Simplicity | Step Five: Purge/Declutter

The original post can be found here.

My next simplicity step is one that I have been doing for years, and I am sure many of you do it as well.

Organize/purge on a cycle.

When I was teaching, I would go through my room (when I was single) or house (once I was married) twice a year. The first was during Christmas break, and the second was during the summer (my two big breaks). I would go through my closets, drawers, and under my bed (I used it for storage of hope chest items), toss what was unusable, give away or sell items that were in good condition but I would not be using again, and keep only what I needed. For some, twice a year is all that is necessary. However, a husband, two children, and bigger house later, I am finding that cycle organizing is what works for me. So exactly what is that?

For me cycle organizing means that I start at one end of the house and begin the organizing/purging process one room at a time. By the time I make it all the way around the house, it has been about 4-5 months and I begin the process all over again. For me, this method keeps things from having a chance to build up around us. It also makes the next cycle of organizing and cleaning out easier because fewer things have had a chance to accumulate.

Those of you who have small children know that they outgrow clothing sometimes in about three months. It is nice to be able to go through my children's drawers and cycle out the smaller sizes and cycle in the bigger sizes. This also gives me a better picture of what my children actually have available to wear, and gives me a heads up if it is time to take them clothing shopping.

Toys are also great to cycle in and out. (Check out my post at Frugal Homeschool Family for more on that.) By cycling toys, Addie always has something new-to-her to play with and her toys get plenty of use. As she outgrows items, they are either sent to Goodwill or saved for Baby number 2 (thinking ahead...nothing more :).

Also because of the cycle, my cabinets, closets, and drawers stay neater and doing a quick purge is always possible. It also keeps me aware of what I have, so buying doubles rarely happens.


I would encourage you to clean out one drawer or cabinet today. It can be a craft drawer, clothing drawer, bathroom drawer, bathroom cabinet, kitchen cabinet, or (dare I say!) junk drawer.

Have a blast!

Simplicity | Step Four

The original post can be found here.

This post contains affiliate links.

Today I am going to talk about one aspect of making things simple that has two parts (my complicated side is coming out here).

Have a schedule/plan.

I actually use both of these on a daily basis. Addie and Ian have been on schedules since they were a few weeks old. For safety/common sense reasons I won't go into detail about what our daily schedule is, but our schedule includes wake time, meal times, nap time, school time, bath time, and bed time. The rest of life fits around that schedule.

Now in all reality, life happens and sometimes schedules have to be adjusted, but having a general schedule to work from helps a lot.

The schedule also helps me to gauge what the best times for us to leave the house are and when it would be best for us to get home. I am able to plan grocery trips, visits, and the occasional picture taking session (it is so nice to know what time of the day your child is the happiest since the pictures will be around forever!) around our schedule.

A plan is also very important. You wouldn't go on a trip without knowing what your final destination would be, so why go into your day without knowing what you want the final outcome of the day to be.

When Addie was much smaller, I would literally plan my day to the minute with our activities. Now that she is older and we have Ian, the main schedule stays in place, and I keep a piece of paper on a clipboard with a list for myself of what I want to accomplish during my day for myself and for them. As things come up they are added to the list. The goal is to have everything crossed off by the time Brian gets home (or before).

My plan works like this:

I make a list of things that I need to accomplish in my day. The list ranges in size from day to day. Some things are always there, and some things change. Some days have very little planning because we will be out most of the day (like two weeks ago- co-op, lunch at the park, ice cream with Grandma, phone call with Kristi, dinner, Grandma and Pops house) and some days.....

I prefer to break up my day into three parts- morning, afternoon, and evening. I plan my day based on what I can realistically do within those time frames. But my plan has to fit into the "times" that I have designated for our structured schedule. (You can see a better quality photo of what that week looked like here. The colors do not stand for anything... they just look pretty!)


One mistake I was making early on in my new role as stay-at-home wife/mother was filling my to-do list with too many unrealistic goals. I was so used to having only two weeks at Christmas and 2 months in the summer to accomplish all of my self-imposed projects in my home that I went into staying-at-home with that same mentality.

I tried to do everything in my home in the first two weeks after having had a C-section! (Me and my self-imposed goals and ideas!) I finally realized that I had the rest of my life to clean and organize, and that I was not limited to a short time span. This helped to relieve a lot of stress for me.

Different people have different ways of making their lists and schedules. Some use Day Planners others use printouts of daily plans. This year I am using the Erin Condren Life Planner (pictured throughout this post)- which I LOVE!

Find what feels comfortable for you and works best for your family. Then make a plan. I pray you have a scratch-it-all-off-your-list kind of week!

Archives | Simplicity: Step Two

The original post can be found here.

"God made man simple; man's complex problems are of his own devising." Ecclesiastes 7:30 JB

Here is a quick recap of the 5 steps from last week: 

Have a morning routine.

Do one load of laundry a day.

Load your dishwasher throughout the day, and wash the dishes at night.

Pick up as you go along.

Do a "Clean Sweep" several times a day.

Today's simplicity point is an extension of last week's points.  

Prep the night before. 

I had gone into this a bit in a post at the beginning of the school year, but here are some other ways that I have worked these into my home.

Make and pack lunches. (most of the time). By packing the non-perishables and putting the sandwich in the fridge, it is one less thing for me to do in the morning. It also gives me a chance to be creative with my husband's lunches, instead of trying to slap a lunch together when I am still groggy.

Hey, ladies, while prepping your husband's and/or your children's lunches, try sticking a little note inside. Brian has kept all of the notes I have put in his lunch box over the years, and it is a blast reading back over the notes. Doing this the night before helps me to really think about what I am writing to him without feeling rushed in the morning.

Get the coffee pot set. Cleaning it out, setting the water, and measuring out the coffee makes the morning very sweet. All I have to do is push the button as soon as I wake up.

Check the calendar to see what dinner is for the following day. Nothing is worse than having a crock pot/slow cooker meal on the schedule, waking up and having a frozen piece of meat to work with. 

Give your house a "Clean Sweep" one last time. I hate waking up and finding a cup or mug here and there. Having everything in its place the night before ensures a smooth morning. There is something to be said about not waking up to clean yesterday's mess. It also helps me sleep better knowing that I do not have anything hanging over my head.

