SAHMs--I Need Help.

[Jennifer]

Please tell me your daily grooming/beauty routine. I wanna know what all you do if you're staying home vs. going out. I've really been slack since I quit teaching and I need to get into a routine. It's time.

While I was working, every morning I would:
Shower (and shave!!! :thumbup:)
Wash hair every other day (dry hair, can't wash every day)
Blow dry on wash days
Flat Iron
-or-
Go all scrunchy and wavy
Full make-up (Bare Minerals, eyeliner, eye shadow, mascara, lip gloss)
Jewelry
Nice clothes and usually heels (cute flats sometimes)

Now, it's verrrrrrrrry different. I'm too embarrassed to list at this point. :o Make me feel better or make me get my butt in gear. Either way. Please?

[Traci Reed]

I actually bathe at night after the kiddos are in bed, I find it helps. Also, I have dry hair too so I bathe at night and wash my hair every two showers. The day after I shower is when I flat iron. I don't feel the need to wear make up if I'm not leaving the house but when I do I normally get it on at naptime. LOL Or in the car in front of the preschool...

[Jennifer]

Or in the car in front of the preschool...

I think I love you. :p

[lizzyfizzy]

Or in the car in front of the preschool...

oh boy do i hear ya in the makeup on the fly routine.

[ColleenSwerb]

Um, I go to work everyday without make up.
My hair is simple and straight and I never do anything with it.
I shower every other day. Wash my hair every shower.

:blink:
So you're sayin I should be doin more??

[amystoffel]

When I worked I:

Showered early every morning, blow dry, flat iron, full make up, perfume, cute clothes, cute handbag, always wore accessories.

Now:

I bathe while kids are napping. Wash my hair every other day...its actually getting super long though because of it. Usually its in a ponytail. I throw on gloss and mascara and clothes about 30 minutes before DH gets home.

[ditzyscrap]

When I worked: washed my hair about 30 mins before heading out the door, brushed...put on clothes (dressy casual clothes when I worked in the accountant's office, uniform when I worked at McD's), went out the door. No makeup, didn't blowdry, nothing...

Now: wash my hair every day or every other day - at night after DH is home or during naptime...brush it sometimes (my hair doesn't really NEED to be brushed, if I let it dry I can run my fingers through it). Usually I pull it into a ponytail or put on a headband/bandana. My clothes generally consist of "comfy" pants (sweats, yoga pants, pajama pants) and a t-shirt, slippers and a sweatshirt to keep me warm. If I'm going out, I put on jeans and put on a bra under my t-shirt, lol. I still don't wear makeup often - only if I'm going to a wedding or something.

I've never really been "into" my appearance. A little while ago I decided I wanted to feel better about myself and bought stuff to do my hair, and bought a bunch of makeup. I bought a blowdryer and flat iron and hair rollers. But it fizzled out quickly, lol...I just don't care enough.

[sammi]

I did the whole nine yards when I worked too...now I take showers at night after girls are in bed. In the morning I put my hair up and wash my face, brush my teeth and usually stay in my pjs or t-shirt and lounge pants. Days I have errands & Tuesdays & Sundays Dh is off we usually go somewhere and I will do hair, makeup and never leave house without heels. It just makes me feel way more put together.

P.S. I cringe when I get a call from the school to come in or pickup Natalie, I am never prepared for that. :unsure:

[BrattyMeg]

dang..I'm lucky if I manage a shower everyday with my life haha

makeup? forget it...

I am normally in yoga pants, jeans, tshirt, sweater or something easy lol depends on the weather

I used to have to do the whole 9 yards too..and get kids ready for school/daycare lol

[mummytothree]

7AM baby wails
7:10 AM roll out of bed when I can't stand the wails anymore
7:11 AM throw on some flannel jammie pants and a t shirt (after deflecting Dh's grabby hands :D)
7:12AM Start my morning!!!

if I'm lucky I get a shower every 3rd or 4th day!!!:thumbdown: I swear you would think baby number 4 would be carefree but this child is the neediest/clingiest of the ALL!!!!

I do USUALLY get a free moment to wash my most "offending" parts every day and even get my teeth brushed at least once....but that's about it!!!

