"Personal Time"- Can It Be Found?

I get asked some great questions.
Questions from moms seeking ways to do their best.

Recently I was asked, "How do you find "me/personal" time?
Life places so many demands on us as moms.
For those of us who have chosen to homeschool,
We get to be with our kiddos all. day. long.
So, is it possible to get some alone time?

I think so but first this:
The personal time many of us desire usually won't be found,
It must be made.

Creating this kind of space for yourself 
Will once again look different for everyone
But I will share with you where I have made space throughout my day.

First, I encourage you to share your need with your spouse.
I say this for two reasons:
The two of you can brainstorm solutions that you will both be excited about.
And, you will support each other in implementing the ideas.

Here are a few ways that worked for me over the years:

Specific wake-up times and bed times.
By setting a time for my children to wake up
I was then able to rise before them and know 
I had that time before I would be needed.
If a child woke sooner, I simply told him,
"It's not morning yet," and taught him to stay in bed.
Easier said than done, right?!
But once learned, worth it!

The same is true for bedtime.
My husband and I set a time for bed
And our kiddos were taught they needed to 
Stay in bed and be quiet.
This took much training and consistency at first
But again was TOTALLY worth it.

Nap time/quiet rest time.
After lunch, around 1:00, I would read to my boys.
This was the start to nap time 
Or what later grew to quiet rest time.
This was a time for us all to rest from interaction.
I have used this space for naps myself, reading, 
Exercising, making appointments etc.

For specific ways to include exercise, 
I have also done many ideas.
- schedule PE into the week's activities 
- adjust the school schedule to include gym time
- put on a video for the kids while working out in another room

These windows of time change with the seasons of life we find ourselves in.
But I do believe, when prioritized and planned for, they can be made.
As much as I think we can create space for ourselves,
I do think there can be a big obstacle.
So next time when I write, I will ask, 
Are you involved in too much?

Let me know if these ideas could work for you.
Do you have different ideas that you could add?
Are you faced with circumstances that prevent these ideas from working for you?
Please feel free to contact me and we can brainstorm together. =)

Eunora

I Don't Have It All Together!

I'm gonna say it again,
I don't have it all together.

Some of you have seen what I have done over the years.
You've seen my IG pictures and FB posts.

Yes, I've run a marathon.
I've even gutted out an ultra-marathon.
I've used cloth diapers.
And made my own laundry detergent.

I thought baking my own bread was no big deal,
And so for awhile I did that, too.
I cooked my own baby food,
And mixed up our cleaning products.

I loved DIY projects, 
And filled my days creating, all while homeschooling.

Back then, others put me on a pedestal.
I knew how others viewed me.
And so I tried to balance up there,
Doing all I could to maintain that image
And be the perfect little housewife.

And then I crashed.
It's hard to teeter up there on that pedestal. 
I even believe the health issues I later discovered
Came because of these unrealistic expectations I put upon myself.

And so I come to you now in what I hope is a much more humble position.
I stand among you,
Not above you.
I will continue to share my experiences with you.
But I am still learning SO. Much. Myself.

I don't have every room completely organized.
I don't have everything labeled and color-coordinated.
My schedule doesn't always work.
I now buy my laundry detergent
And our bread, too.

My kids don't always obey cheerfully on the first time.
I (more often than I like to admit) loose my patience.
I get frustrated.
I am frail.
And, at times, I cry.

But through all of this I am learning.
This, my friends, is what the Cross is for.
I won't be able to do it all.
I will fail.
But because of His grace, 
I will pick myself up.
Over. And over. And over again.
I will cling tightly to my Savior's hand.

And I will remember,
I don't have to have every closet organized,
Or teach the perfect school year. 
I just need to be obedient to what He calls me to do.
And rely on His strength to do it.

Eunora

Too Much Stuff To Organize!?!

I had a great question last week in response to my last post on organizing. 

Here is the original question: 

I really like this, but I also realize that in order to do it I feel like I'll need to get rid of stuff too- to create the space to have the best things I actually use accessible. Do you have advice on simplifying in order to organize well?

In short, yes, there are solutions!

I have a couple of ideas I have used for situations like this.

First, if possible, get rid of stuff. 

Go through one room or closet at a time and remove stuff you no longer want or need.

Throw away stuff that is broken or no longer usable, donate, or sell the rest.

How do you decide what to keep? 

Ask yourself, do we really use this?

