I tend to have motivational energy that comes in spurts. I’ll get the urge to organize and clean everything in sight. Watch out, I may just take a feather duster to ya! (If I dusted, because… shhhh, I hardly ever dust)!
Then there are days where I don’t have a single ounce of ambition in my bones! I look around and the sky is quite literally falling, in the Little household.
Dishes are piled up; fishy crackers are broken all over the floor; mail, papers and junk is cluttered all over the place; clothes are piled high on my dresser….
Are you like that? Please say I’m not the only one.
It got me thinking. I LOVE Mondays! I thrive on Mondays! I had to ask myself why. Why, Traci?
Because I have a PLAN! I know what my duties are for the day. Monday is my laundry day. I also empty out all the trash cans, and return random hair bands and other such items back to their rightful home. It feels so good to get a fresh start-over each week.
So why not have a plan for the rest of the week? Sounds simple, but I’ve tried to develop a schedule for years. Here’s my new plan (we’ll see of it works):
HAVE A CLEANING PLAN
Monday– Laundry/Empty Trash Cans/Clear Clutter
Tuesday– Vacuum/Dust
Wednesday– Bathrooms
Thursday– Mop Floors/Clean Shower
Friday– Tackle one big project (Clean Fridge/Clean A Closet, etc)
HAVE A MEAL/GROCERY PLAN
Do you plan your meals a day in advance? A week? What about a month?
I must admit that, many times, 4 o’clock rolls around, and I am scrambling to see what I can make for dinner.
Having a schedule would certainly help!
PLAN TO STAY ORGANIZED
Is your house completely unorganized right now? Maybe you’d consider:
Getting rid of some “junk”:
- Throw things away you wouldn’t want to receive from someone else.
- Pack up stationary baby/kids clothing and let someone at church borrow them.
- See what items you might like to give away.
- Are there items that you could sell? Consider having a garage sale, gathering items to take to a thrift store, sell things on ebay or craigslist?
Let everything have a place:
One of my husband’s biggest pet peeves is when I move/clean one area and can’t remember where a transferred things to! If our home were more organized, I would know (theoretically) where everything was. Instead of clearing out one “hot spot” and transferring the junk to another hidden area, why not clean it up for good?
Organization is calming!
I’ve noticed, that after we clean up and get organized, my kids get almost giddy! The stressful atmosphere seems to have been swept away with the clutter.
PLAN TO SPEND TIME WITH THE LORD!
The most important thing we can do is plan to have time with the Lord. Without spending time with my Heavenly Father everyday, my world gets pretty hectic. My soul gets frazzled and anxious.
The only time that I can be sure to fit this in my life is in the early morning. (I’m no morning person, trust me)! If all goes as planned, I love to get up and do some exercise first. This wakes me up in order to get the most out of my time in God’s Word.
A wonderful accountability group for women: Good Morning Girls! I love my group of girls. You should totally check it out.
How do YOU make order out of Chaos? Do you have a M-F cleaning schedule that works? How do you stay organized?
I’m Unwrapping
A Peaceful Home Today
Thanks for visiting!
Terese says
Hi Traci,
Just last week, Ashley and I sat down and planned out our meals for the week. She’s the pickiest eater, so it was important for me to have her “on board.” We made our list and went shopping. After a $90 trip, we didn’t need any “last minute” (aka $20 here and there) Wegmans stops all week. We did spend $30 on a family birthday party for her, but would you believe, I still have food (and a plan) for this week!? I also made her a delicious raspberry filled chocolate cake for pennies compared to a bakery. Last night I ran out for a bunch of household stuff I was short on, but was well below budget. I still have another $50 or so to spend on groceries this week. Now, about the daily chores, go for it! I have never had success with that, but am now encouraged to give it a try again. 🙂
Southern Gal says
A plan, a purpose and a way to accomplish it. Always a win/win.
Lots of good advice, Traci.
Theresa says
I do a quick clean up each morning after breakfast and one before going to bed. That keeps things organized. I do my heavy cleaning all on one day, usually Friday or Saturday. That way the house is all clean at once. If I do a different room each day, I feel like the whole house is never clean at once.
Kim - A Creative Spirit says
OK, I have to admit, I don’t clean. I pay my daughter to do it every two weeks, then I only have maintenance in between. Hey she need the $$$ and I hate cleaning. I am also paying her now to do FALL cleaning. She is doing the deep down dirty once a year stuff…. then I also give her $$$ to help with the organizing. She is an organizing monster… If she thinks things need pitched she then takes all of the trash or donations with her cuz she knows I may trash pick if she leaves the stuff behind. :o) LOVE my daughter.
