Our homes are one of the most special areas in our lives. They’re our safe place– where we raise our children and make special memories with friends and family. We naturally want others to feel welcome in our homes (just as we do!), but so often this task is overcomplicated and leads us to feeling stressed out, worn thin, and not enjoying the time we have with our friends and family. We want to simplify the idea of hospitality and learn to savor that time instead. When we cut out all of the unnecessary to-dos and over the top gestures, not only do we put less pressure on ourselves, but our guests feel more at home, and we are able to spend time making precious memories that will last a lifetime. Today, we asked the ladies of our Simplicity Series what makes them feel the most at welcome when spending time at someone else’s home. Here’s what they said:

“An invitation to sit. Someone asking if I would like to have something to drink. Partaking in a home-cooked meal together. All of those things make me feel extremely well taken care of and welcome.”– Lacoya Heggie, wife, mama, and founder of Hello Love Events

“Good food!  A thought out meal or snack.  I think food is my love language!” – Shay Cochrane, wife, mama to two sweet girls, and photographer extraordinaire

“When they are real … I went to a friend’s house just yesterday, in fact. Her 2 year- old son was having a massive tantrum, and she didn’t get embarrassed, she simply hit the blender, made us margaritas, opened her back door for the kids to play in the yard, and she put out pre-made PBJ sandwiches for the kids. Now THAT’S my kind of friend! ” – Beth Gebhard, wife, mama to 2, and co-founder of Choice Media and Communications

“I think it is different for everyone. I love going to people’s homes and seeing the personal things – photos and memories that are important t them. And then learning about those mementos.”  – Kerry Gardner, wife, dog mama, and publicist extraordinaire

“There is something so simple and welcoming about a candle burning. It just shows that the host took some extra time to make sure everything felt warm and welcoming.” – Maggie Rheney, Samford grad, avid book reader, and associate publicist at Choice  Media and Communications

“Eating a meal with them. Sharing a meal together is something that I absolutely love to do.” – Rachel Cruze, wife, mama, author, and finance guru

“When they sit and relax with me. It’s not the perfect decorations, spotless counter tops or scented candles that makes me feel welcome. Actions and feelings are contagious, so if they are scurrying around trying to clean, cook, perform and put forth this Pinterest- perfect picture, I get stressed out not only for them in that moment, but also for myself because I begin thinking of all I should be doing more of in my own home! When a friend will stop doing and just sit back and sink into the couch with a cup of coffee and talk to me, when they put their phone down and look up to make eye contact and be present to have a real human conversation, that’s the most welcoming thing in the world.” – Christy Wright, wife, boy mama, speaker, and author of Business Boutique

“When they let me join them in the kitchen and help. It’s a privilege to serve others so assisting the hostess or host so that they can truly be present with us and not stressed is something I enjoy immensely. Plus, it makes me feel like we’re close. We’ve gotten past all the polite niceties and are so comfortable with each other that it’s second nature to just jump right in.” – Heather Adams, wife, mama, and co-founder of Choice Media and Communications

When we talk about ways to simplify our schedule, implementing routines and systems is always at the top of our list. We believe that routines, systems, and habits help to create a space that makes people feel safe and secure within their home. It makes our homes and our families feel steady. Striving to create simple traditions (like eating pizza on Friday nights) and establishing routines for household chores will change the way your household runs. These routines don’t have have to be complicated, but they do have to be consistent. Consistency cultivates efficiency and keeps things running smoothly in your household.

Today, we asked the women of our Simplicity Series what routines they implement weekly to help keep their family’s schedules running smoothly. Here’s what they said:

“I try to keep the same, familiar routine once my children arrive from school. The oldest does homework while my little one has T.V. time. Once homework is done, they usually play together. We eat and chat once my husband gets home from work. They get more playtime and then start preparing for bed around 7:30pm. Mornings have a similar routine.” – Lacoya Heggie, wife, mama, and founder of Hello Love Events

“I don’t know if it ever really runs smoothly but one little thing I have found that helps with making sure that we have family dinner around the same time each night is that every time I make soup (maybe weekly) I make a double batch and freeze it for busy school nights when we are running to gymnastics or have Bible study.  We are also big proponents of regular early bed time for the kids (around 7pm) so that everyone gets the sleep they need and so that mom and dad get alone time to reconnect!” – Shay Cochrane, wife, mama to two sweet girls, and photographer extraordinaire

