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Category Archives: Organization Skills

Me, Get Organized? ~ Emilie Barnes

05 Tuesday Apr 2022

Posted by Leanevdp in by Emilie Barnes, Organization Skills

≈ 1 Comment

By Emilie Barnes, Simply Organized

Over the years I have received countless letters from women who want to know how to get organized. Whether married or single, working or staying at home, women all across the country have realized how much more effective they could be if they somehow could get organized.

That word organized means many things to many people, however. For some it might be putting papers in colored file folders; for others it means putting all their seasonings in alphabetical order. For some it means a clean house, and for others, being able to retrieve papers that have been stored away.

Even after writing 26 books with a combined total of over 6,000 pages dealing with this topic, I’m not sure I have covered all bases for all women. I have found, though, the following basic steps to be extremely helpful when a person wants to become organized.

🐞🐞 Start with you. What is it about you that causes you to be dis-organized? I find that organized people have a calmness and serenity about them that disorganized people don’t have. Search your own self to see what is causing all that confusion. Get rid of that clutter first before you move on.

🐞🐞 Keep it simple. There are many programs available but choose one that’s simple. You don’t want to spend all your time keeping up charts and graphs.

🐞🐞 Make sure everything has a designated place. One of my sayings is “Don’t put it down, put it away.” Another, “Don’t pile it, file it.” If there is no place for stuff to go, it’s going to get piled. And that’s one thing you want to preventβ€”piles.

🐞🐞 Store like items together. My husband, Bob, has his gardening supplies and tools together. I have my laundry items in one place, my bill-paying tools in one area, my cups/saucers, my drinking glasses, and my dinnerware all in their general area. Don’t spend time going from here to there getting ready for your tasks. Put like items in one place.

🐞🐞 Even though you are neat, you may not be organized. I tell women to use notebook organizers and that there are two things to remember. One, write it down; and two, read it. It doesn’t do you much good to write down that birthday date or crucial appointment on your calendar and forget both because you didn’t read your calendar. Remember to write and read.

🐞🐞 Get rid of all items you don’t use. They only add to the clutter.

🐞🐞 Invest in the proper tools. In order to be organized you need proper tools: bins, hooks, racks, containers, lazy Susans, etc.

🐞🐞 Involve the whole family. Learn to delegate jobs and responsibilities to other members of the family. My Bob takes care of all the repairs. When something is broken, he is Mr. Fix-It. Tailor chores to fit the ages of your children. Also, change off frequently so no one gets bored. Most importantly, don’t do something yourself that another member of the family can do.

🐞🐞 Keep master lists. I’ve learned to use a three-ring binder, 3″ x 5″ file cards, and journals to keep track of all our stuff. You may think you’ll never forget you loaned that CD to Brad or that video to Christine, but you will. Write it down and keep the list in a place where you cannot overlook it.

🐞🐞 Use a lot of labels and signs. If containers, bins, drawers, and shelves aren’t labeled, the family won’t be able to spot where things go. I have also used color coding to help identify items belonging to various members of the family: blue for Bevan, red for Chad, and purple for Christine. I use a permanent fine-point paint pen very effectively to label clothes, glass and plastic jars, and wooden items.

🐞🐞 Continually reevaluate your system. Nothing is written in concrete. It can be changed. See how other people do things, read a book to gather ideas, evaluate your own system. Change when it’s not working.

🐞🐞 Where to start? Start with these suggestions. Once you have them under control, you’re ready for more specific areas. And the first specific area we’re going to start with is you.

Don’t forget to sign up for the Easter Giveaway by following this link!!

We must take great care to be encouragers of our children. They will only be with us for a short time. What kind of legacy do we want to leave for our children? ….One of hope, love and inspiration or one of negativity and criticism? Take those moments today to listen to them, to smile at them and to see the wonderful good inside of them. Let’s start the habit today of seeing the positive in our children! ~ Finer Femininity

You see, we don’t marry Prince Charming and live happily ever after. We are humans and we have faults….many faults….Both of us, husband and wife. It takes consistent effort to make a good marriage. Every day, every hour, every minute, we need to be thinking the right thoughts, praying the right prayers, listening to the right people and doing the right things…

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Come and Visit Theresa’s new Etsy Shop!

Bella Soaps by Theresa

 

  • Establish simple systems that save time and money and gain peace of mind
  • Organize the home’s problem areas–kitchen cupboards, crowded closets, home offices, and more
  • Reclaim precious time for family and friends

Filled with inspiration, encouragement, and tried-and-true tips, this book is a must-have for every woman!

The good news is that a beautiful home doesn’t require too much money, too much energy, or too much time. Bestselling author and home-management expert Emilie Barnes shows readers how they can easily weave beauty and happiness into the fabric of their daily lives. With just a touch of inspiration, readers can

  • turn their homes into havens of welcome and blessing
  • build a lifestyle that beautifully reflects their unique personalities
  • enrich their spirits with growing things (even if their thumbs are several shades shy of green)
  • make mealtimes feasts of thanksgiving and kitchen duty fun
  • establish traditions of celebration that allow joy to filter through to everyday life

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support.

 

De-Cluttering and Simple Secrets by Emilie Barnes

04 Tuesday Jan 2022

Posted by Leanevdp in by Emilie Barnes, Organization Skills

≈ 3 Comments

A Chance to Change

It’s time to stop rationalizing why we keep all of the junk in our homes. In order to say β€œI don’t need that anymore,” you have to get organized from the inside out.

Maybe you like stuff around you because you had chaos around you as a child. Or maybe the clutter on the outside reflects how jumbled up you feel in your heart and mind.

Give yourself the very wonderful gift of change. Even if this scares you a little bit…keep moving forward. You’ll see great results.

As you work toward making your home a refuge and a sanctuary, you’ll notice how much more calm you feel inside. It works the other way too. If you take time to pray, be silent, and become peaceful in your heart, you’ll want your surroundings to match.

Do You Really Need It?

Our old habits of buying unneeded stuff must be conquered. Advertisements, stores, and even friends and neighbors tell you that you need this and you need that! But those who want to simplify and live life in rich ways have to stand up and be countedβ€”you really don’t need that.

De-cluttering is simply stating β€œI don’t need that” as you go from room to room. When this becomes your fight song, it makes it so much easier to cut back on all the excess that causes clutter.

Try it in a room today. Look at that collection of baskets you have that gathers more dust than compliments. Sort through them as you repeat your new song of simplicity. Yes, keep a couple, but be sure you keep ones that are truly useful and get rid of the umpteen ones that are not.

Go to your clothes closet. Ask yourself, β€œWhat haven’t I worn in months?” Why hang on to something that needs to be hung up in an already full closet?

Sell? Donate? Toss Out?

Uncluttering your home doesn’t mean that you throw everything in the trash. In fact there are several other good alternatives.

Here are a few:

-have a garage sale

-donate items to a worthy organization that helps the needy

-donate to your church’s needs

-give to needy friends you know

-package items up and send useful ones to a missionary supported by your church

-advertise on eBay

The items you don’t need could be the items others are hoping to have and use. The best form of recycling turns a waste of space into an opportunity,

Breaking Down the Big Ones

Don’t look at the whole mess, but break the big tasks down into smaller tasks. That way you aren’t overwhelmed with what you see. Psychologically, a small part is easier to assimilate than the whole.