Look over your plan for the following day. Knowing what is on your next day's agenda will help you plan accordingly for meals, dress, lunches, schedules, and diaper bags.

By prepping the night before, I have plenty of time in my morning routine to have my devotions without feeling rushed. I am able to sit and enjoy my quiet time with a cup of coffee (prepped the night before, of course) without the feeling of just doing it to cross it off of my list.

I hope you find these tips helpful for your upcoming week.

Frugal Homeschool Family | Circulating the Toys

Today I am at Frugal Homeschool Family sharing how we deal with toys in our home. I hope you can stop by for a few minutes.

The Archives | A Grand Idea

Do you have stuffed animals everywhere?

Then you will want to see this short post from the archives, on a quick, easy way to store those stuffed buddies. It truly is A Grand Idea!

Back to School!

Are you ready for school to start?

For some reason people assume that I am eager for school to start so that my daughter will be gone for most of the day. When they say, "I'm sure you can't wait for school to start," I usually know where they are going with it and respond with, "Yes! We are excited for 1st grade this year! I homeschool, so 'back to school' is different for us."

For us back to school means getting back to a more rigid schedule, having morning routines, evening routines, set school times, a schedule that ensures that everything that needs to get done gets done, and cutting back the social schedule.

This post from August 2009 "Prepping the Night Before" is one that really helps us get back into our groove as the school year picks up.

I pray that your "back to school" is smooth and an easy transition. And for you teachers, may God give you the grace you need to have a successful school year.

Tomorrow, Lord willing, I will be posting our "Summer of Memories" Smilebox slideshow as our summer has come to an end. I hope you'll join us.

Less Is More

Addie has been asking me to tell her stories about when I was little, especially in relation to me watching and reading the Little House series since that is where her interests are right now. As I was telling her story after story, I realized that I have always loved simplicity. Growing up I wanted to be Laura Ingalls, wear dresses all the time, use a water pump, raise chickens, milk cows, and live in the little house.

Since I can remember, I have always found myself organizing what I could- the top of my dresser as a little girl, my closet as a teenager, my classroom, files, and cabinet as a teacher, and now my home as a wife and mother. And one of the things I always find myself doing in relation to organizing is purging. Constantly.

As a family of four it is inevitable that we are constantly finding ourselves with stuff. Everywhere. I hate stuff. My philosophy is if it has no purpose, we haven't used it in forever (like 6 months), or true sentimental value, it has no place in our home.

My motto for stuff is "Less is More."

The more stuff I have the less time I have.

Why?

It has to be cleaned/dusted.
It has to be kept up with.
It has to be put away.
It has to be dealt with in some way.

All of that takes time.
It takes time away from my children.
It takes time away from me sitting still and enjoying my home.
It takes time away from other things that I would rather be doing.

Less stuff means more time with the ones that mean the most to me.

So we have been going through a spring cleaning purge..... again.

As of this moment, I have completed the dining room, the laundry room, the entry way closet, the guest bathroom, and several of the kitchen cabinets.

This has left me with empty spaces in those places.

I love empty space.

In the coming weeks, I will be showing you before and after photos of our purge and spring cleaning in our different spaces.

The other night, Addie told me, "Mom, we need to clean out my room. I think I have too much stuff."

She is starting to learn the feelings of too much and enough.

That's a good thing.

Blast From the Past | Simplicity : Getting Help

Yesterday was very busy for us as a family, so I decided to go through the archives and bring back one of my previous posts. This one goes along with my purging fascination last week (my room is under attack this week. Brian chuckled when he walked into our room and saw that I had begun there..... and then he gasped when I told him I had attempted to move the bed but couldn't). I have done some editing since the original post was from June 2010.

I don't know how many times I have gone through my cabinets, drawers, closets, and rooms, However, every time I look, nothing has really changed. Yes, I familiarize myself with what I have. Yes, I put things back in their appropriate places. Yes, I rearrange things. But nothing else changes.

I decided that I had enough of that. So, I called in reinforcements, aka. my cousin, Lisa. Lisa is one of those people who has an incredible gift of organization. She is the one who organizes her church's VBS. She is the one who organizes her sons' youth group fund raisers. She is the one who was serving sodas and cleaning up the church kitchen during Faye's shower at the same time! She is the one who assigns her children to match the lids with her containers, and the lids or containers with no partners are tossed. She is the one who goes through her closets and ruthlessly tosses things that have not been used recently. Toys that are broken or missing parts are not safe near her. She is not a collector of things. She uses what she has so that she and her husband of  (now over) 25 years can do fun activities with their 4 children. She is a do-it-now-why-wait-until-later person.

Having someone outside of your home come in to help you has several benefits.

1) You have objective eyes looking at your things to help you decide if you really need them. As I was explaining to her how I got certain things or why I thought I needed to keep something, I realized how silly I sounded. That really helped me toss/ move to the sell pile very quickly.

2) Just having someone there spurs you on and you find yourself moving a little faster. At one point, Lisa and I were sitting on the floor in the bathroom as I was going through the cabinets. All she had to do was sit there, but somehow I found myself "in the zone" and I was able to just get rid of quite a bit without any help.

3) If you have someone like my cousin, you can glean so much mommy, wife, home, family and woman tips. Just talking as we were working was so insightful and she gave me so many ideas for my own home and marriage.

4) Having someone else there gives you another set of eyes for little ones while you are busy working. Addie absolutely loves "Wasa", so she was thrilled to have her here. While I was cleaning, Addie would bring a toy over to play with Lisa or to show her. When she wanted to get another toy, Lisa would have her put the first toy away before getting the next one. Lisa, being a wonderful mother to her own 4 children, is great with Addie, and Addie knows she is loved by Lisa and her family.

Lisa has come over twice now, and I cannot even begin to tell you how much it has helped so far. We have cleaned out all of my kitchen cabinets (including that mug cabinet I had mentioned once before), my two dressers, the master bathroom cabinets and drawers, my side of the master closet, and the laundry room. Still to go are the entry way closet, Addie's room (dread!), the office (double dread!), the guest bathroom, the garage (triple dread!), and the attic storage space (ugh!).

