Be thankful. - Colossians 3:15
Showing posts with label Misc. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Misc. Show all posts
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Thank You Notes
As I posted around this time last year (http://organizedhomemaking.blogspot.com/2011/01/teaching-our-children-about-thank-you.html), I am a big fan of thank you notes. I love writing them and I love getting them. I don't think it is ever to early to teach our children thankfulness, not just etiquette. When I was growing up the rule was you were not allowed to enjoy the gift until you wrote a thank you note. I remember writing them in the hotel room after our Bachelor/Bachelorette bowling party and on the plane to our honeymoon. LOL! Here is one of Luke's from this year. This year he wrote the whole thing. I was very happy to have our handwriting lesson for the week all ready to go. :)
Be thankful. - Colossians 3:15
Be thankful. - Colossians 3:15
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM ORGANIZED HOMEMAKING!!!
I hope you had a fabulous CHRISTmas and New Year. I am really looking forward to this year. I have been working on projects that I will share with you. I have also been working on a list of plans and goals for the year which I will also share with you as well. I hope you have a very organized and blessed 2012.
Ashley
I hope you had a fabulous CHRISTmas and New Year. I am really looking forward to this year. I have been working on projects that I will share with you. I have also been working on a list of plans and goals for the year which I will also share with you as well. I hope you have a very organized and blessed 2012.
Ashley
Monday, March 7, 2011
Comparing Ourselves to Others
I've really been thinking about comparisons lately. I think as human beings, especially as moms, we tend to look at others and compare. Comparing is a bad thing because it either makes us feel bad about ourselves or it makes us feel good about ourselves. And of course we either compare our best to someone's worst or our worst to someone's best. That makes it all the worse.
I know that I've done that a lot. I've looked at what others do well and then feel bad about myself. Or I've looked at people and what they are doing and think, "I should do that." The problem is, I am not that person. I don't have their personality, interests, husband, house, children, or life. It may not work with what I am trying to accomplish in my life and my family.
I say that to say:
* Know yourself - know who God created you to be, what your personality is, what your interests are, and what works for you (some people are morning people, some are night people; some people enjoy classical music and tea on china, some people like rock music and a soda; some people like to spend hours getting dolled up, others have a 20 minute "get ready routine").
* Know your spouse (and their needs/interests) - know who God created your spouse to be, what their personality is, what their interests are, and what works for them (some spouses need lots of attention and quality time, others are happier to be alone sometimes; some spouses like to go to nice restaurants, others are happy at a fast food joint).
* Know your family (and their needs/interests) - know how God designed your family, each person's needs and interests, and what works for your family (some families are outdoors families, some enjoy being indoors more; some families like to spend lots of time together, some not so much).
* Know your schedule and how much time you have to do things - some families have a stay-at-home parent, others have 2 working parents; some families have lots of time in the morning or night, some families have more time during the day; some families have military parents; etc).
* Know your goals for your family - spiritual, physical, mental, educational, recreational (every family is different).
* Know what really matters to you (AKA your priorities).
When you really know yourself, your spouse, your family, your home, your schedule, and your priorities, you don't have to worry about what other people are doing. You can look to them for ideas that might work for yourself or your family, but don't think, "I have to be just like them."
I hope that has helped you in some way.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Moms Don't Get Sick Days
Well the inevitable has happened...every year right around or after my birthday, I get sick. I know having a February birthday sets me up for a higher liklihood, but it is so weird how it always hits. Last year I was sick as a dog (what does that even mean really?) because I was pregnant and didn't know it yet. The first year Lee and I were together for my birthday I remember getting sick in his car before he left to go back to Raleigh (I lived in Boone). It's just so strange to me how it always happens. This year it started as a cough, then a little tingle in my chest, and now I am pretty sure it's an upper respiratory infection coupled with being a woman if you know what I mean.
Well anyways...moms don't get sick days. When you stay home full-time you especially don't get sick days. There are still the absolutes that have to get done. For some reason, kids still want to eat even when you are sick. They still need to be entertained (even if from the TV) and talked to periodically (LOL!). They still need baths and hygiene taken care of. If you have an infant, they still need feedings and interaction every 3 hours.
When my husband is sick, he calls into work, gets in the bed, sleeps until he feels better, and has a lovely nurse to take care of him (that would be me). He gets better pretty quickly because he is doing what he should be doing, resting and hydrating. Same for kids. Moms and dads wait on them, love on them, give them medicines, and do everything they can to make them get better. I feel like I am usually sick about a week or more because I don't take the day off to rest and hydrate.
If only there was a service for moms when they are sick. Maybe I am on to something here???
Well anyways...moms don't get sick days. When you stay home full-time you especially don't get sick days. There are still the absolutes that have to get done. For some reason, kids still want to eat even when you are sick. They still need to be entertained (even if from the TV) and talked to periodically (LOL!). They still need baths and hygiene taken care of. If you have an infant, they still need feedings and interaction every 3 hours.
When my husband is sick, he calls into work, gets in the bed, sleeps until he feels better, and has a lovely nurse to take care of him (that would be me). He gets better pretty quickly because he is doing what he should be doing, resting and hydrating. Same for kids. Moms and dads wait on them, love on them, give them medicines, and do everything they can to make them get better. I feel like I am usually sick about a week or more because I don't take the day off to rest and hydrate.
If only there was a service for moms when they are sick. Maybe I am on to something here???
Saturday, February 12, 2011
What It's Really All About
I know that a lot of my posts are about cleaning, organizing, couponing, and household management, but that is just a small part of my homemaking.
My biggest goal of homemaking isn't to have the cleanest or most organized home, to save the most money, or to keep everything perfect, it's
CREATING A HOME THAT IS FULL OF LOVE, HAPPINESS, AND AWESOME MEMORIES.
I pray that when my children grow up they will look back on their childhood and remember all the awesome things we did on a daily basis as well as on specific holidays to make great memories. I try to keep my home clean and organized so that when we want to have fun events we can. I try to save money with couponing and other methods so that we have money to do fun things like vacations or spoil them on their birthdays and holidays.
One of my favorite holidays is Valentine's Day. I don't think of it as just a greeting card holiday or a time meant for lovers to have romantic time. I think of it as a special day to focus on how much we love each other: moms and dads, parents and kids, grandparents, friends, etc.
Here are our Valentine's Day traditions:
1) Luke (and the other children down the road) gets a Valentine bag or basket filled with fun little dollar items (candy, toys, pencils, cute little knick knacks).
2) We make homemade Valentine cards and other projects. This year Luke made cards for his cousins and friends and we put his handprints on paper and he wrote Happy Valentine's Day 2001 Love, Luke on them.
3) We make homemade heart-shaped sugar cookies and decorate them.
4) We have heart-shaped pancakes or waffles for breakfast and any other heart-shaped foods we can during the day.
What are your Valentine's Day traditions? Other holiday/birthday traditions?
My biggest goal of homemaking isn't to have the cleanest or most organized home, to save the most money, or to keep everything perfect, it's
CREATING A HOME THAT IS FULL OF LOVE, HAPPINESS, AND AWESOME MEMORIES.
