Food Basket Turnover
I'm always in need of some meal management help this time of year as busy school schedules set in. And I found the help I needed...in baskets! Dividing pantry items into actual meals and sorting in plastic bins or baskets, and deciding on what's for dinner is much easier. I used mostly simple meals; tacos, spaghetti, baked chicken, vegetable soup, and simple sides paired with each main dish.
Each meal's ingredients is in it is own basket, and I have almost a dozen of them. The freezer and refrigerator are also easily stocked with needed items for these meals. I chose stacking plastic bins that fit on my pantry shelf. Once the baskets are set up and in use, a grocery list to replenish items is quick to assemble, and trying a new recipe or an old favorite that isn't in one of the bins is also easy to add.
On those busy days, I find myself standing in front of the bins and marveling at how easy this makes it! Simply pull out the desired basket or bin and all of the ingredients are there for quick dinner preparation. Whether it’s a simple meal of chicken, green beans, and rice, or the ingredients for your special soup or Fettuccini Alfredo with shrimp, try setting up a few standby baskets in your pantry.
Chicken Enchiladas
Autumn Fruit salad
Ingredients on hand: about one and a half pounds of chicken breasts, cooked and chopped, tortillas, 2 cans enchilada sauce, 1 box Zattaran's black beans and rice, prepared as directed, Mexican blend cheese, mini marshmallows, 1 can of mandarin oranges, red grapes, 1 chopped green apple, vanilla yogurt, and chopped nuts.
To prepare enchiladas: combine cooked chicken, prepared rice, and 1 1/2 cans of enchilada sauce. Spoon half of remaining sauce into a treated 9 x 12 dish, reserving the remaining sauce for the top. Spoon the chicken mixture into tortillas and roll, placing seam down in dish. Spread remaining sauce on top of tortillas and top with cheese. Bake 30 minutes covered loosely with foil. Remove foil and cook an additional 10 minutes. To prepare fruit salad: drain oranges and combine with grapes, apple, and a handful of marshmallows. Stir in yogurt and sprinkle with nuts.
Cathy Haynie and her husband, Jack, have three children and live in Madison. Cathy is the Headmaster of Christ Covenant School in Ridgeland. She occasionally speaks to women’s groups on Honoring God in the Home and Balancing Work and Home. Contact her at chaynie@christcovenantschool.net
9 Tips for Back to School Success
The stores are already stocked with lunch boxes and backpacks and colored notebooks. This time of year is a relief to many as families get back into routines. However, others might have a since of dread as they anticipate homework battles and working hard to overcome learning obstacles. Here are a few ideas to consider that could help your child have a great school year.
1. ) Prepare the night before. Help children settle into the routine of taking a few minutes each evening to lay out clothes, pack lunches, and place backpacks beside the door.
2.) Consider organizing for the week. Take it a step further by having your child select and lay out clothes for the entire week. This weekend activity makes what might be a stressful everyday issue into a onetime deal. Many lunch preparations can be also done in quantity once a week.
3.) Homework tool box. As you shop for school supplies, be sure to stock up at home too. Project supplies, plenty of pencils and paper, note cards, and other tools your child needs to accomplish homework help things go smoother, particularly during a busy week.
4.) Homework help. If homework tends to drag on with lots of complaining, try a timer. Set the timer for 15 to 20 minutes for work, then 4 to 5 for a break to walk around, get water, or go to the restroom.
5.) Homework surroundings. Pay attention to what makes up the ideal homework environment for your student- does he need to be with others or alone? Working at a desk or on the floor? Children, like adults, have ideal environments that enhance concentration. It takes a little trial and error to determine what that looks like.
6.) Study within your learning style. If your child is more of an auditory learner or is talkative, be sure he spends some time just talking things out either with you or alone. He should read material out loud and let you call out questions for a test. If your child is visual or likes to draw, be sure he studies with colored pens and markers and draws pictures and diagrams. If your child is tactile kinesthetic or likes to move around and is always touching things, be sure he changes his study environment often, even walking around the house, sitting on the stairs, as well as finding ways to interact with information like using a real plant when studying about plants.
7.) Getting to class with all the right stuff. If organization is a problem, particularly for older students, try color coding subjects. Purchase book covers and matching notebooks in solid colors, so that he can grab all the red ones for math, the yellow for history, and so forth. For students with lockers, a shelf can divide morning classes from afternoon.
8.) Write it down. Help your student plan assignments with a calendar. Plan projects in increments and note special events on the calendar that might cut into work time so that he will begin to study ahead in order not to miss a soccer game.
9.) Couch potato time. Hopefully, your student is no coach potato, but it is a good idea to sit down on the coach for a few minutes with your student after you get home. Go through assignments, ask questions about his day, plan out schedules, and clean out the backpack together, setting it up for the next day. Reading with younger children, calling out math facts, and more will help your student succeed, and it provides a few minutes of quality coach potato time minus the television.
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Cathy Haynie and her husband Jack have three teenagers and make their home in Madison. Cathy is the Headmaster of Christ Covenant School and occasionally speaks to groups on Honoring God in the Home and Balancing Work and Home. Contact her at chaynie@christcovenantschool.net.
Get the Hay in the Barn
There is a story told in the book, Martin Luther Had a Wife, about Sarah Edwards, wife of theologian, Jonathan Edwards that can inspire home managers today. It was this autumn time of year when there is much to be done on busy farms. Jonathan looked up from his studies and said to his wife, “Isn’t it about time for the hay to be cut?” Sarah replied to her husband, “It’s been in the barn for two weeks.”
Now, cutting hay may not be on your to do list, but the principle is the same. Are you a forward thinker? Do you get the basic necessities of home management done in such a timely fashion that allows you to feel peaceful about your home management rather than stressed out?
The Proverbs 31 woman was so prepared that she “could laugh at the days to come.” I don’t typically find myself laughing at the days ahead of me. I often measure my days in terms of my to-do list, including laundry, messes, and meals. It is not unusual for today’s home manager to be working last minute, barely getting by, and accomplishing only that which must be done right away. This way of doing things is enslaving, while Sarah Edwards’ way is freeing. When we have “the hay in the barn” or meals planned out, laundry caught up, and our home management on track, we are okay when plans change, when a child gets sick, or when an opportunity for something fun comes along. We are more available to minister, to practice hospitality, and to enjoy our friends and family, and even our home management.
Summer is a perfect time to get the hay in the barn for today’s busy home managers. Consider what you might do here and there to be ready for the fall, such as perhaps putting meals in the freezer here and there or cleaning out closets. I also remind myself that “in all labor there is profit” (Proverbs 14:13) and get going on my list, just one small thing at a time. Once the “hay is in the barn”, its time to relax and enjoy the home we work so hard to manage!
