Help My Spouse Get On Board – Getting Organized

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Getting Organized:
In your home and homeschool

Last week, I had several emails asking about how to get the man of the house on board with decluttering. You just have to model it yourself. You can only change yourself and your habits. But your habits can spill over to your spouse.

I do not purpose to change my husband. When I started The FlyLady system, I started with myself. As my children grew, I included them in the routines. I taught them how to do the steps to the Home Blessings. I taught them how to swish and swipe. I taught them to pick up behind themselves. As a parent, it is my role to teach my children.

As a spouse, I am supportive of my husband, and I do not try to teach him how to do things around the house. He works a lot of hours outside of our home. If he leaves things out beside of his chair, I don’t harp on him about it. I might ask him to declutter it once in a while. But I am blessed that he does not leave tools and stuff all over the house.

One comment was made in an email about her husband dropping dirty clothes on the floor. This is likely because he is really tired. While it might be annoying to pick up dirty laundry, it is a time to give thanks for a hard-working husband. It is a good time to pray for him while picking up his clothes. In the scheme of things a few dirty clothes in the floor is not the worst thing.

My children have learned to sort their dirty clothes into the hampers as they get undressed. This is a habit I hope they take with them when they move out.

If you are struggling with a spouse who is leaving a trail of things through your house, talk to him sweetly if it is a hazard to young children. If it is something you can pick up, like clothes, pick it up. If you struggle with having his stuff on multiple flat surfaces ask him to pick one area to put stuff. He might need to find a place for some of his things, and he can’t fit all of his things in a small area if you have overtaken it with your stuff.

Look for ways to help and bless your husband. No nagging allowed.

Your Zone Mission today is to go sofa diving.

Your Home Blessing for today is to wipe your windows and mirrors.

My menu plan for Wednesday is hamburgers and salad.

Have a great day!

Turn on Some Music and Have Fun With Your Routines

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Getting Organized:
In your home and homeschool

 

Do you make it fun to do your routines and Home Blessings? Some of you are so focused on checking off your list that you forget to have fun while you are doing your routines.

Today, I want you to turn on some fun music and do your Morning Routine. Then, I want you to include your children in this fun!

One thing I have noticed in the summer is that my boys can drag out their morning routine. One way to help move them along is to turn on the tunes and dance while I am getting ready. As they come through the kitchen to get food, I can dance and sing with them.

If they are in the living room, I can go in there and sing and dance, too. Today, your zone mission is to move the furniture in the Living Room and vacuum. Some of you just rolled your eyes and sighed. I heard you!

Find a fun kids’ song. Turn it up loud. Get out your feather duster and dance and sing while you dust. It will be a lot more fun this way, and it is good for your children to see you happy and singing (even if you can’t carry a tune in a bucket).

Anytime you feel that your routines are dragging, turn on some upbeat music. My favorite music selection is the FlyKids CD from The FlyLady. I can do a mean tango impression to the ToyBox Tango.
Having fun is contagious! Spread it through your home!
Your Zone Mission today is to move the furniture and vacuum.
Your Home Blessing for today is to dust and vacuum.
My menu plan for Tuesday is Taco Soup and a salad.
Have a blessed day!

Having People Visit Your Home

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Getting Organized:
In Your Home and Homeschool

Do you have people visit you in your home, or do you avoid it? CHAOS stands for Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome. Many of us have lived this way in our homes. We have lived with the piles, the clutter, the dust, and the fear of someone coming over.
You do not have to live this way. I do not live this way, and I do not clean like a crazy woman before I have people in my home.
Last week we had overnight guests in our home. Now, granted, our teenager did clean his room thoroughly for the guests to use his room. But I did not go into crisis cleaning mode. A regular Home Blessing Hour was enough to get ready for company.
The one big project I did was paint the upstairs hallway, and that was already on my summer project list.
If you have not had friends or family over for a visit in a while, talk to your husband and pick a date that works for both of you. Talk about who to invite and plan a menu. Then make some phone calls!
It is a wonderful time of year to have a cookout and enjoy some fellowship! Your house does not have to be perfect to do this. Looking at my house right now, I could be company ready in less than 15 minutes. I have not cleared my daily hot spots. Otherwise, I have done everything on my routine list, and my Home Blessings are done.
Remember to not stress out and make your family miserable getting ready for company. You want them to be excited about getting ready for company. You don’t want them to dread it.
Tell me about your next get-together at your house. I want you to enjoy it!
Your Zone Mission today is to deal with your living room Hot Spots.
Your Home Blessing for today is to wash sheets.
My menu plan for Monday is chicken and salad.
Have a great day!

Sticks and Stones

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Getting Organized:
In your home and homeschool

 

Today’s topic is a little different because I have listened to Marla (The FlyLady) talk about this before, and I want to remind you that your actions, words, and your tone matter to your family.

You can have an organized home and have discipline in your home without screaming and yelling. You can use your words to build others up instead of tearing them down with negativity. You can use a kind tone when you speak to your family. Does this mean that you are a doormat and walked over? No. It means that you speak with respect and love.
Think back to a time when you used negative words and a harsh tone to get something done in your house. How did you feel? How did your family feel?

