Simply Living Homestead | Homemaking, Rhythms, Organization, Time Management, Simplify, Systems

36 | Start Tomorrow with Peace Instead of Chaos by using an Evening Reset Routine

Have you ever felt like no matter how early you wake up, the day already feels behind? I used to start my mornings surrounded by clutter, dishes, and chaos — until one small mindset shift changed everything.
In this episode, I’m sharing the story of how my therapist once asked, “If every business resets before the next shift, why don’t you?” That question led me to create an Evening Reset — a rhythm that closes the day and clears space for peace.
You’ll learn how to build your own evening reset routine with an anchor action to kick it off, ways to involve your family, and how this one practice can transform your mornings before you even wake up.
Let’s trade late-night overwhelm for calm, confident mornings — together.
Listen in, and let’s make tomorrow a little lighter.
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35 | Long list of To-Dos? Simple Time Management with a Planner and Google Calendar

Do you ever feel like your planner collects dust and your phone dings just stress you out? I’ve been there too. I’ve always said, “If it’s not in the calendar, it’s not happening!” — but it wasn’t until I learned to pair my digital tools with my paper planner that my time finally started to make sense.
In this episode, we’re breaking down simple time management using your planner and Google Calendar — the perfect tools to help you live out the Time Zoning method. I’ll show you how to set up your week, what belongs in your calendar (and what doesn’t!), and how to give your brain space to rest while still getting things done.
By the end, you’ll be ready to grab a planner from your cupboard, dust it off, and start using it again — but this time, with purpose.
Let’s do this together, one simple zone at a time. Tune in and get ready to feel excited about organizing your time again!
 
Connect With Me
Join the Community – Come be part of the Simply Living Homestead family! Our private Facebook group is where real conversations happen and encouragement is shared. www.simplylivinghomestead.com/community
Subscribe to the Newsletter – Stay connected with monthly homestead updates, recipes, and encouragement to simplify your life. Plus behind the scenes of baby animals and homestead life! www.simplylivinghomestead.com/newsletter
Review the Podcast – If this show has encouraged or helped you, would you take a minute to leave a review? Your words help other women find the podcast and simplify their own homestead journey.  www.simplylivinghomestead.com/review
 

34 | Do you have regular routines? How to Balance Cleaning, Meals, and Kids Without Burning Out

If you’ve ever felt like keeping up with meals, cleaning, and kids is an endless game of catch-up, you’re not alone. I’ve been there—standing in my kitchen at 5 p.m., wondering how it all slipped away again.
In this episode, I’m sharing how I finally found peace through routine stacks—simple sequences that take the chaos out of daily life. I’ll walk you through how to build your own stack inside one zone of your day, so you can stop spinning and start moving with purpose.
By the end, you’ll know exactly how to use Time Zoning and Routine Stacks to create order without burnout—and feel ready to take on tomorrow with calm confidence.
 
Connect With Me
Join the Community – Come be part of the Simply Living Homestead family! Our private Facebook group is where real conversations happen and encouragement is shared. www.simplylivinghomestead.com/community
Subscribe to the Newsletter – Stay connected with monthly homestead updates, recipes, and encouragement to simplify your life. Plus behind the scenes of baby animals and homestead life! www.simplylivinghomestead.com/newsletter
Review the Podcast – If this show has encouraged or helped you, would you take a minute to leave a review? Your words help other women find the podcast and simplify their own homestead journey.  www.simplylivinghomestead.com/review
 

33 | Stretched thin? How to Build a Weekly Rhythm When There’s Never Enough Time

Do you ever reach the end of the day wondering what you actually did — yet feeling completely spent? It’s not that you aren’t working hard… it’s that your time is scattered.
In this episode, we’re walking through how to build a weekly rhythm that actually fits your life. You’ll learn how to look at your week as a whole, take inventory of your time, and group your activities into simple time zones — what I like to call “baskets” for your day.
When you keep similar tasks together, you save time, energy, and mental space. Instead of running from one thing to the next, you’ll move through your day with purpose and flow.
By the end, you’ll have the first version of your normal week — a simple baseline to guide your routines and help you build the calm, steady rhythm your family needs.
So grab a notebook, and let’s start building a week that actually makes sense.
 