I pray that when my children grow up they will look back on their childhood and remember all the awesome things we did on a daily basis as well as on specific holidays to make great memories. I try to keep my home clean and organized so that when we want to have fun events we can. I try to save money with couponing and other methods so that we have money to do fun things like vacations or spoil them on their birthdays and holidays.
One of my favorite holidays is Valentine's Day. I don't think of it as just a greeting card holiday or a time meant for lovers to have romantic time. I think of it as a special day to focus on how much we love each other: moms and dads, parents and kids, grandparents, friends, etc.
Here are our Valentine's Day traditions:
1) Luke (and the other children down the road) gets a Valentine bag or basket filled with fun little dollar items (candy, toys, pencils, cute little knick knacks).
2) We make homemade Valentine cards and other projects. This year Luke made cards for his cousins and friends and we put his handprints on paper and he wrote Happy Valentine's Day 2001 Love, Luke on them.
3) We make homemade heart-shaped sugar cookies and decorate them.
4) We have heart-shaped pancakes or waffles for breakfast and any other heart-shaped foods we can during the day.
What are your Valentine's Day traditions? Other holiday/birthday traditions?
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Diaper Bag
I went for almost 2 years without a diaper bag. To say it was nice doesn't even cover it LOL. Babies need lots of stuff. My awesome mother-in-law lives by the theory that mommies need something nice for themselves each time they have a baby (works for me), so she got me a Vera Bradley diaper bag. I had one with Luke but she thought I needed a new one (again, works for me).
I love Vera Bradley because if you are an organization junkie like me, you will love all of the wonderful pockets. You can put different things in each pocket and feel organized instead of digging through your bags looking for something. This diaper bag has a zipper pouch on the outside, a flip side with three little pouches on the outside, two end pouches, and inside it has three pouches on each side. It also has a matching changing pad. It also has a clasp to hook your keys to.
In my diaper bag, I use one end pouch for my wallet and one for a bottle. I use the zip pouch to put papers. I use the flip side pouches for my keys, cellphone, and hand sanitizer/tissues. I use the inside pouches for diaper cream (which we have never needed PRAISE THE LORD), those mini trash bags for bad diapers (we have needed a few LOL), pacifiers (we don't really use them, but I have them JIC), and nose bulb aspirator and saline drops. If Nathan is sick and needs medicine, I would put that in there as well.
In the main part, I keep a big stack of diapers, a travel pack (or two) of wipes, two extra outfits, two extra onesies, a couple of extra burp clothes, a bottle of water, a formula dispenser with enough formula for 3 bottles, and an extra bottle (sometimes I have more if I am going to be away from the house longer than one or two feedings. I would also put a travel bowl of cereal and a spoon if we would be feeding that while we are out. Sometimes I might have an extra toy or two if I don't want it on his carseat (it's not fun to sleep with toys whacking you in the head).
I always bring the diaper bag in the house after we go somewhere. My rule is: Go through the diaper bag as soon as you get home (or get a chance) and pull out dirty clothes, burp cloths, and bottles. Then replace what needs replacing (clothes, burp cloths, bottles, water, formula) and sit the ready diaper bag by the door. I know you could pack it before you leave to go somewhere, but I find that I am always in a hurry so this makes it easier. Plus if you have an emergency, you are ready to go.
I love Vera Bradley because if you are an organization junkie like me, you will love all of the wonderful pockets. You can put different things in each pocket and feel organized instead of digging through your bags looking for something. This diaper bag has a zipper pouch on the outside, a flip side with three little pouches on the outside, two end pouches, and inside it has three pouches on each side. It also has a matching changing pad. It also has a clasp to hook your keys to.
In my diaper bag, I use one end pouch for my wallet and one for a bottle. I use the zip pouch to put papers. I use the flip side pouches for my keys, cellphone, and hand sanitizer/tissues. I use the inside pouches for diaper cream (which we have never needed PRAISE THE LORD), those mini trash bags for bad diapers (we have needed a few LOL), pacifiers (we don't really use them, but I have them JIC), and nose bulb aspirator and saline drops. If Nathan is sick and needs medicine, I would put that in there as well.
In the main part, I keep a big stack of diapers, a travel pack (or two) of wipes, two extra outfits, two extra onesies, a couple of extra burp clothes, a bottle of water, a formula dispenser with enough formula for 3 bottles, and an extra bottle (sometimes I have more if I am going to be away from the house longer than one or two feedings. I would also put a travel bowl of cereal and a spoon if we would be feeding that while we are out. Sometimes I might have an extra toy or two if I don't want it on his carseat (it's not fun to sleep with toys whacking you in the head).
I always bring the diaper bag in the house after we go somewhere. My rule is: Go through the diaper bag as soon as you get home (or get a chance) and pull out dirty clothes, burp cloths, and bottles. Then replace what needs replacing (clothes, burp cloths, bottles, water, formula) and sit the ready diaper bag by the door. I know you could pack it before you leave to go somewhere, but I find that I am always in a hurry so this makes it easier. Plus if you have an emergency, you are ready to go.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Division of Duties
I know that everyone has different households and families, so I thought it would be fun to see how you divide (or don't divide if you are single) your duties. Please give us a background: whether you are married or single, whether you work (part or full-time), whether you have kids (how many and ages), whether you homeschool or if your kids are in school and/or preschool, and anything else about your life that might give us a glimpse into your life.
Background:
We are married, I stay home full time, my husband works full time, we have two children (here with me) - boys, ages 5 and 4 months, I do preschool homeschool with our 5 year old, our newborn is on a 3 hour routine during the day and is formula fed, and we are pretty traditional in our household.
Let me start by saying that this is a general list of how we do things. My husband, Lee, will chip in anytime I need help and when I was pregnant carried a lot of the load.
Division of Duties:
Bringing Home the Bacon (LOL) - Lee works full-time and brings in all of our income. He is away from home about 50-55 hours a week so I try to take care of anything I can to make it nice when he gets home.
Meals - Lee doesn't cook (unless you count reheating food or PB&J), so I take care of the meals. I cook most nights (we say he cooks when he reheats food or we go out to eat LOL). We take turns making his lunch for work - if I have time, I make it.
Laundry - Generally speaking, I do the laundry. If I get behind, Lee will help me out. We all chip in on the sorting out and putting away.
Cleaning - Generally speaking, I do the cleaning. Again, if I get behind, Lee will help me out. For the last year Lee has taken care of scrubbing the showers and tubs. Everyone chips in on the straightening up and putting things away.
Grocery Shopping - We do this together. I generate our list (with Lee's input of course) and one or both of us goes shopping. Before I was pregnant I pretty much handled the grocery shopping, but when I couldn't carry stuff, Lee and I started going together or he would go. He knows what specific things we buy (ie Nature's Own Double Fiber Bread vs wheat bread).
Dishes - Generally speaking, I do the dishes. This is because I am home and do the breakfast and lunch dishes, and I clean as I cook so I wash dishes as I go. Lee and Luke clear the table and Lee will rinse and load, but I do the majority of the dishes, especially the scrubbing ones (pots and pans).