Now, think of a time when you used kindness and respect to speak to others. How did you feel about that?

My boys are mostly teenagers, and I use a firm voice with them if I need to them to change a behavior. I do not belittle them or make fun of them. They often know with a look of my face that I mean business.

That old quote that “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is just not true. Your words do matter. Choose them with care. If you are tired and frustrated, take a deep breath before you speak. If you are irritated, take a walk before you speak. If you feel like you need a break, take one. Pray before you speak.

Raising children is not easy, but it does not mean we have to revert to childish behavior to get things done around our house. Remain calm and in control of yourself.

Today’s Zone Mission is to declutter at the end of your bed.

Your Home Blessing for today is to empty the trash, sweep, and mop.

My menu plan for Friday is pizza and a salad.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Finding Balance

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Getting Organized:
In your home and homeschool

Each week I receive emails from you, and I appreciate all of them. You encourage me with your emails. When you send me questions, I learn what you want to read about. Please keep sending in emails with encouragement or questions!

One thing that I have noticed in some of your questions is that many of you struggle with balance in your life. You get caught up in checking off your list each day, and suddenly, you realize that you did not start dinner. You realize that the load of laundry you started is still in the wash. Your kids are complaining because you have all worked and not had any rest or rewards.

You hyper-focus on one thing, and meanwhile, the rest of your house falls apart.

Then you hyper-focus on picking up and throwing things away, and you move the piles into different places in your house because you really didn’t declutter. You just move stuff around and around.

The weekly Zone Missions are designed to be short and sweet AND work you around your house each month. If you have not tried the Zone Missions, I challenge you to do them for the month of July. As you work your way around the house decluttering regularly, you will see a difference in your home.

The Weekly Home Blessings are meant to be done quickly. When you make the Home Blessings long and complicated, you start procrastinate doing them. Use your timer. Either decide to do your Home Blessings once a week in and hour, or decide to do one a day in 10 minutes or less. Both methods work. I have done it both ways successfully.

Declutter a little every day. Put a box in your car with these items. Once a week, drop off the donations and have an ice cream cone or slushie with your kids for a reward. I have talked to ladies who are getting rid of 4 or 5 bags of items a week. They feel so free!

Establish a pick up time each day for the whole family. Use a timer for 5 minutes and divide and conquer the areas that need to be straightened. If you don’t have a place for everything, keep decluttering. It will all come together.

When you feel out of balance, it usually comes down to 1 of 4 things: lack of rest, not eating well, not drinking water, or not exercising daily. If you neglect all four of these things, you will feel tired and out of balance.
Who still has school books from this year sitting around? Wrap up your year and put the books away. Enjoy some fun and hands on learning this summer!

Today’s Zone Mission is to declutter on the right side of your bed.

Your Home Blessing for today is to declutter paper and magazines.

My menu plan for Thursday is chicken and a salad.

Have a great day!

Summer Projects – Getting Organized

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Getting Organized:
In your home and homeschool

 

Summer Projects

Do you have a list of summer projects to do? Summer is the time of the year when we have a little more flexible time than during the school year.

One thing on my list this summer was to paint the upstairs hallway. I don’t mind painting, but it takes time and many steps. I broke this project down into smaller steps, and I spread it out over several days.

Any project you want to do this summer can be broken down into steps. You can do a small part of it each day, or you can do a little bit in the morning and a little bit in the afternoon. You do not have to start a project and work on it until it is done.

I painted the hallway and the trim work, and it was done over the course of three days. I broke it down into the prep work (declutter, move things, tape plastic on the floor); paint the walls; paint the trim.

Perfectionism pushes you to start a big project and keep at it until you are exhausted. There is a different way!

Another summer project will be to declutter in my garage. I will spend 15 minutes at a time doing this. I will not spend a whole day tearing it apart and putting it back together. If I do, I will burn out and not want to do it ever again.

Some of you have big projects on your list, make a list, and then break it down into manageable steps.

You can achieve your goals one step at a time!

Your Zone Mission today is to declutter the left side of your bed.

Your Home Blessing for today is to wipe your windows and mirrors.

My menu plan for Wednesday is spaghetti and salad.

Have a great day!

Summers are for fun!

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Getting Organized:
In your home and homeschool

Today is Plan and Play day with The FlyLady. What fun activtiy have you done with your family? If you have not done something fun as a family, plan something today. You don’t have to do it today, but I want you to put it on your calendar and have fun!

If you are having a difficult time finding half a day or a whole day for fun, try to cut back on some other activities. Sometimes our schedules get a little out of hand with things to do, and we just need to evaluate what we are doing.

Are your routines getting too complicated and making it difficult for you to plan a day at the park?

This summer I want you to play and have fun with your children. If you have to put it on your calendar, then do it. This is important to relationship building with your children. They love to spend time playing with you. Resist the temptation to keep doing “one more thing” before you play with your children.

