“Who has time for housework?” Has that been your mantra? Perhaps your trouble isn’t a lack of time but a lack of energy. When your life is overscheduled it can wreak havoc on your energy levels. There are some seasons that we go through in which life is moving faster than we can keep up with. And it may be completely unavoidable…there may be absolutely nothing that you can do to change things. Hopefully that is just a temporary season. But if you do run into seasons such as this, then you will need to accept that you can only … Continue reading →

Do you feel like you can never accomplish what you would like to in your house because you are a procrastinator? Good intentions will get you nowhere. But I can relate. In fact, I have been procrastinating on several projects in the home that I need to tackle. So how can we overcome procrastination? Here are 5 ways that can help stop us from putting things off… First, break down the bigger jobs that you need to tackle. One of my biggest tasks to get done is the basement. We have so much junk. But when I think about the … Continue reading →

They say first impressions are most important. That may be true in many cases but when it comes to your house; I believe that last impressions will be most impacting. Ever walk into a house and feel like you’ve entered something out of a magazine? You may be impressed by the furnishings and decor. But by the time you left, you had no interest in ever coming back. Or have you ever entered a home where it looks a bit out of order and messy, yet at the end of your visit you can’t wait to come back? What you … Continue reading →

You know what’s more important than a clean, organized, clutter-free home? People. People are more important than the messes they leave behind. Maybe I’m just preaching to myself, but it’s a reminder I sometimes need. Although, I have to admit that it’s getting easier to keep my perspective right. After all, I am nearing the time of seeing my first child leave the nest. I never want to make the mistake in any of my housekeeping blogs to make it sound as if the home is more important than the people who live in it. I am all for cleanliness … Continue reading →

Do you play the martyr? Here’s how you can know if you do. Do you ever say things like, “I’m the only one who ever picks up around here.” “Doesn’t anyone else ever see that the dog’s water dish is empty?” “No one else seems to notice the garbage overflowing.” Perhaps you have uttered similar words. What is the point? You say them loud enough so someone else can hear. Then you hope that they come to the realization of how truly selfish they have been. You expect them to jump up and come running to your aid, admitting how … Continue reading →

I have heard a lot of women who work outside the home say they don’t have time for housekeeping. In fact, just because I work at home, I have friends say it’s no wonder I can keep up with the house. I try not to take offense to that because the reality is that even though I work inside my home, I still work full-time hours. So it’s not like I really get all these extra hours that others don’t. To me, it’s really about prioritizing and keeping a schedule. I have always kept a maintained home (notice I am … Continue reading →

When it comes to letting go, we all have our unique difficulties. One of mine is the letting go of my house. I find it nearly impossible to allow myself the chance to rest when I truly need it. Instead, all I see are the things that need to be done. The past week has been a little stressful. Not only have I been sick, but I was also the host for Thanksgiving this year. Then there are the expectations that the weekend after Thanksgiving, I put up the Christmas tree and decorations. I had a lot on my plate … Continue reading →

Yesterday morning I had to clean out my refrigerator. I needed to make room not only for the turkey and other items I bought, but for the food that family will bring on Thanksgiving. I also went grocery shopping for all of the things that I need (at least I hope I remembered everything). But when I shopped, I also picked up some extra ingredients for the day after Thanksgiving. What to do with those turkey leftovers? Turkey sandwiches are always yummy. But I have a favorite recipe that is perfect for the colder weather. It is Turkey Rice Soup. … Continue reading →

We are continuing to look at how you can put together a “Holiday Planner,” which will help make planning and preparing for the holidays easier. In my last blog I talked about tackling the first thing on your list and used gift giving as an example. In this blog we are going to talk about your Christmas card list. Ever run into the problem, similar to gift giving, in trying to remember who you sent cards to the previous year? Put together a permanent list that you can refer back to in your planner You can create a table through … Continue reading →

In my last blog I talked about organizing and planning the holidays with your own “Holiday Planner,” created out of a 3-ring binder that you can either decorate or buy in a fun color or design. I also talked about writing a list of all the things you hope to accomplish for the holidays, then setting it aside and going back to cross off anything that isn’t doable or realistic. From there you write down a date next to each item you want to accomplish, which helps you put things in order of priority. I would recommend then printing off … Continue reading →