Ok, so, at the end of February I had a post written (that somehow never got posted :S ) to let you know that March was going to be a crazy busy month for us so I probably would not be doing much (if any) blogging but I was going to keep up with my baby steps and try to make it all the way through to day 31. It was going to go something like this…
“Hey everyone, February is going to be a crazy busy month for us so I probable won’t be doing much blogging. I do plan to keep up with my baby steps…”
You get the idea :)
Now that you know what the original idea was :) This is my post to let you know that I {FINALLY} made it all the way through all 31 baby steps! YAY ME! I know it seemed like I would never make it at the rate I was going but one thing I have learned is that they are called baby steps for a reason – your supposed to take your time and make them stick.
After finishing all of the baby steps I’ve also realized that I don’t need to declutter as much as she had on her list. Kenny and I don’t have a lot of things as it is and we kind of like it that way. {SIMPLE} is our motto! So I wanted to show you what I did decide to keep on my “Daily TO-DO” lists :)
This is the first page of my control journal (which I’m still learning to use) but it includes my morning routine. Later on, hopefully next week I’ll go through my “Before Bed routine with you but my Mornings go kind of like this:
Morning Routine
- Make Bed – our, unwritten, house rules on this one is: The last one up makes the bed. I’m usually the last one up so I almost always make the bed but that’s ok :)
- Get dressed to lace-up shoes including fixing hair and putting makeup on – ok so I get dressed but I usually keep my slippers on if I’m going to be home most of the day :)
- Swish-n-swipe. This is a quick wipe-down of the mirror, sink area and the toilet. –Yes, that is my toilet bowl brush and it works amazingly well :) I got it from the flylady store for Christmas :)
- Eat Breakfast, drink water and take vitimins.
- Empty the dishwasher – I’m constantly putting dishes in the dishwasher all day so they don’t sit on the counter. Then, during my Before Bed routine, I start the dishwasher if its full so the dishes are nice and clean the next morning.
- Check Calendar - Our schedules are constantly changing so I’ve started using a free, online calendar from Cozi.com. Since it is an online thing Kenny and I can both add things to it from a computer or from our phones so we stay on the same page – now if I could just get Kenny to actually use it :)
- What’s for Supper? – This is a hard one for me, because I’m not very good at thinking ahead, but, once again, I’m working on it :)
- Start Laundry – Yes, this is an everyday thing – a load of laundry a day keeps me from having to spend my day off doing nothing but laundry :) Everything gets sorted into these baskets and I just pick the fullest one to wash – usually its the colors, Have I mentioned Kenny likes red? :)
BTW Mom G. this was my first project with the Cricuit :)
That’s pretty much it for my Morning Routine – I can have everything on this list finished in just over an hour.
Does anyone else have a routine they follow in the morning? Does it help you save time?
I like what you did with Cricut! I also like your bed...cute pillow cases!
ReplyDeleteWhat? Kenny likes red? Who knew? ;)
ReplyDeleteStarting a morning routine is going to be my month long goal next month. I really like the idea of having a better routine! Thanks for all the inspiration. And I {heart} those tags you made for your laundry baskets, so cute!
I LOVE morning routines:-) I started one about two years or more ago and I've kept it everyday. Stephen and I get up between 5:30-6:00 everyday and while I'm trying to pry my lids open, he makes pomengranate green tea. We read our Bibles together, discuss the day, make plans for the future while sipping our tea. I tell you, it's the best morning routine ever! Now, kids kinda throw it for a loop every now and then, but we pretty much do this every morning, seven days a week. At 7:30 we rouse the girls, I fix breakfast and Stephen's lunch, and then hit the "gym";-) (my affectionate name for one corner of my living room:-). I finish up about the same time the girls are done with their breakfast and chores and then we charge the schooling! Schedules are needed, but you can make it better by having a routine. Routines are habits while schedules are depressing:-). I have found that if one establishes a pleasant routine without making a sheet of paper that says, 6:00-7:00- do such and such, 7:00-7:30- do such and such, etc... you don't have a hard time being consistent. There is something about that minute by minute thing. I don't like that because I tend to be a perfectionist and if I schedule something to be between two set times, why, by george! it ought to be done THEN! lol! This routine thing is much more pleasant and everyone knows what is expected of them and nobody is constantly saying, "now, how much time is left, when am I supposed to do this? how much longer? etc..."
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I save time, but I sure spend the morning time more pleasantly this way! My husband and I start and end our days the same and it just provides that special quiet time that couples need. I think if you're "clock watching" it creates anxiety for not staying on track, while following a pleasantly arranged routine makes everyone happy:-) The kids know that when Mommy says "get up" it's time to start the routine and they're fine with that. Now sometimes I do have to put time limits on things because we have some extra things going on in the day, but other than those few occurences we do the same things everyday and everything always gets done! *well, for the most part;-) with children, you can never get everything done:-)*