everything can be perfectly categorized. That’s okay! Accomplish those tasks on your buffer days, if you’d like.
3. Prioritize 2-3 Tasks Per Day
   • Don’t over-stuff your list! Be realistic about what you can accomplish. Pick just a few key tasks each day.
   • If you’re in a busy season, focus on just one essential task per day.
4. Use Buffer Days for Catch-Up
   • Didn’t get to a task? No worries! Catch up on a buffer day instead of feeling behind. 
   • If it works, you can let the task roll over to the next week.

Hopefully you get the gist! This method is so helpful, because it breaks up your master list into smaller, manageable bite sized chunks. Prioritize what is important. Try to check off an item or two when your children are resting or preoccupied. Trust that the other things will get done (especially now that you have your weekly routine in place).

Here is example of a focus day for a stay-at-home mom who has her daily routines (morning, afternoon, evening), weekly routines, and to do list incorporated into the day (see blog post on daily routines for more detail):

Here is example of a buffer day for a stay-at-home mom who has her daily routines (morning, afternoon, evening), weekly routines, and to do list incorporated into her day:

Tips to Stick to Your Routine Without Overwhelm

Remember, your routines and lists are meant to serve you, not the other way around. They provide structure. However, the structure is intended to be flexible. It serves as a way for the stay-at-home mom to easily bounce back when life happens.

Also, try to think of creative ways to involve your family in household tasks! In our home, our kiddos help with setting the table and tidying the home before meals. We turn on music and all work together as a team to clean up after meals. Everyone has a job, from the 3 year old all the way to mom and dad. Give lots of praise and affirmation when you see them (at least try to) do a good job!

Finally, adjust your routines as seasons change. You will find your weekly rhythm, and eventually you will need to adapt it to fit family needs. That’s normal and good. If it’s helpful, reevaluate every few months or so. See what has worked and what are the pain points that could use some help, and adjust accordingly!

Conclusion & Encouragement for the Stay-at-Home Mom

Finally, always keep in mind, homemaking is kingdom work. Your faithful stewardship of the home nurtures souls and shapes the people in it. You’re creating a haven where your family can flourish and grow.

Take a deep breath. You’re doing a beautiful job.

I hope that this weekly homemaking routine greatly blesses you and your home. May the Lord continue to equip and strengthen you to embrace homemaking with joy!

What does your weekly homemaking routine look like as a stay-at-home mom? Comment below and share your favorite tips!

✨ If you’re looking for a simple way to bring more peace and structure to your week, this Editable Weekly Routine Printable is here to help. It’s fully customizable, so you can make it work for your family’s unique needs. Just subscribe to download!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I start a weekly homemaking routine if I’ve never had one before?
   • The key is to start small! Pick just one or two theme days to begin with (like a Laundry Day or a Deep Cleaning Day) and slowly build from there. You don’t have to have it all figured out overnight.
2. What if I fall behind on my routine?
   • Grace upon grace! A homemaking routine is there to serve you, not the other way around. If life happens and you miss a day, just jump back in where you left off. The beauty of a rotational system is that it keeps coming back around!
3. How do I stay consistent when I get easily distracted or overwhelmed?
   • Start with the basics: meals, laundry, and tidying. These are the “anchors” of home life. Then, focus on your theme days, but keep the tasks on those days fairly simple. Also, make homemaking enjoyable. If your kiddos are resting, pop in your ear buds and listen to music or a podcast while you work! 
4. How can I get my kids involved in my homemaking routine?
   • Even little ones can help! Toddlers can wipe baseboards or match socks, while older kids can help with dishes or sweeping. Give them small, specific jobs and lots of encouragement. They’ll learn that homemaking is a family effort! Keep an eye out for a post on age appropriate chore lists for children!
5. What’s the best way to meal plan so I’m not scrambling at dinnertime?
   • Plan simple, repeatable meals that fit your family’s preferences. A weekly meal rotation (like Taco Tuesdays or Soup Sundays) can take the guesswork out of it. Pull your meat out of the freezer in the morning. Break up meal prep times in 15-20 minute segments throughout the day (i.e., chop veggies after lunch, prep other ingredients 20 minutes before your children wake from naps). This can save a lot of time and help your evening run much smoother–especially with littles. 
6. How do I handle the mental load of managing everything at home?
   • Get things out of your head and onto paper (or into a planner). On Sunday evenings before your week begins, brain dump your to-do list for the week on a sheet of paper. See the above section about assigning prioritized tasks to themed days where able. Having a set routine helps eliminate decision fatigue because you already know what needs to be done each day. And remember, you don’t have to do it all—delegate where you can!
7. How do I stay motivated when homemaking feels repetitive?
   • I’ll start by quoting G.K. Chesterton in Orthodoxy: “Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.”
   • My sister, shift your mindset! The cyclical nature of your homemaking duties represent the faithfulness of the Lord Jesus. He says every morning “do it again”, and never tires of this. Your good work is a great act of love. Though it may seem redundant at times, remember that your work nurtures your family’s in body and soul. Your faithful work as a mother shows them great love. Keep it up!
   • Also, try changing things up when you feel stuck—rearrange a space, add fresh flowers, or light a candle while you clean. Small touches can make a big difference in how you feel about your home.