28 Days to Mary and Martha

First off, Amanda is the winner (and the only one who entered :) ) the giveaway for these two books. Enjoy, Amanda!

Now, the beginning of our 28-Day Challenge…28 Days to Mary and Martha

By the end of the 28 days, I hope that I am in the regular habit of reading my bible first thing in the morning (I'm joing Red and Honey's 30 for 30 for this), and doing the basics around the house, every.single.day.

During these 28 days, I will be following the book 28 Days to Hope for Your Home, in addition to working on some extra assignments to get things in order around here.

I can only pick one habit to share from the book, so you'll have to buy the book to learn all the awesome tips Dana has to share…here's the one habit I'm sharing…

Do your dishes! Now, and every single day. Make that your first habit. As simple as that sounds, it works!

I feed 4 kids, 3 or more times a day. I cook every meal (okay, there are days where I just stick a Pizza Pocket in the microwave!), and I have lots to wash. I don’t normally wash dishes as we use them. I let the dishwasher get full, start it, and let clean dishes sit, while we are dirtying more dishes. I let dishes sit in the sink, or on the counter, overnight. Most nights.

After reading the first, and most important habit of the book, I got up, and washed my dishes.





Before

I focused on doing only my dishes, and you know what? Once they were all clean and put away, I could actually get to the counters to wipe them off! And you know what else? I wanted to clean the rest of the kitchen.

After



Day 1: stop reading, and wash some dishes :)

If you have little ones you need to keep occupied, a dumped out Battleship game does wonders for keeping them busy!



I didn’t dump the game out myself, the kids gladly helped with that last week, but I’m thinking that the next time I have a time-consuming project, I’ll either be dumping the game, legos, or puzzles. Not kidding.



Here are the areas I’ll be working on during the next four weeks:

• Kitchen
• Laundry
• Playroom (or wherever you keep the kids toys)
• Spare bedroom/craft room/home office

 

I will probably not go in order, and some days I'll work on the master bedroom, or the kids room, because my cute little tornadoes are very sporadic on the rooms they destroy customize.

 

If you are joining me, I'd love to year about your journey in the comments throughout the challenge! And if you're a blogger, please share your link if you are document your "spring cleaning", whatever that may look like for you.







A giveaway, and why I can't "Spring Clean"

I am seeing all these posts about spring cleaning...checklists, books, calendars...

As much as I would love to join in on someones Spring Cleaning challenge, I cannot.

Why?

Well...In order to wipe down my refrigerator, I'd be forced to empty it completely, of all the leftovers. Then, I have extra dishes to wash, and put away.  On top of the dishes that I already didn't wash from yesterday and this morning. And probably some pans from before that. So, a simple task like wiping out the refrigerator turns into a huge project for me.

And somewhere in between all that, I have a baby to nurse, and 3 preschoolers to watch. And laundry. Can't forget those cloth diapers that need attention!

I've been following the blog A Slob Comes Clean, for a while now, and love all her great tips.

After much internal debate (I am trying to curb my e-book addiction), I finally bought a book that might actually help me. At least I hope so! It's written by the author of the above mentioned blog.

In 2 days (April 3rd) I will be starting a 28-day challenge, following the book 28 Days to Hope for Your Home and would love for you to join me!

(written by Dana):28 Days to Hope for Your Home includes:
•Twenty-eight days of specific instructions to help you develop four basic (but essential) home management habits.

•Insights into why these concepts seem foreign to you.

•Practical tips to keep you from giving up.

•Bonus sections with realistic strategies for laundry management, meal prep, and decluttering.

•More than 45 pages of all new, exclusive content!

Before I write my first post about the 28-day challenge, I'll be announcing the winner of this PDF version of the 2 E-book set: 28-Days of Hope for Your Home and Drowning in Clutter?

To enter, just leave me a comment in this post telling me your name and your most challenging homemaking task.

If you want to by-pass the giveaway, you can buy the set here, and use the code SPRING13 to get both books for only $5.00, pdf version.

*There are affiliate links in this post, but I have not been paid for promoting the book, nor have I been given any free product. I purchased this book myself to review and share...and hopefully to learn from! I've already started reading some of the tasks, and it sounds doable, even for me, with 4 little ones at home all day with me!

I will announce the winner Wednesday morning. Please don't forget to check my first post of the day, and also Facebook. The winner will need to e-mail.

