With 3 little ones, books, magazines, junk mail, papers, dishes, laundry, cleaning and simply time with my husband was an overwhelming struggle for me. I'd look at things that needed to be done, start trying to get it done, but quickly became overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of it all. I'd be full of anxiety and I'd shut down.
I was a part of an email group by the name of "Skinny Moms" when we were talking about organization among one of the many times we talked. One dear lady mentioned FLYlady and I disregarded her suggestion for a couple months. I thought to myself, "Just going to a website isn't going to help me." I continued in the state where things were just overwhelming and tried my best to keep things moving. I got so overwhelmed and just sat in the middle of the laundry room with piles 3+ feet deep around me, and I cried out to God for help. After a few minutes of wallowing in self pitty, I got the laundry moving and went to tend to my kids. I sat down at the computer and my friend who had suggested FLYlady before had sent an email about it (God's timing!). I finally went to the website and started reading the first page. My interest was piqued and I kept reading about this timer thing.
Do all that you can in one area in 15 minutes, then move on to the next area. Do that
for 3 separate 15 minute intervals, then set the timer one last time for 15 minutes,
get a drink, put your feet up and relax. Love yourself enough to bless yourself with
this time. You've earned it! Once the timer goes off again, start back at your
beginning point, then do the rotation again until you've got everything
done--dishes, cleaning and etc.
Where to begin, though? Well, since the kitchen is the heart of the home, she suggested starting by emptying the sink and shining it. Not just a quick "swish" of everything, but getting the scrubbie, gel bleach scrub and going to town on every nook, crack, and cranny. She told me/us that we needed to make sure our sinks were shined before going to bed every night. This is such a simple beginning! It was so silly and didn't make sense, but I did it anyway. I did it for 3 days, adding to it each day.
then the towers fell....
Everything stood still. We were fixated on the news for 2 months, doing just the barest of essentials just in case we heard anything else.
one day in November...
I slowly began shining my sink and doing things 15 minutes at a time. I knew I needed to gain a semblance of control in our house with 3 young children and a husband to care for. As the days went by, I was able to branch out because things got a little easier with cleaning and keeping things cared for.
I started getting my Control Journal together and to this day it has gone through many changes, but the basics remain the same. I stumbled upon an email in those couple of weeks about a Holiday Planning Journal. It intrigued me, so I started it. I planned weeks in advance to buy staples so I could bake cookies with my kids. I planned for the menus for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, but forgot New Years. The food was purchased way in advance for everything, except for the fresh veggies I needed that I planned to buy a couple days in advance. I planned gifts to give to my children and family, started writing out Christmas cards mid-November and I've never looked back. I've changed how I do things over the years, but essentially things are the same.
I begin planning on October 1st now. I have a grocery list that I add the non-perishable things to each pay period so I'm not inundated with the massive amount of food to buy. I pick out recipes and do shopping for those items weeks in advance. I've also set aside one day each week for baking Christmas cookies. I have in years past, set aside time each night to fill out 5 Christmas cards each night to make sure I have them done by December 1st. I haven't done this in the past 5 or so years, though. We've resorted to getting special cards for parents, uncles/aunts, brothers/sisters, nieces/nephews along with gift cards.
What about my plans for 2015?
I am already looking for patterns that I hope to get to make for everyone for Christmas 2015. I would like to get started in January purchasing things, then in February and March during my recoup time, knitting on those things. I have grandiose plans, but honestly, those plans could be changed by life happening. (holding my plans loosely) Between March and the end of September, I plan to pack up everything to be ready to move. I've already decluttered some of our books to sell and I'm packing up other books that I'd like to keep. Amazingly, I have 6 boxes set aside to sell and half a box packed.
Once we're settled, I plan to get my Holiday Planning Journal back out, making adjustments as needed, and making different plans for being with family over the holidays--hosting and visiting.
Life's changes are always coming along, throwing us a curve ball, but the biggest blessing has been the daily routines. I can always tell what throws my day off when the routines are not followed and it makes everything a chaos. Then when I step back, look around, and realize I need to shine my sink, grab my timer and go, knowing that just 15 minutes will make a big difference.
On a side note, when my daily Bible reading and prayer time has been neglected, I can tell too. When chaos reins, important things go by the wayside.
As we are an hour from 2015, I'm ringing in the new year watching Duck Dynasty with my family. Tomorrow morning we'll get up and sand the plaster filled holes in the kitchen, wipe and reapply as needed. I hope to be able to paint by Saturday. Needless to say, we've discovered more that needs filled in and we're just taking care of it. Once this is all done, we'll move on to the next room. I'm hoping to have all this needful stuff done by the time my surgery comes along. I'm hoping.... ;)
Have a lovely New Year!
God Bless,
I begin planning on October 1st now. I have a grocery list that I add the non-perishable things to each pay period so I'm not inundated with the massive amount of food to buy. I pick out recipes and do shopping for those items weeks in advance. I've also set aside one day each week for baking Christmas cookies. I have in years past, set aside time each night to fill out 5 Christmas cards each night to make sure I have them done by December 1st. I haven't done this in the past 5 or so years, though. We've resorted to getting special cards for parents, uncles/aunts, brothers/sisters, nieces/nephews along with gift cards.
What about my plans for 2015?
I am already looking for patterns that I hope to get to make for everyone for Christmas 2015. I would like to get started in January purchasing things, then in February and March during my recoup time, knitting on those things. I have grandiose plans, but honestly, those plans could be changed by life happening. (holding my plans loosely) Between March and the end of September, I plan to pack up everything to be ready to move. I've already decluttered some of our books to sell and I'm packing up other books that I'd like to keep. Amazingly, I have 6 boxes set aside to sell and half a box packed.
Once we're settled, I plan to get my Holiday Planning Journal back out, making adjustments as needed, and making different plans for being with family over the holidays--hosting and visiting.
Life's changes are always coming along, throwing us a curve ball, but the biggest blessing has been the daily routines. I can always tell what throws my day off when the routines are not followed and it makes everything a chaos. Then when I step back, look around, and realize I need to shine my sink, grab my timer and go, knowing that just 15 minutes will make a big difference.
On a side note, when my daily Bible reading and prayer time has been neglected, I can tell too. When chaos reins, important things go by the wayside.
As we are an hour from 2015, I'm ringing in the new year watching Duck Dynasty with my family. Tomorrow morning we'll get up and sand the plaster filled holes in the kitchen, wipe and reapply as needed. I hope to be able to paint by Saturday. Needless to say, we've discovered more that needs filled in and we're just taking care of it. Once this is all done, we'll move on to the next room. I'm hoping to have all this needful stuff done by the time my surgery comes along. I'm hoping.... ;)
Have a lovely New Year!
God Bless,
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