Time Management 101 (31 Days of Imperfect Homemaking)

If you missed the introduction as to what this is all about, you can read the whole thing here.

In a nutshell, this is a series for women who are easily overwhelmed (me!)  We don't have time to do things perfectly, so we don't do them at all.

During this series I'll be giving you one simple task to complete each day, and we are going to do it together!  Anything we do, no matter how imperfectly, will bless our family more than doing nothing at all!

Are you ready for the first challenge?

The first challenge is the hardest.  I promise.  If you can do this, the rest of the challenges will be a piece of cake.

But it's also the most important.

We are going to get our act together regarding time management.

Part of the reason you're feeling overwhelmed is because you're trying to cram too many things into your day, or you're wasting time (and possibly don't even realize it), or both.

If you're tired of having a messy house, feeling like a failure as a wife and mom, and discouraged that you're not finding time to cook healthy meals, you need to manage your time.

Not too long ago, I got up and looked at the dark circles under my eyes in the mirror and said to myself, “I feel like I'm living paycheck-to-paycheck when it comes to my time.”  In other words, I felt stretched too thin and it was stressing me out.

The word “paycheck” struck a chord in the recesses of memory, and around came the word “budget” to the front of my mind.  “Budget.  Yes…A time budget.  I need to tell my time where to go instead of letting time be my master.”  A few more seconds and the lightbulb stopped flickering and came on in full force.

“Tell Your Time!  That's right!”

You see, Tell Your Time is an eBook that changed my life.  At least it did a while back.  I had been praying for some solution to the very problem I just described.  The very next day this eBook went on sale, and the minute I opened it, I knew it was the answer to my prayer.  In a couple short hours, I had been guided clearly into determining my priorities, what things I needed to cut out of my life altogether, and where to fit it all into my day.  It changed my life — until my schedule and priorities shifted a little.  Then life got out of whack again.

Thankfully, all it took to get back on track was another couple hours, and boom!  I had a smoothly running schedule again.

I've put this challenge first because just by completing this, you will reduce a huge amount of your overwhelm right away.  You will see that everything you need to do can fit into your day!

I promise the other challenges will not take this long, but you cannot afford to skip this one.

Today's challenge: Purchase Tell Your Time and work your way through it.  (Yes, that is a referral link, and no, I am not just trying to make money off this post.)  In fact, I feel that this assignment is so important, that I'm going to give you a link that is not an affiliate link — right here.  If you can't get your act together and just can't seem to fit everything into your day, do not skip this assignment.  It's only $2.99, and worth every single penny.  Put the kids to bed early and work your way through the exercises in the book – it won't take you more than a couple hours.  In the morning you will feel the stress lifted off your shoulders as you know exactly where you're going and how you're going to get there!

Before  you go, let me leave you with this thought: “If not now, when?”  If you're not going to get your act together right now, when will you do it?  Stop saying “I don't have time” and just do it!

Now go get busy with your challenge!

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Today's Instagram challenge: Post a picture of your daily schedule!  Use the hashtag #imperfecthomemaker to encourage other members of this community!  (Follow me here.)

31 Days of Imperfect Homemaking

I didn't name this blog Imperfect Homemaker for nothing.  Before I started blogging, I enjoyed reading other blogs, but often would walk away discouraged.  On one blog I would see these wonderful ideas for organizing and decorating, on another I would see all the things I should be doing for my husband and children, on yet another I would see so many healthy changes I needed to make for our family.

I was overwhelmed!

And it paralyzed me.  I couldn't do anything because I didn't know where to start.

So I created this blog as a place where I don't pretend to have it all together.  If I post a recipe or craft, it's because I found something easy.  If I can do it, I know you can too!  If I post some spiritual encouragement, it's because the Lord revealed a weakness in my own life that had to be addressed.  If I post something about cleaning or organizing, it's because I'm desperately trying to figure out how to keep my own home clean and organized!

A couple years ago, I had a theme on the blog for an entire year called “Anti-Procrastination Year”.  I challenged myself to do one thing every day that needed to be done but always got shoved to the bottom of the pile, and I blogged about it. In spite of simultaneously battling chronic fatigue, it was one the most productive years I have ever had!

