Creating a Master List for Your Home

So a few weeks ago I told you how I'm trying to purge and organize our entire room - for the sake my happiness and the sanity of my neat-n-tidy sweetheart, and to keep us from packing a lot of junk and taking it all the way to our {hopefully} new home in Iowa.  I've been very inspired by Tsh's book Organized Simplicity - the book really gave me a vision for a clutter-free, simple life, but there's no two ways about it - purging and organizing still can be an overwhelming process.

Today I want to share the method I'm using to break this huge task down.  It's an idea my good professional organizer friend, Gail Newton, came up with {the same one who also told me God gave me all the time I need to do everything He wants me to do - she's awful smart}.  

Her idea is to Create a Master List for your home.  The basic idea is to break each room down into specific tasks.

FIRST: Take a notepad and go to each room in your house.  Sit look around and make a list of every task that needs to be done - every space that needs to be purged, cleaned, fixed, organized, etc.  You can see how I did this for my entryway in the picture below {yes, my front closet is already ready for some maintenance, but this time I'm being ruthless - nothing stays unless I truly use it or think it's very beautiful!}

Next you will put all of this data into a handy dandy spreadsheet - such as in Excel.  You'll have a column for the 1. Space  2. Rank  3. Job  4. Time  5. Needed and 6. Outside Help.

1. Space Column:  In this column you name each general space (Entry Way, Kitchen, Office Desk)
2. Rank column: Here you'll rank which job is the most important in each space with "1" being most important.  If I felt like more than one task was a very important "1", I made it a "1" as well.
3. Job Column: In this column you name each specific job - try to break down tasks into smaller tasks as much as you can.  I put an abbreviation for each space {ie. EW for Entry Way} in front of each Job so that it will be easy to identify when we sort according to Time later.
4. Time Column: Now you estimate how much time it will take you to complete that task {now is a good time to overestimate!}
5. Needed Column: This column will show what supplies you might need to buy to do the project{storage bins, closet hooks, etc}.   

6. Outside Help:  Here, you'll put the name of anyone who will be enlist to help you with that task...such as "Sweetheart" ; )

In the picture below, you'll see that I've sorted all the Job's according to priority within each Space.  This is easy to do with Excel, using the sort/filter button.  So below, we have "EW" -  abbreviation for the Entry Way- and show the 1st, 2nd and 3rd task I have to do.

So now you have your Master List!  But you're not quite done.  Using Excel, sort your list by "Time" - so that the job taking the shortest about of time comes up at the top.   You can do this my selecting the entire Time column and using the sort/filter button again.

 I have this list along with the the original Master List on my refrigerator.   This second list is the one I actually refer to most, because I can use it to pick a job to do depending on how much time I have.  For example, the kiddos are drawing with markers =  about 10 minutes of time to do a project, so I pick a ten minute project from my list and go for it.  Later during nap time I might have time for a 30 minute or hour-long project.

This method really has been helpful to me so far.  I love how it helped me break down everything that needs to be done into small, defined tasks.  It also gave me a idea of how much time total this Simplify Project is actually going to take, so I can be more intentional about getting a certain amount of work done each day {at least two hours if I'm going to get done by our goal date}.  Definitely feeling motivated with an actual house on the horizon!

I don't know how well I explained this - please feel free to comment if you have questions or need clarification!  Even if you're not moving it's a great tool to keep you plugging away on your home as you find time.

If you leave your email address {or email me at everydaylovelyblog@gmail.com} I'll send you a copy of my own Excel worksheet you can use it as an example and to fill in your own list - prepare to be shocked, it is LONG. : )

p.s. thank you for your kind congratulations for the Dr. and happy encouragement about the potential house...we heard back from the owners and they sound quite positive...at this point we just need to get a contract signed....and sell our house!

A List for Daily Simplicity & Magnetic Clipboard diy

 I love making grand plans for our home and daily doings and writing long to-do lists.  And while I have a planner that I love and have used for years, I've found myself more and more transferring my to-do list from my planner to a scrap piece of paper that I could carry around with me - stick to the fridge - essentially something I could have out before my face and help keep me on track throughout the day.

I recently came across this Daily Plan Sheet or "Daily Draft" put together by Ann Voskamp, the same remarkable lady that wrote One Thousand Gifts 
(which I am reading now and it is so good).

