Toward a Plan I Can Live With

I really don't hate housekeeping.  I actually enjoy seeing things fall into place, and I take pride in having a beautiful home.  Few things are more relaxing to me than being able to sit down at some point in the day and just enjoy, if only for a moment or two, how nice a given room looks.  When things are calm and orderly, the children tend to be happier and more productive, too.

My problem, I think, is that I am much too easily overwhelmed by how quickly things can get cluttered and disordered, how little time it takes for the laundry to get out of control, how hard it is to keep the counter (let alone the floor!) clear, how tired, tired, tired I always seem to be. 

I love the goals Sarah of Plainsong has posted regarding her Home Sweet Home challenge, and I plan to take them on, too:

Strive for these Goals

1. Invite the Blessed Mother to my home. . .daily, with a Memorare for the intention of asking her to visit me as she did her cousin, and to help me keep my eyes toward heaven.

2. Begin my day with a Morning Offering-to offer my all to God

2. Follow a simple organizational routine

3. Take on little things to help our household stay beautiful and joyful.

4. Write about household topics and link others' blogs who are motivational

The Rules:

1. Remember People are more important than things

2. Remember that messes look bigger than they are

3. Small things done in the home can add beauty

4. Stay real: we will never be perfect, especially with children around us

5. Keep a sense of humor

6. Forgive myself for imperfection and limitations, focusing on those things I do accomplish

7. Persevere

For me, the emphasis will be on developing the right attitude, via prayer and genuine gratitude for any assistance I receive from my family in this endeavor.  I will make consistency and self discipline in cheerfully completing ongoing tasks my main personal goal, and nurturing an atmosphere marked by patience and generosity toward each other, for my family.

First and foremost, I have to start getting enough sleep.  Or, at least, more than I'm getting.  I'm going to pick a reasonable (meaning one I can actually see myself keeping) bedtime, and move heaven and earth to get to bed by then.

I will strive for "progress, not perfection" in my efforts, and avoid the mad crush of always trying to "catch up".  If I honestly can't get to some part of the clutter, I will calmly close my eyes to it for now, knowing I will get to it as soon as I can.  I'm going to be very, very nice to myself and my family through this process.

I will include my children in this endeavor, actively teaching them simple household skills, and modeling the cheerfulness, generosity and self-discipline I strive for in myself.  (Prayer, I mentioned prayer, right?  I'm going to need it!!) :)

I'm going to make an effort to post on our progress with this on a weekly basis--starting with this one.  And I will seek and share inspiration from others along this road as I do so.

And...just because I'm writing about goals for the next year, I'm determined this year to learn how to make a pie crust that's as good as my mom's.  So if all else fails, we'll at least have some good eats! :)

My goals for this week: 

• Make a "sticky notes" plan chart as a simple start to a new way of managing daily tasks.
• Do 4 loads of laundry a day, complete from sorting and laundering, to bringing the clean, freshly-folded clothes upstairs and placed in each person's room.
• Write and submit my daughter's Second Quarterly Report, due to the school district next Friday.
• Pick a reasonable bedtime, and start getting to bed on time.
• Make my husband an experimental :) cherry pie.

Comments

[Mariposa]

This is such a lovely post, and I really needed to read something like this.

I would like to try to do this as well.

[Wendy]

I just popped over to thank you for your kind comment on my blog!
Your plan looks like a good one. I'll check it out a little more closely in the morning. We just rang in the new year, and I'm to tired to think straight.:)
Happy new year!

[Laura W.]

I really need to do this also! I loved reading your goals. Do you really do four loads of laundry a day???? Wow! I bet your cherry pie will be delicious!

Your creche on the porch looks AMAZING, btw :)

[Eileen]

LOL! No!! That's why it's one of my goals!!! :)

It got so bad just before Christmas that our two gracious teens took ten (packed!) 13 gallon trash bag-sized loads to the local laundromat, just to get them out of my way. (There were still a few loads at home, too).

I was trying to do all of my laundry on Mondays and Thursdays,which I started when I was a FlyLady Wannabe a few years back. Habits really do die hard, and even though I really didn't keep up with anything else, that idea stuck with me. I've been doing 10-12 extra-large loads each time, though, and since it took all day to do that, I couldn't get anything else done...so (naturally)I stopped doing the laundry. It doesn't take long for it to get out of control. Four loads a day should keep me breathing pretty easy--the loads are smaller, so I really do have time to fold them when they're done, and if I don't get to all of it on a given day, all is not lost. (I've also been trying to help the kids determine when clothes can be worn more than once. But...let's just say they really get into their play...and their food...) :)

So far, so good, though!