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Anti-Procrastination Tuesday #51

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Last week, I said it was about time to write a new Spring “TO DO” list!
Wellll, I procrastinated.
Maybe next week??
I have not posted an official “TO DO” list for a very long time, but now that my big treatments are over, I have some time to get something done! 
For now, I will leave you with a list for the week….
My Anti-Procrastination Goals This Week:
~my growing paper pile
~ALL laundry done and put away, then one load a day
~workout at least 3 times
~clean out my garden bed
~backyard pickup
~clean out trunk (again)
~call carpet cleaners
~call organic lawn care for estimate
??????What are YOU procrastinating on??????
What are your goals this week?
New Nostalgia
Most Clicked On Anti-Procrastination Post Last Week:
Most Clicked On Flexible Type Post Last Week:

One Of My Favs From Last Week:
NewNostalgia 



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Please choose the correct theme or I will have to delete your link. 
 Thank you!
***Anti-Procrastination Themed Posts
~things you want to accomplish {lists, goals, projects}
~goals you did accomplish
~thoughts on procrastination/ways you beat procrastination




***Flexible Themed Posts


~crafts
~recipes
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HOME/ Homemaking/ Organizing/ Simplifying

My Morning To- Do List/Routine

{Clean Mama Free Printable–Click Here}
My girls have a “Back To School Morning Routine Chart” that keeps them on track and responsible for their own stuff.  The only thing I have to do for them in the mornings is make their lunches and help them with their hair.

I, too, have a morning routine.  Now that I have fewer doctor’s appointments and more energy, I am getting back on track with my routine and I LOVE IT!  My day just runs so much better when I take the time to do my routine each day.

I keep my list online. I have an iGoogle homepage. It allows me to add “gadgets” to the page, depending on my needs.  I added a “To Do List” gadget, and used it to make an A.M. Routine list.  I sometimes us a paper to do list, the one featured above by Clean Mama is a good one!

Here is what is on my list:

~Give Day To God
~Make Bed
~Get Dressed/Hair/Makeup/Teeth
~Breakfast/Vitamins
~Empty/Fill Dishwasher
~Fill Water Bottle
~House Pick Up
~Wipe All Glass
~Wipe Bathrooms
~Reboot Laundry
~Go Through Email
~Check Calendar
~What’s For Dinner?
~15 Minutes Zone Work
~5 Minute Hot Spot
~Quiet Time/Prayer Time
~Workout
~Nutrition Checklist

