Friday, August 31, 2012

Organizational Tips

by Lois Breneman ~ Heart to Heart Newsletter
© 1982 ~ Revised 2004  Reprint Permission Required

        Once you put more order into your life, you will reap the benefits of getting more accomplished and enjoying a slower pace and a more relaxed lifestyle.  

        Organization is very much a matter of common sense!  It is looking at a task and asking yourself, "How can I do this better to save energy or time?"

        Someone has said, "People that are organized are just too lazy to get up and look for it!"
 

SCRIPTURE VERSES

Proverbs 31:27    She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

I Timothy 5:14    I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house...

I Corinthians 14:33   For God is not a God of confusion, but of peace.

I Corinthians 14:40   Let all things be done decently and in order.

Titus 2:3-5    Older women...encourage the younger women...to be keepers at home...
 

HOUSEKEEPING 

Make a list for each day, a week at a time, using your family calendar, and filling in with things you need to do in the home, errands you need to run, etc.  Plan the next day the night before in more detail.  Use a space on your schedule for things to mention to your husband when he comes home.    

Use the "Mount Vernon Method", as described in The Messies Manual by Sandra Felton.  Attack and conquer one room at a time, using three boxes for (1) things to keep, (2) things to give away and (3) things to throw away.

Make your bed as soon as you get up and train each child to do the same.

Before leaving the bathroom in the a.m., clean it up. 

Keep bathroom cleaning supplies in each bathroom.  It only takes a minute or two, if you keep it up.  Keep out of reach of young children, however.

Train your children to do as much as they can by themselves. See that they do it.  Don't just expect it, but inspect it.

Have children pick up their own toys and belongings, as well as put their clean and dirty laundry in the proper places at an early age.

Tidy up the house before bedtime.  This only takes a minute or two.

Leave a room as orderly as you found it.  Teach your children to do the same.

Rules of the House:  "If you open it, close it.  If you get it out, put it away.  If you sleep in it, make it up.  If you take it off, hang it up.  If you turn it on, turn it off.  If you drop it, pick it up.  If you clip it, file it.  If it's not broken, don't fix it.  If it hurts, comfort it.  If it cries, love it." 

Develop your own cleaning system, and you can have company come without too much cleaning to do.

Plan for easy maintenance.  Don't buy white rugs, clothes that need ironed or dry-cleaned, long-haired dogs or a lot of knick knacks that need dusting.

Store things where they will be used

Keep a small dustpan and brush, as well as a cloth sprayed with Endust or a small, wool dusting wand in your car. When you're waiting to pick up someone, you can do some quick cleaning and keep car dust to a minimum. 

Time your jobs.  They take less time than you would think.  Make a list of mini jobs (jobs taking less than 10 minutes).  You can do these when you see you have a few minutes before an appointment.  Once the clutter is gone, the actual job takes less time than you realized.

A long-handled wool dusting wand (about $6 to $10) is a great time and energy-saving device, and cuts down on bending and stooping.  It is good for hard-to-reach places as well.

When your children are playing outside, set a pitcher of ice water and cups outside, so they don't need to run in and out. 

A large basin of soapy water (outside) for children to wash their hands is convenient and saves you a mess in the house. A large Tupperware dish with a lid is good to take to the park, with soapy water, so everyone can wash up well before a picnic. 

When you wash your sheets, fold roughly right from the clothesline or dryer and put directly back on the beds.  This saves work, time and money.  No need to have more than one set of sheets per bed--only extras for company. 

When you wash towels, there is no need to fold all of them.  Some can be hung up where needed. Skip the fabric softner for more absorbent towels.

Fold towels lengthwise first, so they will be ready to hang up when you need them, without rearranging the fold.

Clean out your refrigerator the day before you grocery shop.

Keep up with laundry daily or every two days, when you have children.  When they leave home, you will look for dirty clothes to wash!

Example of a cleaning schedule:
(This is only an example.  Every wife and mother will have a different schedule - whatever works best for her family's needs.  This is just a guide.)