For example, start with one room at a time. Then focus on one corner at a time. Look at small projects within that area. The most blatant projects are often the β€œprocrastination piles”—the items, papers, or projects that accumulate in corners and on dressers, chairs, or any surface area for that matter!

You intend to get to these eventually so you leave them out in the open, but soon they are not visual remindersβ€”only eye sores.

Tackle these. Decide which projects should still happen, which could be tossed, which are outdated, and which could be delegated. Small steps will transform your home in big ways.

Simple Secrets

*Make the inside of your refrigerator a feast for the eye. Use see-through through containers for fruit. A bouquet of parsley in a small glass adds a fresh touch. Even a small bowl of flowers can bless the eye of anyone looking for a snack.

*After baking an apple pie, set it on the counter to cool-and perfume fume the house. Try piling some fresh apples next to it for a delightful “before and after” look.

*Serve your butter in a white pottery crock. Whip it with an equal amount of olive oil to reduce calories and stretch the butter. It will fluff up beautifully.

*Freeze grapes and roll them in granulated sugar. Store in a glass bowl or on a pretty plate and toss in a salad or use as a garnish.

*For a creative surprise, serve breakfast for dinner. Our family loves waffles with toppings of fruit, nuts, coconut, raisins, jam, maple syrup, and yogurt.

*Store foods in ways that allow them to be decorative as well as useful. Display fruit in a basket or special bowl on the kitchen table or drain board. Stack potatoes and onions in a basket and use it to enliven an out-of-the way corner of your counter or floor.

*Break the iceberg lettuce habit when it comes to salad. Combine spinach, leaf lettuce, romaine, or red-tip lettuce together with bean sprouts, mushrooms, red onion rings, and your favorite dressing for a fresher, healthier salad. Or try adding red cabbage and a sprinkle of goat cheese or freshly grated Parmesan.

*Garlic adds great flavor to many dishes and is very healthful. Add it to soups, chicken, roasts, and Crock-Pot meals. Try hanging fresh garlic on a rope in your kitchen-and use it.

*Popovers and other quick breads let you put fresh bread on the table in a hurry. Or stir up a batch of blueberry or cranberry muffins for a sweet and colorful bread treat.

*Next time you make buttered toast, sprinkle on some cinnamon and sugar. An old idea, but when was the last time you did it?

*Put your olive oil and wine vinegar in pretty decanters by your stove. I like to make a seasoned olive oil by combining two dried red peppers (the long, thin kind), the seeds from two more red peppers, one tablespoon each of rosemary and thyme, and four cloves of garlic in a quart jar and covering with olive oil. Or just put a few cloves of garlic in a glass bottle and fill with oil.

*Add one-half teaspoon ground cinnamon and a pinch of ground cloves to your coffee grounds next time you brew. Drink out of your favorite cup and saucer and enjoy the fresh flavor and smell.

*Use a pepper mill and grind your own pepper fresh at the table.

*On a slow afternoon, put on soft music and browse through your favorite recipe book for ideas and inspiration.

*Set aside a Saturday morning to learn how to use one of those appliances stored away in a low cabinet. Are you secretly afraid of your pressure cooker? Have you never cooked anything but frozen dinners in your microwave? Has your food processor gathered dust since you bought it? Take the time to find out what these helpers can do-and then decide whether you really require their services. You may be surprised by what goes and what stays.

*Hang a basket or two-or thirty!-from the ceiling beam or over a wall in the kitchen or breakfast room.

*”Dejunk” your kitchen 15 minutes at a time. The room will look more spacious, and you’ll be more inspired to spend time there.

*Help a child plant some seeds in a small container and place it in your kitchen window to sprout.

*Buy a meat thermometer. You’ll use it often.

*Instead of buying regular applesauce, buy apples. A bowl of homemade made applesauce with a sprinkle of cinnamon is a healthful, easy-to-make to-make snack or dessert.

*Instead of putting the catsup bottle on the table, serve catsup in a little crock with a spoon. And don’t forget to recycle the bottle.

*Take time today to smell the roses-and the soup!

Happy Eleventh Day of Christmas! “Reality has a way of wearing the shine off of a once gleaming romance, but don’t let it get in the way of your love for a second! If you haven’t already, you can start by giving up on the question, “What’s in it for me?” and replace the question with, “What can I offer?” Every time that you work through any obstacles with patience, humility, and kindness you are building and strengthening your bond of love.” – Darlene Schacht

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Review: These soaps are amazing! My family and I have extremely sensitive skin and even struggle with eczema and allergic rashes from many products. These beautiful and gentle soaps actually calm our skin and the eczema on my hands started improving right away! The scents are beautiful as well; the extra soaps we have on display and every time we walk in our bathroom, there is a gentle yet not overpowering beautiful scent. Very feminine and lovely! Thank you for making these!

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These fascinating dreams involve prophecy and reading of hearts, with a powerful spiritual message. Includes: To Hell and Back, Two Boys Attacked by a Monster, The Snake and the Rosary, and many more. These dreams led to many conversions and will instruct, admonish and inspire today!

With more than one million copies sold, My Daily Bread is a true Christian classic. It’s simple, yet carefully crafted daily reflections have led thousands to a drastically improved interior life and a deeper love for Christ.

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support.

Tidbits for Your Day by Emilie Barnes

05 Friday Nov 2021

Posted by Leanevdp in by Emilie Barnes, Organization Skills, Tidbits for Your Day

≈ 2 Comments

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365 Things Every Woman Should Knowby Emilie Barnes

Did you make your bed this morning? No, I’m not your mom. Yes, I’m from a generation that was taught to make their beds every morning. And I do.

Frankly, a made-up bed is so much more welcoming at the end of a hard day than a tangle of sheets. The message centers on clutter.

A wise person once said, “Clutter wearies the spirit and fights against serenity.”

These days there’s enough clutter of heart and home to last a lifetime. It’s so much nicer to “order your day,” as the Scripture says. That gives you more time for the really important things God has for you to do. We all need a place where we can rest and relax and refresh ourselves spiritually and physically.

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Be honest: How many plastic bags do you have folded together in that kitchen drawer? And what about all those magazines stacked beside your bed? And is there any woman who doesn’t have a “fat wardrobe”… and a “thin wardrobe”…just in case? Why hang on to them?

Get some boxes and start labeling and storing away the important items you may need to find quickly and easily. Take those clothes you haven’t worn in a year or more to a local charity. Let someone use them instead of just keeping them in your closet. Recycle those plastic bags and magazines. You can do it!

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Why do it now? There’s always tomorrow.” Procrastination may seem fine today, but it’s not a very good way to lead your life. I can pretty much guarantee you won’t accomplish much.

Putting things off until tomorrow is the universal “effectiveness killer.” We say things like “I hope” or “I wish.” How frustrating and how negative!

If this is you, here are some simple tips to get going:

β€’ Make little tasks out of big ones. Hardly anything is really hard if you divide it into small jobs.

β€’ Make a commitment to someone, and ask your friend to hold you accountable.

β€’ Set up rewards for accomplishing tasks.

β€’ Give yourself deadlines.

β€’ Resolve to make every day count.

Be a woman of action. Treat each day as being precious. The truth is, when it’s gone, it never comes back.

