Since we have purchased a house and we have moved in, making it our own, I have started using some "home standards" as part of my weekly routine. I know, funny right? I do NOT claim to have it all together (most moms with young kids cannot make that claim..) However, I have found some really useful tips that make being home even more rewarding.
1.) I have set out specific laundry days, and stuck to my guns on it. Before, laundry was my biggest yuck.. if you know what I mean. I never really wanted to work on it, so by the time I got to it there was always a mountains worth waiting on me. Recently what has been working for me is laundry only 3 days a week. I only do laundry on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday (if I know Saturday is too booked, I do it Friday). This has been helpful because now I don't allow laundry to make me feel like a failure everyday when I chose not to do it. The trick is.. I do it from start to finish. I have enabled that annoying little buzzer on my dryer, and when it goes off I get the clothes out of the dryer and immediately fold and put away. Socks and all... my mom would be so proud -- or in disbelief :)
2.) Hearts at Home this past year had an interesting guest speaker known as the "Fly Lady"... I honestly am not that familiar with her, but you could google her and learn some interesting stuff!! Anyways, one of the things she said at her little session was to avoid "hotspots". Who doesn't have a catch all space that gets cluttered and quickly becomes an eyesore?? Well, this was one of my biggest peeves (especially in our rental where we literally did not have any counterspace). The trick to avoiding being taken over by "hotspots" is to be INTENTIONAL. Hang a nail, so there is a place to set your keys. Put up a pin-up board if you like to write and keep notes. Find an envelope holder to place your mail. Buy a small rubbermaid container (can double as recycling container) to store away your weekly shopper or magazines. Find a cute basket to put all your hearing equipment... wait, maybe that was just helpful for me :). The point is, for me it seemed like it was the same things that were cluttering up my hot spots. There was a small amount of training that went along with this one, and trust me, I am still working on it! Your kids, or your husband may not share the same feelings as you about avoiding cluttered counters. The trick is not to continuously put there junk in the appropriate places, but instead kindly ask that they find a home for it themselves :)
3.) Do you have a dishwasher????? Ohhh boy, they are amazing. Not to say that life can't go on without one, but what a luxury. BUT, dont abuse it!!!! It should be used as a TEMPORARY holding spot for your dishes. As soon as you dirty a dish, place it in the dishwasher. I have my 3 and 5 year old (working on the 2 yr old ;)) already doing this for themselves!! The only way I can expect them to help me with this though, is by holding up my end of the bargain. I run the dishwasher before bed, and empty it in the morning. If I fill it up early in the day (which I would do if I was a supermom.. making baked goods or something really fun like that, HA) I run it as soon as its a full load. Ok friends, this may be hard to hear... but if you do not have enough space for all of your dishes to be clean and put away, you might have too much JUNK!! I mean really, do you need to have 5 loaf pans?? 3 9x13's?? And in the event you do need extra of some of these things, use a lifeline!! Phone a friend, call a neighbor :) Get rid of some STUFF!!!! Ok, so if you don't have a dishwasher - life goes on. It is still important to keep your kitchen tidy. If your anything like me, having a clean kitchen builds up your self esteem and makes you enjoy the "small" things more easily. The benefits far out weigh the work. Clean kitchen (for me) = feeling successful, desiring to make meals, not spending as much $$ eating things not prepared in my kitchen, happy to open the door to unsuspecting drop-by's.... in short it makes me feel more confident.
4.) Don't be afraid to have a "toy zone". Let your kids play, be creative and enjoy all the plastic stuff that gets bought for them throughout the years :). If its at all possible, keep it to a specific area. I'm not kidding, if you saw my basement right now -- where I happen to be writing this blog (instead of tidying it up.. whoops) you would think, ay-yi-yi... that place needs some work :) But you know what, I'm okay with the kids playing here and getting out whatever toy there heart desires. Its nice that I can walk away from this area and it is not standard for my whole house to have toys strewn throughout. There was a time where I felt like our home was a free-for all. Watch out, you might be headed to the ER if you step on the wrong teenage mutant ninja turtle!! There were toys everywhere and I felt like I was constantly following behind the kids and trying to clear a spot for safe travelling by foot. Once again, this may mean changing some habits or getting creative about finding a toy zone. What this has done for me... its helped me to let my kids be kids and not have to live in a disaster zone.
5.) RADIO IN THE KITCHEN. Its worth the investment, do it! That is it, just do it!
6.) Menu planning. Who likes to decide what your having for supper ALL-THE-TIME!?!? Not me. Ask for suggestions and plan according to the weekly sales ad at your grocery store. When you take the thought out of it, somehow it is that much easier. Your hamburger is unthawed and ready to go and your helper is just sitting on the counter in its little box ready to be dumped in ;) (sometimes I have to get creative myself, because the request of cheeseburger mac can only be fulfilled soooo many times :)) Seriously, it does help.
7.) Last but not least, remember to count your blessings. Take a second to realize and appreciate some of the little things. If you have a good enough friend that you can start your sentence with "I'm not really proud... but," you have a GREAT friend. If you have a husband that doesn't leave the house without a kiss.. you have an amazing husband. If you have a child that is full of energy and questions and spunk and life and mischief --- you are blessed. Sometimes I am sooo guilty of mistaking things. I will not look deep enough to see the blessing because I will be stuck on the annoyance. My example here is that my kids are ALWAYS hungry... for whatever is in the junk/snack cupboard. I should really be more focused on the fact that we are fortunate to have some of that stuff.
Friends, there is almost always a bright side. You might have to dig a little to learn the lesson, but its there :)
No comments:
Post a Comment