  Mon.   Take trash out
             Dust and vacuum main floor
             Clean kitchen appliances and cupboards
             Wash kitchen floor
  Tues.  Wash sheets, hang out to dry
             Clean out refrigerator
             Sewing, crafts or hobby
  Wed.  Cook dinner in crock-pot
             Run errands and grocery shop  
  Thurs. Clean bathrooms         
             Sweep porches, steps and sidewalk
             Do one special job (see list below) - More, if you have a spurt of  
             energy
  Fri.     Dust and vacuum upstairs and downstairs.
  Sat.    Bake, cook ahead, sew or family outing.         
            Freeze food for lunches


Special Cleaning Jobs:
        1.  Clean silver and light fixtures
        2.  Wash windows
        3.  Wax car
        4.  Clean pots and pans
        5.  Clean and organize toy room
        6.  Clean sofas and chairs
        7.  Shampoo carpet
        8.  Deep Clean Gertrude's room - cobwebs, walls, baseboards, under 
         furniture, etc.
        9.  Deep Clean Hortense,'s room
        10. Deep Clean Buford's room
        11. Deep Clean master bedroom
        12. Clean closet and drawers - Gertrude's
        13. Clean closet and drawers - Hortense's
        14. Clean closet and drawers - Buford's
        15. Clean closet and drawers - master bedroom       
        16. Clean filing box and night stands
        17. Clean storage area
        18. Clean laundry room
        19. Clean family room
        20  Clean recreation room
        21. Clean study
        22. Deep Clean bathrooms - ceiling, walls, baseboards, tile, etc.
        23. Clean pantry
        24. Clean kitchen cupboards
        25. Clean coat closet
        26. Clean hall closet
        27. Clean game closet
        28. Clean family room closet
        29. Wash front and back of house (wood) and porches        
        30. Clean out buffet and China closet drawers.

* This list must be written out to match the jobs that need done in your own home.   Another method of cleaning your house is to do all the ceilings in the entire house at one time, wash all walls, wash all woodwork, clean tops of all door frames, etc.  Do what works best for you.

15 Kitchen Tips and Tidbits

The first tip is from Rosanne Parker.  The remainder came from Elinor Wright, both in Virginia.  Thanks so much!

Fascinating Method of Separating Egg Yolks from Egg Whites
~ Pretty clever!  Who would have thought?  The language in the video at the link below is Chinese. Ignore the language and just watch the demonstration.  Watch the simple and effective method of separating an egg yolk from the white. It is a simple and straight forward application of hydraulics.  Watch here: http://bbs.wenxuecity.com/cooking/1160651.html   Kids would enjoy seeing this work and doing it themselves!  Turn it into a science lesson!
 
Use a muffin tin to serve condiments at a BBQ.  It will also help you cut down on dish washing.
 
Put pancake mix in a squeeze bottle for a no mess pancake-making experience.

Use unscented dental floss to perfectly cut cakes, cheeses and other soft solids.
 
Put a wooden spoon across a boiling pot of water to keep it from boiling over.

Turn an unsliced loaf of bread upside down and cut it on the soft side with a serrated knife.  This prevents the bread from being squished and is easier to cut.

When making sandwiches, here's how to cover "all" of the bread when using round slices of meat or cheese.  Cut two round slices in half and align the straight side of each of the four pieces with the four sides of the bread.

When buying pizza to take home, turn on the seat warmer of your car to keep it hot while you drive home.
 
Need an inexpensive cookbook holder?  Hang a pants hanger on the cabinet knob, and attach a cookbook or recipe card.  Large cookbooks may not work though.
 
For crunchy taco shells, turn your muffin pan upside down, spray with cooking oil, and bake tortillas for about ten minutes.

When drinking from an aluminum can with a straw, put a straw through the tab to keep it from rising out of your drink.
 
If you're prepping a lot of corn to freeze, use an electric knife to remove the kernels.  To make it easier to cut, you can use the center of the bundt cake pan to hold the tip of the cob, while the cake pan collects the corn as you cut.

Flatten and cut ground beef into sections before freezing to make defrosting smaller quantities easier.
 
Take an old CD spindle, wash and dry it, and turn it into a bagel tote for packed lunches.

Freeze grapes to chill cold drinks without watering them down.
 

