The Organized Nest: Rise and Shine!

She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Proverbs 31:27

I tend to be a little Monica Geller-ish. I actually enjoy cleaning. Cleaning is good edifying fun! Right??

But I often get to a point where one of the following situations happens:

1. I clean too much and don't have time for other fun stuff.

2. I get crazed by my routine and completely neglect certain areas in my house.

3. My schedule changes and I make myself insane trying to get our house back to the way I like it.

All of these things can pose a problem. But the fact remains that my house really does need attention every single day. Here's why:

Jake

Has anyone else dealt with a giant husky in South Carolina? It's not pretty. Not pretty at all. We're coming up on shedding season, so things really get interesting around here in the "Keep the House Clean" department.

Thing 1 and Thing 2

I'm continually amazed at how filthy little girls can get. But they do...my house proves it.

'Nuff said.

A couple of years ago, I found Flylady. She does a great job of making sense out of a mess without getting overwhelmed. She also gets you to establish routines making certain chores second nature (genius!). On top of that, she sends one tiny chore a day (that really no one likes to do, but it only takes a few minutes), so you really don't ever have the huge need of "Spring Cleaning" because you keep up with it all through the year.

But even things like Flylady sometimes need to be tweaked to work for you. So although my house is not the cleanest house in the world, I try hard to make sure it's close! Let's look at how to start the housework list to quickly check those items off My Listy...

Morning Routine:
I admit that I'm not that person that "gets dressed to shoes" first thing in the morning like Flylade insists that I do. I need a minute. I need several cups of coffee and some quiet moments with my iGoogle lists. One list reminds me of what actually has to be accomplished that day. Another reminds me of what we're having for dinner. Since the lists were made in advance, I just have to check them instead of thinking them up!

Then I'm ready to hop up and get dressed for the day. But what I do accomplish right off the bat (usually) is starting a load of laundry. Since the washer and dryer are "conveniently" in the master bathroom, I just throw a load in after I brush my teeth. Then, as I'm waiting on that oh so important pot of coffee to brew, I unload the dishwasher (it only takes me about 2 and 1/2 minutes to do that). With an empty dishwasher, I have no excuses for letting dishes accumulate in the sink for very long. I tell ya, when I get off schedule with the dishwasher, my whole day is wonky. Along the same lines, if I make sure my sink is shiny (or as as shiny as it's going to get!) and my counters are wiped down after breakfast, I am far more likely to keep them clutter free for the rest of the day. Disclaimer: I have gone years without a dishwasher in the past and it's misery. It really is. But I found if I keep up the shiny sink goal, I would still keep dishes washed and out of the sink.

Once everyone is up, we make sure the beds are made (and Homey is responsible for making her bed right after she eats). I feel like a made bed just makes you feel calm when you walk in the bedroom. It is, after all, a room that you rest in. It should look restful. For adults and munchkins. I did not agree with this at all when I was a munchkin. But JMom had other plans and now I'm a bed making nazi. It's one of the most important things I do as far as making the house look put together as opposed to the House of Free For Alls.

At this point, Homey and I can spend some time learning or creating together, and planning our day (obviously when I'm working I am dressed and out of the house rather early, and Homey goes off to school...I try to keep the school routine the same at home, though). When we know our plan for the day, we take a break to play(her)/exercise(me) then get dressed and ready. Right after I get out of the shower, I take Flylady's advice and "swish and swipe" my bathroom (I do the same to Homey's while she's taking a bath at night, but hopefully that will all be under construction soon!). Switch the laundry over then, too, and you're good to go! And it's not even 10 am...sweet.

There's more housework to be done later in the day, but I find that these very fast and simple tasks really set the tone for staying organized all day long. I take on the responsibility of creating a calm and pleasing home for my family. I don't succeed everyday, but overall, I enjoy the calm of my home.

What are your tips for starting the day in an organized and calm way?