“Go to the ant you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which having no captain, overseer, or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep” A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep- so shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, and your need like an armed man.” Proverbs 6:6-11
Cathy Haynie and her husband, Jack, have three children and live in Madison. Cathy is the Headmaster of Christ Covenant School in Ridgeland. She occasionally speaks to women’s groups on Honoring God in the Home and Balancing Work and Home. Contact her at chaynie@christcovenantschool.net.
Making the Most of Dorm Rooms and Other Small Spaces
It won’t be long before 18-year-olds across the country move into dorm rooms and the tiniest closet they have ever seen. Mine will be one of them! That’s nothing, you may be thinking, because tight spaces can be a way of life for many of us. Here are some ideas for the college freshman, those of us that still feel 18, and those of us trying to get more stuff into already full closets. Happy organizing!
Closets: utilize floor to ceiling storage. Step shelves, crates, shoe organizers, and rod extenders to make double rods all help. Hanging space can also be maximized with several tools, including hangers designed for multiple pairs of pants or with multiple clips for skirts or shorts. If you have a particular outfit, such as a skirt and top, that is not a mix and match, hang it together on one hanger. Finally, utilize hanging shoe organizers-not for shoes, but belts, stockings, scarves, rolled up t-shirts and the like.
Under the Bed: Unfortunately this may be the best and the only extra storage space in small living spaces. Increase the height of this space by placing the bed on risers. Measure the space that is available and maximize with under the bed boxes, zipper bags, and even small drawer units. Keeping storage on small casters and selecting units with handles makes for easy access on a daily basis.
Wall Space: Anywhere you have a blank wall, such as behind a door, there is potential storage. Peg board, shoe bags, wall baskets, or even bulletin boards utilize this space, as well as flat items like full length mirrors, ironing boards, and card tables. Utilize over the door hooks to hang jackets, book bags, and more. A single shelf over a door adds storage without taking up space.
Room storage: Choose side tables with drawer or cabinet storage, and to free up tabletop space beside a bed or chair, select a wall mounted, clip on, or standing lamp. A corner coat rack can hold in and out essentials, like a purse, book bag, umbrella, jacket, and more.
Making Kits: One of the best things you can do to maximize space and stay organized is to sort items into kits. Using the same kind of stacking container, label and fill the bins with school and craft supplies, tools and flashlight, first aid, sewing items, gift wrapping supplies, and extra toiletries. Most of these containers can be stored up high in the closet, on top of book shelves, or under the bed. Remember that selecting containers in the same color scheme and style not only helps with the overall look of your system, but it allows the items to stack and nest more easily.
Luggage: Suit cases are a good place to store extra blankets, a sleeping bag, or a picnic throw. Keep only larger, bulky items here so they are easy to set aside when packing for a trip.
Collapsing Items: Laundry baskets, storage crates, chairs, and more are available that collapse or fold. These are great for the car, dorm room, or any home. They store easily in the trunk of a car or in a tight storage spot.
Other dorm room essentials: a hanging rod for your car to transport clothes is a must- be sure to choose a sturdy one. You will also want a shower caddy and probably a towel wrap, a sit up pillow, and a lap board to utilize your bed for studying. A small folding ironing board and mini vacuum will also come in handy.
Cathy Haynie and her husband, Jack, have three children and live in Madison. Cathy is the Headmaster of Christ Covenant School in Ridgeland. She occasionally speaks to women’s groups on Honoring God in the Home and Balancing Work and Home. Contact her at chaynie@christcovenantschool.net
10 Ideas to Get Organized
Use items you already own to help you get organized!
Shop in your home first. This is a good philosophy to embrace these days. It works to stretch your grocery dollars or clothing allowance. Need something to wear for Friday night? Shop in your own closet first. Can’t decide what to fix for dinner? You could get more than one more day’s worth of meals out of that pantry. Feeling unorganized? Look around your home for products that sort and store things. Everything from envelopes to suitcases to baskets and bowls offer you storage. Here are 10 products to help you organize areas in your home or work. Most of these, you will have on hand and others, well, maybe you should. Aunt Bea’s pretty tea cups might be just what you need to sort your office supplies or that big basket on top of your refrigerator? Perfect for gift wrap supplies!
Baskets offer organization for cleaning supplies, gift wrap items, incoming mail, magazines and reading material, office supplies, and of course, a picnic.
Trays neatly sort makeup, jewelry, toiletries, and those items by the door. For a nice decorating look, place a large plastic tray on the floor next to the door to even hold boots or shoes.
Boxes of all types can help you organize photos, DVD’s, first aid supplies, and more.
Clear vinyl shoe bags offer storage you can sort and see for winter wear, craft supplies, stockings and scarves, toys, or a teen’s toiletry items.
Label Makers help everyone know what’s what and give a professional look to your storage.
Post-it products are simple organizing tools. Make a note on a post it note for a date to add to your electronic calendar or an item for your to do list, or write a reminder and post it on the mirror for tomorrow’s doctor appointment. Post-it also makes plastic removable tabs to label a file or to be able to see just what all is in that stack of white papers on your counter.
Tea Cups, jars, or small bowls all offer solutions to sort common items, whether paper clips, colored pencils, markers, rubber bands, or cooking utensils.
Framed bulletin boards will dress up your everyday lists and reminders. Find a large, old frame that you like and purchase cork board for a great organizing station.
Tote Bags help you grab and go with exercise gear, swimming pool items, quiet time or Bible Study materials, sports gear, or home to work items. Install a row of coat hooks for easy organizing.
Lazy Susan or a plastic spinning tray is a great way to store more than spices. Stack and spin trays help you easily find medicines, toiletries, and craft supplies.
Cathy Haynie and her husband Jack have three children and live in Madison. Cathy is the Headmaster of Christ Covenant School in Ridgeland. She occasionally speaks to groups on Honoring God in the Home, Managing the Busy Life, and Balancing Work and Home. Contact her at chaynie@christcovenantschool.net.
Back to the Basics
We all find ourselves overwhelmed at one time or another. Whether the laundry is closing in or the calendar is overcrowded, thinking back to the basics of organization can help. Give some thought to these areas and spend a little time getting the basics under control - it will do wonders for your sense of organization!
What is in writing? Written organization systems should include a place to keep telephone numbers and addresses, a calendar, and a to-do list. These three basics might be all in one organizer, in a high tech format, or in three separate places. It doesn’t matter how your system looks as long as it works.
Helpful Habit:
Take 15 minutes every Sunday night to organize your upcoming week on paper, all the way from your schedule to your grocery list.
File it or pile it? Another basic for organization is where you keep all the papers that come into your home or office. Have a system of storage for important papers, whether an accordion-style file folder, a file box or cabinet, or in/out baskets.
Helpful Habits:
Read mail over the trashcan, eliminating as much as you possibly can the first time you sort through your mail or your child’s back pack.
