Ultra Organized Kitchen Part 1

I wanna share about how I'm being frugal with our grocery bills while, keeping my sanity in the tiny, and dated kitchen that I'm working with LOL

xo

1. Only buy what you truly use. Keep it simple. I know we love to try new recipes that call for random ingredients, but don't! Like Pearl and Serene say, "what's your sweats?!" If you are craving for an exotic dish - eat out. If you make exotic dishes all of the time, well, these are your "mundane and simple" ingredients.

As a mother of a larger crowd, I need to keep things pretty basic. Basic doesn't mean bland. I've gathered our favourite meals and their ingredients and that's that!

2. Lazy Susans! Not only do they prevent you from stacking your cupboards full of random bags and boxes, they help you access the ingredients you have, too! I have one next to my stove for utensils, cooking oil and spices as well.

3. Don't label your products unless you're seriously suffering from dementia. There really is no need to. It's "visual noise", I don't care how pretty it looks like, just don't. 
By keeping your products to a limit, you can tell the difference between the ingredients, trust me. If you still want to, use labels that you can erase like chalk board stickers. I got mine long time ago, before I realized, in my case, it was a waste of time.

4. Keep spices that you use more often, closer. I got my home made seasoning mixes in previous spice tubs I've purchased, and I use them OFTEN. They are so versatile & used in many different types of recipes. I love simplifying spices by mixing them together.

Firstly, if a recipe calls for e.g garlic, onion and salt - what's the danger of adding a little bit of parsley in there too? Hence, the Ranch seasoning mix!

Secondly, do you really want to open 4 to 7 spice tubs, when you can cut the hassle in half or even more? I guess I don't...?? 😒

Thirdly, organize your spices by "themes".

Not only does this save you money!! But it keep your life a bit less chaotic. Especially your kitchen.

Anyone else on instagram sharing their journey???

The Struggle Is Real (Part 2)

In my previous post HERE, I went over some issues that are bothering me in my home, that I believe are hindering us as a family to live a "happy" home life. On this post, I am going to point out a few factors that I think may be the "culprits", the hindering factors.

• We get upset with our kids when they create a tornado in every room they pass through. "Pick that up, see you left this, that...do you have to touch everything?!" In some ways, I believe that we as parents are to blame. First of all, if we didn't have "all of that stuff" in the home in the first place, then our curious little children would not be leaving a trail of stuff while they lived in our home. If we had less stuff, working on chores and keeping up with bits wouldn't be so overwhelming to them, and we would yell less. Did that make any sense at all?? We are the ones who bring endless stuff -games, toys and books, crafts, clothes, and bits and bobs into our homes, the kids don't. We do. We allow the kids to. Who's in charge? It's only the natural curious nature of our kids who explore everything and anything around them. What is our home supposed to be like for us, and for them? Secondly, accumulation of things and stuff isn't coded in us, it's learnt. Tell me if I'm wrong (I know, genetics...)? Does accumulation happen through social pressure, in the society we live in? "Everything must be tried, and experienced!", "Taste THIS, craft THAT, sleep on THIS!" We must do EVERYTHING. We become secret hoarders. Always wanting more, because it is an endless sea of possibilities and upgrades. One thing I read somewhere that hit home was this, "You can do ANYTHING, but not EVERYTHING" If only, we could apply it to everything in our lives. We cannot keep up. 
• (This may be a small factor of stuff in your home, but it's still a factor) I have a cupboard full of supplements. What could be wrong with that? It's healthy! Oh yes, yes they are, BUT! Firstly, what if we spent that $$$ on organic nutrient dense foods instead, -or at least half of it? It's starting to make sense to me. I have bottles upon bottles of pills, that are very much good for me, yet I would sometimes second guess on purchasing organic eggs, vegetables, and beef! Yet I would still spend $$ on vitamins. We wouldn't need supplementation if I was focusing on nutrient dense foods.  Secondly, I carry stress over remembering to eat my pills, so I can be healthy, I'll be doomed if I don't. Right? "So many pills to swallow, at these times of the day, with these meals. After my workout" "Oh shoot! I shouldn't take these now, they'll keep me up all night!" 

It's not meant to be a prison of anxiety of healthy living. Healthy living should be liberating, not the opposite wherein we become so fixated on what goes into our body. I tend to lean towards stressing more about my physical health than I do about my spiritual well being, unfortunately. You see? This is only one example of the things around us, in our homes that we imprison ourselves with. Let me list a few things that imprison me. 