A Divine Appointment While Shopping

by Annetta Elgie in Arkansas

When I got to Walmart today, there were tons of people shopping for school...lots of families.  While I was shopping I felt God tell me to give the $20.00 cash I had (leftover from vacation) to someone to help with their expenses.  So while shopping I was kind of on the lookout for someone I thought might need help. 

Well, while I was waiting in line, there was an older lady patiently waiting for her turn.  In front of her was a lady with four girls and tons of clothes and school supplies.  I thought maybe I should help 'her' ... but the poor lady (I noticed her old T-shirt and skirt, straight gray hair, and a little old purse) next in line caught my thoughts.  She only had a pair of shoes she was planning to buy.  So we both stood there what seemed forever.

When she put the shoes on the conveyor belt, she looked at me and said, "I'm only buying these shoes."
I said, "They look nice."  They were actually black canvas work type shoes - sturdy work type shoes.
She said, "Look at my old shoes." pointing down at her feet. 
I looked and could see the sole had worn off the front of her left shoe and said, "Wow, good thing you didn't stub your toe or step on anything sharp."
She: "Well, I have been careful the past month."
Me: "Has it been that long?"
She: "Been saving" ( Couldn't really understand but I think that's what she said.
So, I knew God was answering who I should help.
 
When she got up to check out, the clerk rang up her shoes ... $14.96.  I said to the clerk, "Here!...I want to pay for this little lady's shoes!''
 
She turned to me and just said, "Thank you."  And then she got her shoes and turned back and said, "I've got to tell my husband!"... with a smile on her face.  Blessing her had blessed me!

Why tell you? To encourage you to look for someone you can help this weekend or next week. There are so many people living on little Social Security checks or unemployment or no money at all...that a $20.00 bill will bless their socks off....or in her case, "her shoes!"

God Is Enough

Copyrighted by Linda J. Stevenson. Used with permission. May be copied for personal use.
 
When we walk life's road all alone,
And tomorrow's future is unknown,
The trials we face become full-blown,
We find--God is enough.
  
When sickness leaves us fully drained,
And our bed pillows are all tear-stained,
 
Questions of "Why?" are unexplained,
We find--God is enough.
 
No job and bills are piling high,
No sun overhead, just cloudy sky.
When life's heartaches then multiply,
We find--God is enough.
 
When death robs us of loved ones dear,
And we long for joyful songs to hear,
It's difficult to persevere,
We find--God is enough.
 
Our all-sufficient God supplies,
And our deepest need He satisfies,
Amazing grace He there applies,
We find--God is enough.
 
 
 

Precious Gems

Thanks, ladies for your permission to include these cute kids' quotes in Heart to Heart!  Please send more (old or new).

Natalie (5) and Jeremiah (7) were discussing the tooth fairy this morning because Jeremiah lost yet another tooth and received a treat under his pillow this morning.
Jeremiah: I think the tooth fairy is Mommy.
Natalie: I know the tooth fairy cannot be real because fairies have wings and Mommy doesn't have wings.
Jeremiah: Mommy, when we turn sixteen will you tell us who the tooth fairy REALLY is? ~ Sarah in Virginia

Me: "Brookie, you have to get some blood drawn."
Brooklyn (2): "No me not."
Me: "Yes, you do."
Brooklyn: "Aw man. Okay."
Brooklyn, after 4 vials: "All done now. Sticker. Bandaid. Minnie Mouse."
Me: "Okay, but they need more. They have to stick your other arm too."
Brooklyn: "Oh no. Sigh. Okay. More stickers. More Minnie Mouse. Ice cream."
~ Lauren in Virginia

I was telling Gracie (10) that she'll need to wear a "Cami" under her shirt tomorrow, when Joshua (11) speaks up and says, "Why can she wear "Camo" and I can't?" :-) ~ Penny in Virginia  
This morning Livy (2) opened the refrigerator and stood there trying to figure out what to have for a snack.
Livy: "Want juice, mama!"
Me: "We don't have any juice, Livy".
Livy: "Want cheese, mama!"
Me: "We don't have any cheese".
Then she went to the door that leads to our driveway and said repeatedly:
"Car, mama!!! Groce-geries!!!!!!" ~ Lori in Virginia