Nathan Feedings - Since I am home during the day, I do all of the feedings obviously. I do the 8:00pm since Lee is playing with Luke (this could change at some point). Lee does the late night feeding since I am usually in bed. If he requires a middle of the night feeding I do that one.
Kids' Baths - As of right now, I give Nathan a bath each night after his 8:00pm feeding and get him ready for bed. Lee gives Luke his bath. We try to sync it up so we are each getting one of the boys ready for bed at the same time.
Homeschool - I homeschool Luke. Down the road Lee will probably help with projects.
Vehicles - Lee takes care of the vehicles. He does the cleaning and washing and usually takes them in for maintanence (sometimes he does the maintanence himself). I will help him clean the van sometimes.
Yard - In general Lee takes care of the yard. Luke will eventually help as well.
Household Maintanence - Lee takes care of changing the air filters, changing the lightbulbs, building stuff, installing stuff, and fixing stuff.
Big Projects - We usually work on these together.
I can't think of anything else right now. I am really looking forward to seeing how you do things in your house/family.
Background:
We are married, I stay home full time, my husband works full time, we have two children (here with me) - boys, ages 5 and 4 months, I do preschool homeschool with our 5 year old, our newborn is on a 3 hour routine during the day and is formula fed, and we are pretty traditional in our household.
Let me start by saying that this is a general list of how we do things. My husband, Lee, will chip in anytime I need help and when I was pregnant carried a lot of the load.
Division of Duties:
Bringing Home the Bacon (LOL) - Lee works full-time and brings in all of our income. He is away from home about 50-55 hours a week so I try to take care of anything I can to make it nice when he gets home.
Meals - Lee doesn't cook (unless you count reheating food or PB&J), so I take care of the meals. I cook most nights (we say he cooks when he reheats food or we go out to eat LOL). We take turns making his lunch for work - if I have time, I make it.
Laundry - Generally speaking, I do the laundry. If I get behind, Lee will help me out. We all chip in on the sorting out and putting away.
Cleaning - Generally speaking, I do the cleaning. Again, if I get behind, Lee will help me out. For the last year Lee has taken care of scrubbing the showers and tubs. Everyone chips in on the straightening up and putting things away.
Grocery Shopping - We do this together. I generate our list (with Lee's input of course) and one or both of us goes shopping. Before I was pregnant I pretty much handled the grocery shopping, but when I couldn't carry stuff, Lee and I started going together or he would go. He knows what specific things we buy (ie Nature's Own Double Fiber Bread vs wheat bread).
Dishes - Generally speaking, I do the dishes. This is because I am home and do the breakfast and lunch dishes, and I clean as I cook so I wash dishes as I go. Lee and Luke clear the table and Lee will rinse and load, but I do the majority of the dishes, especially the scrubbing ones (pots and pans).
Nathan Feedings - Since I am home during the day, I do all of the feedings obviously. I do the 8:00pm since Lee is playing with Luke (this could change at some point). Lee does the late night feeding since I am usually in bed. If he requires a middle of the night feeding I do that one.
Kids' Baths - As of right now, I give Nathan a bath each night after his 8:00pm feeding and get him ready for bed. Lee gives Luke his bath. We try to sync it up so we are each getting one of the boys ready for bed at the same time.
Homeschool - I homeschool Luke. Down the road Lee will probably help with projects.
Vehicles - Lee takes care of the vehicles. He does the cleaning and washing and usually takes them in for maintanence (sometimes he does the maintanence himself). I will help him clean the van sometimes.
Yard - In general Lee takes care of the yard. Luke will eventually help as well.
Household Maintanence - Lee takes care of changing the air filters, changing the lightbulbs, building stuff, installing stuff, and fixing stuff.
Big Projects - We usually work on these together.
I can't think of anything else right now. I am really looking forward to seeing how you do things in your house/family.
Sleep
I don't know if you are like me, but I really love sleep. I think my body requires about 8-9 hours to feel really rested. Well since Nathan was born, I don't think I have gotten that but a handful of times. Some days I feel like I would love to take a nap or go to bed early, but something stops me from doing that.
That thing is GUILT.
I feel an immense amount of guilt if I lay down for an hour or two in the afternoon or go to bed early.
Guilt says:
"How can you even think about taking a nap? You have..."
Laundry that needs to be folded and put away
Dinner that needs to be prepped
Straightening up to do
Bible study that needs to be done
Coupons that need to be clipped and filed
Dishes that need to be washed or put away
Cleaning that needs to be done
Bills that need to be paid
"How can you even think about going to bed early? You have..."
Any of the above
To spend time with your husband
I don't know if anyone else ever has these guilt-laden thoughts, but I know that I do.
Well yesterday was one of those days were I was exhausted and should have taken a nap. I didn't get enough sleep the night before. I was out with the kids all morning (doctor's appointment and playdate). But when we got home, guilt set in and told me to unload and reload the dishwasher, change out laundry, straighten up, unload and reload the diaper bag, and do my Bible study.
Well I did those things and then the kids woke up and I was in my rush mode again to get us to church for dinner and Bible study. Nathan usually falls asleep on the way to church but he didn't last night. He fussed and needed to be held so I ate with one hand and didn't finish my dinner. Then Luke miscalculated time and distance and had an accident. We decided that we should just head home, give Luke a bath, put him to bed, and do Nathan's nighttime routine. We got home and did all of that and I decided that guilt wouldn't win and I would go to bed early.
As soon as I laid Nathan down (around 8:30-9:00pm), I got in bed (no TV) and Lee and I both went to bed. God rewarded my effort to go to bed early by having Nathan sleep 12 hours last night (just got up once - Lee fed him). So, I got a good night's sleep and woke up feeling great. I have more energy and a better attitude today.
So, the moral of the story is, get some sleep. Don't let guilt control you.
That thing is GUILT.
I feel an immense amount of guilt if I lay down for an hour or two in the afternoon or go to bed early.
Guilt says:
"How can you even think about taking a nap? You have..."
Laundry that needs to be folded and put away
Dinner that needs to be prepped
Straightening up to do
Bible study that needs to be done
Coupons that need to be clipped and filed
Dishes that need to be washed or put away
Cleaning that needs to be done
Bills that need to be paid
"How can you even think about going to bed early? You have..."
Any of the above
To spend time with your husband
I don't know if anyone else ever has these guilt-laden thoughts, but I know that I do.
Well yesterday was one of those days were I was exhausted and should have taken a nap. I didn't get enough sleep the night before. I was out with the kids all morning (doctor's appointment and playdate). But when we got home, guilt set in and told me to unload and reload the dishwasher, change out laundry, straighten up, unload and reload the diaper bag, and do my Bible study.
Well I did those things and then the kids woke up and I was in my rush mode again to get us to church for dinner and Bible study. Nathan usually falls asleep on the way to church but he didn't last night. He fussed and needed to be held so I ate with one hand and didn't finish my dinner. Then Luke miscalculated time and distance and had an accident. We decided that we should just head home, give Luke a bath, put him to bed, and do Nathan's nighttime routine. We got home and did all of that and I decided that guilt wouldn't win and I would go to bed early.
