Today I seem to have been very busy doing a little of this and a little of that. I know that sounds as if I've been really disorganised, puttering about not really getting anything done properly, but truely I've managed to achieve all sorts of things, but using one of my favourite Christian authors, Emilie Barnes's technique of getting to "total rest to total mess" by tackling your chores in 15 minute blocks, to get lots of things organised. It's surprising just what you can get done in 15 minutes! Why not try this technique too and see what you can achieve?
A time to plant ...
You can easily accomplish quite a lot in your garden in 15 minutes. That's long enough to weed a bed, mow a lawn (at least, a lawn the size of the one we use to have in our last, very small home!), plant out some seedlings, prune a bush, water your hanging baskets or window boxes. But indoor gardeners like us can still achieve something too! We've all been enjoying eating pea shoots in our salads at the moment. They're new to us, and we've only been able to find them in our supermarket just recently. They have a fantastic fresh wholesome taste, and are very good for us too! They're fairly cheap to buy, but cheaper still would be to purchase a bag of dried peas and grow our own. All you need to do to grow pea shoots is start by soaking some of the dried peas overnight. Then get a shallow dish (the sort that takeaways come in is ideal) and line it with kitchen paper or cotton wool. Moisten this and drain the excess water away, then place the soaked peas on this, and keep moistened but not wet. They will start to shoot after a couple of days. You can also grow sprouted pulses using this technique, or the one I have described previously on one of our Frugal Friday posts, in which a jar is used. The technique described here is better for growing larger shoots, as more space will be required for them to develop their leaves properly. The pea shoots are ready to eat when they are about 2 1/2 inches long, at which point they should be refrigerated and eaten within 24 hours.
A time to heal ...
Papa Bear often has a sore back after a hard day at work - his job is extremely physically demanding and frequently involves carrying heavy loads, bending, stretching, climbing and balancing. I like to help ease his aching muscles at the end of the day with a back rub. Fifteen minutes is all it takes - a little almond oil with a drop of lavender essential oil added makes a lovely massage oil and we both enjoy my healing hands helping to mend his aches and pains. It's a nice way to say thank you to him for all the hard work he does to provide for us too.
A time to laugh ...
When you've got a long list of chores it can seem very daunting and off-putting, and this can hinder you getting started in the first place. Rather than see your chore list as something to be feared, why not try to make it fun instead? Don't be unrealistic. If you have small children to care for, you are not going to be able to get a full day of housework done - at least not without lots of interruptions! Set yourself reasonable goals. Reward yourself after you've ticked off half your chores with a half hour rest and a cup of tea and something enjoyable to read. While I'm doing chores like ironing or cleaning the windows, where I'll stay in one place for a little while, I like to have our radio playing, or some uplifting praise music. I'll sing along too (and sometimes the rest of the family join in too!). I always add a few chores that I enjoy to my list, like polishing the sink and rearranging the ornaments in our bedroom. That way the time flies and I get much more done because I'm enjoying myself.
A time to embrace ...
In fifteen minutes you can easily turn your bedroom into a cosy and inviting place for you and your husband to enjoy some valuable privacy. Regardless of how disorganised the rest of the room is, you can still easily make your bed into a beautiful place to rest. Always iron your bedding - it makes a huge difference to how fresh and comfortable it feels! Add extra pillows to make it seem cosier and more welcoming, and perhaps a throw on top. It doesn't matter if nothing matches - our bed sets don't always - if the theme is the same, different patterns can look just as lovely as something more co-ordinated, and I like to add extra trimmings like scarves and ribbons as well, to create a really luxurious feel. It might be worth making sure your husband appreciates your choise in decoration though - not everyone's keen on frills and bows!
A time to keep ...
I've said before that I'm a great declutterer. In fact sometimes in the past, I've decluttered something that we actually needed to keep - which is not a good thing at all! Now, instead of just gathering items together and taking them directly to the charity shop (thrift store), I use a bag or box to put all the decluttered items in, and then I get everyone to check through it. If there are items there that they wish to hang on to, they get a chanse to rescue them before they're discarded! I've learned to respect the fact that the other members of my family are more pack-rats than declutterers - and that's their right. But doing this I've also discovered that they very often don't want to hang onto the things I've sorted out after all! This technique also works if you need to tidy a room quickly. Put everything that isn't in its proper home into a big bag or box, and then get the rightful owners to come and reclaim their belongings and put them back where they should be. It saves those panic moments when someone can't find something they've left lying about - likely it will be found in the box!
A time to sew ...
In fifteen minutes you can easily sew a button back onto a shirt, or fix a dropped hem on a skirt or pair of trousers. One way to save time doing this is to have needles in your workbox that are already threaded with enough thread for quick emergency repairs like this. White and black are probably sufficient for a temporary repair to most garments.
A time to speak ...
Fifteen minutes is a good time to allocate to making phone calls too if you've got appointments to arrange, or bookings to make. I usually find that the best time to telephone large companies is first thing in the morning (before 9 am), but that doctors' surgeries, dentists, education establishments and other public services are better contacted in the middle of the morning after the emergency calls have been dealt with.
A time to love ...
It's the small things that show you love someone, just as much as the grand gestures. I like to pay attention to the little details around our home, that show I care about my family and that their happiness really matters to me. I know it may seem a bit of a cliche these days, but I do also like to leave little notes in lunch boxes, on computer screens or mirrors, telling my sweet family how much I love them. I also like to assist in keeping their personal environments nice and tidy - so with their permission, I'll spend fifteen minutes just straightening the cubs' rooms, or reorganising Papa Bear's side of the wardrobe. It just lets them know that their happiness is important to me, and makes them feel cherished too.
A time of peace ...
Ohhh! Emilie Barnes is so right - getting your home straight and looking pretty and cared for really does bring you "total rest"! There's nothing better than the calming feel that you get going into a room that's clean, tidy and well organised - especially when you're the one that's made it that way! It doesn't have to be fancy, or well furnished (nowhere in our home is), but just have that lovely air of beauty and serenity that comes from a well ordered environment. I'd like to think that our home gives us this feeling - at least sometimes - but even if it doesn't, just aspiring towards this goal is an inspiration for me to keep working hard and getting organised. I hope it is for you too!
