Do you have homemaking goals for the coming year? Do you want to make real progress at home in 2026 but don’t want another year of overambitious goals that fall apart by February? You need Community Coaching: https://simplyconvivial.com/coaching
In this episode, I walk through three ways to set homemaking goals that actually fit mom life. Not business goals. Not productivity guru goals. Homemaking goals that work when your days are interrupted, your plans change, and real life keeps happening.
You’ll learn why focusing on basic daily routines matters more than big projects, how choosing a word of the year can shape your attitude and habits, and why accountability is essential if you want progress instead of perfectionism. This is about steady improvement, not picture-perfect outcomes.
If you want to invest in your home, your family, and your calling as a homemaker without setting yourself up for failure, this video will help you think clearly and plan wisely for the year ahead.
Christian homemaking takes deliberate practice, not perfect systems. Every week on Simply Convivial, I share practical mindset shifts and small, steady habits that help you build a home anchored in truth and run with cheerful consistency. If you want less overwhelm, stronger routines, and a more faithful way to manage your day, you’re in the right place. Grab a basket of laundry, press play, and let’s grow in cheerful productivity together.
📌 Start here (free):Smile & Start Challenge — Build a simple, cheerful reset habit that cuts overwhelm at the roothttps://simplyconvivial.com/smile
💜 My membership & courses:
Convivial Circle — Coaching, community, and live support for Christian homemakershttps://simplyconvivial.com/circle
Simply Convivial Library App — Courses, replays, and audio in one placehttps://simplyconvivial.com/library
Homemaking 101 — The foundational course for new membershttps://simplyconvivial.com/homemaking101
📚 My books:
Simplified Organization — Mindset + systems for cheerful productivityhttps://amzn.to/48LOn9z
The Convivial Homeschool — Encouragement and clarity for classical homeschool momshttps://amzn.to/4j0GmRu
🎧 Listen to the Simply Convivial Podcast:
https://simplyconvivial.com/podcast
Join us - https://simplyconvivial.com/coaching | Perfectionism blinds us to the beauty already in front of us. In this episode, I talk with Rachel Wendel, a wife and mom of four who discovered how small touches of beauty—and a massive mindset shift—changed her homemaking from burdensome to joyful.
Rachel shares:
Why perfectionism kept her from starting anything
How tiny, inexpensive beauty touches lifted the whole mood of her home
What happened when she let her kids participate in creating beauty
How conversations with her husband shifted her entire vision for their home
Why she had to repent of wanting a “picture-perfect” house instead of a family home
The heart-level issue behind why adding beauty felt overwhelming
Her story is a powerful reminder: you don’t need a perfect house to make it beautiful. You need attention, iteration, and a willingness to let real life—not Pinterest—shape your home.
💜 Join Simplified Organization Community Coaching
Enrollment is open now through January 6. Coaching is included with your Convivial Circle membership -
https://simplyconvivial.com/coaching
📖 Get my latest book - Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done
https://www.simplifiedorganization.com
🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore:
https://www.simplyconvivial.com/stop-overwhelm
Join us: https://simplyconvivial.com/coaching - When nothing about your life changes—but everything still feels overwhelming—the problem usually isn’t your schedule. It’s your attitude.
In this episode, I talk with Melissa Wood, a homeschooling mom of four living in Australia, about how Simplified Organization Community Coaching helped her move from chronic overwhelm and migraines to peace, clarity, and confidence—without changing her circumstances.
Melissa shares:
Why her life looked easy on paper but felt unbearably hard
How brain dumping and weekly review changed her mental load
Why adding small touches of beauty actually improved her attitude
How mindset work made it possible to handle a suddenly very busy life
What happened when she stopped pushing through and started reflecting
If you feel worn down, resentful, or constantly overwhelmed—even though you “should” be fine—this conversation will help you see a better way forward.
💜 Join Simplified Organization Community Coaching inside Convivial Circle
https://simplyconvivial.com/coaching
Learn how to organize your attitude, not just your stuff, and build routines that support real life.
📖 Get my latest book - Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done
https://www.simplifiedorganization.com
🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore:
https://www.simplyconvivial.com/stop-overwhelm
Join Community Coaching in 2026! https://simplyconvivial.com/coaching || Starting over feels productive, but it quietly keeps moms stuck. In this episode, I talk with longtime Convivial Circle member Laney Homan—wife of 29 years, mom of eight, and soon-to-be grandma—about how she finally stopped throwing out her systems every time life went sideways and started iterating instead.