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Today why not do a spontaneous act of kindness? Write a note to someone who would never expect it. Put a rose in your hubby’s briefcase. Return a shopping cart for someone. Let someone merge into traffic and give him or her a big wave and smile. A thank you note out of the blue to someone who’s said something nice about you will bless his or her day.
Give another driver your parking spot. Leave a gift of money for someone anonymously. Call your mom or dad for no special reason. Send a letter to a teacher and thank him or her for all they do. Ask an older person to tell you his or her life story. The Holy Bible reminds us to “entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.”

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β€œThe Sacrament of our marriage will impart to us the graces necessary to keep our good resolutions. How few understand this Sacrament! How few prepare themselves for it and expect to receive from it the graces it can give to those who seek them worthily.” – Fr. Raoul Plus, S.J., Christ in the Home

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video recommendation

Leane and Theresa from Finer Femininity discuss the lovely Catholic customs and traditions in the home during the Advent and Christmas season.

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Coloring pages for your children….

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Fall FB Banner Meadows of Grace

Make a statement with these lovely and graceful handcrafted aprons….fully lined….made with care! Available here.
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Drawn from Archbishop Sheen’s bestselling books, these 28 reflections will lead you day by day through the Advent season. Eloquent quotes are paired with beautiful Scriptures on the themes of the season―patience, waiting, gift, hope, humility, joy―and more. Spend a few quiet moments of each day with one of the 20th century’s greatest preachers, preparing your heart to receive the Savior of the world.

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This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support.

How Do You Get More Hours in Your Day?

29 Wednesday Sep 2021

Posted by Leanevdp in by Emilie Barnes, Organization Skills

≈ 4 Comments

Painting by Norman Rockwell

More Hours in My Day by Emilie Barnes and Sheri Torelli

β€œHow do you get more hours in your day?” Everyone is looking for that simple and easy secret that will give them that magic commodity called time. Unfortunately there isn’t one simple trick that makes everything flow together; however, if you can eliminate long searches for whatever you’re looking for it will help save time.

Group Your Shopping Trips Together

In your organizational/planning notebook keep a list of items you need to buy: books, videos, Christmas gifts, clothes, cosmetics, household items, birthday and anniversary gifts. When you see a sale or go to an outlet store, you can acquire what’s on your list. This will save time and a lot of money because you can shop sales.

Purchase More Than One Like Item

If you have frequent demands for items such as toiletries, pens, rulers, tape, and scissors, store several of each in strategic spots around the house. Don’t waste time running all over the house to obtain a basic item. This is especially true if you have a two-story home. An extra vacuum cleaner and cleaning items are great to keep upstairs.

Do More Than One Thing at a Time

Most women can multitask very easily with a little training. A cordless phone in the kitchen is a must. You can do any number of things while talking to a friend or relative.

Also develop a β€œto read” folder to take with you when you know you’re going to have to wait someplace. You can get caught up with all the junk mail, catalogs, magazines, letters, and correspondence.

And carry along a few blank thank-you notes so you can write friends. If you exercise and have an indoor exercise machine, this is also a great time to read a magazine or your favorite book as you work out.

Β Cut Unwanted Calls Short

When salespeople, survey people, or people who just want to chat call and you’re busy, cut the calls short by learning how to handle these people graciously. These types of calls can really eat up valuable time.

One of the greatest inventions of our time is the answering machine. Turn it on and use it when you need to keep working on a project. Be sure you get back with your friends when you have time.

Determine What’s Important

This is where a to-do list really comes in handy. Each evening before going to bed or before leaving the office, I (Emilie) make a list of what I need to do tomorrow, and then I go one step further.

I rank items according to priority: one, two, three. The next morning I start working with number one, then go to number two. It’s not long before I’ve made a real impact on that list. As has been mentioned, it’s best to do the worst job first. By completing and deleting that item off your list, you are less stressed and can feel a sense of accomplishment. You’ll be eager to tackle the next item on your list.

(Traditional Catholic Monthly Planner printable here.)

Β Use Your Body Clock

Each of us operates most efficiently at a certain time of day. Schedule taxing chores for the hours when your mind is sharpest. Do these chores when you have the most energy. Find out when your children are most alert and active. Schedule their chores during that time. It will help alleviate whining and complaining.

Have It Picked Up and Delivered

We’re returning back to the good old days. More and more companies are offering pick-up and delivery services. These are valuable time savers, and in many situations they are cost efficient.

Divide Big Jobs into Instant Tasks

Break the whole job into smaller tasks or β€œinstant tasks.” You will have to work at this concept if you are a β€œpracticing perfectionist.”

Turning a big project into small tasks is a great help! A job may be overwhelming, but when it is broken down it’s not so daunting.

For example, cleaning the refrigerator. Clean one shelf on Monday, one shelf on Tuesday, and so on. By the end of the week, the entire refrigerator will be clean, and it only took 10 to 15 minutes a day!

Use a Timer

One of the best investments you will make is a digital timer, preferably a triple timer. If you tend to get distracted or you have a hard time getting started, a timer keeps you on task. And knowing you only have to do something for 15 minutes helps you tackle a job.

Set a timer for your children and make a game out of picking up toys, cleaning rooms, and other chores. Reward them for jobs well done.

Become a List Maker

In my daily planner I (Emilie) have a list for almost everything I doβ€”all the way from planning a tea for a group of friends to getting ready for a Christmas party. I save these notes so next time I can go back and review my comments. It’s a great way to start planning since you already have a good beginning.

You may want to get a journal or blank book for your project list making. Date them and then you have a point of reference for your next event or project.

(Traditional Catholic Monthly Planner printable here.)

Plan Your Errands

Do your errands at one time. You’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish! Create your list and then organize by the order of your stops.

Arrange your errands in a big circle, moving from one place to the next, starting with the closest. Within a short time you’ll be back. With gas prices out of sight, this will save you money too.

Stop Procrastinating

Your to-do list will help you get started. Rev your engine and get in gear. Even if β€œtraffic” isn’t flowing well, get moving. A car has to be moving in order for it to go somewhere. Start now!

It Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect

This goes hand-in-hand with procrastinationβ€”not wanting to do something if it’s not perfect. It’s nice to want things done right, but not if you’re crippled into inactivity. Besides, even if you know the difference, your friends and guests might not know or care. Some jobs don’t need perfection. No one is going to show up with white gloves.

Become a person who takes control of your time. With a little study you can turn β€œtime-interrupters” into positive β€œtime-savers.”

“This art of housekeeping is not learned in a day; those of us who have been engaged in it for years are constantly finding out how little we know, and how far we are, after all, from perfection. It requires a clever woman to keep house; and as I said before there is ample scope, even within the four walls of a house (a sphere which some affect to despise), for the exercise of originality, organizing power, administrative ability. And to the majority of women I would fain believe it is the most interesting and satisfactory of all feminine occupations.” -Annie S. Swan Courtship and Marriage And the Gentle Art of Home-Making

🧹 A housekeeping schedule to give you some ideas and to tweak to suit your needs….(not to stress you out!)

Make a statement with these lovely and graceful Autumn handcrafted aprons….fully lined….made with care. Aprons tell a beautiful story…..a story of love and sacrifice….of baking bread and mopping floors, of planting seeds and household chores. Sadly, many women have tossed the aprons aside and donned their business attire. Wear your apron with joy….it is a symbol of Femininity….”Finer” Femininity! 🌺 πŸ’— Available here.