But it's so easy to fall back into the rut of overwhelm.  Of constantly saying “I need to do {fill-in-the-blank}, but I just don't have time right now.”

The truth is, I do have time.  I just don't have time to do it the way I'd like.  I don't have time to organize every cupboard in my kitchen, so I leave them all a mess.  I don't have time to prepare the coolest craft ever for my kids, so I don't do a craft with them at all.  You get the idea.

I have a feeling I'm not the only woman out there with these struggles.  No — I know I'm not the only one.  I've seen your emails and your comments on Facebook.  And you are not alone.

So here's what we're going to do.  We're going to overcome our overwhelm!

We're going to serve our families, even when we don't have time to do everything exactly like the picture-perfect (unrealistic) ideals in our heads!

I'll be giving you one simple task to complete each day, and we are going to do it together!  Anything we do, no matter how imperfectly, will bless our family more than doing nothing at all!

The  challenges will be in the following areas:

• Sunday – Your walk with the Lord
• Monday – Loving your husband
• Tuesday – Taking care of your own and your family's health
• Wednesday – Ministering to your children
• Thursday – Taking care of yourself
• Friday – Managing your finances
• Saturday – Housekeeping

Be sure to subscribe to email updates so you won't miss them!  You can customize your subscription to only receive the areas that interest you.  (During this series, the homeschooling category will include anything at all having to do with kids, so be sure to check that box if you need encouragement for your mama heart.)

Ready to join me?  Sign up below!

I'll be adding the link to each day's challenge to this page. If you happen to miss a post, just click the “31 Days of Imperfect Homemaking” button on the sidebar and it will bring you here!

Challenge #1: Time Management 101

Challenge #2: Meal Planning to Save Money

Challenge #3: Deep Cleaning Doesn't Have to Be Hard

Challenge #4: The Most Important Thing of All

Challenge #5: Showing Love to the One You Love

Challenge #6: One Easy Way to Boost Your Health

Challenge #7: Loving the Little People

Challenge #8: Use Your Brain

Challenge #9: Simple Ways to Save Money

Challenge #10: Quick and Easy Decluttering

Challenge #11: Scripture Memorization

Challenge #12: The Way to a Man's Heart

Challenge #13: One Step at a Time

Challenge #14: Who Cares if You're Not Crafty?

Challenge #15: Taking Care of Yourself

Challenge #16: Shop Ahead and Save

Challenge #17: Throw it Away

Bonus! Follow along on Instagram with the hashtag #imperfecthomemaker and encourage other members of this community throughout the challenge!

One Simple Word That Could Change Your Home

You are here because you are a homemaker.  (At least that's what I'm assuming!)

Look up the definition of “homemaker” in any dictionary, and you will find something to the effect of “a person who manages a home.”

Now if you look up the definition of the word “home”, you will find that it not only means “the place where a person lives”, but it also includes “the social unit formed by a family living together”. 

So, as a homemaker, you are not only the manager of the house in which you live, but you are in essence the manager of the family that lives there as well.

If you want to be successful in your calling as a homemaker, your time and attention should be on how you can better yourself in your management of both your home and your family.

Right here, before they ever get any further than the definition of their calling, is where many homemakers get derailed.

I confess it is very easy to do.

Opportunities to do so many good things come your way all the time – teaching Sunday School, leading homeschool co-op, volunteering at the crisis pregnancy center, etc.

But the question you must ask yourself when these opportunities come along is “Will this prevent me from managing my home and family successfully?  How much of my time will this require?”

If you cannot honestly say that your role as a home manager will not be hindered, then the word you must use is the word “No.”

It's a hard one to say sometimes.  (What will other people think?) Let me be clear.  I am not saying it is wrong to accept opportunities. But I am saying it is wrong if it will prevent you from fulfilling your responsibilities at home.

If you find yourself constantly frazzled that you can't keep up with the laundry, or frustrated that you can never seem to find time to give your child some much-needed one-on-one time, or feeling guilty that you haven't cooked a nice meal for your husband in who-knows-how-long, then you'll know it's time to use that little word.

