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Cracker Crumbs and Packing Peanuts: Insights from Work-At-Home Moms to Boost Your Productivity


Story by FormAndFunction Published on January 4, 2008 in How-To	Photo by Inferis

Do you ever wonder how the other gal does it? Don't we all. As if being a working mom and raising a family isn't enough, some woman are choosing to bring their work home with them — permanently. The pursuit of a more creative lifestyle and the flexibility that it offers has motivated more and more women to trade in their Blackberries for Berninas. With the help of Etsy many of these WAHMs (Work-At-Home-Moms) are supplementing a spouse's income, building college funds or replacing full time incomes. I asked six of them to share insights to help anyone who's wearing too many hats: tips on how to manage their day-to-day tasks, get organized and boost productivity in the New Year.

Insight #1: Plan realistic and attainable "mini goals."

This simple but tried and true advice comes from a crafter who gets through her day one stitch at a time. Diane Hoffman, an ex freelance web designer and owner of Bee Square Quilts, outlined the way she set goals for her week: "When assembling quilts, for example, I will set a goal of making five blankets in a week. So I'll spend one day designing, one day cutting all the pieces, one day sewing the quilt tops and then a day completing all the quilts." She emphasized that "this method gives me a sense of accomplishment because it creates mini-sized goals [for] each day that are attainable."

Insight #2: Embrace inexpensive, low-tech organization.

Almost every woman interviewed mentioned her utilization of small plastic shoeboxes. A bargain store staple that won't cut into profits, plastic shoeboxes can be used in a variety of ways to suit different needs. Talcott Broadhead — owner of Talcott, an Etsy shop specializing in appliquéd children's clothing — pointed out that one benefit of the shoeboxes are that "they are the perfect size for remnants, thread, buttons, etc., but are not large enough to become junk-receptacles." Christina Fast from Gorgeous Baby, a shop featuring hip baby necessities, uses her shoeboxes to store slings by size. Clutter control and organization — what more can you ask for at roughly a dollar a piece?

Insight #3: Strategize when and how you will best get things done.

The morning means work time for Lissa Juedemann of Lissa, an Etsy shop specializing in children's play items. She knows that her "…daughter tends to be really great at entertaining herself in the morning, so that's when I get the most sewing done." In contrast, she says, "My daughter is usually less interested in playing on her own in the afternoon, so I gather up my hand sewing and…fill a backpack with balls to be sewn shut, or animals who need faces embroidered on, and wander around the yard behind my daughter sewing" and muses, "I am sure this confuses the neighbors."

While planning around your family's needs and habits are important, knowing your limitations is also a must. Kiersten Hatchcock, an ex-TV executive and owner of Mod Mom Furniture, jokes that "I don't want to use the table saw or any tool that can kill me when I'm tired."

Insight #4: Allow yourself down time, but don't let it get away from you.

While technology can be a great tool for the WAHM and her business, sometimes it can be more of a distraction than anything. Aline Yamada, the digital illustrator behind Yumi Yumi, explains that, "The internet is so great in so many amazing ways, but it sometimes detracts me from being fully productive, and I get lost checking out other Etsy shops, blogs and social networking sites." Her rule is "…to limit my time surfing online to an hour a day."

This down time can help creative types return to their tasks with renewed energy: yet if gone unchecked, it can actually hurt productivity. Lissa puts limits on her down time: "I only allow myself 20 minutes of goofing off after she [her daughter] is in bed. If I didn't have that time limit it would easily turn into an hour before I get working." Set a limit for yourself in whatever you spend your down time on and stick to it to get the most benefit from it.

Two other essentials our six work-at-home moms mentioned? Coffee, coffee, coffee, and a supportive partner!

Even if you haven't made the decision to work at home, the insights from these women are sure to increase your organization and productivity in the New Year.

For more tips and articles specifically related to the work-at-home lifestyle, log onto the following sites:
Tips for Working at Home
Nine Tips for Work at Home Parents
Tips for Working at Home With Kids