Laney shares how:
She moved from “fix my whole life with a new plan” to making small, realistic tweaks.
Weekly reviews help her juggle homeschooling, work, and training for half marathons.
She handles short-term disruptions (like giant laundry weeks and clothing swaps) without declaring her whole routine “broken.”
She uses simple tools—weekly review, daily card, interval planning—to think clearly and respond wisely when life piles on.
If you’re tempted to scrap everything and start from scratch every time your plans blow up, Lainey’s story will give you a saner, more sustainable way forward.
💜 Join Convivial Circle + Community Coaching:
https://simplyconvivial.com/coaching
Learn the habits, mindset, and tools that help Christian moms build flexible routines that actually survive real life.
📖 Get my latest book - Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done
https://www.simplifiedorganization.com
🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore:
https://www.simplyconvivial.com/stop-overwhelm
Get homemaking coaching in 2026: https://simplyconvivial.com/coaching || Perfectionism keeps moms stuck in a boom-and-bust cycle. Lauren, a NICU nurse working night shifts while raising three young girls and beginning her homeschool journey, shares how this year inside Convivial Circle changed the way she approaches home, work, and rest.
This is her first year in Simplified Organization Community Coaching, and her story is a clear picture of what iterative, grace-filled growth looks like in real life. She talks about letting go of perfect plans, learning to review her week honestly, coordinating with her husband, adjusting expectations, and taking her homemaking one small step at a time.
Do coaching in 2026: https://simplyconvivial.com/coaching
Her experience shows that overwhelm doesn’t have to lead to giving up. When you learn how to iterate, evaluate, and make simple changes, progress becomes possible even in busy seasons.
If you want to stop cycling through fresh starts and burnout, this conversation will help you see a sustainable path forward.
Mystie Winckler encourages moms to organize their attitudes and get traction at home so we are no longer overwhelmed or frustrated with homemaking. We are a community of Christian women striving to be competent, cheerful homemakers so we are fruitful, faithful, and hospitable. Subscribe for regular encouragement!
📖 Get my latest book - Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done
https://www.simplifiedorganization.com
🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore:
https://www.simplyconvivial.com/stop-overwhelm
Life doesn’t sit still, and neither does homemaking. In this conversation with Convivial Circle member Meghan Jackson, we look at what it really takes to stay steady when the year throws every kind of setback your way—kitchen remodels, family illness, extra workload, disrupted routines, and the emotional toll that comes with all of it.
Meghan shares how she kept showing up, even when her plans fell apart. Her story is a picture of what community coaching is actually for: not perfection, but resilience. Not sticking the landing every time, but learning to return to the work with strength, clarity, and a cheerful, trusting heart.
We talk about weekly reviews, alignment cards, habit statements, delegation, home education, staying grounded in Scripture, and letting the Lord define the next right step—even when the next step is simply praying for strength.
If you want support for a year that won’t go according to plan (because they never do), community coaching gives you structure, accountability, and a Christ-centered approach to homemaking.
convivialcircle.com
What if your habits didn’t require a major overhaul or a perfect routine to make a difference? (https://simplyconvivial.com/coaching) What if you could learn to love your daily chore routines? In today’s episode, I’m talking with Convivial Circle member Cara Frayer, who walked through our Humble Habits course during a season of chaos, transition, and RV-living prep — and still built habits that stuck.
We dig into:
The power of tiny triggers
Why smiling on purpose changes your whole household
How movement habits snowball naturally
What it looks like to grow while life feels upside-down
Why “listening counts” when your capacity is low
This conversation gives you a clear picture of how habit-building works in real life — with toddlers, stress, and constant interruptions. You don’t need a perfect system. You need a cue, a small step, and a reason that matters.
If you're ready to build habits that actually stick and reshape your home’s atmosphere with joy, you’ll love this one.
💜 Join the next cohort of Simplified Organization Community Coaching:
https://simplyconvivial.com/coaching
Mystie Winckler encourages moms to organize their attitudes and get traction at home so we are no longer overwhelmed or frustrated with homemaking. We are a community of Christian women striving to be competent, cheerful homemakers so we are fruitful, faithful, and hospitable. Subscribe for regular encouragement!
📖 Get my latest book - Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done
https://www.simplifiedorganization.com
🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore:
https://www.convivialcircle.com
Most moms don’t enter the new year with clarity—we stumble into it, reacting to the chaos as it comes. We don’t feel grounded or confident, we just feel behind.
