I Can’t Do Everything by Tiffany of Stuff Parents Need

Posted on March 28, 2013 by vanderbiltwife

Sweet Tiffany and I were both new to Chattanooga when we became blog friends and quickly in-real-life friends. We’re fortunate to call her family our friends here!

Boy oh boy have I learned this lesson the hard way. It has been drilled into my stubborn brain over and over again. As a work-at-home mom, as a wife, and honestly, even as a human being, I just can’t do everything. It is a humbling discovery.

And also a liberating one.

Since I can’t do everything that I want or need to do, I have to prioritize. I make an impossible to-do list, and then I start to attack it, aiming for the most important and/or most urgent tasks first. Anything else that gets accomplished is a bonus. I apply this philosophy to the limited time I have to work as a blogger, and I also apply this philosophy to housework.

How This Work-at-Home Mom Cleans

This is the system that works the best for me. If you are trying to find a method that works for you, consider giving this a try, whether you work outside the home or inside (and by the way, I absolutely believe that stay-at-home moms and dads are actually WORK at home moms and dads!).

unmatched sock pile, your day has come…

The basic system I use is to pick one room/area of the house each day to focus on for cleaning. In my home it looks like this:

Monday: guest room/office
Tuesday: kitchen
Wednesday: dining room/living room and stairs
Thursday: Darah’s room
Friday: Layah’s room
Saturday: master bedroom and stairs
Sunday: bathrooms

The very first thing I do when it is time to clean a room each day is to imagine that company is coming over in 5 minutes and will be exclusively hanging out with me in that particular room. I set the timer and I go crazy for that 5 minutes, tackling the most embarrassing/critical messes first.

Why do I do this? Because here’s the truth about working from home, whether you have kids with you or not: some days that 5 minutes is all you’ll be able to give the room. It’s just the truth! You may be behind on your projects and need to devote as much time as humanly possible to them. Or if you have kids at home, they may be having one of those days where they are NOT on board with you being productive in any way beyond playing with them. I’ve experienced both scenarios on many different occasions, and I have found that if I can do that 5 minutes of gangbusters cleaning in a room, I’m less annoyed if I don’t get to do anything else to the room that day.

On days when the kids are more cooperative or my work schedule isn’t slammed, I do try to spend additional time cleaning in those rooms. The truth is that unless company is coming over, there is very rarely more than 1 room clean in my entire house at a time. That’s all I can handle. And that’s ok. I can’t do everything, remember?

Dealing with Constant Messes

Ok, so cleaning the kitchen once a week is obviously not at all practical unless you don’t use your kitchen. My family is home for all 3 meals of the day, most every day, so our kitchen is a major work horse in our home. That means that it is constantly dirty. I do have on my calendar to do 10 minutes of cleaning in the kitchen every day, just to keep the mess contained to a level that isn’t absolutely horrifying. Tim also is great about cleaning the kitchen whenever he has a few minutes (and lest I give the wrong impression about him, I should add that he is great about cleaning all-around…not just one area of the home). So with the 10 minutes of daily cleaning in the kitchen, that does help. If you have a similar disaster area in your home, I would suggest implementing the same daily system. I’m not gonna lie, sometimes the 10 minute rule isn’t enough to keep the kitchen from looking filthy. But I can’t do everything, and doing something, even if it feels like spitting on a fire, is better than nothing.

Dealing with Less Frequent Cleaning Tasks

I also have written in my planner various cleaning tasks that happen once a month in our home. You may want to think about what types of things you need to accomplish regularly, though not weekly. My monthly cleaning projects include the following:

clean all mirrors in the house
clean the microwave
wipe down all appliances and cabinets in the kitchen
clean the washing machine
clean the coffee maker with vinegar
sort unmatched socks
wash the canvas shopping totes

I’m sure there are other things, but that’s all I can think of for now.