As soon as I laid Nathan down (around 8:30-9:00pm), I got in bed (no TV) and Lee and I both went to bed. God rewarded my effort to go to bed early by having Nathan sleep 12 hours last night (just got up once - Lee fed him). So, I got a good night's sleep and woke up feeling great. I have more energy and a better attitude today.
So, the moral of the story is, get some sleep. Don't let guilt control you.
Monday, January 31, 2011
It's Good to Be Home
First of all let me apologize for not posting much last week. My husband had to go out of town on business Friday through Monday so I went to my mom's house Thursday through Monday. I didn't have great Internet access and was pretty busy taking care of the boys and spent time with my mom and grandma.
That being said, it's so good to be home. While I like going places and visiting family and friends, I am always happy to be back home. I love being in my own bed at night (especially with my husband), I love sitting in my chair, I love having my food and drinks, I love having my computer and Internet, but overall, I love having my normal routine.
When we go somewhere I try my best to stick to our routine, but it doesn't always work. Luke tends to sleep a little less, eats a little more junk, and gets a lot of extras, so when we get home we have to get back on our nap and bedtime routines, eat better, and cut back on the treats.
With a newborn, it's hard enough to get them on a schedule, but when you travel, they get off. It's rough. Nathan got up at least 2 times each night which was rough since he had been going from 11:00pm until morning and I had to feed him without Lee being there. Naps were a little harder even though I brought his swing. I am hoping to get him back to sleeping good again.
I am hoping that this week we can get back into our normal routine, including me blogging a few times.
That being said, it's so good to be home. While I like going places and visiting family and friends, I am always happy to be back home. I love being in my own bed at night (especially with my husband), I love sitting in my chair, I love having my food and drinks, I love having my computer and Internet, but overall, I love having my normal routine.
When we go somewhere I try my best to stick to our routine, but it doesn't always work. Luke tends to sleep a little less, eats a little more junk, and gets a lot of extras, so when we get home we have to get back on our nap and bedtime routines, eat better, and cut back on the treats.
With a newborn, it's hard enough to get them on a schedule, but when you travel, they get off. It's rough. Nathan got up at least 2 times each night which was rough since he had been going from 11:00pm until morning and I had to feed him without Lee being there. Naps were a little harder even though I brought his swing. I am hoping to get him back to sleeping good again.
I am hoping that this week we can get back into our normal routine, including me blogging a few times.
Monday, January 10, 2011
I Can't Believe It's Been a Year (Giveaway)
I can't believe it's been a year since I started Organized Homemaking. Like I always say, it took me years to become a great homemaker. When I first got married I lacked a lot of domestic skills. Lee had to teach me to separate loads of laundry (yes in college I threw it all in one load - luckily it was cold water). I couldn't cook to save my life (unless you count the microwave/reheating foods). I was horrible with money (well it was more that I had never lived on my own so I didn't pay bills or have a credit card or know how to follow a budget). I didn't have any clue how to coupon or save money (in fact I didn't know anything about couponing until a year and a half ago). I could clean really well since that was my job growing up and I was a great organizer, but otherwise I was domestically challenged.
I wanted so desperately to be a great homemaker, but my meatloaves were always mushy, our clothes were always wrinkled (if they even got done), I couldn't balance the checkbook, and I had no clue how to meal plan and grocery shop in a money-saving way.
After years of reading books and blogs, combing through cookbooks to find simple yet tasty recipes, and many trials and errors, I finally learned how to be an organized homemaker. Like I've said before, I am no June Cleaver or Martha Stewart, but I manage to keep an organized and generally clean home, have a simple yet yummy dinner most nights of the week, keep up with the ever expanding loads of laundry, and utilize coupons to save a load of money on our groceries.
I decided to start a blog because it is my heart that wives and mothers who are struggling to be the homemakers they so desire have a place to get simple ideas that they can easily implement and see big changes quickly. I wanted to share tried-and-true recipes for simple and delicious meals so that families could sit down and have a nice meal and conversation each night. I wanted to share simple couponing, meal planning, and grocery shopping techniques to cut down on time, money, and stress. I wanted to share tips on how to organize, clean, and do laundry without all the headache of wondering, "Where do I begin?" I wanted to share budgeting and bill paying tips to cut down on financial stress. Overall, I just wanted to share all of the wonderful things I have learned through all of my own failures and successes.
I hope and pray that this blog has positively impacted my followers and/or readers.
All of that being said, I would love to hear how my readers have enjoyed the blog and what you guys like and want to see this year. So if you leave a comment filling out this survey, you will be entered in a drawing to win the book, "Secrets to Getting More Done in Less Time" by Donna Otto.
http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Getting-More-Done-Less/dp/0736917152
Name (or a fake name if you are worried about security)?
Do you follow and/or read the blog?
How did you hear about the blog?
When did you start reading the blog?
How often do you check the blog?
What is your favorite thing about the blog (in general)?
What is your favorite thing about the blog (specifically - ie couponing, cleaning scheduling, etc)?
What is/are some thing(s) that you have learned from the blog and implemented in your home and what has/have been the result(s)?
What would you like to see more of on the blog this year?
Thanks so much for reading the blog. It is a real joy to me to be able to share it with you. I appreciate all of the love and support I have been shown from my readers. Y'all are the best!
Ashley
I wanted so desperately to be a great homemaker, but my meatloaves were always mushy, our clothes were always wrinkled (if they even got done), I couldn't balance the checkbook, and I had no clue how to meal plan and grocery shop in a money-saving way.
After years of reading books and blogs, combing through cookbooks to find simple yet tasty recipes, and many trials and errors, I finally learned how to be an organized homemaker. Like I've said before, I am no June Cleaver or Martha Stewart, but I manage to keep an organized and generally clean home, have a simple yet yummy dinner most nights of the week, keep up with the ever expanding loads of laundry, and utilize coupons to save a load of money on our groceries.
I decided to start a blog because it is my heart that wives and mothers who are struggling to be the homemakers they so desire have a place to get simple ideas that they can easily implement and see big changes quickly. I wanted to share tried-and-true recipes for simple and delicious meals so that families could sit down and have a nice meal and conversation each night. I wanted to share simple couponing, meal planning, and grocery shopping techniques to cut down on time, money, and stress. I wanted to share tips on how to organize, clean, and do laundry without all the headache of wondering, "Where do I begin?" I wanted to share budgeting and bill paying tips to cut down on financial stress. Overall, I just wanted to share all of the wonderful things I have learned through all of my own failures and successes.
I hope and pray that this blog has positively impacted my followers and/or readers.
All of that being said, I would love to hear how my readers have enjoyed the blog and what you guys like and want to see this year. So if you leave a comment filling out this survey, you will be entered in a drawing to win the book, "Secrets to Getting More Done in Less Time" by Donna Otto.
http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Getting-More-Done-Less/dp/0736917152
Name (or a fake name if you are worried about security)?
Do you follow and/or read the blog?
How did you hear about the blog?
When did you start reading the blog?
How often do you check the blog?
What is your favorite thing about the blog (in general)?
What is your favorite thing about the blog (specifically - ie couponing, cleaning scheduling, etc)?
What is/are some thing(s) that you have learned from the blog and implemented in your home and what has/have been the result(s)?
