Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Routine

You know what my life has felt like these last 3 months? You know when you are cruising along in your bus and your purse dumps over all over the floor? And you suddenly need to reapply your lipstick but you can't because it's under the seat holding the 5th carseat? Then your cell phone starts ringing but it's trapped between a pile of tossed aside coats and old french fry wrappers. You can't catch a red light to save your soul so you just keep going with everything tossed on the floor?

This is a bit what I've felt like with moving. Questions I don't know the answer to every day. Will we be decorating with Woody stickers today or not?

Where are we going to sit at lunch?
Bar or table? What are we having for lunch? Cake, goldfish or both?


When do I do laundry? Clean the bathrooms? Mop my floors? Vacuum?

Not knowing the answers to these questions has created 2 things for me. A cluttered house I don't feel good about and a frustrated woman.


For me it is tough. I need some routine but I don't like rigid schedules. Even though I don't like rigid schedules, there is a part of me that has to have routine. What about you? I am very curious if you stay home full time or do you have another office day job? There are so many ways to do things. Monday=laundry day, Tues=grocery store day, etc...or do you fly by the seat of your pants when it comes to house work?


Shane and I had a talk a few weeks ago. The most productive part of the conversation for me was talking about how my mornings feel overwhelming. Get up, shower, make the beds, get the kids up, get them fed, get them dressed, get the dishwasher unloaded, start school. (side note:this is the way it used to be, before the purse got dumped all over the floor and now we are doing nothing).


I asked him if he would mind unloading the dishwasher every morning before work. He said yes. That one thing he does has been the hugest help to me. I'll be curious to hear how your home works and what you have found helpful in regards to getting it all done. Is there one time of day that is more difficult for you?

5 comments:

Heather said...

Monday is laundry day for us too. I'm afraid I can't be much help, 'cause it's just me and Hollis. I have however done a lot of babysitting. In that experience, I know that it is VERY important that the children help too. Don't be afraid to make them do chores too. Their wives will thank you. Dane's mom didn't make him do anything, and I've had to teach him even, the little things like how to pick up after yourself. I think you'll be surprised how much the little ones can help! There's some advice from someone who's not qualified to give it.Ha!

Nic said...

I get most frustrated b/c I feel I do the same chores everyday! If I did laundry one day a week I would never catch up so it's a everyday thing around here. You know one thing thats really helped around here is letting the kids help. It might not get done just how I would do it but all I got to say is it gets done =)

Jennifer said...

I'm the same way--I function better with some routines, but rigid schedules don't work for me. For one thing, something will inevitably happen to throw them off, and then your whole day is out of whack. So I try to focus on "finish your morning routine before going on to something else, however long it takes."

Lately, however, my routine has been tossed out the window. Do you ever feel like you're constantly doing the little things around the house and you can never get to the big things? Well, I need to get some big things done. And if I wait for the laundry to be folded, the dishwasher to be unloaded, and the clutter to be picked up, then, well, those bigger things never happen. So I've had to leave the clutter alone. And it's driving me crazy. But I keep reminding myself that moving is just a season, and I'll eventually get back in the swing of things (as much as I ever was I guess).

the Fosters said...

First of all, I loved your post on Becke's blog. I felt like you were inside my mind reading it. You made perfect sense with how the devil can do that to us. Thanks for sharing your heart with us.

Second, I can't do laundry all in one day; it is too overwhelming for me. I do laundry probably 3x a wk. Just a load or two. Since I work part-time outside the home, my house doesn't get too bad wrecked on those days. I just make sure the kids pick up their rooms before they go to bed. I have to have everything in its place when I head to bed.
I will confess that I do not mop as often as I should; I just spot clean my tile. Trav is in charge of the vacumming and showers. I despise cleaning the showers. They are so nasty. If I am walking around the house on my days off and notice that something needs to be dusted, I just do right then and there so it is done. I am not on any particular schedule.

Gretchen said...

I like a little routine, but flexibility is the name of the game around here.

Rarely, if ever, is my entire house clean at one time. Picked up and orderly? Yes. Clean? No.

I've had to learn to accept that. Sigh.