I hope this helps those of you out there who are feeling overwhelmed with all of your responsibilities. I really do not believe it is at all possible to maintain a clean house and have kids living in that same house. And if you have work obligations that extend beyond raising those children but aren’t extending any grace to yourself for not having a Better Homes & Gardens home, then please embrace the truth: you can’t do everything. The sooner you accept it, the freer you will become to do the somethings that you can do, and to do them well! The dishes can wait, I promise.

Tiffany can be found over at Stuff Parents Need, highlighting products and services that make life a little less hectic and a lot more fun for parents of young children. She gives away more presents than Santa Claus, so be sure to hop over and get entered into her fabulous giveaways!

Five Minute Friday: Grasp

Posted on September 28, 2012 by vanderbiltwife

To understand this, you must know how much I detest cleaning. I am the world’s worst housewife, I’m pretty sure. Given that I have a preschooler and a toddler, I like to blame the mess on them, but really … our homes were messy before kids.

It’s just not my default.

So today, I was virtuous. I vacuumed multiple rooms in our apartment. I washed floor rugs. And I cooked my precious, lovely children lunch. And by that, I mean breaded chicken patties from a freezer bag. Which are apparently breaded with something that makes ALL THE BREADING FALL OFF IMMEDIATELY.

And since my kids eschewed the chairs they were supposed to have lunch in … and since I had a cold and am 15 weeks pregnant and was playing some stupid game online …

My newly vacuumed floor had chicken crumbs all. over. it.

Grasping for straws, people. That is what cleaning in a house with little people is like. I’m bad enough by myself (um, hello people who have seen my dorm room?).

What is that quote? That cleaning with children in the house is like shoveling during a snowstorm?

Captain Destruction: Don’t let his sweet smile fool you.

_______

Sometimes on Fridays, I write for 5 minutes along with a lot of other people at Lisa Jo’s place. This week’s theme was Grasp.

Spring Cleaning and Homemade Cleaners

Posted on April 3, 2012 by vanderbiltwife

This post is revised from the archives in honor of Spring Cleaning. Which I should, of course, be doing more of right now. I’m joining iDreamofClean and 9 other bloggers in the Spring Cleaning Challenge for a chance to win some incredible prizes!

You know how I say that I’m trying to be the housewife I’m not? Originally, that meant literally. I worked full-time, thus I was not a housewife.

Well, now I am. (That thought still scares me a little.) And it turns out I am not really any better at keeping my home clean now than I was when I worked 8 hours a day. I love to blame it on my two little ones; and in part, it IS really hard to pick up the same toys over and over and OVER again.

But in all truth, it’s just me. I find it much easier to come to my computer during down time rather than pick up my mop or a sponge. While I love to cook, I just don’t love to clean up after myself. And that leaves me feeling incredibly inadequate as a housewife.

I’ve had some success with Motivated Moms chore lists. I kind of hate the feeling that someone’s telling me what to do, but since I am basically clueless about cleaning, it’s certainly helpful.

Some perks to the list?

I stick it to the fridge with a magnet, so my husband can see it too. That gives him the chance to keep me accountable … or pitch in himself and check an item off!
If I don’t get to something one day, I can always come back to it over the next day or two. (Even though that’s obviously not the point, it works for me.)
It gives me a sense of accomplishment to check something off the list.
The creator of this program has thought of things that would never cross my mind. I know I need to clip Libbie’s fingernails, for instance, but I never do it on a regular basis; I do it when she scratches the heck out of me or Adam. This list gives me a nudge to clip those suckers before they cause havoc.

source: el_finco

Something else that keeps me sane is making my own cleaners, because I despise buying cleaners all the time. You’ve probably seen these tips before, but here are some great cleaners that work for me!

Instead of dusting spray, I dip a cloth in a mixture of lemon juice and olive oil. It shines furniture right up and gives it a nice citrus scent as well.

For glass cleaner, mix 2 cups water with 3 tablespoons white vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon dish soap.

To unclog a sink or tub, sprinkle baking soda down the drain. Dump in some white vinegar and it will foam the clog out! [Let sit 30 minutes after adding vinegar, and then flush out with hot water.]