What would you like to see more of on the blog this year?
Thanks so much for reading the blog. It is a real joy to me to be able to share it with you. I appreciate all of the love and support I have been shown from my readers. Y'all are the best!
Ashley
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Happy New Year!!!
Happy New Year!!! It's hard to believe that we have started another new year. Last year was probably the craziest year I've ever had. I am hoping that this year might be a little calmer. We aren't planning anything big since we just had Nathan a few months ago and have settled into our house pretty good, but I know that anything can happen.
I started the blog almost one year ago and I feel like it has gone pretty good. I hope to continue writing it on a regular basis as I really enjoy sharing things I have learned along my journey of homemaking.
What I want to know from you guys is:
1) What do you want to see on the blog?
2) What do you like most on the blog?
3) Is there anything I could improve on?
I would really love some feedback because I write this for the readers and want to share things I know you guys want to hear about. Please feel free to comment or email (ashley-webber@hotmail.com). Thanks!!!
I started the blog almost one year ago and I feel like it has gone pretty good. I hope to continue writing it on a regular basis as I really enjoy sharing things I have learned along my journey of homemaking.
What I want to know from you guys is:
1) What do you want to see on the blog?
2) What do you like most on the blog?
3) Is there anything I could improve on?
I would really love some feedback because I write this for the readers and want to share things I know you guys want to hear about. Please feel free to comment or email (ashley-webber@hotmail.com). Thanks!!!
Monday, December 27, 2010
How to Set Goals
I hope you and your family had a great CHRISTmas. Our family did as always. It was nice seeing family, eating all the goodies, and exchanging gifts, but most of all celebrating the birth of Jesus.
Now, I am ready to regroup and focus on 2011. I love the week between CHRISTmas and New Year's when I can think back on the previous year and plan for the next. I am going to share how I set goals and make plans for the new year. There is more to it than just saying, "I want to lose weight," or "I want to do _____ less/more." It requires much more.
First, it is good to clearly think about what the big picture is or who you want to be at the end of the year. It might be desiring to be closer to the Lord, having more Biblical knowledge, being thinner and healthier, being more focused on family, and/or advanced in a skill you want to learn more about.
Then, you want to start with your most important goals. In my life, that is spiritual goals. I desire each year to strengthen my walk with the Lord through prayer, Bible reading/study, and teaching Luke more Biblical truths. You write the specific goal, ie "I want to read the Bible in a Year."
Next, you put a goal date on it. For reading the Bible in a year, your goal day would obviously be "December 31st, 2011". The key is putting a realistic date on it. Make sure you could meet it, but that it will require you to work hard.
Then, you put a daily plan to it. For reading the Bible in a year, your daily plan would be "Read the Bible daily based on the reading plan." Basically giving yourself a daily plan breaks your goal down into small, attainable steps and gives you a daily check point to keep you on plan.
Lastly, you want to write down anything you need to do ahead of time to make it easier to jump in on January 1st. For reading the Bible in a year, you would "Get a Bible in a Year reading plan and put it with my Bible; and put my Bible and reading plan where I plan to read it daily."
Now, instead of just flippantly saying what you want to do, you have a written goal, date, daily plan, and list of things to do to get you started when you are ready. I really hope this has helped you guys. I am going to post my goals and plans for 2011 in another post to give you an idea of what I really mean. Plus, posting it will help me because I know you guys will know what I am supposed to be doing. ;)
Take Care!
Now, I am ready to regroup and focus on 2011. I love the week between CHRISTmas and New Year's when I can think back on the previous year and plan for the next. I am going to share how I set goals and make plans for the new year. There is more to it than just saying, "I want to lose weight," or "I want to do _____ less/more." It requires much more.
First, it is good to clearly think about what the big picture is or who you want to be at the end of the year. It might be desiring to be closer to the Lord, having more Biblical knowledge, being thinner and healthier, being more focused on family, and/or advanced in a skill you want to learn more about.
Then, you want to start with your most important goals. In my life, that is spiritual goals. I desire each year to strengthen my walk with the Lord through prayer, Bible reading/study, and teaching Luke more Biblical truths. You write the specific goal, ie "I want to read the Bible in a Year."
Next, you put a goal date on it. For reading the Bible in a year, your goal day would obviously be "December 31st, 2011". The key is putting a realistic date on it. Make sure you could meet it, but that it will require you to work hard.
Then, you put a daily plan to it. For reading the Bible in a year, your daily plan would be "Read the Bible daily based on the reading plan." Basically giving yourself a daily plan breaks your goal down into small, attainable steps and gives you a daily check point to keep you on plan.
Lastly, you want to write down anything you need to do ahead of time to make it easier to jump in on January 1st. For reading the Bible in a year, you would "Get a Bible in a Year reading plan and put it with my Bible; and put my Bible and reading plan where I plan to read it daily."
Now, instead of just flippantly saying what you want to do, you have a written goal, date, daily plan, and list of things to do to get you started when you are ready. I really hope this has helped you guys. I am going to post my goals and plans for 2011 in another post to give you an idea of what I really mean. Plus, posting it will help me because I know you guys will know what I am supposed to be doing. ;)
Take Care!
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Where Have I Been?
Hey Everyone!
Wow! I can't believe it has been over 2 1/2 months since I have blogged here. It's been a crazy and emotional couple of months. The day after the last entry I made here, I went in for my 35 week ultrasound of the twins. We found out that our precious daughter, Alexis Faith, had passed away. To say we were devestated doesn't even begin to cover it. The doctor highly recommended that we go ahead and deliver Nathan Reid since he was looking great and measuring big and there could be further complications for Nathan or myself.
So on October 1st, 2010, we welcomed our 5 lb 13 oz, 18 in long beautiful baby boy, Nathan Reid, into the world at 5:45pm. Two minutes later at 5:47pm, I delivered Alexis Faith. It was the most joyful and saddest day of my life. I went through every emotion you can think of (sometimes all in the span of 5 minutes).
Recovering from a c-section, having a newborn, and mourning our loss was a lot to deal with for a couple of months. I had a lot of help (my husband for 3 weeks, my mom for a week, Lee's mom for a week, and my sister's step-mom for a week) and people brought meals for almost 6 weeks straight. It was really all I could do to get through each day taking care of Nathan and being grief-stricken. Needless to say, blogging wasn't at the top of my list.
Things have gotten better each day. My grief is not as deep. Thanks to my faith in Jesus Christ, I have found strength, peace, and comfort each day. I know that Alexis Faith is in heaven and I will see her again. I also know that life must go on. It is hard to accept at times that she isn't here. I had so many hopes and dreams and plans for her and for us together. It does sadden me to know they won't happen. I just have to believe that God will work all of this together for good. It makes it a lot more bearable having faith, family, and friends.
I hope to be able to continue my blog. I know it probably won't be as frequent as it was when I was able to rest and sit so much during my pregnancy, but I will try my best to blog at least weekly. I appreciate your following and/or reading my blog. I really enjoy sharing with you.
Wow! I can't believe it has been over 2 1/2 months since I have blogged here. It's been a crazy and emotional couple of months. The day after the last entry I made here, I went in for my 35 week ultrasound of the twins. We found out that our precious daughter, Alexis Faith, had passed away. To say we were devestated doesn't even begin to cover it. The doctor highly recommended that we go ahead and deliver Nathan Reid since he was looking great and measuring big and there could be further complications for Nathan or myself.
So on October 1st, 2010, we welcomed our 5 lb 13 oz, 18 in long beautiful baby boy, Nathan Reid, into the world at 5:45pm. Two minutes later at 5:47pm, I delivered Alexis Faith. It was the most joyful and saddest day of my life. I went through every emotion you can think of (sometimes all in the span of 5 minutes).
Recovering from a c-section, having a newborn, and mourning our loss was a lot to deal with for a couple of months. I had a lot of help (my husband for 3 weeks, my mom for a week, Lee's mom for a week, and my sister's step-mom for a week) and people brought meals for almost 6 weeks straight. It was really all I could do to get through each day taking care of Nathan and being grief-stricken. Needless to say, blogging wasn't at the top of my list.
Things have gotten better each day. My grief is not as deep. Thanks to my faith in Jesus Christ, I have found strength, peace, and comfort each day. I know that Alexis Faith is in heaven and I will see her again. I also know that life must go on. It is hard to accept at times that she isn't here. I had so many hopes and dreams and plans for her and for us together. It does sadden me to know they won't happen. I just have to believe that God will work all of this together for good. It makes it a lot more bearable having faith, family, and friends.
I hope to be able to continue my blog. I know it probably won't be as frequent as it was when I was able to rest and sit so much during my pregnancy, but I will try my best to blog at least weekly. I appreciate your following and/or reading my blog. I really enjoy sharing with you.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Who Knew?
Since I have been doubly pregnant, I haven't been able to keep up with everything like I normally try to. It's been quite frustrating for me as I am a "make a list, check off the list" type of person. I would still try to write a nice list for each day, but I slowly found myself marking less and less off each day. It got really annoying. Lately, I've barely been able to do anything minus making the bed, straightening things up, dishes, and wiping things down. I can do laundry, but I struggle with the getting it from bins and putting it away.
Well last week, Lee and I were having my last baby shower at our house since the people coming hadn't seen our new house yet. We decided that I would do surfaces (dust, wipe down bathrooms, etc) and he would do floors (sweep, vacuum, mop) and straighten up (take things to the rooms they belong). Well, I ended up in Labor and Delivery for 6 hours on Saturday. I was instructed to put my feet up and drink water and to not do any housework. That might sound like fun to most people, but I have a tough time relaxing and not doing the things that I normally do.
Well Lee insisted that he take care of everything. I just had to let go and let him do it. The funny thing is, he did an amazing job. In fact, he cleans better than I do. He moved stuff when he vacuumed (I rarely do that), he dusted with real dust spray and a cloth (when I do dust, I use those Swiffer clothes), and he scrubbed the sinks and toilets (I usually use Lysol wipes and just wipe hard). I was very impressed and to be honest, very embarrassed that I had always insisted to do everything myself.
I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that my "job" is to be a wife, mom, and homemaker. It gives me my confidence and my meaning (at least in the sense of a daily purpose like Lee gets from IBM). Plus I am really particular (okay anal) and I like things done a certain way. Well who knew that he could do it as good, if not better, than I do it? You learn something new everyday. ;)
It was really a comfort to know that 1) he is willing to do things that I normally do without a complaint and 2) he will do an awesome job. Now, I just have to realize that more people can do the same thing for me. That's the next step. ;) I have a feeling that God will use situations to help me learn that as well. He always does.
Well last week, Lee and I were having my last baby shower at our house since the people coming hadn't seen our new house yet. We decided that I would do surfaces (dust, wipe down bathrooms, etc) and he would do floors (sweep, vacuum, mop) and straighten up (take things to the rooms they belong). Well, I ended up in Labor and Delivery for 6 hours on Saturday. I was instructed to put my feet up and drink water and to not do any housework. That might sound like fun to most people, but I have a tough time relaxing and not doing the things that I normally do.
Well Lee insisted that he take care of everything. I just had to let go and let him do it. The funny thing is, he did an amazing job. In fact, he cleans better than I do. He moved stuff when he vacuumed (I rarely do that), he dusted with real dust spray and a cloth (when I do dust, I use those Swiffer clothes), and he scrubbed the sinks and toilets (I usually use Lysol wipes and just wipe hard). I was very impressed and to be honest, very embarrassed that I had always insisted to do everything myself.
I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that my "job" is to be a wife, mom, and homemaker. It gives me my confidence and my meaning (at least in the sense of a daily purpose like Lee gets from IBM). Plus I am really particular (okay anal) and I like things done a certain way. Well who knew that he could do it as good, if not better, than I do it? You learn something new everyday. ;)
It was really a comfort to know that 1) he is willing to do things that I normally do without a complaint and 2) he will do an awesome job. Now, I just have to realize that more people can do the same thing for me. That's the next step. ;) I have a feeling that God will use situations to help me learn that as well. He always does.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
20 Followers!!!
I am excited that Organized Homemaking now has 20 followers!!! I am not sure how many readers we have, but I know there are people reading that don't follow. It makes my heart so overjoyed to know that my little blog that I started just to help a few friends learn how to coupon has become a source of helpful information in all areas of homemaking.
It is my heart's desire that all women (and some men) that want to be organized homemakers can be. It took me years of messing up, trying again, messing up again, and trying again to finally figure out some really useful tips that make our home run more smoothly and I am happy to share them with anyone who wants to learn. I am happy that there are people who are enjoying the blog.
Thanks readers!
Now that I have been doing this for 6-7 months and seem to have a decent amount of people following the blog, I would love to know what you guys would like to see on here. If you could comment, that would be awesome. :)
What do you want to see more of or different things I haven't done before?
It is my heart's desire that all women (and some men) that want to be organized homemakers can be. It took me years of messing up, trying again, messing up again, and trying again to finally figure out some really useful tips that make our home run more smoothly and I am happy to share them with anyone who wants to learn. I am happy that there are people who are enjoying the blog.
Thanks readers!
Now that I have been doing this for 6-7 months and seem to have a decent amount of people following the blog, I would love to know what you guys would like to see on here. If you could comment, that would be awesome. :)
What do you want to see more of or different things I haven't done before?
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Relax, Let Things Go, and Let Others Help Out
I have been feeling this post for a while and didn't quite know how I should write it. This is going to be a very transparent post which I hope my readers appreciate. As a lot (if not all) of you know, I am pregnant with twins that are due in roughly 10 weeks. It has been one of the biggest blessings in my life and I am thoroughly enjoying every minute of it. The hardest part hasn't been the morning sickness I had for 9 weeks, the aches and pains, or the expanding belly.
The hardest part has been putting away my tendency to 1) be a perfectionist and 2) not want other people to have to help me. I am a very self-sufficient person and generally like things to be as perfect as possible. While I know that this isn't the healthiest way to be, it's easier said than done to relax and let people help me. I have had to rest a lot and that puts other things (like keeping a perfectly neat home, cooking every night, keeping up with the laundry, and all the other things I do on a daily basis) on the back burner at times. It's been very difficult for me to look around and see clutter or mess.
