Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Don't Wait 'Til Tomorrow...

I haven't always been an organised person, and I'm still not always entirely on top of things. But I am learning slowly as I get older little systems that keep me organised. One of the things I have had to learn to fight is laziness. Or if not laziness, the desire to "do it later". I try to follow the good old rule- No Time Like The Present.

To keep on top of the housework or life in general, I have had to force myself to slow down and do things properly, right now, instead of putting it off for another time when I might "feel like it". It really helps me in life when I keep up with tasks by doing what I can, right now. I find this way of thinking and acting really enables me to stay fairly organised, especially around the house.

I enjoy some aspects of housekeeping, but I've always had this sense of impatience with things like ironing and putting away the clean washing. A few years ago I'd have brought in the clean washing off the line and dumped it on the couch, and it would have stayed there for a few days or never be put away at all. Or things needing ironing would stay in the basket for weeks. These days I force myself to slow down and finish the job properly, before they turn into enormous jobs. I fold the washing straight off the line into the basket. Once indoors I sort the washing into piles and put the piles away, immediately. If I didn't do this straight away clothes could lie around the place for days. I don't find it harder to do things this way, and I'm not sure why I used to leave jobs unfinished, but again, it probably came down to being lazy or procrastinating.


It only takes a couple of minutes to finish a job completely, and for me to make sure things are put back where they came from. If I need tools for some handywork I always make sure I spend that last minute putting the tools back away. It's not hard, it just takes discipline and a mindful attitude. I think about a job from beginning to end, and this helps me to keep on top of the housework. Tidying up is alot easier and quicker when I don't have all these little half-finished jobs to do, as well as the usual cleaning and tidying.

Of course there's always those times when I leave things out that I'm still working on, such as sewing projects. In these cases I need to decide if I am actually going to keep working on the project the next day or sometime in the near future. If that sewing project is still unfinished the following week, and I know for sure I have no intention of getting it completed in the near future, I put it away. Sometimes I need things to go away so I can bring them out again another time with a fresh outlook.

This is a bird mobile for Peanut's room I am working on. It's been here on my sewing table for a couple of days, but I know I will have completed it by the end of the week.

I think when Peanut is old enough to understand, we will try to teach him the value in finishing things from beginning to end. As soon as play time is over, we will pack the toys back into the toy box. As soon as the meal is finished, the plates will go to the sink and be washed. My parents brought me up this way, and even though this way of thinking and acting may not have sunk in til I was in my mid 20's; -it eventually did. And I'm glad I finally got there.

13 comments:

  1. It is amazing how things taught to us stick with us in later life. My eldest daughter, living away from home, uses a lot of the skills I instilled in her as a young teenager. Her flatmate drives her mad because she doesn't clean and tidy like K does. We are a non-clutter, hot soapy water for dishes type of family and her flatmate is the opposite! Oh dear! I'm glad these little things have rubbed off onto her.

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  2. Hi Joolz
    Thats great your daughter uses the skills you taught her. Yes I remember the days of house sharing and being frustrated :) Its a fun time though. I hope you have a happy week. Xxo

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  3. We all are guilty of being lazy at times. Some of us come to the conclusion that finishing the job is for the best to save our sanity:)
    However, I hope your resting when needed as Peanut will take much of your strength at first...
    ~~HUGS~~

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  4. Great post mate! I'm the same - still have to force myself to get up and 'just do it' but I'm always thankful that there is a sense of order and timing.
    You are going to freak out when i tell you this....you know the cane hoop you have there? I made a mobile that is now hanging over baby E's change table area using EXACTLY the same brand of cane hoop as you have pictured. What is with us?! So similar in some ways!!! Can't wait to see yours finished :)

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  5. Hi Lus!! Haha thats funny :-) I think we are definitely kindred spirits. Hope u had a good weekend! Yes will post photo of finished mobile :-) Xxox

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  6. Hi Blessings! Yes I am trying to rest as much as possible, especially now as I am very uncomfortable with an enormous bump at 37 wks. It looks like twins- I wonder if the scan missed a baby hiding up the back.. Haha :-)

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  7. Hi via
    I have come to you site via your ML blog. I have been following you since she gave you a shout out. I love the clean chrisp look of your blog - all organised just like you!
    Cheers
    Linda
    Taupo New Zealand

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  8. Oh I have to fight the lazies too!

    One thing I do when I fold up the washing off the line. Is I fold up everyones clothes individually. For instance I'll start with mine and Brians clothes first, they can get piled in toegther that's easily enough. But then I'll start with one of the boys. So say facing the line is Ethans jumper. I get all of his jumpers off the line and fold them up, then next might be his jammies, so I'll get all of those off. I'll slowly work my way around the line until all of his clothes are done, then start on Eli's and work int he same manner finishing with the underwear (always hung on the most inner line).
    I find this makes it so much easier when it comes to putting clothes away. I can just grab the pile of Ethans jumpers and put them away, then all his pants and put them away.
    Rather than coming back inside and either sorting them out on my bed or opening and closing the drawers a million times to put things away.

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  9. I love it Becci!!! Thats such a great idea. It would help me alot with the putting away. I will try this :-)
    Thanks so much for sharing
    Xo

    Hi Linda! thanks for visiting.

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  10. I too fold clothes right off the line or right out of the dryer (depending on what type of day it is) and put the clothes away at that time. Dishes are always done after eating and at the end of the day, everything is put away and tidied up and what I need for the next day gets placed on the kitchen table or put in the car for whatever errands or things I need to take to work. Mr H is the same way which makes things so much easier.
    I can't wait to see your mobile when it is finished!!!!

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  11. Hi Sarndra,
    I know what you mean. I have to do thinks right away too. I'm a bit of a slacker and it won't happen when I don't tackle it immediately.
    I love the mobile, great fabric !!
    Have a wonderful day.

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  12. Hello! To follow on from becci's comment, we do that too (started by my husband) but the first step to this is how he hangs it - so rather than having to go round and round the line when pulling it down, we divide the line into 4 sections when hanging.

    Our hills hoist like most others in Oz has 4 sections - so one for each of us and 1 for the kitcheny/linen things. Then Becci's system is even faster for pulling in and folding as you go. Because we normally hang when it is a beautiful day and pull in when we get home from work, so it is a quicker job!

    And although I used to laugh at him, it takes 10 times longer to put away laundry when I don't hang it this way in the first place - sometimes I rebel and then learn from my ways, haha!

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  13. So many of the things my parents told me are really starting to make sense now as I have my own home and push closer to 30. When I was a teen and young adult I just didn't get how right on they were.... Ah, youth. I hope you have better luck teaching Peanut to just listen from the start!

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