• Family "heirlooms".
• Unfinished craft projects, albums.
• Potential craft projects. (Good ones!)
• Books.
• Potential school books. (Where do I find the time, to teach it all?!)
• Games, puzzles etc. (The fun family fun nights, coming up?!)
• China. (Other kitchen stuff that I can't seem to choose what to part with)
• Baby related blankets, linen. 
• Stuffies. (Every stuffy has a story, to each child, how can I get rid of?)
• Furniture. (What if we need these pieces later?)

My list goes on and on and on.

The truth is, I will never have enough time to enjoy them all as frequently as they should be, in my mind. Are they worth the space? Are they worth the visual noise, the guilt ("I still haven't played that game with my kids", "One day, bla bla bla with these"), the reminder that you are incapable of delivering? Incapable of making things happen, incapable of following through with regimes, unwritten rules, potential hobbies and then the images you've created in your mind with all of the stuff that's in your home. No, this has to stop. We can do ANYTHING, but not EVERYTHING. Now is the time to figure out what that "anything" is, and what the rest are that can be let go of. Are you following what I'm trying to put into words?

The Struggle Is Real -2016

I know that women in developing countries have serious struggles of their own, but can you imagine what our struggles might look like in their eyes?

• Having to endlessly pick up after our kids around the house, I can't take it!
• You can't find your shoes, where are your socks??!
• I'm having to trip over stuff to get to where I am going!
• The sink is overflowing of dishes, again.
• This (food) is out of date, ugh!  my life is so hard!
• The laundry just keeps on piling, I can't keep up with it..:(
• Who left all of the books strewn all over the floor, -pick them up!!?
• It's been nonstop all day for me, I just need to take a bath.

I could go on and on with our "struggles" but the more I think about it, the more ashamed I am. Oh the guilt! So, I'm turning my shame into motivation to seriously purge my home.

I feel like I'm always purging my home. Is it just me or does anyone else seem to be donating boxes or bags of stuff after a huge purging episode?? I swear, the enemy knows my weaknesses. After 8 bags of purging, feeling that much lighter and free, someone brings me boxes of hand me downs of stuff. The hoarder within me, says "yeah, sure I'll have a look!" and guess what, EVERYTHING has potential. I should learn. If I can't see it, I won't miss it and even if I see it, I probably will not miss it. A fact.

How then do I de-itemize my home for good and is "for good" even a realistic expectation? Looking up at those struggles listed, could I swap those struggles for things that matter eternally? Let me break them down for us.

