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
Showing posts with label organize. Show all posts
Showing posts with label organize. Show all posts
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
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!
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!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
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!
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!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
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!
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!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
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!
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!
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