 

Why do we wear our best clothes on Sunday? What was the Holy Ghost Hole in medieval churches? How did a Belgian nun originate the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament? Where did the Halloween mask and the jack-o’-lantern come from?

Learn the answer to these questions, as well as the history behind our traditional celebration of Thanksgiving, in this gem of a book by Father Weiser.

Celebrate the Faith with your kids all year round!

For over half a century, Catholic families have treasured the practical piety and homespun wisdom of Mary Reed Newland’s classic of domestic spirituality, The Year and Our Children. With this new edition, no longer will you have to search for worn, dusty copies to enjoy Newland’s faithful insights, gentle lessons, and delightful stories. They’re all here, and ready to be shared with your family or homeschooling group. Here, too, you ll find all the prayers, crafts, family activities, litanies, and recipes that will help make your children ever-mindful of the beautiful rhythm of the Church calendar.This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support.

 

NEW! Printable Traditional Catholic Monthly Planner~Feast Days/Quotes/Time Slots/Gratitude/Goals & More….

03 Friday Sep 2021

Posted by Leanevdp in Organization Skills, Podcasts - Finer Femininity, Printables

≈ 3 Comments

This is a Traditional Catholic printable planner for the month! Set your days in motion having a plan that will help to keep your focus on your daily duties! Featuring the Old Liturgical Catholic Calendar for the year, you will also be able to keep track of the feast days throughout the year so you can plan accordingly!

Here is the link for the monthly printable planners….

A little video (with some jaunty music πŸ˜‰ )explaining the planner. The script is included below for those who would rather read about it….

We would like our days to run smoother…to focus on our daily duties so that when that time comes for some relaxation and recreation, we know that we have put our best foot forward in sticking to and focusing on running our home with as much precision as possible in the life of a busy wife/mother.

That is what this printable planner is here to help with….

Let me run through it with you.

This is your daily page. On the top of this page is the day and the date. Underneath the date, the feast day will be noted. This planner follows the old liturgical calendar so the feast days will be according to the traditional calendar.

Also, the familiar fish will be added under the date on the days of abstinence.

You will no longer have to run to your calendar on the wall to see what special saint to pray to that day or to make note of an important feast day of the church!

On this daily page is the hourly time slots so you can map out your day. It’s important to be flexible but it is also important to have order. This area is for more scheduled things throughout the day that you want to put a time on…

…like getting up in the morning, starting school, lunch, rosary, appointments,Β  or just anything else you want to accomplish at a particular time.

If you like the time slots, use them. If you prefer not to use timeslots and just have your duties written down in order then you can use it that way, too.

On the right of these day-to-day pages you will see a space for your daily goals. Here you can write such things that you would like to get to that day but not necessarily a specific time. as spend 15 minutes cleaning fridge, write a note of thanks to someone,

Everyone will have their own daily goals that can vary greatly. But you get the picture.

If you need to use the spot for something different, then do it!

Next is our spiritual goals. The foundation of our day. As you can see I put important things on this checklist. If you have others, you could include that in your daily goals space above also.

And of course, the space for gratefulness. Each day we need to work on having an attitude of gratitude. It really will change our life for the better. And actually writing them down helps, too!

There is a quote included on each page. These quotes are from solid Catholic authors. They reflect knowledge, common sense and timeless wisdom.

All of this is included on each of your daily pages throughout the month.

There are three other pages along with your daily pages..

The first page of each month, what I call the title page has a space for your spiritual intentions for the month. We all have big things that we want to pray for. We can include these things here and offer up all of our prayers works joys and sufferings of the month for these intentions.

We also have a space here for the monthly goals. Bigger things… Like paint the bathroom, say a novena, get to daily mass four times a week, things like that.

This is a great page to kind a wrap our head around the bigger picture for the whole month. Having them there in front of you, writing them down is Definitely an incentive to get them done!

Another page included is a menu plan for the month. I have the dates written in there and just enough space to include dinner which I thought was probably the meal that needs to be planned out the most.

What a difference a meal planner makes! I didn’t include a grocery list because thats something you have to take to the store with you anyway. So you can do that on your own separate piece of paper or on a grocery list app on your phone.

The third page is the homeschooling page for the month with a blank for the students name in the top right hand corner.

There is a space on the left-hand side for your subjects and then across is for each day of the week. You can print out multiples of these papers depending on how many students you have for the year.

Get yourself a pretty three ring binder and a three hole punch and you have yourself a lovely monthly planner! The links for those are in the description below. They are affiliate links, so thank you for your support!

Also, you have the option to print these out in color is you so wish as I did the pages in color.Β  B & W looks great, too!

A gentle reminder as we go forward planning our month, that people are more important than things… schedules and accomplishments . We need to remain flexible and not get in a tizzy if we didn’t get things done during the day that we had put on our planner.

That being said, these planners/journals can be very helpful in trying to stay focused during our day. When we put our best foot forward, God meets us more than halfway!

So, I wish you joy in planning out your upcoming weeks using your new traditional Catholic daily planner! God bless you and Our Lady guide you.

Here is the link for September.

Here is the link for October.

And a package special for both months is here.

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These are affiliate links. Thank you for your support!

I took mine to the local computer shop and had it spiral bound for less than $3. It lays nice and flat and works perfectly!

We must take great care to be encouragers of our children. They will only be with us for a short time. What kind of legacy do we want to leave for our children? ….One of hope, love and inspiration or one of negativity and criticism? Take those moments today to listen to them, to smile at them and to see the wonderful good inside of them. Let’s start the habit today of seeing the positive in our children!

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The School Bell is Ringing….Are You Ready?

19 Thursday Aug 2021

Posted by Leanevdp in by Leane Vdp, Organization Skills

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

organizing, overwhelmed

My “Getting Ready for School” repost….

I love school days. The schedule can be a beautiful thing….it’s all in the attitude. So….Let’s Get Ready!

The School Bell is Ringing….Are You Ready?

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Painting by Jim Daly

With school just around the corner and so many responsibilities and things to accomplish, we may get a little nervous on how we are going to pull it all off.

I know, for me, summer time is so full, my days are bursting, that I truly wonder how I am going to “fit” school back in with all its demands.

I find my life goes in spurts. I am organized for a time, then it slips through my fingers for awhile. I have learned not to get discouraged, trusting that, with grace, I will get it together again. So I know what works for me and I know what doesn’t. Floundering does not work. πŸ™‚ It is always good to have a plan.

The following are a few things that help me along the way not to get too stressed. Maybe a point or two might work for you, too.

1. Make your list. If you are feeling overwhelmed you may think that writing it all down will make you feel more burdened. That’s not how it works. When you can get it down on paper, you can sort and prioritize. Those lowest on the “essential” list can be put on the next day so you can slowly work at getting them all done. If you don’t get it done the next day, continue to add it to the next one. Checking each thing off gives you a sense of accomplishment and energizes you!

