Clean Car? Yes!

I confess, I'm not that great about keeping my vehicle in a tidy state. Anyone that has ridden with me is now nodding their heads, LOL.

I think I've come up with a very simple solution to keeping our cars clean. Everyone has to fill up at least once a week. There are handy garbage receptacles at all gas stations, along with paper towels. Whenever I stop to fill up, I now use that time to clean out my vehicle of any accumulated trash while the gas is pumping. Throw a bottle of all-purpose cleaner into your trunk and spritz one of those paper towels (not sure I'd want to use that nasty window cleaner they have there for use...) and give your dashboard a quick wipe.

By the time you're finished tidying up, your gas should be done pumping, and away you go. Filled gas tank AND a clean car!

Kiddie Zones

Don't forget your kids when it comes to zone cleaning. This concept can easily be adapted to their bedrooms (gasp!). Sure, they "clean" them everyday (or we *think* they are up there cleaning...let's not go there...), but do they REALLY get them clean?

Divide up each bedroom into "zones" and get those kids involved! My son's bedroom is divided into four separate zones - closet (!!), bureau (another !!), under the bed (this can be downright scary if not kept up regularly), and headboard/bookcase. Your zones probably will be different depending on what's in your child's room that needs attention.

The concept is easy - have your child concentrate their efforts on just one zone a week, making it PERFECT.

Putting it into practice, however, is hard, at least with my boys...

I love the idea of zones... the control... the organization.... the simplicity. My boys, however, are not nearly as enthused as their mother. In fact, they outright hate zone cleaning (ok, so they hate cleaning of any kind...).

Perhaps your kids are different. But probably not...

So good luck!

Conquering the House One Zone at a Time

Cleaning our homes can sometimes be an overwhelming task... so daunting that perhaps we keep putting if off...

I found a great solution to whipping my house into shape a few years ago - on Flylady.net. (If you've never come across this website before, check it out! She has the BEST feather duster on the market, by the way!) Anyways, her approach is a simple one... and I'm all about simplicity when it comes to cleaning my home. :)

It's what Flylady refers to as "Zone Cleaning." How it works is you divide your house into separate zones or areas. She recommends five and that's what I have done, but it could work with any number of zones with the small modification to her plan that I have put into place.

My Zones:

Zone #1 - The Entrance Foyer, Front Porch, and Living Room

Zone #2 - Kitchen

Zone #3 - Small Bathrooms and Office

Zone #4 - Master Bedroom and Master Bath

Zone #5 - Family Room and Mudroom

The plan is super easy. Each week, I concentrate heavily on one particular zone... working my way through my zones in order. Rotating through these zones, it insures that every five weeks, my house is getting squeaky clean!

And the best part? It takes 30 minutes a day!

Mondays are generally set aside for decluttering the designated zone area (getting rid of EVERYTHING that does not belong there!) and organizing so that the rest of the week's cleaning can be accomplished in a more timely fashion.

Tuesdays through Fridays are spent following a very detailed daily list that I have set up for each of my zones... kept, of course, in my "can't do without" household binder.

Start by dividing your house into equal zones - can really be any number of zones. However, just remember, the number of zones you have equals the number of weeks it will take to get through your entire house.

Once you have your zones divided up, sit down with paper and pen and write down EVERYTHING you can think of that you would need to do in each zone to make that part of your house shine!

With your master list now in hand, you can then begin splitting those tasks equally among the five days of the week.

Type them up, print them out, put them into your binder, and you're ready to begin whipping your house into shape the SIMPLE way!

Here are my detailed lists for each of my zones if you'd like to take a look for inspiration.

Zone 1 http://waltdisme.com/Zone1.doc

Zone 2 http://waltdisme.com/Zone2.doc

Zone 3 http://waltdisme.com/Zone3.doc

Zone 4 http://waltdisme.com/Zone4.doc

Zone 5 http://waltdisme.com/Zone5.doc

EASY Fall Centerpiece

Recently, my youngest son and I went out apple picking. We quickly set about hunting down the most perfect of all apples. It became a fierce competition between us at which I sorely lost. My apples somehow always fell short of that mark... according to Brandon.

We arrived home with our bags packed with fruity perfection. I stood at the sink washing and polishing these gorgeous round red orbs until they became works of art when inspiration hit. Why not display these somehow as a table centerpiece. I found a large, dark wooden bowl and filled it to overflowing with these apples... the perfect ones on top... mine relegated to the very bottom of the bowl...(sigh). I tucked some greenery in and around the apples and stood back to admire my work.

It's simple, but yet elegant sitting on my table. A perfect centerpiece for the beginning of fall. And what's best of all... it's so easy to swap it out when the apples have all been eaten. Come October, you can then fill the bowl with uniquely-shaped gourds and small pumpkins and colorful fall leaves, perhaps even in the center tuck a fat ivory pillar candle.

Once Christmas season hits, you could very easily fill this same bowl with Christmas bulbs and evergreen and tiny white lights...

I think I'm onto something here. Just grab yourself a nice decorative bowl and have fun!

School Supplies

School season is now well underway for the year; backpacks have been purchased and well-stocked. However, do you really think you're done buying supplies for the year? Probably not. In my house at least, it seeems like there is always a need for another notebook, index cards, or more pencils...

Why don't you clear a spot today in a cabinet or a closet to store extra school supplies that you might need during the year, saving yourself a rushed trip out to Walmart that always seems to come at the most inconvenient and busiest time possible....