This one is not natural, but mixing a ratio of 1:1 of warm white vinegar and blue Dawn dish soap makes a miracle soap scum scrub. Just spray it on your tub or shower, let sit for a few minutes, and then wipe away soap scum. I use it as an all-purpose bathroom cleaner.

If you’re not into homemade cleaners, I like Seventh Generation Multipurpose Cleaner in Lemongrass and Thyme. I didn’t know thyme was a disinfectant before I started using it, did you?

So far, my Spring Cleaning progress has consisted of changing out my kids’ and my clothes and cleaning our room WELL for perhaps the first time since we moved in. Our bedroom always seems to get neglected for the more-trafficked areas.

Have you done any Spring Cleaning? Link up with others at the Spring Cleaning Challenge!

**The Motivated Moms links are affiliate links.

Turn Over a New Leaf and CLEAN!

Posted on January 3, 2012 by vanderbiltwife

source: robstephaustralia

So, it’s another new year. For me, it brings the realization that I have been a stay-at-home mom for TWO years now! (Um, seriously? Cause I remember writing a post about my first 6 months as a SAHM that I’m pretty sure I never finished. Wasn’t that last week?)

I hate to admit it, but with the upheaval that has been our life in the last two years, I still don’t have any kind of regular schedule or methods in place. Need a refresher? This has been my life since January 2010:

Quit my job
Moved to Chattanooga
Went from being a full-time working mom to a full-time SAHM and part-time freelancer
Got pregnant three months later
Had a baby
Foreclosed on a house
Moved to a small apartment on-campus at the school where my husband teaches
Don’t have any family nearby

A little nuts, no?

I am trying to work up the nerve to declare 2012 THE YEAR OF ORGANIZATION.

I am a slob. I would SO much rather sit here click-clacking on my computer than do anything else, and that does present a problem. So if it means I have to set timers and schedule my days in 15-minute increments, I want to change.

If you’re like me, you might be interested in my friend Christine’s e-book Create Your Perfect Cleaning Schedule. Honestly, the Motivated Moms schedule worked pretty well for me ~~during the very short period I actually adhered to it~~ while we were in our rental house. But living in a different, smaller space, with no outdoor tasks and some unique circumstances, I really need the customized option Christine offers.

(Christine was my friend before blogging, by the way. We worked on the same floor at LifeWay. And she is the most genuinely nice person I’ve ever met. Also so happy sometimes I just want to pinch her … but that’s OK.)

Here’s how Christine describes the book on her site:

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all schedule.

As I began putting together my own cleaning schedule I looked high and low for cleaning templates and guides. You know what I realized? There isn’t a one-size-fits-all schedule. We all have different homes, needs, and expectations when it comes to cleaning.

I’ve put together an easy step-by-step plan for you to create your own cleaning schedule that fits your lifestyle, your preferences, and your family. It will help you Create Your Perfect Cleaning Schedule.

The e-book is really an excellent resource, and right now you can get it for 50% off with the code CLEANNEWYEAR2012, making it a ridiculously affordable $2.98. That code is good until the 7th.

So, anyone ready to make this year THE YEAR OF CLEAN? Or at least, THE YEAR I TRY NOT TO LIVE IN A PIGSTY?

Yes, these are affiliate links. It takes me a lot of time to write this blog and if you’d like to help fund that time in the slightest, I appreciate it. If you’d rather go directly to perfectcleaningschedule.com to buy the book, that’s OK with me too!

—-
Subscribe to the RSS feed or by e-mail.
Twitter much? I’m vanderbiltwife there, too.
Join my Facebook Fan Group

I Can’t Hear You, I’m Buried Under a Stack of Mail.

Posted on September 19, 2011 by vanderbiltwife

source: maggiejumps

I think the act of pile-making must be hereditary. That, or I just want to blame it on someone else. (Hi, Mom. It’s not your fault.)

Some people clean: really clean. Everything has a place. And the rest of us, we pile.