2. Keep the house picked up. My corners aren’t always great but if you were to walk into my house at a given time, it would be generally clean….unless we decided to go play volleyball instead of doing the dishes right away (priorities, you know. πŸ™‚ )

3. Go to Bed. πŸ™‚ If I can go to bed and get up at consistent hours, it helps a lot. It’s important for the kids to do the same. Summertime is a season of later bedtimes. We loosen up the night time schedule and relax for a spell. It is quite refreshing….for a time.Β  I notice how much it affects the next day, these inconsistent and later schedules. That’s okay for a while during the summer but you wouldn’t want to do that during school days. So regularity on getting to bed is important.

4. Wake up at a consistent time, earlier than the family, if you can. With the demands of young children, and the lack of sleep that goes with that, this isn’t always possible. At times like those, we need to just offer it up. That being said, nothing helps me more than getting up before everyone else, getting my prayers said, and doing other duties before the family gets up. It gets me started on the right foot.

5. Plan Your Meals! Okay this one I am not very good at but, Wow! does it take the stress-load off!! I have periods in my life when my girls are taking over the meals so it is hard for me to get back in the swing of things when they are occupied with other life things. But it makes such a huge difference! So if you can get it together once a week to plan those meals, DO SO! It will make a positive impact on your week!

6. Get yourself fully dressed first thing, right down to your shoes. This will help you to get motivated to accomplish things right off in the morning.Β  I also wash my face with cold water first thing in the morning. I started that 2 years ago when we had the drought. It was a waste of water to leave the tap running until it got warm, so the cold water did the job and now I like the “pick me up” it gives me. Try it! πŸ™‚For Always - 2zxDa-b25d - print

So…what kind of things make me feel more organized and on top of things:

!. Number one for me is sticking to my “Spiritual List”, starting with morning prayers and then the other simple spiritual things on that list throughout the day.Β Β  If I can check each of those off then I feel like I have accomplished the most important duty and can have the focus and grace to accomplish the other ones that fill up my day.

2. If I haven’t already got an ongoing chore list for the kids (better if it is made the night before) so they know what they should be doing, I make a quick one in the morning for each child. Then everyone knows what they should be doing and you don’t have to have your mind going in all different directions trying to figure out what needs to be done and who needs to do it! The kids are able to tackle their jobs and have the satisfaction of checking it off each time it is accomplished! (Mom….don’t forget to inspect those chores!)

3. Keep the house picked up. (I know, I talked about this already.) Don’t get obsessive about it, especially if you have young children, but periodically through the day get everyone to help with a “pick-me-up”. When you can look at a clean table and a generally clean house, it invigorates and at the same time relaxes you. It’s easier to focus on the next thing to be done.

4. Delegate. Remember, you are the supervisor. Of course, supervisors get their hands dirty, too, but if there is something that you can delegate, do. It helps the children to grow into responsible adults.

5. Don’t listen to negative self-talk. Don’t analyze it, just don’t listen to it. Period. It will bring you down and make you sluggish in accomplishing what you need to get done. Instead, look at your list and do the next thing, say a prayer, grab a book and read it, spend some time with the kids. It’s not worth listening to the rubbish that goes on inside your head.

6. DON’T feel sorry for yourself!! If you have lots to do, thank God for it. He will help you accomplish it….one step at a time. There are many lonely people in this world, many trapped in their addictions, many sad and discouraged because of broken relationships. Learn to thank God for what you DO HAVE and all the wonderful things you GET TO DO each day. Sometimes it just takes an attitude change. He never gives us more than we can bear. Believe it!

7. One last tip….a little self-care goes a long way. Take a little time for yourself each day. It doesn’t have to be long, but something that will rejuvenate you…Reading a good book with a cup of tea, spending a half hour on your craft, taking a walk outside, hiding in your bedroom and eating the chocolate you have hidden for yourself…I like this one! You get the picture. Everyone’s situation is different and you can figure something out to give you a fresh kickstart during the day. Everything looks a little brighter after some revitalizing!

 

Back to School - 2zxDa-cFc0 - print

Untitled

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“Hospitality is so much more than entertaining-so much more than menus and decorating and putting on a show. To me, it means organizing my life in such a way that there’s always room for one more, always an extra place at the table or an extra pillow and blanket, always a welcome for those who need a listening ear. It means setting aside time for planned camaraderie and setting aside lesser priorities for impromptu gatherings.” -Emilie Barnes. Simple Secrets to a Beautiful Home
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The Mother’s Maglet, Wife’s Maglet, Young Lady’s, Sunshiny Disposition, True Womanhood and The Heart of the Home During Advent and Christmas…..Available here.

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  • Establish simple systems that save time and money and gain peace of mind
  • Organize the home’s problem areas–kitchen cupboards, crowded closets, home offices, and more
  • Reclaim precious time for family and friends

Filled with inspiration, encouragement, and tried-and-true tips, this book is a must-have for every woman!

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  • turn their homes into havens of welcome and blessing
  • build a lifestyle that beautifully reflects their unique personalities
  • enrich their spirits with growing things (even if their thumbs are several shades shy of green)
  • make mealtimes feasts of thanksgiving and kitchen duty fun
  • establish traditions of celebration that allow joy to filter through to everyday life

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Two Simple Steps for a Successful Day ~ New Podcast!

06 Friday Aug 2021

Posted by Leanevdp in by Leane Vdp, Organization Skills, Podcasts - Finer Femininity, Prayers, Praying

≈ 5 Comments

NEW PODCAST!

Here is a simple outline to ensure we are carrying out our daily duties as best we can on this road we travel as Catholic women. This is my own list of what I deem the basics of a successful day. It is an ideal I strive for. You may have your own plan, and I hope you do. If this can help in any way, then I have accomplished my goal with this video.
Link to My Morning and Night Prayers.
Link to My Journals.

I have included the transcript for the video below:

I’m here to talk to you today about Two Simple Steps for a Successful Day.

I think that most ladies would like a simple outline that they can stick to each day to ensure we are carrying out our daily duties as best we can on this road we travel as Catholic women.

This is my own list of what I deem the basics of a successful day. It is an ideal I have strived for. I have successes, I have failures but at least I know this plan, it is burned into my mind so I can get back to it if I am floundering!

You may have your own plan, and I hope you do. If this can help in any way, then I have accomplished my goal with this video.

#1 ~ STAYING GROUNDED WITH PRAYER

#2 ~ STAYING GROUNDED WITH A LIST

#1 – Our Prayers. Starting with our morning prayers.

Our Morning Offering is one of the most important prayers of the day. Imagine a bunch of zeroes, let’s say 9 of them on a blackboard. How much are nine zeroes worth? One big fat zero.

Now put a one if front of them. Do they become a lot more valuable?Β  Yes they do. Kind of changes the picture, doesn’t it?

Our Morning Offering is like that one. All of a sudden, all our thoughts, words, actions, sufferings of the day have value. Before our Morning Offering, they are not worth as much. After our Morning Offering, they are so much more valuable.

All is used as an offering to Our Lord for our own happiness and salvation, and for those we love.

I know that we often hit the ground running…nursing a baby, helping our toddler, or our alarm didn’t’ go off and we are running to school or work late. Let’s make sure we get that Morning Offering in. It’s very important.

We should try to say our whole Morning Prayers….

And I will include a link in the comments below that may be able to help you with your Morning and Night Prayers…they are what I have said throughout the years.

You should have a few other simple time slots for prayers throughout the day. Not too much and not too long. But enough to keep us and our family grounded all day long.

