The Ultimate List of Outsourcing Ideas to Help Moms Keep Their Sanity

Some cost money, some cost nothing—but all save your sanity.

Let’s start here: most moms I know don’t jump straight to outsourcing (myself included!). We try to juggle it all ourselves until we’re running on fumes. But here’s the truth - outsourcing isn’t a luxury, it’s a strategy. It’s about reclaiming time and mental space so you can actually enjoy being a mom (and a human).

Before jumping straight to outsourcing…(or if you’re anything like me…spending hours researching and then talking yourself out of it and convincing yourself that you can just do it yourself…until the next month when you’re ragey and frustrated that the dishes are piled up, you haven’t taken a shower in a week, and you have laundry to do for days….hypothetically speaking…), it’s important to do a couple steps with yourself and your partner.

Step 1: Get Clear on Your Budget

Before you hire help, get on the same page with your partner about money. Download an app like Monarch and track your spending for a month. You might be surprised at where your dollars are going, and it helps take the emotion out of the conversation. Using an app also helps surface real data rather than every conversation about money turning into a “me vs you.” Numbers don’t lie, and having clarity turns “guilt spending” into “wise investing.”

Step 2: Divide What’s On Your Plate

Stop what you’re doing and buy these Fair Play cards. My husband and I did this when I was pregnant and it was SO helpful. The cards gamify household responsibilities so your partner can actually see the mental load you’ve been carrying. Once you’ve sorted the cards, you’ll know what stays on your plate, what swaps to theirs, and what you both want to outsource. Similar to Step 1, using a card deck like this helps facilitate an objective conversation unified around the goal of simplifying your life rather than a feelings-based “me vs you aren’t enough” conversation.

Step 3: Outsource (and Breathe)

Now, let’s address the elephant in the room: mom guilt. We’ve all felt i - the little voice that says “good moms should be able to handle it all.” The problem is, most of us are comparing ourselves to a time in history when women were expected to do all the household work and didn’t have a second job outside the home. Today, most families are dual-income, calendars are packed, and we’re more isolated than ever. We used to live in villages where the load was shared; now it often feels like we’re on our own island. One way to look at outsourcing is that it’s helping build your village back. This is especially helpful if you’re like me and live 12+ hours away from your family. It’s choosing help over hustle, and it’s one of the kindest things you can do for yourself and your family.

Here’s the fun (and hard!!) part: actually letting go. Below is a massive list of outsourcing ideas. Some cost money, some are free, but all are designed to help you buy back your time, protect your energy, and remind you of the hard truth…you don’t have to do it all.