A Perfect Year Area #2: A Home.
Try to finish in just one week. If you can't, that's okay! Just begin!
Make a plan. It can be interchangeable. Get some bags/boxes and put them into a
closet and every item to be donated goes in.
If you need inspiration, I've got it! Read my posts on organization.
2. Create a serene
area to read, pray and encourage yourself.
It will have your prayers and your plans.
3. Do not subscribe
to magazines. They create discontent. Instead, go to many different libraries over
the year and check out books on decluttering, organizing, and making a house a
home. 648.5 is the section in every
library. When you find pictures you like
that are doable, snap a picture for inspiration. But they must be doable - clean, clear, cozy
spaces - not unaffordable additions. And
limit your internet time or pinterest time.
I had to not go there.
4. Calendar your life
- and try to "slow it down".
Take this year's calendar and transfer recurring items to the new year -
on a PAPER calendar - the whole family must be able to see this calendar. For me, all Mondays have a pink "-"
in the middle, meaning don't schedule anything.
Mondays I stay home and clean (plus I homeschool every day). On Tuesdays after school we visit family. Thursdays we have park days and
playdates. Fridays consist of errands or
visiting (all after school of course).
Each month I also have in the notes section who I should
send cards to. Some months have items
such as these: Pay taxes, income and
property. Buy socks. Special library event. Change a/c filter. Phone charges may go up - try to
renegotiate. Annual curriculum
sale. Annual sale at store. Go to special water park. Phone minutes expire. VBS begins.
Grandparents Day. File homeschool
affidavit. Buy new calendar. Living Nativity Pageant.
This is how I remember everything. I write it all down and transfer it from year
to year. (In my purse I keep a tiny
notebook with restaurant food choices we liked/didn't like, items to remember,
shoe sizes, where a store is located, etc.) Another post on how to keep several calendars is here.
5. Protect your
sanity - create margin in your life and calendar. It is RARE for me to do anything on a
Monday. I need that day at home. It keeps me sane and on top of things. It sets the tone of my whole week. This past year we began school in early
August so we could build more margin into a year. A week off in October which is so busy with
birthdays. Five weeks off for Dec and
January to have fun and not get stressed.
And a week off every six to eight weeks for the rest of the year so we
don't get burned out on school and life.
How will you build margin into your life?
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