Balancing Homestead Preparations with Suburban Life Responsibilities

Preparing to Move from the Suburbs to a Homestead: A Balancing Act

The preparation to move from the suburbs to a homestead has been a balancing act. Sometimes, it feels like I’m living in two different realities. I envision our future homestead with trees, green-topped mountains, and valleys. Yet, my current reality is looking outside my window and seeing neighbors’ backyards and front yards from every angle.

The process has been slow, and it can get frustrating. I often find myself at dinner, asking my husband what he thinks about a 3D blueprint of a house or whether it’s functional enough for our lifestyle. I also spend time watching countless videos on social media about raising chickens—like how to handle a chicken that’s egg-bound—while shopping at our local grocery store and noticing the price difference between affordable eggs and pastured-raised eggs. It’s eye-opening to see the manipulative marketing tactics used to make people believe they’re paying more for higher-quality food.

Managing all of this can be stressful. I remind myself of the long hikes I did during active duty that seemed endless. Sometimes, in life, you have to embrace your reality, look down, and keep putting one foot in front of the other—even when mentally you feel like you can’t take another step.

I take frequent breaks when I need them, balancing running my business with being a mom, homeschooling, and handling all the other daily tasks that mothers and wives do without thinking twice. Keeping busy and relaxing when I can is the best I can do for myself right now.

Time management is challenging for me. As a former active-duty Marine raised by military parents, I’m used to working 24 hours straight and then going back to work for another 12–18 hours as if I hadn’t slept. So, I can be a workaholic. I force myself to take breaks to be in the moment with my husband and children, even though my mind is still brainstorming ideas from earlier in the day.

To stay organized, I’ve forced myself to create systems, like time-blocking my days, to ensure I not only get things done but also stay accountable and make progress toward my goals. To avoid mom guilt, I involve my children in the moving process by letting them help with packing their things. It’s a bonding experience that also boosts their self-esteem.

I’ve also sat down with my husband, almost every other day this past month, to review our plans. I take note of anything he thinks will make the process easier or anything I may have missed, like repainting our home before we move to the property to provide a clean slate for our potential tenants.

I stay motivated by keeping my family involved—updating them daily on my progress and sharing discoveries that may help streamline the process. My previous job running my own program taught me to be self-driven and organized. I’ve carried that military mindset into my adult life, constantly making checklists to track what I’ve accomplished and what’s left to do. This helps me stay on track and avoid burnout.

With any major transition, it’s important to map things out and ask for input from your support system when needed. Work-life balance can be a juggling act. Some days or months may be easier to manage than others, but reminding yourself to maintain mental homeostasis is key.