But next year doesn’t have to be like that.
You don’t need a perfect plan. You need a clear one—built with reflection, prayer, realistic goals, and flexibility. A plan that prepares your heart and your home for the responsibilities God has already given you. Not a dream life—a faithful life.
In this episode, I’m sharing:
✔ Why planning alone leads to guilt and second-guessing
✔ The difference between perfect planning and faithful planning
✔ Why community planning makes your plan stronger and sustainable
✔ How clarity gives you peace, margin, and direction before the year begins
💜 That’s exactly what we do in Ready5, our guided annual planning process inside Convivial Circle. For five weeks, we walk through reflection, direction, priorities, flexible commitments, and joyful follow-through—together.
👉 Join Ready5 inside Convivial Circle: https://simplyconvivial.com/ready5
📌 Don’t stumble into next year. Step into it faithfully—with peace, purpose, and a plan you can actually follow through on.
📖 Get my latest book - Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done
https://www.simplifiedorganization.com
🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore:
https://www.simplyconvivial.com/stop-overwhelm
Ever set goals in January that felt motivating—only to realize by mid-February that they just didn’t work in real life? You're not the problem. The goal-setting method is. Want your goals to actually work this year? Join Ready5: https://simplyconvivial.com/ready5
Most goal-setting doesn't consider season, vocation, family life, interruptions, or the constant adjustments real life requires. But faithful planning isn’t about building the ideal year—it’s about stewarding the actual one.
In this episode, I’ll show you how to:
✔ Set goals that flex with real mom-life (instead of cracking under pressure)
✔ Use vocation—not ambition—to shape your goals
✔ Trade unrealistic expectations for sustainable, faithful follow-through
✔ Build growth habits that work even when routines change
You don’t need bigger goals. You need truer ones—rooted in your calling, capacity, and season.
💜 Inside Convivial Circle, we build flexible, faithful goals together during Ready5, our annual planning process for Christian moms. We reflect, set direction, and create plans that grow with you—not against you.
👉 Want your goals to actually work this year? Join Ready5: https://simplyconvivial.com/ready5
Mystie Winckler encourages moms to organize their attitudes and get traction at home so we are no longer overwhelmed or frustrated with homemaking. We are a community of Christian women striving to be competent, cheerful homemakers so we are fruitful, faithful, and hospitable. Subscribe for regular encouragement!
📖 Get my latest book - Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done
https://www.simplifiedorganization.com
🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore:
https://www.simplyconvivial.com/stop-overwhelm
Join us: https://simplyconvivial.com/ready5 -- Most moms jump into planning by asking, “What should I do next?”
But faithful planning starts with a different question: “What actually happened this year?”
When you skip reflection, you end up repeating overwhelm—not learning from it. Reflection is not just “looking back.” It’s paying attention to what God has been doing in your home, heart, and habits—so your new plans aren’t built on frustration, but on wisdom.
In this episode, we’ll walk through:
✔ Why reflection is the key to meaningful planning
✔ How God uses remembrance to shape our priorities
✔ A simple 3-question reflection habit you can start right now
✔ Why skipping reflection keeps you stuck in the same cycle year after year
💜 Inside Convivial Circle, we start every Ready5 planning session with reflection—so you’re not just making plans, you’re making faithful plans.
👉 Ready to plan differently this year? Join us in Ready5: https://simplyconvivial.com/ready5
📖 Get my latest book - Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done
https://www.simplifiedorganization.com
🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore:
https://www.simplyconvivial.com/stop-overwhelm
https://simplyconvivial.com/ready5 -- Last year’s plans fell apart? You’re not alone.
Most plans fail because they’re built for ideal conditions, not for real life. When interruptions happen—kids get sick, routines change, motivation dips—your plan collapses because it wasn’t designed to flex.
But that doesn’t mean you failed.
It means the plan wasn’t faithful, just perfect-looking.
Faithful plans flex, grow, and adjust—just like you do.
In this episode, we’ll unpack:
✔ Why most plans break down
✔ How God uses interruptions to grow wisdom (not frustration)
✔ The difference between perfect planning and faithful planning
✔ How to build a plan that bends—but doesn’t break
💜 Inside Convivial Circle, our Ready5 annual planning process helps you reflect, reset, and build a plan that works—without guilt or overwhelm.
