🏡 The 5-Minute Declutter: A Stress-Free Way to Keep Your Home Organised

Decluttering your home can feel overwhelming, especially when you're juggling kids, work, and a never-ending to-do list. Here’s my secret to getting it done without stress: You don’t need to work for hours to make a difference.

With a 5-Minute Declutter, you can keep your home organised without the stress. These are quick, manageable wins that add up over time.

You want to focus on one small area at a time. Instead of trying to overhaul an entire room, pick a single drawer, a shelf, or the kitchen counter.

Set a timer for five minutes and go! Throw out rubbish, put anything else you don't want anymore into a bag or box, wipe surfaces, put things back where they belong, and straighten up what’s left. When the timer goes off, you’re done. Out your donation bag or box in your car to drop off next time you're out, and that’s it!

If you need other ideas, here are some more quick declutter spots:

• The junk drawer: Toss anything broken, expired, or unnecessary
• Your wallet, handbag or nappy bag: Ditch old receipts, wrappers, and random bits
• The fridge: Clear out expired food and wipe down shelves
• The bathroom cupboard: Get rid of empty bottles and products you don’t use
• Kids’ toys: Throw away anything broken and store away or donate anything that doesn't get played with

You can fit this in anytime - while waiting for the kettle to boil, during ad breaks on TV, or while the kids are getting ready for bed. Five minutes might not seem like much, but when you do it regularly, it keeps the mess from piling up and makes your home feel so much calmer.

Get the kids involved if you want to. Set a timer and challenge them to put away as many toys as they can before it goes off. Or make it a game - who can clear the most clutter from the lounge room the fastest? When it’s fun, they’re more likely to help.

Decluttering doesn’t have to be an overwhelming, all-day task. Just five minutes here and there can make a huge difference, keeping your home tidy and organised without the stress. Give it a try and see how much lighter your home (and your mind!) feels.

x Marissa

P.S. Want more decluttering tips? My House & Family Binder offers simple strategies to keep your home organised effortlessly.

🍳 Kitchen Hacks Every Mum Needs for Faster, Easier Meal Prep

Meal prep as a busy mum can feel like a never-ending cycle. Figuring out what to cook, prepping ingredients, cleaning up, and then doing it all over again.

With a few clever kitchen hacks, you can save time, reduce stress, and make mealtimes so much easier.

You're allowed to use shortcut ingredients if you want to. Pre-chopped veggies, microwave rice, pre-cooked chicken, and canned beans are lifesavers when you’re short on time. They cut down on prep work without sacrificing nutrition, so you can throw together a meal in minutes.

Batch cook when you can. If you’re making one meal, why not make two? Cook extra portions of pasta sauce, soup, or shredded chicken and freeze them for those nights when you don’t have the energy to start from scratch. Even just doubling the amount of rice or roasted veggies means less work later in the week.

Make your freezer your best friend. Freeze chopped onions, bell peppers, and even lemon slices to save time when cooking. Store smoothie ingredients in freezer bags so all you have to do is blend. You can even freeze pancake batter in muffin trays for easy, ready-to-go portions.

Use the one-pan cooking whenever possible. Sheet pan meals, stir-fries, and slow cooker recipes cut down on dishes and cooking time. Just toss everything in, let it cook, and enjoy a delicious meal with minimal cleanup.

Keep a go-to meal list for those nights when you don’t want to think. Write down five or six easy meals your family loves, like scrambled eggs and toast, tacos, or pasta with pesto. When you’re tired and uninspired, just pick something from the list and skip the meal-planning stress.

Clean as you go. Instead of waiting until after dinner to tackle a messy kitchen, wash a few dishes while the pasta boils, wipe down the counters while food is in the oven, and put ingredients away as you go. A little effort during cooking means way less to deal with later.

Most importantly, don’t be afraid to keep it simple. Not every meal needs to be gourmet. A sandwich, a quick salad, or a simple pasta dish is more than enough. Feeding your family doesn’t have to be complicated—it just has to be doable.

With a few smart shortcuts and a little planning, you can make mealtime quicker, easier, and way less stressful. Try a couple of these hacks and see how much time (and sanity) you save!

x Marissa

P.S. For meal planning templates and more, check out my House & Family Binder. It’s designed to simplify your kitchen routines and beyond.

💖 How to Actually Find Time for Yourself as a Busy Mum

Finding time for yourself as a busy mum can feel impossible.

You're caring for kids, keeping up with the house, working, driving, shopping, cooking, and everything in between.

The idea of self-care often gets pushed to the bottom of the list.

But you can’t pour from an empty cup. Taking time for yourself feels selfish but it's actually essential.

And it doesn’t have to be complicated.

The first step is letting go of the idea that self-care needs to be a big event. You don’t need an entire spa day or a weekend away (though that would be nice, feel free to do that too!). Sneak in small, meaningful moments whenever you can. Even five minutes of something that makes you feel good can make a difference.

