Life’s Too Short for a Perfect House
Some days, my home looks like a before photo.
There are crumbs in the couch, socks scattered on the stairs, and a sticky mystery patch on the kitchen floor that I will get to… eventually.
I used to think the mess was a reflection of me — like a messy house meant I wasn’t organised enough, disciplined enough, or “together” enough.
Now? I call it evidence of life.
The Mess You Can’t See: Mental Clutter
It’s not just the physical chaos. Inside my head, there’s a whole second layer:
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Deadlines ping-ponging around
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A running grocery list
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Kid drama updates
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Ideas for mugs I haven’t designed yet
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And that nagging “I’ve forgotten something important” feeling (spoiler: it was the library books… again).
This mental load used to crush me. But now I know — the mess doesn’t mean I’m failing. It means I’m doing life in all its unpredictable, imperfect glory.
Thriving in the Middle of the Mess
I’m running a business, raising small humans, and attempting to drink a hot coffee before it becomes iced regret.
Progress for me doesn’t always look like a perfectly ticked-off to-do list. Sometimes it looks like:
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Answering two emails before the school run
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Creating one new product instead of ten
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Choosing to rest instead of reorganising the pantry
It’s not about perfection — it’s about showing up, messy bun and all.
My Messy-Girl Survival Toolkit
When life feels like it’s unravelling, these are my go-tos for pulling it together (or at least faking it better):
1. Creative Fabrica
When I’ve got 10 minutes and need a creative win, I jump on Creative Fabrica. It’s full of fonts, graphics, and templates I can turn into a new mug or t-shirt design without starting from scratch. (If you’re curious where I get my other favourite fonts, mockups, and design tools without spending a fortune, check out this post.)
2. Printful
My chaos-friendly partner in crime. I upload my cheeky designs, and Printful prints and ships them straight to my customers. I don’t have to worry about stock, postage, or bubble wrap. (And when I’m feeling extra crafty, I pull out my Cricut — my latest obsession is making personalised pencil cases for kids that are quick, easy, and surprisingly satisfying.)
3. Caffeine & Low Expectations
Not technically a brand (though if it was, I’d be their ambassador). I lower the bar on bad days — because “done” beats “perfect” every single time.
A Gentle Reminder for the Week
You don’t have to have it all together.
You’re allowed to thrive in the middle of a mess.
And that’s okay.
Progress doesn’t always look pretty — sometimes it looks like half a folded load of laundry and a Canva tab still open on your laptop. And sometimes it’s about finding tools that save your sanity — like when I tested Artistly.ai for automated mockups and social posts to see if it could become my new creative sidekick.
The Bottom Line
My house is a mess. So am I. But I’m also doing great — and so are you.
If you’re reading this with a cup of cold coffee and a to-do list you’ve half-ignored, take this as your permission slip: You’re not behind. You’re living.
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Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links from Amazon, Creative Fabrica, and Printful. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you. Thanks for keeping The Mama Assembly running on caffeine and chaos. ☕
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