I currently use the floor of my downstairs hallway closet to store notebooks, filler paper, extra pens and pencils, glue sticks, book covers, and a bunch of those duo-tang folders (not sure what the official name of those are...) How nice it is when a child asks (usually at bedtime...), "Oh, Mom, I need a new notebook tomorrow for English class," to which you can simply reply with a smile, "Just grab one out of the closet, dear." No frustration!

Right now is the perfect time to take advantage of a great school supply sale such as the one Target is currently having - 75% off all supplies, excluding backpacks and lunchbags!

This is one time it's "okay" to be a pack rat because it saves you time... and money!

Evening Routine Helps!

Having an evening routine in place can greatly enhance your morning and free up more time so that you and your family are no longer rushing to get out the door, but can move at a more leisurely pace (as long as you don't hit that snooze figuring that you now have "extra" time!)

An evening routine should be SIMPLE; otherwise, chances are you won't do it, will you? And consistency is the key. Easier to add an evening routine with only 1-3 steps than one that has you doing 6-8 things and causing you to feel so overwhelmed and tired that you don't even bother most nights.

My evening routine consists of about 10 minutes of prep time. Now granted, I don't have children I'm getting ready for school, except one... and he's a junior this year in high school... "You're on your OWN, buddy!"

1) I lay out my clothes the night before keeping in mind what the next day's plans consist of and what the weather will be like.

2) I make sure to clean my kitchen before heading up stairs, making sure there are no stray dishes in the sink that my family snuck in at the last moment - there's nothing worse than coming downstairs first thing in the morning to dirty dishes or a sticky table or a cluttered countertop.

3) I run the dishwasher each and every night, whether it's full or not. I just like the routine of having clean dishes in the morning to start the day. That's just me. :)

If you get up from the TV every time a commercial comes on, you can get your entire evening routine accomplished in pieces here and there by the time your favorite TV show is finished!

Families that have the busiest mornings are those with school-age children. Which is ironic... because if you have school-age children in your home, you have built-in "helpers" in your home. Use them!

Some suggestions:

1) Lay out their clothes (or get them into the habit of choosing an outfit the night before)

2) Have the kids set the kitchen table for breakfast next morning.

3) Have the kids empty their lunch boxes and set them out on the kitchen counter (you can have them begin packing their lunch the night before).

Speaking of lunches, I really do love those individual pre-packaged cookie/cracker packs... yes, they're a lot more expensive, but if you can hit a "buy one, get one" free sale, STOCK UP! Much easier for a child to reach into the pantry and grab an already pre-packaged container of 4 Oreos than to fill a ziploc bag with a package of regular Oreos, and yes, my sons would literally FILL the bag! Hmm... maybe those pre-packaged snacks aren't so expensive after all...

4) Shower/bathe (if you have a few children all getting ready in the morning, in addition to you, this becomes a necessity to stagger shower times!)

5) Set the backpacks, jackets, and all other needed school items by the front door ready to go. All you need to do is add the lunch pack in the morning.

Don't be afraid to get your kids involved. Turn it into a nightly family ritual and then enjoy that unrushed morning time together.

No snoozing allowed though!

New Season... New Routine

With the new season and the arrival of another school year comes the necessity of tweaking my morning routine. When something doesn't work for you, don't be afraid to make changes periodically until you find something that does work.

My new morning routine that I've recently printed out and placed into my binder looks something like this...

6:30 Wake/Dress/Make Coffee
6:45 Devotions/See Jordan off to school/Clean kitchen
7:15 Walk or Exercise
7:40 Shower/Wipe down bathrooms
8:00 Computer time
8:30 Breakfast with Brandon/Start laundry/School prep
9:00 Begin school

I then have another schedule/routine for once our school day begins, but I won't bore you with those details. :)

Remember, your morning is the key to how the rest of your day will go. Make the best use of that time!

My Results - 7 Minute Experiment

Motivated by what the mom that I blogged about previously was able to accomplish in a mere seven minutes, I put myself to the test. I set the timer as I was about to cook myself an omelette for breakfast. Here are the results:

Scrambled my eggs for omelette and started the cooking (took longer than 7 minutes to actually cook thoroughly)

Emptied the dishwasher

Printed four forms that I needed to fill out for school

Went out on my front porch and watered my flowers

Started a load of laundry on the way out

Wiped down my kitchen counters AND my kitchen table

I was hoping to finish cooking my omelette during this 7 minute experiment, but it needed a few more minutes to cook through thoroughly. But wow, I was amazed at what I could do in that small amount of time. Try it for yourself! All you need are 7 minutes.

And if you can't get 7 minutes, try 40 seconds! In the time it takes me to microwave a cup of coffee (sometimes I'm that desperate for a hot cup), I can empty my dishwasher or wipe down my counters.

If only I could teach my boys this amazing principle. Brandon is still just standing there watching his oatmeal cook in the microwave...

Seven Minutes a Day

Think you don't have enough time during your busy day to organize and maintain your home on a regular basis? I recently came across a journal entry by a mom of 2 young children who realized the importance of what I call "double duty." She decided to make a list of all the things she accomplished during the 7 minutes it took to boil noodles for macaroni and cheese. These are her results:

-Put away clean dishes
-Assisted a potty-training toddler
-Cooked a grilled cheese sandwich
-Washed dirty dishes
-Sliced an apple
-Sent two emails
-Washed and dried two sippy cups
-Filled said sippy cups: one with milk, one with water
-Sock mopped the floor
-Assisted potty training toddler, again
-Planned dinner menu
-Mentally mapped out a scrapbook page
-Microwaved a cup of coffee
- All while carrying on a conversation with an over-talkative five-year-old, above the noise of a crying and whining toddler!