1. Having to endlessly pick up after our kids around the house, I can't take it! Our homes in westernized countries are so full of stufffffff. We think we need it, we hoard it, we save it, stack it, storage it and we keep accumulating more stuff. I cannot even wrap my head around the sum of $$ we would save, if we were not so easily swept away with things. The things we buy, we end up purging anyway sooner or later. The things we own, end up binding us, they end up owning us in one way or another. We lose precious time for instance, we become around the clock cleaners, maintainers, and hunters (hunts for the missing {insert here}!).. It robs us from time for ourselves, as mothers. Our kids go to bed and you have so much to prep for in order to survive the next day, and then you're done for the day. Would you not want to curl up and read your favourite book? Read those blog posts that you bookmarked for a quiet moment? Could this be your quiet moment, where you work on a project you've been thinking about for months? Does motherhood and you time have to be a balancing act? Can it not just be the journey you are on and there is no seperation of the two? How would it be, if instead of STRIVING, we could be THRIVING in the coming days? Would the shouts and arguments over toys scattered around the home be swapped into talks and cuddles and outdoor walks? What steps must we take, in today's society and the areas we live in to make this a reality? 
2. You can't find your shoes, where are your socks!? How many pairs of shoes does one child, never mind woman have? YES, there can be too many shoes. This is a nuisance in my home. My kids never seem to find their shoes, always one shoe missing. I see them trying to leave the house with sandals in the middle of winter, and it drives me bonkers! "Where are your shoes?!" How many pairs do kids need, as they are growing up fast anyway, and don't get a chance to enjoy them long enough? A few "shoe cultures" I admire are the Finnish and Koreans. Finns never walk inside the home with their shoes on and leave them beside the front door. Koreans always seem to take their shoes off in the most respectful way possible. Say what? Yes, have you ever seen anyone place their shoes away in such a symmetrical manner, I have! Koreans :) If I had the shoes I need, (which I actually have fewer than I "need"), my kids would live by example. If they had just the right amount of shoes for designated weather, they would be lost or mistreated, especially when you have multiple kids! I can't help but think of Little House On The Prairie, when the girls would cherish everything they had as it was gold. Their corn husk dolls, special laced up shoes.. polished, ready for school. Could we adapt that mentality? How can we, when we live in this society. how can we fight the strong winds of today's capitalism and pass that onto our children? I'm talking about shoes, but this goes for every piece of clothing.
3. I'm having to trip over stuff to get to where I am going! What would your life look like if you were not swayed by Walmart or Pinterest? Would you walk into a temple instead of a westernized, asthma risk house? Would our homes be a place of rest and worship? Would you be aware of your surroundings, instead of being drowned in visual noise? Picture this for a moment...What would your home look like? I have purged so much, yet I still have too much stuff I have a hard time parting with. I guess I don't have the answer for that, yet. Yet.
4. The sink is overflowing of dishes, again. Well, how many dishes do we need? Most of us have a dishwasher, how crazy is that. We tend to talk about how back in the day, they had house servants, and how we have to do everything by ourselves. Well, we have house servants too! We got a dishwasher, laundry machines, most of us have a coffee maker, fridge, the endless kitchen appliances - list yours! We even have a vacuum cleaner! How cool is that! A machine that sucks up dust and bits and good Lord, is that not a praise worthy privilege? Not to forget, the toilet! We have running water, electricity.. it's just mind blowing when I think of the stuff we have, yet we moan about our "load". Can you picture that the developing world mothers face, when she sees your list of "servants"? Embarrassing! Turning my shame into motivation-turning my shame into inspiration! What can we do, to own less dishes. Every dish has a story, a potential- how can we minimize our cupboards? Keep on purging, I know I'll get there! And, so will you!
5. This (food) is out of date, ugh!  my life is so hard! I read this thing on the "time-wasting-book" page once, "When I buy a lettuce, I usually bin it right away. Saves me doing it in a weeks time".. I chuckled, but it's so true! Not only do we have this gadget in the kitchen that keeps our food fresh, we forget about our food. We take the food for granted in some way or form. Take the time to look at this video below. I'm on a mission. I would like to go back to basics with 'food'. Simplify the ingredients and the source of food, so that it gets the respect it deserves. Genesis 1:29 and 2:9 and much much more... Read the THM Plan book!! HERE is my aff'link, check it out! (For those who do not know, this is the reason for my cleared up complexion! read about it HERE) 
6. The laundry just keeps on piling, I can't keep up with it..:( So my girlfriend and I were daydreaming about what our laundry piles would look like if all of our kids and us, had 2-4 sets of clothes. The loads would be smaller, and it would be a small load to carry (ha ha pun intended!). The kids wouldn't get bored, they're growing kids! The turn over would still happen, correct? And, we would always have something to wear! No longer would we have mismatch items, speaking gibberish to us. It would all make sense.
7. Who left all of the books strewn all over the floor, -pick them up!!? Sometimes I catch my kids using the books in their plays, as chairs or whatever. They're on the floor instead of where they belong. I hate the fact that the baby gets a book and manages to rip out a page or two. A lot of book mending going on in my home, it sorrows me. I love books. Books used to be irreplaceable. Now we get most of our information online. I would like to keep this art very much alive in my home. The smell of pages when you open the book, I love it! How can we, in today's tech savvy world, pass on these things to our kids? Put them behind locked doors, watch over them as they read -not in my house hold. Is this just a lazy-mother syndrome, or do you see where I am going with this? I cannot stand over them and watch them put away each book. Is there another way to pass on the value of books on to my kids?
8. It's been nonstop all day for me, I just need to take a bath.  What if we didn't have all the stuffff to do everyday that having a moment to yourself that gets interrupted, wasn't such a big deal after all? Get what I am saying?

Thoughts??? Please do share!

Cutting Corners

I'm going to cut corners this pregnancy and beyond. A few days ago, I "discovered" home delivery from a grocery shop we shop at. This is new to this shop chain, and maybe to this part of the country. However, my husband and I've used grocery home delivery service in the UK quite a bit. This is exciting!

