Cindy Rushton

Category: Organization

  • Last Minute Gift Ideas

    Christmas! Yes! It is here. Been caught off guard without a gift yet? I HAVE! If you find yourself scrambling for some last minute gift ideas, don’t panic. The following suggestions will help you find something that is just right:

    Yummy Treats: Food makes a great holiday gift. Everyone eats, so everyone can use it! If you like to bake, make some cookies or candies and put them in a decorative box or tin. Another option is to buy the food already made. Some items, like a cake, will only need a bow.

    Say Cheese: If you have a photo of the person you are giving the gift to (or a picture of their child, spouse, dog, etc) you can create a personalized gift in seconds. All you need to do is print out the picture and stick it into a frame. If you don’t have a photo, a picture frame still makes a great gift.

    Gift Baskets: Creating your own gift basket is easier than you think – and it will look like you spent much more time on it than you actually did!

    If there is a movie fan on your list, throw together a gift certificate to a video rental store, a box of microwave popcorn and some candy.

    If you know someone who is always on the go, encourage them to relax with a box of tea, a mug, some bath salts, and gossip magazine.

    A few small items packaged together nicely can turn into a great present!

  • What to Pack for Your Long Trip Home

    Packing for a long trip can be stressful.  You know you want to have everything you’ll need, but will you be able to lift your luggage when you get it packed?  Then you also have to consider what to pack for your return trip.  Is there some way to pack for the entire trip that will make packing for your return home easier?

    Think of where you’re going and how long you’ll be gone before you start packing.  If it’s winter and you’ll need warm clothes, consider carrying lighter weight items that can be layered.  This way, if you get too warm, you can take a layer off.  It’s easier to start out warm and get cool than to start out cold and get warm.

    Another benefit to using lightweight clothes is that they’re easier to carry because they take up less room.  And since you don’t want to be loaded down with too many suitcases, especially if you’re flying, lighter suitcases are desirable.  Remember to take at least one full change of clothes in your carry-on bag just in case your luggage gets lost.

    Will you have access to a washer and dryer at a family member’s home?  Can you make it to a laundromat if you’re going to be away from home for more than a week?  If you can wash your clothes at least once while you’re gone, you can avoid having to take so many clothes to begin with.

    What will you do if you pack light and the weather changes dramatically while you’re gone, and it’s gets colder than you’re prepared for?  It’s easy enough to purchase an inexpensive sweater or coat and then leave it someplace if the weather is warmer when you head home.  Wear your bulkiest clothes while you’re in transit so you don’t have to pack as much.

    If you’ve chosen your clothes well when you first packed, everything in your suitcase should do double or triple duty.  Pack things that can be mixed and matched so you can create different looks if you will be gone more than one week.  Choose 4-7 tops and 3-4 bottoms and by mixing and matching you’ll have at least 21 outfits for a longer trip.

    Make sure there is extra room in each suitcase to hold anything you receive as gifts.  Unless you’re driving, having more than one suitcase per person may cost you money.  Take only one suitcase but pack it so there is room to bring home extra items you didn’t leave with to start your journey.

    It really shouldn’t be difficult to figure out what to pack for your long trip home.  Unless you have received so many gifts that they won’t fit into the suitcase you brought with you, you should be alright.  In that case, it would be necessary to take one extra bag to hold all gifts.  It may end up costing you more in the end, but you’ll keep the peace in the family by being able to take the gifts home with you.

  • Leftover Guilt? by Jill Cooper

    The image “http://www.livingonadime.com/images/jill.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors. Don’t you just love Thanksgiving?  It’s the most guilt free holiday of the year.  You don’t have to worry about getting the right gifts or whether everything is decorated perfectly. You don’t have to wonder whether you made enough cookies or whether the food is on your diet. You have permission and can eat to your heart’s content! At times like this, I have to wonder: Have I died and gone to Heaven?!

    There is one problem — What happens when everyone rolls away from the table? You stand there in the shadows of mounds of leftovers and the guilt sets in. You really can’t wedge in another bite, but you can’t bring yourself to throw away all that good food. You know that there are people starving in Bangladesh, but you can’t afford the shipping cost to send it to them… What do you do with it?

