As I’ve shared earlier this summer, I’m not in a place where my thoughts are super organized. Blogging is bogging me down in some ways because my Type A perfectionist personality wants every post to be organized neat and pretty with an introduction, three points, and a conclusion.
Maybe I’ll get back to that someday, but not today. Rather than give up on blogging, I’m going to continue to write what’s on my mind, and if I bore you – there are 25,890,528,386 other blogs out there to choose from. Have at it.
I’ve been on a purging streak this summer. Throwing out stuff. Giving away stuff. Selling stuff. When the kids go to school in the fall I plan to purge a lot of their stuff as well. They don’t miss the plastic McDonald meal toy if it simply disappears. But if they see me chuck it in a bag, it suddenly becomes their prized possession that they ALWAYS play with (even if I found it under the couch cushions I haven’t cleaned for a year.)
I read somewhere that if it doesn’t spark joy – ditch it. That goes for books, too. I’ve given myself permission to quit reading a book if I find it to be a dud. Why didn’t I know I could do that before? Clearly, I’ve had issues. (I’ve thrown a lot of books away too, incidentally.)
I’ve also been evaluating some of my work, home, and blogging processes to see what needs tweaking to make things more efficient AND make sure I’m doing what’s most important. This past year I tried going electronic with calender/planner etc. I have a smart phone, so I thought I should make better use of it.
I hated it. Every time I wanted to add an event to my calender I had to press several buttons and type on that tiny texting keyboard or whatever it’s called. Even while doing it I would be thinking, “I’m wasting my time. I’m wasting my time.” Hate. It. I’d get on my phone with the Dr. and then have to say, “Hold on one moment while I move my phone away from my face in order to access my phone calender to see when my child is available. This will only take a moment. OK. A couple of moments. OK, I accidentally hit the Spotify button. Excuse the music – I’m working on getting that off. There we go. Thank you for your patience. I think I’ve got this now. If you’re talking, I can’t hear you because my ear is up here and you are down there in my phone. OK, here’s the calender. Now what days is Dr. Jenkins got availability? Oh wait – I need to put the phone back to my ear so I can hear you. Silly me.” (Update: while you’re on the phone, apps like Spotify can’t play – that I’m aware of – so this is just funny fiction. I should point that out in case someone who is thinking of getting a smart phone just got scared off. The rest of the story has been my reality too many times to count.)
Same with my planner. I tried OmniFocus on my computer to plan projects. But that meant I had to go to my computer, load it up, and open the right file before I could find out what I needed to do. Scrolling was involved too. Too many steps. I wanted to have it right in front of me. I found myself using scraps of paper, but those accumulated all over my desk in short order and made me dizzy.
I finally decided that what works for some, doesn’t work for me, and I recently went back to my paper planner and calender where the comforts of familiarity and the feel of a nice pen enveloped me in relief. The added bonus is having a collection of past planners that enable me to look back and see what I’ve accomplished. What the kids studied. What I made for breakfasts. (I don’t want a record of what I made for breakfast this past year, so that worked out well.) What I purchased. What worked and what failed to work. I want to be able to page through a physical book one day. And my kids might be more apt to do that over digging through files in the Cloud.
I learned this next tip from the 30 Day Challenge:
Make a to-do list at the same time every single day. The thing on the top of the to-do list should be your “push goal” – the thing that you MUST get done in order to accomplish your biggest goal for this year. Basically this means doing one small thing every single day that brings you closer to reaching your most important goal for the year.
I’ve found this to be simple, but ingenious. Someday I’ll tell you what my push-goal is. Push goals aside, it helps me accomplish so much more each day because it keeps me focused. So my planning strategy is to make a monthly list of everything I want to get done that month in each category of my life: business, blogging, parenting, homemaking, and self-care. So, for example, in the Homemaking category I might want to detail clean the entire kitchen in August.
Then I break each project down into weekly goals. So for this week in the Homemaking category I might want to clean the oven and fridge. I will pick the two days I want to accomplish these projects and add them to those day’s to-do lists.
See how easy it is to plow through projects that would normally be set aside “for another time and another place” – like Never Never Land? One step each day gets you to the finish line.
Some of my every day processes include the following:
1. I try to leave each room better than it was when I entered it. I’ve been teaching this to my kids too. Pick up ONE THING. Move ONE THING back into its proper place. Anyone can take 2 seconds to do this, and if everyone did, the bathroom would be a much nicer place.
