Stay at Home Mom's Guide

So, if you are a SAHM (stay at home mom), you’ll know that life can get very busy very quickly. In fact, according to findings by American company Salary.com, the amount of work a mom does to keep the household running smoothly every day would add up to salary of more than R160 000 per month if she had to get paid for all of it!

Think about it - you're a nurse, cleaner, cook, CEO, child minder, chauffeur, and so much more. It’s no wonder so many hard-working SAHMs feel overworked, under-appreciated and unable to find time in their day to show up for themselves.

In the lead-up to Mother’s Day, we checked in with DJ, brand influencer and SAHM Thato Makgaka, also known as DJ Heels, to find out how she copes while juggling that #momlife.

A cluttered house is difficult to keep clean and tidy. However, if you keep clutter to a minimum, it’s much easier to keep your living environment neat and inviting.

Insider tip: Keep a ‘tidy basket’ somewhere convenient and out of the way, e.g. the pantry or washing room. When you have a moment, take a walk around the house and use the basket to stash anything that’s lying around where it’s not supposed to be.

This gets it out of the way. You can then either take a walkabout and deposit it back where it needs to be immediately, or leave it until you have a moment later on. Either way, the ‘stuff’ is no longer underfoot. Plus you are potentially keeping harmful things stored away from where the kids can reach.

As a mom, you have to make sure that grocery necessities are always available. Most families tend to buy a lot of the same things from one week or month to the next. Use this as your shopping list template and add to it as necessary. You can keep the template in hard copy format (just have it laminated), or store it on your phone. In fact, there are great grocery list apps as well.

Schedule some time to check in with your spiritual and mental health every day. There are different ways to do so. Some people choose to journal, while others prefer a quick chat (or voice note exchange!) with a friend, or meditation first thing in the morning.

Whatever you do, just make sure to do so regularly. It’s amazing what a difference it makes when you start every day with a positive attitude.

Thato aims to be a hero mom before anything else so her kids can come to her without any hesitation. This dedication to her brood takes many forms. For instance, she always makes sure to pack their lunches and set out their uniforms the night before each school day. This way, the morning is less rushed and there is time for some fun and engagement before the school run.

She also knows that her littles tend to wake up at night wanting a snack, so before she heads off to bed, she prepares a light snack or two and place it within easy reach. This way everyone loses a lot less sleep and wake up feeling more refreshed to take on the day.

Thato also believes in making her children part of the home management team. She gives them light chores like packing toys, separating laundry and taking out the garbage to earn change or a snack of their choice. This is a constructive way of coming together as a family and teaching children about the value of their contribution.

She also takes care to always acknowledge milestones and when they are doing a good deed.

If you would like to learn more about how SAHM Thato Makgaka keeps things on an even keel at home, follow her on Instagram! There is so much we can learn from trailblazing females like DJ Heels.