During the final weeks of each pregnancy, I stress about prepping enough meals into the freezer for when the baby arrives. I don't usually get many made, and we end up cooking like we normally would be. This time around, I'm not interested in standing on my swollen feet and piling meals into the freezer. My feet swell in the heat and I find the idea overwhelming at the moment.  Maybe when the weather cools down a bit, I'll have more of a desire to do so.

What can we do to make the last few weeks of the pregnancy and the first few weeks with the baby, easier?

This is what we're going to do,

•  find affordable and healthy take out options

•  use home delivery

I asked my husband, what he thought about budgeting our food in a way that would allow us to eat take out more, and instead of doing major food shops (with the kids!) on paydays, we would use the home delivery service? He said, YES!

Home delivery has a cost to it, of course. But I think not only will it save us time, stress, and gas... it will save me from putting stuff into our trolley that we didn't menu plan for.  So to me, the delivery cost is so worth it! I mean someone goes around and shops for you and brings it to you!!!

What do you think of getting your shopping delivered to you?

Study a Language

I had the privilege of being born into a bilingual family. English and Finnish. Finnish being one of the hardest languages in the world (to me it's still a challenge, though I was born and raised in Finland)!

I have always been fascinated with languages, not those taught at school, but the ones that were far from me, such as Urdu, Swahili, Mandarin Chinese, and Korean. When I was in my pre-teens, I used to listen to Hong Kongese pop music, not kidding! I would memorize the songs but had no idea what they were singing. In my teens, the same with Urdu and one Hindi song. Then I moved onto Swahili, which I again picked up after my first child was born. I got far with my studies, even got to visit Tanzania, but after moving to Canada I have forgotten most of it:(! I just don't have enough east African buddies here like I did back in Finland to practice with. You know who you are, I miss you guys so much!!!!!

So, where we live at the moment is pretty much smack down in Korea and China town. What a great opportunity to study and practice these languages. I decided to go with Mandarin, because it's the most spoken language in the world, it is a mystery to me, it has characters that are thousands of years old, it has only 4 tones (compared to Cantonese!!), and I have always been a big fan of Chinese movies, food and culture.

I did a few library courses, read a few Chinese For Dummies Books and got a bit stuck. I didn't want to stop there, and since I had embarked on such a challenge, I was blessed enough to find a private tutor! I am very very blessed! Living on a single income, with a growing family, there isn't much disposable income whatsoever. This lovely lady was wonderful enough to meet where I could afford her lessons, though she is worth much much more! God is good!

I want to encourage you to pick up a language. I believe that by learning one language, it makes it easier to learn more languages in the future and opens up perspective. Time flies anyway, so in one year, even though you only took 30 minutes a week to learn a language slowly, you would have at least been studying for 26 hours in that year, which is 26h better at a language you would have not known anything about. Invest in learning a language.

More ideas on Managing Time HERE

What languages do you know fluent or semi fluent? Which languages would you like to learn and why?

Managing Your Home Part 3

A little while ago I wrote this:

..."Organizing your home is quite the task. It takes a super mom to herd her little monkeys and get everyone and her home in order at all times. This, however is unrealistic and will only bring frustration and disappointment to those mothers who thrive on this.

But there is hope for us all, even for me as I write this in the midst of a chaotic moment in my home. I write down lists for my kids of chores that need to be completed before we begin our day. "Build the home, before we play in it" is somewhat what we are after. Well, I have my eldest back chatting and rebelling, my daughter in cloud 9 dreaming of butterflies and singing, and my littlest one, causing havoc as she trots along. Not the haven, I was hoping for.

I put KLOVE on for motivational music, to help us focus and plug in, only to find out it's just adding to the chaos. I really am starting to feel hopeless now, how does anyone teach their children to contribute to the family life"...

And now, finally! 

We're done scheduling for now! It took some time, figuring it all out because no day in the week is the same for us. But we're done for now. We're on trial mode right now, just to see how well the master schedule will work out and I already have a feeling, that I'll be doing a few minor changes here and there, but all in all, I'll say it again - We're I'm DONE!

Here's an example of a day during our week. Oh yes, I went to dollar store and purchased 7 frames and some magnetic strip to minimize our fridge clutter. It looks nicer...

I've noticed better behavior in the kids and especially in me, holy moly, less of that tensed up wicked witchiness! The kids have been back chatting less, and it seems that they cannot argue with a schedule on the wall, but they can argue with me. If it's written, it goes and I've noticed an attitude change in them, I really have.