The other hard part has been letting Lee help me. He is the kindest person in the world and will chip in and do things to help me out without complaining. It is just hard for me to let him do the things I feel are my responsibility. He goes to work full-time and then has to come home and help me out. I must admit that there has been a lot of guilt on my part.
I have really had to get out of my comfort zone to get comfortable. It's kind of ironic. I just wanted to share that there are seasons in our life that require us to just relax and either let things go or let others help out. There is nothing wrong with it. As I journey through the last 10 weeks of pregnancy, deliver two babies, recover, and adjust to having two newborns, an almost 5 year old son that I homeschool, a husband who needs attention, and a million other things that I have to do, I am going to remember what I have learned in the past few months. It's okay to relax, let things go, and let others help out. Please pray that I will stay in that mindset and not beat myself up or feel guilty.
I hope this has helped others.
The hardest part has been putting away my tendency to 1) be a perfectionist and 2) not want other people to have to help me. I am a very self-sufficient person and generally like things to be as perfect as possible. While I know that this isn't the healthiest way to be, it's easier said than done to relax and let people help me. I have had to rest a lot and that puts other things (like keeping a perfectly neat home, cooking every night, keeping up with the laundry, and all the other things I do on a daily basis) on the back burner at times. It's been very difficult for me to look around and see clutter or mess.
The other hard part has been letting Lee help me. He is the kindest person in the world and will chip in and do things to help me out without complaining. It is just hard for me to let him do the things I feel are my responsibility. He goes to work full-time and then has to come home and help me out. I must admit that there has been a lot of guilt on my part.
I have really had to get out of my comfort zone to get comfortable. It's kind of ironic. I just wanted to share that there are seasons in our life that require us to just relax and either let things go or let others help out. There is nothing wrong with it. As I journey through the last 10 weeks of pregnancy, deliver two babies, recover, and adjust to having two newborns, an almost 5 year old son that I homeschool, a husband who needs attention, and a million other things that I have to do, I am going to remember what I have learned in the past few months. It's okay to relax, let things go, and let others help out. Please pray that I will stay in that mindset and not beat myself up or feel guilty.
I hope this has helped others.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Do the Easy Things First
I've read countless books and articles on home management and organization and they all have great ideas, but sometimes differ on their thoughts on things a bit. The biggest thing is, "What should I do first - the easy stuff or the hard stuff?" By this I mean, should you do the simple tasks and then do the tasks that are a bit harder (take more time/energy) or do it the other way around?
I know a lot of people might disagree with me, but I have always found that doing simple tasks is better as you can mark off a lot of things on your To-Do List and it won't make it seem so crazy. Also, it gets a lot of things done so you have a clean and straightened area to work on the bigger projects.
An example of this is doing all the little things before you move onto the big projects you have for the day/week/month. Make your bed, straighten up rooms, put things where they go, wipe down surfaces, etc before you go and pull stuff out to re-organize cabinets and closets. If you don't, you will have a huge mess on your hands. It will motivate you to complete your projects so you can have everything back to being neat and tidy as well.
I know a lot of people might disagree with me, but I have always found that doing simple tasks is better as you can mark off a lot of things on your To-Do List and it won't make it seem so crazy. Also, it gets a lot of things done so you have a clean and straightened area to work on the bigger projects.
An example of this is doing all the little things before you move onto the big projects you have for the day/week/month. Make your bed, straighten up rooms, put things where they go, wipe down surfaces, etc before you go and pull stuff out to re-organize cabinets and closets. If you don't, you will have a huge mess on your hands. It will motivate you to complete your projects so you can have everything back to being neat and tidy as well.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Organized Vacationing
I don't know about everyone else, but I know that for me a vacation is not truly a vacation. As a wife, mom, and homemaker, I spend hours preparing and packing for our trip, hours in the car keeping everyone sane (putting on movies, handing out snacks, and entertaining Luke), hours setting up shop for the week (putting away food, kitchen supplies, clothes, and toys), hours still cooking meals, cleaning up, and getting everyone whatever they need for each outing, hours cleaning up the place when we are done, hours in the car again, and then hours unpacking, doing laundry, and getting us ready for life when we get home. Does that sound familiar to any of you guys?
Well because I am so OCD and have to have order no matter where I am - home, hotel, or beach house - I have to be really organized. It does make things run a lot smoother and I do get a little more down time as the crew knows where everything is and can [sometimes] fend for themselves.
It all starts a few days before we leave for our vacation. I do all of the laundry and clean up the house. It makes things a lot easier when you have clothes to pack and a clean house to go through and get what you need. I also have a packing list on my computer that I print each time we go somewhere. I print it out the day we pack and tweak it. I add things that need to be packed in addition to all of our regular stuff. That saves me so much time and headache. There is nothing worse than getting somewhere and not having underwear or a toothbrush.
Then when it comes to packing, I use lots of different bags and bins. I like to organize things so that we can put bags or bins in their respective spot when we arrive at our destination. I use one bag for Luke's clothes and personal care items, one bag for my clothes and personal care items, one bag for Lee's clothes and personal care items, one bag for towels and sunscreen - my pool bag, one bag for beach toys as they get sandy and I like to keep them in a mesh bag to carry down to the beach, one bag for Luke's toys, one bin for dry food, one bin for kitchen needs, a big cooler for food when we get there, a small cooler for drinks in the car, and one bag for snacks and toys for the car. Yes, it seems like a lot, but it really isn't. It's more organized than cramming stuff in a bunch of bags.
I pack each area/bag/bin and bring it all to a certain spot so that Lee can load it all in the car. This way he sees how much we have and how he should load everything up. If you have stuff all over the house, you might have something heavy that ends up on top or have to take stuff out and reload. This saves time and frustration.
When we get to our destination, we can just put each person's bag where they are sleeping, they toys/entertainment in the area where we will be hanging out/playing, the beach/pool stuff near the door so we are ready to go at a moment's notice, and the food and kitchen stuff in the kitchen. It is really nice. It also makes it possible to not have to unpack as stuff is where you need it.
When we get done with our vacation, we just load everything back up, repack the car, and when we get home, we just put stuff back where it goes pretty efficiently. One note - when we are packing to come home, we pick a couple of suitcases to put all the dirty stuff in and one to put all of the clean stuff in (inevitably we pack too much). The dirty suitcases go to the laundry area and the clean suitcase is unpacked. Super easy.
I hope this helps. Enjoy your vacations. :)
Well because I am so OCD and have to have order no matter where I am - home, hotel, or beach house - I have to be really organized. It does make things run a lot smoother and I do get a little more down time as the crew knows where everything is and can [sometimes] fend for themselves.
It all starts a few days before we leave for our vacation. I do all of the laundry and clean up the house. It makes things a lot easier when you have clothes to pack and a clean house to go through and get what you need. I also have a packing list on my computer that I print each time we go somewhere. I print it out the day we pack and tweak it. I add things that need to be packed in addition to all of our regular stuff. That saves me so much time and headache. There is nothing worse than getting somewhere and not having underwear or a toothbrush.
