"Project Clean Up 2017" Week 2

Ready to catch up just a little more? I have Week 2 for you. Week 3 will follow very soon so we can get everything back on track so be ready!

Week 2

Organize your Personal Info/Finances/Bill Pay System

Personal Info


__ Decide where you would like to store this information. Store on your computer or write it down on index cards and keep in a small box. If you store on your computer, save a backup copy to a disk or jump drive. (Store in fireproof box) Make sure to remove the info from the hard drive if you get rid of the computer.

__ Label each category so it can be referenced with ease. A few examples of what to record for each category:

A. Finances (Formulate a budget for your finances. You may want to include your spouse or children in this process, too)

     __Your credit score
 
     __ Your credit card number (s) and the phone number to call if your card is lost or stolen (same for debit/check cards)

     __ Your bank account numbers and the phone number to call if your checkbook is lost or stolen.

     __ A budget for your income, expenses, savings and personal goals.

B. Health (There are new Web sites and software that help you store and track your family's health history)

     __ Allergies (to food, medicine, animals, etc.)

     __ Your blood pressure

     __ Health issues that run in your family

     __ Your cholesterol level

     __ Your blood type and those of your family members.


C. Safety

     __Emergency contact numbers

     __ License plate number and VIN (Vehicle ID Number)

     __ Flight numbers if you or a family member are planning a trip.

     __ Current photos of every member of your family, labeled with their heights and weights.

     __ Photocopies of your passport and the passports of your spouse and children.


D. Just in Case

     __ Your measurements and clothing sizes

     __ Your partner's measurements and clothing sizes

     __ Your children's measurements and clothing sizes


Purchase a fireproof safety deposit box if you don't own one. Important documents that need to be put in:

__ Marriage certificate                                               __ Wills
__ Birth certificates                                                    __ Death certificates
__ Adoption papers                                                   __ Household inventory list
__ Automobile titles                                                   __ Valuable contracts
__ Stocks and bonds certificates                                __ Passports


**Stay Organized**

Once a month:

File away any new personal info you receive.

Every 3-6 months:

Add any major new purchases to your household inventory list.

 Review your financial budget. Consider ways you can save by cutting back on expenses. Then follow through.

Once a year:

 Request a free credit report to make sure nothing unusual or unauthorized has popped up on it.

 Take new photos of your family members for your safety folder. Be sure to note their heights and weights.

 Update your health records after your annual physical.

Finances


__ Gather all your bills and corresponding paperwork and decide on one place to keep them all. Pay your bills online and request that your bank does not send paper statements.

__ Make a list of all your income and expenses. Use a program or paper and pen. Get a clear pic of your financial situation. Remember to include the due dates next to each bill. Here are examples:

A. Fixed Expenses

     __ Mortgage/Rent                                  __ Utilities
     __ Phone                                               __ Insurance
     __ Taxes/Loans                                      __ Savings

B. Controllable Expenses (You may want to track these expenses for 3 months to get an average)

     __ House Maintenance                            __Transportation: Parking, Gasoline, etc..
     __ Child-Rearing Expenses                      __ Credit Cards
     __ All food                                              __ Personal Care
     __ Entertainment                                      __ Charitable contributions
     __ Habits (coffee-shop drinks, cigarettes)

__ Formulate a budget based on your income and expenses. Your fixed expenses should be no more than 65% of your income.

__ Schedule times each month to pay your bills. The best way is pay as soon as you get paid. Call your payees to see if they can change your due dates to coincide with your plan. Take advantage of automatic bill payment with your bank.

__ Commit right now to your future. If you are not already contributing to a savings account or investment fund, add an amount you are comfortable with to your budget today and stick with it.

__ Ask for help if you need it. If you are not sure how to balance a checkbook, invest or form a budget, ask for help from someone you can trust or a professional.

__ If you have not done so already, set up a college fund for your children. Consider purchasing life insurance for you and your spouse.


**Stay Organized**

Once a Month:

 Review your credit card statements to make sure your interest rate has not changed.

 Balance your checkbook.

Every 3-6 months:

Review your 401K 

Once a year:

 Update your budget.

Schedule a time to do your taxes.