Handle paper items just once, acting on each item immediately. You may write information in your calendar or quickly pay bills on line, but try not to hang onto paper items that you could respond to and discard.
Get it to go! A “to go” bag, whether a man’s brief case or a girly tote bag, is a helpful organizational tool to keep things that go out the door with you, especially if you go to work everyday. Your satchel also makes a great errands bag; just toss in what needs to go with you when you are running errands.
Helpful Habit:
Set up a bag for each activity in which your child participates- a bag for baseball, ballet, or even piano helps them keep everything they need together for that activity.
Just drop it. The area in your home where you walk through the door at the end of the day may become a catchall place for keys, purse, book bags, toys, and soccer balls. Take a hard look at this space and see what you might need to organize it simply.
- A dish for keys, wallet, pager, sunglasses.
- Hooks for jackets, purses, book bags, and satchels.
- A notebook or message board for family communication, such as messages and reminders.
Helpful Habit:
Have a large basket for each child or family member to hold various paraphernalia, book bags, or sporting gear.
Chores are Challenging. Do you have an easy system for getting the laundry done? Straightening and cleaning? Yard work? If any of these basics of managing your home are frustrating, take a few minutes to list what needs to be done, when, and by whom. Getting it on paper is helpful for everyone. Setting aside particular times in your week for certain chores is most profitable and the best way to overcome procrastination. Helpful Habit:
Go to sleep every night with a clean kitchen and family room. You won’t wake up to yesterday’s problems!
What is for dinner? This question can create stress for every busy home manger. Set up a few index cards with a complete dinner menu on one side of each card and a grocery list for that menu on the reverse. Keep necessary ingredients on hand for these quick meals.
Helpful Habit:
Make dinner decisions in the morning (or the night before). You are much more likely to follow through, and you can be sure you have all the necessary ingredients before the dinner hour.
Is the Clutter Closing In? Having too much stuff is often the source of feeling overwhelmed. Try a quick trip through your house with a bag, gathering up what you could give away, or plan a cleaning out session and sort by throw away, give away, and put away. Also try clearing off your refrigerator to make your kitchen look bigger and cleaner.
Helpful Habit:
Try this for a quick closet clean out. Turn all of your coat hangers around backwards. As you wear and hang clothes back up, hang them up correctly. Over time, you will be able to easily assess what items you wear and need and which ones are just taking up space.
Cathy Haynie and her husband, Jack, have three teenagers and live in Madison. Cathy is the Headmaster of Christ Covenant School in Ridgeland. She occasionally speaks to women’s groups on Honoring God in the Home and Balancing Work and Home. Contact her at chaynie@christcovenantschool.net
Organizing Your Recipes
She provides food for her family. -Proverbs 31:15b
Sometimes even the recipes we cook from are scattered here and tucked there and are not really very easy to use. Whether your recipes are organized or not, here are some ideas to use your recipe storage system in a way that makes meal management, well, more manageable!
Try having two systems of recipe storage, one is your everyday set of recipes that you like to cook from and the other is your idea file. The everyday recipes contain those dishes that fit the way you live. Perhaps the lists of ingredients should be short, the recipe not overly difficult or time consuming and relatively inexpensive to prepare. As well, these are the recipes that your family likes to eat on a regular basis (well, most of your family anyway!). Your idea file is for those recipes that you rarely make, that might be more expensive, more time consuming, or more challenging. The idea file contains all of the recipes you haven’t tried before, whether torn from a magazine or passed on to you by a friend.
To organize your recipe system, you need an accordion folder for your idea file. This can be folder designed particularly for recipes with about eight slots that hold all sorts of paper sizes, whether recipes are written on an index card or from a magazine page. The Food Network (FoodNetworkStore.com) and other websites have them available for purchase, as well as some kitchen shops or stationary stores. You can also use an office accordion file with more slots and less pizzazz; purchase from any office supply merchant.
Your everyday recipe storage system needs a little more thought. Consider what works best for you. Do you prefer your everyday recipes in a card file box, another accordion file, a binder of sorts? Once you determine which system you prefer, gather the appropriate materials, keeping in mind also the sections you prefer. Try dividing your categories very specifically. It is much easier to manage your recipes when the categories are not so general: instead of breads, have breakfast breads and dinner breads; instead of desserts, have cookies, cakes, pies, etc. Main dish would read beef, chicken, pork, meatless, or even by ethnicity such as Italian, Mexican, and so forth. I also like categories for Slow Cooker recipes and Easy Recipes.
Next, begin your sort. Go through all of your recipes and determine which recipes meet your everyday standards for meal preparation or if it is it a very occasional recipe. All the recipes you’ve never tried go in the idea file. You will find that having two systems of storage actually helps your cooking creativity as well as your efficiency. I enjoy reading a magazine and tearing out recipes for my idea file. Which by the way, is not necessarily a neat place. I’ll have not only magazine articles, but also recipes written on scratch paper and index cards in the slots. But, when I get in a rut with what to have for dinner, what to make for a special occasion, or just want to try something new for my family or for a friend, I sit down with that idea file and find things to try.
Your everyday recipe system becomes a helpful tool. You can easily find what you want; you know how to cook the recipes and how they will turn out. It is easy to make meal plans and grocery lists, and the system becomes part of how you manage cooking and the age old question, “What’s for dinner?” Give some thought to your recipe storage and meal management routines and see if a little organization might be just what you need to bring this area of your busy life a little more under control.
Cathy Haynie and her husband, Jack, have three children and live in Madison. Cathy is the Headmaster of Christ Covenant School in Ridgeland. She occasionally speaks to women’s groups on Honoring God in the Home and Balancing Work and Home. Contact her at chaynie@christcovenantschool.net.
A Valentine’s Day Treat
Easy Sweetheart Sandwich Cookies
1 tube refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 jar hazelnut chocolate spread (Nutella™)
Powdered sugar
Heart-shaped cookie cutter
Cut heart-shaped cookies from the dough and bake according to package directions. Thinner cookies work better than thicker ones. Once cool, spread half of the cookies with the chocolate spread and top with a second cookie. Dust with powdered sugar. |
Q & A—Getting Organized
Someone recently asked me a lot of questions regarding work, family, and organizing. As we sat over coffee and talked about our favorite gadgets, what we kept in our purse, and how we managed schedules and supper, I decided to share those conversations with you. As you read the question, think of your own answer before reading mine, and maybe between the two of us, some of those trouble spots may seem a little easier. I’ve always known that taking the time to stop and think through an organizing or time management dilemma was the first step to fixing it. So, here’s another chance to do just that.
Q. What is your most productive task in the morning?
A. Two really, make dinner decisions and decide on the must do’s for the day. I like my husband’s method of writing today’s list on an index card.
