“If it’s important, you’ll find a way. If not, you’ll find an excuse.” -Daniel Decker.
That quote is one that really puts a burr in peoples’ saddles. ARE YOU TALKING TO ME?! I’M OFFENDED!
But really, it’s true. Managing your home well is important. But, I’ve also been in the place where it’s easy to excuse why I’m not managing well:
- Wellllllllllllllllllll, life is just so busy right now. I’ll do better later. (News flash – most of us have super busy lives)
- No one will help me out! So, I just won’t do it at all. See how they like THOSE apples!
- I’m pregnant and good for nothing. Okay, so this one is a great “excuse.” Nevermind.
- I’ve got toddlers – so there really is no point in me trying to keep an orderly house. My 2 year old will just eat the potpourri. (Coming from ME, a mother with a crazy-pants toddler on the loose.)
Let’s try to put our excuses and worries to the side and instead, see how we can do our best DESPITE the hard things in life. Because, when one hard thing expires, another one can and might take its place.
Let’s you and I tackle some of the frequently asked questions I get about home management and see if they help us get out of this melancholy.
What if I miss a day?!
Inevitably, you’ll miss a planned day. Someone might come down with a sickness, so instead of spending the day doing laundry, you’ve taken up residence at Urgent Care where your job is to disinfect everything you come into contact with…oh wait. That’s probably just me.
Come close, and let me tell you a secret…ready?
It ain’t the end of the world. Laundry can wait. It can either wait until Saturday when you can make it up, or…it can wait until next Monday. Yup. It can.
That’s why I try to leave Saturday for make-up things. But really, if you miss deep cleaning the bathroom because your family decided to take a spontaneous trip to the zoo, it ain’t no big thang. You can deep clean the toilet next week. Enjoy those elephants, man!
Your plan doesn’t work for me!
Let me tell you another secret. There’s a reason my plan won’t work for you. Are you ready for this shocker?
IT’S BECAUSE IT AIN’T YOUR PLAN!
I’ve said before, and I’ll say it again, these are just ideas for you to tweak to make your own. I didn’t invent them. I just spend time trying to soak up information from geniuses and then I squeeze it back out to you guys…but I’ve taken someone else’s idea and adapted it to The Myers Family. And you need to do the same for yours.
So you can’t do laundry on Monday because it’s your Bingo Day. Rock and roll, man. Make Monday your Town Day instead.
Where do your store your information?
I keep my schedules and lists in my Home Management Binder. I learned about these from, wait for it…Large Family Logistics. I know you’re shocked.
Basically it’s just a folder I keep around with stuff in it, like schedules and lists and important information. It’s literally a white, 3-ring binder with page protectors in it that I put stuff in so that I won’t spill coffee all over it – been there, spilled that.
You can find all sorts of resources to make your own by searching on Pinterest, but here is a great resource with all sorts of printables and how to get started from The Gracious Wife. I won’t reinvent the wheel – she’s done a great job with that one.
But what about GRACE?!
Lemme just tell you something. I’m ever thankful for God’s grace to me. I’m a big ole hot mess. I mess up approximately every 2 minutes. I’m so glad that God’s mercies are new EVERY SINGLE DAY!
There are times in our lives when we need to immerse ourselves in grace. Pregnancy and postpartum times are hard, mama. I get it. I’ve been there. But, we cannot LIVE in that state of hard.
We were made strong – we need to pick ourselves up, dust off the cheerios and proceed onward.
Our problem is when the exception becomes the rule. God’s grace is needed daily, but we can’t rely on grace to give us a free pass for why we never, ever, ever clean our toilets or mop the floor.
You’re strong. You CAN do this. I know you can. If I can do it, anyone can…because HELLO? I’m a live-wire, hot-mess, foot-in-mouth mama.
What are some ways we can move beyond our excuses and embrace the roll we were called to fill?
See other posts in this series:
- Wash on Monday
- Clean on Tuesday
- Bake on Wednesday
- Town on Thursday
- Office Day on Friday
- Get Ahead on Saturday
- Chores to do Daily
- Each Day Has Its Own Proper Chores
- What Would Ma Ingalls Do?
- Embracing Your Inner June Clever
You are my hands down favorite “keeping it real” blogger! I look forward to your FB posts, scopes, blog… I’ve learned a lot from you. So keep being you and I know I’ll be sticking around to see what you come up with next!
Me too! Because I have no idea what it is. LOL
Hi Stacy,
I have my 8 yr old son do daily and weekly chores. Ever since I started having him do these I have seen his confidence go up and he is so proud of himself. Also, your website is awesome. The comments are hilarious because people are so stinkin judgmental and want to rip everything apart. Your doing a great job on this and I love reading your blogs!
-Ananda
Thank you so much for the sweet words! Yes, chores for everyone!