We get bible time each morning, and it can last from 15 to 30 minutes. I'm using this book with them, and we're enjoying it. The kids sit still, even our youngest who is 2 and these lessons lead to some deep conversations and it has really helped us bond. It gives a good start to the mornings and focuses our attention to the one who gives us time. Jesus. 

I must admit, I'm more flexible than maybe some other mothers are, using this method, and it's ok. Sometimes we decide to do other stuff instead of what's on the list, however, I've still noticed that everything gets done and we have plenty of rest too. It takes practice and consistency to create a new habit, a new schedule. We'll get there, I know it!

Another thing I have noticed is that the kids argue and bicker less. One, they don't get too bored and end up in each others faces, and two, I have the time to teach and take the time to guide them when I see a problem arising. I also believe that our bible time in the mornings places our hearts in a way that our minds are tuned with doing what is right. This is my opinion.

One thing I like about colour coding the schedule is, that my middle child doesn't yet know how to read, but by knowing the theme of the colours, she memorizes them quickly.

More on Organizing your home and scheduling HERE!

More on Fun With Kids HERE

More on Managing Your Home HERE

What are your tricks for keeping on top of things, or semi? :)

De-Itemize In July!

De-itemize in July is already here! 

De-ITEM-ize your life for once and for all! Remember, decluttering isn't de-itemizing! De-itemizing is a major step. It means to get rid of things that you can use, or want. It's giving away posessions to gain more time -quality time- with you and your family.

De-itemize in JULY can start NOW!

Don't know where to begin? here's a few ideas:

• Own one brush.

• Bless someone with your favourite craft supplies and books.

• Even if it's pretty to the eye, give it away, and your eyes will rest on minimalism (less visual noise) and you won't need to dust it.

• You'll do well with less clothes. Keep your absolute favourite pieces, give away the rest. Let your closets and wardrobes breathe. Wouldn't it be nice to see air flow through those places?

• Own only 2-3 sets of bed linen.

• Keep only your absolute favourite beauty products. And then half it again. You can do it.

• You don't need 2 cake pans.

• Give away 80% of your board and card games. You'll have family game nights more often. It really works.

To learn more on what de-itemizing is, read THIS!

More on Organizing your home and life HERE! ( must read )

Drop me a line, tell me how you are doing!

The Busy Mom's Gym Guide

I know as a homeschooling mother of three, soon four, that going to the gym, or doing any kind of exercise can seem impossible or not even a priority. However, I also know that it is extremely important to exercise, for your well being now and for the future.

At times, booking in a session may feel so over whelming, I get it, I've been there. It's also important to take a step back and evaluate the reasons you need to exercise and manage your home schedule so, that it is possible. When working out takes away your energy instead of giving you more, you may need to take it a notch down or adjust what you are doing entirely.

Here are a few steps to make it happen,

• Figure out what your home schedule is. I suggest the Managers of Their Homes scheduling method. In this way, no chores will be forgotten and everyone will have plenty of time to rest, play, and enjoy hobbies and each other. It's a MUST READ!

• Menu Plan. Especially on those days you intend to workout. If you're like me and workout in the evenings, with a gym daycare, you will have to plan and prep their dinner and perhaps an evening snack for the time they are in. If you're kids are old enough, 3+, recruit them with prepping their dinner. This is a great way to train and bond with them. 

 

I give clear "instructions" to when I want the kids to eat, so that we can get the evening snacks out of the way, and get ready for evening preps, teeth brushing, story and bed. Usually my husband will put the kids to sleep so that I can shower after my workout. Not only is it important that your offspring eat, it's also important that you do as well! Making sure that you eat 1-1/2h prior to your workout will give you the sufficient energy for your workout and also giving your body the energy it needs afterwards is important. Pay attention to what you feed yourself. Lots of vegetables, good sources of protein and fiber are good.

• Have a workout plan. Make sure you get energized from working out and not the opposite. As a stay at home mom & homeschooler, it is vital to plug in to an energy source. One, being our Almighty God and two, physical activity. God created our bodies to move, and we benefit highly from physical activity, emotionally and physically.

• Rest. Make sure you get enough sleep each night. Everyone needs different amounts of sleep per night. There is no point in cutting back on the rest your body needs to recuperate, for the sake of owning a "super Mom" title. Going to bed in time is key.