Q. What is your most productive task in the evening?
A. To go to bed with a clean kitchen and family room, so that I’m not waking up to yesterday’s problems.
Q. What is the easiest meal you cook for supper?
A. Probably barbecue chicken sandwiches, corn on the cob, and fruit salad. Place boneless, skinless chicken in the crock-pot in the morning. Then in the late afternoon, shred it with a fork and add barbecue sauce. Frozen corn on the cob goes in the microwave, and whatever fruit is on hand makes a quick salad (dress it up by stirring in vanilla yogurt and serving in parfait glasses!) I also like to keep a few frozen entrees on hand, like a Stouffer’s frozen lasagna, along with ingredients for Caesar salad: a bag of Romaine lettuce, grated Parmesan cheese, croutons, and Caesar dressing. It doesn’t get much easier than that!
Q. Favorite gadget?
A. iPhone. It keeps my calendar, contacts, and task list, as well as my grocery list, music, and even a few games. It took me awhile to really use it, but I don’t carry a notebook organizer anymore. I never thought I would say that!
Q. Favorite organizing essentials?
A. Even with an electronic organizer, there are a few paper products I like to use: Post-it notes, Post-it tabs (find important things in a stack of white paper or label file folders), and index cards. I also love open baskets for organizing and catching clutter, and I use plastic project boxes (a clear box that is a little larger than a fat notebook) for current projects.
Q. What’s in your purse?
A. Wallet and keys, sun glasses, reading glasses (all of a sudden I can’t read without them!), a kit with pens and the paper organizing essentials mentioned (also serves as a place to put receipts) and a toiletry kit. I like to carry a purse that I can drop down in a larger tote bag, which will have things like an umbrella, notepad, some things to read, and maybe a current project file. Purses and bags are organizing essentials to me too, and I like to change them often!
Q. What is your best way to save money?
A. The library. I love to read.
Q. What is a stress reliever for you?
A. Several! Watching HGTV, going to a coffee shop, and getting on a treadmill, but my favorite one is a little more involved. Camping! It is great to get away with my family even for the weekend.
Q. Do you collect anything?
A. Besides purses and tote bags, I like all sorts of pottery and baskets.
Q. How do you take care of yourself?
A. I sleep! I do get eight hours of sleep every night, and sometimes more. I also get regular check up’s and work at eating well and exercising. Those aren’t my favorites, but I think about them often!
Q. What is your favorite snack?
A. Healthy? String cheese and nuts or a banana with a little peanut butter. Not so healthy? Anything chocolate or popcorn at the movie theater.
Q. What is a trick you use for getting things done?
A. I like to manage my to-do list with the question, “what is one thing I wish wasn’t on this list?” That’s what I need to do first.
Q. Are there sacrifices that you have to make in this stage in life?
A. In order to balance work and home, it’s really friendships that get the bad end of the deal.
Q. What is your best advice for balancing work and home?
A. Take all the help you can get.
Q. What do you like most about your job?
A. The children. Nothing beats a hundred hugs a day.
Getting Organized in 2010
10 Websites to Visit
organizedliving.com (Home products)
ginabdesigns.com (calendars, file folders, and more)
justorganizeyourstuff.com (lifestyle management system)
organizethishome.com (professional organizers)
stacksandstacks.com (home products)
smartfurniture.com
organizationplace.com
grubb.net (for list makers)
flylady.com (help for your home)
potterybarn.com (furnishings and baskets and more)
Cathy Haynie and her husband, Jack, have three children and live in Madison. Cathy is the Headmaster of Christ Covenant School in Ridgeland. She occasionally speaks to women’s groups on Honoring God in the Home and Balancing Work and Home. Contact her at chaynie@christcovenantschool.net.
10 Best Practices
Habits to Incorporate into Your Daily Life
In the education world, we often refer to “best practices,” or those things that work the best in teaching math or English or getting 350 children loaded safely into their cars to go home. In the business of daily life, it is often hard to get to your personal “best practices”—those things you know you should be doing but don’t always get around to. It is helpful to know what those best practices are that make our days go better, our life more organized, and our accomplishments more meaningful. There is research and books and money, lots of money, devoted to determining what the best practices are to educate today’s youth. For you and me, we can spend a few minutes considering what simple habits would make our days go better and then work at incorporating them as often as we can. Here you will find a simple list of 10 habits to keep doing or to incorporate into your daily life. Perhaps you will add a few of your own best practices and mark the ones that stand out to you as needing a little more practice!
1. Read your Bible. Making time each day devoted to spiritual growth is definitely a “best practice” for the believer. Whether you get up a little earlier or plan time later in the day, some slow-down time to read, to pray, and to think is profitable.
2. Make your bed. After all, the bed generally takes up 3/4 of a room, so when the bed is made, the room is 3/4 clean!
3. Make dinner decisions early (in the morning or the night before). Why wait until supper time to plan what is for dinner, shop for it, and cook it! When you make dinner decisions early, you can make sure you have what you need on hand, and you are more likely to actually follow through rather than drive through.
4. Go to bed with a clean kitchen and family room. Don’t wake up to yesterday’s problems (today will have enough mess of its own!).
5. Do the worst first: make a mental or written list of things you need to do today and get some things accomplished, particularly those things that you are dreading or are stressed over!
6. Weigh yourself. This best practice can help you stay within a desired weight range.
7. Schedule it! Exercise 30 minutes most days and stretch every morning. The “most days” mentality is a healthy one and lets you off the hook from a rigid routine.
8. Take prescription medicines and any necessary vitamins and/or supplements.
9. Drink more water. Carry a water bottle with you throughout the day to get those recommended 64 ounces a day.
10. Go to bed early enough to get 8 hours of sleep.
Cathy Haynie and her husband Jack have three children and live in Madison. Cathy is the Headmaster of Christ Covenant School in Ridgeland. She occasionally speaks to groups on Honoring God in the Home and Balancing Work and Home. Contact her at chaynie@christcovenantschool.net.
The Stay Organized List: 12 ways to keep it together
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We all know what it’s like to feel rejuvenated by an organization task completed, whether we’ve cleaned out our closet, set up a planner, mastered an electronic organizing devise, or simply cleaned out a purse, we feel ready. Unfortunately, life happens and closets get cluttered again, we stray from newfound structure to our day or an exercise program, and certainly, we fill that purse up with papers and pens and clutter along the way. The challenge isn’t always to organize our life, it is to stay organized. While we recognize that even this list takes discipline and effort, staying organized is easier with habits like the 12 mentioned here. Mark the ones that will help you the most and work at making them habits into your daily life. Balancing a busy family and a busy job, these are the 12 things that help me most, though I must share with you, I have my eye on a few that I really want to work on this month. I hope you will too! |
1. Go to bed with a clean kitchen and family room.
2. Take all the help you can get (whether it’s a driving teenage, dry clean drop off service or a housekeeper).
3. Carry a small purse with the basics and drop it in a larger tote bag that has larger items like an umbrella, note pad, or lap top.