Holy cow! I think this mom travels faster than the speed of light in her home! I ALWAYS do something while cooking... other than just the cooking. But wow, this is a challenge that I am ready to try!

"Double duty" is something that I am constantly battling with my 11 yo. Almost every morning, he microwaves a bowl of oatmeal for himself - takes 1 minute to cook, another minute to cool. That's two minutes! Know what my son does during those two minutes? Absolutely NOTHING! He stands there and watches the bowl go round and round inside the microwave. Arg! I have told him countless times, don't just stand there! You're wasting time! Do something! I've told him that in the time he just stands there waiting for his oatmeal to be cooked, he could have gone upstairs and cleaned his room, he could have emptied the dishwasher, he could have taken out the recycling... If he moved fast enough, he could have accomplished all three of those chores! However, did he stand there again this morning? YES!

After reading about aforementioned Miss Super Mom, I'm now motivated to set a timer and keep track of everything I can accomplish in just 7 minutes.

What about you? Surely you can carve 7 minutes out of your busy schedule. What can you accomplish in just 7 minutes a day? You might be surprised!

You Snooze You Lose

Can someone please explain to me what the purpose or benefit of the snooze button is on your alarm clock?

I'm amazed at the popularity of this button. Try to find an alarm clock without one! I don't know, to me it's simply a way to put off getting out of bed at the time when you're SUPPOSED to get out of bed. The snooze button is just a kinder way or "politically correct" way of saying procrastination button.

If you need to get up at 6:00 a.m., why not just set your alarm for 6:00 a.m. and be done with it. I know who you are ;) The alarm goes off at 6:00, you hit snooze.... alarm goes off at 6:10, you hit snooze again.... alarm goes off now at 6:20. AH!! You now jump out of bed and get moving! OK, so why not set the alarm for 6:20 a.m. then each morning?

By the way, my opening question is just rhetorical. I don't really expect an answer. First of all, you can't answer because I disabled the comment feature on my blog (a certain sister of mine was having way too much fun poking fun at me so I finally had to turn off that feature, lol) and second of all, I've already had many a conversation (debate?) with a friend who uses this procrastination...oh I mean snooze... button practically every morning.

You go ahead and snooze. I'll enjoy my morning coffee at a leisurely pace. ;)

It's Time to Leave!

Why is it on a Sunday morning when I announce, "It's time to leave for church!" the four members of my family scatter in every direction, none of which are even remotely in the direction of the garage door?

One son heads into the kitchen to grab a granola bar, another runs upstairs to find his Bible, another scrambles to the bathroom to "fix" his hair, and yes, even my husband begins a mad search of the house for his dress shoes.

Why does this happen when every one of them KNOW what time we are leaving... and they all know WHERE we are going. It's not a mystery to any of us, but yet my jaw drops every Sunday as this same scenario is reenacted over and over.

Am I the only one that thinks BEFORE it's time to leave - what do I need to bring? and then lay that stuff out on the kitchen table where it's handy to grab on my way through - my Bible, my cell phone, church library books that need to be returned, etc. Most items I place there the night before!

I've taught my children since they were young to always ask two questions of themselves as they head out the door since they (one especially) were prone to forget things:

1) Where am I going?
2) What do I need?

I think I've taught them well. However, there's one more thing I've realized that I neglected to teach them.... the importance of thinking through these questions ahead of time.

It's why I have learned over the years to announce "It's time to go!" ten minutes before it's REALLY time to go just so we are not leaving the house in a mad rush and arriving to our destination already stressed out. But I shouldn't have to do that. :)

Be prepared, folks. It doesn't take anymore of your time to set out things ahead of time. If you know you have to leave the house at 8:00 am, for example, don't wait until 8:00 am to collect your things. It's very simple. Lay out as much as you can as far ahead of time as you can, and you'll be more likely to get out the door ON TIME... or gasp... perhaps even a little early!

Sigh... More Catalogs...

What does one do with the countless catalogs and magazines that flood our mailboxes, especially in the back-to-school season and the even bigger Christmas season that soon follows.

I know...I know... we're told countless times to just throw away those catalogs without even opening them. And I do.... for the most part ;) But there are some that I can't bear to throw away without a peek inside (followed by intense coveting... I want this... and I want this... and this... But that's another subject).

Eventually, you know what happens to those magazines and catalogs that we intend to read when we have free time. That stack just keeps growing and growing either on our kitchen table or on the countertop.

I have discovered the BEST place to keep this "clutter" - my car!

Any catalog or magazine that I want to read gets put into my car now. So many times I have been caught waiting around for one child or another while sitting in my vehicle... so handy to have something right there at my fingertips to occupy myself while waiting. I can even get through 2-3 pages of a catalog while sitting at a red light.

And in case you're wondering..... No, I do not read while driving! :)

Crockpot is your Summertime Friend!

Summertime is made for days spent on the beach or a lake or at a park - anywhere outdoors and away from the house! Next time you pack it up for the day, make sure you start dinner in the crockpot before you head out. Nothing like returning home at the end of the day, worn out from the day's excitement, to find dinner already done for you!

Here's a SUPER simple recipe for your next day away from home.

Pulled Pork

Salt and pepper a pork shoulder (or use a b'que spice rub, but that's too complicated most days for me)

Throw it in the crock pot in the morning with setting on low. Let simmer for 8 hours or more.

When you arrive home, carefully scoop it out and place into a large bowl. With 2 forks, gently pull the meat apart (discarding any fat).

Add your favorite b'que sauce and mix well.

Serve with extra sauce, rolls, and a salad and/or cole slaw.

Super easy and super good!

Bathroom Talk

OK, this is probably too much information, but.... I make it a point to clean something in my downstairs bathroom each and every time I use it, whether it be giving the toilet a quick swipe, or the sink, or the floor, wiping the mirror, etc. It really takes less than a minute of my time before exiting the bathroom.

Based on this practice, if you drink the amount of water in a day that you're supposed to drink, you'd have a sparkling clean bathroom every single day! How cool is that?

When my bathroom begins to look a little less than spectacular, I know it's time to up that water intake! ;)

A Work of Art - My Sink

Many of you, I'm sure, have heard of FlyLady by now. I used to be a regular visitor to her site... get all the emails, etc. Now I've basically settled on a few of her principles and have worked out my own system for doing things.

One thing of hers that I still do regularly is keep my kitchen sink sparkling. There really is something magical about having a shiny sink. I've made a very simple observation in my home: If my sink is dirty, it will accumulate dishes as the day goes on until there's a mountain of them growing in there. (Oh gosh, remember the maintenance principle?) If it's clean, I can't stand to have a single glass or dish in my nice shiny sink and will promptly remove it and place it in the dishwasher where it belongs. Why oh why I can't get my family members to learn this principle is beyond me. They are all males and don't care one whit about a perfectly shiny sink...

To get your stainless steel sink to sparkle, fill it with hot water and some bleach. Let it soak for about an hour or so. Drain. It SHINES! Trust me, you won't want one dirty dish in there marring the perfection. It's a work of art.

(You can find her site at flylady.net)

Thou Shalt Maintain Thy Home

I've said it before and I'll say it again... :) The key to time management in the home is maintenance, not cleaning. Don't think of it as cleaning your house, but maintaining it with a routine in place. Some things can be done on a weekly basis in order to maintain, others on a daily basis.

You're probably heard the saying, "Don't clean something if it's not dirty." Well, that makes sense in a way, but think about this... which takes longer to clean - something dirty or something relatively clean. I take the complete opposite approach. I say, don't wait to clean something until it's dirty! If you've waited until it's dirty to clean, you've waited too long.

For example, it can take up to two hours a week (at least) scrubbing bathrooms, depending on how many you have. To me, it makes better sense to spend 5 minutes each and every morning wiping down my shower (while I'm still in it) and countertops, giving the toilet a quick 5-second scrub, and a quick sweep of the floor (curse that long hair of mine...) than spend half of my Saturday morning "cleaning" all 3 bathrooms. Hence, my bathrooms never have the chance to get dirty because I am regularly maintaining them.

Same thing goes with dusting. If you've waited until you can actually SEE the dust, you've waited too long. Much much easier to clean something relatively free of dust (quick swipe of a feather duster does it) than having to spend more of my time doing a more thorough job with cloths...

I know it's easier when you're in a rush to open up a closet door and just fling your shoes in, for example. Pretty soon, what happens? Your entire closet is a disaster, and it's going to take HOURS to clean and reorganize. Isn't it so much easier to just take the 5 seconds needed NOW to place your shoes neatly on the floor (or shoe holder) than wait until the closet is an absolute mess and you can't stand it any longer?

This principle of maintaining can be applied to many areas of your home. These are just a few examples.

Remember, you want to maintain your home as best as possible on a regular basis, not spend hours cleaning it!

It's summer! Grab a book and go read instead! ;)

Super Simple SINFUL recipe

I pulled this recipe off the web a few years ago, and since then my sons and I have made it countless times. It's super simple (only FOUR ingredients), but you wouldn't believe the taste - this stuff is ADDICTING!

We make it for ourselves (when I'm being "bad"); we've made it for various parties and school/youth group events; we've put it in tins and given it as Christmas gifts. Could also be given as a super easy hospitality or thank-you gift or "just because"...

I always keep the ingredients on hand for that last minute "Mom, I need to bring something!" emergency or for a last minute craving (heh). My son makes it with his friends over all the time (which is fine with me as long as he shares with his mother - house rules).

Quick & Easy Toffee Bars

1 sleeve saltine crackers (don't laugh - you can't taste the cracker - just the crunch)
1 cup butter (woot! so so sinful)
1 cup brown sugar
chocolate chips (as many as you want)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a "lipped" cookie sheet with foil (so important, lol) and lay out crackers to cover bottom.

Stir together butter and sugar on stove until boiling. Boil 1 minute.

Pour butter mixture over crackers.

Bake in oven 3-6 minutes until bubbly.

Sprinkle on chocolate chips and and spread until smooth.

Cool completely. Break into pieces and store in airtight container.

ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! (How can anything with one cup of butter and sugar taste bad anyways, LOL) I haven't met anyone yet that hasn't raved about this stuff.

Try it, you'll like it ;)

Another Little Favorite Item

I forgot to add another little favorite item of mine - Dryer Sheets!

Since I've just pulled out my suitcases for another trip to WDW, I am reminded of how much I love dryer sheets. Wherever I go, I always tuck a dryer sheet or two into my luggage to keep my clothes smelling fresh until I arrive at the hotel and can get everything hung in the closet. If I'm doing laundry while on vacation, I now don't have to pay the $1-2 to purchase a small box of dryer sheets - I have my own to use!

Dryer sheets work to reduce to static electricity in the dryer, so why not use this same principle to dust? Grab a dryer sheet and wipe down your TV screen or your computer monitor.... anything that acts like a magnet for dust. The dryer sheet will actually repel the dust and keep it from settling on whatever you wipe.

I've read that dryer sheets not only work to repel dust, but also ants and mosquitoes too! I have not tried this out personally - I find it hard to believe - but hey, it's worth a shot! Anything's better than the smell of citronella....