I usually stop midday, 3:00 to say with whoever is at home at the time our Mercy Chaplet. You could do any prayer you wish here. Maybe a Litany? Β Maybe the Holy Wounds Chaplet? I have a lovely book with many different chaplets in it. You could switch it up each day if you like. Β Maybe a special prayer honoring our Lords crucifixion because the hour is 3:00?

When my kids were younger we would say the Mercy Chaplet…that took 5 minutes…then I set the timer for 15 minutes for quiet time. Β Then I would give them 3 choices.

They could read a spiritual book. If they were young that would mean looking at the pictures of a children’s spiritual book.

They could pray.

They could rest. And yes, sometimes they fell asleep.

It was very valuable…that quiet time with the kids. Because we lose our taste for spiritual things if we do not nourish ourselves each day. And once again, this is building a great habit with your children they can carry on throughout their lives.

So we have our Morning Prayers, our Midday prayers…then our daily rosary and our night prayers. Daily Mass if we can.

So…number one…staying grounded with prayer. Let’s keep that prayer life alive and well!

Just a note…Make sure you say simple morning and night prayers with your little people so they get in the habit of this. This is very important!

I said my own morning and night prayers by myself…hopefully before the kids got up, but not necessarily. And then I would gather the little people who weren’t old enough to say their prayers yet, I would sit down and have them kneel before me and say their prayers with them. They were simple and eventually they memorized them and could say them on their own.

This got them in the habit of morning and night prayers. Because I have met Catholics who know the necessity of saying the daily rosary and they do that. But they find the morning and night prayers daunting…because they weren’t trained as youngsters! So do that for your children…

This is the basis of a successful day! We now have the grace to do what we need to do for the rest of the day. To make the right decisions. To get our work done, To deal with any crosses, etc.

#2. STAYING GROUNDED WITH A LIST.

Make a List!

I sure notice a difference when I get back to making my list! I accomplish so much more…and I don’t forget so many things. I get myself a lovely journal-type book and then I turn to it during the day when I am floundering and getting distracted with things I don’t need to get distracted with…not talking about my family. They are one big blessed distraction…a good one and one that needs attending to.

But you know those other distractions….the ones we could do without…or that make us put off our priorities…until later…and then we’re too tired.

Making your list the night before is helpful. But if you haven’t done that, snag a few moments as early as possible the next day to write your list.

I use shortcuts to write mine down, For instance, MPR is morning prayers, NPR is night prayers, MCHAP is mercy chaplet. This makes the list writing quicker. And since I know the basics well, I know what I am talking about.

Many of the other items I write the whole thing out. I have made the mistake of doing shortcuts on the other non-basic things on my list and when going back to it, I couldn’t remember what it was I was writing down. Β J

This list, which is my #2 step of a successful day, will help you with your #1 step – Staying Grounded with Prayer…because you write down your spiritual items at the top….After all they are top priority!

Morning Prayers, 3:00 prayer, Rosary, Night Prayers.

And if I go to daily Mass, I will come home, write down daily Mass and then check it off. Check these spiritual items off when you are done.

If you have accomplished those by the end of the day, you have accomplished the most important work of the day…because these very prayers will give us the grace to accomplish the other duties of the day!

And even if it is one of those days and we get nothing else accomplished…because of a child being sick, an unexpected visitor, a fridge that needs tending to because it quit working, etc, we still have those prayers, that time with God. And He will bless that! And will help us to embrace these other things that throw us off-kilter!

As you think of things throughout the day, add them to your list. But don’t overwhelm yourself. Stick to the priorities and a few other items. For me, I put down even the little things…like take out garbage. Then I can check it off and it does give one a feeling of accomplishment and it energizes me!

The most important ones need to be checked off by the end of the day….like make dinner, do laundry, make lunches, check on mother, etc. Write them down!!

And for those ones you think of during the day and don’t get to… Transfer them to the next day!

To get into these habits….Prayers, List-Making…is very valuable.

I want to show you a couple of examples of my list. Here’s one day.

Something must have come up this day because I don’t have much checked off. Maybe I just got distracted. That’s ok…I don’t beat myself up for that. I especially like to get my spiritual part of the list done.

Most of my days don’t have the night prayers checked off because I forget to check them off in the evening. And sometimes I do forget!

Here’s another day.

Now this day looks better! I can walk away from that day and say, β€œWow, I was able to get a lot done and it looks good to have all those check marks!” There were some things I didn’t get done and I will transfer those to the next day,.

These habits help us to train our will. Regularity, order…it is the making of a saint. The daily little things are the important ones! Saying those short prayers with your kids every day, morning and night, is teaching them invaluable lessons about regularity and good habit-making.

I want to remind you that in the comments I have a link to my morning and night prayers.

I also have a link down there for my journals. I think using a journal for while can be quite helpful.

I have an Advent Journal, Lenten Journal, a Gratitude Journal and then a 30 Day Journal for boys and one for the girls. Those last 2 are in color and quite lovely! And those will help those children to stay on track for 30 days and carry some of those habits with them throughout life!

These are very good tools to help us on this journey of getting our lives in order. The link for those are in the comments.

In conclusion, I would like to say that I am still on this journey. It is never perfect and life throws at us its curve balls. Sometimes we cause the curve balls! It’s not our failures that are the important thing…we are human, we will fail. It is how quickly we pick ourselves up!

So let’s remember the 2 basics of a successful day:

#1 Staying grounded with prayers

#2 Staying grounded with a list

Thank you for tuning in today. God bless you!

A mother should make it one of her important responsibilities to keep a clean and organized home. This is not always possible, especially at certain phases of child-bearing years, and she must be patient with circumstances and with herself. At the same time, it should be one of her priorities. -Finer Femininity 🌸

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In With God in Russia, Ciszek reflects on his daily life as a prisoner, the labor he endured while working in the mines and on construction gangs, his unwavering faith in God, and his firm devotion to his vows and vocation. Enduring brutal conditions, Ciszek risked his life to offer spiritual guidance to fellow prisoners who could easily have exposed him for their own gains. He chronicles these experiences with grace, humility, and candor, from his secret work leading mass and hearing confessions within the prison grounds, to his participation in a major gulag uprising, to his own “resurrection”β€”his eventual release in a prisoner exchange in October 1963 which astonished all who had feared he was dead.

Powerful and inspirational, With God in Russia captures the heroic patience, endurance, and religious conviction of a man whose life embodied the Christian ideals that sustained him…..

Captured by a Russian army during World War II and convicted of being a “Vatican spy,” Jesuit Father Walter J. Ciszek spent 23 agonizing years in Soviet prisons and the labor camps of Siberia. Only through an utter reliance on God’s will did he manage to endure the extreme hardship. He tells of the courage he found in prayer–a courage that eased the loneliness, the pain, the frustration, the anguish, the fears, the despair. For, as Ciszek relates, the solace of spiritual contemplation gave him an inner serenity upon which he was able to draw amidst the “arrogance of evil” that surrounded him. Ciszek learns to accept the inhuman work in the infamous Siberian salt mines as a labor pleasing to God. And through that experience, he was able to turn the adverse forces of circumstance into a source of positive value and a means of drawing closer to the compassionate and never-forsaking Divine Spirit.

