I'm Home Manager?

Yes, the title has a question mark. I say this just as Ron Burgandy did in Anchorman.



As a mommy that works full time I am constantly searching for balance and I am always looking for tools & resources to help me find that balance. Between working, being mommy, being wife, sister, daughter  AND cooking, cleaning, paying bills etc.. and just finding time for myself, I feel like overwhelmed. Did I mention I also volunteer at my church and handle their administrative and financial departments. Yeah, I am stressed. Oh, and the baby still does not sleep thru the night, YAY.

One my favorite websites that I have come across in my search for how other moms get by is Simple Mom, she believes that parents are the home managers and when mom & dad are doing well the whole family thrives. Some of the steps on her blog that she suggests are:

• Setting Reachable Goals
• Establish Routines
• Create a Home Management Notebook

I want to try these. I am not one for routines but now that there is a baby I know it's necessary. One of the steps I have taken to help me achieve more is changing my work hours. I work from 8-4 instead 9-5 and that has cut my commuting time in half since I am missing traffic. It feels great already!

I have also starting setting reachable goals, see my 101 in 1001 list.

My #1 goal? To create a little order in my life so I don't feel so stressed or like I am not accomplishing anything and once said order is set I can live!!!! party & bullsh*t! :)

Let's see how this goes. 

Cleaning Tip: Make a Cleaning Schedule Part. 2

I first blogged about needing a cleaning schedule back in July of '09 and I posted a really good one that I found from the Eight-Step Home Cure. You can see that post here.

It was great but I admit I didn't follow it! but things are different now. With a baby in the house, I have to stay on top of my cleaning routines. So I went back to my friend, google, to search for a full-time-working-mommy friendly routine. My recent search guided me to two great blogs listed below:

http://iheartorganizing.blogspot.com/2010/03/you-asked-squeeky-clean.html
http://hannahkeeley.com/home-zone

Based on their tips & suggestions, I updated the schedule posted back in '09 to the one below:

Daily Schedule:
Make Bed. Who am I kidding? I want to, I really do but I know I won’t do it.
Put dishes in dishwasher
Wash aaron’s bottles
5 minutes pick up in bedroom & living room.
Sort mail.
Clean all kitchen surfaces
Take out full garbage.
Take trash out of car

Weekly Schedule:
Clear all surfaces including microwave (put odds and ends away).
Dust – TV, bookshelves, picture frames.
Wash clothing, take in dry cleaning. – TWICE WEEKLY
Vacuum - TWICE WEEKLY
Change sheets.
Clean bathroom and kitchen.
Vacuum interior of car

Monthly Schedule:
Vacuum, sweep, or mop all floors.
Clean bathtub – it’s probably nasty to wait a whole month but I am being realistic with my time.
Clear out refrigerator.


Every Three Months:
Flip mattresses.
Dust celing fans
Clean Stove top burners & oven
Vacuum mattresses & Sofa
Wipe down baseboards (you know the end of your walls)

Every Six Months:
Declutter refrigerator, pantry, entry way, mail, bulletin board, etc.
Clean out cabinets & drawers. Donate and/or sell what I no longer use.
Clean Curtains & shower curtains.
Steam Clean carpets


*Spring cleaning (April or May)
*Fall Cleaning (October) * Perform deep treatment on your home: clean and declutter, change seasonal clothing, clean out drawers, closets, under-sink storage, purge clothing, extra CDs, DVDs, books, and furniture.

Have a cleaning schedule you'd like to share? or am I missing something you'd like to suggest?

Spring Cleaning: Bedroom

Spring Cleaning has started in our house today as we make room for baby who is due May 1st!!

We started with our bedroom and den and here's is what I tackled today.

1. Washed all comforters & sheets.

2. I purchased a new comforter set to welcome spring :) and bought a few Febreze Closet Renewables under bed storage containers to store comforters and sheets we're not using.

3. Went to the container store and bought several sizes of their multi-boxes plastic storage boxes, they are reasonably priced and I used them to store our winter clothes and set a aside a couple to store maternity clothes when I am done with them.

4. I also got rid of a lot clothes, shoes and accessories that I plan to donate.

5. Then I dusted, wiped and vacuumed.

There are several useful checklists online, my favorite I came across is from Martha Stewart.

I have to give credit to my hubby, who did the majority of the work since he wanted me rested :) - I can really get used to this! :)

Next, we'll tackle Living Room, Kitchen and Bathroom.

Cleaning Tip: Make a Cleaning Schedule

I love google! In my quest to organize my life, I came across the following Cleaning Schedule that I am implementing in my daily routines and I thought I'd share :) - Enjoy!
This is taken straight from Maxwell's Eight-Step Home Cure:

Daily Schedule:Make Bed.
Wash dishes.
Put clothes away.
Sort mail.
Clear answering machine.
Clean all kitchen surfaces
Take out full garbage.

Weekly Schedule:
Clear all surfaces (put odds and ends away).
Wash clothing, take in dry cleaning.
Take out recycling.
Change sheets.
Water plants.
Clean bathroom and kitchen.
Quick-vacuum all floors.

Monthly Schedule:Vacuum, sweep, or mop all floors.
Flip mattresses.
Clear out refrigerator.

Every Three Months:
Wash windows.
Declutter refrigerator, front door, bulletin board, etc. Every Six Months:

*Spring cleaning (April or May)
*Fall Cleaning (October) * Perform deep treatment on your home: clean and declutter, change seasonal clothing, clean out drawers, closets, under-sink storage, purge clothing, extra CDs, DVDs, books, and furniture.

Source.

Organizing My Home

or-gan-ize [awr-guh-nahyz] verb, -ized, -iz-ing.
1. to systematize
2. to give organic structure or character to: to organize the elements of a composition.
3. Informal. to put (oneself) in a state of mental competence to perform a task: We can't have any slip-ups, so you'd better get organized.
4. Another Skill I Lack!

I desperately need to organize! We moved into our apartment last august and because of our work schedules we have neglected our apartment! My goal this spring/summer: Organize & Decorate!

My priorities right now are my coffee table, side table, Bookshelves (that is currently housing DVD collection, laundry room, and bathroom.

WARNING: These pictures are graphic in nature and may shock you but don’t judge! Lol

Coffee Table in Living Room

Bathroom Closet

End Table in Living Room

I'll be back with my progress. Any advice or tips? SHARE!