Simply Living Homestead | Homemaking, Rhythms, Organization, Time Management, Simplify, Systems

If you’ve ever looked around your house and wondered why all the organizing advice still isn’t working—you’re not alone. So many homestead moms are trying to fix clutter and chaos without first stopping to ask what their home is actually meant to do. In this episode, I’m walking you through a perspective shift that changed everything for me. Before I ever learned how to manage my time, I learned h...

If you’ve ever felt like you’re juggling two full-time jobs—running your home and your homestead—you’re not alone. I used to feel buried under all the appointments, projects, and chores that lived only in my head. But little by little, I found a rhythm that brought it all together. In this episode, I’m sharing the four tools that changed everything for me: a shared Google Calendar, a simple paper...

Have you ever spent the whole summer canning, freezing, and preserving food… only to realize months later that you barely used any of it? I’ve been there. In today’s episode, I’m sharing the simple shift that helped me stop forgetting what I worked so hard to put up — and start actually serving it at my family’s table. We’ll talk about making your preserved food visible, connecting it to the meals...

You know that strange in-between week after Christmas—when the house feels messy, time feels slow, and you’re not sure what day it is? I’ve been there too. Between the toys, cookie crumbs, and leftover wrapping paper, it’s easy to feel like the joy of Christmas left behind a tornado. In this episode, I’m sharing how I use that quiet “dead space” between Christmas and the New Year to reset my home...

Do you ever wake up on Christmas morning already overwhelmed? The clutter, the toys, the noise—it all hits before you’ve even had your coffee. I’ve been there too. Growing up, Christmas mornings were simple—quiet family time before heading to Grandma’s for lunch and gifts. These days, our family has added our own little traditions, but I’ve learned that peace doesn’t just happen—it’s prepared for....

Can you believe it’s December already? Between the baking, the events, and the endless to-do lists, it’s easy to feel like peace has left the building. I’ve been feeling that tug too—and I’ve learned that a few simple daily rhythms can make all the difference. In today’s episode, I’m sharing five quick 5–10 minute habits that help keep your family running smoothly through the holidays. We’ll talk...

Have you ever wanted to invite someone over… but stopped because your home felt too messy or overwhelming? I’ve been there too. When clutter builds up, it’s not just hard to clean—it’s hard to open your doors and your heart. In today’s episode, I’m sharing the real reason it’s so hard to host when your home doesn’t function well. We’ll talk about the biblical call to hospitality, how your home’s f...

Do you ever feel like your house just can’t stay clean no matter how much you pick up? I used to feel the same way. My so-called “10-minute resets” used to take me thirty — because everything was out of place, and I didn’t have systems that matched how our family really lived. In today’s episode, I’m sharing how quick room resets transformed my home. You’ll learn what a tidy routine is, why it’s d...

Have you ever felt like no matter how early you wake up, the day already feels behind? I used to start my mornings surrounded by clutter, dishes, and chaos — until one small mindset shift changed everything. In this episode, I’m sharing the story of how my therapist once asked, “If every business resets before the next shift, why don’t you?” That question led me to create an Evening Reset — a rhyt...

Do you ever feel like your planner collects dust and your phone dings just stress you out? I’ve been there too. I’ve always said, “If it’s not in the calendar, it’s not happening!” — but it wasn’t until I learned to pair my digital tools with my paper planner that my time finally started to make sense. In this episode, we’re breaking down simple time management using your planner and Google Calend...

If you’ve ever felt like keeping up with meals, cleaning, and kids is an endless game of catch-up, you’re not alone. I’ve been there—standing in my kitchen at 5 p.m., wondering how it all slipped away again. In this episode, I’m sharing how I finally found peace through routine stacks—simple sequences that take the chaos out of daily life. I’ll walk you through how to build your own stack inside o...

Do you ever reach the end of the day wondering what you actually did — yet feeling completely spent? It’s not that you aren’t working hard… it’s that your time is scattered. In this episode, we’re walking through how to build a weekly rhythm that actually fits your life. You’ll learn how to look at your week as a whole, take inventory of your time, and group your activities into simple time zones...

Have you ever noticed how a trip, sickness, or emergency can throw your whole routine off—and how long it takes to feel “normal” again? I used to take a full week (sometimes two!) before I felt like I had my feet under me after disruptions. It wasn’t until my therapist asked, “Why don’t you have a reset routine?” that I realized I needed a system to help me bounce back. In this episode, I’m sharin...