He Leadeth Me is a book to inspire all Christians to greater faith and trust in God–even in their darkest hour. As the author asks, “What can ultimately trouble the soul that accepts every moment of every day as a gift from the hands of God and strives always to do his will?”

Organizational Tidbits, Emilie Barnes ~ Child’s Room, Evening Clean-up, Toys, Etc.

26 Monday Jul 2021

Posted by Leanevdp in Organization Skills

≈ 3 Comments

I get a lot out of Emilie Barnes’ ideas for taking care of clutter and organizing your life and your home. Here are a few tidbits for you to take to heart and incorporate into your hectic schedule….to make it less hectic! πŸ™‚

101 Way to Clean Out the Clutter – Emilie Barnes

Evening…a Time to Clean Up

Get your children into the habit of cleaning up after themselves, especially before bedtime.

Schedule a family meeting to explain the new routine and get everybody on board. Initially they might not be too excited about the idea of an evening clean up session, but you can make developing this new habit fun.

Stress the importance of waking up to an orderly home and ask everyone for ideas so each member is included in the pursuit of this new goal.

It takes 21 days to form a new habit so don’t be discouraged on day 12 if they haven’t caught the vision! Press on.

Keep the cleaning simple. You can either set a certain amount of time each person needs to spend cleaning or designate an area for them to maintain. Even little kids can clean their rooms in just a few minutes.

Adjust the cleaning plan as you go so that it works best for your family.

Why So Many?

In most cases we don’t need more than one of anything. As you survey all your stuff, you will soon discover that you have multiple screwdrivers, spoons, glasses, tape measures, flashlights, pliers, boxes of cereal, and cans of pasta mix.

Why do you hang on to all these multiples? Perhaps you think that if you have more than one, you have a better chance of finding it when you want it.

Multiple things take up a lot of space in an already cluttered area. Here are two suggestions that might help you find that one of a kind object (whatever it might be):

Decide on an exact place to put it.

Always return it to that spot the minute you are through using it. Is this rule sinking in yet?

Clear the Clutter in Child’s Room

Children’s rooms also need the proper tools and equipment in order to keep from accumulating a lot of clutter. Consider these suggestions:

Keep a small vacuum handy to quickly clean up messes.

Put up a blackboard to write on or a pegboard to hang things on to keep things off the floor.

Use extra large wastebaskets with plastic garbage can liners.

Organize toys in plastic boxes, milk crates, or decorated cartons.

Install closet rods (appropriate to the height of the children) so they can hang up their own clothes.

Limit snacking in bedrooms.

The Closet of Mystery

All of us have β€œghostly closets.” They are a mystery even to us. We open the doors just to see what we have stuffed into them.

As a child I can remember listening to one of my all-time favorite radio programs, Fibber McGee and Molly. During one of those episodes, Molly opened up her closet and everything tumbled out of itβ€”many things that didn’t even belong there. But because it was behind closet doors, no one except Molly could see into the closet.

If you have one of those mystery closets, begin today to get a grip on it. Take everything out, lay the items on the floor or bed, and examine each item to see if it still fits or if you’ve worn it in the last year. It must pass your inspection before you put it back into the closet.

If the item doesn’t pass the test, you must give it away or put it into the garage sale bag.

The Messy Medicine Cabinet

When you open your medicine cabinet, do you feel as though you’ve just walked into the Rite Aid Pharmacy? Do you have one of every pill prescribed by mankind? Have some of the items expired three years ago?

Do you find old toothbrushes and half-filled tubes of toothpaste? Do you have old ointments, tweezers, eye makeup, and nail polishes of various shades of red and purple?

If so then you need a β€œmedicine chest makeover.” Attack with vigorβ€”get rid of all that old stuff you no longer use. Make sure you don’t throw out old medicines in a way that children could mistakenly find them.

Don’t use your easy-to-reach medicine cabinet to store all of your feminine items. Be selective about what you keep in this handy storage spot.

Cleanliness and order are not matters of instinct; they are matters of education, and like most great things, you must cultivate a taste for them. Β -Benjamin Disraeli

Order is not pressure which is imposed on society from without, but an equilibrium which is set up from within. -Jose Ortega Y Gasset

Broken and Outgrown Toys

Do you suffer from kiddie clutter in your home? As I visit homes where children live, I’m amazed at how many toys, games, gadgets, puzzles, and books there are in the home. You know who is responsible for much of this clutter? Parents and grandparentsβ€”not the kids!

In many cases these toys are missing parts and the games are no longer played with (because they are for three- to five-year-olds and the child is now nine).

Take an inventory of all this clutter. Set aside those items that should be given away, tossed out, or added to the garage sale bag. As long as you keep all of this kid stuff clutter, you are having to store it, dust it, move it, and spend your energy vacuuming around it.

This is a declutter paradise. Check to make sure that your children have shelves, closets, baskets, and trunks to store their belongings. If they don’t have proper places to store their toys, everything will end up strewn across the floor, or in piles at the bottom of their closets.

Do the Worst First

One of the basic principles I share in my organizational seminars is “do the worst first.”

Once you complete the worst part of the project, everything else is easy. This is also a great rule to follow if you have trouble with procrastinating.

We all dread the worstβ€”that’s why it is best to get it out of the way in the beginning of the project.

When you enter a room with plans to clean it, determine which of the projects you dread most.

Take a minute to break down the whole job into smaller tasks. Now choose the worst of the small tasks and do that one first.

You will learn two things about this “do the worst first” rule:

It didn’t take you as long as you thought.

It wasn’t as bad as you thought it would be.

Happy Feast Day! I love my patron saint! <3

St. Anne, Gentle and Saintly Grandmother, Pray for us and all our needs!

“Christian cheerfulness is that modest, hopeful, and peaceful joy which springs from charity and is protected by patience. It is the well regulated vigor of spiritual life that throws off all morbid humors and depressing influences, refusing them a lodgement in the soul devoted to God.” Archbishop Ullathorne (19th c.)

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St. Anne Rosary

 

 

In this book, Kennedy Hall explores the traditional wisdom of the Catholic Church on all things pertaining to masculinity. It is no secret that in our day it is hard to define what a man truly is, let alone how he should act. With all the modern obstacles that work against forming virtuous men, Kennedy Hall provides a solution with this book. Terror of Demons: Reclaiming Traditional Catholic Masculinity will help men of all ages and stages in life to develop heroic masculine virtue, something greatly needed in our time.

Here’s the award-winning classic that for over forty years has shown Christian men how to be the loving husbands and gentle fathers that Christ calls them to be.

Rooted firmly in Scripture, these pages call on husbands to stop thinking of themselves simply as bosses and breadwinners. Rather, says author Clayton Barbeau, husbands should see themselves as co-creators with God, imitators of Christ’s love for His people, high priests in the domestic Church, teachers of their children, witnesses to society, providers of spiritual and material goods, and models of holiness.

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Tidbits for Your Day: Spruce Up/Declutter, Etc. – Emilie Barnes

12 Wednesday May 2021

Posted by Leanevdp in by Emilie Barnes, Organization Skills, Tidbits for Your Day

≈ 3 Comments

365 Things Every Woman Should Know

Hobbies:

When you’re passionate, your enthusiasm is contagious!