Stacks of paid bills go on top of the filing cabinet (or, in our case, box of folders next to the computer). Mail is placed on any clear and flat surface. Right now, clean clothes are stacked because I don’t know where my hangers are in the midst of moving. Unopened boxes act as a resting place for my coffee cup, camera, and a choir CD. I compulsively make and destroy piles on my dresser until there is no space left for useful things, like a hairbrush or framed photo.

I don’t know whether piling is a learned behavior or not, but it is something I recall as a constant in my childhood and it’s remained a constant in my grown-up life.

I hate piles.

Do you have a method for getting things back to where they belong? (Or making a place? Or tossing?) I don’t want my kids to grow up to be pile-makers, too, so I think it’s just about time to nip this one in the bud.

Just let me set my cup down on that stack of books first …

—-
Subscribe to the RSS feed or by e-mail.
Twitter much? I’m vanderbiltwife there, too.
Join my Facebook Fan Group

Getting Back on Track

Posted on February 1, 2011 by vanderbiltwife

Some months ago, I posted about the Motivated Moms Chore Planner. I have to tell you, it really does help, especially if you have Cleaning ADD like I do. But as I got more and more pregnant and less able to bend over, any thoughts of truly cleaning pretty much went out the window.

Now that I’m starting to emerge from the newborn haze (although hello, baby is STILL getting up every 2 hours–save me!), I’m ready to get back into some sort of cleaning schedule. It’s time to cough up the $8 for the new Motivated Moms 2011 chore planner.

If you’re more interested in something suited just to the tasks you do in your home, Christine’s Create-Your-Own Cleaning Schedule might be a better purchase! For $7.99, Christine will walk you through creating a master schedule for your year suited to your home in particular. And for free, you can check out iDream of Clean, her website, which has tons of great resources when it comes to keeping your home clean and organized.

Perhaps you’re like me and skipped New Year’s Resolutions … but now that it’s February I’m ready to improve some areas of my life. I had such great response to my initial Motivated Moms post I know many people are in the same boat I am–lost when it comes to how to clean. I hope these resources will help you–and me!

(photo source)

I am an affiliate for both of these programs, so if you purchase either I get a small percentage of the proceeds. That does not influence my recommendations of both!

—-
Subscribe to the RSS feed or by e-mail.
Twitter much? I’m vanderbiltwife there, too.
Join my Facebook Fan Group

Chore Planners and Homemade Cleaners: Works for Me Wednesday

Posted on July 20, 2010 by vanderbiltwife

works for me wednesday at we are that family

You know how I say that I’m trying to be the housewife I’m not? Originally, that meant literally. I worked full-time, thus I was not a housewife.

Well, now I am. (That thought still scares me a little.) And it turns out I am not really any better at keeping my home clean now than I was when I worked 8 hours a day. Our home in Chattanooga is bigger, older, and apparently attracts more bugs than our little Nashville condo; we also have a toddler now, who loves to go behind me, undoing any cleaning I seem to have accomplished.

When Mandi linked to these Motivated Moms chore lists, I wasn’t especially interested. But then I thought about it. Maybe what I needed was someone to tell me what to do to keep my house clean. And for $4, it was worth a try!

Some perks to the list?

I stick it to the fridge with a magnet, so my husband can see it too. That gives him the chance to keep me accountable … or pitch in himself and check an item off!
If I don’t get to something one day, I can always come back to it over the next day or two. (Even though that’s obviously not the point, it works for me.)
It gives me a sense of accomplishment to check something off the list.
The creator of this program has thought of things that would never cross my mind. I know I need to clip Libbie’s fingernails, for instance, but I never do it on a regular basis–I do it when she scratches the heck out of me or Adam. This list gives me a nudge to clip those suckers before they cause havoc.

Because it’s halfway through the year, Motivated Moms has the chore planners marked down to half off ($4). You can get planners in regular paper size, planner size, and with or without Bible readings!

Something else that keeps me sane is making my own cleaners, because I despise buying cleaners all the time. You’ve probably seen these tips before, but here are some great cleaners that work for me!