2. Before I go upstairs (or downstairs) I scan my surroundings to see if anything needs to be brought up there with me. Upstairs toys that have found their way downstairs (nobody actually brought them down, you know), dirty kitchen rags that need to be put in the hamper, etc..
3. Before going to bed we pick up surfaces. Floor and counter surfaces. Tables. Piano benches. You know—surfaces. When surfaces are clean and clear, the whole house FEELS clean (even though it’s not.) It’s amazing what a difference it makes to wake up in the morning and come down to an orderly living space.
4. If you don’t have time to purge – try putting a bunch of stuff in boxes and stuffing the boxes in a corner of the attic or garage or closet. The less there is to pick up, the faster it is to pick up. (This advice is really quite stunning when it’s read while falling asleep.)
5. Do the daily mundane things at the same time each day. For me this includes:
- Feed the dog
- Water the outdoor container plants
- Water the new sod by the side of the driveway
- Throw in a load of laundry
- Make coffee
- Time with God
- Make my to-do list
I do this in the morning before my kids wake up because once they’re up, all bets are off. I must admit that some days—all bets are off before I roll out of bed.
My last strategy is this: whenever I think of something I need to do, whether is is as big and important as “purchase the homeschool curriculum for the fall” or as small as “we need ketchup,” I write it down. Write it down. Write that thought down. If I don’t, it rattles around my subconscious along with a bunch of other nagging little “to-dos” I’m trying desperately to remember – and weighs me down. I write down everything that pops into my head. Okay, maybe not everything—but just about. Once it’s on paper, I don’t have to think about it again. And I don’t. What’s on paper goes on a to-do list. It gets crossed off, and I get freedom.
Question: What are some organizational strategies that have worked well for you? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
I use a kitchen timer on the days I’m at home and spend 15 min. in each room. There is no time for more than that, but it is amazing what can get done when you’re racing the clock.
I love this idea – great for kids too! (5 minutes seems to be what they can handle – but with a bunch of them we can really get a lot picked up!)
Thank you so much for this post! Entertaining and challenging all at once, some new ideas to implement. I like the idea of having one thing on the top of my list that related to something important, rather than just urgent. Hmmm…I think I need to do the 30 Day Challenge…
I loved the phone/calendar example! I’ve tried electronic – doesn’t work for me, either; and I quite often go back to my At-A-Glance books from previous years; I identify!
I keep all kinds of information on my computer; but I’ve recently decided that anything to do with planning/calendar/to-do belongs on paper. Partly so I don’t turn to my computer and get distracted. But I’m sure that never happens to anyone else….
: )
Oh my…so true.
Applause applause! I love my old fashioned calendar and do not want to go digital! Paper and pen is the way to go. It’s so simple. Technology can make our lives more complicated, not less. I don’t own a smart phone, I have a very old flip phone, and I love it. Many have said I can get internet on this phone, but I don’t want it, and I get an answer such as “You don’t?” with a very confused look on their face. I say bravo for paper and pencil, and calendars you have to write things down on. The 30-day challenge sounds like fun!
Hi! I’ve been thinking the same thing: since I have these wonderful electronic devices, I should be putting them to their full use, but I am not sure if it would gel with my personality (I feel so accomplished when I can check off something on a to-do list). There are so many wonderful looking apps for organization and time management, I feel guilty for not using my electronics to their max potential. Glad that you found it not to be the best for you (at least I’m not alone, yay!).
Is there a paper planner you prefer?
Thanks!
Wanda
There are so many options out there! I ended up just going with Franklin Covey. Not as exciting as some – but practical and useful for me with a blog and business.
I can’t do a planner that I carry around. I never check them. I forget them. I have little notebooks in my purse that I write to do lists, things I want to remember, prayers, or sermon notes, but they are not my boss. I do have a big calendar on my kitchen wall with photos of the kids that I create at the end of the year. On that calendar I write down appointments, important dates and other things I need to remember that have a date. On my fridge I have an on going shopping list and to do list for the day. I actually am not strict with to do lists because I become obsessed with them and I turn with mommy monster. I become a Sargent task master and awful to live with. So I have a light to do list in my head: meals, laundry, exercise that need to happen every day… everything else happens as time allows and as inspiration comes.
The kids will have their own daily to do list (very small and short and includes school assignments) and they are responsible for keeping them.