Then when it comes to packing, I use lots of different bags and bins. I like to organize things so that we can put bags or bins in their respective spot when we arrive at our destination. I use one bag for Luke's clothes and personal care items, one bag for my clothes and personal care items, one bag for Lee's clothes and personal care items, one bag for towels and sunscreen - my pool bag, one bag for beach toys as they get sandy and I like to keep them in a mesh bag to carry down to the beach, one bag for Luke's toys, one bin for dry food, one bin for kitchen needs, a big cooler for food when we get there, a small cooler for drinks in the car, and one bag for snacks and toys for the car. Yes, it seems like a lot, but it really isn't. It's more organized than cramming stuff in a bunch of bags.
I pack each area/bag/bin and bring it all to a certain spot so that Lee can load it all in the car. This way he sees how much we have and how he should load everything up. If you have stuff all over the house, you might have something heavy that ends up on top or have to take stuff out and reload. This saves time and frustration.
When we get to our destination, we can just put each person's bag where they are sleeping, they toys/entertainment in the area where we will be hanging out/playing, the beach/pool stuff near the door so we are ready to go at a moment's notice, and the food and kitchen stuff in the kitchen. It is really nice. It also makes it possible to not have to unpack as stuff is where you need it.
When we get done with our vacation, we just load everything back up, repack the car, and when we get home, we just put stuff back where it goes pretty efficiently. One note - when we are packing to come home, we pick a couple of suitcases to put all the dirty stuff in and one to put all of the clean stuff in (inevitably we pack too much). The dirty suitcases go to the laundry area and the clean suitcase is unpacked. Super easy.
I hope this helps. Enjoy your vacations. :)
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
To-Do List
Anyone who is busy, and who isn't these days, could benefit greatly from using a To-Do List. It's a great way to keep up with what you have to get done, and even better, you get to mark stuff off and feel really good about yourself. ;)
A To-Do List can be made on many different things:
- A notepad
- A sticky note (or series of sticky notes)
- A scrap of paper
- Written in your planner
- Typed up on your computer
It all depends on the user. When I was in college, I used sticky notes. I would put the due date/date of the test on the top and what the thing was (ie Math Test, Spanish Homework Due) and line them up across the top of my desk in order of importance/due date. Then I could throw them away as I finished them. It was a great system.
I like to use a notepad or piece of paper now for daily tasks. I can write out what needs to be done and carry it around with me during the day marking things off as I go.
If you want to keep a master list of things to do like projects, appointments, etc you could write them in your planner. Some people write their to-dos on the day they need to be done in their planner. That is a great idea.
If you are techie, you might like putting your to-do list in a Word document, on an online calendar, or on a sticky note on your desktop (thanks Windows 7 for that neat feature).
The key is to put it where you will see it as it will remind you of what you need to get done.
Some people like to write out their to-dos each day, while some people prefer to make a gigantic list at the beginning of the week and work through it to give them more flexibility. I prefer to know what I need to do each week and then plug things in on my daily to-do list. If I don't get something done, I scratch through it and put it on the next day's list. That works for me.
The key is to write down what you need to get done. Be realistic. There are only 24 hours in a day and you need to sleep, eat, relax, and rest.
A To-Do List can be made on many different things:
- A notepad
- A sticky note (or series of sticky notes)
- A scrap of paper
- Written in your planner
- Typed up on your computer
It all depends on the user. When I was in college, I used sticky notes. I would put the due date/date of the test on the top and what the thing was (ie Math Test, Spanish Homework Due) and line them up across the top of my desk in order of importance/due date. Then I could throw them away as I finished them. It was a great system.
I like to use a notepad or piece of paper now for daily tasks. I can write out what needs to be done and carry it around with me during the day marking things off as I go.
If you want to keep a master list of things to do like projects, appointments, etc you could write them in your planner. Some people write their to-dos on the day they need to be done in their planner. That is a great idea.
If you are techie, you might like putting your to-do list in a Word document, on an online calendar, or on a sticky note on your desktop (thanks Windows 7 for that neat feature).
The key is to put it where you will see it as it will remind you of what you need to get done.
Some people like to write out their to-dos each day, while some people prefer to make a gigantic list at the beginning of the week and work through it to give them more flexibility. I prefer to know what I need to do each week and then plug things in on my daily to-do list. If I don't get something done, I scratch through it and put it on the next day's list. That works for me.
The key is to write down what you need to get done. Be realistic. There are only 24 hours in a day and you need to sleep, eat, relax, and rest.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
What I've Learned from Being Pregnant with Twins
First of all, let me apologize for not having posted for a couple of weeks. I would love to be able to post daily or every other day, but like I said, my posts usually come straight from my life that day and things I think you guys might enjoy hearing about. I occassionally think of something and post about it, but I generally get inspired from life. Well that is what this post is all about.
Since being pregnant with twins, I have seriously had to slow down, sit down, calm down, and try to keep food down. It's been interesting. When I was pregnant with Luke, I wasn't sick a single day, could pretty much do most things, and would just be tired at night. With this pregnancy, I have been sick and exhausted since before I found out I was pregnant, and since I found out they were twins, I have really had to let myself sit down and relax, which for those who know me, know that is not how I like to be. It's harder for me to relax and "do nothing" than to clean my entire house, run errands, and do everything everyone needs.
Well I have figured out that life will not end, my house will not turn into a dump, and everyone will still manage if I don't do everything. It's not going to be like it normally is, but we will still manage. It's been a great revelation. My husband has been awesome. He has picked up the slack, picked up dinner, and picked me up when I feel awful. I can honestly say if it wasn't for him, our house would be way worse and things would be a lot harder. I have had to let go of my guilt and let him help.
I know that the rest of my pregnancy and when the twins are newborns, I am going to have to let go of my anal standards at times and also be willing to let other people help me. That is really hard for me as I am the type that likes to take care of things. I am praying now that I will realize letting others help me is actually a sign of strength not weakness. It's going to be a good learning experience for me.
Since being pregnant with twins, I have seriously had to slow down, sit down, calm down, and try to keep food down. It's been interesting. When I was pregnant with Luke, I wasn't sick a single day, could pretty much do most things, and would just be tired at night. With this pregnancy, I have been sick and exhausted since before I found out I was pregnant, and since I found out they were twins, I have really had to let myself sit down and relax, which for those who know me, know that is not how I like to be. It's harder for me to relax and "do nothing" than to clean my entire house, run errands, and do everything everyone needs.
Well I have figured out that life will not end, my house will not turn into a dump, and everyone will still manage if I don't do everything. It's not going to be like it normally is, but we will still manage. It's been a great revelation. My husband has been awesome. He has picked up the slack, picked up dinner, and picked me up when I feel awful. I can honestly say if it wasn't for him, our house would be way worse and things would be a lot harder. I have had to let go of my guilt and let him help.
I know that the rest of my pregnancy and when the twins are newborns, I am going to have to let go of my anal standards at times and also be willing to let other people help me. That is really hard for me as I am the type that likes to take care of things. I am praying now that I will realize letting others help me is actually a sign of strength not weakness. It's going to be a good learning experience for me.
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