In our home and church, we use more modern translations of the Bible, so when our homeschool curriculum uses the King James Version and I read to the kids, I typically "translate" the clearly KJV lingo into more modern terms.  Today, however, Aiden (6) was reading a KJV sentence for the first time on his own.  It went like this: "This is the day that the Lord hath made."  Aidan got this very puzzled look on his face and said, "HATH??!!"  I explained that "hath" is an old way to say "has."  To that, he said, "Oh.  I thought she had a loose tooth or something."  (The "she" was the little girl whose picture was on the worksheet.) :) ~ Ellen Rachel in Virginia

During the Olympics, my granddaughter, Ryan Elizabeth (5) had her Barbie doing "Olympics" on her ruler, pretending it was a balance beam! ~ Lois

How to Make Bubble Snakes

from Linda Antle Ranson Jacobs - Thanks to Annetta Elgie in Arkansas for sharing this!

Cut off the end of a water bottle.  Put the toe of a sock over the open part and secure with duct tape. Soak the sock in water with dish soap in it and blow. You can use food coloring. The kids had a lot of fun with this project
.
 
A link showing how to make bubble snakes:

Preserve Memories of Your Children: Annual Photos and Favorites


This is a fun and manageable tip to keep track of your child's changing favorites along with his appearance as he grows up. We know how one year a child wants to be a train engineer, then a fireman, policeman, and the list goes on. This is one way to preserve his innermost thoughts, desires and favorite things.
 
Beginning at age two, each year on your child's birthday ask him the following questions. Make multiple copies of this list to fill in for each child on or near their birthday. Take a picture of him and turn it into a priceless book of memories! 

1. What is your favorite toy?
2. What is your favorite color?
3. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. What is your favorite snack?
6. What is your favorite cereal?
7. What is your favorite drink?
8. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?
9. What would you like for dinner on your birthday?
10. What is your favorite Bible verse?
11. What is your favorite story book?
12. What is your favorite song?
13. What is your favorite animal?
14. What is your favorite game?
15. What do you like to take to bed with you?
16. Who is your best friend?
17. What is your favorite TV show?
18. What is your favorite thing to wear?
19. What is your favorite thing to do outside?
20. What would you like to be when you grow up?

Your Reward Will Come

by Nancy Campbell - www.aboverubies.org - Used by permission

"He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly;
and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully"
(2 Corinthians 9:6).
 
My heart overflows with thankfulness each morning as I enter my garden to pick another harvest. And it grows overnight! I pick a huge basket of cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, okra and so on each morning and there's another huge basket to pick the next morning. I am in awe of God. I can't help exclaiming every morning, "Thank you, Lord for your amazing bounty."
 
I remember springtime when it was time to plant. I had just arrived home from Europe where Colin and I were ministering. I came home with a debilitating cough and was quite ill. I had to get out the next issue of Above Rubies, proofread and edit Serene and Pearl's book, Trim Healthy Mama, and the garden was waiting to plant. I didn't know how I could gather up the energy to plant the garden. I was tempted to forget about it. But, I knew if I didn't do it, we wouldn't have a harvest in the summer. And of course, you know my favorite affirmation, "Things don't just happen; you have to make them happen." So I went out, and in my weakness and continual coughing, planted anyway.
 
Now, every day I am amazing at the bounty and glory of my garden. And I am humbled to realize that I can't take any credit for it. All I did was plant. My dear husband watered. But, God caused it to grow. He gives the increase. I think of the Scripture in 1 Corinthians 3:6-7, "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that given the increase."
 
My 19 year old grandson, Zadok is now market gardening. He's called "Zadok, the Natural Farmer." He also shared with me yesterday how every vegetable he picks, he looks upon it as a gift from God. He knows he can't make one plant grow. It is all God. Of course, he works hard to prepare the ground and sow. We often hear the Rota-tiller still going at 2.00 am in the morning!
 
Dear mother, it is the same in your high calling of motherhood. All you have to do is sow and water and God will do the rest. There are times when you feel weak, you feel overwhelmingly tired, you may even be sick, or you feel the job is too big for you. Can I encourage you to keep planting anyway? Even in your weakness, even in your inadequacy, don't give up.
 