When you get involved in an activity or a project that you really love to do, you suddenly get out of yourself. You may be volunteering with at risk children, helping the elderly, coaching a sports team, teaching knitting, or creating memory books-whatever you’re excited about doing is worthwhile.

One author said, “Every hobby teaches you something.” What are you learning?

Β Spruce Up!:

If you’re spending more time in your kitchen but enjoying it less, it’s time for a few changes.

β€’ If space is part of the problem, store pots on a hanging rack.

β€’ Put “like items” together, such as spices and oils.

β€’ Use baskets to keep things organized.

β€’ Spruce up your kitchen window with some glass shelves and plants.

β€’ You can brighten any kitchen by painting the ceiling white.

β€’ Why not install wonderful under-cabinet task lights? What a difference they can make. Or perhaps add a lamp for soft lighting.

Β De-Clutter:

If you’ve got that cluttered or claustrophobic feeling, you’ve come to the right place.

Here’s a great guideline: For every purchase you bring into the house, something else has to go.

With a new blouse or shirt, out goes an older one. A new table? Out goes the former one. These items are great for a garage sale.

Life can get very complicated, and stuff seems to accumulate. Then that “bunched in” feeling occurs.

So the next time you purchase an item, give a like item away or set it aside for a garage sale. Become a giver!

Β A Woman of her Word:

Today I encourage you to do what you say you’re going to do. We get into trouble when we don’t keep our promises.

And sometimes we’re not even aware we’ve made a promise. We say, “I’ll call you tonight” or “I’ll get back to you to set a date for lunch,” but don’t follow through.

Does this sound familiar? Get out of the habit of offering to do things you might not do.

Your friends would rather not hear an “I will do” statement if it’s not going to happen.

A friend of mine says, “It takes so little to be above average.” And she’s right!

Develop a reputation for being a woman who does what she says. Your life will have more meaning and people will enjoy being around you.

Β Gratitude:

A little “thank you” goes a long way. Never take anything for granted. When you do something courteous for your husband, use it as an opportunity to remind him that he’s loved.

Say, “This is just another way to show that I love you.” This may sound terribly old-fashioned, but be willing to treat that guy of yours like a king …so he will treat you like a queen.

Build your husband up in your children’s presence. It is up to you to assure he is a hero in their eyes. They should know why he works so hard….and that it is the reason for the roof over their heads and the food on the table. That time when Dad arrives home needs to be a highlight in their day! -Finer Femininity

 

St. Rita Wire Wrapped Rosary! Lovely, Durable… Each link is handmade and wrapped around itself to ensure qulaity. Available here.

Filled with inspiration, encouragement, and tried-and-true tips, this book is a must-have for every woman!

The good news is that a beautiful home doesn’t require too much money, too much energy, or too much time. Bestselling author and home-management expert Emilie Barnes shows readers how they can easily weave beauty and happiness into the fabric of their daily lives. With just a touch of inspiration, readers can

  • turn their homes into havens of welcome and blessing
  • build a lifestyle that beautifully reflects their unique personalities
  • enrich their spirits with growing things (even if their thumbs are several shades shy of green)
  • make mealtimes feasts of thanksgiving and kitchen duty fun
  • establish traditions of celebration that allow joy to filter through to everyday life

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Practical Expectations – Cleaning the Clutter

13 Tuesday Apr 2021

Posted by Leanevdp in by Emilie Barnes, Organization Skills

≈ 4 Comments

I get a lot out of Emilie Barnes’ ideas for taking care of clutter and organizing your life and your home. Here are a few tidbits for you to take to heart and incorporate into your hectic schedule….to make it less hectic! πŸ™‚

101 Way to Clean Out the Clutter – Emilie Barnes

IMG_0507Unfinished Business

Do you ever feel like you’re running in circles? Do you put off new pursuits because you are spending your precious time juggling projects that are never completed?

Make a list of five projects you would love to finish. Tackle these one at a time. You’ll find that as you clear away the unfinished business, you’ll be free to reach for new pursuits.

Don’t delay your goals and aspirations. Which terminal projects are eating up the most time? Give yourself an absolute deadline to complete each one or consider letting go of the project altogether.

Which projects are the most overwhelming and which have the highest priority? If you take care of a couple that are time sensitive, you’ll give yourself breathing room and a sense of accomplishment.

Consider the ones that absolutely must get done because others are counting on them or because they have a deadline. There’s your starting place!

Practical Expectations

It’s nice to want things done right, but not if you’re crippled by the pressure. High expectations can lead to inactivity when you’re overwhelmed. By all means do the best job you can do in a reasonable amount of time. However, don’t get bogged down by perfectionism.

You may know the difference in the finished product, but your friends and guests probably won’t know or care if it’s not perfectly done.

If you’re preparing for guests, determine the cleaning that must be done versus the cleaning you want to get done. You’ll find that if you clean the areas your guests will be visiting and just tidy other areas, you’ll have a very welcoming environment.

Always keep in mind that you want your home to be inviting, not sterile and immaculate. Aim for inviting rather than ideal, and you’ll enjoy the time before and during your guests’ visits. You’ll be a much more sane hostess.

Break It Up

To accomplish a big task, break it into a few smaller partsβ€”these become β€œinstant tasks” that you can easily handle. It’s the big items that throw us and leave us in a panic.

Think of one project that you have put off because it seemed too big to take on after a busy day or in the middle of a hectic one.

For example, let’s choose cleaning out the refrigerator as your dreaded project. Can you give it 15 minutes? Even the craziest of days usually have a few breaks in them that could be put to good use.

Set a timer and work like mad for those 15 minutes evaluating leftovers, checking expiration dates, and wiping off shelves.

Tomorrow, set the timer and toss out old vegetables, refresh the ice trays, and rinse the meat and produce bins. In a day or two you’ll have invested two or three 15-minute sessions and completed the larger task of cleaning your refrigerator.

full-fridge-vintage-clipart

When Are You Most Productive?

Each of us operates efficiently at different times of the day. Pay attention to when you feel the most energetic and alert. Take a few days to observe which time periods and what parts of each day are best for you when it comes to cleaning, working, juggling multiple tasks, focusing on one, and being creative.

It might help to write out what you observeβ€”it could be surprising. Maybe you always linger over breakfast and dishes to draw out the morning when it’s actually your most energetic time and should tackle a couple work projects.

Don’t use this awareness as an excuse to not perform well during your off period of the day. Instead, use it to be good to yourself and to enhance your life, productivity, sense of balance, and enjoyment.

Schedule taxing chores for the hours when your mind is sharpest. Do the physical chores when you have the most energy. File papers or sweep the floor when you need a task that doesn’t require too much thought and evaluation. This principle is good for work as well as at home.

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β€œRegularity in meals is another thing the wise housekeeper will insist upon in her abode. Regularity and punctuality, how delightful they are, and how they ease the roll of the domestic wheels! A punctual and tidy woman makes a punctual and tidy home.” -Annie S. Swan, Courtship and Marriage And the Gentle Art of Home-Making, 1894

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Home management expert and bestselling author Emilie Barnes comes to the aid of every clutter keeper with 101 simple ideas to rid rooms of piles, stacks, and disarray…

The good news is that a beautiful home doesn’t require too much money, too much energy, or too much time. Bestselling author and home-management expert Emilie Barnes shows readers how they can easily weave beauty and happiness into the fabric of their daily lives…

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support.

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