 Give Day To God
 This is a quick acknowledgement before I even get out of bed, a prayer that God would use me how He sees fit, and that I would be mindful of Him throughout the day.
Make Bed
I do this right when I get out of it!  
 Get Dressed/Hair/Makeup
Sometimes I even shower…lol.
 Breakfast/Vitamins
Pretty self explanatory.  I need a good breakfast and to remember to take my vitamins.  There are many morning that I eat with my girls so this is already done before they leave.
Empty/Fill Dishwasher
Part of my girls morning routine is to empty the dishwasher if needed.  This really helps in the morning, because it takes no time to stick the breakfast dishes in, as long as it is empty!
 Fill Water Bottle
I have an EcoVessel water bottle that I love!  I fill it with ice and water in the morning, and it stays icy cold all day.  I never have to add more ice throughout the day, just water.  Love it!
House Pick Up
This one is super easy and a habit.  I just go into each room and make sure there is nothing in there that does not belong.  It is only easy because of my Flylady System (I talk about that below) and also because part of my girls morning and evening charts is “pick up personals,” which means they go into each room of the house and get anything they have left out and put it away.  If they miss something, they will not earn their points for allowance.  We are strict about this, I do not want to follow them around nagging them to pick up every little thing, and I don’t want to pick up everything for them.  “Pick Up Personals” has made a major difference in how easy it is for me to keep the house cleaned up.
 Wipe All Glass
I have a kitchen table and dining room table that both are glass.  They need wiped numerous times a day, especially after my girls have had breakfast at them.
 Wipe Bathrooms
I use Flylady’s “Swish & Swipe” system.  Basically, you keep toilet bowl cleaner in the container of the toilet brush, so everyday you just grab it and do a quick swish (not a good idea if you have small kids, unless your cleaner is non-toxic).  I also take a paper towel and vinegar spray to quick swipe the mirror and sink area.  “Swish & Swipe” keeps the bathroom company ready with just seconds a day. (I do deeper bathroom cleaning once a week, this just keeps it shining throughout the week).  
 Reboot Laundry
A load a day keeps the smellies away!  I am working hard on this one.  It really is doable if I just make myself think about it, which is why it is on the list.
 Go Through Email
If I don’t do this daily, my inbox becomes a mess.  Still learning this one…
 Check Calender
I do this as part of my evening routine, but a quick peek in the morning is always good, too.  I use iCal on my Mac.
 What’s For Dinner?
It is good for me to think about this at the beginning of my day.  Especially when thawing meat is involved or if I want to use the crock pot.  It eliminates last-minute-before-dinner trips to the store because I check to make sure I have all I need at the beginning of the day.
 15 Minute Zone Work
This is also part of the Flylady System.  She divides the home into “zones” and has you work in each “zone” for 15 mintues a day.  At first, those 15 minutes each day are used for de-cluttering.  Once your home is de-cluttered, you use those minutes to do “missions” that she suggests, which basically keeps your home spring cleaned all year, only working 15 minutes a day!  It works beautifully when I actually stick with it daily.  It is tempting to go longer than 15 minutes, but that is when I crash and burn and don’t want to do it again the next day.  If I set my timer for 15 and stop when it beeps, it is a GREAT system.
 5 Minute Hot Spot
Also part of the Flylady System, a “hot spot” is any spot in your home that erupts into clutter easily.  For me, it is our study closet, our desk, our stairs, my trunk, certain drawers, an area that collects clothes in my bedroom…I could go on and on.  Spending 5 minutes a day in a hotspot  keeps these areas under control.  I am amazed at how well this one works.  Again, the key is stopping after 5 minutes and knowing you will have 5 more tomorrow..
 Quiet Time/Prayer Time
This is a must for me.  Time with God enables me to do everything else.  He is my life line.  I love using my prayer bench for this or taking my Bible/journal to a coffee shop for extra extended time.
 Workout

I posted this list back in the early fall, before my diagnosis.  Under workout, I talked about training for 1/2 marathon with my sister for this spring.  Little did I know the hardest race for my life was about to start.  I may not be running the 1/2 marathon, but after these last 7 months, I KNOW I am strong and could kick some tushie if I really wanted to:)  Despite this inner strength, workout is super important to reduce the risk for recurrence, so I will work hard to make this a habit.
Nutrition Checklist
This is another ‘gadget’ that is on my iGoogle homepage.  It keeps track of how many grains, veggies, fruits, glasses of water, etc.  It is a simple check box system.  It is easy and keeps me aware of what I need throughout the day.

 There are a lot of things on the list that we all do everyday. Seeing them listed makes it seem like a lot, but really, it is not.  Many of them only take a minute or 2.  This is what works for me, it is not for everyone, and it would look different if I went to work full time every day.
It really, really makes a difference in my day when I do these things regularly and purposefully. This list keeps me on track and helps things run smoothly around here!

Also see:
 Keeping Your House Picked Up
A White Board For Chores

8
HOME/ Homemaking/ Simplifying

Homemaking In The Balance {3 Steps You Can Do Today!}

**This is a guest post from Laurie @ Scene Of The Grime
The calm and balanced mind is the strong and great mind; the hurried and agitated
mind is the weak one. Wallace D. Wattles
Years ago, I derived self-worth from how busy I was, how many people needed me, what my life
looked like from the outside in. Does this sound familiar to anyone?
Guess what? Life happened. Tragic and traumatic events occurred. Chronic illnesses began. All
these challenges were a BLESSING in my life, though! Because they changed my perspective.
They cleared my mind and vision as to what matters most.
My goals became less about quantity and busy-ness and more about BALANCE!
Is BALANCE present and accounted for in your life? Today, let’s talk about three basic steps
we can take to encourage and emphasize BALANCE every day.