Not Another List??

Summer means vacations and day trips. Since we tend to pack/bring the same things, why not create a master list that you can make small adjustments to as needed and use over and over again.

In my household binder, I have three such lists. The most important list I keep is a general packing list for vacation - I can add/delete items if necessary, but the majority of items we bring with us on vacation doesn't change from trip to trip. So save yourself some time by holding onto that packing list - put it in a transparent sheet to use as a checklist when packing, then store it back inside your binder for the next trip.

I also keep a beach packing list - you know... all those things we lug to and from the ocean every trip. Although with my boys getting older, the list is getting smaller - pails, shovels, dump trucks, sailboats, etc., can now all be crossed off my list!

Almost embarrassed to admit this... but I also have a camping packing list in my binder. Talk about anal.... oh my gosh, I don't even camp!! But.... if I ever do, I'm sure to be prepared! LOL!

Packing checklists are great! You'll never find yourself away from home without that much needed item...

Summer is Here!

Summer! Some of us LOVE the season; some of us dread this time of the year when our kids are home from school.

What to do with all that time? How to keep the kids occupied so that they are not bored and driving you up a wall?

Why not sit down today and make a list of all the things you'd like to do this summer. Go crazy... not saying you have to do all those things, but brainstorm all kinds of possibilities. Make a list of all those fun places you'd love to visit with your family, the movies you want to see, the books you want to read, the crafts or games you want to do with your kids, the friends you want to visit with, etc.

Once you have your list, grab your calendar and pen some of those in. Chances are the majority of those things won't just happen if you don't make them a priority. We all start out with grand intentions, only to find ourselves deep into the month of September without accomplishing any of those fun things we *thought* we'd accomplish...

I try to plan one "fun" thing each week of summer. Sometimes it goes according to schedule; other times it falls through the cracks, but it's much better than having no plan in place at all.

Don't forget to add this list/calendar for easy reference to the Family section of your household binder!

Time is short. Summer days seem to fly by so fast. Seize the moment and enjoy some lazy hazy summer fun with your family.

Have fun!

Disney World.... sigh

Ah, there's nothing like a trip to Walt Disney World, especially when the weather is still cold back at home! I've always loved to travel (no cooking.... no cleaning...) and WDW is my favorite place to visit even after 30+ trips to the World.

I just returned home after spending a week in Orlando. Seriously, I had all good intentions of posting last week while I was there... but the parks just called out my name. :)

One of the things that bugs me on vacation is that tiny little table in your hotel room. You know, the place where everyone in your family dumps their stuff onto at the end of the day... I can't stand clutter at home, and I certainly can't stand clutter on vacation.

So here's a little tip for your next hotel visit. Buy a shoe bag that hangs over a door. I keep mine packed in my suitcase when I'm at home. When I arrive at a hotel, I hang it over the front door of the hotel. Everything gets put into the bag when arriving back to the room - car keys, receipts, loose change, sunglasses, wallet, park guides, cell phones, etc. As you're walking out the door for the day, you can glance through the transparent pockets and grab what you need for the day and be off! Frees up the table to actually be used as a table, and keeps Mom very very happy. :)

You can also hang one over the bathroom door for all those toiletries so as to keep the counter clutter-free, so the maid can actually wipe them down (hopefully...) ;)

These are a Few of My Favorite Things

Five of my FAVORITE household items that aid me in cleaning and maintaining my home:

1) My feather duster! I can dust the house in 15 minutes! And that's including door jambs, windows, and baseboards...

2) Lysol wipes! I mentioned in another post how much I love these things - WELL WORTH the cost! So so easy to wipe down a bathroom or kitchen...(and it's germ free!)

3) Magic Eraser! Oh my gosh, who invented this stuff? It really does "erase" any sort of scuff mark or other seemingly impossible spots...

4) Scrubbie! I really don't know the "official" name for those shower scrubbing puffs, but I'm sure you know what I mean. I have two scrubbies in my shower - one to scrub ME with and one to scrub the shower with - just don't get them confused! Ugh! So easy to clean the shower while you're actually in there.. squirt a little bit of shampoo or body wash on your shower scrubbie and scrub away. Do this every day and you'll never have to "clean" your shower again.

5) Paper Towels! Not much to say here, but I keep paper towels handy in all the bathrooms. Easy as pie to wipe down a messy sink or counter with a roll right there in easy reach!

A few of my favorite things! Want to hear my least favorites now? LOL!

Dusting is Dusting...

Let's take a break from the food talk shall we?

I know there's a lot of debate with feather dusters vs. dusting by hand (the old-fashioned way). I bet you already know what I use! :) Feather duster for this girl! Although not any feather duster will do. Those cheap ones you buy at any department store will just spread that dust all around your house as you move through it. Look for a top-quality duster made from ostrich feathers (will cost approx. $25 for a good one) - it is SO worth it. It gets nice and static-y (is that a word?) and makes dusting your entire house (even tops of windows/doors) a snap. I just give that duster a good shake outside when I'm finished and hang it back in the closet. Every few months I wash it with a tiny bit of baby shampoo - looks like a wet cat when I'm through - but poofs up beautifully and looks brand new again when I dry it with my hairdryer.

I bought mine through flylady.net if you're interested. I've also bought one through Stonewall Kitchen (which normally has wonderful things), but their feather duster disappointed me greatly...

Of course, I do have a system in place... even for dusting. I feather dust my house once a week (on Tuesday) but each week I rotate one room that gets a GOOD DETAILED dusting with my handy can of Pledge and rag. So by the end of the month, each of the main rooms has received 3 feather dusting sessions and one thorough dusting/polishing session. Voila!