    Here are some ideas from Living-on-a-Dime.com to help you put those leftovers to good use and keep your clean conscience!

    1. Mix gravy, cubed turkey and leftover vegetables into a casserole dish. Top with refrigerator biscuits, leftover pie crust or crescent rolls (unbaked). Bake at 350 degrees until the dough is cooked and golden brown.

    2. When making pies on Thanksgiving Day, save the extra dough or make extra to use to make pasties.  Roll out discs of dough in whatever size you want and fill with meat, vegetables and leftover potatoes.

    3. Don’t forget to use your leftover relish dish. Chop and use in salads, soups or casseroles. If you’re really sick of the vegetables, chop and freeze to use later.

    4. Use leftover mashed potatoes to thicken soups and stews.

    5. Make potato pancakes: Add 1 egg and 2 Tbsp. flour to 2 cups mashed potatoes. Make into patties and fry in a pan with margarine.

    Pasties

    Filling
    1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped
    1 Tbsp. water
    4 Tbsp. butter or margarine
    2 chicken bouillon cubes
    4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
    1/2 onion, chopped
    1/2-1 lb. ground beef, turkey or chicken, cooked
    salt and pepper (to taste)

    Dough
    Use leftover pie crust or use the following recipe:

    1 cup shortening
    1/4 tsp. salt
    3 cups flour
    6 Tbsp. water

    In a saucepan, simmer the carrots in the water, butter, and chicken bouillon cubes. Add potatoes, onion, meat and salt and pepper. Divide into fourths.  Mix dough ingredients and roll into four 10-inch circles. Put the meat mixture on one side of the dough. Fold the other half of the dough over and seal with fingers or a fork.  Bake 1 hour at 375 degrees.  Serves 4-6.

    You can also add other vegetables. This is a good way to use those leftovers, so be creative!

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  • Setting the Table for Thanksgiving

    When hosting Thanksgiving dinner for friends and family, the food is of utmost importance. However, if you serve the most decadent meal on paper plates –your delicious meal will taste less than spectacular.

    It works both ways. If you invest some time and effort into decorating your Thanksgiving table –your overcooked turkey and undercooked beans will be less noticeable as well.

    Tablecloth
    Bring out the good linens for your guests. If you don’t have a Thanksgiving tablecloth, you can use some Thanksgiving or fall themed fabric. There are even some very nice looking fall and Thanksgiving themed disposable table cloths available.

    The Dishes
    The type of dishes you use is up to you. If you are mostly entertaining adults and this is a fairly small get together, it may be a good idea to use your fine china.

    On the other hand, if you are entertaining a large crowd and have lots of kids in the mix, opt for disposable dishes, cups and cutlery. Clean up will be much easier and you don’t have to worry about dishes breaking.

    Buy some orange, brown, deep red or green cloth napkins. You can find these reasonably-priced at most discount stores. They will add a nice “holiday” touch to any table.

    Thanksgiving Themed Centerpiece
    If you don’t plan on putting all the food on the table, and you have the room, create a Thanksgiving themed centerpiece. This can be something as simple as a bowl of miniature pumpkins, gourds and native corn, or a fall flower arrangement. If you have a cornucopia, fill it and lay it on the table, allowing some of the corn and pumpkins to roll out of it.

    Little touches make a big difference. You could scoop out a pumpkin and serve dip in it. Use mini pumpkins with names written on them as place cards.

    Turn an apple, some toothpicks and a few miniature marshmallows into a turkey

    Start by setting the apple on a flat surface. Insert a toothpick with a large marshmallow on one side. Add some raisins as eyes. For the turkey’s tail, add four toothpicks with a miniature marshmallow on each end to the other side of the apple. Voila – a turkey for each guest that also makes for a fun and healthy snack.

    Set the table the night before to free up time during the big day.
    If you set a nice table, arrange for most of the food to be set out on a separate table, buffet-style. Consider getting hotplates, crock pots etc to keep food warm while it is sitting out.