Bill Paying System

__ Find a place to pay bills.

__ Set up this area with all bill paying supplies; calculator, envelopes, stamps, pens, return address labels.

__ Shred any old payment books from loans you have paid off. Here is a list to help you decide what financial items to keep or shred: ATM receipts (put with your taxes if necessary), Credit card statements (make sure they are correct, only keep the most current), Insurance policies and bills (only keep most current), Medical bills (Keep for three years), Mortgage records (keep for as long as you own the property), Mutual fund statements (only keep the annual reports), Selling records of previously owned property (save and file), Social security statements (only keep the annual reports), Tax records (file and save for up to seven years)

__ Implement an organized system for paying bills that works for you. Organize your bills in a large manila envelope with a small calendar in it. Each time a bill arrives, place the bill and envelope in the envelope and mark the due date on your calendar. When the bill has been paid, cross it off the calendar.

__ Schedule time in your planner each week to pay bills and check accounts. Pay your bills on time. If you can't, write your creditor or vendor a letter describing your situation. Send them something every month even if it is five dollars.

__ After your bills are paid, write or stamp "paid" on them and place them in a basket or folder until the end of the month. At the end of the month, punch holes in them and file in a large 3 ring binder. Use dividers to mark each category (electric, phone, vehicle, mortgage, etc..) This will keep everything organized and easy to reference.


**Stay Organized**

Once a month: 

 Keep up with your filing in the three ring binder. You may need to schedule this on your calendar. The longer you let it build, the less likely you are to do it.


Balance your checkbook.

Every 3-6 months:

Replenish any supplies you may be out of in your bill paying area.


 Shred and recycle any bank statements you no longer need.

Once a year:

Sort your bills that need to be submitted for taxes.

Pack away bills from the previous year that you need to save. Shred the rest.



Credit to the book: Organize Now by Jennifer Ford Berry

A tear or two....

While out driving today, I was flipping through XM Radio and this song came on that always gets to me....I immediately teared up. Cats in the Cradle by Harry Chapin. I have always tried to live my life by this song. I never in my life want my children to look back and think that I never had the time. 8 children makes for a lot of care, but I also have to keep up with my housework, cooking, running to different functions, etc... but no matter what, I always find time for my kids. I purposely schedule in days on my calendar so there is never a chance of not getting that time in. Time with your kids is just as important as any appointment.

For anyone who thinks that there is never enough time, listen to this long, read the lyrics. They are grown before you know it and we never know how much time we have with anyone. Take the time.

Cats in the Crade-by Harry Chapin

My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it, and as he grew
He'd say "I'm gonna be like you dad
You know I'm gonna be like you"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home dad?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

My son turned ten just the other day
He said, "Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let's play
Can you teach me to throw", I said "Not today
I got a lot to do", he said, "That's ok"
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah
You know I'm gonna be like him"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

Well, he came home from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
"Son, I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head and said with a smile
"What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

I've long since retired, my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind"
He said, "I'd love to, Dad, if I can find the time
You see my new job's a hassle and kids have the flu
But it's sure nice talking to you, Dad
It's been sure nice talking to you"

And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

I am on my way!

  So, who has begun the first week of "Project Clean Up 2017" in your home? I am just so excited about this process that I can't stand it! 

  I began my days of Week 1 by starting with "Organizing my Mind" and making my daily "To Do" list first thing. I post mine on the refrigerator so it is in a neutral location to write down things as I think of them. If I need to move to another floor, I carry it with me. After writing down my "To Do's," I separated them into A, B, and C categories so I knew when to do each. A is today, B is this week, C is sometime in the future.

 One of my "To Do" items was to find myself a journal to jot down my thoughts in. I came across this one, from Goodwill of all places! It has my favorite quote on the front so I knew this was the one that was going to represent my year.

  I scheduled in exercise from 8-9pm with my daughter, Kaplyn, every night. In our home, things definitely have to be scheduled in especially if a TV will be involved. We exercise in our Game Room which is also the main communal area that the older boys share so they have to move their lives elsewhere for an hour.

  As part of "Organizing my Priorities," I made a Priority List with my Top 10. What I picked, I feel, are the things most on my mind. Some are things I have done over the last few years and some are new. This is what I came up with:

 1. Date Night with Hubby (every other week)

 2. Parent/Child Day Out (every other off week)

 3. Discovery/Story Nights (Wed) and Movie/Board Game Nights (Fri) (back and forth each week)

 4. Double Date with our best friends (each quarter)

 5. "Me" Day (once a month)

 6. "Us" Day (with our at home littles, every Wed)

 7. Exercise (Every night 8-9pm) Weigh In (Every Saturday)

 8. Craft Project (once a month)

 9. Parents/Best Friend Time (every other month)

 10. Family Day Out (once a month)

  It is a lot to schedule in, but I only have a few additions to what I had been doing all along until now. 

