Satruday is D Day (D-Clutter!)

I've been working on deep decluttering the past few weeks and it is really making a difference in the appearance and time it takes to maintain the housework around here.

Since decluttering is something that needs to be done regularly to be effective, I decided to pick a day - Saturday for me - and do a decluttering session, even if it is only one small thing.

This week it is a large thing so I've been spending more time with it - my office supplies cupboard.

You can see more info on the project - the starting picture and the article that inspired me here

Organize Your Office Supply Cabinet

You can see how it is coming along and more details about joining the D Day Challenge so that you can get results for yourself at this link.

Declutter Day Project

Hope to see you there!

Meal Time On Time at last!

I've been having a lot of fun getting my family back on track with meal time, using an ebook called Meal Time, On Time - Meal Planning Made Easy.

I'm taking the slow approach, building a little at a time, starting with supper time meals, using what we have in the house and going from there.

I've seen a huge difference in just the first 3 days.

It has really shown me that 90% of success is not only in the planning, but in the focus.

Merely having a plan on the white board calender on my fridge, printed neatly so it is easily read, has been enough to remind me to stay straight in making our meals and remembering to get them started on time.

It all started with an ebook that I stumbled upon a few weeks ago. Just one idea from it, the idea to use a white board on the fridge (and freezer) has made a huge difference. And there is a lot more where that came from.

I am so impressed that I started a personal blog called "What's Cookin' at Jan's" that is available to anyone who purchases purchases Meal Time On Time through the link below.

You can see my family recipes in "real time", how I "make it easy" and the worksheets etc that I use in my own meal planning. And I will be providing it in audio form as well. Like I said, it really can be a lot of fun, and together, it is a lot more fun!

If it sounds like something you could use, you can see more details at
Meal Time, On Time - Meal Planning Made Easy.

Back to School Lunches

Many kids are back in school already, mine are going back soon, so I am starting to think about school lunches (uggh, the bain of my existance since my son started school 11 years ago, and it didn't get any better as my 2 daughters followed).

It's always a challenge to pack healthy lunches that the kids can get enthusiastic about so I've decided to skip the wailing and knashing of teeth (sometimes it's me, sometimes it's the kids, depending on the day!) and enlisted some outside help.

It's a big load off because frankly, I worry that they get enough nutrition for a strong start in life if I don't make a special effort to be sure.

One thing that I am grateful for myself, is that fact that my mother always had 3 square meals a day for us (we helped, but they where there). I have always suspected that my own good health in my adult years where because of it.

PS: I joined Healthy E Meals today because they not only have 31 healthy lunch ideas as a bonus (as well as another 31 healthy snack ideas) but they also have fitness tips and motivation, cook free meals and a list of other items that will make healthy eating easier.

Just what I need!

One thing we don't want to fall behind on as parent is our children's health, but it isn't easy to provide healthy meals on a consistant basis.

After having a good look around, the one thing that strikes me as being incredibly useful is the potential to brainstorm food choices at a glance with my daughter.

I will be printing some of these ideas so that we can pull them out when planning any meal really, lunches included, and decide together what to have. (recipes are also included)

If you are stuck and looking for a resource to help you create a healthier meal and lifestyle plan, you should check it out. The owner also donates 10% company profits to charity.

Eat Well - Live Well. Join the one member's only website that caters to busy people who want to live a healthy lifestyle! Recipes, snacks, fitness and motivation tips and more. All for one low price!

Just Get It Going

With the hussle and bussle of the school year end and the new challenges of the beginning of summer holidays, once again I got off my routine. Hate when I do that! I shows within days and goes downhill from there.

So I had to bite the bullet and get back on track. I've been making an effort to get back on my BOOST Circuit and dedicate at least an hour to it every day.

Since things are unbalanced, the time slots have been as well, I've spent longer in some rooms than I normally would when I have been doing it daily.

But now, at the end of the first week I am seeing big changes. And I realize that the only difference between this week and last is that I made the commitment of one hour per day and did it, no matter what.

It brought to mind the common internet marketing advice, it doesn't have to be perfect, just get it going.

We get overwhelmed and wonder why bother, but the truth is, that if we start, and keep doing it every day, even a little bit, we will see a difference. It may never be perfect, but it will be better, and that counts for a lot!

ACTION TIP

If you've been treading water or worse - drowning, time to move ahead.