Hello Mornings, Goodbye Stress

I don’t like mornings, or challenges.

So, I got this brilliant idea to sign up for Hello Mornings.

And you know what? It is great. I love it. Not the mornings part, of course, but since I have to be up in the morning anyway, I might as well figure out how to make use of my time, right?

I have been reading the bible more consistently, reading my bible study book This Girl’s Still Got It, and praying over my husband and my children. You can click here and scroll down to "Downloadable Resources" for a prayer calendar.

It is a great feeling, knowing that you are praying for your loved ones consistently.

Even if I don’t get to the dishes, or even get dressed, before the kids get up, just those few things I am able to do seem to help me be ready for the day by the time my kids get up. Prayer is truly amazing.

I was introduced to Laine's Letters a few years ago, and have only recently been appreciating her words. She has taken the verse referenced in the picture to be her "Life Verse" in a way. The "food" she provides to her children before sunrise is spiritual food. Prayer. She prepares the day for her family, with help from the Lord. Amazing. You will also find, if you read her letters, that she utilizes modern appliances as her "maidservants" and gets all those going first thing in the morning. What a novel idea. Dishwasher, laundry, crockpot...

If you aren’t already, I encourage you to try to put in place a morning routine. Just make a list of a few things you’d like to do (examples: read the bible, pray, exercise, plan your day, meal prep). Try to limit your list, for those days where your kids are up with you (it happens here very often) or come up with an alternate plan.

I don’t aim very high for my morning goals J If I can read a few bible verses and pray using these calendars, I’m good. If I am able to do more, even better!

We have a playroom, so lately I’ve been taking my bible, by binder, and my Kindle into the playroom, along with my 6-month-old daughter and 3-year-old niece. They play, and I read and pray.

As I’m reading, I have also been writing out scripture cards to place around the house. I could really use some God-encouragement during the hectic days!

Do you have a morning plan? What are your tips for meeting your morning goals?

Life Happens

I had planned on being done with Tsh's 10-day challenge by the end of this month.

That is obviously not going to happen :o)

My kids have been sick for....ever, I think. And my 5 month old is working on some new teeth. Ouch. Needless to say, the house is a mess, and I haven't started my 10-Day challenge yet!

Looks like there's going to be some sanitizing going on around here along with the decluttering. And tea drinking.

How do you manage your household and sick kids, at the same time? This is the first time in 4 years that everyone has been sick at the same time! Except me. I don't get the luxury of being sick and staying in bed :o) which is definitely good for my family. Someone needs to take care of them!

Ten Day Challenge-Simplify Day 1

I was searching fo a picture, and came across this post. She sounds like me!

If you do not own Organized Simplicity, I highly recommend it. You can purchase it here. You can still do this challenge without it, but there are some great words in the book. It truly is inspiring!

To quickly summarize the first 8 chapters of the book (because I am already behind :) ) here you go:

Stuff weighs you down. It is a time waster. A money waster. An object of many sleepless nights, for some.

Once you eliminate all the extra "stuff" you have in your home, you will be able to make better use of your time and resources.

The first step to determining what to eliminate is to figure out a family purpose statement. I have read this book about 3 times (not the challenge part, just the first portion) and still have not come up with a purpose statement.

I have some ideas of what I would like, but putting it into words is hard. We'll save that for next month.

I do know what my ideals are. I want a simple home. I would like to be able to invite people over, without stressing out about finding a home for all this stuff I have around the house. I would like to be able to go to the park with my kids, and actually enjoy it, because I am not worried about the home I should be cleaning.

I would love to not worry about finding homes for so many miscellaneous items that we really do not need. I would love to pass up great sales, because I know that that particular item has no place in my home.

You can follow my Organized Home Pinterest board for some inspiration.

Day 1 of the Challenge:

Per the book, you have 5 receptacles. Give, Sell, Maybe, Garbage, Recycle. I am using 3. Give, Garbage, and Recycle.

Tsh advises you to create a garage sale box, and start preparing for a garage sale. That does not work around here. The kids (ok, and I) tend to look through "garage sale" boxes again, just in case there is something we want to keep. And there always is. So, we're boxing things up, taping the boxes, and donating them. Feel free to do whichever would work best for you.