Do I really love this, does it bring me joy?

Now that you have decided what to keep,

You can now organize and containerize it! ;)

(I think I have a post about this! ;))

But what if you are keeping more than you have space for?

Store some for later.

I loved doing this with my boys' toys.

Periodically I would box up one of their collections:

LEGOS, blocks, cars and trucks, puzzles etc.

I would store them away in bins in a location with a bit more room:

Garage, closet.

With less toys around, the job of organizing them was easier.

Every few months or so 

I would trade out one collection of toys for another.

Can you imagine the excitement of seeing 'new' toys again?!

Yep! It was a good solution for us.

Also, a note to homeschool moms,

You can use this same idea with toys and activities throughout the day.

Store away small collections of toys and games.

Bring them out only during designated school times.

This helps bring excitement to the child when the 'new' activity is brought out.

And it keeps them from being bored as they are constantly being given rotating options.

Back to storing for later.

This can easily be done for anything you don't have space for.

Too many shoes?

Store your winter boots and covered shoes, leaving out only your spring and summer shoes.

Place them in boxes or bins and slide under your bed, 

An extra closet, or the garage.

You can do the same with winter clothes.

Rotate your closet to give you more space each season.

I hope this has helped!

I think the key is to simplify.

Remove as many items as possible

To allow for the most efficient way of storing and using your everyday items.

Feel free to ask more questions. I love brainstorming with you!

Eunora

A Place For Everything

Have you heard this one?
A place for everything and everything in its place.
I pretty much love it because I've found that it works!
When everything has a home two great things come as a result:
1) you can easily point people to where it is.
2) it can always be put away.

I discovered when my kids were toddlers 
That they did a great job putting their things away...
When there was a specific place for their stuff.
I've never been a fan of the 'toy box.'
But I do love containers, baskets, boxes...

So, let me share with you a little about containers.
I love that containers hold our treasures in a tidy way.
I love labeling my containers so that everyone can clearly read what belongs in it.
I love using the same containers because they often work better together.
ie: stack or connect or simply are more aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
I love that containers hold similar items for easy access.
I love that containers keep items from getting lost 
In cabinets, on shelves, in pantrys, cupboards, and closets.
So.... containerize! ;)

A few tips on containerizing:
Know what and how much you want to containerize.
This will help you know how many containers you need.
Measure your space.
This will help you decide which containers will work in your space.
Collect all the containers you need at the same time.
Manufacturers are constantly changing products.
If you want them all to match or coordinate, buy them all at once
Or you may not find them again 
And no one wants one blue basket when the rest are turquoise, am I right?! ;)

Ok, now a bit of a switch...
I want to share a piece of advice I received from my mother-in-law years ago.
And it's really excellent advice!
Place like items together and place them where you use them.
Let me explain.
In what part of your kitchen do you bake?
The shelves and cupboards nearest that area should house your baking supplies.
And keep everything you need there:
Mixing bowls, measuring cups, ingredients etc.
This makes it easier to bake in one place 
Vs running back and forth around your kitchen.
Pretty great advice, right?!

Here's another example.
Where do you wrap and prepare gifts?
Collect all your gift wrapping paper, ribbons, scissors, tape etc.
And keep them together.
Annnndddd store an extra pair of scissors or tape in that area.
This way everything you need is easily accessible allowing for greater efficiency. 

And here's another... oh my, I can't stop!
Cleaning caddies. Don't even get me started! 
They are the cutest.
They come in different colors and configurations and, and, 
And, I want them all!
Store all of your cleaning supplies together in a caddy
So you can grab that caddy and get to work 
Without having to collect your tools and cleaners first.

So, I can kinda hear some of you saying,
(Yes, the voices come through my screen)
I don't have the space for designated baking, and wrapping areas.
I hear ya! No problem!
Get a container! Ha! 
No, seriously, you could place all your items for gift wrapping
(paper, ribbon, bows, scissors, gift bags etc.) in a tote
Store the tote in a closet or the garage,
And bring it out when needed.
That way everything you need is still in one place 
And stored neatly until needed. Bam!

As you can see, I love organizing and containerizing!
I will attach a few pictures to show you how I have done this around my home.
Remember every home and budget is different.
Do what is best and works for you.
There are also so many budget-friendly ways to organize.
Feel free to ask me for ideas on your projects; I'd be happy to brainstorm with you.
And happy organizing!

Eunora

For my previous post on organization, click here.