4. It’s a family affair: make sure everyone pitches in to help with meals, laundry, yard work, and keeping things straight.
5. Establish morning and evening routines. These are the two most important times of the day for staying organized. Know the few essentials that must get done in these two times of day.
6. Do some advance food prep on the weekend (grill meat, make lunches, make a large salad, bake potatoes, and more).
7. Keep one central organizer to manage your calendar, contacts, and to do list (whether it’s a binder, notebook, cell phone, or other electronic organizer).
8. Keep organizing essentials on hand, like index cards, steno pads, Post-it notes, and Post-it tabs to quickly identify important things in all those white papers stacked on your desk or counter.
9. Manage your to do list with the question, “What is the one thing I wish wasn’t on my list today?” Do that one thing.
10. Create a loading zone by the door. Keys, mail, and cell phone charger all need a place. Be sure to have a trash can close by to sort your purse, mail and other papers right when you walk in the door.
11. Weekends are essential components to staying organized: Saturdays are busy and Sundays are different. Get your chores and errands done on Saturday so that you can enjoy Sunday, the Christian’s best stress reliever is a day of worship and rest!
12. Be a constant learner. Ask friends and family, read books and articles, and best of all, try new ideas for areas that are hard for you to organize.
Cathy Haynie and her husband, Jack, have three children and live in Madison. Cathy is the Headmaster of Christ Covenant School in Ridgeland. She occasionally speaks to women’s groups on Honoring God in the Home and Balancing Work and Home. Contact her at chaynie@christcovenantschool.net.
The Clutter List
Part 2
This month in our series of lists, we bring you part 2 of the 12 common clutter problems and suggestions for corralling them. We all have those spots in our home that are out of control, that puzzle and frustrate us, and that make us feel unorganized. An organizational principle to live by, “take your cues from clutter” certainly applies here. Look around at your clutter spots and give some thought to what would solve each spot’s own issues. At the least, a basket to hide the clutter will make the space look and feel more organized. Take it a step further by planning how to deal with those items in a way that reduces what’s actually in the basket. Here are 6 suggestions to consider, including a recap from the July MCL’s first 6 clutter problem areas:
1. Mail, magazines, and papers.
2. Following a close second is clutter on the kitchen counter.
3. Piles of Clothes.
4. Shoes can pile up too.
5. Toys.
6. Toiletries can clutter the bathroom in an instant.
7. Jewelry can become a mess too. Whether a jewelry box or ice cube trays, there are ways to store your accessories that are simple and fast. Use open baskets, trays, or jewelry gift boxes labeled with a marker. Hang from peg board or even place chicken wire or radiator grill in a large frame and hang items! Jewelry pouches or vinyl sorters that hang from the closet rod are other solutions.
8. Cleaning Supplies. You may not think of them as clutter at first glance but one look through the laundry cabinet might draw the conclusion that cleaners need corralling too. Condense the number of cleaners you purchase to the minimum by choosing versatile, multipurpose cleaners. Using concentrated cleaners takes “eliminate and concentrate” to a new level. Add step shelves to your cabinet, or purchase a bucket apron (available in the tool section) and place on a mop bucket. Store your cleaning buckets under sinks (or out of the reach of small children).
9. Car clutter. Your console may be filled with unnecessary items, as may be the floorboard, trunk, and every available pocket, nook, and cranny. Divide needed items into simple kits: first aid, car care, children’s games, and more. Stow trash bags and cleaning wipes in your car and take advantage of those few minutes while you are pumping gas to clean up the car. Designate a spot for everything, and moms, make a call for collecting everything to take in the house as you pull in the garage. Finally, as part of Saturday chores, I often sent a younger child to the car with a plastic grocery sack to “get everything” and then helped sort its contents.
10. Office supplies. A little here, a little there when it comes to household office supplies, but no scissors to be found? Having multiple scissors and rolls of tape stored in different locations does help. Consider how to get office supplies stored in a workable fashion for your family to have a basic central location. Silverware caddies, old wooden tool caddies, and cleaning supply caddies are an answer, as are unique containers. Keep paperclips in a tea cup on your desk or use glass jars for tacks, rubber bands, and colored markers. Even a silver mint julep cup can make a pretty pencil holder in a more formal space.
11. Craft projects and supplies. Much like office supplies, the first step is to assess what needs to be stored (and what needs to be thrown out) and where it should be kept. Plastic file boxes, over the door clear vinyl shoe bags, and picnic baskets make for good crafts storage. Designate a shelf, a drawer, or clean out your linen closet to generate new space. Plastic ice cream buckets with handles and baby wipes containers are great to recycle for crayons and craft supplies.
12. Wrapping Supplies. Without a plan, even wrapping paper can become clutter. Under the bed boxes are a great solution, or a hanging wrap organizer for a closet door will work. My favorite recent find is simply standing wrapping paper rolls in a tall waste basket or 5 gallon bucket, using a paper towel holder to hold spools of ribbon, and using a bucket tool apron to stash scissors, cards, tape, and more. Finally, try “scrunchies” (fabric covered pony tail holders) to place on rolls of wrapping paper to hold it in place.
As you consider your clutter remember a few key thoughts. Take a look around to see what clutter spots are bothering you. As you plan for the solution, be sure to communicate with your family the expectation. As you implement your plan, keep in mind that systems we like, that are attractive to us, are more likely to be used and maintained. Conquering the clutter in your home can be a quick project when taking one spot at a time and trying new solutions until you find the one that works for you. And remember that wonderful verse in Ecclesiastes, “there is a time and a season for everything...a time to keep and a time to throw away.”
Cathy Haynie and her husband, Jack, have three children and live in Madison. Cathy is the Headmaster of Christ Covenant School in Ridgeland. She occasionally speaks to women’s groups on Honoring God in the Home and Balancing Work and Home. Contact her at chaynie@christcovenantschool.net or through www.metrochristianliving.com.
The Clutter List
Part 1
This month in our series of lists, find common clutter problems and suggestions for corralling them. We all have those spots in our home that are out of control, that puzzle and frustrate us, and make us feel unorganized. An organizational principle to live by, “take your cues from clutter” certainly applies here. Look around at your clutter spots and give some thought to what would solve each spot’s own issues. At the least, a basket to hide the clutter will make the space look and feel more organized. Take it a step further by planning how to deal with those items in a way that reduces what’s actually in the basket. Suggestions to consider:
1. Mail, magazines, and papers. Paper is the chief offender when it comes to clutter. Try sorting mail over the trash can (or keep a shredder within easy reach). Have a place for important papers to live, whether a file system, a wall-mount bill sorter, or baskets. Try sorting types of mail/ papers with labeled clothes pins and placing in a basket: bills, filing, tax receipts, to do, calendar, etc. This system takes seconds to maintain and provides a quick and visual way to find papers when you need them. Consider a central bulletin board, even make it decorative by using a large frame around cork board or cover it in fabric. Have a set place for magazines and newspapers and use the “one in, one out” guideline.
