3 months of Georgia

Today we have been celebrating 3 months of living in Georgia.

The kids said it feels like we have been here longer. I agree. I like today's date because a wise friend told me that you feel a "switch" at month 3 after you move. 

Month 3 arrived softly this time. Peace has been the main feeling of being here at home. I am grateful.

Today was a regular Monday for us. I went to CrossFit. I didn't feel like going but all the preparation around me made it easier to show up and put in the work. I went back a second time in the afternoon to get some sports performance help. I'm grateful that we found a great CrossFit community. It's been better than I could have imagined. 

The kids had swim team practice this morning. We love having this as part of our summer routine. 

The church has been an incredible blessing. Everyone we met has been loving, honest and generous. We are deeply grateful to God. Serving Jesus is a joy.

Gratitude is the landmark I want to remember this month 3. I have so much to thank God for. No, life is not perfect. Still, my good days outweigh my bad days and I will not complain. 

Discovering Georgia has been fun. Just yesterday we sporadically found a nice spot for a family hangout. I know there are so many more places to see.

Adapting to a new hometown takes time. It is always a blessing when a house feels like home, a city feels like a community and a church feels like family.

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Motivation to declutter

Listen to this blog post here:

Every now and then, we all need a little encouragement to keep working on our homes. I have three practical words of advice to give you.  

The more I declutter, the easier life becomes. I started my decluttering journey 11 years ago when we moved to Texas. My journey started with frustration. Managing my bounty took a long time. I didn’t understand how I could not be magically organized. My husband wisely told me I lacked a system. My search started out of frustration. As I look back to where I started, I see that life became easier. The other day, I was decluttering my linen closet. Over the past year, I made several attempts to keep it decluttered. I didn’t succeed much. The thing was, the principles of decluttering I practiced were in place. Those principles allowed me to start and finish that project in 1 hour or so. I was happy, proud, amazed. The thing is, I should not have been. I’ve been working on the same decluttering principles for a while. The fruit is, life became easier. 

Repetition is the mother of all decluttering. Once I found a good system, I learned that I had to keep using it over and over again. Truly, repetition is the mother of all decluttering. Once I made peace with repetition, I was able to succeed constantly. I also made peace with the fact that my home is the type of place we use. We read books and we misplace them. We use pillows and covers. Kids can build forts. Adults can arrive from a long day and throw their clothes aside if they so choose. We are going to use this home to its fullest. It also means that I will have to declutter it all over again. If repetition is the mother of all decluttering, it is also the father of all organizing, the sister of all donating, the brother of all recycling (haha!), and the cousin of all tossing out. One aspect of being a family that is not glamorized is routine. We all have one. We all embrace it because it makes us who we are in this season. Likewise, embracing my chosen routine helps me to be successful. 

Seek ye first decluttering and everything else shall be added unto you. Before I clean, I declutter. Even if I don’t have an entire 45 minutes to work with. If my time is limited I can quickly put things where they are supposed to be. I can go for that visual impact and make a mental note to do a deep declutter later. Once I accomplish the decluttering goal, no matter how great or small, I clean. I find the habit of putting decluttering before cleaning to be better than the opposite. Sure, it might be a matter of preference. I prefer to be completely done with a room once I mop it. I do not want to go back and set it (or reset it). 

I am here to encourage you to put a little time into decluttering your spaces. Decluttering is something everyone can do, no matter how little time you have. If you work full-time or if you stay at home, you can declutter. You can always start small. 

A few months ago, my home felt a bit out of order. Yes, I was taking care of the dishes. You know the linen closet remained shut because I only got to it recently. I looked around my bedroom. The floor was picked up. The table on the side of my bed… uninspiring. There was too much stuff on top of it. My drawers could use some love. I spent 15 minutes decluttering. I only put a few items by my lamp: a vase for flowers. A ceramic jewelry tray I inherited from my late grandmother. I donated most of the clothes I stored in the drawers. I use the drawers to add my journals. I love to write before going to sleep so now they had a designated space. I smiled when I saw the finished product. A small project with great results.

So, now is your chance. Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. You will thank yourself later.

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Sunday Seven

 1. I love thanksgiving. It is my favorite American holiday. I think it is because we unashamedly thank God for all His blessings. We gather with family and we eat special food. Thanksgiving gives my heart a different sparkle if I can put it like that. A happy one. 

2. I'm glad most races are back in person. The running community is big, strong, and thriving. When we gather to run, I feel encouragement, strength, and joy. 