  • Planning the Perfect Thanksgiving Party

    Ready for Thanksgiving? Got a big week ahead? Wondering what to do TODAY to get ready and make things as easy as possible? Well, let me help. Let’s plan the perfect Thanksgiving fellowship. Ready? Let’s dig in…

    Start Planning Early
    Nothing can spoil a Thanksgiving party more than a burned-out hostess. So, be sure to start planning your party well in advance, make a master list of what needs to be done and when, and start cleaning and preparing ahead of time. Purchase non-perishable items the week before your event. Don’t forget to buy the turkey early as well. It will take several days to thaw in the fridge. If you have room in your freezer, you can purchase the turkey and other frozen items weeks ahead of time.

    Delegate the Turkey
    A great way to entertain the men is to put them in charge of the turkey. This may be untraditional to some, but in many areas of the country, the men are in charge of deep-frying the turkey. There’s nothing quite as entertaining as watching a group of men standing around a vat of boiling peanut oil, discussing the turkey. Plus, it gives you more freedom to enjoy the party.

    Plan activities
    Board games are always fun for kids and adults. Get everyone laughing with the newest game. Or buy a DVD-style game like Scene-It and gather around the TV for some trivia. Of course old family favorites would be a bit hit as well. Dust off that old edition of Trivial Pursuit or Monopoly and get everyone playing.

    Just for the Kids
    Set up a craft table for the kids. Set out coloring pages (if you can get some Thanksgiving ones, that would be great). You can find lots of coloring pages online. Just print a few of them for each child.  That should keep them busy while you prepare the rest of the food.

    Lay out pieces of orange, brown, and yellow construction paper and show the kids how to make a turkey. Or have the kids make pilgrim hats out of black and white construction paper.

    For the Adults
    One of the staples of Thanksgiving is football. Oftentimes the men gather in the living room to watch the game. One way to keep the party lively is to give them a football and send them outside to toss it around during commercial breaks. This can really get the men talking and having a great time. And, ladies – don’t be shy. Jump right in there with them.

  • Decorating For Thanksgiving Last Minute?

    Ready for this week? Are you like so many of us and you have been busy today cleaning up and getting ready for the big week? Need some fun and inexpensive ideas for those last touches? Let us help!

    Decorating for Thanksgiving adds an element of warmth and fun to your home. The best thing is you don’t have to go overboard or put a lot of time or effort into this. Use a few of the suggestions below, add some fall colored throw pillows or blankets to your couch, light a pumpkin scented candle and your whole house will have that special Thanksgiving feel to it.

    Yard Display
    Decorate the front yard with a wooden scarecrow, turkey or sign. For a little color, plant a few mums, either in the ground, or in pots and planters.

    Mantle Display
    The mantle over your fire place is the perfect place to decorate for Thanksgiving . For a simple display, arrange some pumpkins or decorative gourds on the mantle along with a few candles. A fall garland or wreath is a nice touch above the mantle.

    Fall Flower Arrangement
    Stop by your local florist for some flowers in yellow or orange. Arrange them in a vase along with some greenery.

    Pumpkins and Corn
    You can make a beautiful fall arrangement by setting out some miniature pumpkins and ears of corn. Look for yellow and purple varieties of corn for an authentic Thanksgiving feel. Scatter them across your dining table, or arrange them in a bowl for a nice centerpiece.

    Thanksgiving Wreath
    Purchase or make a simple grapevine wreath and decorate it with fall leaves and miniature pumpkins. Add a nice bow and hang it on the front door. A Thanksgiving wreath is a great way to welcome your guests in.

    Display Kids Artwork
    Not only will your home be beautifully decorated, but you’ll be building your children’s self-esteem at the same time. Buy a few inexpensive frames and set them out or hang them on the wall. This is of course also a great way to display your child’s artwork year round.

    The First Thanksgiving
    There are quite a few ways to incorporate the first Thanksgiving in your decorations. Create a small scale version of this special occasion by setting out a few figurines of pilgrims and Native Americans. Complete the scene with a small table, some turkeys and miniature trees to show that the first Thanksgiving took place outside.

