Confessions of a Disorganized Housewife --scheduling

  The new year is fast approaching and it's time to leave bad habits behind and cultivate better ones. Why wait till January first to start though? Why not begin today?
   If you read the introductory post to the Confessions of a Disorganized Housewife series  you know that I have several excuses for not getting a lot done during the day. A schedule helps me work more efficiently and I get more accomplished. Of course, if you are slightly scatter brained as I am, choose a good place to keep your schedule so you don't lose it. I prefer to have a small two year planner in my purse (you can get them for as little as a dollar at some stores or you may get one free through certain businesses) and also at home, a homemaking journal, or what I call my Sanity Saver. Mine is simply a bright pink 3 ring binder which houses calendar pages, a daily schedule, menu planner, and household hints, among other stuff. These are easily customizable to what you want/ need.
  For the calendar pages you can go to organizedhome   for printable calendar pages (and a plethora of others if you browse the site), use Swagbucks search engine to find other printable calendar pages, or simply use a free or cheap calendar that you like.  Since I keep up with my mom and brother I use different color pens for each person in the family and write down doctor appointments, my husband's work schedule (he does rotating shifts which makes it rather tricky to schedule appointments without this information), and I have general information like birthdays in black. I can tell at a glance what times I have available.
   For daily scheduling you can simply write down what needs to be done and keep it in your control journal or you can print one out. Simplemom.net   has what she calls a Daily Docket that I really like. It has a place to write out your schedule, work/blog agenda, meal plan for the day, and if you're really harried, at the top it has a space to write the top three things that need to be done. Again, there are other styles out there. It all depends on what you like and what works for you.
   As stated before, I do a lot better when I use my schedule. Otherwise I'm tempted to sit and stare at the computer all day and nothing gets done. Through trial and error I've learned that I'm at my most productive during the mornings so if housework is going to get done I'd better plan on it then. Therefore when I schedule appointments I prefer afternoons unless I know it involves fasting bloodwork. Best to get that type out of the way quickly. I also have my writing time blocked in from three to five pm. As long as it works I'll continue keeping it at that time. Remember to schedule some time for things you like to do, whether it be a bubble bath while hubby or a friend watches the kids or time to read for five minutes. As moms we tend to want to do for others every minute of the day, or we are just kept busy taking care of others that we forget about taking care of ourselves.  No matter how busy your schedule is schedule time to nourish your spirit. Take at least fifteen minutes to do bible study and pray. It starts the day on a positive note. And dont forget to schedule in exercise time as well! I used to walk around the neighborhood each morning, and felt so good. It's time I got back in that habit.
   Next time I'll talk about some cleaning helps. In the meantime, it's your turn. Do you have organization tips you'd like to share? I love hearing from you!

  The new year is fast approaching and it's time to leave bad habits behind and cultivate better ones. Why wait till January first to start though? Why not begin today?
   If you read the introductory post to the Confessions of a Disorganized Housewife series  you know that I have several excuses for not getting a lot done during the day. A schedule helps me work more efficiently and I get more accomplished. Of course, if you are slightly scatter brained as I am, choose a good place to keep your schedule so you don't lose it. I prefer to have a small two year planner in my purse (you can get them for as little as a dollar at some stores or you may get one free through certain businesses) and also at home, a homemaking journal, or what I call my Sanity Saver. Mine is simply a bright pink 3 ring binder which houses calendar pages, a daily schedule, menu planner, and household hints, among other stuff. These are easily customizable to what you want/ need.
  For the calendar pages you can go to organizedhome   for printable calendar pages (and a plethora of others if you browse the site), use Swagbucks search engine to find other printable calendar pages, or simply use a free or cheap calendar that you like.  Since I keep up with my mom and brother I use different color pens for each person in the family and write down doctor appointments, my husband's work schedule (he does rotating shifts which makes it rather tricky to schedule appointments without this information), and I have general information like birthdays in black. I can tell at a glance what times I have available.
   For daily scheduling you can simply write down what needs to be done and keep it in your control journal or you can print one out. Simplemom.net   has what she calls a Daily Docket that I really like. It has a place to write out your schedule, work/blog agenda, meal plan for the day, and if you're really harried, at the top it has a space to write the top three things that need to be done. Again, there are other styles out there. It all depends on what you like and what works for you.
   As stated before, I do a lot better when I use my schedule. Otherwise I'm tempted to sit and stare at the computer all day and nothing gets done. Through trial and error I've learned that I'm at my most productive during the mornings so if housework is going to get done I'd better plan on it then. Therefore when I schedule appointments I prefer afternoons unless I know it involves fasting bloodwork. Best to get that type out of the way quickly. I also have my writing time blocked in from three to five pm. As long as it works I'll continue keeping it at that time. Remember to schedule some time for things you like to do, whether it be a bubble bath while hubby or a friend watches the kids or time to read for five minutes. As moms we tend to want to do for others every minute of the day, or we are just kept busy taking care of others that we forget about taking care of ourselves.  No matter how busy your schedule is schedule time to nourish your spirit. Take at least fifteen minutes to do bible study and pray. It starts the day on a positive note. And dont forget to schedule in exercise time as well! I used to walk around the neighborhood each morning, and felt so good. It's time I got back in that habit.
   Next time I'll talk about some cleaning helps. In the meantime, it's your turn. Do you have organization tips you'd like to share? I love hearing from you!