It's the beginning of a new week! We have had the hardest time getting used to the time change. I can hear the girls talking well past 9:30pm and we can barely drag ourselves out of bed in the morning. I am determined to do better this week!
I was looking around Martha Stewart's website and found this article on "Six Things to Do Everyday." Here they are....
1. Make the Bed
A crisply made bed makes the whole room seem more orderly, which makes it less likely that you'll let other things -- such as clothes and papers -- pile up around it.
2. Manage Clutter
Whenever you leave a room, take a quick look around for anything that isn't where it should be. Pick it up and put it where it belongs.
3. Sort the Mail
Take a few minutes to open, read, and sort mail as soon as you bring it inside. Keep a trash bin near your sorting area for junk mail.
4. Clean as You Cook
Instead of filling the sink with pots and dishes, wash them or put them in the dishwasher as you prepare a meal.
5. Wipe Up Spills While They're Fresh
Whether it's tomato sauce on the cooktop or makeup on the bathroom counter, almost anything is faster and easier to remove if you attend to it immediately.
6. Sweep the Kitchen Floor
Every evening once you've finished washing up after dinner, sweep the floor. This will keep tough-to-clean dirt and grime from building up, which will make the weekly mopping much quicker.
A few other things we do every morning are start a load of laundry, sweep the bathroom floor and feed the cat and bunny. Are there some things you do everyday, to keep you home running smoothly?
I would also like to teach Grace and Emily two new skills this week...
1. Take a shower by themselves. This won't be fun. They don't like water anywhere near their faces. Bath time has turned into a huge ordeal though, so I need to do something.
2. Do their own laundry. This may take longer than a week! Fortunately, they both want to learn, so I thought I'd take advantage of it. :0)
Lastly, there are some things on my to-do list that I've been putting off for awhile now. I *have* to get them done this week!
1. Mail packages.
2. Write letters.***In progress
3. Make a few baby gifts.***In progress
4. Make dentist appointments.
5. Exercise at least 3 times this week.***Not in progress. ;0)
Do you have some things on your to-do list you've been putting off, too? Maybe we can encourage each other to get them done?! I'm going to use these free printable To-Do Lists.
Whatever you have planned, I hope you have a great start to your week!
33 comments:
My "to-do" is to go through the clothes Ainsley has outgrown (since she was a baby...almost 4 year's worth) and either give them to Goodwill, try to consign them, or save them for my sister in law who will be starting a family soon!
Hi Kelli - Great post! Martha always has tips for staying organized. I need to check out her website too. I like organizing but sometimes life gets out of kilter and it's difficult to get back in the groove. I think a good spring cleaning here at my house might put things in order. I'll think about that tomorrow. :D
Hello Kelli,
Thank you for this great post and the link! I have a diary in which I write what needs to be done that day, and in the upcoming days. I'm much more prepared for the day when I know exactly what needs to be done!
Blessings,
Clare
I've always worked on the theory that if I make beds, wash dishes and tidy everywhere up every day it will always look presentable. The To Do lists are great - I've bookmarked that page. I'm going through bedroom drawers this week it seems. When I set out this morning I just intended to change the bedlinen!
Your to-do list - was a wake up call for me - into action.
Thank you for sharing such a wonderful posting.
Ahhh, teaching kids to shower by themselves...I don't envy. Do you have a shower head that can be taken down(hand-held)? If not, you may want to buy one. They aren't that expensive. This is how I solved teh problem of no water in the face. When they are little, the high shower head combined with rinsing hair just seemed to splash water in their face. So... here is what I did. They would washthemselves, and then call me when it was time to do hair. I'd come in, take down the shower head, wet the hair, hand them the shower head to hold, shampoo hair, they hand me the shower head, rinse hair. Hang shower head back up, I get to leave while they get dried, dressed, etc.
Sorry for the long details. Didn't want to give unwanted advice...
Hi Kelly...just coming by to wish you a blessed week ahead!
Isn't that a great list...I know that when I do those things consistently the house stays so much nicer and cleaning the house is alot less time consuming!
I always get the house picked up before bedtime, that way I wake up to something nice and orderly. This really helps me to get started on the right foot!
I use my Home Management Notebook for keeping up with daily/weekly/monthly tasks around the house. I also use a daily planner that has a "to-do" section. I accomplish so much more when I write things down!
My 9yo is a big help with the laundry. I did a WFMW post a while back about a printable chart that shows the temperature/cycle/etc. for different fabrics. I taped it to the cabinet door above the washing machine. Something like that might help your girls. :)
Blessings,
Mrs. C
Kelli, I have been trying to be good each day by starting a load of laundry and emptying the dishwasher/drainer even before anyone else is up in the morning. My orange tabby cat has a way of helping me get up early even with the time change. Also, I would be lost without my To Do Lists.
The Martha Stewart tips are good - I do all of them but manage my clutter. Thank you for the website. I need to get better at organzing my week - I waste too much time by not have my schedule organized. Even though I can admit this, I still am bad at getting it together - how long can I keep blaming it on the baby?? he he lol :)
Dont ya just love Martha Stewart!!! :)
I loved this post!!! I loved the pretty picture of that bedroom, so adorable! And I love TO DO lists too! I'll post about my To Do's soon too...
Hugs,
Candy
The picture of the bedroom is lovely, but I wouldn't DARE use so much white with my children and all the animals. Would you?
I have to make a few appointments, mail a swap package, volunteer at the library on Wednesday and that is (so far) all I HAVE to do.