3. My husband's birthday is tomorrow. I adore Zeke, so celebrating him is a great joy. We met around his birthday 18 years ago so I actually threw a huge birthday party for him before we started dating. I know. Who does that? I do. I absolutely love celebrating birthdays because I believe that celebration is God's gift to be enjoyed. I'm looking forward to celebrating the most important person I will ever meet not only tomorrow but for the rest of my life. 

4. I watched a million cooking shows during the holiday. Most of them were America's Test Kitchen. If you never heard of them, you totally should. Other than family recipes, the only recipes I take seriously come from THE Test Kitchen.

5. Our family loves to travel. We were blessed to travel a few times this year. I recorded a podcast filled with travel tips I think you will enjoy. Subscribe to the Simply Cintia Podcast so you can be one of the first friends to listen!

6. I am thinking both about this year's goals as well as next year's. I believe that when I review my goals, I make peace with what is so I can press on to what's next. I found a good method to review my goals. I will explain it this week on the podcast as well. 

7. We decorated for Christmas before leaving home for the holiday. It was such a special time. Our family loves the Christmas season. We decorated the house, listened to Christmas music, ate cookies, and enjoyed dinner together. Our house looks happier at Christmas time. Thank God for Jesus. Without Him, none of this would be possible. 

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How to find an Organization System

Home and life Organization improves the efficiency of my life.  

Today I talk about how I found a system that works for me. Listen and share with your friends if it inspires you! 

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Organizing can be easy

I struggled with home organization (hello paper clutter!) over the years. Today I share a few lessons to help and inspire you. Don't forget about Friendship Culture, it is happening this Saturday here in East Texas. Registration is open! 

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The key ingredient to get organized

My pantry was disorderly for 13 months. I basically would shove items in there without looking back. I wished it was organized. I didn't do anything about it. 

I came to a breaking point when we had guests for Christmas. The guest couldn't find anything they needed and neither could I. Still, I kept the pantry the same way: messy. 

We went on vacation and when we can back, I found a free hour so I started organizing. 

I started by taking everything out of the pantry. I organized the spices alphabetically. I placed them in such a way that we all can see what we have with little effort. 

I threw away a lot of expired items. I downsized the huge amount of cinnamon I found. My coffee is happily stacked with coffee filters. I was surprised by the joy I felt when I closed the kitchen cabinets after admiring the work I did one last time.

Organizing is the best. Why didn't I do it before? Basically, I didn't have time. When I don't have time, I just go with the flow.

Lack of time is the number one reason why some spaces in my home are not organized. Time really is a key ingredient when it comes to organization.

Another key ingredient is the resources you use while organizing. I believe in using what I have. In this case, I used a trash can, my own counter and a sponge to clean the cabinets once they were empty. 

I don't think that buying more clutter can make you more organized. Sometimes we do need to purchase a few things but if going to the store is going to steal from organization time, I choose to stay home and do the work. 

Find the time and use what you have. You will see immediate results that way.

I must warn you that I know my kitchen cabinet will need to be organized again. I'm okay with that. My main goal is to get to a place where organizing my home is a habit, not an event.

Sure, some areas of my home might be a bit neglected now. Never fear: as soon as I have one hour at my disposal, I will dedicate all my attention to decluttering the space so I can use it to my advantage. 

Question: what is the top area of your home that needs to be decluttered? When can you dedicate 1 hour to do that?

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Housekeeping over the years

Housekeeping drove me crazy over the years. I knew homes need to be clean. I've never been the person to love that chore. In College, I learned that Saturday was the best day to clean my room. I did not have a roommate, so I cleaned the place for myself. I also washed my clothes on Saturdays after my break from work. 

When I graduated, I shared a duplex with a roommate. She was there first, so the rules were: no dishes in the sink overnight, and we each clean the entire place (except for the other's room) the other month. 

When I graduated, I lived in a tiny little place. 6 months later I was married to the love of my life and I guess that's when I officially become responsible for the housekeeping of an entire family. 

Before the kids were born, it was tough. My major problem was with paperwork. One weekend, I decided to organize everything, one hour at a time. I even wrote about it. I called "the power of one hour." Here is a before and after photo of my results. 

Organizing that paperwork gave me encouragement to know that I could conquer that major issue with clutter. What I didn't know then was that cleaning and organizing a home takes time and effort. 