Dusting is dusting... no matter if you use a feather duster or if you're one of those that ALWAYS has to dust by hand with Pledge. I'll just beat you, that's all.... ;)

Ah!

I haven't forgotten about this blog! Trust me! It's on my mind constantly... just been busy with so many other things as of late.

I think what I need to do is follow my own advice here. :) I'm going to add "blog" to my weekly schedule so I can be held accountable by my own anal obsession for checking off items... sigh. Now to pick a day... How does Wednesday sound?

Talk to you tomorrow! ;)

Meal Plan Schedule

Better late than never... is that how it goes?

I promised you I'd upload my meal schedule, so here goes... Keep in mind I use this VERY loosely. I created it mostly for those times when I get stuck staring at a blank monthly calendar. I can pull this out and hopefully get some dinner ideas going again.

Each night is assigned a certain "theme" - Under that I have listed 4-5 of our family's favorite recipes that I can pull from... or I can take a look through my recipe box or magaines for additional inspiration.

It's very easy to create your own, and it helps tremendously to get those creative juices flowing again.

Bon appetite!

Meal Planning System, Part One

I recently gave a talk on meal planning at a local ladies' church function. I have to laugh at the irony of it because quite simply, I hate meal planning! But yet, it's one of those things that has to be done - my family needs dinner each night - so over the years I've managed to put into place a system that makes the chore a little bit easier to tackle.

I have three sons, two of whom are teenagers, and a husband. Food is KEY in my home. My boys are passionate about food.. it's their life (ok, so they take after me). My teens arrive home every day around 5:30… dinner is at 6:00. Austin, my oldest, makes a beeline to the kitchen as soon as he’s through that door – doesn’t take off coat... doesn’t even drop his bags… until he’s asked me that most important, all-consuming question - "What's for dinner?" Only THEN can he relax, knowing food is on the way… Seriously, this happens every single day… it’s become a joke (well to everybody but me, I don’t find it particularly funny)

And for whatever reason, even though my boys drive home in the same car each day, Jordan is always about a minute behind entering the house…… so…… he misses the question, and more importantly, he misses the answer….. so you’ve got it… another “What’s for dinner?” Grrr! There's something very annoying about that simple question, but how more annoying would that question be if I didn't have a plan in place?

Because I don’t like to meal plan at all, I have put into place some “helps” to make it flow a little easier for me.

I used to plan by the week. I would sit down each Sunday evening after church with the store’s sales flyer and plan out my meals for that coming week. But I found I really dreaded that chore, so a couple of years ago, I made the decision to plan out my meals by the month. Now I sit down towards the end of each month with a blank calendar form that I print from the internet and I plan out all the meals for the entire month. And then…. I can relax for a whole month without worrying about what's for dinner!

Some things that have helped me along the way….

1. Use pencil – there will always be changes! I don’t think I have EVER followed a month’s plan exactly as I had planned.
2. Leave a few blank days each month for new recipe ideas or special requests.
3. Utilize a meal “schedule” as a foundation to get ideas flowing… (I'll get this hosted online next blog)
4. Flexibility is key! Someone might have a special craving; busy schedule might interfere with what you originally had planned; etc. Don't feel tied to your calendar.

Any recipe cards that I might need for the month get tucked inside my zippered pouch so they're right at my fingertips when the day comes to make that particular meal. Any recipes that are out of a Taste of Home magazine, I just note the page number right on the calendar day and then tuck the entire magazine into my binder.

That's my system in a nutshell. I encourage you to give it a try and see how it works in your home. April is almost upon us! Time to get planning! Arg, that means me too....

My Binder - Food Planning

Well, I'm lying here sick in bed, ugh. Food is the last thing on my mind, LOL. But it's the next section that I keep in my binder, so here goes...

My food planner section is a key section to my binder. Included in this section is a monthy calendar that I write my meal plans on, a weekly meal schedule, a zippered pouch to hold coupons and recipe cards that I will need for the upcoming week, a master grocery list that I use each week for food shopping, a list of new recipes that I want to try, and various hospitality planning sheets that help me pull together any sort of get-together in my home. I even have a list included in this section where I've made a note of how certain friends & family members drink their coffee/tea so I don't have to ask everytime they visit if they want cream/milk/sugar/sweetener... It's just a little thing, but I'm sure it makes them feel important that I "remembered".. haha...

I'm sure there are many more ideas out there that could be included in this section. These are the "basics" that help me out greatly in the kitchen. Be creative. What do you need the most help with?

Most of us HAVE to provide dinner for our families each night, so that's probably one of the first things you would want to include in your food planning section. Planning meals is probably one of my least favorite chores...I dread it. To make it easier on myself, I've devised a little system which I will share with you in my next blog. Stay tuned.

And now, it's time for a nap. :)

My Binder - Phone Section

Oh, I feel SO good this morning! I sat down at the kitchen table to fill out a medical form that needed to be sent to the college my son is applying for, and it called for his immunization dates. Oh my gosh, where did I put his immunization record??? I know I had requested a copy of it from the doctor's office a few years ago when he wanted to go away for summer camp.... My mind whirled for a few moments... where, where, where did I put it?