  • Avoiding Thanksgiving Stress

    Are you getting stressed just thinking about the Holiday season approaching? There are quite a few reasons why Thanksgiving may give us the jitters. From the stress caused by having to plan a 3-course meal for 20+ people to being questioned again by your aunt when you will start having kids or why you’ve gained 10 lbs. Fortunately, there are a lot of things you can do to reduce this kind of holiday stress.

    Plan as much ahead of time as you can.
    From getting an early head count to planning the menu well in advance, you’ll feel much better knowing that you have at least one part of the day under control.

    Lists are your best bet to avoid getting stressed out. Keep a master list of everything you need to do, along with smaller daily to-do lists and of course grocery lists. And then of course there’s the “Honey Do” list, which brings us to…

    Ask for help.
    Get your family to help clean and get ready for the big day. They can run errands for you, help set the table, decorate and cook along side with you.

    Ask every guest to bring a single dish. With everyone chipping in it will quickly add up. Ask those family members and friends who are “culinary challenged”, to bring some chips, drinks, or even napkins and paper plates.

    And, get them to help clean up afterwards.
    No one expects you to handle everything on your own. If you try and feel frazzled, they’ll feel uncomfortable and won’t enjoy the day as much.

    Are you worried about getting drilled about the same questions?
    Practice in advance how you’ll answer those questions. If you know you’ll get questions about weight gain or your husband’s lost job, prepare yourself in advance with answers.

    Practice your answers to some of the questions you’ll be getting. If you can repeat the answers out loud enough before the event, you’ll feel more confident answering them when the time comes.

    If you still feel uneasy about the event, tackle it with a friend or hang out with a like-minded family member. Or have a secret signal with your husband for “help” so he knows to come rescue you.

  • Planning the Family Thanksgiving Meal the EASY WAY!

    The family unanimously decided that you are in charge of the Thanksgiving meal this year. Can you pull it off? Yes, with a little bit of planning ahead of time, you can throw a great family Thanksgiving get together without stressing or staying busy for weeks. The key is advanced planning

    Step 1: Make A Guest List.
    It’s next to impossible to determine how much food to buy and cook without knowing how many mouths you will be feeding. Contact friends and family early and request they RSVP by a certain date. Follow up with them in the weeks before Thanksgiving to make sure you know who is and isn’t coming. Plan for at least 2 extra guests – more if you are entertaining a larger crowd.

    Step 2: Plan the Meal
    Once you know how many guests you’ll have, then the fun begins. You get to dream about food. Of course, there are the old standbys like ham and turkey that you will probably be preparing, but there’s so much more to a wonderful Thanksgiving meal.

    First, contact family members to find out what they can each bring. That will help you to adjust your menu plan accordingly. Take note of everyone willing to bring a dish – even if they aren’t sure yet what to bring.

    Make a list of Appetizers, Main Dishes, Side Dishes, Breads, Salads, Soups, and Desserts. What would be your favorite Thanksgiving meal of all time?

    Do you have anyone with special dietary requirements? Perhaps your Uncle Stan is diabetic or Aunt Sally is allergic to peanuts. Be sure to keep their needs in mind while you’re planning. Try to offer some lighter, lower calorie alternatives to balance out some of the “heavier” traditional dishes.

    Step 3: The Master Plan

    Once you determine what you’ll be serving, it’s time to break it down into manageable tasks.

    Contact the people who didn’t know what they wanted to bring and assign them a dish. If you’re short on desserts, ask them to bring one. If you dread making mashed potatoes, see if they wouldn’t mind bringing them. Anything you can’t delegate will be up to you to make of course.

    Now, you know what everyone else is bringing, you can make a grocery list and a timeline of the items you’ll be cooking.

    Take a little time and sit down to make your grocery list. Keep recipes handy so you know exactly what you need. Don’t forget some of the spices you only use a few times a year (like sage). What tools (like a disposable roasting pan) are you going to need to prepare the meal? Don’t forget to stock up on extra napkins and paper towels. If you are planning on using disposable table clothes, plates etc. make a list of those items as well.