Connect With Me
Join the Community – Come be part of the Simply Living Homestead family! Our private Facebook group is where real conversations happen and encouragement is shared. www.simplylivinghomestead.com/community
Subscribe to the Newsletter – Stay connected with monthly homestead updates, recipes, and encouragement to simplify your life. Plus behind the scenes of baby animals and homestead life! www.simplylivinghomestead.com/newsletter
Review the Podcast – If this show has encouraged or helped you, would you take a minute to leave a review? Your words help other women find the podcast and simplify their own homestead journey.  www.simplylivinghomestead.com/review
 

32 | How to Simplify Your Daily Routine After Travel or Sickness

Have you ever noticed how a trip, sickness, or emergency can throw your whole routine off—and how long it takes to feel “normal” again? I used to take a full week (sometimes two!) before I felt like I had my feet under me after disruptions. It wasn’t until my therapist asked, “Why don’t you have a reset routine?” that I realized I needed a system to help me bounce back.
In this episode, I’m sharing the simple reset strategies that have changed everything for me. You’ll hear the story behind my realization, the difference between planned and unplanned disruptions, and the key steps you can take—like giving yourself grace, cutting back to bare minimums, and using a brain dump to clear mental clutter.
My hope is that you leave this episode encouraged and hopeful—knowing you can create your own hard reset routine. With just a few simple steps, your days can feel lighter, and getting back on track won’t feel so overwhelming.
So, grab your planner and let’s reset together.
 
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Connect With Me
Join the Community – Come be part of the Simply Living Homestead family! Our private Facebook group is where real conversations happen and encouragement is shared. www.simplylivinghomestead.com/community
Subscribe to the Newsletter – Stay connected with monthly homestead updates, recipes, and encouragement to simplify your life. Plus behind the scenes of baby animals and homestead life! www.simplylivinghomestead.com/newsletter
Review the Podcast – If this show has encouraged or helped you, would you take a minute to leave a review? Your words help other women find the podcast and simplify their own homestead journey.  www.simplylivinghomestead.com/review

31 | Do Kids Need Chores? Building Character Through Simple Homestead Rhythms

Have you ever looked around your home or farm and realized your kids weren’t carrying any of the load? That was me this summer with my four-year-old. As an only child and only grandchild, he had been given everything—without learning responsibility. I knew that had to change.
In this episode, I’m sharing how we began involving him in simple tasks like our Evening Reset and how that opened the door to teaching responsibility, one small step at a time. I’ll talk about how chores build character, what realistic expectations look like for kids of different ages, and why consistency matters more than rewards.
My hope is that you walk away encouraged and empowered to start involving your own kids in daily farm life—whether that’s in the garden, with the animals, or just around the house.
So grab your coffee, settle in, and let’s walk this journey together.
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Connect With Me
Join the Community – Come be part of the Simply Living Homestead family! Our private Facebook group is where real conversations happen and encouragement is shared. www.simplylivinghomestead.com/community
Subscribe to the Newsletter – Stay connected with monthly homestead updates, recipes, and encouragement to simplify your life. Plus behind the scenes of baby animals and homestead life! www.simplylivinghomestead.com/newsletter
Review the Podcast – If this show has encouraged or helped you, would you take a minute to leave a review? Your words help other women find the podcast and simplify their own homestead journey.  www.simplylivinghomestead.com/review

30 | Feel like you are doing it all? Practical Ways to Share Household Tasks with Your Spouse

Have you ever felt like you’re carrying the entire weight of your home on your shoulders? I know that feeling all too well. Jonathan and I once found ourselves stuck in that exact struggle—until a couples therapist helped us realize something simple but life-changing: if we share a home, we should share the tasks.
In this episode, I’m opening up about how we shifted from “helping” to truly sharing, what it looks like to take full ownership of household tasks, and how we use the Fair Play Cards to keep things balanced through different seasons. You’ll also hear practical ways to bring this conversation up with your husband—with love, respect, and the belief that he’s a good-willed man who wants to support you.
If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, my prayer is that this episode encourages you to take the next step toward sharing the mental load in your home. Listen in, and let’s walk this road together.
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Connect With Me
Join the Community – Come be part of the Simply Living Homestead family! Our private Facebook group is where real conversations happen and encouragement is shared. www.simplylivinghomestead.com/community
Subscribe to the Newsletter – Stay connected with monthly homestead updates, recipes, and encouragement to simplify your life. Plus behind the scenes of baby animals and homestead life! www.simplylivinghomestead.com/newsletter
Review the Podcast – If this show has encouraged or helped you, would you take a minute to leave a review? Your words help other women find the podcast and simplify their own homestead journey.  www.simplylivinghomestead.com/review