Sometimes, you just don't have a lot of time. But things need to be done anyway. I remember starting a new job in my now new hometown. While I was job searching, I spent time cleaning, organizing things, cooking, taking care of the family, and volunteering at church. Once I started working full-time, I had little time for cleaning. I needed to clean anyway. 

I learned to prioritize my projects. I knew from past experience that when everything is chaotic, I need to start with laundry and food. That's how you go from overwhelmed to organized. I did that a lot. When I was chronically busy, I made sure there was food on the table and the laundry was done. These two simple chores helped me to properly care for the family, myself, and make progress with everything else I had going on.

I learned that sometimes, you just do not have time to invest in organizing things. I wrote a blog post with creative ways to organize your home. I used one of the strategies last week. A few weeks ago, I had a few service people at our house often. I had 3 clothes hampers filled with clothes day after day outside of our laundry room. I decided that the service people did not need to see those hampers week after week so, I decided to store them in the linen closet. I  used the strategies of "hide some stuff" and "ignore it until you can do something about it." Hiding made the space look cleaner. Ignoring the issue helped me wait until I had time to take care of the problem.

Well, I had some extra time last week and I was able to completely take care of those 3 clothes hampers. 

A second issue I had was the thought that if I only had help, housekeeping will be easier. I've had seasons when I was doing everything by myself as a stay-at-home mom. I've had occasional help as a SAHM. I also had seasons when I was working full-time and cleaning full-time. I also know what it means to work full time and have the help of a housekeeper. Housekeeping never got easier: I got smarter. 

I found smart solutions, whether I had help or not. I made peace with repeating those strategies over and over again. I also learned to teach those strategies to the kids. Their help has made a world of difference. 

Housekeeping used to drive me crazy. I have learned which strategies I need to succeed. 

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Decluttering Essentials

I moved to a new house recently and I wasn't even around for the move. I know, cue the interesting story. I was out of the country on a mission trip and visiting family. My family decided to move without waiting for e to return. What a great move. The corona virus epidemic was in full swing when I landed back in American soil.

I arrived at a great home. My husband made sure the kids were settled and the kitchen was unpacked. He also made sure I could find my running essentials. Oh, another essential that I quickly found: my coffee pot. Life was good. Except that I was back at work full-time and the kids were out of school.

What to do? Get angry and break the stuff that did not break during the move? Heavens no. I decided instead to grab my decluttering essentials. These five tools have helped me get organized over and over again. I'm sure you want to know what they are. 

Music or Podcast • I always declutter better when I am listening to good music or an interesting podcast. I believe these audio cues help me think less about the mess around me and focus on something else. I also believe that if I save a certain podcast only for decluttering times, I get back to that project over and over again - until I'm finished that is.

Cleaning Supplies • I often need some type of cleaning supply when I'm decluttering. I gather whatever I think I will need ahead of time. Having all the supplies next to me cuts down on distraction. Because I don't have to walk back and forth to get the supplies I can actually spend all my designated time decluttering.

Trash bags • It is inevitable that I fill have to throw things away when I am decluttering. I decided to have a few trash bags at hand just in case. Some bags double as recycling bags. The goal is not to keep all of the reasons why my space is disorganized. I created the habit of immediately going to the trash can outside of the house and getting rid of what I don't need.

Donation box • I developed the habit of having a donation box in the same space I am decluttering. I try not to think deeply about what needs to be donated. I haven't repented yet of making a donation. If it's still good enough to be reused and if it can be a blessing to someone else, I let it be. The only time donating hurts is when the item was not used properly. I have a few things that should have stayed in the store. Personally, this type of pain of regret is the only one I feel when separating things for donation. Much like the trash, the donation box goes immediately to the back of my car. My car goes quickly to the donation spot as soon as I can.

Timer • I start my decluttering process by setting my countdown timer for 45 minutes. I have learned over the year that 45 is a great number for me. It is not too little or too much. I can get a respectable amount of work done in 45 minutes. The 15 remaining minutes are all mine. I can use them however I want. I can browse my favorite social network. I can have a cup of tea. I can write a quick blog post. Those minutes are a reward for the focused work I did. Setting a timer also gives me the mental encouragement that there is an end time to that hard work. I even use it with the kids and they enjoy it.

I still have a lot of work to do in our newly moved home. Things slowly get in place as I use these five essential decluttering tools to keep my home organized.

P.S.: I recomend my own Podcast if you want to listen to something while you are cleaning. 