👉 Join Ready5 here: https://simplyconvivial.com/ready5
📌 Want support, accountability, and a plan built for real family life? Comment Ready! and I’ll send you a preview of last year’s kickoff.
📖 Get my latest book - Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done
https://www.simplifiedorganization.com
🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore:
https://www.simplyconvivial.com/stop-overwhelm
Join convivialcircle.com -- Planning, even annual planning, isn't a waste of time when you do it in gratitude and for real growth. So, yes—you do have time to plan. Because planning isn’t about doing more, it’s about being faithful with what you already have.
When you take time to plan, you’re saying, “Lord, I want to prepare my heart and home for what’s ahead.” That’s not perfectionism—it’s obedience.
Inside Convivial Circle, we do this together during Ready5—a simple, guided annual planning process for Christian moms who want peace and clarity for the year ahead.
Join us there, and plan faithfully—not frantically. 💜
Mystie Winckler encourages moms to organize their attitudes and get traction at home so we are no longer overwhelmed or frustrated with homemaking. We are a community of Christian women striving to be competent, cheerful homemakers so we are fruitful, faithful, and hospitable. Subscribe for regular encouragement!
📖 Get my latest book - Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done
https://www.simplifiedorganization.com
🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore:
https://www.simplyconvivial.com/stop-overwhelm
Feeling overwhelmed? It's time to stop *wasting time* and reclaim your day! Learn practical *productivity* tips for *how to manage time* effectively, reducing *stress management* and cultivating good *habits*. Embrace *intentional eating* and discover *how to be more intentional* in all areas of your life for a more fulfilling home.
In this episode, Mystie Winckler talks with Allison Weeks, host of The Art of Home Podcast, about recovering the value and dignity of homemaking, building Titus 2 relationships, and finding true community beyond social media.
You’ll learn:
why homemaking still matters in a modern world
how to find (and be) a mentor
why online community can’t replace real connection
how to overcome the awkwardness of calling yourself a homemaker
how Christ-centered identity transforms your work at home
📖 Find Allison’s podcast → theartofhomepodcast.com
💜 Join Convivial Circle for encouragement + accountability → convivialcircle.com
📖 Get my latest book - Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done
https://www.simplifiedorganization.com
🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore:
https://www.simplyconvivial.com/stop-overwhelm
Homeschooling and homemaking will clash if you don’t set priorities. In this conversation with Leigh Nguyen from Little by Little Homeschool, we get practical about dividing attention between lessons and housework, why year-round homeschooling (6 on / 1 off) helps, and how to set daily “trigger” tasks so the house doesn’t tank your mood.
You’ll learn:
how to choose a few daily basics and let the rest wait
why a break week is for resets, projects, and mental space
how kids’ chores build skills (and buy you margin)
what to do when you can’t find a mentor—and how to be one
Listen to Lee’s podcast: Little by Little Homeschool → https://littlebylittlehomeschool.com/podcast
Lee’s site: littlebylittlehomeschool.com
Join Convivial Circle for practical help and accountability → convivialcircle.com
📖 Get my latest book - Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done
https://www.simplifiedorganization.com
🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore:
https://www.simplyconvivial.com/stop-overwhelm
The heart of Thanksgiving and Christmas isn’t in the food or decorations—it’s in you, the homemaker who builds a home of warmth, worship, and joy.
In this episode, Mystie Winckler shares how Christian moms can embrace their calling as the makers of festivity. Learn how to create joyful holidays through repentance, truth-tethered thinking, and cheerful productivity—without resentment, burnout, or perfectionism.
You’ll learn:
✨ Why your attitude sets the tone of your home
✨ How festivity begins with faithfulness, not ambiance
✨ Why joy is the fruit of the Spirit—not your checklist
✨ Practical ways to plan your holidays with peace and purpose
Moms, you are the magic—not because you do it all perfectly, but because you do it cheerfully. 💜
🎄 Plan the Holidays Masterclass → convivialcircle.com
📅 Join Convivial Circle → convivialcircle.com
In this episode -
How to build a festive home grounded in gratitude and joy
How your mindset about work shapes your family’s celebration
The truth about burden vs. blessing in homemaking
How to plan holidays without resentment or overwhelm
How to lead your family in worshipful festivity
📖 Get my latest book - Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done
https://www.simplifiedorganization.com
🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore:
https://www.simplyconvivial.com/stop-overwhelm
simplyconvivial.com/holiday - Holiday planning doesn’t have to mean chaos. In this episode of the Simply Convivial podcast, Mystie Winckler is joined by her Convivial Circle team, Stefani Mons and Leisa Moulton, to talk about how they plan ahead for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
We share the practical ways we handle:
🎁 Christmas gifts: budgets, spreadsheets, wishlists, and family input
📋 Lists: how we track ideas, purchases, wrapping, and stocking stuffers
🍗 Holiday meals: menus, index cards, Google Keep, and notes that save time and stress
🎄 Family traditions: how repeating simple plans turns them into meaningful traditions
The holidays add more to our plates, but planning ahead keeps joy at the center. Join us as we talk about realistic gift budgets, keeping records from year to year, and making meals and traditions more cheerful, not more complicated.