2. Clutter on the kitchen counter. On a particularly messy counter kind of day, look to see what types of things are cluttering the kitchen counters and table. If the kitchen table is the catchall, perhaps make setting the table part of the after supper routine. Hopefully, with dishes ready for tomorrow’s meal, no one will throw the books there! Make sure you have a spot for keys, cell phones, a purse, (and of course the mail). If its food and dishes in the way, giving thought to simple routines and simple storage will do the trick. Family members may need a designated space near the kitchen (even laundry baskets or wicker baskets) for book bags and things getting left on the counter—even if it is you placing items there. A power strip on a nearby desk is a great place for charging and keeping cell phones. Finally, coat hooks close to the kitchen are helpful for hanging jackets and items that go in and out with you.
3. Piles of Clothes. If the bedroom tends to have piles of clothes, a new habit is of course the best solution. However, first examine if the clothes in the chair are typically dirty or clean. If dirty, a wicker hamper right by the chair is helpful. If clean, a valet stand, over the door hooks, or a coat tree might get things off the floor and the chair. Stress a new routine to your family consistently and lovingly. Finally, remind children when cleaning their room that the first thing done is finding clean clothes and putting them away; we all are frustrated when clean clothes appear in the hamper!
4. Shoes can pile up too. Open shoe shelves, shoe racks, a large open basket, and over the door shoe bags might do the trick. Having to put shoes away in boxes or in a complicated fashion isn’t for everyone, so make sure expectations are reasonable. You may find that having a large basket for your child to throw in shoes is neater and easier, even if they aren’t sorted in pairs.
5. Toys. Toy clutter can close in fast. Open bins, under the bed boxes, and over the door shoe bags all provide a simple way to sort toys. For young ones, keep the routine as simple as possible, with only a little sorting required. A few open bins under the bed are within easy reach to young ones and give just a few sorting tasks. Place some items out of reach to get out occasionally when other toys are put away.
6. Toiletries can clutter the bathroom in an instant. Ideas are endless from a large basket or bowl to catch items like brushes and hair dryers; a pretty tray, or even a cake stand for products or perfume will work on your bathroom counter. Yet again, an over the door shoe bag sorts bathroom supplies in tight spaces. Hair bows, hair dryers and more are easy to see, reach, and put away for your daughter. Use inexpensive drawer dividers, but most of all, take the extra two minutes to put away toiletry items and leave with a clean bathroom.
Conquering clutter in your home can be a quick project when taking one spot at a time and trying new solutions until you find the one that works for you. And remember that wonderful verse in Ecclesiastes, “there is a time and a season for everything...a time to keep and a time to throw away.”
Be sure to pick up Metro Christian Living next month for Part 2 of “The Clutter List.”
Cathy Haynie and her husband, Jack, have three children and live in Madison. Cathy is the Headmaster of Christ Covenant School in Ridgeland. She occasionally speaks to women’s groups on Honoring God in the Home and Balancing Work and Home. Contact her at chaynie@christcovenantschool.net or through www.metrochristianliving.com.
12 Things to Do Once a Year
It may come as no surprise to you, but I like lists. I make lists for everything from groceries, to things I need to do, to things I want someone else to do. I learned early in my marriage, however, that lists weren’t quite as effective for my husband as they were for me. You see, lists invigorate me. They give me a place to start and a place to finish; they make my priorities clear. They did not invigorate Jack. Instead, he looked at the list of requests I made and thought, “there is no way I can do all of that,” and in the trash went the list.
Notice, I said that about making lists for him in past tense. I don’t hand lists to Jack anymore. Not only does it seem controlling as well as overwhelming, but I learned a better way. I might ask him to change a light bulb in the kitchen. Then, when he finishes, I’ll ask him to haul something to the attic. Done. Then, I’ll ask for his help with something in the garage, the yard, and before we both know it, my list is done! I share that with you for a reason.
My husband is hardworking and helpful but a long honey-do list isn’t for him. It might not be for you (or for your spouse) either. Therefore, over the coming months when I share 10 or 12 best ideas or favorite products, ways to spend less, live healthier, or conquer clutter, I encourage you to take Jack’s approach, one at a time. Pick one thing from the list and try it. Then another and another. I hope you will enjoy a series of best ideas as much as I will enjoy making the lists for you!
12 Things to Do Once a Year
1. Replace your kitchen dishrags, towels, and even hot pads/ pot holders.
2. Deep clean your oven.
3. Make sure your attic insulation is still adequate.
4. Replace the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and check the gauge on fire extinguishers.
5. Clean out your clothes closets and donate unwanted items to a charity.
6. Flip your mattresses.
7. Inspect children’s outdoor play sets for loose bolts, rotting wood, and rough wood with splinters.
8. Have your chimney inspected.
9. Clean your windows and blinds.
10. Clean dryer hoses and vents. Inspect washer hoses.
11. Clean gutters.
12. Pressure wash outside.
Whether you choose one thing to do this month, or mark your calendar to do one each month of the year, these are the sort of maintenance things that sneak up on homeowners if never done. Many will keep your home safer and make expensive purchases last longer. What is your one thing for June? I think I will buy new kitchen dishrags...and Jack, would you clean out the gutters?
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Cathy and her husband Jack have been married for18 years and have three children. They make their home in Madison. Cathy is the Headmaster of Christ Covenant School in Ridgeland. She occasionally speaks to groups on Honoring God in the Home and Balancing Work and Home. Cathy will be speaking to career women at First Baptist Church in Jackson on July 13. For more information, contact Jane at Janehederman@earthlink.net or Mary at mbyrd@fbc.org. To contact Cathy, email her at chaynie@christcovenantschool.net.
10 Ten-minute Organizing Projects
By Cathy Haynie
My linen closet was getting the best of me. I hated to open the door. Over the course of just a few months as things had been pulled out and put away, it had become a jumbled mess. With family coming to visit, I was cleaning and organizing and decided to tackle that linen closet. Refolding sheets and blankets on those few shelves that had gotten so out of hand wasn’t nearly as daunting as I had anticipated. I had dreaded the project so long that it had become monumental in my mind. It took ten minutes, and I was invigorated.
Everyone has this drawer. You know the drawer I’m talking about—the one in the kitchen that we affectionately refer to as “the junk drawer.” With my sense of accomplishment in the linen closet I decided to tackle this one too, and you guessed it, it took ten minutes.
Sometimes we find ourselves in this place where everything seems to need our attention. We feel unorganized and like life is out of control. Whether it’s your linen closet or your junk drawer or just about every nook and cranny in your home, I have a challenge for you: Get organized in 10 minutes!
