Sometimes it can feel impossible to get anything done around the house when you’re a mom of clingy little ones, especially any sort of DIY house project. I’ve been able to get things done in my own home here and there by involving my kids and really, really lowering my expectations.
When I was a child, I watched a documentary about Leonardo da Vinci, and it was really boring, but one part stood out to me and I think about it frequently. In the documentary, Leo was said to have completed an entire giant wall-sized work of art by painting just one single brushstroke per day.
Unfortunately, I cannot verify if this is even true, because I’ve tried Googling this da Vinci painting and have found zero evidence that it even existed, so it’s possible my mind just invented the entire thing. Thankfully, the inspiration I gained was real. When I have a project to do, such as wallpapering my bathroom, instead of getting overwhelmed I just think to myself, “We are gonna Leonardo this thing,” and I work on it a little bit every day. The key is to actually work on it every day, though. You can’t just not do it, or it doesn’t end up getting done. I know because I’ve tried that, too.
When I found 11 rolls of green toile wallpaper at the thrift store for $10 I committed to wallpapering my bathroom by putting up one panel per day, and it was done less than a month later. If I had never started, because I “didn’t have time,” my bathroom would still be boring. While I normally have a rule against working on physical projects during naptime (more on that later), this was something I just needed to do alone, so it became a naptime project. If the baby woke up in the middle of me putting up a panel, she got stuck in her walker in the bathroom as my little personal audience. While the wallpaper didn’t come out perfectly, (don’t look too close), I’m pleased I was able to do it all myself having no previous wallpaper experience.
“Tell us more amazing productivity tips, Micah.”
Sure thing!
We are a “low screen-time” family. Not a no screen-time family, but we’re so picky about shows that our kids end up watching the same thing over and over to the point that it doesn’t hold their attention anymore, and we don’t let them have tablets. So screens aren’t really a way that I get things done, and I have had to get more creative. Not everyone has access to consistent childcare, (despite what the dentist I tried to go to who turned me away for bringing my baby seemed to think). Ideally, I would have someone come over and hang out with my kids all the time while I get things done, but I’ve found some other creative ways to Leonardo da Vinci my house projects:
- If you put fun, happy, loud music on, the kids will be content marginally longer.
- Baby carrier. Baby goes for a ride, Mama works, Mama gets a bonus workout.
- Contain the kids somewhere close by. A pack and play with some random household items and spatulas and stuff will get you a good 10-20 minutes of time. Don’t bother putting toys in there– if your kids are like mine, they don’t play with toys that are more than 2 days old.
- Working on a project in the bathroom, or cleaning the bathroom? Bathtime for the kids. (If they are old enough to sit up safely).
- Painting something? Give the kids paintbrushes and water to “paint” the sides of their pack and play, or to paint rocks or the sides of the house if you’re working on something outside. My kids love to “paint” the deck.
- Stick a highchair (or two) in the room you’re working in and just keep loading them up with snacks. Almost always, the best way to get a project done is to just let them make their own messes.
- Prep as much as you can beforehand, keep projects as minimal as possible, and try not to be a perfectionist.
- The helper stool. This is my favorite way to get dishes done with a toddler. Every baby (or mine, at least) gets to a phase where being set down on the floor is an absolute insult and will always result in tears. The helper stool is a way to keep the little toddler at countertop level with me so she can feel involved. She can hold onto a wooden spoon and splash in the running water while I am washing the dishes. Yes, it takes longer and gets everything wet (especially her), but we get it done. I have found that my daughters are ready to climb up and stand on our helper stool safely around 13 months, (it takes a little longer to learn how to climb back down), but of course that’s going to be different for every child.
My biggest tip might be counterintuitive, but DON’T wait for naptime or quiet time to get projects and chores done, unless it’s a very high priority or something dangerous for the kids to be around. Naptime, if you’re like me and a lot of other moms, is the only quiet break of the day, and rest should be prioritized. Eat a snack, drink a coffee, read, and maybe work on something that is fun for you but non-physical. And when the kids wake up? Involve them in your projects in whatever capacity they can be involved- it’s good for them!
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