Oh! I am going to Curves 5 days a week...I am determined to get my weight back down.
Boring, hu? That's my life! LOL
Terri
I love your tips! I need to organize our shoe rack today. We just have such an abundance of shoes and the rack just isn't getting any bigger. I love how you set goals for your children for the week. Even if they somewhat learn how to do the tasks, at least they are getting somewhere! Blessings to you!
We're having the same struggles with the time change. It doesn't help that we've had such glorious weather that's allowed us to be outside well after dinner!!
You have a very ambitious week planned. I'm sure, though, that you'll arrive at Friday with everything crossed of that to do list!
Hi! I've read your blog off of a couple other friends blogs that I read. I hope you don't mind.
Feel free to visit my blog any time and comment anytime! www.blogginwithlori.blogspot.com
As far as the daily cleaning duties:
I do most all of those same things every day. I make the beds, de-cluttler the house, sort mail, clean as a cook, wipe spills, sweep, and do laundry. I feel much better staying organized and keeping on top of all of these tasks. Thanks for the printable To Do List.
I also need to get on a regular exercise program. Now that it is nicer out that should be easier to do. I love to get outdoors and go for walks. I'm going out walking this afternoon.
Oh, my yes! I NEED to exercise and walk several times a week.
I am a "cleaner as I cook". Often I will put the meal on the table and have absolutely nothing but plates and silverware to take care of when the meal is done. I am famous for that and tried so hard to teach my sons to do the same. But they don't. They will eat a sandwich and leave the mayo on the counter till they are done eating! Eeeek. Not me.
I'm having a hard time still, too, with the sleep thing!
I'm so glad you liked the tea! It is our favorite.
You've inspired me to make out my "to do" list also.
Have a great night!
Karen
It sounds like you have your week well ordered - which is a *great* feeling! :o)
I would also agree with Tracy's tip about a hand-held shower shower nozzle. It's amazing how non-intimidating the water becomes when they control it.
(Also - as someone on the short side - I can quite sympathize with the frustration of a water blast right in the face from a standard height shower head. I can at least reach it to adjust, but that initial wake-up call is NOT fun at-all - lol!)
Oh, just me again. Trying to spread the word to some homeschooling moms, so please pass this along if you're intersted.
Here are the reading selections for next term at Heart-n-Home Booknook! The term will run from April 1st to June 30th. This is a christian group where we "try"
to read according to a gentle schedule and then discuss and share our thoughts as we go. It is very lax and we frequently go at our own pace! (you know, the
one where we fall behind, lol!) So if you like to read and discuss books with others, please join us!
o Keeping Our Children's Hearts by Steve & Terri Maxwell
o Love & Respect by Emmerson Eggerichs
o The Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola
o This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Heart-N-HomeBooknook
Hi Kelli,
Love all Martha's tips! I must admit I do try to follow them to keep things orderly!
I like to keep the bathroom sinks really sparkly and do them every day!
:)
Kelli, I'm so glad you are going to see the dentist! I need to clean the ceiling fan in the living room. I hate that job!
Old Martha is a jolly thing! Actually, I did a lot routinely when I worked and when the kids or grandsons lived here, but now...well, I try to wash a load of clothes every night. I cook, Raf washes. Sometimes I wash. Our daughter, Carolyn, cleans for us...we pay her...helps us and her. After 3 years, I have NO routine at all. I guess that saying is true, "If you're lucky enough to be retired, you're luck enough!"
The main thing that I've been putting off is packing. There is other "fun" stuff to do like getting the new house ready for move-in.
But, moving day is approaching and I really need to get to packing. lol!
Making my bed and doing my devotions in the morning help the day to go smoothly. I also load and run the dishwasher at night and unload in the morning.
Funny-your to-do list is remarkably similar to mine. Just substitute doctor for dentist and we would be twins! ;-)
I just love Martha Stewart's ideas! One thing that I always put off is ironing...though I do love how nice everything looks after it's done, I have a hard time getting started.
I need to get busy on a to-do list, thanks for the push. I started working out last week, but stopped due to some ankle problems. I need to start back, but exercising is one of my least favorite things and it's always so hard to just get going with it. Good luck with bath/laundry time!
The only one of those not on my to-do list is make the bed. I can't! There's always someone in it! Jack works at night, so he's in there during the day. I am in there during the night! *LOL*
http://lisaishere.blogspot.com/
Kelli, great list. Thanks for the added encouragement for us all to stay focused on what will actually make keeping our homes neater and cleaner.
I am mentally determined to keep up my exercise routine which I started back on this morning. Hope the old body can keep up! ;)
I wish I had a bedroom like that first pic! LOL
Great post.
And if your child is anything like mine it will definitly take longer than a week to teach them laundry. Mine's been learning for months now!
Hello dear Kelli:-) I'm back...I was only away for a few days but feel like I've been gone a month! lol Trying to catch up with everyone's news now!! It sounds like you had a really fun St Patrick's Day...I wanna move in with you! hehe As for Martha's tips, I was surprised I actually do most of what was listed! lol xox
Kelli, I usually put my to-do list on my blog! LOL. I like the tips for keeping organized and my favorite is to go through the mail. It really does help keep the paper clutter down.
Kelli you are such an inspiration. I'm sitting here dreading that I have to start back mowing and you are actually enjoying your yard.
I tried a little gardening last year and will again this year, but I haven't started it yet.
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