Here are 10 of those ten-minute projects to get you started. Pick five next week and do one at a time over the course of the week (or spend an hour and tackle them all at once!). Set your mental timer and limit yourself to ten minutes; if you get over-involved and spend an hour on the first one, you will abandon the whole idea. As you work through your five and add your own quick projects, in a short amount of time you will find that you have a better handle on life. Ten minutes a day for a week and an altogether more organized you!
1. Organize your bedside table.
2. Clean out your car.
3. Sort your medicine cabinet and throw out expired products.
4. Clean out under the kitchen sink.
5. Sort through that stack of papers and old magazines.
6. Set up a manicure basket.
7. Clean out the refrigerator.
8. Clean out a drawer of an end table or foyer table.
9. Clean out your purse, briefcase, or a tote bag.
10. Set up a coffee station with everything you need for your morning coffee at your finger tips.
And of course, there’s always the linen closet and the junk drawer. Happy Organizing!
Tips for Cleaning Out
Larger projects may take a little more thought and preparation. For example, it is helpful to gather necessary materials before you begin: a white trash bag for trash, a black trash bag for items to give away, and a laundry basket for items that belong somewhere else. As you sort items, wipe the area clean. As you put things back, use a system that you like and that is attractive to you. When you like the way something looks (like colorful file folders for the artsy or plain manilla ones for the meticulous), you are more inclined to keep your newfound order. Finally, motivate yourself with upbeat music and a mindset: fun is not an activity, it is an attitude!
Cathy Haynie and her husband, Jack, have three children and live in Madison. Cathy is the Headmaster of Christ Covenant School in Ridgeland. She occasionally speaks to women’s groups on Honoring God in the Home and Balancing Work and Home. Contact her at chaynie@christcovenantschool.net.
Spring Cleaning
Spring Cleaning is not a new idea. This practice was once a necessary part of caring for a home—after a long winter of heating a home with coal, a greasy soot was left on every surface. Every part of the home was thoroughly cleaned each spring to recover from the winter. We might not have the remnants of coal lurking in our cabinets and under our beds (thankfully!) but our homes do still need that same thorough cleaning, albeit for different reasons. Today’s homes suffer from accumulation and procrastination. We accumulate stuff without much thought to our bulging closets and drawers, and we tend to procrastinate those occasional tasks like washing windows and flipping mattresses.
Begin with a walk through. Pen and paper in hand, start at your front door and walk through every room of your home. Make a list for each space, writing down everything you wish could be done to clean, organize, and freshen up the space. Open drawers, turn on lamps, look in the corners…
Read a book? Home Comforts : The Art and Science of Keeping House is a wonderful reference book for today’s home and has many ideas on spring cleaning and taking care of your home. The book is by Cheryl Mendelson, who says, “I am a working woman with a secret life: I keep house...” A book like this can help you with your walk through list.
Organize your plan. Sit down with your list and write out a feasible course of action. Make an organizing and cleaning list for each room, noting supplies you will need. Set aside blocks of time to work on your project and recruit all the help you can get. Set your self a deadline. Advertise a garage sale or plan a party—these offer serious incentives to get the job done.
Take all the help you can get. Set aside your cleaning days and enlist your family’s help. Divide up jobs and even consider if you will use outside help. While one might follow work on general cleaning of an entire room, another might work on special projects like windows and changing air filters.
Gather your materials. A stocked cleaning bucket and all the necessities will help get it clean and boxes, white and black garbage bags, and a laundry basket will help you get it organized.
Ready, Set Go! Dress in comfortable clothes; open the curtains to let in the sunshine, and play some upbeat music. These all lend to a more motivated you, and remember, fun is not an activity, it is an attitude!
Begin by sorting the contents of the room. Place things to pack away in the box (go easy here!), things to give away or sell in the black garbage bags, trash in the white bags, and things that go in another room in the laundry basket. Once the contents of the room are sorted, then give it a thorough cleaning.
Clean your way around the room, cleaning top to bottom and back to front. Work your way around the room cleaning as you go. Wipe down light switches, pictures, windows, and ceiling fans as you get to them. When working on a piece of furniture, start at the top and clean it all the way down, even underneath. Move items from the back of a dresser or table top, dust then move the items back and clean in front. For true spring cleaning, make sure you are getting the spots that seldom fall on your weekly list—under furniture, windowsills, and in the corner are likely not part of your regular routine.
Save time with backwards coat hangers when you get to closets. If time is an issue, save clean-out time in clothes closets by turning all of your coat hangers around backwards. In the coming weeks and months, as you select, wear, wash, and return clothes to the closet, hang them up correctly. Over time, you will see just how many of your clothes never get worn and still hang with a backwards coat hanger!
Finish one area before starting another. A cleaning and organizing project is a large task, especially seasonal cleaning for the entire house. Be sure to completely finish one area before starting another. It is easy to mark your success this way, as well as to spread your project out over several days.
Add the finishing touches. In addition to the refreshing smell of household cleaners and the new look of organized spaces, add fresh flowers to a counter, a cheery throw to a sofa, or floral pillows to a bed. Switch out winter clothes for spring ones, and pack away heavy blankets and the like. Having labored to achieve such wonderful results will be a great motivator to keep your home spring fresh even through the summer!
Cathy Haynie and her husband, Jack, have three children and live in Madison. Cathy is the Headmaster of Christ Covenant School in Ridgeland. She occasionally speaks to women’s groups on Honoring God in the Home and Balancing Work and Home. Contact her at chaynie@christcovenantschool.net.
Get Organized With What You Have on Hand
Get organized without spending anything! In a season where we all may be watching our dollar a little more closely, consider getting organized with products you already have on hand. Here are more than 20 products that you can rally in your home or office, assign a new purpose, and feel like you have more control over your clutter. Begin by considering areas that are frustrating you, whether your purse, photos, a bathroom, or that area where you tend to drop everything as you walk in the door. Then, consider products that you already have, sort, throw away, and enjoy your progress.
Trays. A variety of trays from your kitchen offer a way to catch the small things as you walk in the door, like your keys, sunglasses, and cell phone, as well as a place for mail or makeup, toiletries, or jewelry.
Boxes. Save checkbook boxes, shoe boxes, and any small or medium box. You may want to even cover the box with contact paper, leftover wallpaper, or fabric and label with a sticker or name tag. Store CDs or DVDs, photos, crafts, hats and gloves, or anything that needs sorting.
Tea Cups. Place a pretty cup and saucer on your desk for paper clips and rubber bands or beside your bed for jewelry or loose change.
Jars. A variety of sizes of clear glass jars are great for pens and pencils. Jars are also great for loose change, buttons, ribbon scraps (tie a bow on a loaf of bread or small gift with your handy jar of ribbons), hard candy, and other small items.