Start with the tiny pockets of time that already exist in your day. When the kids have full tummies and are happy to play by themselves, drink your coffee slowly from your favourite mug and flip through a magazine. When they’re watching a show, do some deep breathing exercises and enjoy how much calmer you feel. If you’re waiting in the car at school pickup, pop in your earbuds and listen to feel-good music or a podcast that inspires or entertains you. These moments add up and we tend to forget to include them in our day.

Another game-changer is giving yourself permission to take breaks without guilt. So often, mums feel like they have to be doing something every second of the day. But rest is productive too. If the baby is napping, instead of rushing to do chores, take five minutes to sit down with a book, a cup of tea, or just some quiet. The washing will still be there later.

If you’re struggling to make self-care a habit, schedule it in just like you would for anything else. Block out a time - even 10 minutes - and protect it like an appointment. A solo walk, journaling, even scrolling your phone in a separate room without someone calling your name, counts.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Swap childcare with a friend, set a boundary with your partner, or let your kids know that “Mum’s quiet time” is non-negotiable. You deserve it, and when you take care of yourself, you’ll have more energy, patience, and joy to give to your family.

If you can't find hours of free time right now, you will soon, every year gets a little easier. In the meantime, a few small, intentional moments throughout the day can help you recharge, reset, and remind you that you matter too.

x Marissa

P.S. Need help organising your time? My House & Family Binder includes tools to help you carve out moments for yourself amidst the busyness.

⏰ The One-Minute Rule That Keeps Your Home Tidy

Keeping a tidy home when you have kids running around can feel like an impossible task.

The moment you clean one thing, another mess appears, and by the end of the day, you’re too exhausted to deal with it.

I use a simple rule that helps keep things under control without spending hours cleaning. It's called the One-Minute Rule and it's a game-changer for busy mums.

The idea is simple: if something takes less than a minute to do, do it immediately. Instead of letting small tasks pile up and turn into big messes, you tackle them as they come.

Honestly? I'm just too lazy to do bigger tidy ups, and this rule means I rarely have to.

Dropped socks on the floor? Pick them up and put them in the hamper. Empty cereal box on the counter? Toss it in the bin.Shoes kicked off at the door? Pop them back where they belong.

Wiping a quick spill, stacking dishes, fluffing a pillow—it all takes less than a minute, but these tiny actions add up to a home that feels naturally tidy. It's weird how obvious it seems to read that back, but I swear, until I made this a non negotiable in my day I would just leave that stuff for later and it piled up SO fast.

This rule isn’t just for you either. Kids can put their toys in a basket, place their plate in the sink, or hang up their school bag the moment they walk in the door. When everyone gets into the habit of handling little things right away, the house stays tidier without anyone feeling like they’re constantly cleaning.

The One-Minute Rule stops the overwhelm before it starts. Instead of looking at a messy house at the end of the day and wondering where to begin, you’ve already taken care of the small stuff. No need for perfection - you're more making tidiness effortless, one tiny action at a time.

Try it for a few days and see the difference. A tidier home, less stress, and no more feeling buried under mess just by doing the little things, right away. 

 x Marissa

P.S. Looking for more practical tips? My House & Family Binder is filled with resources to help you manage your home effortlessly.

💐 Your Simple Weekend Reset for a Fresh Start Every Week

Weekends should feel like a break, not just a chance to catch up on everything that didn’t get done during the week. But when you’re a busy mum, it can be hard to truly relax when there’s clutter everywhere, laundry piling up, and a to-do list that never seems to end.

That’s where a simple weekend reset comes in. A few small habits can set you up for a smoother, easier week ahead—without spending your whole weekend cleaning.

Start by tidying the high-traffic areas. Focus on the spaces you use the most—kitchen, living room, and entryway. A quick 10-minute tidy in each of these spots makes the whole house feel fresher without overwhelming you.

Next, tackle the laundry situation. If you can, do a load or two so Monday doesn’t start with an overflowing basket. Get the kids involved by having them help sort, fold, or put away their clothes—it doesn’t have to be perfect!

A simple meal plan for the week makes life so much easier. You don’t need to plan every single meal, but jotting down a few easy dinners and checking what’s in the fridge can help you avoid the midweek scramble of “What are we eating tonight?”. If you don't want to plan your own, ​feel free to use mine.​

Restock the essentials so you’re not running out of things midweek. A quick check of nappies, snacks, lunchbox items, and household basics like toilet paper means fewer last-minute trips to the shops.

Take a few minutes to reset your mindset too. Instead of feeling like the weekend got away from you, pause and do something just for you—whether it’s a quiet cup of tea, a quick walk, or even a few deep breaths before bed.

A simple weekend reset doesn't have to be done perfectly, you just want to give yourself a fresh start so you can head into the new week feeling lighter, calmer, and more in control. Try it out and see how much smoother your week feels!

x Marissa

P.S. For more tools to keep your home and family life organised, explore my House & Family Binder. It’s all about making life easier for busy mums like you.