“I Can’t Do It All!” How Outsourcing in my Home Changed Everything

I love my kids, enjoy my workouts, get energy from my job, and really love to travel. But doing all these things {and well!} while also running a household is difficult. I have come to terms with the fact that “doing it all” is not the mom or woman I want to be.

About two years ago, my husband started traveling more for work. With two girls under four and a full-time career of my own, things started to slip around the house. We got behind and the to-do list was never-ending. My kids needed me. I found I was constantly saying things like: “Hold on, momma has to finish up in the kitchen before we play,” and “We will play when I am done sweeping.”

It all came crashing down one Sunday night after a jam-packed weekend. It was 10:00 p.m. and I was scrubbing toilets. That’s it! I was supposed to be winding down and prepping for the week ahead but instead, I was cleaning bathrooms well into the night. My husband is very helpful concerning all things around the house, but the stress of it all had not broken him – it broke me.

cleaning the bathroomThere in the bathroom, in a cloud of Mr. Clean aroma, I finished cleaning through tears and I said the thing we mothers often neglect to say…

“I need help.”

My dear husband thought I was just sick of toilets and vowed to take over cleaning the bathrooms, but I made it clear: No, I NEED HELP all around here. He got it. For our marriage, my mental state, and the overall sanity of our home, we decided to start outsourcing some household duties that were piling up and overwhelming us. 

First up… a cleaning service. Picking up after two kids and a dog is enough, but the basic cleaning was just not getting done. I took to our neighborhood Facebook group and asked for recommendations. I texted my mom circle of support to get their referrals. I also asked for ideas in a local mom’s group. I was on the hunt for help and I found it. I interviewed two different companies. They both came out, looked around the house at the size of the spaces they would be cleaning, walked me through their process, and gave me a quote.

I had a few questions… Did we have to be home? How often would they come? Could my dog be home while they cleaned? Do I provide the cleaning products or are they included in the service fees?

After getting all of the answers from both prospects, we decided on the best company for our family. This is one of the best “working mom” decisions I have ever made. Now, every other week, a cleaning crew descends on my house and does the dirty work. The floors, the dusting, the mopping, the wiping, the cleaning, and more. I am so thankful. It is a major help. It eases the weight of my mental load and we can now relax just a little bit more on the weekends and be more present with our girls. Our crew has been with us for almost two years now and I have never looked back.

During various seasons, we also choose to outsource other things like grocery shopping {pickup/delivery} and meal prep {subscription services}. This is not something we do all the time, but when times are really busy, I am now comfortable saying, “I cannot do it all. I need help.”

I think for a long time I was afraid to ask. I thought it would make me look like someone who couldn’t do it all. Well, I suppose that’s the truth – I can’t! But you know what? That is okay. Is there something in your life you just can’t seem to get done? Can you outsource it and ask for help?

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