| Handle small emergencies fast: When a small | | | | simple joys: Our schedules have become so full |
| emergency does pop up being prepared with a | | | | and hectic we often forget what we are working |
| home medicine kit will come in handy. Make sure | | | | for or running towards. You can remedy this by |
| to have one in your car and one in the home and | | | | being more present. Think of the simple things |
| look through them twice a year to make sure | | | | that you enjoy and STOP and enjoy them and |
| they are up to date and have been restocked. | | | | then go back to what you were doing. If you are |
| Use this same twice-yearly update to change the | | | | driving along and you see a beautiful vista, pull off |
| batteries in your smoke detectors and to put | | | | the road and enjoy the view for a few minutes. |
| fresh batteries in all of your flash lights. Have a | | | | Do you love walking in your yard and looking at |
| special box where you store a few extra | | | | the flowers and listening to the birds, then start |
| batteries, a new flashlight, some storm candles | | | | 10 minutes earlier so you can wonder around the |
| and some lamp oil for an oil lamp in case of a | | | | yard before you start your busy schedule. Make |
| severe storm or power outage. Just putting these | | | | a list of 5 simple things you enjoy and STOP to |
| emergency kits together will give you peace of | | | | enjoy at least one a day.Be efficient at the |
| mind and when you need them you won't have | | | | grocery store: Plan ahead, think of 5 or 6 meals |
| to rush around hunting for supplies you will know | | | | that you would like to make and make sure to |
| right where to find everything you need.Ways to | | | | get the ingredients for each to have in the |
| cut down on interruptions from little ones when | | | | freezer or pantry. Then you can still leave room |
| working at home: Just when you are in the middle | | | | for impromptu meals like that craving for take |
| of writing an article or have your thoughts flowing | | | | out or your neighbor bringing you some fresh fish |
| for the piece your designing, your little friend | | | | but you will have everything you need for several |
| comes up and tugs on your sleeve telling you | | | | meals without having to keep going to the |
| they are thirsty. When working at home with | | | | grocery store.Don't rush through dinner: Have |
| small children around you can cut down on these | | | | everyone pitch in when it comes to making dinner |
| interruptions and still take care of their needs. Tell | | | | and sitting down to enjoy it. The meals don't have |
| your children that you will be working on a project | | | | to be fancy, just a time to be with your family |
| for the next two hours and set up drinks and | | | | and get a bite to eat. Take turns with the |
| snacks that they can get for them selves. Put a | | | | cooking, setting the table, and washing the dishes. |
| few different drinks in small single serving bottles | | | | Especially in the summer when schedules seem to |
| in the door of the fridge and have them help you | | | | be tight with all the activity around the house, |
| make a snack ahead of time that can be stored | | | | keep meals light and focus on catching up with |
| in a baggie or Tupperware. Asking your children to | | | | what everyone is doing.Have a cleaning team: |
| respect your two hour work break will help them | | | | Figure out a list for the top 10 cleaning chores |
| learn to be self sufficient and they will find | | | | that need to be done each week. Give everyone |
| creative ways to entertain themselves. Then you | | | | a few chores to do and write them down on the |
| can spend some time together and have another | | | | calendar or post it on the refrigerator. When you |
| work break later in the day.Start with low | | | | each pull together and focus on the few tasks |
| maintenance in mind when you design: A great | | | | you need to do the house will get cleaned and |
| way to reduce home maintenance chores is to | | | | everyone can feel like they have contributed |
| plan ahead with low maintenance fixtures, flooring, | | | | without one person having to manage |
| paint colors, and windows when you are building | | | | everything.Ban those useful looking gadgets from |
| or remodeling. If you already own a home, when | | | | the house: The marketing of the next cleaning |
| things wear out replace them with low | | | | monster, or tool whiz is terrific, you see the ad |
| maintenance replacements and cut your work | | | | think how great it would be to have that latest |
| time in half. Make sure to use a light color for | | | | gizmo and before you know it your are stumbling |
| exterior paint trim. This will reduce peeling and | | | | over all sorts of gizmos that were supposed to |
| cracking from the sun and will wear longer. | | | | simplify your life and they have just given you |
| Shades and shutters just need to be vacuumed | | | | more stuff to clean around. Ask yourself the hard |
| once in a while instead of taken down and | | | | question before you get that next gizmo; is there |
| laundered. Rugs with darker colors and small | | | | a tool I already own that could do the same |
| patterns will distract the eye from small stains. | | | | thing? You can use this same question for small |
| Using combination storm and screen windows will | | | | handy dandy kitchen appliances. Your closets, |
| save you from changing the storm panels twice a | | | | workroom, and pantry will be cleared of clutter in |
| year and using cedar trim will make the boards | | | | no time. Take the money you would have paid |
| last longer and you won't have to paint | | | | for the item, make sure to include the price for |
| them.Keep your expectations in balance: Our lives | | | | shipping and handling and put it in a large savings |
| become overwhelmed and cluttered from | | | | jar at the end of the year you can use the |
| expecting too much from the outcome of | | | | money you saved for a fun family outing.Make |
| something others or we are doing. Focus on the | | | | sure important notes and schedules don't get lost |
| process of what you are doing. It is not what you | | | | in the clutter of the coffee table: Designate a |
| do but how well you do it. Make the process | | | | special area in your house where important |
| enjoyable and an important part of what you are | | | | messages and schedules can be posted. Keep this |
| doing this will make you much more accepting of | | | | area clear except for these items and you will |
| the outcome.Take a moment to recognize the | | | | always know where to look. |