[junebug]

i usually bathe at night when the kids are asleep, but i don't wash my hair then. just wash and shave and relax (i read in the tub :D) some days i don't bathe, if i'm not going anywhere, but most days i do. it helps motivate me to get stuff done, lol. but, if i am going somewhere, i'm really easy. my style has always been pretty laid back. jeans, long sleeved henley shirts or a sweater now that its cold. i wear that almay smart shade foundation; its really light. sometimes powder, always mascara and here lately i have been wearing eyeshadow. my hair now that its short is so easy! dry, shake, tossle done! i dont use styling products except for this yummy coconut serum i put in while its still damp. i'm not a real fancy girl. i try to be somewhat trendy, but not really, lol.

[Sarah8914]

I shower every night. I enjoy it at night because it's after the girls are in bed and I can take as long as I want!

In the morning, usually my hair just goes in a ponytail but every few days I'll fix it--or if I am going out and care what I look like. I always put on makeup, but it only takes like 30 seconds because my makeup only consists of mascara and eyeliner.

I used to always get dressed--though not until 9 or 10. Now that I'm bigger and my maternity pants just aren't comfy enough, I usually stay in sweats or pjs all day.... unless I'm going somewhere.

I have found that when I get dressed and fix my hair, I am more productive much earlier in the day, but I'm usually content without doing that. :)

[lhaslem]

if we get out of our pajamas and change into clothes we're just creating more laundry, right??

I hear ya - I wish I could get up each day and get ready like I used to when I worked outside the house - like Sara said, it motivates me....but i typically don't shower until lunch time or after Kylie gets home from school. I work from home, so I try to get all of that done first.

I always put on some lipstick and usually a little mascara for the bus stop - BUT now that it's cold and snowy I just wave from the door!

I don't get Hayden dressed either on non-school days - back to the more laundry thing:)

[iJenny]

When I was a SAHM (for seven years until this fall) I wore yoga pants and t-shirts at home and jeans and t-shirts when I went out. I showered every other day (sometimes every 3rd day) during naptime and did my hair (blowdry and quick flat-iron) and never wore makeup unless I had someplace "special" to be.

Now that I work, I shower every morning (*sometimes* every other morning) before the kids wake up. I blowdry and flat-iron my hair (its quick) and put on makeup and work clothes (nice slacks and blouses). I have an hour and a half from when I wake up to when we have to be walking out the door for school and work, so my mornings are pretty hectic.

I miss my comfy jeans and not wearing a bra for 12 solid hours. But I have to admit that its much easier to do makeup and stuff on the weekends now that I'm in the habit of doing it every weekday.

[my4boys]

I have been a SAHM for so long I really can't remember what it was like to get up and get ready for work!!! I show up at the bus stop with my jammies on (depending on the weather :blink:) The only time I wear make-up is when I go out which is not that often. I shower every-other-day (dry hair too!!!) and take a long bath about once every 2 weeks!!! I towel dry the hair, comb it out and it air dries unless I am going somewhere...then a little curling iron action and I am good to go!!!

[kscwgirl]

I shower or bathe at night, it's easier. I don't do makeup (and I work). I have 45 mins to 30 mins to get myself and 2 children up, dressed and out the door so I throw them in sweats, myself in pants, sweater, boots and we go. :D

[scrapperjade]

When I was working every day, my morning went like this:
Get out of bed, shower, put on jeans/shirt (I worked in a small office that was just me and my boss... I wore what I wanted as long as it was work-appropriate), pull back my hair into bobby pins. I never wore make-up. I never did my hair beyond the pull back out of my face, lol.

NOW, if I get a shower in the morning its a miracle, its usually mid-afternoon. Sometimes I don't bother because I bathe every night after DD goes to bed. I wear slouchy clothes all day. I don't bother putting on make-up. BUT I got my hair cut in a cute style, so at least 3 days a week I'll take the time to blowdry & flat iron my hair. I always feel so cute & stylish when I do it!

[Shawna]

I shower & wash my hair every single day (my hair tends to be oily so I have to or I feel icky) but I usually do it after I take the girls to school in the morning. We only have one bathroom and Rob is getting ready for work in there so I just throw on jeans or sweats and a hoodie to run the girls down the street to the school. But as soon as I get home I'm showering, getting dressed (just jeans & t-shirts usually), blowdrying my hair and putting makeup on. I have to wear makeup every single day, I feel naked without it lol. I use mineral makeup so it only takes me maybe 3-5 minutes to put it on along with a little eyeliner and mascara. Luckily Kyle will entertain himself in the bathroom with me or play in the girls bedroom while I get ready! I've only been a SAHM for about 19mo, before that I worked full time so I had to get up and shower and get ready every day anyway so I'm just so used to doing it that it's just the norm for me now I guess.