I eyed my binder lying open on my desk.... contemplating... could I have actually been THAT organized and stored it inside? I walked over and began flipping through the Family section..... oh wow! it's here!! I am good! Pat, pat on the back... ;)


My binder, although I prefer to call it My Household Notebook, is made up of four main sections. I even have a Table of Contents for it located in the front. Hmmm... now that I'm sitting here typing that, I find myself wondering..... why in the world DO I have a Table of Contents???? Other than to be totally anal, I suppose....sigh


Anyways... Here are the four major sections included in my binder - Phone, Household, Food, and Family. However, there are a myraid of possibilities! This is just a basic plan that works for me. Hmm, in thinking about it, I could really use a fifth section, Hospitality. I might have to rearrange some things this weekend...


Let me walk you through my binder section by section. The first section is my Phone section.


This is a small section at the very front of my binder (after the Table of Contents... which really serves no purpose, LOL). It includes a page for emergency numbers and also a page listing fast food take-out numbers, both forms I will share with you here. I used to tuck all my handy dandy take-out menus right there in a plastic sleeve along with the phone numbers until my sister gave me a really cute book last Christmas to hold them all....


I work with 3rd and 4th grade boys in an AWANA program at my church. Included also in this section is a page listing all of my boys and their phone numbers, making it a snap to call an absentee to check in on him or to speak with a parent if there was a problem in class....


Here are the forms I created for this section. Feel free to use them in your own household planner. :)

Lazy Lady 101

Before I go into other areas of my binder, I wanted to just say a quick word about housecleaning... although I prefer the term "house maintenance." Do whatever it takes to make it EASY and SIMPLE for you.

For me, that means splurging a little!

Remember, you're aiming to simplify things in your household. It's much easier to clean the kitchen counters while you're waiting for the water to boil if all you have to do is grab a wipe stored under the sink. If you have to head to your "supply closet" to get cleanser or rags in order to clean, you're working too hard. ;)

Under my kitchen sink is a big container of those all-purpose wipes. Yes, they're expensive, but my time is very much worth it to me. If I have to, I'll cut something else out of the budget. I also keep a large container of the same wipes under the downstairs bathroom sink. Makes it SO easy to give the bathroom a quick swipe every morning (and sometimes again in the evening...... I have 3 boys, remember). Upstairs, I have two more bathrooms. I don't buy wipes for these, but I do keep a roll of paper towels, bathroom cleanser, and glass cleaner (for shiny faucets and mirrors) under each sink. Same principle... I can spritz the sink and toilet daily and give it a quick wipe before tossing the towel in the trash.

Also, in each of the three bathrooms is a toilet bowl scrubber. Now I tried to follow flylady's advice about keeping the cleanser right inside the container that the brush sits in so all you have to do is grab the brush and do a quick scrub of the toilet in less than 15 seconds.... but I must have very cheap plastic holders because all of the cleanser leaked out over the course of a day and spread all over my bathroom floors. :) Someday I'm going to splurge on pretty ceramic crocks to put my toilet brushes in... but I'm not there yet.

Cleaning showers? Just clean it while you're in there every morning. Makes perfect sense to me. I keep a scrubbie hanging on my shower wall (not sure what the real word is for those! but you know what I mean!) and just use a dab of shampoo to clean the walls and floor before I get out.

A note about those handy dandy wipes. I absolutely love them!! I know they're not for everyone because of the cost. Honestly, I've tried the homemade wipes before. You know, you make your own with paper towels and cleaner.... storing them inside a baby wipes container... I made them ONCE. :) If you have the time for that and enjoy making them, have fun. Just wasn't for me. I'm enrolled in Lazy Lady 101 and doing quite well at it. :)

Think about how you clean now. Is there anything you can do to make it easier on yourself? If it means buying 4 containers of the same cleanser to store in different rooms, then do it! In principle, if it simplifies your life and frees up your time so you can enjoy the better things in life, go for it, girl! :) Life is not about housework.

Weekly Schedule, Pt. 2

I'm late, but I'm here. Had to make sure I finished my dusting and vac'ing today before blogging, LOL! You'll see why... Today is Tuesday after all. Nothing like your own writing to hold you accountable! :)



Anyways, I promised you a peek into my weekly schedule, so here they are on a two-page spread. Again, they are encased in plastic sleeves so I can check things off and write things in with a transparency marker. I have used this weekly schedule now for at least 2 years, possibly 3, with minor tweaking every now and then as things change.



The typed items are things that I do every week, always on the same day of the week. I also include blank lines to write in those spontaneous things that always come up... appointments, phone calls to make, special cleaning that needs to get done, errands to run, visits to make, etc. etc. etc. The list is endless.

You will probably be familiar with the terms "Zone Clean" and "Room Rescue." Most women who have any interest in home organization whatsoever most likely have come across Fly Lady. I will explain how I handle these two items at another time when I talk specifically about house cleaning (or I prefer maintaining). Meanwhile, you can find her explanation of these terms on her website at www.flylady.net

As you can see, it doesn't take a lot of time to maintain your home once you have it free of clutter and relatively clean. A little time and effort every day will keep that house in pretty good shape if you're faithful about it.

Weekly Schedule, Pt. 1

How are you at remembering things that need to get done? Quite frankly, I stink at it. If I don't write it down, that phone call won't get made, that library book won't get returned, that floor won't get washed, etc. If you can survive your days without a planner, all the power to you! I, for one, need all the help I can get. :)

As I mentioned previously, my binder is the heartbeat of my home. Without it, I would not get much done.... seriously. It keeps me on track every day, and it holds me accountable so I don't waste too much time... :)

My weekly schedule is the core function of my binder. I like to keep my binder open on my desk so that I can see the entire week at a glance. Monday through Wednesday is listed on one page with Thursday through Saturday listed on the opposing page. The same chores that I do each week are assigned to a specific day of the week. I keep both pages of my weekly schedule inside a transparency. That way I can use a wipeboard marker to check off items as I complete them and also write in anything that is specific to that week - appointments, phone calls to be made, special cleaning jobs, etc. At the end of the week, I use a damp napkin to wipe it all down and start over again fresh. Sandwiched between the two pages is a transparent zipper pouch that I can tuck in anything that I might need during that upcoming week.... coupons, phone numbers, bills to pay, etc. Everything is handy and right at my fingertips, and it's not cluttering up my very small desk. :)

This is a system I've had in place for a few years now, and I've found it works perfectly for me. Feel free to copy it, tweak it, improve it, totally disregard it... :)

I'll try to get my weekly schedule uploaded onto my computer this weekend so that I can show you the actual pages that I use.