We do pick up the house a couple of times a day. Like you I believe, clean surfaces and things put away give an appearance of clean house which is sufficient and necessary when one has children.
Another thing I do, learned with Flylady, is to clean my kitchen every night. A dirty kitchen in the morning destroys my day. But a clean kitchen is a clean canvas ready to be created upon. 
I am thrilled to see you blossom with your new found individuality. Isn’t it awesome to have the freedom to choose and decide what’s best for you? That’s the main reason we don’t like medical insurance (why does someone else have to decide what is the best procedure for me to have?) and common core sucks!
PS I love decluttering too. I have a 2015 in 2015 challenge going on. That is get OUT of the house 2015 items in 2015. I have gotten rid of 500 so far. Planning to pick up my slack once my parents leave. Have many plus size outfits that need to go. 😉
WOWSER BOWSER! 2015 items? My jaw is on the floor. That would be a dream come true. I love a clean kitchen in the morning too. Are you more of a creative free spirit? Not so type A? You seem like a balanced woman. I need to shave off some type A rough edges, I think.
I have a very type A dad, he was military. I am the oldest of 4. So my tendency is toward type A, but my ideal self is more relaxed. So when I’m stressed the type A comes out but when I am having a good day I am an extrovert, social, creatively impulsive and relaxed type of person. Talk about dual personality! Ugh! :/ After I got married, I discovered my creative side. I think it was repressed for many years. It still is to some degree. I can’t let myself decorate my house. I’m just too practical. I will make decorative items and sell them or give them away, but don’t want them in my house gathering dust. Isn’t that crazy? But that’s how I am. I like a clean and organized house and although I like a pretty feminine frilly house I keep thinking of all the dust bunnies hiding in the lace.
Oh – dust in lace – so true. I’m glad you are finding the REAL you! It’s probably normal to get to our age and realize we’ve repressed much of who we are inside in order to please others. No wonder some old people are funny and friendly. (And some are not…) They don’t care anymore what anyone thinks. They are comfortable in their own skin – and therefore likeable and easy to be with. That is where we are headed.
You are funny!
Thanks for all the tips.
I have tried an electronic calendar a few times and I’ve come to the conclusion that people who rave about them haven’t tried a paper one yet.
You may be right about your kids flipping through your paper planners one day. Since my Mom has passed away, when I see her handwriting on ANYTHING, I feel, I don’t know. I just feel. Maybe I’m odd.
My mom said the same thing about her mom’s handwriting. You are definitely not odd. Their handwriting is personal and part of them.
I’m so with you on the paper calendar. I simply cannot run my life from my phone or computer. I live by my large Flylady calendar on my kitchen wall and something smaller that fits into my purse. I’m a pen and paper girl. I must admit that I haven’t quite followed everything on Chalene’s videos, but thanks to you I have been watching them and thinking through some things. It is helping with the process of re-evaluating my priorities and goals as I get organized for a new schoolyear. I’m also on a de-cluttering rampage. It’s been an ongoing process for me, but I’ve made more headway this year. We still have way too much stuff! For my sanity I need my environment to be simpler. I’m a better mom (wife, too, but hubby is deployed, so the mom role is bigger for now) when life is in order. I’m doing the 2015 in 2015 challenge. I’m up to 1356 so far! In 2014 I de-cluttered 1859 things, some of which were stacks of paper. Ugh! Paper is the worst.
I need to check out Fly Lady…
I’ve read your blogs for a short time now and have found your thoughts provoking and interesting. Thanks being transparent and authentic in sharing your insights. As a reader I also want to be authentic, and I suspect that as a blogger you appreciate hearing the thoughts of your readers based on your insights. What I’m led to share with you is that, for this blog “Some of My Organization and Planning Methods”, I was heart-grieved for you when I read that under your list of “daily mundane things” that you listed, “Time with God”. How sad that you view your time with the Lover of your soul, the One who created you and makes all things good for those who love Him, as an uninteresting, unfulfilling task to complete. I pray that as you read this while falling asleep, you will find my insight quite stunning and ponder your understanding of why this task is even on your list in the first place and why you see it as something to complete. Hopefully, your outcome allows you to put your relationship with God on the list of “things that I can’t get enough of” or the list “things I’d like to do more of throughout my day” or lastly the list “things I absolutely can’t wait to do it cause I can’t live an adventurous, wondrous, victorious life without it”. I hope so, otherwise why do it? Blessings sister, Theresa
Blessings sister? You’ve not given me a blessing, Theresa. And you’re not being authentic. Authenticity is sharing part of yourself in a vulnerable, humble way – not piously slapping the hand of someone you don’t know for something you are clearly ignorant about. You’ve behaved like a judgmental Pharisee. I’m not going to defend my history with God or my relationship with Him. He knows me and you don’t. (And no, you haven’t been reading my blog or you wouldn’t have made this comment. Were you deceitful?)