“I have a whiteboard and calendar in my kitchen. I write down the week’s menu for dinners on the whiteboard and buy all of the groceries for it on Sundays. I have started using Hello Fresh for meal deliveries, and that has greatly reduced my time on planning what we eat and shopping for it. We really love using Hello Fresh! I also keep a running tab of what’s needed, grocery wise, on that whiteboard and take a photo of it before going to the grocery. I do laundry on Sundays and Wednesdays, and I lay out the kids clothes the night before. My husband gets up at 6am every morning and gets the dog walked and showered before he does anything else, and that helps free up the time he needs to focus on the kids in the morning.” – Beth Gebhard, wife, mama to 2, and co-founder of Choice Media and Communications

“I have to write everything down. Creating lists and keeping a detailed calendar helps me stay on track.” – Kerry Gardner, wife, dog mama, and publicist extraordinaire

“Winston and I go over calendars and dinners for the week every Sunday night. We look at the week ahead, and then look at each night specifically to see when we will be home versus having something planned. That communication before the week starts helps us stay on top of our life week to week.” – Rachel Cruze, wife, mama, author, and finance guru

“I have a weekly dry-erase calendar on the fridge that I fill out every week. I can only take things one week at a time because with my travel schedule –  I would get overwhelmed and confuse everyone in my family. Having that calendar on the fridge (in addition to the FamCal app for more detailed and long-term planning) allows us to know what to expect that week.” – Christy Wright, wife, boy mama, speaker, and author of Business Boutique

“We try to do at least one load of laundry a day. One day a week (usually Fridays) I try to get everything picked up at home, sheets changed, etc. I love to do it before the weekend so that I can fully invest in my family. A clean and organized home gives me real peace. The boys have a consistent schedule including the time they wake up, when they go to bed, when they have baseball or basketball practice, etc. It changes with the seasons, but they thrive when they have a regular routine and plenty of rest. On Sunday evenings I also plan meals for the week and talk with my husband about the week in general and anything we need to tackle together or divide and conquer.” – Heather Adams, wife, mama, and co-founder of Choice Media and Communications

We’re big believers in making lists and writing things down, and not just when it comes to our daily to-do lists! One of the pages at the very front of the Simplified Planner is for your Yearly Bucket List. This is a place for you to write down goals for you and your family. Take a beach vacation. Read more books. Spend Friday nights eating pizza on the floor. These are the things that fill your well and help you be the best version of yourself for the people around you. Decide what you want to do at the end of the year, and write it down. This week we asked the ladies on our Simplicity Series what’s on their bucket list for this year. Here’s what they said:

“Travel outside of the country – already achieved! My husband and I went to Europe this past March for our first-ever “away from the kids for more than 3 days” honeymoon! We had a blast!” – Lacoya Heggie, wife, mama, and founder of Hello Love Events

“We want to visit all 50 states before the kids leave for college so we are hoping to take some time off this summer and rent a place for a few weeks somewhere we have never been!” – Shay Cochrane, wife, mama to two sweet girls, and photographer extraordinaire

“I’ve always wanted to take each of my kids on their first Disney trip when they turned 5 years old. Ava, my newly-turned 5 year old and I head that way on April 9th, and I literally cannot wait!” – Beth Gebhard, wife, mama to 2, and co-founder of Choice Media and Communications

“Travel more, finish our home reno, feel more rested and healthy, read 10 books for leisure (not including work books).” – Kerry Gardner, wife, dog mama, and publicist extraordinaire

“I want to visit a country I’ve never been to before. I love to travel and during college I lived abroad for a semester. I’m dying to explore somewhere new this year!” – Maggie Rheney, Samford grad, avid book reader, and associate publicist at Choice  Media and Communications

“Having a baby :) Once summer hits, I know my mind will go on auto-pilot waiting for that due date!” – Rachel Cruze, wife, mama, author, and finance guru

“Get my 6-month old son to sleep through the night. Become a best-selling author. Get a PR on a mid-distance race (5K, 10K or half-marathon). In that order!” – Christy Wright, wife, boy mama, speaker, and author of Business Boutique

“My word for 2017 is FUN, so I intend to inject is as much as possible in the year and that includes a SUMMER BUCKET LIST. We made one last year for the first time and it revolutionized our summer with the boys. I absolutely intend to do that again this year. Plus, I hope to have two getaways with my husband before the end of the year. It restores our marriage and enhances our relationship when we are intentional about getting away together alone.” – Heather Adams, wife, mama, and co-founder of Choice Media and Communications

Carving out time for yourself in your schedule each week is one of the most essential parts of taking care of yourself and the ones you love. You can’t be good for your people if you’re stretching yourself too thin. Are you tired of living your life feeling frazzled, anxious, and exhausted? Decide what lifestyle your after, and then make time to nourish yourself. Don’t be afraid to say no to things that will take you away from your priorities. Write down your to-do’s in your Simplified Planner, and take time each Sunday to make sure your days aren’t overbooked for the week. If they are, make some changes and carve out some “me time” to keep from wearing yourself too thin. This looks different for everyone, so this week, we asked the ladies in our Simplicity Series their best tip for carving out “me time” in their schedule. Here’s what they said:

“I’m not technically ‘in the office’ on Mondays. Mondays, for me, are reserved for household chores, meal planning and self-care. It usually ends up being more chores, less self-care, but I think that you have to set aside the time or plan it aha of time or else it simply won’t happen.” – Lacoya Heggie, wife, mama, and founder of Hello Love Events

“I ask my husband for help.  He fixes the kids breakfast and packs their lunches so that I can have an hour of time in the mornings to read my Bible.  We also tend to trade off personal time so that we both get the chance to connect with friends  – he might go see a movie with a friend one evening and I might grab dinner or coffee with a friend the next week.” – Shay Cochrane, wife, mama to two sweet girls, and photographer extraordinaire

“I would say that the biggest ‘me time’ I include in my weekly schedule is the time I spend working out. Getting in good hard exercise is key for my sanity. So, I try to fit in 3 workouts per week, and I schedule them according to what time availability I have throughout the week.”  – Beth Gebhard, wife, mama to 2, and co-founder of Choice Media and Communications

“This year, I committed to focusing on my health and wellness. So me time right now is at the gym. I go at the same time each day – the routine helps me stay on track.” – Kerry Gardner, wife, dog mama, and publicist extraordinaire

“I’ve learned so much from Emily, but one of the most important things I’ve learned is that you have to take care of yourself in order to take care of others well. Set aside time in your day to exercise, read or just watch your favorite show. Don’t get in the habit of ‘oh I’ll get to it eventually,’ make sure you are making time for you. And, if you’re feeling overwhelmed or worn out, be sure to take time as soon as possible to recharge your battery.” – Maggie Rheney, Samford grad, avid book reader, and associate publicist at Choice  Media and Communications

“I know what days I am home during Amelia’s (my 2-year-old daughter) nap time, and that is the perfect time for me to have me time.”  – Rachel Cruze, wife, mama, author, and finance guru

“I schedule it. I don’t schedule it if I am done with my work, if the kids are all perfect and the house is clean because the work is never done and the kids are never perfect and with two babies at home, the house is never clean. If I waited until everything else was done until I took care of myself, I would never take care of myself! So instead, I set a time and stick to it. For example, last week, I went to spin at 5:00 p.m. When I left work, my inbox was full and there were still 5,000 things to do, but I went anyway. I got my workout in and all of those things were still waiting on me the next day when I went in – but I was energized, fulfilled and ready to tackle them again.” – Christy Wright, wife, boy mama, speaker, and author of Business Boutique

“Self care is a priority for me. I run a business. I volunteer in our community. I have two young boys. I have a strong, loving marriage that I want to keep that way. I also like to have a social life with friends and family. It’s a lot. So taking out time for me is important to keep me going. And, I have a phenomenal partner in my husband who supports me so that it can happen regularly – not sporadically. One day a week I try to make sure I have down time to fill up my tank – read a book, go shopping, have a manicure, meet some friends for a glass of wine, whatever. I also read a devotional almost every morning (She Reads Truth and IF: Equip are two favorites). It helps start my day off on the right foot. Sometimes it’s in my car right before I walk into the office. Other days it’s at home with a cup of hot tea. Regardless, I try to make sure it’s quiet and peaceful so I can be in the right head space.” – Heather Adams, wife, mama, and co-founder of Choice Media and Communications