Instead of dusting spray, I dip a cloth in a mixture of lemon juice and olive oil. It shines furniture right up and gives it a nice citrus scent as well.

For glass cleaner, mix 2 cups water with 3 tablespoons white vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon dish soap.

To unclog a sink or tub, sprinkle baking soda down the drain. Dump in some white vinegar and it will foam the clog out!

For more tips on life in general, visit Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family.

**The Motivated Moms links are affiliate links.

—-
Subscribe to the RSS feed or by e-mail.
Twitter much? I’m vanderbiltwife there, too.
Join my Facebook Fan Group

A Free Weekend

Posted on March 22, 2010 by vanderbiltwife

Want to know how much time you waste on the Internet?

Vow to have a computer-free weekend. I did, from Friday late afternoon to 48 hours later, on Sunday afternoon. (Except for one teensy e-mail check on Sunday.)

gratuitous Libbie picture

I was flabbergasted at how the time went more slowly and how much I was able to accomplish. Here’s what I did this weekend:

Coupon shopped at Target and Bi-Lo.
Scrubbed the kitchen floor on my hands and knees (after sweeping AND Swiffer vacuuming it.)
Changed sheets and washed them on our bed and our guest bed.
Did a whole lot of laundry.
Took Libbie to a new-to-us park.
Watched my March Madness bracket go down the drain.
Kept up with the dishes.
Made peanut butter cookies. (Oops.) (I slightly modified the recipe from Baking: From My Home to Yours and THEY ARE DIVINE.)
Read an entire Jodi Picoult novel.
Played on the floor.
Made an Easter card for my MIL from Libbie.
Tried to scrapbook until my glue exploded all over the living room.
Went to a church we loved!

I don’t usually get anywhere near that much accomplished in the span of two days. It really opened my eyes to what life could be like. I’m going to try to do a better job monitoring my time online.

When I did come back, however, I was SO blessed by the comments I got on my last Losing It 10 post. I hope this site is a ministry to you … because you all are water to my soul.

The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out. Proverbs 20:5, ESV

This post includes Amazon affiliate links. Read more in my disclosure policy.

—-
Subscribe to the RSS feed or by e-mail.
Twitter much? I’m vanderbiltwife there, too.
Join my Facebook Fan Group
A few of my favorite things on my Tumblr page

Combating the Lazy

Posted on November 3, 2009 by vanderbiltwife

There are two things that never fail to surprise me–and yet they shouldn’t.

One is that is never takes as long as I think it will to get my (itty bitty) house looking decent. About 25 minutes of sweeping, dishwashing, and counter-wiping later, it’s good enough for a dinner guest to see tomorrow night! (And in case we have a showing, of course.)

Second is that being productive and active in one area spurs me on to be productive in other areas–especially in my Bible reading and quiet time with God.

I always think I just want to sit at my desk, floating around the Internet, wasting precious hours of my life. Ten minutes of activity and I feel exhilarated, happier, and more motivated in other things.

Perhaps the next time I’m on Twitter complaining of this or that, someone could remind me about this post!

At Home on a Friday Night

Posted on July 11, 2009 by vanderbiltwife

I just washed the floors of my (huge) kitchen on my hands and knees.

I can guarantee that I have never done that before in my entire life. Maybe I could get into this stress relief through cleaning that so many claim.

Why? Maybe by brute strength, sheer will, I could convince someone to come see our house?

Potential selling points to add to the descriptions:
–I use natural cleaners! Well, mostly.
–We have all CFL lightbulbs!
–I’ll cook you dinner if you come see it!
–You can keep our Adirondack rocker, our coffee table…and anything else you want

It’s extremely disheartening to have had no showings in a whole month. I had such a peace during Mr. V’s job-search process. Now that we know where we’re going, I want to GO. I don’t want to wait on God.

But I don’t think I have much of a choice.

I’m trusting, trusting that His plan is the best. Better than anything I could dream up in my mere little head.

In the meanwhile, I’ll distract myself by reading His Word … and cleaning. A lot.