We will probably not continue until after the (my sister's) wedding since Lisa's services have been called upon by the bride-to-be, but it has been nice opening cabinets and not seeing "stuff". The only things in my closets, cabinets, and drawers are things that I actually use, wear, and need. And believe me, the less "stuff" you have, the simpler things are.

My Brain Dump

If you are like me, you have a million thoughts running through your head of all the things you need to get to at some point in your day or week. Wouldn't it be nice to open the top of your head, tip it over, and have all those ideas fall onto a piece of paper so you can get them out of your thoughts so you can think of other things?

 

In the book that I have been working through, One Bite at a Time, the author recommends having a brain dump as often as necessary so you can get those thoughts out.

 

This is what one of my "brain dumps" looks like. I already had some categories in my mind, I just wrote down randomly whatever was pressing at the moment and was associated with those categories. Then I made clouds and bubbles around each item because I was feeling a bit artistic at the time (ha! for me, this is artistic!) and drew lines connecting those bubbles to their categories. 

 

It was nice getting it all out of there (it really did free up some brain space!) and down onto the paper. I was then able to get to work on what I needed to get done.

 

I keep my "brain dump" on my clipboard that keeps all of my daily-organization-Mommy-important things that I like having easy access to.

 

I am usually a list person, but I think I really like the idea of a brain dump instead. I don't have to worry about writing out my list in the right order. Try it! It made my jobs seem  lot less rigid and much more fun. 

What Did I Accomplish This Week?

Monday?

A normal day.
Pancakes for breakfast.
Laundry.
School time.
Grocery shopping for a month's worth of dinners (post on this to come next week).
Prepared and froze 6 dinner meals and made a separate meal for dinner tonight.
Brian came home from his 2nd visit to the chiropractor in one day saying that the doctor ordered him to stay home for two days.





Tuesday?

A normal day but with Brian home.
Potatoes O'Brien for breakfast (Addie gets a kick out of the name).
Laundry.
School time.
Addie and I cleaned out and purged her toy box.
Playtime with the kids.
Made dinner (I had a frozen batch of spaghetti sauce in the freezer, which happened to be what Brian was in the mood for).
Family movie time (Madagascar 3- a family favorite. The kids love our little dance session at the end of the movie.).

Wednesday?

A somewhat normal day.
Brian was home.
Made these for breakfast.
While Addie was finishing her assignments and Ian was taking his first nap, I attacked and purged her closet (now I actually walk into her room just to open her closet and stand in awe).
Awana.
Sports team night.
Final total of kids in my class for the night was 13.
Called Brian on my way home to say I needed coffee when I arrived.
We settled down for the night with coffee, the leftovers from breakfast, and the Property Brothers on HGTV.

Thursday?

Brian went back to work. Boy, did I miss him.
Why are the kids starting to wake up at 6:00? I am super quiet so as not to disturb anyone. I might have to start waking up earlier than a quarter to six.
Had to take my vitamins and get dressed with Ian at my heels today. Pony tail/messy bun is going to have to do today.
Breakfast. Cereal. Blah.
Laundry.
School work.
Decided to purge and organize Ian's closet.
Somehow I got the notion to completely rearrange his furniture.
2 hours later I kept asking myself WHY!
Divided my pile of stuff for consignment shop, future garage sale, and Goodwill.

Today?

Probably going to take some things down to the consignment shop and Goodwill.
Maybe we will get to the library at some point.
Maybe we will stop for lunch.
I just know one thing for sure.
I am not puring or organizing anything today!

Well........... I sure will try not to........

But that cabinet I get my vitamins out of........ it may need some attention.........

Blast From the Past | Organize/Purge on a Cycle

I spent yesterday homeschooling, playing with Ian, checking in on Brian who has been home for two days with a bad back (literally, doctor's orders), and purging Addie's closet. Going through drawers, closets, and cabinets is something that happens regularly around here. As I was working and thinking about what today's post would be, I remembered this post from February 5, 2010 about this very subject. Rather than write a brand new post saying the exact same thing, I thought it would be better for me to reshare this one with you. Any edits or comments I add will bee in bold type.

My next simplicity step is one that I have been doing for years, and I am sure many of you do it as well. Organize/purge on a cycle.

When I was teaching, I would go through my room (when I was single) or house (once I was married) twice a year. The first was during Christmas break, and the second was during the summer (my two big breaks). I would go through my closets, drawers, and under my bed (I used it for storage of hope chest items), toss what was unusable, give away or sell items that were in good condition but I would not be using again, and keep only what I needed. For some, twice a year is all that is necessary. However, a husband, toddler, and bigger house later, I am finding that cycle organizing is what works for me. So exactly what is that? (Husband and two children later makes it even more necessary!)

For me cycle organizing means that I start at one end of the house and begin the organizing/purging process one drawer/closet/cabinet/container at a time. By the time I make it all the way around the house, it has been about two or three months and I begin the process all over again. For me, this method keeps things from having a chance to build up around us. It also makes the next cycle of organizing and cleaning out easier because fewer things have had a chance to accumulate. (Currently, the kids rooms are purged every two to three months. The rest of the house is twice a year.)

Those of you who have small children know that they outgrow clothing sometimes in about three months. It is nice to be able to go through Addie's (and Ian's) drawers and cycle out the smaller sizes and cycle in the bigger sizes so I never have to worry about what to dress her (them) in. Toys are also great to cycle in and out. By cycling toys, Addie always has something new-to-her to play with and her toys get plenty of use. As she outgrows items, they are either sent to Goodwill or saved for Baby number 2 (thinking ahead...nothing more :).

Also because of the cycle, my cabinets, closets, and drawers stay neater and doing a quick purge is always possible. It also keeps me aware of what I have, so buying doubles rarely happens.

There are many ways to organize and purge your space. Some people find that doing an enitre room in one day and having their house cleaned out in a week is the way to go. More power to you! Others, like me, do things a little at a time. My reasons for organizing a little more slowly is the fact that I have a toddler (now I homeschool and have a toddler). I can't very well clean out a room and expect her to keep herself occupied for the day. However, while she is sitting in her high chair drinking her milk after lunch, I can go through a cabinet or drawer in the kitchen to just spruce it up, clean it out, or toss some unnecessaries. While we are watching a Veggie Tales episode, I can go through a coffee table drawer or cabinet in the entertainment center to check up on things. While we are playing in her room, I can run through her closet quickly (she loves when I pull things out of there that she doesn't usually get to play with). I always put at least one cabinet/drawer/closet/container to organize on my list of things to do for the day. (This is something that I would like to incorporate back into my day.)