[Siryn]

I bathe every morning while my son watches Wow Wow Wubbzy, then do full hair and makeup. I just don't feel like myself without all of that. I don't really consider myself to be vain or anything - I just feel more comfortable that way. I do just wear yoga/lounge pants and a t-shirt though, unless I'm leaving the house.

[Voodoo_Bryn]

I barely get dressed if I'm not leaving the house.

serious bidness.

And I only do my hair and makeup if I am leaving the house... but I don't leave the house very often.

[Tracyfish]

I actually shower every morning and wash my hair...thin hair has to be washed every day. I either do it before L.J. gets up or I make him breakfast and turn on the TV so he'll be occupied while I do it. I blowdry it, put in velcro rollers, makeup & lipgloss, put on clothes (but always casual shorts/capris/jeans and tshirts) and then take out the rollers and brush through. I always put on lipgloss/lipstick when I do makeup since it makes me feel more put together.

I am seriously a b*tch if I don't get to shower...ask my hubby LOL

[Jenn Barrette]

I shower every other day (with a baby sometimes I have to go 3 days if hubby is working lots), wear sweat pants and a hoodie in winter, and comfy cotton dresses in the summer. I shave my legs when I have to (sorry if TMI). Make-up when I am going out, maybe lipgloss and mascara at home.

I miss getting dressed up (ei. something other than jeans and a hoodie) but after baby number 2 I feel like I have no idea how to dress my new body. I have always had body flaws, but I knew how to work with the old ones, these new ones...yikes...I only feel comfortable in my sweats.

[mrsmbm]

I shower everyday. I work out almost everyday and would feel DISGUSTING without it! I'm in there 10 minutes, tops, and usually Playhouse Disney can entertain them long enough for me to shower, dress (in casual clothes of course!) I do NOT blow dry my hair (although I seriously need to) and often run to preschool or storytime or the store with wet hair.

Makeup and nice hair comes on Sunday for Church, when DH is home to help out with everything while I get myself together. Oh, and for date nights, I try to look nice for my honey. :)

[Kim]

I work part time so on those days I shower, do makeup (eyeliner, shadow, mascara, lipgloss), straight iron hair, but I wear scrubs so no nice clothes for me.

On my off days I shower if I am going anywhere (I have dry hair too but my hair looks stringy greasy if I dont shower every day) and I put on minimal makeup, usually just mascara. If I am home I usually stay in my pjs :o but if I go anywhere I just wear jeans, cute top and danskos.

I shower in the AM on my days off (around 10ish) and just bring DS into the bathroom with him. I have a little seat for him and give him books to read and he is good about reading while I shower.

[Teresa]

Well...I'm not a SAHM, but your working woman schedule is pretty much the same as mine and I'm exhausted just thinking about it! LOL Having it all spelled out that way is crazness!! :)

[rach3975]

Beauty routine? :D

Between school and therapy we're out almost every day, so I'm always dressed (jeans and a T-shirt) and minimally presentable, but that's it. I go through stages with the makeup. Sometimes I get fed up with my appearance and wear it every day, but more often it's something I do once every few weeks. There's no point in spending time on my hair. My kids seem to use it as a comfort object, and the more time I spend on it the faster they mess it up. I let it air dry and sometimes put it up in a barrette. Showers don't happen nearly as often as I want them to. I just don't like showering at night, and DS2 can't be trusted alone long enough for me to shower while he's awake. He wakes so early (5:30 most days) that there's no way I'm getting up earlier than he does to shower. Nap time is my best shot at a shower, but he often falls asleep in the car at times I don't want him to nap and then won't nap in the house when he should. I am so not looking forward to seeing how much farther this all deteriorates when DD is born in a few weeks!

[clearskies]

Whatever you do, do not get on Facebook and look at pictures of your cute, newly engaged, always gorgeous cousin who looks great in every picture (trust me on this)...
I leave the house almost everyday and if I leave, I must wear full make-up (so much better for my self-confidence). I refuse to dry my hair (hate the noise), but I wash it every other day and flat iron on the off day. Found some great leave-in conditioner that I think produces the same day 2 results as drying. I shower before DS wakes up (if we're leaving the house) or during morning quiet time (if we're not). If we go out, I wear jeans and a sweater. If we stay in, track suits, those comfy velour ones...
LOVE heels, but with all the snow, ice, gravel, etc here, not going to chance it...in fact I pretty much only leave the house in snow boots now... Hey, it works.
Now...if only I could remember to put my wedding ring on before I leave the house... :p

[joelsgirl]

Found some great leave-in conditioner that I think produces the same day 2 results as drying.

