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Running a Household Even with Solo Parenting! Tips for Automating Chores

2025年6月22日 14:22

“Doing chores after putting the kids to bed is exhausting...” Why not put an end to that struggle?

“The kids are finally asleep, but the laundry isn't done yet.”
“I'm chased by chores from morning till night, and I don't have a single minute to myself.”
——To you, who are working so hard at “solo parenting.”

In modern parenting, “doing everything by yourself” is by no means rare. Especially in situations where your partner comes home late or you have no family nearby to rely on, daily life can feel like “climbing a mountain of tasks.”

But you don't have to give up. By incorporating
chore automation and systems, you can make every day a reality where you “don't have to do it all alone.”

Even if you're overwhelmed with parenting, the house can still run smoothly.
By the time you finish reading this article, you should have found some tips to make your life much easier.

[1] The courage to choose “not to do”: You don't have to do every chore

Just changing how you view time can transform your life

When people hear about automating chores, they often think, “Do I have to buy expensive appliances?” but the first step is deciding which chores you don't need to do.

For example——

Vacuuming every day → Leave it to a robot vacuum twice a week
Hand-washing dishes → Use the dishwasher at night, and paper plates are fine in the morning
Folding children's clothes → Manage them with a “toss-in” storage case

By letting go of perfectionism, there are cases where you can create more than 30 minutes of time per day.

[2] Think of reliable appliances as your “partners”: The initial investment pays for itself quickly

The three sacred treasures that automate your chores

Washer-dryer combo (fully automatic from washing to drying)
Robot vacuum (can run quietly after the kids are asleep)
Dishwasher (even countertop models are very effective)

By introducing these, you can cut an average of 90 minutes of work per day (*according to the author).

Methods to try if you think they are “too expensive...”

Try things out first using Mercari or appliance rental services
Utilize local childcare support subsidies and hometown tax donations
Buy in bulk during Amazon Time Sales or Rakuten Super Sales

In the long run,“saving time equals saving money”becomes true.

[3] Create a “system that runs without thinking” using apps and timers

Just reducing mental load creates peace of mind

The difficulty of housework comes more from “having too much to think about” than from “having too much to do.”

That is why I recommendvisualizing and routinizing housework with AI apps and To-Do apps.

Examples of useful tools:

Notion (free): Visualize and share weekly housework tasks
Amazon Alexa or Siri Shortcuts: Manage lighting, music, and timers with just your voice
ChatGPT or LINE housework bots: Suggest menus and automatically create shopping lists

Once you set it up, you can reach a state where you can **“act with zero thought.”**

[4] “Automate” shopping, meal planning, and stock management

Tips to reduce the daily stress of “choosing”

Shopping and cooking are among the household chores that involve daily decision-making.

To reduce this—

Use subscription services for online supermarkets (e.g., Ito-Yokado Online Supermarket, Oisix)
Rotate through recipe apps (e.g., Kurashiru, DELISH KITCHEN)
Use ChatGPT to suggest instant menus from ingredients you already have

For example, if you set a fixed menu for each day of the week, such as "curry on Tuesdays" and "frozen udon on Fridays," you will drastically reduce the effort of thinking and the hassle of grocery shopping.

[5] Outsourcing services are also "OK from 1 hour a week." No guilt necessary

Entering an era of relying on trusted professionals

Nowadays, housekeeping and delivery services can be easily used by the hour.

Examples of recommended services:

CaSy: Cleaning and cooking assistance from 2,790 yen per hour
Taskaji: Reliable with plenty of user reviews
Meal delivery services (nosh, Yoshikei, etc.): Frozen meals for 400–600 yen per serving

It is easy to think that "doing everything yourself is the right way," but if outsourcing allows you to focus on childcare or your own physical and mental stability, it is a worthwhile "investment."

Summary: It's okay to take it easy. In fact, you won't last if you don't.

The most important thing in solo parenting is "not wearing yourself out."

Letting go of housework is not abandoning your responsibility to childcare or your family.
Rather, it is an important choice to keep your family's life running.

I also thought I had to do everything at first, but by relying on home appliances, apps, systems, and services, I was able to regain
"time to face my children" and "time for my own recovery".

You too, start today by finding just one chore you can let go of.

Housework can be automated. And you can become more free.