I don’t find your insight (?) stunning. I find your comment shallow, arrogant, and ugly. You’ve got Isaiah 55:9 in your email address. In light of your comment, I find that stunning.
I need to say one more thing for the rest of you who subscribe to the comments here and are reading this. I’m sick of mean commenters. I’ve got several blogging friends who deal with this crap all the time. People who call themselves “sisters” waltz over to someone else’s blog and vomit. If anyone does that here, you’ll get confronted. If you don’t like confrontation then keep your vomit in your gut where it belongs, because I’m not a “nice” neurotic blogger anymore, and this is my sandbox. I like it clean.
Woohoo!! The sister got guts and knows how to defend herself. 😀 hahahaha I had a good laugh with this whole exchange. One because I have been reading your blog for years so I know you a little better than Theresa. Two because I bet she didn’t expect that. Third because this is your sandbox you can do whatever you like, Sista! Woohoo!!
I’ve actually been getting a kick out of myself lately. The old me is looking at the new me with wide eyed shock and wonder. I’m just tired of getting picked on. I should tell you all my bully story someday. Actually, I think I did begin to tell a little bit of it here: http://visionarywomanhood.com/1970s-jesus-freak-grade-school/ I never finished that story. Hmmmm…
I remember reading it.
I was bullied in school too. A lot. I also remember the beginning of my standing up for myself and fighting back when my first husband filed for divorce after months of lying and cheating and putting all the blame on me and my fat a$$. 😛 But hey, I love how God uses all things for our good. Today I am blessedly married and wouldn’t change a thing. 
So keep standing up!
Man alive, what is it with people here lately?!
Theresa, if you have the time to make your time in the Word every day be some fantastic meeting personally with God time, then well done and bravo to you.
But most normal people have some times when they read the Word out of dutiful love. Not always, but sometimes.
Most of those other things are mundane, but the reading the Word has to/should be/likes to be done every morning for many people and as Natalie said before her kids are up.
Seriously, just because someone has a blog, it does not mean you have the right to judge and pick apart whatever you feel like – and yes I am doing that to your post, but I am so over the pious, stuck up people getting on here and feeling like they can hammer her any darn time they feel like it!!!
And on a post about organising!
It’s mind boggling. WOOPS – I scribbled my QT on a list of everyday activities and used the word “mundane” to describe most of them (as most of them are). And THAT sums up my entire 41-year relationship with God? There are people who watch like crows for someone to misstep in some fallible human way – so they can justify pecking their eyeballs out. When a woman is excited about Jesus FOR REAL – she acts like Him. Not seeing that here.
That was so much I am going to have to print it to pick over all the things I can try!
Thanks.
I do the whole, every time I go in a room (during part of the day), put one thing away – usually that goes somewhere which means I have to go through other rooms, so end up with a few things in my hands going away!
I certainly have seasons of being organised and then not so much.
I love paper, and excel.
I have notes and lists everywhere.
“I certainly have seasons of being organised and then not so much.”
Me too.
Thanks for sharing these ideas, Natalie. I, too, have spent years trying to find the “perfect” planning system for me. But, alas, I have discovered that it isn’t the system at all! It’s me that is the problem! My lack of discipline and consistency is seriously lacking. Paper or digital, these are not what ails me. It is my need to conform to the image God desires, one of order and doing things when I really don’t want to do them. Argh. But God is working on me and never lets me go. Thank you, Jesus!
And thanks to you for reminding me, through being able to view your life a bit, of who I am and how I function. This is key to discovering what will work for us. BTW – I love the “push goal” tip.
Really blessings!
Terry
Thanks for mentioning the 30 day challenge. I was looking for something to help my scrambled thinking,so I signed myself up. Although it takes me 2-3 days to follow each day, I’ll hopefully do a second round and be that much more organized.