There will be times that you will sow with tears, tears of tiredness, sadness, and heartache. Keep sowing. Be encouraged with God's promise, "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him" (Psalm 126:5-6).
 
Be faithful to plant the "precious" seeds of God's truth into the hearts of your children every day. Be faithful with Family Devotions morning and evening. As you are faithful to plant God's Word into their lives and water it with prayer, God will do the rest. You don't make it grow. Only God can do that. He will work His harvest in their lives. Without a doubt, you will reap your harvest and give God the glory.
 
The Word is able to save their souls (Psalm 19:7; 2 Timothy 3:15; James 1:21), keep them from sin (Psalm 119:9, 11), teach them wisdom (Psalm 19:7), conform them to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18) and guide them in the way God wants them to go (Psalm 119:105; Proverbs 6:20-23).
 
Plants seeds of love, patience, encouragement, and affirmation and watch them grow.

Respect for a Stay-at-Home Mom

What should she do about friends that don't respect her decision to stay-at-home?
by Gary Foreman - www.stretcher.com - Used by permission - Gary Foreman is a former financial planner and purchasing manager who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher.com website and newsletters.

 

Dear Dollar Stretcher,
I've been a stay-at-home mom since our first child was born about 6 years ago. I love it! Really feel like I'm making a better life for our family. But a few of my friends (some from where I used to work) seem to think that I'm not living up to my potential. It's as if they don't respect the work that I do at home. I have a master's degree and know that what I'm doing is important. What can I do to convince these friends that I'm happy and fulfilled and really don't appreciate their condescension.
Allison

Dear Allison,
Unless you're unusually thick-skinned, feeling disrespected always hurts. Especially if the disrespect comes from people that you hold in high regard. Let's see what we can do to change some of that disrespect or at least take the sting out of it.

First, let's do a little research into stay-at-home parents. According to the U.S. Census Bureau we have over 5 million SAH moms. And "nearly one-fourth of all married-couple families in the U.S. had a stay-at-home mother."
We also found out that they were a fairly well-educated lot. "Thirty-two percent of the stay-at-home mothers had at least a bachelor's degree, compared with 38 percent of the other mothers." We can conclude that you're not alone and that many SAH moms are pretty smart!
Chances are that won't be enough to change your former co-workers' pre-conceived notions. Perhaps something that's a little closer to home will make the point.
You might find that they'd be impressed if they realized how much you're earning by staying at home. Not only income coming in, but by saving reducing expenses. It's a good idea for most stay-at-home parents to make the calculation. Add up the cost of childcare, convenience and restaurant foods, work clothes, work lunches and the extra income taxes. You'll find that you're "making" a reasonable salary by working at home.
Explain that you have more time with your children. There's no guarantee but that could lead to a closer relationship and fewer troubles as they grow up.
And tell your friends how the arrangement has brought you and your mate closer together. You each perform certain duties that the other needs to rely upon. That builds trust and deepens the relationship. But, unless they've been in your shoes they'll probably not fully understand.
Ultimately, it says more about them than it does about you. If they believe that you couldn't possibly be happy, there's probably not much you can do about it. You'll just waste your time and energy trying to convince them.
And, much as you'd like them to respect you and your decision, you can't force them. Fortunately, you're not responsible for what they think. Just how you react to it. You can decide whether their opinions and friendship add value to your life.
More important is that you respect yourself and your husband does, too. Part of that is recognizing the importance of what you're doing.
You've already taken the first step - calculating the dollar value of what you're doing. And you've recognized that your family relationships will be different because you chose to stay at home.
Next, take the time to list all the non-monetary advantages in being a stay-at-home parent. It might even be a good idea to ask your spouse and others who see you frequently what they think are advantages. Even if they disagree with your decision they could have interesting insights.
Then make a bit of a change in your lifestyle. Find some new friends who share your lifestyle. Even if it's only on Facebook or Twitter. They'll have a greater respect for the challenges you face and appreciate what it takes to overcome them because their experiences are similar to yours.
You've made a choice for your life and for your family. While we all like to have other people approve of our decisions and respect us, ultimately you have to live with yourself. And, sometimes that means believing in our decision even if no one else stands beside us. At least in this case you have a spouse who agrees with what you've decided.