    Get as much done as early as possible.
    Did you know you could even freeze some mashed potato recipes weeks in advance? It’s true! Get started early on the shopping of non-perishable items for the party. Cross items off of your master shopping list as you get them.

     

     

    Need more encouragement? Need some practical how-to’s? Grab Cindy’s books and audios for HALF OFF! Just use the coupon code: ALLTHINGSNEW

  • The Importance of Routine by Cindy Rushton

    Good morning dearies! I just got an email from Mary Beth asking me to share this article. She remembered reading it before, but couldn’t remember where to find it. She asked if I could post it here. YES! Hope all of you enjoy! This is an oldie. Fun to read now that my crew are grown and graduated. I could not recommend better tips today. This one is timeless. Enjoy….

    Homeschools come packaged in all sorts and types.  Homes all have their own atmosphere…their own discipline…and their own life.  What will make for happy homeschool days?  My vote goes to routine!

    As we look at different homes, we find that many people use many instruments to establish discipline.  In our home, we have used primarily two tools–instruction and routine!  You can probably see the need and benefits for instruction but why routine?  Routine is the means by which we lay down the tracks of discipline.  In our family routines, we take away much of the pain of who does what, when they are to do whatever, and how much they are to do.  It has become part of our character to do all that we do with excellence…diligence…and of course, speed!  So, what are some ideas for bringing routine into the home?  The following thoughts are a hodgepodge of my thoughts on routine and form that I have jotted down as I studied this month…

    •    When planning routines, priority is given to the most important things. The most important thing is the spirit of the person!  We all need our time with God primarily.  If nothing else is done each day, why not the quiet times?  However, often I myself find the struggle is more for the to-do’s than for my relationship with God OR with the children.  If we value the person the most, we find that our priority becomes that time to talk, read, relax, and even work together.  Yes, there is always more work to do than there is time to do it.  We must accept that reality while planning the time that we devote to that work around time with God and each other!

    •    Use lessons to establish habit and discipline. Lessons are the perfect means to establish habit and discipline in the child. Lessons are perfect time to lay the lines of good habits and correct the harmful habits.  Through their lessons, they learn skills, practice godly character, learn that there are “musts” in life, and learn to use all of the faculties of their minds.

    •    Feel free to alter any given routine! As we go through life, we find that life is so short.  The sunny moments simply must be snatched along the way.  Even in Charlotte Mason’s schools, she would ring a bell on nice days and set off for an all day expedition!  Can we be this spontaneous?  Yes, duty calls and responsibilities should be accepted habitually.  BUT, all the duty and responsibility is out of balance without the liberty to enjoy life and its spontaneity!

    •    Remember that it is not essential to have a developmental program for the child. Instead of trying to teach each child on his/her own grade level, we all share in life together.  We all learn from life together as fellow students.  We are constantly establishing good habits, good priorities, and good routines!  We use REAL LIFE as the curriculum!  Because of this, we can relax knowing that real life is the perfect teacher.  It will be as we go along the way that we will teach the most to our children.  If we base what we teach on “grade level,” then we find that our children simply do not thrive and learning becomes artificial!  Instead, let’s look at what life can teach us.  An example from our life was just this past week.  We were in Mississippi for our Homeschooling Seminar.  Almost all of our family lives in Mississippi.  As we were getting ready to leave from the Rushton’s home to go visit my Daddy, my son was only listening to a conversation between his great-grandmother and I when God brought forth a natural lesson from life.  She was commenting on Matthew’s new book Fearless Warriors, when I shared with her that his next book was to be on the Great Men and Women of the Civil War including our family.  As she said, “Well, you know that both my grandfathers were in the War!”  Matthew darted across the room to sit at her feet and glean from her stories of long ago!  He was able to jot down two more stories for his book…and where did it come from?  LIFE!  It is not essential or even recommended to limit your child to what is learned at their grade level!  Let your time with them be your curriculum!  You will find that the results will influence their routines, priorities in life, and habits for all of life! You will find that they will be able to learn MORE than is possible following a typical scope and sequence!  You will find your homeschool more fulfilling while you are juggling less!!