1-What’s Important to You?
Time to soul search a bit and really dig down to what’s more important to you in the “big
picture” sense of your life. Pray about it. Meditate on it. You may find that too much of your
time is going toward activities that don’t further the most significant elements of your life
journey.
2-When No Means Yes
The word “no” is in our language for a reason! When you say “no,” you are also saying “yes!”
YES to having more time to devote to priorities. YES to having more energy to contribute
to the world in your own unique way. YES to being in charge of how you spend your own
precious time! So, NO is a very important word to use regularly (and politely, of course) in order
to simplify and balance your days. By the way, saying no may also include reducing and/or
curtailing activities in which you/your family are already involved.
3-Make a Personal Plan
Now, there are bazillions of planning strategies out there, whether you work inside or outside the
home, or both! I’ve tried different methods at different times. Nothing has really stuck except a
very simple plan I’ve crafted for myself.
I’ll briefly describe my method for you (and feel free to use it!), but it may be best for you to
sit down, brainstorm a bit, and design your own. Remember, BASIC, SIMPLE, EASY are the
watchwords here. If it’s not, you won’t remember/follow it!

Laurie’s BALANCED DAYS include: 
Everyday chores, Weekly cleaning and Errands/activities outside the home.
Everyday: I try to do devotion, laundry, dishes, exercise, water, meds, blog maintenance, and cleaning concentration (see below) daily.
Weekly Cleaning: Each day, I focus on a certain room/area of my home and I deep-clean it. Whatever I don’t get done that day, I pick it back up a week
later when that room rotates around again. I also meal plan for the week’s dinners every Sunday afternoon.
Errands/Activities: I plan errands around the activities I have scheduled each week so I’m not running around needlessly every day. Just takes a few
minutes on Sunday afternoon to outline a basic plan.
And, that’s it.
 My strategies are very basic, but I have found it to be an effective framework
around which I can structure my time.
I hope these three steps to achieving balance in homemaking are helpful for you. And I wish you
many blessings and much success in all you do!
Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance and order and rhythm and
harmony. Thomas Merton
 Laurie, the wife and mom who’s always busy tidying up the Scene of the Grime (my blog and my home!).
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ANTI-PROCRASTINATION/ HOME

Anti-Procrastination Tuesday #50!

***Please, please, please read before linking.
There are 2 areas to link up, with 2 different themes.  Read more below and please link up in the right area.  Thanks!***
To learn more of what this is all about, read this post.
I think it is about time to write a new Spring “TO DO” list!
I have not posted an official “TO DO” list for a very long time, but now that my big treatments are over, I have some time to get something done!  Maybe by next AP Tuesday I will have a list for you.
My Anti-Procrastination goal for today is to take the 6 bags of “stuff” that are sitting in my sunroom and drop them off at our local Goodwill.  I have been getting rid of all kinds of stuff, my shelves are actually looking pretty empty!  Love it.
??????What are YOU procrastinating on??????
New Nostalgia
Most Clicked On Anti-Procrastination Post Last Week:
Most Clicked On Flexible Type Post Last Week:


NewNostalgia 









***Stop and read below before linking***
I have 2 different themes for you to link up to.  
Please choose the correct theme or I will have to delete your link. 
 Thank you!
***Anti-Procrastination Themed Posts
~things you want to accomplish {lists, goals, projects}
~goals you did accomplish
~thoughts on procrastination/ways you beat procrastination


***Flexible Themed Posts

~crafts
~recipes
~anything else that does not fit under the Anti-Procrastination Themed


2
ANTI-PROCRASTINATION/ HOME

Anti-Procrastination #49

***Please, please, please read before linking.
There are 2 areas to link up, with 2 different themes.  Read more below and please link up in the right area.  Thanks!***
To learn more of what this is all about, read this post.
Well, it is the fifth and final week at Clean Mama Clean Sweep.  
I know she motivated me, how about you?
For last week’s challenge I chose to tackle my paper pile.
I did that this afternoon, I worked for about an hour–here are some pics to prove it:)
{excuse my lunch:).. I forced myself to eat some Salmon today with Whole Grain Noodles. 
I not a salmon lover, but it really was not too bad!}