Lara says
We MUST be soul sisters. I clean in spurts as well! And MOnday is laundry day and a day I love. i recently made a binder that has my meal plans and weekly agenda in it. It has been so helpful. When I’m feeling lazy, I pop it open and remember what things need to get done.
Alisha says
Oh my goodness, Traci. I was just thinking about this today because my house looks like a bomb went off in it.
I USED to do FLYLady’s system, but then my hubby got on this weirdo schedule and with homeschooling, it sometimes seems like I live 2 lives. So cleaning just really falls to the wayside here. And I’m completely outnumbered on the people who leave things out instead of put it up, and really, it makes me so mad! And then I yell, and then I feel bad. So pretty much I do small spurts of stuff. So you’re not alone, lol. I’m not only chaotic, but I’m insane, too.
Rebecca says
I also have energy in spurts like that! I find i dont want to clean when mike is home b/c i want to spend time with him. Then when hes at work i like to clean and get everything done. This first trimester is killing me though- not motivation at all! And for meals, i love to plan ahead.
Danielle Makri says
Great post, Trace! My plan is just trying to keep things organized all throughout the day so it doesn’t get overwhelming. I usually empty the dishwasher first thing in the morning and fill it as I dirty the dishes. I always try to have a clean sink! I As I’m cooking I clean as I go… i throw a load of laundry in every night to wash the clothes we’ve worn for the day. I wash whites every other day. The organizing of closets etc. is like an every season thing. =D I really try to put things away in their rightful place as soon as I’m finished with them….so my dresser doesn’t get piled high. It makes less work and takes only a few minutes to do things right the first time I find. I plan my meals for two weeks at a time! It really really is a time saver…and $$ money saver too! I got all my groceries for 2 weeks and still had 1/2 my grocery money left over! Being organized makes me feel WONDERFUL and I know makes my hubby happy too. Love you! Thank you so much for your words of wisdom and advice. You’re always a blessing!
Missy says
You are definitely not the only one. There are days where I have so much energy and motivation I feel I can clean the whole house (which of course doesn’t happen.)
Then there are days where I don’t even want to get out of bed because I am so overwhelmed with all that needs done.
I have done meal planning in the past, but that fell to the wayside during the summer months. I am hoping to get started back on that this next week.
Sherry @ Lamp Unto My Feet says
Used to do Flylady, but have just been fluttering along lately. The kids and I have been trying to establish a better routine. 🙂
Loving Good Morning Girls! 🙂 Getting up before everyone else does and doing my morning Bible reading and prayer is such a fantastic way to start the day.
Crystal says
I TRY to make Monday my cleaning day, but I don’t always have the motivation. I could’ve written this post myself!! I am just like that!!
I do manage to get most of the laundry done on my husband’s duty day (Navy- every 8 days he has to spend a full 24 hours on his boat), and since we only have one car, I just stay in all day often in my pjs straightening up, and doing laundry!! I miss him, but those are the days I find more motivation often.
momstheword says
I really need to start meal planning again. I am tired of saying it and not doing it!
Yes, I have a weekly plan that works for me. I even have straightening my pantry on it, because it is easier to straighten my pantry once a week than to let it build up and then fall on my head or have expired food in it.
If you’d like to see a copy of my weekly schedulehere’s a link.
Rachel @ The Cupcake Sprinkles In Life says
We menu plan 2 weeks out at a time. I typically clean house on Tuesday- the big stuff… and the little stuff, like, all the time!
🙂
Eastlyn and co. says
Traci-I’m so glad I saw this post when I did! I am the Queen of Clutter and my residence is in the Kingdom of Chaos! It is sooo disheartening. I do not have a plan and I do not have the energy to do what I need to do. I started today (9/24/10) trying to tackle the chaos that my life has become, and I didn’t get very far. i think I suffer from ADHD (Attention Deficit to Housework Disorder). My life is out of control, and it feels horrible. I’m going to try to get it together. I’ve taken before pics just so people can see what I’m working with (not pretty I guarantee you) and hope to have some after pics, too, with the help of blog buddy feedback. Please stop by and offer a word or two of encouragement when you have a chance. I need all the help I can get! -E