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MWLISS: managing hunger

We moved homes and hometowns this week. How do you manage hunger during a major move? I actually ask myself a different question: "do you want this food right now or do you want to reach your goal?"

The truth is that I want to reach my goal. The truth is also that eating everything in front of me seems way easier. Last week, I used these strategies to lose weight and manage hunger during our move:

Strategy one • I decided to use my WW app to think through my options. We ate out quite a bit. I used my WW app to choose what I was going to eat. Trust me, I eat well and had what I call "fun with food." One day I had ribs with a mentor. The other time, when I went back to the same restaurant, I chose chicken breast and veggies. Thinking through my options always leads me to good choices.

Strategy two • I decided not to have extra snacks at hand. I did have snacks for the kids (and they were pretty healthy I'd say) but not for me. The goal was not to grab something and eat because it was easily available. If I was tired, I went to sleep. Usually, the temptation is to grab some random food, eat then sleep. If food is not there, it is not going to get eaten.

Strategy three • I decided to eat when hungry and stop when lightly satisfied. This strategy worked when I didn't have that much of a choice on the menu. WW works for me because it allows me to eat whatever fits in my points for the day. This is the life I want to live: a life where no food is prohibited because I eat when I'm hungry and I stop when I'm lightly satisfied.

If you are not moving but want to improve your health, these strategies will help you get there. I thought through my options. I let go of the physical presence of extra snacks. I ate when hungry, stopped when lightly satisfied.

Now that we are getting settled, my health journey continues. Next time, I will tell you about our first week at home, before we fully start cooking (we've been blessed with meals delivered nightly!) and how I am keeping my weight loss goal in the midst of this adaptation phase. Thank you for reading!

Stats:
WW start weight: 175 lbs
Current: 154 lbs
First Goal: 150 lbs
Second Goal: 146 lbs
Third Goal: 136 lbs

Previously in this Series:
• First week of WW
• WW Speak
• Premeditated Portion Control 
• Weights and Measures
• Time
• Carbs & WW
• Proof of Weight Loss
• Why I started

• Preparation

• Fear
• Daily Choices

• Is running ruining my weight loss?

• What if my spouse won't diet with me?

• Slow
• A loss is a loss
• This is easy

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Make Space

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." 

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Moving is about making space. When we arrived in Texas, we had to make space for a lot of things. We made space for my husband's new job. We made space for a new baby. We made space for new friends and a new social circle.

I quickly learned that making space allowed our roots to grow deep.

This week, we made space in our home for a photo shoot. We moved furniture around and we cleared the clutter. We donated the bounty and made space by selling a few things. Making space, allows the other to see what's possible.

Transition is about making space. As we go into a new community, we will make space for our roots to grow deep. We will also make space to see what's possible.

We go as willing participants of the good that is happening. We go as servants of a God who lovingly sends us and goes before us.

I am thankful to God for the amazing community we are joining and the love we are encountering already. No doubt, the community is making space for us.

We've seen them make space in their hearts and homes. I'm humbled they made space in their lives so that mine can be a bit easier. God is so gracious, He gave us our new community of faith.

Have you ever thought about your transitions in life as a time to make space? You may find that your roots will grow deeper and your love, stronger.

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My Morning Routine

I love mornings.
They represent new beginnings.
As a teenager, I would wake up and think, "I have a new chance to succeed." My habits made those chances worth pursuing.
As a wife and mother, I am productive in the morning.
I accomplish a lot in the early hours. My morning routine is not about a list of things I do but specific habits that lead to success.

Instead of thinking of routine as a series of robotic activities, I think of the habits that propel me towards a happier day. Here they are:

Habit 1 • Phone Downtime. The digital age has given us quite a bit of control of our uncontrolled urge to check our phones all the time. A great solution to this problem is to utilize the "downtime" setting of my iPhone. This setting locks almost all my Apps from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. The only things not clocked are my Bible App and my camera. The act of not checking my phone when I wake up helps me to be more purposeful, peaceful and productive.

Habit 2 • Rest. The fuel to the best morning routines is resting well the night A good morning requires a restful night. Rest is the most underutilized productivity tool. After a night of rest, I feel refreshed and ready to be productive.

Habit 3 • Prepare. It's been said that "by failing to prepare you are preparing to fail." I prepare everything I need the night before. I set aside my running clothes, shoes and I make sure the coffee maker is ready to go. I also pack any lunches the kids need the night before. Preparation makes my morning routine easier. I can simply sit with my Bible and coffee knowing that everything I need to do later is already ready to go.