I'm working on my closet right now. I've spent the week organizing and tossing some clothes on the racks (Brian worked on his side of the closet the other day), now I'm working on the floor. I love walking into my closet and seeing my clothes all hanging in color coordinated rows (weird, I know, but Brian is like that, too!). (Once upon a time......)

I would encourage you to clean out one drawer or cabinet today. It can be a craft drawer, clothing drawer, bathroom drawer, bathroom cabinet, kitchen cabinet, or (dare I say!) junk drawer. Have a blast!

Blast From the Past | Prepping the Night Before

Since we have "talked" about Morning and Evening Routines, I thought I would bring back a post I originally posted on August 14, 2009. I was pretty happy to see that I have stuck with this approach for the last 4 1/2 years. I was really happy actually. It is nice for me to once in a while go back to see that I have stuck to what I have said.

As the school year gets underway again, I thought about some ideas that I have picked up over the years to make the morning a bit easier (things that I did as a teacher needing to get out the door in the mornings and now as a wife and mother making life in our home easier). Some of these ideas are from past experiences, and some things I am discovering and fine tuning for our family and home.

1. Lay out your clothes the night before- As a teacher at a school with uniforms, I can't tell you how many times parents were blamed because a student could not find his belt while getting ready in the morning. Have your child lay out everything that they will need to wear for the next day of school the night before depending on their age (you will need to do this for young children). You will find yourself and your child at ease and not running around trying to find that one accessory or belt when you have five minutes left before the bus or car pool pulls up. For me now at home, I find that laying out my clothes the night before, helps me to get moving faster in the morning since I don't have to spend any time thinking about what I will wear in the morning while I am trying to help Brian get out the door on time for work. I am able to move on in my day with out wasting any time.
   
2. Prepare lunches and anything else that needs to be ready for "Go Time" the night before- When I was working, I would make our lunches the night before and put everything in the little baggies. What needed to be refrigerated stayed in the fridge, and whatever was nonperishable was put in the lunchboxes. In the morning, all I had to do was put everything in the lunchboxes, and we were ready to go. I also had my bag of things I needed to take to work with me packed and ready to go next to the door. Mornings were very easy and nothing was forgotten. Over this summer, I didn't prep the night before for Brian's lunch and found myself trying to get things done in a flurry while a toddler who was still a little groggy kept following me around with her arms up and whimpering because she needed a shoulder to rest her head on. I found that things are always easier when I plan and prep for them ahead of time. I have even begun prepping from the time I come home from the grocery store. It does take a couple of hours, but it is so worth it. All of the fruit gets washed, dried, and either put in the fruit bowl for enjoyment or into baggies for a quick snack or for lunches. All meats are taken out of their packages, skinned, and put into family serving sized freezer bags. Planning ahead does take time initially, but saves time later on.
   
3. Quick clean the house before you go to bed- No one likes to wake up to yesterday's mess. We do a "quick clean" around here. We just take about 10 to 15 minutes, walk through each room, and make sure everything is in its place. The next morning, it saves me from having to add one more thing to my list of things to do, and it is nice waking up to a neat house.
   
4. Write out a time line of what needs to be done and when it should be done the night before- I have a notebook that I keep where I write in what the schedule for the day will be. It helps keep me on track and forces me to make decisions the night before about what dinner will be and what I will be doing with my time. I find that I accomplish more, and Addie and I have more productive days this way. For me, just making a list of things to do does not work. I need to know when I will be doing them. I guess that is part of the teacher mentality that I still have. Keep in mind, generally, when I have guests over, I do not write out a schedule since things are not as they normally are. When I have guests, we stick to Addie's sleep and feeding schedule and that is it. Everything else just kind of goes with the flow. I do not want my guests feeling like they have been penciled in or that they are intruding in our home. Schedules are a great tool for us to use in helping us accomplish what we must on a day to day basis. Schedules are not meant to bind us so that there is no flexibility.
   
5. Have a plan of what dinner will be- when you are planning out your schedule the night before, also plan what dinner will be based on what your day looks like. That way, when you wake up you can get your meat thawing, fill and start your slow-cooker, or start soaking the beans you'll need to cook with later. Starting your day with a plan will help the rest of it seem like smooth sailing- even if the plans unexpectedly change:).  I have since begun planning my meals one to two weeks at a time.
   
6. Wake up before everyone else- Mrs. Proverbs 31 is a big advocate of this one. I have found that waking up before everyone else gives me a quiet time with the Lord, time to exercise without a small person giving me high fives when I am trying to balance or wanting me to hold her while I do aerobics, and a chance to get my first load of laundry started. I have always found that when I start out ahead of the game, I never feel like I am running to catch up to myself.

I hope that these 6 ideas help you to get yourself started on an organized, ahead of the game school year. And for those of us who don't need to follow the school year, I hope these tips help to make your day run a little smoother. Have a great day.

Simplicity | Live Life | Morning Routine

5:45 a.m.

I wake up to the alarm on my cell phone.

I don't mind waking up this early. This is the only time of the day I get to take care of Suzette- not in a selfish way, but in a way that ensures that I am ready to take care of the rest of my troop for the rest of the day.

Because of everything that was taken care of the night before during the Evening Routine, my Morning Routine has been set up for success. Which is why waking up early isn't a bother.

The Morning Routine, as explained in the book One Bite at a Time, consists of five things that fuel you the most.