Maybe you not only need to refuse new opportunities, but you need to cut down on some of the things with which you are already involved.

Don't feel guilty for saying no to something good in order to say yes to that which is best in this season of your life.

Reduce responsibility, and see if it doesn't help you find an extra level of peace in your home!

What do you need to say no to?  I'd love for you to share your thoughts in the comments!

What I’ve Learned About Homemaking From the Older Generation

Perhaps when you saw the title of this post you envisioned all the domestic skills of days gone by.  You imagined an older lady teaching me how to can food from the garden, wash clothes by hand, or knit blankets.

But that's not where I'm going with this at all.

I've been watching the older ladies I know, and I've learned a lot about homemaking from them without their ever saying a word to me.

When I go to church, here's what I see:

I see ladies whose bodies are old and worn out.  When they walk up the steps to the choir loft or go downstairs to teach their Sunday School classes I see them hobbling along and hear the occasional “Mmph” that involuntarily escapes their lips as they wince in pain.

Their tired eyes betray the sleepless night they've spent as they tossed and turned in pain.

But still they serve, week after week, without a single word of complaint.

The excitement over the privilege of serving God overrides the weariness and pain that their worn-out bodies feel.

It's not easy or convenient for them to serve the Lord in these ways, but they do it anyway.  They love the Lord and want to be faithful to serve him until they no longer have any breath in their body.

Then I try to imagine these ladies in their younger days, their lives full of children to love and housework to be done.

I imagine them as young wives and mothers fighting weariness and discouragement, often feeling overwhelmed, but never giving up as they fulfilled God's calling to love their husbands, love their children, and to be keepers at home (Titus 2:4-5.)

I want to be like that!  I want to follow their example of perseverance when the days are difficult and tiring.  I don't want to give up when the going gets tough.

Will you join me in following the example of the older generation and work diligently to build your home?

Will you persevere through the most difficult days?

Will you do all this with joy, counting it a privilege to serve your King in this noble task to which you have been assigned?

Will your sunset years find you still serving others as well as your health allows, the younger generation of wives and mothers observing your faithfulness to your home and family and to the Lord?

Or will you leave your home and family ill cared-for, throwing up your hands and quitting when the task feels too hard?

Fellow homemakers, let's work.  Let's labor diligently, not giving up when the going gets tough.  What a privilege to serve God in the place where he has called us!  Let's do it faithfully, through good days and bad, not stopping until God brings us to the place of eternal rest.

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Tips for Organizing your Vehicle for Summer

Guest post from Imperfect Homemaker contributor Nicole.

Now that summer weather has finally arrived, I for one find myself spending a lot of time in my vehicle! Between work, events with family, local events such as this, or church events, there are lots of great reasons to be on the go. The lack of organization in my car, however, was starting to drive me nuts! For something we use often, it is easy to let the cleanliness slide.

So I decided to do something about it!

I started by cleaning and vacuuming out the entire inside. I found all kinds of garbage under the seats…gross! How does that happen?

Once it was all sparkling clean, I made a list of the different items I wanted to put back in the car to be prepared for whatever a day might bring. Then I got to organize it all inside…that is the fun part!

I knew I wanted a bag for garbage. I hung a plastic grocery bag on the bottom part of my seat buckle. It hangs down behind the center console. I rarely have backseat passengers, so it is a great place to keep it within arms reach. If you do not have a center console, a bag like this will hang nicely between the two front seats, either on the buckles or the arm rests.

Next I added some items to the center console. I put a stack of napkins in there (just ask for some extras when you go through drive-through!) as well as a package of disinfecting wipes. I grabbed two packs of these wipes at the dollar store for $1 each. I stuck the extra one in my glove box so I won't run out! These wipes are great for sticky fingers if you eat on the go. I also use them to wipe down surfaces inside the car….like the steering wheel. Do you know how gross and dirty that gets? Totally worth a few seconds for a wipe-down…you can do this while sitting at a red light! (and then drop the used wipe in the garbage bag…so handy!)

