Quick and Easy Decluttering (Imperfect Homemaking Challenge)

Just like with deep cleaning, I have a tendency to hang onto the mindset that unless all my “regular” cleaning is done, I can't do any organizing and decluttering.

My daily schedule is so full that I can't even set aside 15 minutes to work on it.

So instead I do crazy stuff like look at the same thing 20 times, thinking “Why do I have that?” instead of just getting rid of it right then and there!  It's mental clutter, ya'll, and this brain of mine is so full that I can't afford to be cluttering it up with stupid stuff like that!

“Well, I need to sell it on eBay or at least put it in the yard sale pile,” I tell myself.

Look, if I don't have time to think about it, I certainly don't have time to sell it on eBay!  And do you know how much work it is to do a yard sale?  Who am I kidding?

Instead, I need to do some quick and easy decluttering by sending it to one of three places  — immediately:

1. The trash can.

2. To church, to see if someone there would like to have it.

3. To the thrift store.

Gasp!  You would throw away a perfectly good item?!

Why yes! As a matter of fact I would!

Let me tell you about the super-organized people I know.  (If they're super-organized, they obviously know what they're doing, and I could stand to learn a thing or two from them.) One thing I've noticed is that they're constantly throwing stuff in the garbage.  They understand the concept that time is money.  They could make a quarter off their junk at a yard sale later, or they could just pitch it now, and quit using up valuable time and energy, space in their house, and space in their brain on an item they no longer use or love.  It seems to me that all that trouble is not worth a quarter.

(Don't get me wrong — I think there is a time and a place for yard sales, and we've held some very successful ones in the past.  However, there are seasons of life where you just need to get rid of your things immediately and move on.)

Today's Challenge: See how many things you can find today to get rid of.  You don't need to go on a full-out decluttering spree. Just take notice of things as you go about your day.  If it would only earn you a quarter at a yard sale, pitch it.  If it's something nice that someone else may want, put it in your car immediately and drop it at the thrift store next time you're out or give it to a friend at church.

Instagram challenge: Post a picture of what you did to spend time with your kids today.  Use the hashtag #imperfecthomemaker to encourage other members of this community!  (Follow me here.)

If you’re just joining the 31 Days of Imperfect Homemaking series, you can see all the posts here.

10 Things You Can Do Right Now to Save Your Family Money (Imperfect Homemaking Challenge)

There are a million and one ways you can pinch your pennies and help your family live more frugally.

But I know it can be overwhelming.  You're doing well to put food in your family's belly without worrying about whether you could have purchased that ground beef for 50 cents less per pound.  Sometimes you know you're wasting money and you just don't care at the moment.

But don't let the fact that you can't implement every single money saving trick in the book stop you from doing what you can!

Today's Challenge: Choose one simple thing you can do to save your family money.  It doesn't have to be complicated; just do something!

Instagram Challenge: Post a picture of today's frugal venture!  Use the hashtag #imperfecthomemaker to encourage other members of this community!  (Follow me here.)

Use Your Brain! (Imperfect Homemaking Challenge)

Busy, busy, busy!  Doesn't that describe pretty much all of us?

You think all day long – doubling recipes, remembering what needs to go on the shopping list until you're somewhere where you can write it down, helping kids with math problems – but yet your brain never seems to work.  You'd think it would get plenty of exercise and be pretty fit, but instead it seems that it's pretty much just worn out.

Sometimes I find myself walking into a room and staring around blankly because I can't remember why I went in there.

“This isn't supposed to happen at my age!” I think.  But it does.  And I know I'm not the only one.

I've been trying to exercise different parts of my brain using various apps on the iPad.  I seem to overuse certain parts and hardly use some at all.  I know I could be a more effective manager of my home if my brain would function at optimum capacity.

My husband loves strategy games, but I can't do them very well at all!  Lumosity.com has some games that are quick and fun and focus on developing the various parts of the brain.  Some apps I've used that are challenging for me without being too hard are Folt and Left Brain Right Brain.  I occasionally like to do a Sudoku puzzle as well.

Now, aside from the brain exercises, sometimes we need to just let our brain rest.  My favorite way to do that is to read a book.  Often before bed I'll think “Oh, I just need to check Facebook really quick.”  But I never sleep as well when I do that, and I almost always sleep well when I read a real book before bed.

When I read, I am resting my brain, but also growing myself as a person at the same time.  I like to read books that bring introspection, like devotionals or Christian biographies.  I can't tell you how much it helps my brain unwind and quit thinking about all the things I need to do the next day, while at the same time giving me things to consider as I seek to grow in my Christian walk.  I can fall asleep “thinking on good things”, and my sleep is sweet!

Today's Challenge: Do something to either strengthen your brain or relax it!  I know you're busy.  Don't use that as an excuse.  Just take a couple minutes right before you go to sleep.

 Instagram challenge: Post a photo of a brain game you played or a book you read.  Use the hashtag #imperfecthomemaker to encourage other members of this community.  (Follow me here.)

