Changing my Mind-
One of the things I learned from Elaine was that a lot of the things I thought I had to do were really just standards that advertisers dreamed up and then sold to the public (which I bought into hook line and sinker). Who decides that clothes must be washed just because they have been worn once? If they are still clean, why not wear them again? Why must the linens be changed each week, the windows spotless, the yard immaculate, the beds be made, the kitchen floor clean enough to eat off of, etc.? I remembered a saying I heard as a child, "God made dirt, and a little won't hurt." That isn't to say that we should abandon the idea of a clean home, but we can set more reasonable standards. Almost all of the perceptions that I had heard about cleanliness came from the advertising of one producer of a "new, advanced formula, for that deep down clean" product or another. The woman in the commercial has it all together, and she doesn't have to worry about the baby eating cookies off the floor (even though he eats the cat food when she isn't looking) but with the schedules we have to keep, it is only in Hollywood and the pages of Martha Stewart that these things are possible, (without a live in maid anyway). Rethink your list of housekeeping duties, and check to see if what you have deemed necessary can use some adjustment.
Helping Hands Can't Hurt-
Another thing that helped me have more time was to make use of that great resource God gave me - my children. They used to run through my home undoing all of my hard work as fast as I could do it (or faster). I realized that by enlisting their help, I not only had an extra pair of hands, but they had a structured activity to keep them occupied. They learn responsibility and the value of hard work, especially if you help them take pride in their accomplishments. Now days, they put away the laundry as I fold it, load the dishwasher after dinner, pick up after themselves (with a few reminders), and maintain their own bathroom. I have four children, age 5 and under. They all share one bedroom which they must keep clean, but they have a separate room only for playing. This has many benefits, first, their bedroom is only used for sleeping and dressing, so it does not get overly messy. Second, they learned to share early, and third, I can shut the door, and not worry about the mess. If they won't clean up their toys, I lock the door until they are ready to do so. This does not interfere with the household routines since they sleep in a different room, and I don't have to fuss at them about cleaning up. Look at the things you need to do around the house, and see if their are some places where the kids can help out.
To Much Clutter-
Probably the biggest help to me was getting rid of a lot of the clutter. We moved from a big two story Victorian with a full basement and a two car garage to a cramped three bedroom with the laundry room in the single car garage, and our dinning room table on the back porch. I realized that we had too much stuff! And maintaining and organizing all that stuff was eating up all of my time. I sorted through everything. Not all at once, I picked the area most in need of improvement and started there. We began by deciding how much we needed. We wrote down what we had to have to live comfortably, but not lavishly. For example, each child was given an allotment of 10 outfits (we did not count special items like my daughters flower girl dress, only everyday items), then we sorted and tried on clothes. This took some time, but it paid off handsomely later. We kept the ten best and gave the rest away. You can follow this same pattern with anything, dishes, desk items, toys, games, books, linen, the list is endless.
To Many Commitments-
Another great help to time saving is learning when to say "NO!" This can be tough. Everyone has things they would like to do, but they can't find time in their schedule. We say "yes" without thinking about how much of an investment we will have to make. If you are like I was and every item on your schedule seems like a must, try cutting back on just one item, and most importantly, don't say yes to any more extracurricular commitments until you have your schedule under control.
Gadgets and Gizmos-
There are innumerable technological advances out there designed to save us time, but do they really? The television and the computer are two of the most dangerous. We sit down in front of them, and before we know it, an hour or two is gone. another one is the telephone. It can be a great time saver, if you don't routinely talk for hours at a time. We set some simple rules about the T.V. and computer. First, your chores must be done. This must apply to adults too, those to do lists don't get any shorter during your favorite show. Second, set a reasonable time limit, or make it an earned privilege (i.e. if you do your chores without being told, you may have 30 min. on the computer). If you still have trouble, consider putting the culprit gadget on vacation for a time. Unplug the T.V. and let it rest up in the garage for a week, or month, or more, or turn of the ringer on the phone (if it's important, they'll call back). You might be surprised how much extra time you have on your hands.
Too Much Month-
A big area of stress in most peoples lives is money, not enough of it, how to save it, how to stretch it, and where to spend it. The Bible offers a lot of good advice on money management. Other good resource include Larry Burkett (he has a budgeting workbook called How to Manage Your Money and several other good resources) and the Consumer Credit Counseling Service. A big help is to set a realistic budget, and live within it regardless. Elaine also suggests that you make a "Thirty Day List." Here's how it works, you never impulse shop, rather, if you see something you just must have, you put it on the list, if after a month you still want and need it, then you can consider buying it. When my husband was transferred to a new city, the company he works for accidentally dropped him from their payroll. Out of necessity, we went on a buying fast. We just didn't buy anything for about 6 weeks. I was amazed how much I really could do without.
The Trap-
You must be careful not to get back in the habit of collecting clutter and over scheduling. When you first start to simplify, you may not know what to do with the time on your hands. Try rethinking your priorities, you might finally be able to give your time to the things that truly matter to you. Consider investing in relationships that may have been neglected when your life was more complicated. Remember that souls are eternal, and relationships take time, you must actively invest yourself in others if you want your relationships to be healthy. Don't reclutter your life with things you keep for "some day." Remember that your Father in Heaven loves you, and as the Bible says, "I have never seen the righteous forsaken, or His seed begging bread." Let tomorrow worry about itself.
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