👉 Want help making your own holiday plan? Sign up for the Holiday Planning Masterclass at simplyconvivial.com/holiday
📖 Get my latest book - Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done
https://www.simplifiedorganization.com
🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore:
https://www.simplyconvivial.com/stop-overwhelm
Big-picture planning doesn’t work when life changes faster than your plan does — and that’s why homemakers need interval planning.
In this episode, Mystie Winckler explains the three most common mistakes moms make when setting up their interval plans and how to avoid them so you can finally make progress without burnout.
You’ll learn:
✅ Why an interval plan doesn’t give you more time — and what it really does
✅ How to use “good procrastination” to stay focused
✅ What to do during your prep week (and what not to)
✅ How to make your interval plan fit real life, not the other way around
Make the next six to eight weeks purposeful, peaceful, and productive — without overreaching yourself or burning out.
💜 Watch next → How to Plan the Holidays Without Losing Your Mind
📖 Get my latest book - Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done
https://www.simplifiedorganization.com
🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore:
https://www.simplyconvivial.com/stop-overwhelm
For your planner to work, you have to look at it. Mystie Winckler talks with Convivial Circle community manager Stefani Mons about the habit of reviewing your planner daily, weekly, and at intervals.
Stefani explains how:
Daily reviews keep perspective accurate and help reframe negativity
Weekly reviews highlight what went well before looking at what needs to change
Interval reviews (every 6–12 weeks) give time to evaluate routines, homeschooling, and habits without overhauling everything too soon
They also discuss how reviewing helps avoid planner perfectionism, why it’s important to reframe lies as truth, and how community crowdsourcing provides fresh insights and reminders.
This conversation shows why small, regular reviews keep plans realistic and cheerful—without going off the rails.
📖 Get my book: How to Use a Planner Without Wasting Time
https://amzn.to/3CcRzuy
🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore:
https://www.simplyconvivial.com/stop-overwhelm
In this episode, Mystie Winckler discusses the importance of a solid planning routine to make the most of each week. Learn time management tips to help with day planning and create a better how to plan a day. These weekly planning tips are a must!
🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical life management mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore:
https://www.convivialcircle.com
Join the challenge: https://www.simplyconvivial.com/october | Long-term goals often fall apart because life shifts too quickly. That’s why a 6-week interval plan works—it’s long enough to make progress, but short enough to stay realistic. Instead of feeling like you’re failing at year-long resolutions, you’ll finally have a big-picture plan that adapts to your real life.
In this 30-minute live episode, we’ll talk about what interval planning is, why 6–8 weeks is the sweet spot for moms, and how this approach keeps you moving forward without perfectionism. You’ll learn how to use interval plans to set priorities, avoid burnout, and actually follow through.
Grab your planner and join me live—we’ll build a big-picture plan that brings peace and clarity to your next season.
📖 Get my latest book: How to Use a Planner Without Wasting Time
https://amzn.to/3CcRzuy
🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical life management mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore:
https://www.convivialcircle.com
Join Organize October: simplyconvivial.com/october -- There is no one-size-fits-all way to build a daily plan. The daily card isn’t a formula — it’s a practice that teaches awareness, flexibility, and discernment. By iterating daily, moms learn to identify what truly matters for the season they’re in.
Your day won’t ever run perfectly — but with the right habits, you can keep focusing on the meat of your day and grow in cheerful, faithful productivity.
What You’ll Learn
How the Daily Card helps you identify priorities
Why daily plans must change with your seasons
The power of small, faithful iterations
How flexibility builds confidence
How the Daily Card reveals what truly matters
📖 Get my latest book - Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done
https://www.simplifiedorganization.com
🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore:
https://www.simplyconvivial.com/stop-overwhelm