Each Wednesday is Desk Day:
• Pay your bills
• Deal with personal and family business
• File any papers you need for future reference. Be picky you don’t need to keep every piece of paper that enters your home.
This is the last day this month with the Kitchen as the Area of Focus. Tomorrow we move on to the Master Bedroom, En Suite Bath and Closet.
How is your fridge? Are there any science experiments in there? Milk and eggs should not be stored in the door of the fridge because of the frequent changes in temperature as you open and close the door. Save the door for condiments and beverages other than dairy. I was surprised when I learned that because I always kept my milk in the door for convenience but it made sense so I made the change.
Think of your refrigerator as a cold cabinet. Store like items together—I use plastic bins with handles for the condiments I use on sandwiches, hamburgers, and hot dogs, and for the toppings we use for ice cream. Designate a place for leftovers and use them as quickly as possible. Out of sight, out of mind. Keep them where you can see them. Treat your pantry the same way. Keep like items together. Use container like baskets or bins to keep them together. Be aware of food expiration dates and make a point to use food items before they are out of date.
Yesterday I mentioned going to sleep on time. Often we let life manage us instead of managing our lives. Be intentional about bedtime. How much sleep do you need? Too much sleep is almost as bad as too little but let’s face it most moms don’t have to worry about too much sleep. Back to being intentional—what can you do to make it easier to get to bed at night? You may have to declare an electronic free zone in your day to begin to wind down. If your favorite television program is later than the time you need to be sleeping—record it. The computer is an incredible tool but don’t let it run your life. Plan short visits throughout the day but remember your family and the example you are setting. When I see people having lunch with friends or family immersed in messaging or talking with someone not at the table I see opportunities for time together lost. We need to put down our notebooks, cell phones, and other devices and pay attention to relationships and life around us.
• After dinner deliberately begin to slow down and prepare for tomorrow.
• Straighten your home, lay out your clothes, and lower the lights and volume level in your home.
• Baths are a relaxing way to end the day. Warm bath, clean teeth and face and clean pj’s or nightgown do help you wind down
• We will begin to spend time focusing on our bedrooms tomorrow. Is it restful or the dump heap of the home? Be merciless with clutter in your bedroom and create a restful place for you and your husband.
• Avoid caffeine after late afternoon. There is a Tazo tea named Calm. Sipping a cup of a tea like that or other herbal tea before bedtime is relaxing but make sure you know the caffeine content of anything you drink anywhere near bedtime.
• Make your bed clean, comfortable and welcoming. Making your bed each morning keeps a fresh and untangled place for you to end your day.
• Change your sheets weekly. Wash sheets in hot water. I know I am a nut but I like to iron my pillowcases and the top border of my sheets. It looks and feels nice.
• Read something restful before bedtime. I love to read the Psalms.
Using some of the same techniques will help your children settle down for the night, too.
• Turn off the electronics
• Take a bath
• Have a clean, uncluttered room and a welcoming bed with clean sheets that are not in a tangle.
• No caffeine after 4 pm
• Put things in order for tomorrow
• Lay out your clothes
• Go to bed early enough to get enough rest for the next day
• Limit the amount of light in the room—I have night lights throughout my home so we can turn off the brighter lights. You and your children will sleep better.
Hugs until tomorrow,
Mary
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