Preparation "H"

Ever heard of Preparation H? Most people have...but this is a different kind, although it does have some similarities. For instance, it is sometimes embar"ass"ing to talk about and it can cause a fair amount of anguish. I'm talking about being prepared to "take on the day". For some people, this is a piece of cake. For others, myself included (this is where the "H" comes in - it stands for my last name) this is something that does not come naturally...AT ALL!!! I'd like to share a bit of what I have learned, in hopes that I can help to make your life just a wee bit easier, to take some of the stress of everyday life away and give you some much needed "me" time! I have learned sooooooo much through a very helpful website: http://www.flylady.net and I just cannot say enough about it. Take 15 minutes and just check it out. There are step by step instructions to establishing routines, dividing your house into zones for ease of housework, great suggestions for decluttering and getting rid of hotspots (those little areas, we all have them...that just seem to collect piles of junk - for me, this is the top of the washer and dryer), the "Weekly Home Blessing" (set the timer for 10 minutes for each task: vacuuming, dusting, washing floors, etc.) This is just the tip of the iceburg - you can also subscribe to receive FREE e-mail reminders about the zones for the week, hotpot fire drills and even a reminder to get to bed early so you can take care of your family. Did I mention it was FREE!!! Yehaaaaa! I Love free stuff!!! For myself, I have seen how much smoother the day goes when I do a few simple things before I go to bed, like setting the breakfast table, laying my clothes out and leaving the kitchen tidy. There is nothing worse than getting up in the morning to a messy kitchen - especially when you know you won't have time to tackle it before taking the kids to school. Something else that has been an amazing help is planning my meals one week at a time. I generally sit down on Sunday night with my daytimer and pencil in meals for the week and make up my grocery list at the same time. This takes so much stress out of the day. I don't have to waste anytime trying to think up meals and when I go grocery shopping I save money by sticking to my list - only buying what I have to, plus maybe a couple of items for the pantry (a well stocked pantry is a must!!!). When I cook, I sometimes like to make a big batch of whatever it is for freezing - for those times when we're just having too much fun as a family to stop and make supper. What about "taking time for me" you ask? If you're like me, you may at times feel guilty for a little bit of this "me time" - you haven't spent much time with your kids, there's still heaps of household chores to finish - but have you ever noticed how refreshed and energized you feel even after a 15 minute siesta? Give your kids the heads up - let them know what's going on and then "retreat". When you come back a new momma,they'll be so happy that they let you be, they'll be begging you to take those little breaks more often!!! Some other advice that I have been wanting to implement is getting up at least 15 minutes before your kids - this is a huge struggle for me, even though I can see it's validity and the times I have tried it have been the most amazing stress free mornings.
So, grab some "Preparation H" - there's no BUTT'S about it - you'll be glad you did!