Welcome to another post in my Fabulous Organized Friend Series. In this series I am introducing you to some of my FABULOUS friends. I want to continue to show you that there are many different ways to organize your life. We all have individual lives to manage and we need to make sure that we take into account our personal lives, especially all of the different variables that make up our lives. Rather it be – the size of your family, the amount of work you are responsible for (inside and/or outside of your home), your values, goals, and of course, your natural skills and abilities. This series will give you some different approaches, some fresh techniques and a picture of how different ladies take care of it all!
This month, allow me to introduce you to Janet….
Janet is the beautiful lady above wearing the scarf. She is one of the most organized ladies that I know, truly, and she also just happens to be my mom!
I asked my mom to share this month because she was (and is) the perfect example of how to manage and organize a home with lots of flexibility, balance and grace. She is going to give you a bit of the “now” – how she manages things now and the “then” – what she did when we three girls were still living at home.
Speaking of the girls, my lovely sisters Harmony and Haley have both been featured in this series too. I am so fortunate to have such a talented and loving family! My sisters and I can all agree – “We got it from our momma!”
Give me a snapshot into you and your family. What does your “whole” life look like? Schedule etc…feel free to over share!
Now: My current schedule, 5 days a week at the gym doing various classes, boot camp, intervals, Zumba, yoga. Groceries one day, cleaning one day, errands after the gym. It seems much of my focus these days is on keeping fit. I spend part of each day keeping track of friends through e-mail or texting and generally just putting things away and planning upcoming events. OH yes, and healthcare visits for the above-mentioned situation!
Then: When my girls were home, each day had a designation, laundry & cleaning, office work (we ran our construction business out of our home), menus and groceries, bible study, etc. I had one day when I baked bread and did a lot of food prep for the week. I started this in the early days and kept it up as it helped me manage everything. I have always been a sewer and a reader and used the afternoons for me time.
What is your number one organizing tip you would share with other busy moms?
My #1 tip for busy Mom’s is to be proactive. Tidy up the living area before bed, wipe out the fridge before shopping, make your bed, put things away, etc. Doing these things make a big difference in avoiding that overwhelming feeling of being behind with all there is to deal with around the home. I also recommend setting up systems for cleaning (whether you or a cleaner does it), laundry, bill paying, holidays, and other responsibilities.
How do you find time to plan meals and to grocery shop?
Now, I just do it before I go shopping and use my shopi app on my phone, and I love it!
Then: I had a set day to do it and took a ‘divide and conquer’ approach for menus. I would plan the meals around the main dish for each day, chicken, beef, fish, meatless, picking one dish from each category along with what sounded good and was in season. I wrote out a list and tried many tricks for this, clipboards, printed shopping lists, small notebook.
How do your kids help around the home?
Now: Since we are both retired we do the household maintenance together. My husband does the floors, cooks one meal a week (still working on this!) and is glad to pick up various cleaning jobs as they come up.
Then: I started my girls helping around the house at around age 4. My goal here was character development, I wanted them to learn to share in the responsibilities of being in a family. It was worth it to me to teach them how to work so they would learn to be workers! I would start them with cleaning out a bathroom sink on a stool with my supervision. Their later jobs included: emptying garbage cans, dusting, etc. I did their laundry but they put it away. I always did the floors and other big jobs. Yes, they balked every week and yes, I still expected them to do it. When they were 15, each did the laundry for the whole family all summer. This is how they learned to do laundry.
Campbell Family – Christmas 1987 (Why was dad staring like that?!?)
How do you create the time to exercise and take care of your own health?
Now: I have lots of time and have become a gym rat.
Then: Exercise was not a big deal for me or my peers. We didn’t even take walks – I remember doing some Jane Fonda videos and 30 minute TV workouts occasionally, but it was not really a THING.
What are some of your secrets to keeping a clean home?
From a book on household organization I read in the early 90’s, I set up a 3X5 card file system for managing/cleaning your house by spreading out all home chores throughout the week, month & year. Many people set these up and used them for a while, but believe it or not I still have it and use it. It is a good system. It can be totally customized to any home and anyone’s preferences for how & how often things are done. It was from this box that my girls did their jobs, turning over the card when the job was done and I re-filed it. The best thing about it is that it things are managed. Instead of feeling everything is a mess and needs to be done at once or giving up because it’s too much, you know that job has a pre-scheduled time to be done and it is probably not today.
What are your tools for managing stress and finding time for just you or time for just you and your hubby?
Well, an interesting question!
Now: Of course, we have tons of time together and things tend to get routine. We took up golf when the last girl left home and that has been a great couple activity that we both love. We do movies and eat out and do activities with friends. We are currently working on building better communication in our marriage and that has been a good thing! Never stop working on your marriage, it is the most precious gift you can give to each other and to your children!
Then: I did have some stress and some tension headaches along the way with 3 little girls to raise! I regret that we did not do a better job of having couple time when they were young. It would have been so good for us and I encourage young parents to budget in babysitter $ and make it a priority.
What advice would you most like to share with other moms in how they can best live their lives with intention?
This is a wonderful question and I am so proud of Morgan for having this focus. I think it is vital to have a ‘big picture’ mentality when going through this life. We have so many decisions and choices to make, especially as Americans, it can be very confusing to determine what is really important. I have boiled it down to God and relationships. These are the only things which are eternal. What does that look like? I am still learning that along with you! I think we need to pay attention to what we are thinking and what motivates us. Why are we doing what we are doing, watching what we are watching, reading what we are reading, buying what we are buying, spending time with whom we are spending time with? What are our goals and desires? Where do we want to be a year from now? Is there a plan for personal growth? I did not think this way when I was younger, I wish I had. Too often we are swept up with what others are doing, trying to keep up, to be accepted. Peace can be found in making choices that suit us and fit what we are called to do.
First of all, I’m so happy to hear that you are now a self-proclaimed “gym rat”! (I can attest, she holds her own in a yoga class.) Secondly, I loved your #1 tip – being proactive is what living intentionally is all about. Nailed it, pegged it. The small things add up to big things. The more we stay on top of the little things the less overwhelmed we tend to feel. Thirdly, I loved what you said, “Peace can be found in making choices that suit us and fit what we are called to do.” I couldn’t agree more! Knowing that you are doing what you are called to do, is the ultimate way to experience peace within your planning and doing.
Mom, you were (and are) such a fabulous example of how to care for your family, how to take care of the daily necessities, and how to keep things simple. Thanks for always making our home a comfortable safe haven and for the warmth and love you (and dad) always give. I am a blessed girl. And you are a blessed nana…I love you lots!!! xoxo
Campbell Family – Christmas 2012 (as of 2015 there are now two more precious members!)