Anyway for the last week or so I've been using this Draft to order my day, and while I'm still trying to figure out how to make each section work best for me, I'm liking it - I especially like how it draws my attention to things that I might otherwise overlook.  Like, what relationship could use some extra attention today...and exactly what verse am I memorizing right now??  Hmmm.  The "Doxology" part corresponds with One Thousand Gifts as a place to add to your list of gifts/blessings you are thanking God for.

I also appreciate the "Day's Dire" section, and that there are only 3 lines here.  I think Sister was telling me that she heard somewhere that it's a good idea to expect that you will at least get three things done a day (along with all the daily demands of home and children) - anything more than that is pretty much superhero stuff.   Singling out 3 Must Do's for the day has really helped me focus on what's really important.  I feel like I'm being more realistic with myself and therefore more accomplished and satisfied at the end of the day.

Here's an example: my Draft for Today.

I'm thinking that having "clean bathrooms" feels like a dire need today is...not such a good sign.  But it is going to get Done today!  (Still haven't figured out what to do with the "Dailies" section, though I think it's supposed to help you establish a "rhythm" for your day...)

 

So anyway, an important part to actually using and following this list is to have it out where I can see it - primarily on the front of the frig - but easy to take around the house with me.  So I made this little magnetic clipboard:

Needed:  old funky clipboard from the thrift store, hot glue, button magnets, twine for a bit of fun along with a dried-out flower from the vase by your sink.  : )

Glued Magnets on like so.

And added a little lovely embellishment on the top.

Now to actually do my to-do list.  That's the tricky part.  ; )

{Linking to Bowl Full of Lemons}

The Pursuit of a Simple Life: Part 1

Last year I gave myself a challenge to purge 40 areas of my home in 40 days.  Feeling the drain of the clutter and disorder in our home, I set out determined to reclaim one area each day.   It wasn't a bad idea and I certainly made some progress, but I admit that I often was guilty of just rearranging my stuff....instead of actually chucking it.   

 Last October, while I was doing the challenge a second time, I started reading this book, Simply Organized by Tsh Oxenreider.  The book kind of took the wind out of my sails - her words resonated with me, but they showed my present organizing/purging efforts to be pretty lame... pretty superficial.  

Tsh gave me a vision of the Simple Life I craved for our family, and I quickly realized that to have that Simple Life I was going to have to get a lot more serious about my commitment to our family's priories and purging the clutter that was keeping us from living them out. 

"[Simple Living] is about choices - about saying no to the things in your life that aren't the best so that you are free and available to say yes to those things you truly want." Tsh Oxenreider

Since it was October and the holidays were on the horizon, I decided to shelve the book and the project for the fresh new year...which is here!   I've been rereading the chapters and making a game plan, and I. am. so. excited.  

Of course, the timing is especially perfect as we start gearing ourselves up to move this summer.  How wonderful it's going to feel not to haul a bunch of needless stuff with us to Iowa!  Instead I'm determined to take only what we use and truly love.

"You're not a victim.  You allow each item in your home to be there.  Do you love it all?  Do you find it useful or beautiful?" 

Tsh Oxenreider

Good stuff, right?  The whole book is extremely practical and wonderfully inspiring. I'm excited to chronicle my progress here over the next month or so and share what I learn along the way - it would be lovely to do it together! 




{Linking to Life Made Lovely Monday}

Quirky Fun Storage Ideas

Having things nice and orderly is such a happy thing, especially when it's cute and fun orderly.

 I am very much on the look out for tea tins.  

I think this sweet idea from Martha could be the solution to my bare refrigerator problem.

 This would be awfully fun too.

 Like this for letters.

Love those wheels.

 Ready to take on any messes today and make them orderly and lovely?

Me too.

Thursday Observations

#1 You know that you've probably been relaxing your personal standards a little too much when...

You decide to put on little make-up and your four-year-old asks "are we going to church today?"

#2 You know that you've probably been relaxing your housekeeping habits a little too much when...

Your husband notices there's an unusual echo in your master bedroom - it sounds "empty"
... because you've finally cleaned out all the mess.

***

So, it's time to step it up a little bit, and I've been trying hard at it.
 My husband may love me whether I wear make-up or not, but he's worth a little more effort.
My children may be happy whether their home is messy or not, but they deserve a better example. 

And one final observation:

It doesn't matter how many cute clothes you might have

...if they are all in the laundry basket, you can't be cute in them.

