My Current Project

I've asked before if you struggle with cleaning the way I do. Some people really have a tough time with this, others don't. I am a person who really struggles with daily maintenance around the house. Big spurts of energy are what I use to tackle the mess in my life, followed by long lulls of inactivity.

I often visit a website run by the "Fly Lady". Her advice to start changing your chaotic home is to begin with baby steps. Fly Lady recommends working on adding the same habit for 28 days. It only takes 21 days to establish a new habit, but for distracted people (like me) it takes 28. An example of small routines to begin with could be trying to do three things in the morning and three things in the evening. These are things you do every day to begin to keep up with the maintenance in your home. (And the chaos gradually lessens.)

Even this though, seems too much for me. In the morning, I am not awake. In the evening, I lack motivation to do work around the house when I have spent all day running after a 16 month old (and/or other children), trouble shooting fussiness issues (is Melody sleepy? hungry? is it reflux?) and trying to work in time for me to get a few things done for my business or errands run for the family.

So a week ago, I decided to tackle 4 things every day for 28 days. Instead of focusing on trying to do these things the same time every day, I am just trying to do them every day no matter when it is. (My mind rebels against the idea that I "have" to do something every day. I am a rebel at heart. Not proud of it, but in this case, I am trying to work with that part of myself so I don't wind up hating my efforts.)

Here are my four have-to-do-them-every-day tasks:
1. A load of laundry from start to finish. Wash, dry, fold, put away
2. Shower. You would be amazed how you have to remind yourself to do this when you are just by yourself at home with a baby... or pre-toddler :)
3. My choice of any chore around the house. This takes away the excuse that I don't feel like doing anything, since it means I can do any one thing that blesses my house. ANYTHING is progress at this point.
4. Prepare for tomorrow, tonight! This makes me look at my calendar ahead of time and get ready for my day, so hopefully I can be more on time to things and more prepared for life in general.

In addition to this, I am also challenging myself to de-clutter one spot (doesn't have to be big, just a cluttered spot) around my house each week. If you do the math, one spot a week = 52 clutter spots in a year. I wonder if I have 52 cluttered spots in my home? Or if at some point I will hit them all? Here on the blog, I am creating a page where you can follow my progress as I declutter my home. As I go along, I will be sure to add before and after pictures of the places I choose to declutter.

I will also share an update post about how I am doing forming the habit of doing laundry, showering, cleaning something and preparing for the next day the night before in a few days.

This weakness of mine (leaving things messy) is something I have disliked about myself for, well... forever. Do you have something that you are dissatisfied with yourself about? Something that is completely fixable with a little effort? Is it time for you to do something about it? Or are you happy with the status quo?

Love,
Rachel

And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 2 Corinthians 12:9