Pick a time to do a 10 - 15 minute clean up in a few rooms or areas of your house of your choosing (to total about an hour, if you are inspired to do more, go ahead, just know when to quit, if it becomes a chore, you won't want to do it again tomorrow, or your brain will tell you that you did well today so when tomorrow comes you will have an excuse not to do it. You need to develop the routine and stick to it)

Get your timer and go.

Do it every day for a week. By then you will be so happy you won't want to stop.

You may want to check out Carole Pagan's "Whole Life Overhaul", a weekly email program that will bring gradual improvement to your life. Interesting, down to earth and practical.

Whole Life Overhaul

http://myuam.com/x.cgi?a=r&id=155&aid=7480&p=37&cp=athoblogger

Life is in "The Moments"

Most times we don't plan for "moments", they just happen.

A few days ago my two oldest children, myself and my husband where installing some windows on a beautiful spring day.

It's been a very long time since just the 4 of us have worked together on anything, usually my youngest daughter is home so it is either all of us, or various combinations.

It was one of the nicest evenings that I've had in a long time, having us all work together. My son and daughter seem to be over the hump of moodiness and uneven development, they are starting to be on the same page in development again, almost like when they where small and used to dance together (their picture sits on my desk).

How do you get a "moment"? You usually can't plan them, but you can set yourself up to having more of them.

What does it take?

You all need to be together.
You need a common objective that suits everyone.
You need patience and a calm, happy atmosphere.

That's about it.

Sometimes parents make date nights with their kids, either alone or in various combinations.

It could be something similar. Or it could be a family project. It could be game night too.

It just needs to be something everyone is interested in so there are no "sour grapes" (nothing spoils a moment faster!)

Have a "moment" with your family. It will last a lifetime.

Absorb Your Success and Watch It Grow

We spent some time over the March break getting things in order around here. Decluttering - a seemingly never ending job - putting things away etc.

When we where finished, I found myself with a sense of peace over the following days, the mere act of walking in a room was calming and just made me feel good.

It occured to me that I needed to take notice of this feeling, absorb it and be sure to notice it, and my surroundings if I wanted to stay motivated to keep it that way.

All too often things get really nice, only to fall back after a busy spell, a time of illness or any number of road blocks.

But if we can fully ingrain the good stuff, feel it so fully that it feels off every time we waver away from it, we will find ourselves doing what it takes, taking that extra step, even when we don't feel like it, to keep things at the "new normal".

It becomes far too precious to us to loose.

ACTION TIP

What is your normal? What have you gotten used to, either good or bad?

If it's something good, you have found a way to keep it that way, how can you apply your strategy to a problem area in your life, or house?

Is your normal KAOS? Pick one area, work on it consistantly, if only for 5 minutes a day until it's a place where you feel good being. Notice it. Breath it in. Make it your new normal.

Use this strength to keep it this way, even when you don't feel like it.

Me? Even though I rather feel like vegging for awhile, I'm going to go and do my circuit for 1/2 hour because I really want to keep it this way!

Do It Anyway and Be Happy

Over the holidays I was lucky, my husband was home and not only painted my daughter's room, but enlisted the kids (he is a natural born delegator) to help get the house back in order - it was still limping from when I was sick for a few weeks and then busy with catch up and a busy business month.

So now I am more determined than ever to keep up my circuit, it is my saving grace amongst KAOS! (I will have more details on my circuit so that you can do it too... coming soon on my website, just waiting for a few more details on the graphics for my logo and we will be on our way)

I had been doing well but was having a complete block as to wanting to do one of the modules in my circuit - my hall - it is a gathering point, both at the bottom and top of our stairs.

So I decided to do a fun one first - I did 5 minute magic - choosing a corner that had been nagging me for a week. It was finished in about 3 minutes - why didn't I do it sooner? - so I continued on to the hall.

When the time was up, I set it for another 5 minutes, pushing myself to just do that.

In 5 minutes, it was pretty much finished both of hallways, so I worked another minute and got it done.

Now I am enjoying a coffee, feeling very good about my clean space and the fact that I didn't cave and go for the easy now, hard in the long run solution - which would have been to leave it and pretend that I was going to do it later - later never comes!

ACTION TIP

Push yourself to do what you know you need to do to function happily and peacefully. You will probably be amazed at how easy it ease. Reward yourself when you are finished.

If you are having a problem getting started, set your timer for 5 or 10 minutes, what ever you can manage. At the end of the time, you will likely want to finish it. If you don't, promise yourself that you will set aside another 5 or 10 minutes tomorrow, next hour or this evening, and do it again.

Keep it up until your task is finished. And feel great all the way knowing that you are heading in the right direction.

Feels good, doesn't it!