I still want to tackle a couple file cabinets we have, someday soon.
The challenge this week is one of my least favorites! 
 Click here to go to Clean Mama and to see the challenge.
New Nostalgia
Most Clicked On “Anti-Procrastination Post” from last week:
Most Clicked On  “Flexible” Post from last week:
NewNostalgia 
***Stop and read below before linking***
I have 2 different themes for you to link up to.  
Please choose the correct theme or I will have to delete your link. 
 Thank you!
***Anti-Procrastination Themed Posts
~things you want to accomplish {lists, goals, projects}
~goals you did accomplish
~thoughts on procrastination/ways you beat procrastination

***Flexible Themed Posts
~crafts
~recipes
~anything else that does not fit under the Anti-Procrastination Themed

3
ANTI-PROCRASTINATION/ HOME

Anti-Procrastination Tuesday #48

***Please, please, please read before linking.
There are 2 areas to link up, with 2 different themes.  Read more below and please link up in the right area.  Thanks!***
To learn more of what this is all about, read this post.
It is week 4 of Clean Mama Clean Sweep!  
I am lovin’ it!!
I love her challenge this week, and my pick is the paper pile challenge.  
It WILL be a challenge with my kids being home for spring break!
Last week, my 3 jobs to tackle were:
~My car trunk
~My closet
~Under the sink cabinet
I cleaned out the trunk, but now it is full of 5 bags to go to the goodwill, gathered from decluttering our closets!
I tacked the cabinet under my sink, I will have a post about that coming up soon.
Thank, Clean Mama, for your inspiration!!
New Nostalgia



***Stop And Read Before Linking***

I will have 2 different themes for you to link up to.  Please choose the correct theme or I will have to delete your link.  Thank you!!
***Anti-Procrastination Themed
~things you want to accomplish (lists, goals, projects)



~goals you did accomplish
~thoughts on procrastination/ways you beat procrastination









***Flexible Themed



~crafts
~recipes


3
HOME/ Homemaking/ Natural Products

How I Cleaned My Favorite Vacuum

Sometimes I get an idea to write a post and think, “do people REALLY want to read about this?”  But then, I think about what motivates and inspires me when reading other blogs, and sometimes it is the most simple posts (like this one on cleaning baseboards from Simple Notebook) that get me movin’!

So today, I thought I’d share with you how I cleaned my favorite vacuum.
Over a year ago, I purchased an Electrolux ErgoRapido Bagless Cordless Handheld/Stick Vacuum.  It was lust at first site and love at first use.  I looked for awhile on the internet for the perfect stick vacuum, and decided on a Electrolux because:
~I wanted something for my hardwood and tile floors, not just carpet
~I wanted cordless
~I wanted lightweight
~I wanted sleek and pretty
~I wanted one that would hold its charge for long periods of time
~I wanted one with power!
~I wanted one easy to use for lil’ ones hands, so vacuuming could go on the chore board
~I wanted something with attachment options to get into the corners
~I wanted one that had a detachable hand held vacuum
The Electrolux had all of these things!


{It comes in ORANGE, too!! Love.}

Here was the problem.  
I am a hairstylist.  Before my cancer diagnosis, I did quite a few haircuts for family and friends.  Because of this, hair entered my house.  My little vacuum was perfect for this, BUT, after using for a year, long pieces of hair had gotten wrapped around the wheels, and they no longer rolled!
Most “normal”:) people would deal with that right away, but as we all know I am a procrastinator, so we have only been using the handheld part of the vacuum now for almost 6 months!  
I know, that is ridiculous.
But…
I finally did it!  I cleaned the nasty hair off the wheels
1. I emptied and rinsed the lint basket
2. I spray and wiped all external parts
3.  I used the small screwdrivers to pop the wheels right off.  No unscrewing necessary!
4. I used tweezers to pull the hair off the wheels.
5. I let all dry 
and now
I am love again!!
I’m also wondering WHY IN THE WORLD DO I WAIT SO LONG TO DO SUCH A SMALL TASK?  
It really was easy, took all of 10 minutes..
*if you use any of the links above to purchase anything from Amazon, I will receive a small commission, without any extra charge from you.  

I so appreciate it, if you are an Amazon shopper, 
when you use any of the links in this blog that take you to Amazon.  
I am so grateful!
**UPDATE  This vacuum would not be my first choice for lots of carpet areas that need heavy duty type vacuuming.  It is STICK vacuum, great for hard floors and to quickly touch up areas in between heavy duty vacuuming.
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