A Day in the Life of Jules McAleese: Balancing Motherhood and Interior Design at Little by Little Interiors

Welcome to Little by Little Interiors, where passion for design meets the joys of family life! I'm Jules McAleese, founder of this boutique interior design firm nestled in the picturesque city of Portland, Oregon.

People often ask “How do you do it?” As a wife, a mom of a two-and-a-half-year-old, a one-year-old, an 8-year-old golden retriever, and principal slash founder of Little by Little Interiors, let me tell you - It’s a lot.

But for those of you who ask (like two people), here is a peak behind the curtains of a typical day-in-the-life as I navigate the roles of mom, wife, business owner, and interior designer.

5:50 AM - Rise and Yawn: The day begins with a gentle nudge from our favorite dog, Stella, followed by the rustling of Naomi and Rhys, as they wake up ready for a smoothie, fried eggs, and avocado toast. Me, coffee (black), and a glass of water with lemon in between the chorus of the blender and frying pan. After breakfast and two dozen dishes, it's time to get the kiddos ready for daycare and prepare for the day ahead.

8:00 AM - Day Planning: After the kids are off to daycare with their dad, I quickly tidy the house and if my day is on the lighter side I try to get in a quick workout. Then I meet with my Project Manager who runs me through my to-do list for the day/week and preps me for the day’s meetings.

8:30 AM - Social + Inspo: After I have my head wrapped around my day I take a couple of minutes to sip on my coffee, scroll then post to social. From scrolling through Pinterest to flipping through design books, I think about my client projects as I check out the latest trends in color, texture, and design. And I’ll pin to each of my client’s boards.

9:00 AM - Client Meetings and Consultations: Today's agenda includes onsite client meetings, where I’m checking in on the painters and tilers for a full-home refresh. Then I connect with the client to discuss what’s coming up next on their project.

12:00 PM - Lunch Break: When I get back to my home office I have a quick break with leftovers from last night’s dinner and if the weather is good, a quick walk with Stella around the neighborhood.

1:00 PM - Creative Collaboration: I dive into the creative process by collaborating with my team to bring our design concepts to life. From sketching floor plans to sourcing materials and furnishings, every project is a creative puzzle with 1000 pieces of creativity, details, and je ne sais quoi.

3:00 PM - Design Studio Time: As the afternoon sun casts its golden glow through the windows of our design studio, I relish the opportunity to immerse myself in the creative sanctuary where dreams take shape. Surrounded by mood boards, fabric swatches, and design samples, I lose myself in the creative process, channeling inspiration from my surroundings and experiences into each design concept.

4:30 PM - Pick-Up Time: As the workday wraps, I’m ready for big hugs from my kids and stories of their day (well mainly Naomi’s day since Rhys is one and can only say mama and dada) when I pick them up from daycare.

5:00 PM - Dinner Time: Brenden or I will make a quick and simple dinner for the whole family.

7:00 PM - Bedtime Rituals: With the kids tucked into bed, we unwind by doing the dishes and making a fun lunch for the kids and decompress from each of our days today. If the weather is nice, well sit outside and watch the sunset or if it’s rainy (like it normally is in Portland) then we’ll sit by the fire or watch a show before bed.

9:00 PM - 5-step nighttime skincare routine: I can’t share all my secrets, can I? ; ) Then I’m asleep as soon as my head hits the pillows.

And that’s it. A day-in-the-life. Until next time, that’s all folks!