My Morning Routine consists of the following:

1. Bathroom time- I've mentioned in a previous post that this and my next item are constants in my schedule. Brushing my teeth and putting in my contact lenses are very important to me. For one, I like to see. End of story. Secondly, if Addie wakes up earlier than normal and finds me mid-routine, well...... I have this things about having my teeth brushed.
2. Quiet time- Reading the Bible and having prayer time is very important to me. If I do this when the kids are awake, my time isn't focused on what God is trying to teach me, it is distracted by what Ian might be discovering or answering one of Addie super-important questions. By having my quiet time before the house stirs, I am uninterrupted and can focus on my time with the Lord.
3. Vitamins- My friend Sherri was so happy when I told her I had added this to my morning routine! She has been trying to get me to take vitamins for years! (Side note: I always take my vitamins when I am pregnant because someone else is dependant on them. But for me, I wasn't so consistent.) Now I take my vitamins and lay out Addie and Brian's vitamins too.
4. Stretch- I've been doing crunches in the morning and then stretching out my back. It feels good to start out my day doing that. Yesterday, Addie woke up early and found me in the office doing my crunches. She looked at me and said, "Mom, are you exercising? It's the middle of the night!"
5. Get dressed- because my outfit has already been picked out, I just have to lotion up, put my clothes on, do my hair and make up, and I am ready to go. Nowhere in particular, but I am presentable for my husband before he leaves for work, and my children who have to look at me all day.

Addie is also learning to have her own morning routine, which helps me have one less thing that I have to check off of my list. He routine consists of:

1. Read the Bible- We have a wonderful children's picture Bible that we have gone through together several times called the "See With Me Bible". She is able to go through an account and tell herself the story without needing any help. This is teaching her how to make putting God first a habit in her life.
2. Get dressed- She is at an age where she is able to get herself fully dressed and take care of her own pajamas.
3. Brush her teeth- We do check her teeth to make sure they have been brushed well, but this is another item she is able to check off her list.

Once my morning routine is over, I kick it into high gear and become wife and mother. A CD goes on to pump up the family for the day ahead- last week it was Steven Curtis Chapman's Declaration and this week it is Rebecca St. James' Worship God. A load of laundry goes into the wash, Brian's lunch (from the night before) goes into his lunch cooler, Ian is rescued from his crib, changed, and put into his outfit for the day.

Having an established morning routine has had quite a few benefits for our family, the most important one being a family breakfast. Because Brian is totally on board with me, he has been getting up a little earlier, too. This enables our family to sit down to breakfast together before he heads off to work. We don't have elaborate breakfasts (cereal, oatmeal, oatmeal casserole, grilled cheese, hard boiled eggs have made the "menu" for us) but we have a time together that we did not have before.

And spending more time together, for me, is the greatest benefit of establishing routines.

Simplicity | Live Life | Evening Routine

Last week, I mentioned in a post that Brian and I have begun an evening and morning routine. It is not a concept that is foreign to us, but knowing that we must stick to these items in the evening as part of "the routine" means that we cannot skip a night because we are too tired.

Brian and I have been turning off the TV a little earlier in the evening, before the "I'm too tired" bug hits. We work together as a team to get a few of our "like" items done quickly, and then move on to our other items.

Sometimes a few items are taken care of before the "evening routine" time, because that is just how it happens.

Here is my list for the Evening Routine.

1. 15 minute clutter pick up- It only takes 15 minutes (if that) because we pick up after ourselves throughout the day. The kids pick up and put away their toys before bed. Basically what we are picking up are our coffee mugs and dessert plate from "our time".
2. Make Brian's lunch- Having Brian's lunch made in the evening actually takes less time than trying to make it in the morning (go figure!). What can be put into his lunch cooler in the evening is placed there, and everything else is refrigerated until the morning. This is also the time I prep the coffee maker. 
3. Clean the kitchen- Again, this only takes a few moments because I clean the kitchen as I cook and immediately after dinner. All I am putting away are the last few dishes we used.
4. Set out my clothes for the next day- Being able to walk into my bathroom and see my outfit hanging there is another thing I don't have to bother thinking about first thing in the morning.
5. Read- I have always loved reading, so reading is kind of a treat I can enjoy for finishing up all of my other tasks. It also helps to relax me so that I can fall right to sleep.

Taking care of these things at night actually cause me to want to wake up the next morning! And when you want to wake up in the morning, it starts out as being a great day.

Keeping Up

As women, we juggle quite a bit on our plates, so having a system or method that works for us and our home is important so that we can keep up with all of our responsibilities.

Recently, I read two posts (here and here) about ways to help women manage their homes, and found it ironic that they both had similar ideas..... and what works in our home was also similar to what they were saying.

Here is my list of how we keep up with our home and schedule.

Wake up early. Yes, folks. I have finally gotten back to waking early. Ian is sleeping for longer spans of time, so it is way easier on me to wake up early now. By waking up before the rest of the family, I can have my devotions, get a mile in on the exercise bike, and get my cleaning items done for the day.

Plan. Plan. Plan. By planning ahead of time, I don't have to figure things out on the spot. And by spending a few minutes in the evening preparing for the following day, it actually saves more time in the long run.

My physical planning time is after the kids have gone to bed. I can go into the kitchen and prep the coffee pot, make Brian's lunch, take the meat for the following day's dinner out of the freezer and put it into the fridge, etc.

My paper planning time comes after that in the living room. Paper planning for me is getting lesson plans done for Addie's homeschooling (weekly), preparing the daily lessons (nightly), review my schedule/plan for the following day, meal plan (weekly), go over my Sunday school and Puggles lessons (weekly), etc.

For example, Sunday is our really busy morning. Saturday evening, I set out my clothes and the kids' clothes, iron whatever needs to be ironed for all of us, set out breakfast bowls or cereal bars, set up the coffee pot and put or mugs beside it, pack the diaper bag, and have my bag with my Sunday school lesson by the door. Sunday morning runs rather smoothly for us.

Mommy (aka. Me) keeps track of the calendar. In my Mommy book, I keep a monthly calendar where everything gets jotted down- appointments, field trips, events, family outings, church commitments, etc. That way I know if we have to say no to an invitation or if I can fit one more thing in our day. As a general rule, I try not to schedule more than one event or outing in one day on week days. Just my preference.

Clean one room and wash one load of laundry per day. I have a schedule of which room(s) gets cleaned and which load of laundry gets washed per day. Everything stays kept up.

If you take it out, you put it away before taking something else out. This is not just for the kids. By picking up after ourselves throughout the day, we don't get to the point where we are overwhelmed by a big mess to clean up at the end of the day.

If it stays out after you have gone to bed you lose it until Saturday. This is just for the kids. I have a box on our bookshelf that anything that is left out goes into. Believe me, very few things end up in the box.

