Busy Moms Organization Strategies with Christiane Schroeter
EPISODE 64
by Dianne Jimenez
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Busy Moms Organization Strategies with Christiane Shroeter
In this episode, I chat with Christiane Schroeter about the humbling reality of balancing mom life with work and personal passions. Recorded nearly a year ago, this interview dives deep into the chaotic, stressful, and sometimes beautiful moments of 2024.
We discuss how to navigate parenthood while working full-time and the importance of love, organization, and patience in managing our busy lives. Christiane shares her journey as a full-time professor and wellness coach, her Marie Kondo-inspired home organization tips, and valuable advice for busy moms seeking to strike a balance in their daily routines.
Tune in to discover practical solutions for creating a ‘happy nest’ at home and loving every moment of the messy, wonderful journey of motherhood.
The episode at a glance
[00:00] Introduction and Episode Overview
[02:12] Meet My Guest: Christiane Schroeter
[05:31] Christiane’s Background and Career
[08:03] Balancing Mom Life and Professional Life
[11:35] Organizing and Structuring Your Day
[15:03 Family Dynamics and Daily Routines
[22:13] Challenges and Tips for Busy Moms
[29:39 Kids in the Kitchen: Teaching Life Skills
[30:33] Encouraging Kids to Help with Chores
[32:45] Embracing the Mess: A Learning Process
[34:18] Monthly Mastermind Collective: Sharing Wins and Challenges
[38:23] Marie Kondo Method: Organizing Your Home
[44:10] Balancing Parenting Styles and Communication
[47:00] The Importance of a Shared Family Calendar
[53:17] Connecting and Supporting Women: Mastermind Collective
[54:34] Conclusion and Contact Information
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As busy moms juggling work, kids, and home life, staying organized can feel like a never-ending challenge. In our recent podcast episode, we had an insightful conversation with Christiane Schroeter to discuss how structured routines, shared calendars, and teaching life skills can make a difference in family life.
The Power of Shared Calendars
One of the biggest pain points many busy moms face is keeping track of their schedules while managing their children’s activities. Christiane shared a simple yet powerful strategy: sharing a calendar with your spouse or co-parent.
“I can’t emphasize enough how important this is,” she said. “When I’m teaching a fitness class, I don’t want to get a phone call. But because my family sees I’m in a class, they know they should call my husband instead if they need something. It’s about honoring each other’s time.”
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Sharing a calendar allows everyone in the household to stay on the same page, whether it’s your partner, a grandparent, or even a babysitter. It helps reduce last-minute surprises and ensures responsibilities are balanced.
Now that her kids are older, involving them in the family calendar has been a game changer. “With teens and their devices, plus their very busy schedules, it’s important that everyone is accountable and knows what’s happening,” she emphasized.
Theme-Based Scheduling to Reduce Overwhelm
Another strategy Christiane implements is theming her days to create consistency and reduce decision fatigue.
“I carry this all the way through, even with meals,” she shared. “For example, you’ve probably heard of Taco Tuesday, but you can apply this concept to everything. You can do ‘Meeting Mondays’ where Mondays are for meetings, or ‘Soup Sundays’ for meal planning.”
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By assigning themes to different days, busy moms can make decisions in advance, cutting down on the stress of figuring out what to do each day. This structured approach also helps ensure important tasks don’t get overlooked in the chaos of daily life.
Navigating Different Parenting Styles
Parenting is a partnership, and for Christiane and her husband, their differences in parenting styles complement each other.
“My husband and I are totally different, but I actually think that’s a good thing,” she said. “I’m the planner—I like structure and creating systems where there’s chaos. My husband, on the other hand, looks at my plans and gives feedback. He’ll say, ‘This is too much—let’s cut this down,’ and together, we fine-tune our approach.”
This dynamic works because of communication and compromise. Christiane explained that not everything needs to be discussed in detail, but when an important decision comes up, they make sure to align.
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“You need to figure out what’s non-negotiable and what’s flexible. Not everything requires a big discussion, but when it does, it’s important to listen and compromise.”
A great example of this is how they handle their children’s sporting events. Christiane doesn’t attend every game due to work commitments, but her husband never misses one. “He loves being in the stands, and that’s important to him. I honor that, and he honors that I don’t go. It works for us.”
Encouraging Kids to Help Around the House
Many busy moms struggle with getting their kids involved in household chores. Christiane has a simple philosophy: teach them early and make it part of daily life.
“I don’t want my kids leaving home without knowing how to cook, do laundry, or clean up after themselves. They help in the kitchen, and sometimes they cook full meals. My daughter recently made a lasagna from scratch!”
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When kids learn life skills, they gain confidence and independence. But how do you get them interested? Christiane’s advice:
- Be a role model. If you want your kids to eat healthy, cook nutritious meals together. If you want them to clean up, show them how.
- Give them choices, but set boundaries. “Instead of asking, ‘What do you want for dinner?’ give them two options. That way, they feel involved without it turning into a negotiation.”
- Be patient. Learning new skills takes time. It may be messy at first, but consistency pays off.
Balancing Structure with Flexibility
For busy moms who worry about getting bored with routines, Christiane reassures that structure doesn’t mean rigidity.
“If you get tired of ‘Meatless Monday,’ just switch it up! Maybe you make it ‘Mediterranean Monday’ instead. The point is to create a predictable rhythm that helps reduce stress, but still leaves room for flexibility.”
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She also acknowledges that not everything always goes to plan. “Things fall through the cracks sometimes, and that’s okay. It’s not a life-or-death situation. We just do our best, and that’s all we can do.”
Ultimately, staying organized as a busy mom is about communication, consistency, and involving the whole family. By implementing shared calendars, themed schedules, and teaching kids responsibility, you can create a home that runs more smoothly—without feeling like it’s all on you.
Would you like more tips on simplifying family life and getting your kids involved in household routines? Check out our latest podcast episode with Christiane!
👉Busy Mom Organization Strategies with Christiane Schroeter
And if you’re a mom who has pursued her passion with the help of getting organized and raising capable kids, the world needs to hear from you! Send me an email at info@diannejimenez.com (I’ll link it in the show notes). Let’s share your story and inspire other moms on their journey!
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Referenced in this episode
- Christiane Shroeter on Instagram
- Hello Happy Nest website
- Happy Healthy Hustle Podcast
- Mastermind Collective
- The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up – Marie Kondo
- Are you a mom who’s living the life she created? You could be my next guest! Email me here
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