During the past few weeks, I have evaluated some of my routines. I want to keep it simple. I don’t have to be an over-achiever.

Think about the most fun you have had on vacation with your family. How can you recreate that feeling at home?

My daily list has included lots of phone calls and follow up notes on my son’s care. These are important. But I also have 3 other sons at home, and one afternoon last week, I stopped making calls and writing notes to go with them to the river. They wanted to go fishing, and they could have gone without me. But I made it a point to go with them. They love it when I come along with them.

If you don’t go on a summer vacation, have a staycation. Pretend you are a tourist in your own town. Look for things to do that someone visiting would like to do. Use the search terms, “Top 10 Free Things to Do” and add your city name, or you can add the name of a nearby city.

Have fun with your kids! They will grow up before you know it!

Your Zone Mission today is to clear off the top of your bed.

Your Home Blessing for today is to dust and vacuum.

My menu plan for Tuesday is Taco Tuesday and a salad.

Have a blessed day!

Bedroom 911 – Getting Organized

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Getting Organized:
In Your Home and Homeschool

Good morning! We start a new week this week in Zone 4, the Master Bedroom. When is the last time you gave your bedroom a makeover?

With budgets bring tight due to rising prices in the store, many of us do not spend extra money on our bedrooms. This week, let’s declutter and do some decorating in the Master Bedroom. You do not need to spend a lot of money doing this, but it is nice to give your room a little facelift every now and then. Send me a picture of one thing you did in your bedroom this week.
Your children can also give their bedrooms a little makeover, too. If you ask them to spend a few minutes daily decluttering and picking up, it will seem like a makeover. I know how children like to collect things in their bedrooms.
Take a few minutes to fluff your pillows on the day you change your sheets. For most of us, that is today. But I do know that some of you wash your bedding on a different day of the week. No worries! Just fluff your pillows on whatever day you choose to wash your bedding.
You will enjoy walking into your bedroom after you do this little makeover over the course of the week. It will put a smile on your face. There is nothing better than going to sleep on clean sheets and on fluffy pillows.
If your Master Bathroom is not your Main Bathroom, do some decluttering in there, too.
Your Zone Mission today is to clean out under your bed.
Your Home Blessing for today is to wash sheets.
My menu plan for Monday is paella and salad.
Have a great day!

Taking a Deep Breath and Taking Care of Myself

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Getting Organized:
In your home and homeschool

 

Dear Friends,

The past few weeks have had lots of appointments for my son. Many days we have been left with more questions than answers. Often one appointment leads to two or three more appointments. It can be frustrating.

How do you deal with the curve balls in life?

In my human nature, I just want do something to help my son. But I know ultimately, his healing comes from God. I can only pray for healing and for wisdom to guide my son. He is a young adult now. That has not been a problem with assisting him with his medical care. He has added me to his approved list of people to get information. This allows me to help him make appointments and get copies of files as needed.

The FlyLady’s Office in a Bag is a great accessory for me. It allows me to keep all of his records in one place. We take it to each appointment. Since it zips closed, we don’t worry about dropping anything important.
Through this experience, I have gained more patience. Sometimes, I just have to stop and take a deep breath. Then I pray and let peace fill me. Then I am ready to take the next step. I don’t know where the next step will take me, but God does. Relying on Him has made a big difference in how I have handled this situation.

Am I tired and weary? Some days, “Yes.” During these past few weeks, I have taken a nap when I could in the afternoon. I have gone to bed early. I have seen a lot of really early morning hours.

I am taking care of myself in the midst of taking care of my son and my family. I am eating healthy. I am resting as much as I can. I am drinking my water. I am exercising daily. Some days I am creative in how I get these done, but I know the importance of taking care of my health.

I am not the only one with a lot going on. Tell me how you are doing.

Today’s Zone Mission is to mop your bathroom.

Your Home Blessing for today is to empty the trash, sweep, and mop.

My menu plan for Friday is rotisserie chicken and a salad.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Are you getting enough rest every day?

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Getting Organized:
In your home and homeschool

As we have been talking about summer schedules and routines, I have been thinking about those of you who have been staying up late and getting up early.

With the longer summer days, we have a tendency to relax our before bed routines for ourselves and our children. You start staying up a little later. Before you know it, you are staying up until midnight or after. If you are able to stay up this late and sleep until 8:00 or 9:00 the next morning, then you are still getting your 8 hours of sleep at night.

My summer schedule shifts the other way. I am getting up at 5:15 every morning. This means I am finishing my before bed routine at 9:00. I am in bed and relaxing before 9:30.

The boys are staying up until 10:00 with my husband, and I don’t get them up early. This is where I get my early morning time for Bible study and exercise before they are awake.

The past few weeks have been hard on my sleep patterns with my son’s health needs, and I have instituted afternoon nap time when needed for me.

Adequate rest is an essential part of a healthy life. Make sure you get enough sleep each day.

Today’s Zone Mission is to check your bathroom supplies.

Your Home Blessing for today is to declutter paper and magazines.

My menu plan for Thursday is chicken and a salad.

Have a great day!