• Workout at home. I workout twice a week at the gym and 2-4 times at home. The workouts I do at home are different from what I do at the gym. At the gym I utilize my time in the machines I don't normally have access to, such as the stair master, leg extensions, curls, squat machine, free weight machines etc.

• Take supplements. Unfortunately our food is so distorted these days, stripped from their goodness that we need to give our bodies a helping hand when it comes to vitamins, minerals and omegas. We just aren't getting the needed amounts. By supplementing with good quality vitamins you will notice a difference in your well being and health. It's important to have homeostasis in you!

Menu Planning

I've tried several ways to menu plan and be frugal. I've only menu planned once I know what's on offer, I've menu planned according to our cravings, I've menu planned for boosting our immunity and now I am menu planning for the summer.

I don't write down every detail, some things are just a given in our diet, i.e vegetables, salads, super foods, hemp hearts etc. So when I write down a week or two week menu, I keep it simple.

First I plan out our weekly schedule. I need to know when we're home and out. Since I've booked a few evenings a week to hit the gym, and the kids in gym care, I plan out a "lunch box dinner" and iltapala (evening snack) for them to have there.

I will be using my crock pot a few times a week, just so that I can organize and de-itemize the house a bit more during the day. Since it's summer, the bbq will be used quite a bit as well. 

I guess this menu is more for my kids than it is for me. I am not a big fan of hot dogs or other stuff I have on the menu, so I will make a few dishes just for me (which the kids usually don't like) during the week.

After writing out our menu, I write out the shopping list to go with it. Besides fresh produce, I think one shopping trip will do.

In about two weeks, I'll throw in a few new dishes and take out a few.

How do you plan your menu, and how do you shop for your groceries?

More on 'Cooking on a Budget' HERE

Recipes HERE

Managing Your Home Part 2

I am almost there. Figuring out this master schedule has really been a challenge. It's a lot of work, it takes a lot of thinking and planning and praying about whether our decisions are the right way to go for our family. I haven't yet completed the weekly master schedule, and one reason is that I have to make 7 schedules for 5 people. That's a lot of brain work, and usually by the evening my brain is fried already. Well this is what I've done so far.

First, I've listed all the norm activities and homeschooling for each child, for each day. This gives me a clear picture of the 'slots' for the other things that need doing. I'm trying not to over crowd the days, but also, I'm trying not to give them too much time to get bored and misbehave either.

I've also made a list of house work that needs doing daily, weekly and monthly. Finding the right slot for it and the right person to do it, assures it gets done and nothing piles up. When stuff piles up, it can get so overwhelming, and we often find ourselves at each others throats and rushing around, because we were not prepared. Unfortunately, relationships suffer and there is not enough time left for one on one time or family time, when its all rush rush "I can't read you a book now, because mum is doing EVERYTHING!!!!!!!" I don't want that. My desire it to spend a lot of time with my kids and investing in their lives. We're working towards that.

When there are clear slots for i.e dishes, quick tidy ups and everyone is involved and in training, nothing should pile up and there should be enough time to fellowship and do other activities. the laundry piles up and you find yourself doing several loads a day, without having the proper time to fold them away, on top of that you still need to do your basic daily chores and activities. And usually we got more on our plate "to do" than just one thing. I end up trying to do more than I can handle and "mum just turned into the wicked witch" to top it off! Oh, and when will you find the time to fold those several baskets of laundry? When your kids are asleep, cause you didn't want to sit down and relax anyways?

So, I made a chore list for each kid according to their age, and scattered it throughout the week. This allows me to do my chores too in scheduled slots, while supervising the kids. Hopefully, the training will go well and they absorb the new schedule well. 

Like I said, it isn't ready, I'm nearly there... Once I got it together, I will post a pic of one complete day and then follow ups on how the new schedule training is going for all of us.

More on Managing Your Home Part 1 HERE

How to de-itemize your home HERE

 How do you schedule?

Daily Lists

I have a tendency to make lists upon lists, of some which I might forget about and some that I carry with me at all times. I make lists on what lists I should make. I make grocery lists, garden planning lists, menu lists, to do lists, some day to do lists, summer activity lists, monthly lists, book lists, homeschool lists, diy lists, you name it. Oh and blog about lists!