Meal plan. I do my meal planning on a week by week basis. Looking at our main calendar helps me determine what meals would work on which days, which days would a crock pot meal make life easier, etc. It helps not to have to stand in the kitchen at 4:00 p.m. and try to figure out what we are having for dinner that night.

Have a daily routine. Children tend to thrive on schedules. Knowing what to expect makes life more secure for them. It helps us as adults as well. I like knowing what to expect in my day. I know

Do the dishes! I hate doing dishes. But I love an empty sink even more. Whether it means doing the dishes after every meal or keeping your dishwasher available for dishes, having an empty sink helps keep the kitchen feeling fresh and clean. I don't know why. It just does.

For me personally, this list gives me more time with my kids during the day and more relaxed time with my husband. I don't spend my whole day cleaning and picking up, and I don't spend my evening dreading all I have to do the following day.

Have a wonderfully smooth Monday!

Looking Back at the July List and Forward to August

Here is my accomplished list for July. I didn't scratch off everything (I'm notorious for biting off more than I can chew and being completely unrealistic in the expectations I put on myself), but there is always August..... and I am starting to be okay with that.

But, hey, 15 out of 26 items is not that bad. I also ended up doing projects that were not on the list, like organizing the kitchen cabinets and helping Brian when our washing machine flooded our laundry room and entry way.

1. Clean out office (began, but didn't finish)
2. Purge scrapbook stuff (in office)
3. Purge bookshelf (in office)
4. Begin planning and "designing" kids' room decor (in the works in my head.... more to come as I complete little parts of it..... no sneak peeks :)
5. Gather and edit photos for the past few weeks (family album)
6. Catch up on Addie's album (May and June)
7. Do a little work on Ian's album (want to have his completed first year by his birthday)
8. Purge Addie's drawers
9. Deep clean bathrooms
10. Clean bathroom cabinet fronts
11. Clean kitchen cabinet fronts
12. Google how to fix an ice maker
13. Scrub baseboards close to front door
14. Spot clean carpets (going to be a running item with small children in the house)
15. Clean out my closet (Thanks, Brian, for actually doing this one)
16. Take stuff to the consignment shop
17. Make pom-poms for Addie's room
18. Order tissue paper to make decorative pom-poms for Ian's birthday in his colors (Brian's not on board with this idea so we are scratching it out. Hey, one less thing for me to do!)
19. Frame cross-stitched pictures for Ian's room
20. Look online for a consignment shop for "home-type" things
21. Find pattern for sofa throw pillows
22. Make coffee filter wreath
23. Make a new dessert for the family
24. Clean the blinds in two of the rooms
25. Organize my dresser drawers
26. Begin planning Ian's first birthday party

Here is my list for August.

1. Clean out office (must finish!)
2. Clean out office closet
3. Purge scrapbook stuff (in office)
4. Purge bookshelf (in office)
5. Catch up on Addie's album (May, June, and July)
6. Work on Ian's album 
7. Make pom-poms for Addie's room
8. Frame cross-stitched pictures for Ian's room
9. Make coffee filter wreath
10. Make a new dessert for the family
11. Clean the blinds in two of the rooms
12. Organize my dresser drawers
13. Work on fixing the ice maker
14. Plan Ian's bithday party (which has it's own list)

Did you notice how much smaller my list for August is! I couldn't help but laugh when I realized that. Considering that my plate is now completely full, I have to be more realistic as to how much I can give myself to do.

But I do love my lists, and I absolutely love crossing things off!

The Mommy Book

I have always had a love for paper....

• notebooks
• notepads
• small notebooks for my purse/diaper bag
• magnetic notepads for the fridge
• loose-leaf paper
• scrapbook paper
• pretty wrapping paper

..... you name it...... if it falls into the category of paper, I love it!

But sometimes, I end up with paper coming from every direction!

• calendars
• grocery lists
• receipts
• notes to remember
• meal plans
• coupons
• appointment cards
• flyers from Awana and Sunday school

I know there are many programs on the computer and/or phone which are designed to help streamline the paper clutter....

but I can't get used to them......

and I don't like having to refer to the computer constantly throughout the day.......

because I can always find one more thing that I need to do......

and then 20-30 minutes later I realize I have wasted so much time.....

hence why I refuse to get a data plan for my phone. You need to know where to draw the lines for yourself. And that's my line.

So what have I done to get a handle on the paper "clutter" that is actually very necessary for running a home? This idea is not original, although I thought it was when I first began thinking of a solution. There are many ideas like it on the web, at other blogs. But this is my take on the Home Organization Binder or as I call mine "The Mommy Book."

It is in no way complete yet or exhaustive in its content. I am working on that daily. But it helps me keep track of the important things and the day to day routine things that we can easily overlook.

I was not interested in paying someone for their templates and/or ideas and products, so I scoured the Internet and my own "stuff" to make the one I have.

I began with a plain white 3" binder. I already had this one, so this part was free (woohoo!).

I measured the space under the plastic covering and made a cover (that easily slipped under the plastic) for my plain white binder using scrapbook paper I already had (woohoo! Free again!).

And then I took about three months to gather what I thought I would need this binder for:

• routines (handwritten on loose-leaf paper)
• library receipts
• calendars
• recipes
• folders
• home schooling documents
• home related mail (our new garbage collecting schedule, changes in our health insurance company's name and website info., etc.)
• coupons for free or discounted items (Chik-Fil-A, Dairy Queen, etc.)
• appointment cards from doctors
• church play date fliers
• some people choose to include bills in this type of folder. I do not. Our bills already have a great system and I have no intention of fixing something that is not broken.

Basically, anything that can be associated with the general running of the household.

I then brought all of this into the office one day (and as many page protectors as I had on hand) during nap time and made piles according to different categories these items fell into.

And then I prayed and asked God to give me wisdom in coming up with a plan that would help me care for the details in running our home in the most efficient way. I ended up turning part of that prayer into my "Title Page/ Prayer." I believe in giving my day to the Lord with my devotion time and prayer, and this is just a reminder to me that I can make my plans (what this book is for), but ultimately, the Lord is in control of my day.

Then comes the "nitty-gritty" of the binder. I keep several pencils in a pocket at the front of the binder. I prefer to pencil things in rather than write them in ink, so that if changes happen, I can erase and have a neat looking page rather than cross it out and have a mess to look at.

