I noticed this past weekend that the Red Leaf Maples are beginning to change their color. Those beautiful fiery red leaves can only mean one thing....... AUTUMN! The Hot Summer is on it's way out and the cool breezes of Fall are slowing coming in.
For me, this signals a time to slow down, get organized and prepare for the upcoming holidays and settle down into our yearly school/home routines.
There are many ways to get organized, and there are numerous people out to help you get the job done.
FlyLady - http://www.flylady.net/ - When it comes to cleaning and organizing, these ladies mean business.
I've heard people refer to Homeschool as the Homeschool World or Homeschool Community. The Quiverfull are know as the Quiverfull World or Quiverfull Community, same thing with SAHM (Stay-at-Home-Moms), and WAHM, (Work-at-Home-Moms). Well, now add a new one to your vocabulary, FlyLady.
They say they are your personal online coaches to help you gain control of your house and home.
There are many FlyLady sites, yahoo groups, forums, blogs, etc. Each one will offer you numerous tips to declutter, organize and improve the quality of your caotic life.
Managers of the Home - Managers of Their Homes: A Practical Guide to Daily Scheduling for Christian Homeschool Families - offered by Steve and Teri Maxwell at http://www.titus2.com/
You might have heard about this system if you follow the Duggars. This is what Michelle Duggar used when the show 18 Kids and Counting first began to air on TLC years ago, although then it was only called 14 Kids and Pregnant Again. Congradulations are in order to Michelle. She announced #19 is due in March 2010.
You can read all about that at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32630876/ .
Anyway, back to Managers of the Home. If you are a home-schooler and need a way to organize house, home, school, and chores, Teri will teach you some great strategies to becoming a Super Organized, Super Mom. However, there is a catch. Back in my Early Childhood Teaching days, before being Called to be Momma, I worked in the daycare/childcare industry. We had this saying, " We have a schedule, but the babies can't read it!"
You may develope this beautiful, wonderful, precise, totally organized schedule, cleaning routine, chore chart, menu and grocery list on paper......... but getting the family to follow your little book of plans make take some effort. The chart may be on the wall, but unless it is taught and followed, becomes a discipline and routine, it will not work.
A Home-School or Stay at Home Family is only as organized and disciplined as the Momma.
It all falls to you being committed to setting up a stable and consistent routine. I've learned children do so much better when they know what to expect. Mommas do better too when things go according to plan. Don't expect it to happen everyday, but make it your goal anyway.
I heard a new term this summer. Minimalist - A Minimalist is someone who gets rid of everything they don't need. There's a blog called Zenhabits, http://zenhabits.net/ , I don't like the name. I will tell you right away that I am a Christian with a very strong belief in Faith and Trust in God. But the Zenhabits blog will give you the basic principles of living the Minimalist lifestyle, declutter your life, your home and living simple.
I found the story of one Christian woman who sounds alot like most of us. She works from home, raises her children , and is trying her best to manage it all. Read her story and how she became a minimalist. It's inspiring. Christa's Story - http://www.becomingminimalist.com/2009/06/30/christas-story/
Find what works for you.
Each one of us are different.
Each of us are Called for a different purpose.
What's right for me, may not be right for you, and that's ok.
However, we are all basically doing the same thing, as we are all Called to be Mommas.
We are raising our children to the best of our abilities.
We are managing house/home/social committments. Some of us can add work and religion to that list.
We're all striving to do better and be better.
As the winds of change take you into the seasons of life, search your heart for what you are really looking for.
Do you need to work on your relationship with God? Your Husband? Your Children? Your Friends?
Do you need to improve your quality of life by decluttering, getting your priorities in order, organizing and scheduling?
Would it help to set up a constant routine for your house, home and family?
What about a quiet time with God each day? Don't Forget to set aside a little time for yourself each day too!
Do you have debt? Are there things you can cut back on and do without to help pay off that debt?
Take a look at my other blogs. One will help you save money on groceries and things you buy.
http://www.couponsformom.blogspot.com/
The other will give you options for finding ways to earn money at home.
http://www.webworkinghome.blogspot.com/
As for me, I'm doing my own minimalizing. Cutting back on things I don't need, cutting coupons, cutting back on my committments, setting up routines and schedules and spending more time with my husband and children. Like the leaves on the red leaf maple tree. My life is turning out beautiul!
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