Have you ever looked around your home or farm and realized your kids weren’t carrying any of the load? That was me this summer with my four-year-old. As an only child and only grandchild, he had been given everything—without learning responsibility. I knew that had to change. In this episode, I’m sharing how we began involving him in simple tasks like our Evening Reset and how that opened the door...

Have you ever felt like you’re carrying the entire weight of your home on your shoulders? I know that feeling all too well. Jonathan and I once found ourselves stuck in that exact struggle—until a couples therapist helped us realize something simple but life-changing: if we share a home, we should share the tasks. In this episode, I’m opening up about how we shifted from “helping” to truly sharing...

We all have those hard days when the animals, the house, or the work feels heavy—but sometimes the hardest battles are in our own minds. I know that struggle deeply. For years, I believed the lies that I wasn’t good enough, wasn’t lovable, and would never be enough. In today’s episode, I want to share how I learned to take those thoughts captive and replace them with truth. Sometimes it was script...

Do you feel like there’s never enough time in your day? Overwhelmed by the endless to-do list? Wishing you could teach your children real-life skills, but the clutter and chaos make you feel like you’ll never be good enough?   I’ve been there too.  Friend, I’m so glad you’re here.   If you’re a mom who dreams of that homestead life you see on Instagram, but feels like you’d need an extra 12 hours...

Shopping for a family milk cow and not sure what to ask (or how to handle breeding once she’s home)? This episode is your confidence boost. I walk you through the exact questions to ask any seller—records, lactations, calving history, udder health, handling, temperament, production, due dates (vet-confirmed!), and a live milking demo—plus where to look (local homestead dairies, reputable sale grou...

Thinking about a family milk cow but overwhelmed by breeds, butterfat, and all the A2 talk? You’re not alone. In this episode, I break down the essentials so you can choose a cow that truly fits your homestead and your family. We walk through dairy vs. beef vs. dual-purpose (Jersey, Guernsey, Holstein, Brown Swiss, Dexter, Milking Shorthorn), what that means for milk volume, cream line, temperamen...

Ever have a week that goes completely sideways? In this episode, I share a real-life mid-July whirlwind: 7½ bushels of Lodi apples to sauce, a flooded basement after a big Iowa rain, a bee-sting kiddo, birthday plans, county fair, and… zero margin. Instead of melting down, I leaned on time-blocking, chose a true bare-minimum list (podcast, tidy/maintain, groceries), took a deep breath, and pivoted...

Your pasture is ready and your fencing is up—now let’s talk shelter, gear, and what your milking space really needs to look like. In Part 2 of our Homestead Dairy series, we’re digging into the practical setup: shelter, milking areas, must-have gear, and how to choose the right equipment for your setup. Whether you’re planning to hand milk or invest in a system, this episode is all about making yo...

So, you're dreaming of fresh milk, homemade butter, and a cow in your pasture—but are you really ready for what that takes? In this Homestead Dairy series, we’re breaking down everything you need to think through before your cow ever arrives. This episode focuses on the daily time commitment, what it really means to add a dairy rhythm to your life, and how to prepare your land, pasture, and fencin...

Have you ever walked away from a parenting moment thinking… “That’s not the kind of mom I want to be”? Yeah. Me too. In this episode, I want to open up about how we’re learning to speak life—not shame—over our son. Words carry power—especially in motherhood. Today, we’re talking about the impact our language has on our children, particularly when the days are hard and emotions run high. I’m sharin...

 Ever wonder how a homesteading mama gets it all done—from milking cows to managing a business—without losing her mind? Today’s episode is a special one, thanks to a sweet listener named Cherish who asked for a behind-the-scenes look at what a typical day looks like for me here at Simply Living Homestead. From early-morning Bible study and farm chores to homeschooling, content creation, and family...

Homesteading is often celebrated as a path toward doing everything yourself. But what if that very mindset is what’s wearing you down? Today, let’s talk about redefining self-sufficiency and how true sustainability grows in the soil of community. In this heartfelt episode, I’m unpacking why I’ve grown uncomfortable with the term “self-sufficiency”—not because the goal is wrong, but because the min...