by Robin Tidwell

Created on: August 07, 2008   Last Updated: October 06, 2010

If you're like most people, a typical day includes picking up clutter, cleaning the house, doing laundry, running errands, chauffeuring kids, cooking two or three meals, exercising, working a full-time job, and perhaps even taking care of a menagerie of pets.

Having a system to accomplish all these things is crucial. Having lists to ensure completion is also an important step - organization begins in one's mind.

Make and keep a to-do list. Some of these things need to be done, say, on Wednesday, so simply make a note of that. If it's written down, you'll do it, and if it's kept on the computer and is right on the monitor in front of you, you can't say "I forgot."

The "system" is in the habit - many of these things are done every single day, without fail. Well, mostly without fail; there are days you may not get moving as fast, days you simply don't want to do a thing - so you must also learn to let go of things that just don't matter...much! The good thing about developing a habitual system is that you don't have to think about what you're doing, you just do it.

Do you spend your weekends cleaning? No one really cares if the house looks "perfect" for maybe one day out of the week and you're exhausting yourself doing it all. Have an "assigned" chore each day of the week, Monday through Friday. Sometimes you can skip a whole week, especially if the kids have been at camp or at Grandma's.

For example, do laundry on Mondays; the kids do theirs on Tuesdays, and the sheets and towels are washed on Fridays. The good thing about laundry is that, once in the washer, you have about 40 minutes free; ditto for the dryer, sometimes more if it's a big load. Take things out of the dryer as soon as it's finished its cycle, fold what needs to be folded and lay out the hanging clothes; when all the loads are finished, put it all away.

Grocery shop once a week but, before you go, make a detailed list of the dinner menus for the week (although you can be flexible on what is served each day) and create your list based on the grocery ads. When at the store, start on whichever side you've parked on and move up and down the aisles you need to visit - not all of them. Walk with purpose, and heaven help any slow movers or indecisive shoppers! To shop weekly for a family of four takes about 25 minutes; compiling the list, maybe fifteen.

Every person has the same 168 hours each week to do whatever it is they need to do; make lists, have a system, get in the habit - you can easily create a couple hours of "down time" each day, without pulling out your hair!

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