I also picked up a little wire cup for a dollar to corral some loose change. Next to it all I tucked a pen and pad of paper. I'm glad to have all of these items easily within reach!

Another item I wanted to include was a package of tissues. I grabbed one of Puffs soft package tissues. This package is designed to go anywhere, so if I decide to shove it in my glove box or in the pocket of my car door, it will fit! Genius!

The glove box is harder to get to from the driver's seat, obviously. So I put items in there that I wouldn't need while driving. I have the extra package of disinfecting wipes in there, as well as a box of Larabar protein bars for when I need a little nutrition on the go. (Lets be honest…I will probably eat these every morning on the way to work, since I run out of time or forget to eat breakfast. Whoops!)

The last items I gathered were some personal items. I grabbed a zip pouch from my etsy shop and filled it with band-aids, a small comb, hair elastics, chapstick, and a few, um….lady items. (Psst! These zip pouches are the perfect size to hide those!! Just an FYI! {wink!})

Depending on what your summer plans are, there might be other ways you can plan ahead to save you time and headache later on. Do you go to the beach often? Keep a tote full of beach toys, towels, and sunscreen. Do you picnic? Keep a tote full of paper plates, cups, and silverware. You may want to throw in an umbrella, especially if you live in Florida. {wink!} In the winter I include a bag of emergency overnight items. Figure out what items that your family needs, and keep them in your car so you are never without them when you need them. That is the key to organization, right? Having what you need, when you need it to save you time and energy.

Do you keep your vehicle organized? What items are essential to your on-the-go days? What other items should I include to prepare for any situation? Share your thoughts below!

Conquering Naptime Mischief

My kids are required to have a quiet time every day.  I personally need that time to recharge in that middle of the day.

They are usually pretty good about staying in their rooms and being quiet.  But there are other things that go on…

Yes, somebody likes to color.  She's so quiet that I think she's asleep.  Then when naptime is over — surprise!  Look at my pretty picture, mommy!  I don't think there is a blank wall left in her room.

Am I the only mom who has a kid like this???

Enter my new secret weapon in the war against naptime mischief:

Yes, baby monitors aren't just for babies anymore!  (Disclosure: VTech sent me a VTech Safe & Sound Pan and Tilt Monitor to review.  All opinions are my own.)

I seriously love this monitor.  (I don't use the word LOVE unless I really mean it.)  It's hard to describe such awesomeness in one short blog post, but I'll try:

1. Instead of just hearing audio, I can see what's going on with this video monitor.  Since my little girl is a pro at stealth tactics, I need the visual element.

This occurred as I was composing this blog post…

The video quality is actually quite a bit better than what you see in the pictures too.  I was having a hard time getting a good picture.  It also has full color video, but the color doesn't really show up if it is dark in the room.

2. If she gets out of my line of vision, I can use the monitor to move the camera that is set up in her room and see whatever I need to see.

Ah, there she is…

I can move it side to side and up and down so that I have a view of the entire room.  I can also zoom in if I need to.

3. If I need to talk to her, I can press the talk button on the monitor and she will hear me from the camera in her room.  It is so sensitive that I can talk in a whisper and she hears me.  I love this because if I go in there her baby sister will sense that I'm there and wake up, but if I whisper through the monitor the baby doesn't wake up.

4. This system can have up to 4 cameras connected to the parent unit (must purchase additional cameras separately).  I would love to get an extra camera for the boys' room.

One of the most important things I wanted to know about this monitor was whether or not it was secure.  After reading a scary news story about a family who had someone hack into their baby's video monitor and watch their child and talk to him in the middle of the night, I wanted to be sure there was no danger of that happening to us.

As it turns out, since this monitor is not connected to the internet in any way, it would be very, very, very, very, (did I say very?) difficult for someone to hack it.  I am happy to know that I can watch my kids and talk to them without some strange creep having that ability too.

So now I can keep an eye on this little artist of mine during naptime!  I wish I had gotten one of these a long time ago; we would have a lot less painting to do!  (But it's a beautiful mess; remember that mama!)

If you need your own secret weapon, you can check it out right here.

So tell me, moms — What kind of naptime mischief do your little ones get into?