I never comment, though I’ve followed you for a long time, but feel I should finally give you a big THANK YOU for sharing yourself in such a public way. I love your ideas and the way you present them, I am especially loving all the posts and info on home management right now. As a stay at home mom of 4 kids ages 3 to 9, it can get crazy, as you know! Several months ago, I felt burned out and like everything I did all day got messed up (cleaning, dishes, laundry, etc) or consumed (meals and snacks just keep being needed). I began to whine and complain in my mind and resent all the work that just kept needing to be repeated. Those excuses you listed, I was using them!
Then one day, I had a realization, I was not loving my chosen job much and I was mediocre at it too! If I was my boss, I’d fire me in an instant for attitude and work ethic. I had to dig deep, remember why I chose to be a mom and then cowboy up and determine to be the best I can at managing my home and raising my kids. I appreciate all you are sharing and the positive way you are doing it. You have helped me so much!
Oh yes – I would have been fired repeatedly. LOL Our response is our responsibility! 🙂
Stacy, Thank you so much for this chore series! Excellent, doable ideas to get my wheels turning so that I can come up with a plan that works for us. Perfect timing as the new school year is approaching! It’s so exciting to me to think that I may never be so behind in my housework that I have no idea where to start!
Also, I thought I’d share my laundry routine that works well for our family with one in school and one homeschooling and lots of extracurricular activities in between: kids gather and sort laundry on Mondays after school. Tuesday morning I start the first load (we have 5 loads per week except if we do sheets). When we get home from co-op, errands, school pick up, whatever, it goes in the dryer. Gets folded before dinner and put away before bed. ONLY ONE LOAD of laundry gets done per day, start to finish. For me, it’s so much more doable in small chunks than doing all in a whole day. And we’re often not home for whole day ever.
Thank you for all of your practical wisdom and reminding us that we all need grace!
Thanks for sharing your method, Jen! It’s nice to learn from others.
OK, here is my question: how do you handle wet wash rags and dish rags until laundry time? We don’t have enough laundry to wash every day. Thank you!
I always used to try to hang the used dish cloths etc over the shower rod but it got to the point where it just took too much space. I finally had the epiphany to use pants hangers from little kids clothes to hang them up. They dry faster, take up less space and are super easy to move if need be. Then dry cloths can just sit in the basket until it’s time for a towel load.
I hang mine to dry in the laundry area. Once they are dry, they get tossed into the bin for towels. 🙂
Hi Stacy,
I’ve read your whole week. Some of that stuff is doable, some not for me.
I think the mending thing will be good every 4 mo or so. Since there is only
myself & my cat we should be good. 🙂
thanks for sharing your insights,
Pink Kitty
Yes, I would imagine that cats are pretty good about not ripping their buttons off. 🙂
Stacy I just watched your periscope on this and was very interested in getting an upclose look at routine/schedule for each day. While I know they are yours and I need to put my needs down, it always helps to see an example or have a jumping off point. I easily get overwhelmed as well! I get overwhelmed when I don’t know where to start so hoping you will share your “every day” pages on periscope or here.
I always enjoy your scopes! Thank you @abbynellie
I posted one day over on Instagram. I hesitate because I don’t want others to compare their day with mine. Because we are all SO different.
I loved this series. Tried to implement this week with husband and big kids out of town and i still couldn’t get it all done! But that’s ok. I’ll try again next week!
I’m wondering if you could explain what your kids do during quiet time. I made mine nap until she turned 5 and since then it’s supposed to be quiet time but instead its “mom the baby blinked”, “mom the neighbor is outside i think she wants to play” etc etc etc.
Mine listen to audio books. 🙂 But yeah, I totally laughed at the “mom the baby blinked.” For me, it’s “mom, I have to pee.”
I just want to say thanks! I am now a working My m of 3, but I spent the last 10 years being a SAHM with a very part time job on the side. Even now, I love to read your posts because the real world, every body is a mess, honest and loving encouragement is just the best! We moms need to lift one another up and you are doing that with every giggle I get while I read. So… Thanks!
Patty
YES!!! No more tearing down! Ain’t nobody got time for that.
Will you do a scope one day on your routine with diapers? How do you keep them from smelling? I just started cloth diapering and I am new at this. I love all of your posts! I Am a new reader and the past few weeks you have inspired me so much! I am just coming out of a difficult pregnancy and postpartum period and I am ready to get things back in better order. You have helped me especially in the are of meal planning and grocery. Thank you!
I too would like more info on cloth diapers. Expecting my first baby next month and will be cloth diapering him.
The BEST book I ever read on cloth diapers is from The Humbled Homemaker called Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert. It’s a go-to resource.
The kind of diapers you are using makes a big difference here. If you are using synthetics, for example, they need frequent stripping and LOTS of water to get them clean (because synthetic fabrics hold onto stuff more than cotton does). But if you’re using cotton birdseye flats (the easiest to clean) and you’re talking about that funky ammonia odor coming from your diaper pail, I’ve got nothing for you. I have that same nasty smell, which is why I wash my diapers about every other day or–at most–every 3 days. Rockin’ Green makes a product that helps break down ammonia crystals in the wash, which I also use. It helps a little bit, but it still smells when I open up that pail.
I highly recommend Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert by The Humbled Homemaker. It’s the BEST resource for cloth diapers that I know of.