Flower pots. Choose small pots or a crock or small pail for large collections of pens and pencils or cooking utensils. I have two small decorated pots on my desk. Add a pot or crock to your table with all of the silverware. This frees up drawer space, makes for quick unloading of dishwasher, and even faster setting of the table.
Over the door shoe bags. Shoe bags are great for more than shoes because they take up virtually no space on a clothes rod (if hanging) and utilize otherwise unused door or wall space to sort a variety of things: winter hats, scarves and mittens; toiletry items, collectible toys like Webkins or Barbie dolls, craft supplies, lingere, gift wrap items, and more (and of course, shoes!).
Cookie tins. Not only can you re-use these to give away your special homemade goodies, cookie tins make a good sewing box, emergency supply box, or first aid kit. Sort bathroom items in decorative tins, as well as office supplies, stationary, hair bows, and costume jewelry.
Waste baskets. These can be reassigned to laundry duty, pet toys, sports equipment, or even gift wrap storage.
Comforter bags. The clear zipper bags that your comforter or sheets came in can store out of season clothes and other linens.
Picture frames. Make a bulletin board from an old frame or secure chicken wire inside a frame to hang ear rings.
Lazy Susan trays. This handy spinner helps you find spices, cooking items, toiletries, laundry supplies and more. It helps you use the whole shelf efficiently and works well under a sink.
Tote bags. A variety of tote bags help you organize items for children’s activities—assign one for each sport, or one as an errands bag, a church bag, a bag for the gym, and more. Keep everything you need in the bag for that activity.
Makeup kits or pencil bags. These make switching purses easy. Organize your purse into kits with one for receipts, pen and paper, one for makeup, and so forth.
Baskets. Rally your baskets to sort and store all types of items, your quiet time materials, sewing items, magazines, rolled towels in the bathroom, sample sized toiletries in a guest room or bath, office supplies, and so much more. Baskets make open storage more attractive and work just about anywhere.
Hooks. These are inexpensive items if you need more, and they easily establish a place to hang your purse and coat when you walk in the door. Hang hooks for tomorrow’s outfit, hair ribbons, necklaces, extra purses, tote bags, etc.
Peg Board. Need a gift wrapping center, or do you have any empty wall space in a closet? Peg board is another inexpensive fix to an otherwise unused wall. Hang leftover pieces in smaller spots like a child’s closet.
Recyclables/ throwaways. Toilet paper tubes coral extension cords, and flattened paper towel tubes make a sleeve for sharp knives. Sort screws, office supplies, buttons and pins, or costume jewelry in egg cartons. Cut the top off of milk jugs just above the handle for bath toys or crayons. Plastic ice cream tubs also work well. Coffee cans have saved up change for ages. Margarine tubs work for leftovers or any small items. The secret to not letting these recyclables grow to another organizing project in and of themselves is to designate an area to store them. When that spot is full, don’t save them until there is room again.
The next time an area of your home or work needs organizing, consider shopping in your own home first. Reusing items in a different way is recycling and money saving at its best!
Cathy Haynie and her husband Jack have three children and live in Madison. Cathy is the Headmaster of Christ Covenant School in Ridgeland. She occasionally speaks to groups on Honoring God in the Home and Balancing Work and Home. Contact her at chaynie@christcovenantschool.net.
Lamplight and Laundry Detergent
The wise woman builds her house. Proverbs 14:1
As God’s woman builds her home, she does so with purpose. Why is it that you want your home (and your life) to be orderly? One very good reason is that in the special place we call home, our family can experience restoration. Chaos, frustration and accidental living rarely lead to restoration. An orderly home that is well planned (meals are thought out, supplies are stocked, and the atmosphere is peaceful and nurturing) leads to restoration. If keeping an orderly home is one of your Target Areas, reflecting on your home’s atmosphere is a good place to start. Consider how you might nurture gentle and quiet spirits and how you might create an atmosphere of peace, warmth and love. The physical surroundings you offer can encourage this type of atmosphere. Even little things can contribute to the atmosphere you are trying to create:
- Peaceful music, scented candles, cut flowers, and lamplight (turn off those overhead lights)
- Bread rising on the counter (whether homemade, purchased frozen loaves, or even in a bread machine) or other aromas like a pie, cookies, or soup simmering (the promise of dinner!)
- Framed photos of happy times, up-to-date photo albums, quality reading material within easy reach
As the home manager, you can take small steps towards improving the environment of your home. Another key aspect to creating the wisely built home is in the organization of your space and belongings. Consider ways to organize specific spaces as well as the tasks you do in your home.
As you work on the atmosphere of your home, less chaos can be achieved by grasping an old organizational principle that I call the laundry detergent principle. Have you ever lost your laundry detergent? I didn’t think so. I’ve met people that have lost all sorts of things: car keys, umbrellas, cell phones, even pay checks. I’m not exempt from this frustration; I lost my purse while visiting the city of Boston, and I even lost my car once when I was in college (see, there’s hope for us all!). However, I’ve never lost my laundry detergent, and I bet you haven’t either. Every time you wash clothes, there it is, right there by the washing machine. (See how organized you are!) Applying the laundry detergent principle to the rest of your home will revolutionize the place.
Just like you do with the laundry detergent, you want to Store items at their point of use. The best place to keep the sewing supplies is where you sew. The bill paying items should be close to where you pay bills. You typically take messages by the phone, so a pen and paper should be within reach. Also, keep your phone book near the phone, games where you play games, and so forth. This is not always feasible, but it is a good, general rule.
Let’s take this a bit further and store like items together. This does not mean that somewhere in your home you have a box that holds all of the scissors. What it does mean, though, is that you should have your sewing items together, and there is a pair of scissors. Your craft items should be together, and there is a pair of scissors. Your gift-wrap supplies should be all together, and there is a pair of scissors. Your office supplies should be all together, and there is…you get the idea.
Whether you are working on creating a calm atmosphere or just eliminating general chaos, remember that it takes a purposeful building of your home. The laundry detergent didn’t just end up in the laundry room all by itself.
Finally, as you look ahead to a new year and ways to have a more purposeful approach to your home’s atmosphere and organization, you may be facing the same frustrations and resolutions that you have had every year for the past 10 years. What I am learning more and more and better and better is that the only way to accomplish our goals, our resolutions, or our target areas is to make permanent changes. As hard as it may be, a few small permanent changes can make the difference. What permanent changes can you make to give your home that calm and orderly atmosphere you have been craving? A few good habits and a few organizational products are probably all you need, so give some thought to what permanent changes will make the difference in 2009.
Cathy Haynie and her husband Jack have three children and live in Madison. Cathy is the Headmaster of Christ Covenant School in Ridgeland. She occasionally speaks to groups on Honoring God in the Home and Balancing Work and Home. Contact her at chaynie@christcovenantschool.net
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