Achieving your goals…with a broom!

Image by Chiot's Run via Flickr

If you have read my previous posts, you know that I’m a fan of keeping things clean and organized. With the arrival of spring came the need to freshen up my home and shed light on the dark corners and narrow spaces that rarely get attention. Since I have a very busy routine with work, homeschool, and keeping house, I usually take time off work to get my spring cleaning done. I also schedule the kid’s spring break the same week so that I’m freed up from teaching lessons. This also means I have extra hands to help me out. Ha!

This, twice a year, cleaning sprint really helps me in more ways than one. I have a daily goal to spend more quality time with my kids. As a working mom, being organized helps my day go smoother and frees up more stress-free time to accomplish this.

One of my more ambitious goals is to become a full-time fiction writer. If it is God’s will and desire, I will achieve this one day, and I try to live my day to day life doing things that draw me closer to achieving this goal. Keeping my home clean and organized frees up more of my time so that I can write. It also declutters my mind so that I can focus and do my best writing.

You might feel that your busy schedule doesn’t allow you enough time to keep a clean and organized home. Maybe you’re right, but let me challenge you on this. First, take a detailed look at your day from the time you get up in the morning until you go to bed at night. How do you spend your time?

Next, make a list of your life goals. They could be big or small. They could be financial, professional, educational, emotional, parental, material, etc. You can even break them down into long-term and short-term. I know this sounds deep, but bear with me.

Once you have done this, make a list of everything you need to get done during the day, and the things you want to get done. Are you getting these things accomplished from day to day? If not, why? Are these things going to help you reach your goals? If not, how can you change them to be more goal driven?

Allow me to give you some examples. But, before I do, let me point out that I have been guilty of these from time to time, so I’m not pointing fingers.

How much time are you spending on electronic devices? Are you surfing Facebook, or other social media, more than an hour each day? If so, and your goal is not to become a social media master, then you should probably cut back and use your time more wisely.

Do you spend your day picking up messes behind your children? If so, and your goal is not to teach them to be irresponsible and completely dependent on you, then you should probably encourage them to pick up after themselves.

The point is, if you want to achieve your goals, you have to spend time doing things that are going to help you get there. Many people want to be more organized, and wish they had more time and motivation to keep a clean home. Many people can also agree that spring cleaning can be a nightmare if you have decided to put everything off until then.

I think it’s important to point out that when I say “clean and organized”, I don’t mean everything should be in its place at all times, and you should be able to pass the white glove test. If you have kids, or just a busy schedule, then there are probably a few toys scattered about or dirty dishes in the sink at any given point during the day. Big deal. I try not to sweat the little stuff because life happens.

When I ask if your home is clean and organized, what I’m really asking is: How long has it been since you dusted your ceiling fan? Cleaned your bedroom closet, or under your bed? Organized your kitchen cabinets, or cleaned behind your refrigerator? Being organized doesn’t have to be hard. It’s just a matter of having a place to put everything, and having everything is a sensible location. It doesn’t mean your DVDs should be in alphabetical order, but if that’s what makes you happy, then go for it!

In my next post, I’ll share a few tips on how I am able to accomplish my desired level of clean and organized in my home. Until then…

Does keeping a clean and organized home, help you to reduce stress and accomplish goals? Are you able to get more things done by keeping a cleaning schedule? Are you obsessed with organization? What are some of the things you do to stay organized?

A Special Thanks to The Pioneer Woman!

Image by litlnemo via Flickr

Being a good writer is based on many things including knowledge and wisdom of the craft, but in my opinion, our experiences are really what set each writer apart. With that said, I'll share one of my experiences with you about a topic that I love almost as much as writing - cooking.

Before I was blessed to work out of my home office (a corner in my master bedroom), I spent two hours on the road each day driving to work. This meant getting home after six o'clock, and being too tired to get creative in the kitchen. Who am I kidding? I was too tired to walk into the kitchen. Needless to say, my family ate a lot of takeout and processed meals.

Did you know that there are 32 different types of Hamburger Helper!?

When I became pregnant with my daughter, I feared having to leave my newborn in someone else's care for 10+ hours a day. I wanted to raise her! Thankfully, I was able to make arrangements with my boss to work from home full-time.

To all the mothers out there everywhere who didn't have this choice...my heart goes out to you.

Suddenly, I had time to cook a meal that hadn't been previously frozen or dehydrated. This doesn't mean I began whipping up gourmet meals though. I had never been very savvy in the kitchen, so I did what most of us do when we're looking for inspiration. I opened up the cabinet, pulled out a cookbook, and blew off the dust. The only problem was, I didn't have half the ingredients for any of the recipes that didn't look too intimidating.

What the heck is dill? Does this have something to do with a pickle? I have pickles!

Yeah, it was sad.

I tried many different recipes from my cookbooks and online, but there were few that spoke to me. I still didn't feel comfortable in the kitchen, and shopping for those mystery ingredients was frustrating and expensive. I wanted to cook "normal food," and still impress my family.

I had caught a glimpse of a few episodes of The Pioneer Woman before, but it was one in particular that really got my attention. She was making Fettuccine Alfredo, and I was completely floored that the sauce of one of my most favorite Italian dishes was made from only three main ingredients!

I still can't believe it... If you don't believe it either, you can find her recipe here.

This simple recipe gave me confidence in the kitchen, and I became an instant Ree Drummond fan. Along the way, I have learned so much from her creative, yet simple, cooking style. I have used so many of her recipes that my son will say, "Hey, this is good! Is this a Pioneer Woman recipe?"

In addition, I love writing historical fiction, so this knowledge has come in handy. I'm pretty sure our great grand mothers never cooked Hamburger Helper.

So, a special thanks to you Mrs. Drummond for opening my eyes to the simplicity of cooking with fresh ingredients, and the value of a good iron skillet. Not to mention, the understanding that butter spread and stick butter are not equals.

My family thanks you too!