Happy Planning!

A Successful Start to Your Day, Pt. 2

In hopes of inspiring you (and at the risk of embarrassing myself), let me share with you my own morning routine and evening routine that I follow each weekday (weekends are totally off schedule!). I have included in my routines those things that *I* find absolutely necessary for me to have a successful day.

Once written out, make sure to place your routine in a plastic sleeve for protection and put it inside your new binder/planner so it's easily accessible for reference.

Because I homeschool one of my children, I also have a "school schedule" that is typed and included inside my binder to keep myself on track.

If my kitchen is clean, and my bathrooms are wiped, and my laundry is at least started... I am off to a very good start. Even if the rest of the day goes downhill from there, I can pat myself on the back knowing that I at least covered the basics, and I'll feel like I can conquer anything that life throws my way.

Well... as long as I had time that morning for a few cups of coffee also... ;)

A Successful Start to Your Day, Pt. 1

I'd like to share with you something so basic.... something so simple.... but yet it plays a major factor in the success of our day. A morning routine. Do you find yourself cringing at the thought of having a routine or schedule in place? It's not as binding or complicated as you first may think. Consider this. I bet you already have some sort of routine in place for your morning. You get up at the same time everyday, you shower, you brush your teeth, you get dressed, you fix breakfast, etc. As creatures of habit, we tend to do the same things in the same order without really giving any conscious thought to the matter. So let's just take it a step further, shall we?

Take the time right now to jot down your existing morning routine, no matter how simplistic it may be. Take a look. Can you realistically add two more things to your routine? Write out everything that needs to be accomplished during your morning for it to run smoothly and efficiently. Not only think of those things that you have to accomplish, but think of those things that you would like to accomplish. Take a look at your time frame. You'd be amazed at what you can squeeze in during an extra 10-15 minute time frame.

Writing your morning routine down on paper is important for two reasons. First, it gives you at a glance a workable foundation to your day. You may not follow it exactly each morning, but it will give your day a tremendous boost if you can accomplish most of it. Secondly, having it written out on paper holds you accountable. You're much more likely to follow a schedule that is actually written down. Something about that piece of paper staring us in the face each morning gives us the motivation to actually accomplish what it written.

The first couple of hours of your morning sets the stage for the rest of your day. When your morning runs smoothly because of the routine you have in place, you will feel confident and ready to tackle whatever the rest of your day may bring your way. Attitude is key. Even if the afternoon falls apart on you... hey... at least your morning was successful! ;)

Help Me Please!

I've been asked to speak on my organizational methods a few times now at ladies' conferences held at a nearby church. Each time I have finished speaking, ladies have approached me afterwards begging me for more information... needing more personalalized help and tips... wanting to see my daily planner up close. It has made me realize how basic this need is among women today for a more simple, organized lifestyle.

The foundation to my everyday life is my planner, and even that is simple. I don't splurge on any of the fancy planners that are for sale by the truckload at various stores or online, although I have in the past. My planner consists of a simple 3-ring binder that you can buy for $2. It doesn't travel with me everywhere I go. That's not its purpose. My planner sits open on my kitchen desk always, and it's the very heartbeat of my household. But what you actually choose for your own "planner" is not what's important here. Find something that will work for YOU. The key is to personalize your planner... make it uniquely yours....

I will share with you my own planner and what it consists of.... the various master forms and routines and schedules that I have created. You're welcome to use all of them or only a few of them. As you begin to build and put together your own planner, you will easily find what works for you and what doesn't. That's the point at which your planner becomes uniquely you.. and made to fit your needs and goals!

The purpose of this blog is to reach beyond my own home and into the homes of many women out there who are craving a well-organized lifestyle and the simplicity that that brings along with it.

So go ahead, buy that planner..... and let's get busy planning!

Who Am I?

I am one of those "born organizers" that some people just love to hate.... a bona fide list-maker, clutter-free, schedule-oriented, paper queen. I thrive on organization! However.... I can be organized to perfection, but unless I actually take the time to utilize that beautiful daily planner with all my lovely forms and schedules that is sitting on my kitchen desk, I am hopelessly lost.

I missed a dentist appointment the other week. Why? Sure, I had it written on my wall calendar and inside my daily planner, but it was one of those mornings (sigh... no need to explain those kinds of mornings...), and I didn't actually LOOK at my planner until the appointment time had already passed. Ah! It's times like this when I wish I could put the blame on my "being disorganized and that's just the way it is..." But hey, I'm organized. I should have known better! Ah, makes the guilt so much heavier to bear...

Whether you are naturally organized or disorganized, I hope we can learn and grow together. We are busier than ever in today's age, but life is too short to spend racing around putting out fires. I believe all of us crave a simple lifestyle - a life centered around family and friends - a life where there's actually time during each day for you to relax and enjoy the moment.

Hopefully, I can help with not only simplfying my own life, but yours as well!