If you’re just joining the 31 Days of Imperfect Homemaking series, you can see all the posts here.

Loving the Little People (Imperfect Homemaking Challenge)

The little people.

Oh, how I love mine!

But they require so much work, don't they?

I often become so consumed with all the things I need to do for them — feeding little bellies, changing little diapers, homeschooling, washing clothes — that I don't find make the time to just enjoy playing with them.

I've actually scheduled outside time into our daily schedule, and it's sort of a blessing in disguise that we live on a main road with no fence where the kids absolutely cannot go outside by themselves.  There would be many times it would be nice to send them outside to play while I catch up on laundry, but instead I'm forced to go out with them.  And I get to play with my kids!  I get to be free from the distractions of housework and just focus on kicking a soccer ball, pushing little bodies on the swingset, and listening to their gleeful laugh when they find a caterpillar (or in the case of my oldest, trying to scare mom with it!)

Sure, I've seen lots of clever ideas for family playtime, blog posts on “How to be a fun mom”, and the like, but we imperfect homemakers sometimes do crazy things like searching for the perfect idea and never actually do anything!   Instead of collecting ideas, just do something!  Maybe you don't end up building a cardboard tunnel for your kids today, but you can get on the floor and join in while your daughter plays tea party with her dolls or race those matchbox cars across the floor with your son.

Today's Challenge: Play with your kids!  Just do something!  They won't care that it's not the most clever idea in the world; they just want you to spend time with them!

Instagram challenge: Post a picture of what you did to spend time with your kids today.  Use the hashtag #imperfecthomemaker to encourage other members of this community!  (Follow me here.)

If you’re just joining the 31 Days of Imperfect Homemaking series, you can see all the posts here.

One Easy Way to Boost Your Health (Imperfect Homemaking Challenge)

There are always changes we can make to better our health — no matter how far we've come on our healthy living journey.

Sometimes it's hard to know exactly what step to take next; there are so many different directions we could go!

But for the sake of this challenge, we're focusing on simplicity and just doing something!

So today your challenge is very, very simple:

Drink more water.

Maybe you're already doing really well at drinking plenty of water.  If so, I'm glad!  I generally do pretty well at it too.  But occasionally we get thrown off kilter by an extra busy day or change of routine.  When that happens I can feel the effects almost immediately.  It's such a simple thing that makes such a huge difference!  If you're already doing well at your drinking plenty of water, keep it up!  If not, now is the time to start.  Making small changes can make a big difference in your health!

Instagram challenge: Post a picture of your water bottle.  Use the hashtag #imperfecthomemaker and encourage other members of this community!  (Follow me here.)

(By the way, this is what I use for drinking water.  It keeps it cold all day long (even when I'm running errands in a hot car) and is totally spill-proof (perfect for being around curious kids all day).  It's a little pricey, but well worth it.  (And I rarely say that because I hate spending money.)

If you’re just joining the 31 Days of Imperfect Homemaking series, you can see all the posts here.

Showing Love to the One You Love (31 Days of Imperfect Homemaking)

For the married ladies — we know in our heads we need to make our husband a priority.  But in practice it all too often doesn't happen.

I know for myself that by the time I take care of whining toddlers, put on my homeschool teacher hat for the largest portion of the day, change a few dirty diapers, clean up countless messes, discipline and correct children, clean up some more messes, and cook a few meals, I'm pretty worn out.  I very often haven't even had time for a shower before my husband comes home from work, and I'm definitely not feeling very romantic.  In fact, most of the time I'm feeling a little bit grouchy.

I have to work really hard at not unloading all the gory details of my day on my husband the minute he walks in the door.  I have to purposely remind myself to smile and be pleasant, knowing that he's had a long day too and the last thing he needs is a wife who's complaining about how long and hard her day was.

I'm most often up to my elbows in supper preparation while simultaneously trying to extract my legs from the grip of my one-year-old.  I've got to keep working if I'm going to get finished up and get everybody (cough…myself) into bed anytime soon.

So, while I may suppress the grouchy feelings and make a conscious choice to smile and be pleasant when my husband comes home, I'll confess…he often doesn't get a welcome home kiss.  I'm busy you know!

What happened to the good old days?  The days when I would watch out the window and run out to the car like an excited little girl when he came home?

Just because I'm busy and tired doesn't mean I love my husband any less, and I need to let him know by my actions!

Sure, I'm busy, but how long does it take to give him a kiss and tell him I'm glad he's home?

Today's Challenge: Find one simple way to show your husband you love him!  Just because you don't have time to do anything elaborate, doesn't mean you should let meaningful actions fall by the wayside!  Don't let your busy life crowd out the one earthly being who means the most to you!

 

Instagram challenge : Ahem.  I'll not be posting mine today.  I've never been one for kissing selfies. 🙂

If you’re just joining the 31 Days of Imperfect Homemaking series, you can see all the posts here.