    •    Use home as the atmosphere for teaching! Our homes are a perfect “growing ground” for children.  As mothers, we can view our children as our little plants that will have to be nurtured in our homes.  We will have to pour into them.  We will have to devote ourselves to their constant care.  We will have to be the ones to snatch up those weeds (harmful habits, attitudes, and ideas) that will quickly grow to hinder or possibly cut off their growth.  We are their caretakers.  In being their caretakers, we have to devote all to instructing them at all times.  It may mean that for a season, we just stay home and pour into them… but the results are worth it.  We will find our homes bearing great fruit through our children!

    •    Accept that we are never perfect or there! It is often so hard to accept our own weaknesses, needs, or limitations.  We want to be perfect BEFORE we start teaching our children, yet God’s plan entails walking alongside of one another as fellow students in HIS classroom of life!  In our routines, we must operate with what IS possible.  We are not perfect, but also our feelings or the circumstances all around us do not sweep us along! We are free to grow and learn together throughout all of life!

    A Typical Day at the Rushton’s…

    So, wondering what our routines look like? Would you like a peek into our typical day? Join me as we wake up at the Rushton’s….

    Wake up…Quiet times.    No one is allowed to interrupt quiet times. Matthew studies on his own in several of his favorite study guides. (Plants Grown Up by Doorposts, Christian Manhood By Gary Maldaner), Elisabeth listens to the Bible on audio-cassette, and I spend time in study and prayer. SOMETIMES I take my prayer walk if the weather permits…judging by my weight  this time, you can tell it has been sweltering hot lately!)

    Chores… The Children have to do the majority of the housework…kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, feeding animals, cleaning their rooms… This is done EVERY day. We usually can get most under control pretty quickly so we can settle down for our table time. This helps get us going for the day while helping to keep our concentration on our skills not the undone work around the house!

    Table time… This is our formal study time for our skills. It is a given” for every day. It is not altered because we use our table time to establish our routine in our home. The children work on their Bible Study (right now we are studying through the Old Testament with our Greenleaf resources), Copywork (they select their own selections to copy into their notebooks), Math (we are working through Making Math Meaningful on each of their grade levels), and Language (Alphaphonics for Elisabeth. She is still struggling with her reading, BUT getting better every day…it is finally clicking! Greek for Matthew. He is still working on his Greek Alphabet which is typical for his age, 11.)

    Time with Dad… My husband works 2nd shift, so he wakes up around the time that the children have finished their table time. We schedule our day like this for a reason: Dad is TOO much fun! He used to distract the children from the time he woke up because they much more preferred to be listening to Dad…or  helping him with his projects around the house. So, I try to finish their disciplined time by the time he wakes up so they can have the next few hours with him! They may work on building something (garage right now), or fixing something (the story of our life!), or going somewhere (they love to ride with him on his motorcycle…yes, we are Gold Wing people!), or just talking with him! Harold has this time to pour into them just “who” he is. He does not teach them Language or even Algebra…he teaches what is most needful…about himself!

    Productive Free Time…We usually all do our own thing in the afternoon after Harold goes to work. This is the time that I work on any writing projects…or paper work…or return any calls…or prepare our next meals.  The children spend this time on pursuits that they enjoy. It may be playing, observing nature, reading, working on projects of their own, practicing their instruments, writing, working on the computer…so on. We try to limit what is available in our home to only educational pursuits. Actually, even their playtime is narrating what they are learning in their history read alouds!

    Dinner…Baths…More Productive Free Time

    Bedtime…Read Alouds… This is our best time to read from the Bible, or our school Read Alouds. We are currently reading through the Bible in a year. This time is spent in prayer, narrating from the previous day’s reading, reading our new selection, and praying again for each other’s requests. We choose our read alouds from a variety of subjects. It may be a classic in literature or a biography or a mission story or a living science book…we swap up so that we read different books together as a family

    Well, this is a look at our routine…how is yours?  Is there a routine to your day?  Is there enough margin in each day to allow for ministry as it comes up?  To allow for spontaneity?  Is there enough time that is unorganized by you so that the children can learn on their own?  My prayer is that this issue will encourage you to develop a routine in your home that will give you the peace and fruit that comes only by walking each day in God’s plan for your homeschool!  Happy Homeschooling!