Habit 4 • Focus. Distraction is the chief thief of productivity. I've had days when I wake up early and I waste precious minutes by browsing the internet mindlessly. Focusing on my actual routine is very important. When I wake up, I get dressed, I wash my face, brush my teeth and I get the coffee maker started. I get on my knees and pray for a while. Then I read my Bible. After that, it's time to go for a run. I only have a set amount of time to do all of that, so focusing on starting and finishing each activity on time is very important. Decide what you want to do and focus on each activity.

Please know that these suggestions might not work for you. I also need to tell you that I'm very much a work in progress. Every now and then I need to recalibrate and do these very things anew.

Other tips:

• Keep your phone out of reach. Put it in a room adjacent to yours. You will sleep better, and if you need to hear the alarm, you'll get up to turn it off. I always remind myself that I am not an E.R. doctor on call. I can live without my phone if need be. Remember, technology is a great servant but a terrible master.

• Plan for Downtime - When my phone is about to shut down, it gives me a 5-minute warning. It is a mental reminder that I need to go to bed. My phone is not part of my bedtime routine, so I need a plan for my own downtime. Will I read a book? Will I join my husband and watch a show? Will I prep for the next morning? Planning ahead is a great way to succeed.

I would love to hear about some ways you keep your morning routine popping.

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How to prep ahead: food and laundry

It was the end of a busy week. Helping my family and making sure they have everything needed to succeed at work and school was a priority. Homemaking is unescapable. Doing my best at my full-time job is a joy.

It is Friday. I can sit back and rest. Instead, I choose to enjoy family time and prepare for the week ahead.

I star by making a list of meals we needed for the weekend. We were going to be out for multiple hours, so I decided to pack brown bags for the kids.

I also make an assessment of the laundry. Do I need to start a load now or can it wait until tomorrow?

I learned that it takes longer to do dishes when I let them sit on the sink for two (or three or four) days than it takes to just wash everything at night. 

Preparing food ahead of time requires time and dedication. The result is the satisfaction and freedom to simply enjoy the weekend ahead.

I am not going to say that prepping for the week ahead is easy or convenient. I often ask myself what is the advantage of doing such thing after a long week. I quickly remember the results of my preparation.

We eat better when I prep ahead. We also save money as a result. There is nothing more satisfying than knowing exactly what you are eating.

I know clothes will be clean. We will all enjoy our weekend activities better. 

Back to preparing for the week ahead. Preparation adds quality to the life you want to live.

How will you prep for the week ahead? Be specific and enjoy the benefits!

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How to find and maintain an organization system for your home

I've been researching organization methods for the past 6 years or so. Here are three ways to find and maintain an organization system for your home.

Define what organization means to you. The author or expert does not live at your house but you do. You need to start the process deciding what organization means to you. You can answer the question: what do I want to accomplish? It might be stepping in the floor in your closet instead of laundry. Your accomplishment might be opening your home for guests. Be specific.

Find a system that works for you. There are many systems out there. There is only one that works for you. Think about your currently life as you choose that system. If you can’t pause everything in your schedule to empty your entire home of your belongings, that system might not work for you. You might have to try several approaches before you find something that works. Remember, the system needs to work for your not the other day around. 

Work the system. Once I found a system that worked for me, I decided to follow the system. Whether I only had 45 minutes or 3 hours, I used the system consistently and I got good results. When everything is out of whack, I follow the system from beginning to end and things get in order.

In my opinion, the goal of organization is for sanity, not for vanity. Sanity because you need to find your things quickly. You also need to be in a home you enjoy. I find it easier to enjoy an organized home, free of necessary clutter. I also understand that things get messy on a regular basis. We live here after all. The goal of the system is to get things in order so that living is pleasant.  

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Christian Hospitality

A few moons ago, I taught a Bible study on the topic of unusual hospitality. It was interesting to see the opportunities that popped up soon after we said amen.
Hospitality is more than getting prepared like crazy, opening your home and taking photos to prove it on social media.
Hospitality is God's very heartbeat, it is who He is and that's why we practice it.

dinner with friends is our fav!

My husband and I never had a conversation about hospitality when we were dating. The good thing is that we both had conversations about it along the way. We both have a desire to be hospitable. We also have learned to adjust our expectations and execution of hospitality.
I won't bore you with this topic right now but Zeke and I learned that hospitality is expressed differently in different cultures.
Over the past years, we have learned that we want to be hospitable and we want to teach our children to do the same.

the always reliable slow cooker.