Link please!

The Flylady changed me. :thumbup: I used to be a total bum, and then one day I realized that whether I leave the house or not, the only person who matters still sees me, and I want to look my best for him.

My freak baby wakes up at 5:15, so I try to get in the shower once I'm coherent enough to get off the couch. Some days he's in the shower with me; I don't like it, but a daily shower is a must on the equator.

My morning routine, including shower, takes all of 20 minutes, and I wear full makeup. I just don't get to dry my hair anymore because my STUPID flat iron broke after just 3 weeks and the humidity makes it impossible to keep it straight with just a hair dryer. I am trying to learn to embrace frizz.

Instead of buying sloppy comfy clothes, I try to buy cute comfy clothes. I mean, dang, i'm the model SAHM. You should all emulate me. :p

I'm even thinking of giving lectures on the topic; just don't mention it to Joel. He might have no idea that there are expectations for SAHMs, and I wanna keep it that way.

[newfiemountiewife]

I get up at 7 or earlier with the kids, I get a shower after they go to school at 8. I usually just do ponytail/comfy clothes if I'm staying in (since I work at home), but if I know I'm going out, I'll put on some make up and do my hair. I skate on Mon-Tue-Fri, so I still do ponytails those days, and put on makeup. My hair is very fine and thin, and literally takes a few minutes to dry and flat iron. I cannot get through the day without a shower, I just can't. I feel icky all day, but I have paranoia about being stinky, and I don't know why. I mean, I worry about it all the time. I'm weird like that.

I get a shower every.single.day at the same time, and wash my hair each shower. I shave every other/third day, my hair grows slow, luckily.

My problem right now, is the weight I've gained, my clothing is very limited, but as I'm losing now, hopefully I'll get back into my nicer clothes sooner rather than later. I like to put on nice clothes, but I refuse to buy some now, I have no intentions of staying this size.

[newfiemountiewife]

I am seriously a b*tch if I don't get to shower...ask my hubby LOL

This is me to a tee. They were doing some work on the water lines around here the past few weeks, I have had to get up earlier to make sure I get a shower in before they shut it off LOL.

[AmyM]

I actually bathe at night after the kiddos are in bed, I find it helps. Also, I have dry hair too so I bathe at night and wash my hair every two showers. The day after I shower is when I flat iron. I don't feel the need to wear make up if I'm not leaving the house but when I do I normally get it on at naptime. LOL Or in the car in front of the preschool...

Teeeheeee...me too. The makeup never gets on unless I'm going out. And then sometimes I'm slack about it and get in and out of the grocery store as fast as possible hoping nobody I know will see me. My skin is much better after a couple months of proactive but it's still splotchy and I still hide it LOL. Some days I don't get out of the jogging pants, like if I have to do a bunch of cleaning. I just refuse to get dressed up to get dirty.

[mlewis]

You guys (most of you anyway) are making me feel better about my routine!! :)

When I worked, it was showered, blow dry, flat iron, full make-up and dressed up every single day. Now that I'm home, it's a shower every other day, hair in a pony tail and no make-up. If I'm leaving the house, then I do make-up and fix my hair. I've been thinking about doing Fly Lady like Kellie mentioned - I do think it makes a difference in how I feel if I'm dressed and presentable, but it's hard to be motivated! If it's a particularly bad day, I do try to grab the mascara and lipgloss before Brian gets home.

[maryinaz]

I shower twice a day (I like to shower before bed because I sleep better) - I fall out of bed in the morning into the shower before the kids get up, or else I feel horrible. Hair is washed every day, I also shave every day (I'm kind of a fanatic about that). I have no choice but to blow dry and style my hair every day because of how it is. Makeup doesn't go on until later in the day and I do it just to make myself feel better, whether I'm going out of the house or not. I always wear comfy clothes around the house. Even if I've gone out of the house for something, when I get home, I put my comfy clothes back on.

When my kids were younger, I still did the shower thing, but didn't always get my makeup on. I had to make a conscious decision to start doing that so that when DH came home it looked like I actually accomplished something. ;)

Bottom line...I have to do what makes me feel good. It's really not about looking good for others or whether I go out of the house, it's about my self-esteem and feeling good.