I haven't completed our new master schedule as of yet, but I have worked on a fraction of it. It's a quick over view list of Mon-Fri, of what needs to get done, or maybe of what we aim to get done. I might plan a quick menu on the side, which to be honest, rarely goes to plan, and I might add a few must do tasks that come to mind as the week progresses.

Let me warn you, it's not pretty -but it works! It's just to map out the day for me, I'm a very visual person and I like to see things on paper :) 

Here it is. Oh, right, one of my kids stuck stickers on it to make it more attractive....

 I check things off and usually cross them out as a double check. I know, it's silly.

 

So basically, I write down the homework that needs covering and also the amount of time I want them to invest in it. I have a timer on my phone, on silent (only for me to see), so that I can decide whether we need to work on a topic a few more minutes or such. I have the errands needing to be done listed afterwards, the menu for the day on the side and a few "wishes" that would be nice, if it got done.

This is my little crazy list, simple yet keeps me and my household "on track". Of course, I am working on a simple binder which will be visible to me at all times and as well looks pretty, won't be as easily misplaced.

What are your lists like?

Do share!!!

More on Home Making and Managing Your Home HERE!

Managing Your Home Part 1

Since having more than one kid, fourth one on the way, I feel like I need to invest in training my children to be proactive and contribute a bit more to this household.

Lately I have been quite overwhelmed with keeping this home in a semi clean state, while homeschooling and living the basic daily life, you know, needed grocery shopping, meal making, diaper changing, nose wiping, hobby driving- life. Something needed to be done.

I ordered the Managers of Their Homes book, to get me organized once and for all. I have not gone through the whole book yet, but needless to say, I have picked up some valuable jewels along the way. I cannot, cannot, cannot, do everything in this home without sacrificing the relationships that matter the most to me, So, I have taken the very first steps to being more wise about the 24h we have been given each day.

There is freedom in structure, in scheduling, in rhythm. Yes there is. I've only tested a fraction of our new possible "master schedule" for the last few days, and we have spent more time reading, playing games, spending time together in general, while our home has kept afloat. *BIG SMILE* The house has not fallen apart! Which, to be honest, it usually does -one or the other suffers.

Sooooo, I'm so excited!!!! What are the few new (old but new) changes we have made?

Training the kids to be proactive.

Bathroom Training - Keeping the bathroom clean! No toys, no books and no toilet paper strewn all over the floor. No smudged toothpaste in the sink and no semi rinsed tooth brushes left out. 

First we tell them. Then we demonstrate. Then we supervise.....Then we remind them. 

I left a pack of wipes under the sink for the kids to give the sink a daily wipe if they see smudges. The bag of toilet paper is out of sight, so if the roll on the wall has run out (which they will learn how to change themselves) they need to ask for help. Otherwise, seriously, there will be several rolls and pieces strewn all over the floor. 

I wrote a temporary reminder on the wall saying,

"Bathroom Rules-

Keep it mess free! -No toys, no books, no papers...

Wash your hands with WARM water and soap. (My kids tend to be lazy with the tap and use cold only)

Turn off the lights, and close the door.

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The Dinner Table Training - 

1. No play No messing around, no toys on the table etc
2. Clean up after yourself Bring your dishes to the sink or dishwasher, wipe up after yourself and if needed sweep under the table.
3. Ruoka Rauha (direct translation food peace = dinner peace) 

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I purchased some pull out drawers for the cupboard next to our dishwasher, so that our kids could easily empty the dishwasher in the mornings. Usually it's been quite the hassle for them, since our plates and cups were directly on top of the washer and they had to get on and off the kitchen chair to manage the task. So for a while, it has been Simon and I doing the dishes. Well, after purchasing and after Simon installing the mesh drawers, the kids have easily been able to do this morning chore without frustration. This "small" chore has given me the chance to focus on getting breakfast done and changing baby Lucy's morning nappy, on top of other bits and bobs, that would usually leave me rushing around.

We have a long way to go yet, with finishing up a chore list for each family member, a daily schedule, a meal planner and making sure everyone gets enough one on one time with each other. We want to make sure, everyone -including the parents, get enough sleep each night, we want to plan and prep for healthy meals, we want to live a more stress free-rush free life, we want to teach the kids responsibility, we want to build relationships between family members and so on.

There is a pioneer family of 11, who inspired us to get this book. Have a look at her website! www.largefamiliesonpurpose.com

What are your ways of keeping your family afloat?