Striving for Simplicity: Taking Care of Home Part 2

Have you ever realized how little we need when we are on vacation?    Seriously, we make do with whatever fits in our suitcase.  A couple of outfits that we made sure were interchangeable including shoes.  Minimal makeup and hair products.  Minimal jewelry.  Then when we get back home all of the sudden, we ‘need’ all of the clothes in our closet. 

I’m going to get really vulnerable here and let you know that I cleaned out my closet earlier this season.  I ended up giving away forty pairs of pants!  I was saving clothes that used to fit me and are now too small.  Those items I kept as motivation to get back to the size I once was.  Instead, those jeans that no longer fit were laughing at me in mockery and made me feel bad about myself.  They just became a reminder of the weight I put on.

What is it with us and the need to keep stuff?  When you get to be my age there is a lot of it.  A sweet sister once told me “We spend the first half of our life getting stuff and the second half giving it away!”  I am finding that to be true now.

My why for keeping it presentable

In my previous post, I talked about taking care of our home and I promised I would let you in on some of the things I do to make my life simpler and more relaxing over here en la casa de los Trujillos.     And listen, my house is far from perfect but most of the time it can be cleaned up in about 15 minutes!  Why is that important?  We love to have people over.  I love to cook and share with others.  For more than 20 years my husband and I have had bible studies or small groups at least once a week in our home.  Plus, the occasional dinner with friends and the frequent family days we host.  And more significantly, I want my house to be a haven for my husband, my kids, and myself.  So, keeping my house 15 minutes to clean is valuable to me!

It is something I value

Because it is something I value, I put it in my planner.   Things like making my bed, cleaning up my bathroom, and cleaning up the kitchen are on my daily to-do list.  All of these things take less than 10 minutes each.   My kids (the grandkids that live with me) have one chore every day except Sunday, including a kitchen night.  They have learned they can get it done in 15 minutes or so.  I keep it picked up during the day and I clean up as I cook so it’s not that big of a deal usually.  In the kitchen, this is an excellent habit to have!  Maybe I developed it back in the days when I had to clean before I cooked.  I don’t know but I’m glad I did.

Teaching the kids

Guess what else?  I taught them how to do their own laundry.  So yes, they each have a laundry day as one of their chores.  Each was about 8 or 9 when they started this. They also have a day to vacuum and dust the family room and they have a day to take care of their own bedroom and bathroom.  By not allowing them to do anything or go anywhere, including watching TV until it’s done, they have the incentive to get it done! I want to say here I am not standing over watching them, they know what needs to be done.

Because of the decluttering, I talk about later, their rooms are not usually out of control. I don’t allow them to spend all morning on it either. After an hour I check on them. If they are not done, I find out if: number 1, they are sidetracked or number. 2 they are overwhelmed. If they are overwhelmed, then I help. And we work together to see that it doesn’t become recurring. I can hear my older kids (now adults) say you didn’t do that when we were kids. Well. Live and learn.

So what do I do?  I keep our living room and dining room clean.  Cleaning my bedroom and bathroom are my chores. My husband still does our laundry, yay! I wash the special stuff, the blankets, dog bedding, stuff like that. 

Clearing out the clutter

The reason that all of this works so well now is that I constantly am getting rid of things.  It seems like a no-brainer but trash (packaging, broken things, etc.) gets thrown out right away.  Closets and storage areas get significant cleaning once or twice a year.  I have the donation receipts from the thrift stores to prove it!  Same with the kitchen cabinets and pantry.  Once a week I clean out the refrigerators and once a month I wipe them down.  I have the kids go through their things a couple of times a year too.  They grow out of shoes, sweaters, and toys.  They are quick to bring me a bag full of cast-offs that I share with those that need them or send to a thrift store.         

Clearing out the clutter really does something for your ability to keep your home clean.  Keeping your home clean and clutter-free does a lot for you and your family’s ability to rest and relax.  As I tell you this, I keep thinking about the two areas in my home that are not presentable to the public: my office, and our garage.   Though I am working on both.   They are cluttered because I use them as storage for my booth at the marketplace.  You can find a lot of treasures in the garage! I have put myself on garage sale restrictions until I get a grip on this!  My office also includes craft supplies and all manner of household paperwork that needs to be sorted.   These areas get a twice-a-year overhaul too! 

I talk too much!

There is so much more I want to say but, this is getting way too long! So, if you are a mom of little ones or you just want more click here. I have created a separate page where I share a few more thoughts and some links to sites I follow regarding home organizing. Thank you for hanging in there this long!

Proverbs 14:1  The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands.