Accomplishing a bit of Simplicity!

I found a great site. I love great sites. Ones where you learn a lot and it adds to your life in some way. I am often "whelmed-over" with the daily chores of life, of being a mother and a wife and a caretaker of critters I eat. It seems as soon as I get something squared away, the kids are into it and undoing all my work, which is very demoralizing! Why bother folding the laundry, if while you're putting some away, Little Monkey "makes a nest" with what remained? Well, I feel like I'm making some headway, finally. Large Family Logistics (ok, I know I don't qualify for a "large family" but it seems I deal with the mess of one!) has given me some really great ideas for organization and scheduling. Their blog has some great archives full of great time-saver recipes, and hands-on how-tos for everything related to those noblest of callings, wife- and mother-hood.

Last Thursday you couldn't be certain the kids' room was carpeted. Much of it toys, LOTS of clothes, and general mess. The clothes are a big issue; we are blessed with hand-me-downs in varying sizes, and while I try to keep them organized and put away, I fail sometimes and it becomes Dress-Up Day. Everyday. This time when we cleaned, not only did we sort and store wrong-sized clothes, but when the laundry was done, I let the kids pick out about 5-8 pairs of pants/shorts and 5-8 shirts (plus socks and underwear of course) and the rest was put into marked boxes. EVEN if it was cute and it still fit. The idea here is that even if they dirty all their clothes, it's no more than two or three loads! Toys were pared-down, of course, and the room REMAINS clean (we clean each night, and bring laundry down in the morn), and it's been almost 4 days. I know, that's not impressive to most of you, but it is to me!

Suggestions that are helping:
~Scheduled daily tasks: Monday - laundry, Tuesday - kitchen/recipes, Wednesday - office/business, Thursday - errands, etc...
~Daily "Four Loads by Four O'Clock" : Okay, we don't have that much after monday, but getting it done and put away daily is a big help.
~Focus areas: I'm proud to say these things are looking great: my cookbook shelf, top of fridge, front lawn and side play-area, kitchen counter remains a work-in-progress.
~Decluttering as a habit.

There is still much to conquer. Homeschooling hasn't been a super-scheduled thing, but next school-year we'll have to have a curriculum and plan, PLUS do all this around the next Blessing. The kids aren't used to much scheduling, and don't have specific, assigned chores (more like, "help Mama with this!"), so we need to work on that.

Today ALL laundry is done, folded, AND put away. Even Hubby's. Tonight I'll soak some pintos and add a dash of lemon juice (makes them easier to digest/less gassy!) and make a giant vat of chili tomorrow. I'll have to cook the meat separately at first, beef for me, pork for Hubby.

God is good.