5 Weeks to Be a Better Housewife: Week 3 - Organization

Proverbs 31:15-24

¹⁵ She gets up while it is still dark;
       she provides food for her family
       and portions for her servant girls.
 ¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
       out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
 ¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously;
       her arms are strong for her tasks.
 ¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable,
       and her lamp does not go out at night.
 ¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff
       and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
 ²⁰ She opens her arms to the poor
       and extends her hands to the needy.
 ²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
       for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
 ²² She makes coverings for her bed;
       she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
 ²³ Her husband is respected at the city gate,
       where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
 ²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
       and supplies the merchants with sashes.

I admit - I am a bit intimidated by this woman in Proverbs 31.  She can do it all!  This is just PART of the list that she does.  I am overwhelmed thinking of the organizational skills she must have had.

Thankfully, we are not called to perfection, simply to strive towards excellence.  Not to achieve it (though it is wonderful when we do), but to STRIVE TOWARDS it.  Thank goodness!

I have visions of a perfectly ordered house.  I get ohsoexcited when I enter an office supply store.  Unfortunately, I fall a bit at the execution.  This is my home this morning:

Don't you love my organized desk area!  It was clean and orderly awhile back.  Two under two syndrome has hit hard.  Surprisingly, this is fairly clean compared to some days.  In my defense, we had just gotten back from a weekend away.

This is one counter in my kitchen.  Don't cha love the file system where I pay bills stuck in the middle of the mess?

Now, I try to keep this segment of counter clean since it is where I do my cooking.  I clean it at least twice per day and it still ends up being a little cluttered and messy.

Ahhh..... We got a "new" dining room table this weekend.  It had been my Grandmother's.  Since I had to clear off the old one to move it to the basement (it's now my laundry/sewing table), I had to deal with some of the clutter.  I'm hoping to keep it this clean as I move forward.

So, you see that I am no expert.  I am in as much need of organizational help as the next person - maybe moreso!

Here are some tips to help calm the chaos (as FlyLady says, Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) in a few baby steps each day:

• Take a few minutes each day to get rid of clutter - toss the junk, recycle what you can, sell stuff, bless others with items you just don't need.  Try joining the 730 Item De-clutter challenge!
• Deal with mail as SOON as it comes in the house. Recycle the junk mail, sort the rest.  This is actually why my file station is in the kitchen - it's where I file the mail so bills don't get misplaced.
• Think outside the box.  Do you have a storage dilemma? Try a creative solution. Our dilemma is we have just one closet for the whole first level of the house. I use a hanging shoe rack on our closet door to organize office supplies.  Maybe try a coffee table with storage inside, baskets under end tables, or a cube that doubles as storage and extra seating.
• Apply the rule that when one item is brought in, one item must go out.  Buy a new toy? Donate an old toy.  
• Master the Calendar.  Have one spot where the master calendar is kept.  Keep the calendar updated. Try using a different color for each family member or for each type of activity.
• Cement those routines.  Organization plus solid routines equals an orderly home.
• Remember your priorities.  If your husband doesn't mind a little mess, spend your time first taking care of what really matters to him (maybe by making him lunch or by snuggling on the couch with him).  Remember that your children will only be little once. Don't spend all your time cleaning and miss playing with them.  Most importantly, don't neglect your time with God.  Remember the story of Mary and Martha. Your time is better spent sitting at the feet of Jesus than tending to the affairs of the house (though the house certainly should not be neglected).
• Set up a home binder.  Over the next few weeks, I will be adding items to the download portion of the website to create your own home organization binder for free.  

Take baby steps this week.  Declutter.  Organize.  Start in one space.  Slowly take baby steps outward.  Baby steps lead to lasting change.

My very favorite tip - Invite people over!  It's amazing how organizing and decluttering happen quickly with the stress of an impending visit!  I'm having a Miche purse party this weekend to kick me into gear!

What's your favorite organizing tip?