     

     

    Need more encouragement? Need some practical how-to’s? Grab Cindy’s books and audios for HALF OFF! Just use the coupon code: ALLTHINGSNEW

  • Confession of an Organizational Derelict by Angela Childress

    I’ve got a confession to make…. You ready for it?  I am an organizational derelict.   Does this surprise you?  Probably not, but at least I am finally admitting it.

    I didn’t grow up in a home that was organized, and I am not naturally organized.

    No matter how hard I try, I just can not come to a point that I can say I have “arrived” and become organized.  And I have tried a lot.

    I live in a 2 bedroom mobile home with my hubby, my 3 kids, and 1 dog.  I can’t yet claim the cat that adopted our front porch, but I think my hubby is about to give in.  We all share limited space with 1 bathroom (the dog doesn’t share the bathroom).

    Needless to say, with all the stuff a family of 5 acquires, our home feels pretty small.  One thing being out of place can quickly cause a ripple effect and lead to complete chaos.  And with my lack of organizational skills this happens a lot.

    So through my years I have sought out tips and advice from more experienced home-makers.  My journey has led me to other women who are willing to share their experiences and wisdom to help me in the areas of my life that are lacking I’ve slowly gleaned ideas on how to be more organized.

    One thing that I have learned and have done to help me is develop a beneficial evening and morning routine.  My morning routine helps me to have a smoother start to my day.  It helps my day flow and sets me up to handle interruptions with less stress.

    A routine is simply a series of things you do each day, and eventually they become a habit.   Whether or not you realize it, you already have a routine that you follow in your day to day life.  The question is, does your routine develop helpful habits, or habits that interfere with your day.

    My routine is in the form of a written list.  My 8 mo is still not sleeping through the night, and most mornings I am still too groggy to think about what to needs to be done. So my list is a tool that helps me to know what to do each morning so I can stay on track in my routine.  I am starting to be a lover of written lists.

    When I started to develop my routine, I first started with what could be done in the kitchen during the evening to prepare for the next day.   I don’t know why, the rest of the house can be in complete disarray and I’m fine.  But if my kitchen is out of order I can not function.

    So I came up with a evening routine that included straightening up the kitchen, writing out what needs to be done the following day, and thinking of what I need to do to prepare my self for a smoother morning. I would then make sure that each of us had a complete outfit that was clean to wear for the next day.

    After I had an evening routine fairly well set up, I started working on my morning routine.  I would think of one thing I could do to make my day start better, and I would work on making it a habit.  Once I did that one thing pretty regular, then I would add another thing to add and work on.  Eventually my routine became fairly regular and consistent and I noticed a big improvement on how my day started and progressed compared to when I neglected to do my routine.

    What happens now on days I don’t follow my routine?  I feel lost, the whole day feels helter skelter.  Interruptions large and small can bring the rest of my day to a stand still, and I have a hard time figuring how to restart it.

    My morning routine now looks like this:

    Rise and Shine! Feed baby J.
    Get baby dressed and happily occupied or put her back to sleep.
    Make Bed.
    Shower
    Brush Teeth, do my hair, and put on makeup (sometimes)
    Wipe bathroom counter and quickly hand mop around the toilette
    Spray the tub
    Make some tea or coffee
    Read Bible and devotions…

    I try to get my routine done before my girls wake up, but since baby J is not sleeping through the night yet.  I like to grab all the sleep I can and usually wake up right as they start to stir.

    It’s not a very long list, and I don’t always do everything on my routine list. But just doing some of these helps me to be ready to face the day ahead.

    If you don’t have a routine, I highly recommend you start one.   Just pick one thing that you can do to help your day go smoother, and develop it into a beneficial habit. And keep developing good habits one at a time, and I’m sure that soon you will start to see your days run smoother too..

    Angela C

    Love this? Get to Know Angela better on her blog. Here is the link: http://blessedby3jdcs.blogspot.com/

     

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