Three cheers for finally catching up on the laundry, and a cute outfit all ready for wearing.


{Yes, I think ironing is generally for the birds - why do you ask?} 


{Linking to Capturing Motherhood}

What I Learned in 40+ Days...

So this is my 40 Days, 40 Bags of UnLoveliness Leaving my House Update.

This challenge was really good for me.  It got me focused and actively doing something about the messy, disorderly, unlovely, no-good-dirty parts of my home.  BUT I didn't meet the challenge.  Along about half-way through tax season hit and I hadn't accounted :) that into the mix.  Suddenly, as a bookkeeper, all my free time needed to be devoted to tax stuff.  HOWEVER, an extra busy life needn't have kept me from organizing one small space a day.  

So, I learned Two Things that I would've done differently.

Thing #1: Break Down Bigger Tasks Into Small 20 Minute or so Tasks. 

I did this with somethings - like when I listed a particular drawer "Cup Drawer" in the kitchen instead of just listing "Kitchen Cabinets".  And those were the fun days.  But I got into trouble when I listed things like "Twin's Closet" and "Pantry", and I got completely bogged down when faced with those tasks.  So break it down, keep it simple, minimal.

Thing #2:  Consider a 20 Day Challenge Instead of 40 Days.  

Forty days is just a stinkin' long time, and it's hard to keep up the momentum and enthusiasm that long.  Obviously, this would mean you'd get 20 fewer spaces cleaned out.  But I'd much rather celebrate having completed a 20 day challenge in 20 days and then start up a fresh spankin' new 20 Day Challenge, rather than hang my head in shame on day 60 of my 40 Day Challenge. ;)

So I will persevere and get these final things done.  But probably they'll be on a new list.
Probably a 20 Bags in 20 Days list.

Until then, let's focus on the positive!  In this process, I learned that what motivated me to maintain a space was not just the fact that it was organized but the fact that it was pretty. I got especially inspired to make the closets in my home lovely, beautiful spaces that I enjoyed maintaining.

So I'm excited to share my closet makeovers and the things I learned with you in -

Coming soon!

Baby Steps to Sanity : A Tie Rack

This post could also be a meek answer to the question: What ever happened to that 40 Bags in 40 Days Project?????

Well, it was going so well and for a good while, each day I really was steadily conquering, organizing and decluttering a specified mess.  HOWEVER.... some of the specified messes on my list were a bit bigger than others.  I ought to have broken them down into smaller tasks.  Also, there was tax season, which is a bit of an issue for me as a work-at-home-bookkeeper.  

And CLOSETS are such undertakings!

The initial tackling of each one would quickly result in a freakish mess like this one.

Above is a picture of our extra bedroom where my obliging husband kindly keeps his clothes.  For our five years of our marriage thus far, he always kept all of his ties slug over a plastic hanger and dropping on the floor.  And I dreamed of a tie rack like this.

Well now, I can move on to some more dreamy dreams, because I headed over to Bed, Bath, Beyond and finally got a tie rack using one of those big blue coupons, of course.   

And installed it myself, using a drill and everything.
I felt like such a good wifey.

 Here it is in all it's orderly niceness.

Look forward to posting full, lovely closet reveals....eventually. ;)

See Today's Post {HERE}

{Linking to Somewhat Simple}

Assigned Seating... for Pots

So far, each day I've gotten a little closer to being 40 spaces cleaner, brighter, and beautiful-er in my little house.  I admit, I'm saving the worst for last.  But in the meantime, it's been nice to have some quick, manageable projects to check off on these days when I've been extra busy with office work.

One such project was this incorrigible pot cupboard.  The one I'd honestly given up on and was content with if I could just get the door to close shut.

 Nevertheless it was on my list, so tackle it I did.  And I had a Breakthrough! I discovered Assigned Seating for Pots.  Now, every pot has a an assigned "seat", so I know in exactly what spot to place any particular pot every time. 

Okay, so I realize I'm just barely catching up with what the rest of the organized world has known all along, but what can I say?  Something just clicked for me this time, and I report that my cupboard has looked like this for a whole week and a half. :)

Confronting the Front Closet

So I'm making slow but sure progress on getting 40 Bags of unlovely clutter out of 40 problem spots in my home.  Last week I tackled the front closet...it definitely got worse before it got better.

Much worse...