The thing you don't see on social feeds is that love is sacrificial. Love is not crabby and complaining but it is sacrificial. We have experienced that in the past and I'm glad we did. When one decides to be hospitable, they should expect to learn new things that will strengthen their character.

a note, food and a free night

 With all of that in mind, we welcomed five college students to our home last week. It was lovely. They were camp counselors, working at our church during that week. Their parent organizations has done that so much that they have it all down to a formula.
We were asked to house them for 7 nights, feed them breakfast and two dinners. For one of the dinners, we had Brazilian food. Everyone really enjoyed it, I'm pleased to say. For the other dinner, we couldn't be at home. We made chicken barbecue on the crockpot and left the sides all ready to go. I left a note for the kids and went on to choir rehearsal at church.
When I came back, I noticed the kids ate well and relaxed well. I learned that sometimes, just having food and space to recharge is all a guest really needs.

time for music!

We are a musical family, so we introduced our guests to a few new songs, bands, etc. This is who we are and we are proud of how God made us.
The week was very interesting. The kids saw our guests more than we did because they went to camp with them. My husband and I only saw them in the morning and at night.
It was challenging to find out what they wanted to eat. I'm sure everyone had preferences but they were also extremely polite and no doubt about it, trained not to be difficult. I went to specialty stores. I tried to guess what they wanted to eat. I noticed they devoured my homemade banana nut chocolate muffins. I baked them a lot that week except for two days. What a great way to guess what people like: watch what they eat.

goodbye came so soon!

By the end of the week, my guests were ready to go back to their next assignment. I hope they enjoyed their very unique stay with us. We enjoyed hosting them.
I enjoyed hosting college students for the first time. I practiced what I personally preach once they left: I started with laundry and food.
I washed all the sheets and stored them so they can be used for the next set of guests. I quickly made a food plan for our family so that we would have a meal ready for us to enjoy.

Being hospitable is something Christians believe and live. My desire is to reflect the heart of God. I want be like He is, therefore, I practice Christian hospitality.

P.S.: My awesome husband built me a table for mother's day. It came handy when the 10 of us were able to sit around the same table for dinner. 

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How to go from overwhelmed to organized

Have you ever arrived at your home, tired from all the things you need to do just to face an overwhelming home? I've been there.

Instead of feeling relieved you're at home, you feel chaotic. The look of your home in a way matches the feelings inside. How in the world do you go from overwhelmed to organized? How to do you go from chaotic too collected?

You start with the simple recognition that you can't change everything at once. You can't change everything at once because you are tired and you are not about to clean, declutter and organize an entire house. You don't have the energy to do all of that.

What you do have is hope that things will get back in order. Hope is quickly followed by a plan of action. Here is the the plan: start with food and laundry.

Why these two? Because your people need to eat and they can't walk around naked. Start with food and laundry.

Food • keep it simple. Start with your staples. Mine are rice, black beans and chicken. If I have time, I bake banana bread muffins too. Once people are fed, everyone has energy to move on.

Laundry • do not get discouraged by the amount of laundry. Take it one load at a time. Finish what you start. What you don't need is a bunch of clean clothes waiting for you to fold it for two weeks (ask me how I know).

What about the other rooms? The bathroom needs cleaning, the living room needs tidying... You can take care of them once you have time. The key thing is to remember that when you are faced with an overwhelming mess, you can't do everything at once. You need to recognize you can't change everything in the blink of an eye.

Have hope that things will get back in working order. Follow up with the plan of action that consists of starting with food and laundry.

When you are feeling overwhelmed, give yourself some grace. Rest and start over fresh the next day. 

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No time for home organization? No problem!

I wish I had 3 days to declutter my entire home. I choose to use my time differently and thus, I'm challenged with organizing my home creatively. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Ignore it until you can do something about it. This may sound bad but it worked for me. The space under my kitchen sink never really had a purpose. I did keep a few cleaning products there. I also kept every plastic bag in the universe. I know, bad for the environment. It wasn't until my third move that I did something about it. Ignored that space for years because the cabinet under my sink was not highly visible. I also did not have a goal in mind for it. I did know I needed to dimish the amount of plastic bags I had. I started to shop with reusable bags. I stuck with it (and I also went to places that offered zero bags) and now we are in a much better place. Last week, I finally decided what to do with the space under my kitchen cabinet. The problem was that it was still a mess but I was going to have family over to help me for a few days. I know it can be frustrating when you want to help someone and you can't find anything in their home. I decided to organize cleaning products, paper towels and trash bags in that space. A quick visit to the thrift store gave me the organization tools I needed. Today, that space looks much better. I'm glad I ignored it until I could do something about it.

2. Hide some stuff. Have you noticed that all the organization/ decoration people don't have a great collection of "stuff" in the rooms they display? While I'm not willing to throw all my things away, I am willing to hide some stuff. At this point, I have successfully hidden everything Christmas, Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day. I have also hidden some summer decor things. I also hide kitchen gadgets I don't use every day. I hide my crockpot. I hide my food processor... you get the point. It seems that the less stuff you have on display, the more organized a room looks.

3. Don't sweat the small stuff. There is something beautiful about a family home. The "mess" in multiple rooms is a sign of life. Children will grow, adults will move on to the next great thing. Stressing out about perfection is not the way to go. I find that if I strive for perfection I won't achieve it. I also don't want people to have an impression that we live in a home that could be in the cover of Martha Stewart Living. We live in a home where our family is loved and nurtured. We find renew our strength there and we love one another there. All of this requires quite a bit of "mess." I know one day the kids will grow and the memories will stay. I know one day, they will fly away and be all that God's called them to be. While they are here, I won't sweat the small stuff.

4. Work strictly smarter. I have a limited amount of time to dedicate to cleaning so I need to work smarter. Some days, I ask the kids to help with laundry. Their help is always welcome because it saves a lot of time and effort. I have also learned how long it takes me to complete a task. If I know how long it takes, I can confidently start and finish a project. Working smarter is a great thing.

I'm glad I am always finding ways to stay organized without having to commit enormous amounts of time to each task. 

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Result-oriented Routines

Routines are an important part of my day. I see my routines as the means to an end. I want good results, therefore, I submit to my routines.

Routines are not magical formulas to a great life. If it was that simple to be successful, we wouldn't be struggling to get it together, right?

If you don't have a routine, I encourage you to think about your results and work backward.

Results: Kids at school with homemade lunches, feeling well.
Mom at work with homemade lunch feeling well.

Morning
Wake up and actually get out of bed to make stuff happen (If you are not a morning person, you might have a problem here. Fixing this step will help you be more productive.);
Put exercise clothes and shoes on;
Drink coffee;
Pray;
Read the Bible in Portuguese (the actual book, not an App);
Exercise;
Shower and get dressed;
Breakfast;
Make sure kids lunches are in their backpacks;
Everyone is out the door.

*Notice that not one time, I was required to be on my phone. I added an extra lock that impedes me from looking at any apps before a certain time in the morning. Looking at my phone steals precious time I can use to reach my morning goals. I don't watch TV in the morning either. We might listen to music while eating breakfast.

Results: Wash dishes, Prep kids' lunch, work.
Night 
Wash dishes after dinner;
Pack kids' lunch;
Shower;
Set aside exercise clothes and shoes;
Work for 40-45 minutes;
Marriage time;
Sleep.

Results: Rest, Prepare for the week ahead, have fun.
Weekend 
Laundry (start and finish the entire process);
Chores (the kids help with chores);
Wash and braid the girls' hair;
Grocery run;
Pre-pack kids lunch for 2-3 days;
Prepare the menu for the week;
Get at least one day ahead with meal prep;
Run long distance;
Rest;
Do a fun outing with the kids;
Church.

My routines are result-oriented. They are means to an end. Most days are not the same but as I think about my results, I am able to create routines that will support them.

Questions: What are the results you want to see in 2019? How can your routines support your results? 

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Holiday season calendar control

Now is the time to make one of the most important decisions of the holiday season: what goes on your calendar. 

Remember: You decide what goes on your schedule. No one forces you to manually write down 15 events in one weekend (slight exaggeration but you get my point). You are in control of your schedule.

You are also in control of the type of answer to invitations. You have two options: yes or no. Use these options wisely and to your advantage.


You made your schedule last year so think about how exhausted you were for extra motivation. If your answer to "how are you?" during the holiday was "tired" or "crazy busy" followed by a grunt, let those arousing feelings motivate you to include a lot more downtime in your schedule. I know you don't want to disappoint folk. The truth is, a rested you is a better you.

You will make your schedule so include margin and downtime in it. Stick with your resolution to declutter your schedule. Start with the end in mind. During the holidays, my goal is to attend X amount of events per week.

Be brave and decide what is your main goal for the holidays. Is it to run around like a chicken with the head cut off (I've seen this in real life. Story for another day) or is it to enjoy family and friends? You can’t please everyone but you can please Christ by focusing on what's important.

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Chores without Tears

My youngest was in preschool when I heard of the concept of handwriting without tears. Humans have a way of showing their dislike for things that need to get done. While handwriting was never our problem, chores certainly were.

I felt like crying just thinking about the amount of work that needed to be done. I have a full-time job, a business of my own, church and community commitments. How can I possibly add chores to this list without shedding many tears?

I learned to work smarter so I don't have to cry every week. Here are my strategies:


Work with family • Every little bit helps. The kids can pick up toys, clothes and put their shoes in the right place. Helping with chores around the home is a way of learning. They learn what it takes to have a clean home. They learn how to do different chores themselves. Let's be honest, I don’t know a lot of kids (or adults) who are excited about any type of cleaning. I learned that if I ask them to do a 5-minute pickup, everyone is glad to know there will be an end to the activity. Remember to give the kids grace is needed when they are helping with housework. They're not adults so don't expect the same results. Remember, the house will get dirty again because you live there. They key is to be consistent and have a lot of flexibility when involving kids. Also, never abandon kids while they are cleaning. Supervision is needed and encouragement is welcome. 

Work Multiple Days • I can’t get all the cleaning done in one day. I learned to be happy with working multiple days to accomplish most of the cleaning. The key is to focus on the most important chores you need to accomplish. Picking three works for me. I usually go for dishes, laundry, and bathrooms. I start the laundry, do the dishes and clean the bathroom (light cleaning). I learned to identify what a good stopping point is for laundry. It might take a couple of days but I get the chores done if I accept they will not get done all at once.

I had to give up on the idea that my home will look like the cover of a magazine at all times. There will be dusty spots. There will be laundry and dishes to be done. Happy families live in homes that get messy.

I have learned that even when I work slowly to reach my housekeeping goals, it is worth it.

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My Cleaning Routine for the Summer

During my 20 years in the U.S., I noticed that the perfect companion for spring cleaning is a relaxed summer. Too bad that doesn't work for me.

This summer, in particular, there are 9 of us at our home: 6 kids and 3 adults. I have learned that kids are not a professional cleaning service and I shouldn't expect them to behave as such. They do respond well to a 5-minute pickup session. The rest is up to me. 

Another challenge I have is the time and energy to clean. I work a full-time job and my morning time is already assigned to something other than cleaning. The solution is to clean when I get back home. Here's how I'm swinging house cleaning this summer

1. I set my limits. There isn't a day I'm not tired after work but I set time limits to cleaning. Whether I invest 30 or 45 minutes to different tasks, I convince myself that it needs to be done and that I will feel better. I'm often correct. Yesterday for example, I set my alarm for 45 minutes. I folded my clothes and I was able to get organized for the week. Setting boundaries gives me freedom. 

2. I divide and conquer. I don't try to do everything at once. I wish I could. I might divide my chores over several days and at the end of the week, the major tasks are covered. One day I might swipe and mop floors. Another day I might clean bathrooms. I combine laundry with those tasks and at the end of the week, I have a good hang of my chores.  

3. I identify the non-negotiables. Laundry and dishes are always the priority. All the other chores follow. I have learned that when everything is in disarray, I should start with laundry and dishes. Bathrooms follow pretty closely together. The key is to identify what will do the most good. 

4. I try not to be frustrated. Dread is the worse cleaning companion. It slows me down and it makes every task unbearable. I have learned to look at a dirty room, take a deep breath and say, I will take care of it when I have a chance. I just can't afford to be weighed down by frustration. I used to be so frustrated in the past and it never helped me make progress with my cleaning. I had to let frustration go out the door. 

5. I hide toys and clothes. I found those big laundry bags and I filled two of them with toys. I put the toys in the attic. I think about the playroom as a museum: we change the exhibition sometimes. No, I don't ask my kids about it, I just do it. When I bring the toys back, it feels like Christmas. I've donated a lot of clothes and because of the number of people at our home, there's only so much decluttering I can do this summer. I hid half of my kid's clothes, so they don't get every-thing dirty. They have more than enough clothes to wear as it is. Hiding a portion of their wardrobe is practical. I did the same with my winter clothes. I'm the person who had clothes for all seasons hanging in her closet. Not anymore. 

How do you handle your summer cleaning routine?

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