5 More Things My Mom Taught Me That will Change Your Life

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Last Mother’s Day I shared a post, “5 Things my Mom Taught me that will Change your Life,” (you can read those tips here).This was such a popular post I decided to share 5 more things my Mom taught me that will change your life for Mother’s Day this year. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate my mother than to pay tribute to the things she taught me, and share them with all of you. My hope is that these things she taught me will in turn make your life a little better. I love you mom!

Keep a Clean House

When the house is a disaster, everything thing feels like chaos! My mom taught me that when the house is in order, there is a calmness that abides in a home. The saying is true, cleanliness is next to Godliness!

She would always say to me and my siblings, “Let’s have a quick cleanup time!” The timer would be set for 5 minutes and we would race around the house to get as much cleaned up before the timer went off. This made cleaning a game for us kids, and got more done for my mom. Win, win!

Mom would also say, “I feel so much better when the countertops and floors are clean!” Wiping down the counter tops and sweeping and vacuuming really makes the house feel amazing! This only takes a few minutes and the mood of the house is instantly changed.

I’ve tried to implement these teaching into our home with my kiddos. As a mom, I feel much more patient and clear minded when our home is clean. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just picked up. The key is to include the kids in the jobs!

My kids vacuum the house on the weekends during the school year and daily during the summer. Here you will find  more tips on how to include your children in your cleaning routine. Ideally, I like to vacuum the floors daily and wipe the counters down morning and night.

This is my mom’s favorite vacuum! She loves that it is lightweight. I love this vacuum to vacuum my wood floors. It is amazing and it’s easy for the kids to use too! I use this vacuum for my carpet because it has stronger suction for rugs and carpets.

My mom and I both have marble countertops. I wrote a blog post on how we keep our marble countertops looking their best here.

Take the Time to Listen to Your Children

We are running a thousand miles an hour. The list of to do’s is never ending. Sometimes we forget that the most important role we play is that of nurturer. My mom taught me through her actions that nothing was more important than listening to me, no matter how busy she was.

I remember sitting at the kitchen table every single day after school with my mom, telling her every detail of my day. The little things that hurt my feelings, the triumphs of the day, or simply rambling on and on about who knows what. She would sit and patiently listen to me.

Because she did this for me and each of my siblings, we each still go to her with our problems, our struggles and our joys. I still call my mom to talk things through with her. She is one of my dearest friends. She has taught me the power in a listening ear. Lend your’s to your loved ones and you will never be sorry you took the time.

Rearrange Your Furniture for a free Home Refresh

My mom loves decorating just as much as I do! I learned to love making things beautiful from her. She is also very thrifty and creative when it comes to her budget. Rearranging our furniture was one of her favorite ways to refresh our home without spending a dime.

Try moving pieces around in your house to make it feel fresh and new without having to spend anything.

I love doing this with each changing season. Empty a room out and move your large furniture around into a new arrangement. Then shop your house for accessories and pieces that can be used to create new vignettes.

Here’s one arrangement in our family room (see the full room and sources here)…

And here’s another ( see the full room here)…

Develop Your Talents and Use them to Bless Others

My mom is one talented lady! There aren’t many things she can’t do or figure out… except maybe skiing! Haha! Watching her use her talents while I was a little girl, inspired me to try new things myself.

She didn’t just learn how to do things for her own benefit, my mom would use her talents to bless others. Something my mom learned to do really well is paint.

Each of her children has a painting she painted for us when we got married. She also paints for other people. Several years ago, our church held a very special event where my mom painted giant murals to celebrate. This took countless hours of her time. But she was happy to do it knowing it would bring others closer to the Savior by painting them.

Another talent my mom has is to entertain. I can’t count how many beautiful tables my mom set for parties and gatherings for friends, family and church functions. My love for setting a pretty table for loved ones to gather around, comes from watching her!

My mom gives of her talents freely, blessing those she serves and those who witness it. We have each been given talents. Find what your’s are, then use them to bless the lives of others! You will find joy beyond measure!

Here are a few of my favorite tables you could use to celebrate Mother’s Day or use for any special Spring and Summer occasion.

Placemats | Flower Dishes | Gold Flatware | Pink Goblets | Faux Peonies – See the full table here

Placemats | White Dinner Plate | White Salad Plate | Flower Dessert Plate | Pink Pom Pom Trim Napkin | Flower Napkin Rings | Faux Peonies | Faux Cherry Blossoms – See the full table here

Blue Goblets | Placemats | Dinner Plates | Salad Plates | Flower Napkin Rings | Silverware

Ginger Jars | See the full table here

Charger | Lace Dinner Plate | Learn how to make mini bouquets here

Dinnertime is a Sacred Time

The days when the whole family would gather around the kitchen table and share a home cooked meal seem like a fading memory to most families. Schedules are crazy, there is little time to gather around the table, let alone make a meal.

Trust me, I know how insanely busy life can be! Our 5 kids seem to be running in 5 different directions every night! The nights we are home, I make it a priority to gather the family and have a meal together. Why? Because my mother taught me the value in gathering together as a family, even for 10 min. to pause and be together.

Most days our meals are not fancy, or homemade. Instead, they are simple and ready made. The important thing is not the food, it is the gathering.

So many of the fond memories I have as a little girl, are of my family gathered around our kitchen table. I don’t remember specific conversations or very many specific monuments. Instead, I remember the feeling of love and peace when we were all together.

These 5 tips have changed my life and helped me be a better mother. I hope they make your life a little better too! Happy Mother’s Day to all of you amazing women!