[tuttle]

I'm so relieved to find this thread - I've a newer SAHM (and scrapper) and I'm feeling like I should maybe be more . . . feminine . . . or just presentable. I shower every morning (except when I just can't get out of bed before DH leaves) because it helps me be a better mom & wife for the day. I'm ususally in my jeans (all have holes in the knees from playing on the floor all the time) & a fleece. I don't really do my hair as it undoes itself in about an hour or two anyway. Lately, I have been trying to get some makeup on before DH gets home, but I ususally forget or get tied up with the kidlets.

I think my DH appreciates it more if he can walk into a clean home. (relatively, that is) :)

[cdvcreations]

This is me for sure!

dang..I'm lucky if I manage a shower everyday with my life haha

makeup? forget it...

I am normally in yoga pants, jeans, tshirt, sweater or something easy lol depends on the weather

[Paula]

Well, I shower after my kids have left for school. I also have dry hair, so I only wash it every other day. I brush my teeth and get dressed. I don't like make-up, so I don't put it on. When I go to church or to social events, I'll put on some powder and lip gloss, but that's it.

[Leila]

Because I have CFS, my schedule varies based on how I'm feeling each day. As a general rule, I no-poo my hair every 3-4 days. I know, sounds gross, but I've got dry, curly-ish hair that's closer to my waist than my shoulders (not long enough to be waist length, longer than mid-back). If I do anything with it more often than 3-4 days, it because a brittle, frizzy mess.

Good Days:

Up around 9:30
Shower (no-poo, wash, maybe shave)
Blow out hair (I hate flat irons) or diffuse for curly-locks.
Put on face (foundation, blush, eyeshadow, lips...no mascara)
Eat (make a nice meal for myself)
Do some stuff (scrap, write, etc) while waiting for kids to get home from school.

Bad Days:

Drag my tired arse out of bed around 11, sometimes later.
Throw on clothes that are probably clean.
Eat something that doesn't take work to make (snack bar, bagel)
Flop onto couch, maybe nap until kids get home.
If I have the energy, go to basement to scrap or whatever.

I'm very blessed to have an amazing husband. He gets the kids off to school in the mornings unless he's got an early meeting. Those are pretty rare though, so he's doing the do with them each day. They love it too, it's their private time with him each day. They get private time with me after school. :) Andrew also does the majority of the housework because of my CFS and other medical issues that I have. I still cook and do some dishes on occasion, but he really picks up where I can't.

[MamaK]

well... I don't know if I'm much of an inspiration. LOL It's 10am here and I'm still sitting in my jammies as usual. :p

It is around this time (9-10am) that I have caught up with everything on the message boards and emails. I shower every morning. Shaving... um, er not so much since dh has been gone. LOL Otherwise shaving happens every other day. I try to blow dry my hair every morning because it looks too limp and sad when it air drys. Sometimes I just clip it up and go though, if I don't wanna bother drying. I put on my pretty body lotion and sometimes dust my face with a little BE powder just so I don't scare people when I go out to check the mail or water the plants later in the day. LMAO Otherwise, I am pretty comfortable going without makeup and wearing my comfy (aka not for wearing out of the house) pants and a tank or tee.

[sammi]

7AM baby wails
7:10 AM roll out of bed when I can't stand the wails anymore
7:11 AM throw on some flannel jammie pants and a t shirt (after deflecting Dh's grabby hands :D)
7:12AM Start my morning!!!

if I'm lucky I get a shower every 3rd or 4th day!!!:thumbdown: I swear you would think baby number 4 would be carefree but this child is the neediest/clingiest of the ALL!!!!

I do USUALLY get a free moment to wash my most "offending" parts every day and even get my teeth brushed at least once....but that's about it!!!
I thought that my last little girl would be a piece of cake, but if I am out of sight for more than a minute she's got the sink running, a dvd stuck, climbing on my counters, plus more that I haven't discovered yet all in that time of a pee break. She scares me!!!!!!!!!!:p

[Stacey42]

I shower at the gym after working out, cause they have childcare. Or I shower when they are both in school, making me the sweaty smellly woman in workout clothes in the grocery store.

I don't wear much makeup & never have so that hasn't changed

I wear yoga pants in the house and put on 'real' pants when I have to meet the kids bus