I have also been keeping my shopping list in the front pocket so I can easily remember to write down things to get.

I then printed out the running routine list I had been jotting down for the last few months. Notice I said routine and not schedule. I've learned a lot and it has been sticking. Any times that are on these pages are in relation to Ian's feedings and even those are subject to change.... because, let's face it, my boy likes to eat and nursing relaxes him so he sleeps better.

This is the best of both worlds. I know what to expect in my day and I have goals to shoot for, but I am not restricted by time. In fact, time has become my friend. And I am able to decide based on the needs of my children on any given day what I need to skip or what I can fit in.

I also have my cleaning schedule and laundry schedules listed as well as a few items that are not daily necessities, but need to happen once or twice a month.

I have them on two pieces of paper that face each other in the book so I can keep it open to this as I am working my way through the day without having to flip back and forth.


The next pages show what I need to do on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. For me that entails:

Friday

• meal planning
• making my grocery list
• gathering coupons
• making lesson plans
• planning or going over the plans for the following week
• planning blogs for the upcoming week

Saturday

• Family day (just keep up with ourselves)

Sunday

• Load fridge with waters for Brian's lunches
• Review meals for the week

On the opposite side of the page I have a list of items that I want/need cleaned out, purged, and/or organized on a cycle. I typed up what I already had listed, but I am always adding things as I see the needs arise (another need for the pencils).

Next we come to the actual calendar section.

There is a right side and a left side (obvious, I know, but work with me. You'll see what I'm getting at in a minute). The actual calendar goes on the right side inside of a page protector (in fact, all of these papers are in page protectors) leaving the left side blank, with only the back of the previous page showing.

The left side became a sort of pocket for me to slide things related to the month of the calendar facing it. For example, I slid a Carson-Dellosa print out of the "special" days in the month of April so we could celebrate a few of them. I put the receipt of our library books in there so when "Library Day" comes, I can pull out my list and check to make sure I have all of the books listed on my receipt. (Believe me, this came in very handy when the library said I still had one of the books we had checked out, and it was going to be due soon. We didn't even like the book in question.... but that is besides the point... I knew I had returned it because of my receipt and asked the librarian to check on this for me. Sure enough, our missing book was already on the shelf ready to be checked out again but no one had ever checked it in.)

Also included in this month's pocket is my handwritten list for spring cleaning. Once I finish "spring cleaning" and have everything written down, I'll be typing this out and giving it its own page protector.

On the right side is a printable calendar by Carson-Dellosa, which is where I fill in all of the activities and appointments that we will do/have individually, for school, and as a family. (I am showing you August just for reference... family safety/privacy comes first)

I am still working on my "Mommy Book" and making it work for us as a family. As it takes shape even more and grows further, I will share with you the additions.

Feel free to take any or all of the ideas mentioned here and adjust them to you and your family/situation.

Having a smoothly running home is our goal.

Smooth running to you!

Simplicity- Step Two

"God made man simple; man's complex problems are of his own devising." Ecclesiastes 7:30 JB

This week has been stress free and simple. By following the 5 steps from last week, I have had more time with Brian and Addie, my responsibilities have been completed faster, and I have had time to enjoy my hobbies.

Here is a quick recap of the 5 steps:

• Have a morning routine.
• I only do one load of laundry a day.
• The dishwasher is loaded throughout the day and the dishes are washed at night.
• We pick up as we go along.
• I do a "Clean Sweep" several times a day.

Today's simlicity point is an extention of last week's points. Prep the night before. I had gone into this a bit in a post at the beginning of the school year, but here are some other ways that I have worked these into my home.

• Making and packing Brian's lunch (most of the time). By packing the unperishables and putting the sandwich in the fridge, it is one less thing for me to do in the morning. It also gives me a chance to be creative with his lunches, instead of trying to slap a lunch together when I am still groggy. Hey, ladies, while prepping your husband's and/or your children's lunches, try sticking a little note inside. Brian has kept all of the notes I have put in his lunch box over the years, and it is a blast reading back over the notes. Doing this the night before helps me to really think about what I am writing to him without feeling rushed in the morning.
• Getting the coffee pot set. Cleaning it out, setting the water, and measuring out the coffee makes the morning very sweet. All I have to do is push the button as soon as I wake up.
• Checking the calendar to see what dinner is for the following day, and defrosting meat that will need to go into the crock pot in the morning. Nothing is worse than having a crock pot/slow cooker meal on the schedule, waking up and having a frozen piece of meat to work with. This point will be discussed further next week, but having a plan for dinner will help your preparations considerably.
• Give your house a "Clean Sweep" one last time. I hate waking up and finding a cup or mug here and there. Having everything in its place the night before ensures a smooth morning. There is something to be said about not waking up to clean yesterday's mess. It also helps me sleep better knowing that I do not have anything hanging over my head.
• Look over your plan for the following day. Knowing what is on your next day's agenda will help you plan accordingly for meals, dress, lunches, schedules, and diaper bags.

By prepping the night before, I have plenty of time in my morning routine to have my devotions without feeling rushed. I am able to sit and enjoy my quiet time with a cup of coffee (prepped the night before, of course) without the feeling of just doing it to cross it off of my list. I hope you find these tips helpful for your upcoming week.

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I have added a button on the side bar for an organization blog called Simplify 101. In addition to all of the free resources they offer, they also provide workshops (for a fee) and online classes. I have browsed the site and have been impressed and inspired by some of their ideas. I hope you enjoy their site as well.

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Also, please take the time to visit these two blogs, TeamMac and Rebecca Sower's Weblog of some beautiful women that have been directly impacted by the earthquake in Haiti. Please keep the people of Haiti in prayer that God can use this tregedy to bring many to Himself.

Simplicity- Step One

"God made man simple; man's complex problems are of his own devising." Ecclesiastes 7:30 JB

I have been thinking about the idea of simplicity lately...and how I tend to over-complicate things. For example, when I called Addie's doctor today to cancel an unnecessary appointment, I went into a long explanation of why I was cancelling instead of just saying, "I'll see you next month at her 2 year appointment." Or, how I tend to jump in and try to do all of the laundry in one day in addition to all of my other daily responsibilities, and by the end of "Laundry Day", I'm over-protective about anything going into the hamper and frustrated that I couldn't do everything on my to-do list.