Finally, last night I made a run to Wal-Mart and wrapped it up.  It was important to me to make the closet look reasonably "pretty" not just functional.  I'm much more motivated to maintain a pretty space versus a merely functional space.

  

Just looking at it makes me feel so happy...and hopeful.  There is HOPE for the disorder in my life! Wahoo!

The bottom area used to store shoes, but since we always come in through the garage door, it wasn't necessary.  Extra shoes now belong in upstairs closets and the shoe shelf was re-purposed for my business supplies.  I'm not so sure about the aqua containers - they're kind-of fun and they were on clearance at Wal-Mart, but I might check the other Wal-Mart for cream ones today.

I was really happy about this discovery at Target.  I've always wanted wood hangers, but it seemed a bit pricey - about a $1 a hanger.  HOWEVER, at target you can by this box of 24 Suit Hangers for just over $13.  And Suit Hangers work just fine for coats and have the bar to hang tablecloths on - Hurrah!

View Today's Post {HERE}

{Linking to A Bowl Full of Lemons - One Project at a Time

And Just a Girl's SAS Day}

40 Days, 40 Bags of Unlovliness Leaving My House!

So I read that somewhere that somebody was doing a 40 bags in 40 days challenge.  There was no link or explanation so I don't know if this is a "thing"?  But it's definitely needs to be my Thing.  I'm a chronic stuffer and when I do things like the Baby Shower, my stuffing tendencies go into over drive. (Imagine baskets of laundry tossed out in the.... garage, and coffer filters stuffed in the....freezer - but I was completely unconscious of doing the latter!)

So by Monday I was feeling a keen sense of MESS.  Can anyone say, "SPRING CLEANING"?  But instead of taking on the whole house, taking on one smallish, manageable mess each day for 40 days sounds just possible.  I will conquer the chaos - who's with me?!

Here's my list of 40 Unlovely Messes in my house.  At the end of 40 days, I plan to have gotten rid of a Bag of Unlovely, Unnecessary Mess from each space. 

40 Bags in 40 Days

1.  Front Closet - Bottom

2.  Front Closet - Top Shelf

3.  Laundry Room Cupboards

4.  My Closet - Left Side

5.  My Closet - Right Side

6.  My Under the Sink Cabinet

7.  My Sock Drawer

8.  My Pajama Drawer

9.  Hat and Scarf Drawer
10. Top of Desk

11. Sunroom Cabinet

12. Toys in Sunroom

13. Toys in Family Room

14. Twin's Closet

15. Twin's Dresser

16. Elias's Dresser

17. Elias's Closet

18. Under Elias's Bed

19. Twin's Green Dresser

20. Freezer

21. Pot Cupboard

22. Pantry Cupboard

23. Cup Drawer

24. Pampered Chef Boxes

25. Under the Kitchen Sink

26. Cookbook Cupboard

27. Underwear Drawer

28. Garage Freezer

29. File Cabinet

30. Under the Bed in the Basement

31. Chest in Family Room

32. Clothes Containers in Extra Closet

33. Clothes Hanging in Extra Closet

34. Sweetheart's Clothes Hanging in Closet

35. Sweetheart's Drawers

36. My Craft Chest

37. Silverware Drawer

38. Cupboards underneath blue bathroom

39. Linen Closet

40. Pantry food in Furnace Room

I had written out about 9 messes on the list, when I had to attend to some sad child, and my dear, sweet, highly loveable husband added on the following:

10. My Kitchen

11. My Kitchen

12. My Kitchen

13. My Kitchen

...

1001. My Kitchen

1002. My Kitchen

...

19820320192831. My Kitchen

19820320192832. My Kitchen

...

928309482019278367483919120038127319230128371237189923098298326109826. My Kitchen

928309482019278367483919120038127319230128371237189923098298326109827. My Kitchen

928309482019278367483919120038127319230128371237189923098298326109828. My Kitchen

928309482019278367483919120038127319230128371237189923098298326109829. My Kitchen

928309482019278367483919120038127319230128371237189923098298326109830. My Kitchen

Ha. It was the running joke of the day that I had attempted to clean the kitchen no less than four times that very day and just never quite got-her done....which makes me think I should really go finish cleaning my kitchen.) 

Update: I did go clean my kitchen all-the-way, and it feels SO GOOD.

Click HERE to Check on My Progress. :) I'm crossing them off each day - woohoo!