29 | Tired of feeling like you're not enough? How to Speak Truth to Your Soul on Hard Homestead Days

We all have those hard days when the animals, the house, or the work feels heavy—but sometimes the hardest battles are in our own minds. I know that struggle deeply. For years, I believed the lies that I wasn’t good enough, wasn’t lovable, and would never be enough.
In today’s episode, I want to share how I learned to take those thoughts captive and replace them with truth. Sometimes it was scripture. Other times it was writing truths on sticky notes, my mirror, or even my phone so I could grab them when I needed them most. Over time, these little steps helped me shift from constant self-doubt to walking in more peace and confidence.
If you’ve ever struggled with negative self-talk or felt stuck under the weight of lies, this conversation is for you. My hope is that you walk away encouraged, with a practical tool you can use the next time those hard thoughts come knocking.
I’d love for you to listen in and take this journey with me.
Take my Podcast Listener Survey and help shape the future of this podcast!
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Connect With Me
Join the Community – Come be part of the Simply Living Homestead family! Our private Facebook group is where real conversations happen and encouragement is shared. www.simplylivinghomestead.com/community
Subscribe to the Newsletter – Stay connected with monthly homestead updates, recipes, and encouragement to simplify your life. Plus behind the scenes of baby animals and homestead life! www.simplylivinghomestead.com/newsletter
Review the Podcast – If this show has encouraged or helped you, would you take a minute to leave a review? Your words help other women find the podcast and simplify their own homestead journey.  www.simplylivinghomestead.com/review

Welcome to Simply Living Homestead

Do you feel like there’s never enough time in your day? Overwhelmed by the endless to-do list? Wishing you could teach your children real-life skills, but the clutter and chaos make you feel like you’ll never be good enough?
 
I’ve been there too. 
Friend, I’m so glad you’re here.
 
If you’re a mom who dreams of that homestead life you see on Instagram, but feels like you’d need an extra 12 hours in your day to make it happen — this podcast is for you!
Hi! I’m Amanda. Wife, Mama, Homesteader, Milkmaid, and a Daughter of the King. I've rocked the babies at 2 am, crying and wondering “How am I supposed to do it all?”
The weeds grew taller, the dishes stacked higher than a giant game of tetris, the laundry went untouched — all while I tried to learn to make sourdough and milk a cow, hoping a new skill would fix everything.
 
The truth that changed my future wasn’t a recipe or a quick fix — it was learning to simplify. To create systems that carried me from one task to the next, the rhythms that kept my day flowing smoothly, and the zones that held it all together like a pretty piece of twine.
Now, I’ve built a plan that fits every part of me — the homesteader, the homemaker, the mama — and I’m ready to share it with you.
 
So if you’re ready to finally manage your home with ease, homeschool your babies, keep the garden weeded, and still have time to learn new skills — grab your pitchfork and planner, friend. Let’s do this

28 | Buying Your First Cow? 10 Questions You MUST Ask Before You Bring Her Home - Homestead Dairy Part 4

Shopping for a family milk cow and not sure what to ask (or how to handle breeding once she’s home)? This episode is your confidence boost. I walk you through the exact questions to ask any seller—records, lactations, calving history, udder health, handling, temperament, production, due dates (vet-confirmed!), and a live milking demo—plus where to look (local homestead dairies, reputable sale groups, commercial dairies) and red flags to avoid.
We also dig into breeding basics after purchase: AI vs. keeping/borrowing a bull, real costs and logistics, timing and success rates, and what to consider if you need to keep a closed herd or maintain milk while breeding. Finally, I touch on first-aid and health must-knows (mastitis signs, bloat emergencies, chapped teats) and a few tools and natural-care avenues to have on hand.
If buying a cow feels intimidating, I hope this gives you language, questions, and a plan. You’re allowed to ask everything—and a good seller will gladly answer. Hit play, take notes, and step into cow ownership with clarity and peace.
P.S. Tell me what you’re shopping for and where you’re stuck—email me at connect@simplylivinghomestead.com. If this helped, follow the show and leave a quick review so more homesteading mamas can find simple systems and really good milk right at home.