So for my own peace of mind, and for the sake of the rest of my family, I have made some changes for myself, and everyone over here just seems to be falling in with my new plan of attack.

1. Have a morning routine. Knowing what I am doing every morning takes the guess work out of the first part of the day. Morning routine items include my devotions, putting on the coffee, getting Brian's lunch together, putting a load in the wash, changing Addie's diaper, emptying the dishwasher, waving "a-bye!" to Brian/Daddy as he sets off to work (a-bye is Addie version of bye...I don't know where the "a" came from), breakfast for me and Addie while watching Joyce Meyer (check your local listings for times in your area), drying my load of laundry, devotions with Addie, her reading DVD while I get dressed, and taking the meat for dinner out of the freezer. It seems like a lot, but actually, several of these things take little to no time at all.
2. I only do one load of laundry a day. It goes into the washer as part of the morning routine, and once it is dried and folded, I don't think of laundry until the next morning. I also have been letting Addie help me put her clothes in the hamper. This step is taking some time now, but it will pay out dividends in the future as she learns where her dirty clothes are to go. She also helps me load the washer. This also takes time, but she enjoys it and one day she will be able to help me with the laundry the way I helped my mom. It also helps me slow down and adds just that much more quality time to our interactions with each other.
3. The dishwasher is loaded throughout the day and the dishes are washed at night. This method has kept the sink empty throughout the day. However, this also calls for the dishwasher to be ready for dirty dishes. As I mentioned, emptying the dishwasher has become one of my morning routine items. Again, I let Addie put our spoons in their proper place- another lesson that takes time now but will be worth it down the road. (At Christmas time, my Christmas dishes were kept in a lower level cabinet, and she loved putting the dishes, one at a time, inside...with Mommy watching very carefully. Okay, so I held onto the dishes as she put them in the cabinet.)
4. We pick up as we go along. Throughout the day, as things get pulled out for use, I have been making a conscious effort to make sure they go back as soon as we are finished using them. So many times, it is easier to say, "I'll get it later." But later, more items have been added to the pile. Addie is also being taught to pick up after herself. When we play with the toys, we have her help us put the toys away when we are done playing. Of course, we clap, and she is eager to find something else to put away.
5. I do a "Clean Sweep" several times a day. Throughout the day, things are bound to get left out accidentally. We do a "Clean Sweep", which is basically beginning at one end of the house, walking through each room making sure that it looks the way it is supposed to, and moving on tho the next room. I usually time myself for 15 minutes for the whole house (because the house is already in order, this should only take 15 minutes). The kitchen is always the last room that I hit.

These steps are ways that I have been able to streamline/simplify my morning, and I am able to accomplish more during my afternoons. It also has helped me to not make my to-do list overly complicated and unrealistic (I am notorious for having unrealistic to-do lists).
Tomorrow is our Saturday Recipe Swap. On the menu... Simple Pork Roast. Have a Fabulous Friday!

The Office Mini- Renovation

Brian said that because I relaxed so much while visiting GrandTiti and family, I had so much pent up energy that it caused me to do what I did last Monday and Tuesday. What did I do? I decided to tear apart our office on Monday. I guess Brian's assumption is partially true. I did have all week to think about my least favorite room in the house, what I wanted to do in there, and how I would set about accomplishing it.

I literally emptied the desk, bookshelf and closet onto the office floor. (Until I am able to download my pictures onto Brian's computer I won't be able to post any. Our computer is very picky about which files it will download from my camera.) For anyone that knows me well, messes make me a little stressed. I am not compulsive in any way, it is just hard to see where to start in a mess. I decided that I would just pick one thing up at a time and decide what to do with it (keep, donate, or trash it). So that is where I began.

We have been blessed with so many books, many which were mine and Faye's when we were children or were bought when I was teaching for use with my students with the intention that my children would read them one day. However, our bookshelf was bursting at the seams and I hated walking into the office and seeing the bookshelf looking cluttered. So while Addie was napping (so important when deconstructing a room), I decided what was Addie-age-appropriate and what she would have to wait to read (meant for ages 4 and up). Anything that fit in the later of the two categories was moved into our bedroom temporarily.

After deciding what went back onto the shelves, I worked on books that were Brian's and mine. I found some great books that I plan to read and use as additional devotional materials and some books on marriage that we had gotten while doing a Weekend To Remember conference (highly recommend to every couple no matter how long or short a time you have been married or how wonderful your marriage is. The Biblical teaching and communication that it encourages has been known to save marriages and has strengthened marriages that were already strong. We went before our first anniversary as a gift from my parents, and have used the teachings ever since in our marriage.).

Addie's books (that are toddler durable) were placed on the lowest shelf of the bookcase so she can have easy access to her books. Other Addie books that we use for devotionals or are paper books are up higher so that she cannot get a hold of them.

My other dilemma was the proportions of the room. The bookshelf (which was the largest piece of furniture) was on the smallest wall and the smaller desk was on the largest wall. Brian did me the favor of moving the furniture around (the two pieces of furniture swapped walls) and then I could begin replacing certain things. The books that were too old for Addie were boxed for Brian to put in the attic (poor thing, he has so much work ahead of him).

I'll spare you the blow by blow of putting the room back together, but let us just say that after two days of work (Addie helped me on the second day to go through all of the notepads, sticky notes, index cards and desk related items. Did you know that a calculator is really a cell phone in disguise? I didn't either until Addie pointed that out.) everything in the office has a place/home and everything is pleasantly in its place/home. The only thing left for me to do is hang my paprika colored curtains. The room feels bigger, and I actually enjoy being back here now.

Eventually, I would like to slipcover the sofa bed (now I know why Mom hated this sofa- it was hers originally, and when Faye and Dad moved in with us after Mom's passing, we brought it over here for Faye to sleep on- it is a very drab green color) and put some coral pillows on it. But that is a job for another day. Tuesday night, I was so exhausted that I fell asleep at 10:00...very unlike me.

Maybe in a few days I'll be rested enough to take apart another room. Which room will it be?
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Today's song is O Holy Night performed by David Phelps.