Go through your whole house, getting rid of every item you know has no business there. If you pick something up and think about it for more than 5 seconds, toss it in your "maybe" box and move on to the next item.

Today, you are dealing with the items that basically take no thought. They are visible as soon as you enter a room. Garbage, junk mail, coins scattered throughout, figurines you have on your mantle that are just not that beautiful to you anymore. Do you have a half finished project that has been sitting around for a year? Unless you are positive you are going to finish it, just toss it out today.

I have lots of baby items sitting around my house that my 5 month old has outgrown. Those, I will be selling. If you can, carry your phone around, take pictures of the bigger items you want to sell, and post them on Craigslist or another type of classified in your area. Try doing that by the end of the day.

Just a side note, keep your family members in mind. Don't throw their stuff away, unless you have seriously reached your limit! If they are old enough, give them the tasks, and have them help you go around the house. My 4 year old is helping me. He isn't emotionally tied to much right now. I should learn a thing or two from him!

At the end of the day, take your trash and recycle boxes to the bins outside, and tape up your other boxes. Done!

Ready? Go!

Since it's Friday, you can extend this task a few more days. Monday we'll start on the Living Room.

The Challenge to Simplify

                                                     

My ideal getaway is to a very simple place. I would not need to get out and see the sights, or taste delicious food.

My ideal getaway smells of nothing (because there is no cleaner smell!).

The walls are almost bare, and there are no toys on the floor.

Dishes don’t get out of hand, because there are so few dishes.

You have to wash them in order to use them at the next meal.

My ideal getaway is calm and quiet.

There are not too many distractions for the kids.

I can pull out crayons and paper, and color away.

I don’t have to worry about the messes, because there are few.

Do you know where I am?

A hotel.

Really, that is my ideal. No, I don’t want to live in a hotel.

But yes, I do love the look.

It took  me quite a while to realize what it was about our family trips that I really enjoyed. Besides being with my family. We’re always together at home anyway J

I love the simplicity of a hotel room.

I crave that simplicity at home.

For 10 days, we are going to follow Organized Simplicity. My hope is that by the end of the 10 days, we will all be able to breath a sigh of relief when we walk into our homes. Or when we wake up in the morning.

Wouldn’t that be amazing?

Go on Pinterest. Look at magazines. Figure out what your ideal home looks like on the inside (if you don't already know). That’s what we are going for.

Keep an eye out for the official Day 1 of Organized Simplicity post!

Also, if you are joining in, would you post a comment and let me know where your biggest struggle with clutter is?

Simplify Your To-Do List Part 2

How'd your priorities list go? Were you able to completely eliminate anything?

Were you able to completely eliminate anything, and not feel guilty about it?

I did eliminate, and I do feel guilty. I can't help but feel guilty about all that I plan not to do. Am I really going to not craft with my kids? Keep my son from the Awana experience this year? Meal plan instead of experimenting in the kitchen? Not attend every possible playdate?

Yes. Yes I am.

Because if I eliminate all of that, there is so much more that I can be doing. I can stop cleaning and organizing an office/craft room that we never use. I can get rid of boxes of miscellaneous craft boxes. I can stop spending money on discount fabric, because I know that I do not have the time to sew anything right now.  I can have a relaxing evening with my kids, instead of 2 hours of out-and-about time during the baby's bedtime, which is when Awana takes place. I can take another look at the kid toys we have, and look at them from a different perspective. I can look at what I want my kids to have, and not what other kids might want to play with when they come over. I can declutter their toys and breath a huge sigh of relieve as I load the boxes of donated items into the van.

I am excited at the prospect of getting rid of stuff I didn't know that I do not need.

Today, grab a box. Just start with one simple box. Fill that box up with items in the category you eliminated from your schedule. After you fill the box up, tape it closed, and put it in your car. Donate immediately, before you change your mind! Then, if you feel like a huge weight lifted off your shoulders, grab another box, and continue!

I have three boxes opened in the office/craft room. I'll be loading up craft items to donate, toys that I  have saved to make sure I have lots to play with when other kids come over, and kitchen stuff. I tend to stock up based on who might visit, rather than who lives here. I probably have 20 kids bowls, plates and cups in my kitchen.

If you are joining me on this journey to Simplify, I'd love to hear about it!

P.S. Tomorrow, we are going to envision what a home Simplified looks like to us.