  As another piece of my "Mind Organization," we sat down with our kids and went over our year and how we are breaking it all down. They are on board with everything. Hopefully everything intertwines nicely along with our 3 older kids' jobs. 

  As for my "Cleaning Schedule Organization," I have always had a system that works great that I am sticking with. Just needed this new process to help with my "Overall" De-cluttering and Cleaning system.  

  How have you done thus far? Do you have your Top 10 Priority List ready?

  I'll be checking in with you soon! 

 

"Project Clean Up 2017" Week 1

I was so excited for my 2017 to begin and I am going in with a vengeance! Each year, I try to come up with the best organization/cleaning process that I can. In our home you have myself, my husband, 8 children and 4 cats (outdoor). My children range from 3 months old to 18 years old. I have 5 boys and 3 girls (not in that order) and boy, do we manage to get ourselves into a cluttered mess! Most would look at my house and think, "What clutter?" and you may be right! Well, I have ideas on my mind of what clutter is and it is time to get a hold of things!

While browsing Half Price Books in November 2016, I specifically went with the intention of trying to find the "highest of high" Organization Book....and I think I may have finally found it! 

As I opened this book and saw each week covering something different in the house, I knew this was the book for me! Now, I do have 14 rooms in my house, 4 bathrooms, 2 car garage, 4 car garage, carport, pool area and very large yard...throw in a few vacations/holidays and you wonder how in the world it can all get down in 52 weeks thoroughly, but I am going to do it! I spent the last 2 months of 2016 going through this book and organizing it with our life and schedules. I had to bundle up a few here in there to fit in all of the extra rooms I have that this book may not cover week-to-week. I also had to figure in a week long vacation, Halloween costume making, 3 weeks of just enjoying Christmas, but I got it all figured out! The schedule I created has everything that this book offers, but in a different order than is written in order to correctly fit it into our busy schedule. For those who would just like to listen to our crazy days of what we do to clean and organize, feel free to listen in! For those needing a cleaning method themselves, you are welcome to follow along with me (don't worry, you have time to catch up). 

Welcome to "Project Clean Up 2017!"

Remember, I had to bundle some weeks to make room for everything in my life so you may see a few things in one week instead of just one. I found that this is the best way to be able to get things done and take breathers in between. Try to get this all done this week or at least organized into your life.

Organize Yourself

Week 1: Organize your Mind/Schedule/Cleaning Schedule/Priorities

This week's goals (check off as you go). Don't let this list overwhelm you. Since I had to bundle up a few, there are only a few weeks that are this long...the rest are not. Don't forget, since I am a week behind on giving you this info, I will be giving you some info in a few days as well.

Your Mind

___ Get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep per night.

___ Start your day by jotting down a short To Do list of everything you want or need to do that day. This will free up your brain from the burden of remembering.

___ Start a journal. If you don't have time to write in it ever day, that's OK. Keep one for the days when you need to let it all out or record a special day or memory. 

___ Limit the amount of television you watch.

___ Schedule a two-minute break two to three times a day to spend time alone and just be. 

___ Practice meditating.

___ Schedule time to exercise. 

___ Schedule more "me time."

___ Eliminate energy drainers in your life: clutter, unhealthy relationships, unfinished projects, items on your To Do list that don't need to be done until other tasks are complete.

___ Take control of your time. Set goals and then break them into doable daily To Do's. 

**Stay Organized**

Once a Month: Schedule a day for you. Do something that makes you happy. Spend a few minutes writing in your journal.

Every 3-6 months: Spend an hour or 2 alone to take stock of your emotional state. How do you feel most of the time? How are your relationships? If you are happy, spend time being grateful and counting your blessings. If not, evaluate why?

One a year: On your birthday, make an effort to reflect on the past year. What did you learn? How have you changed? What do you want to accomplish in the year to come? 

Schedule 

___ Buy "one" daily planner to use for both work and your personal life.

___ Sit down with your family and plan your week/month ahead of time. Schedule babysitters, divide errands, plan meals, divide chores, Plan driving arrangements for activities. Schedule meetings with a beginning and end time.Schedule errands based on geographical locations. Don't waste time with extra driving.

___ Gather all your To Do items from sticky notes, calendars, scraps of paper and in your mind and create a To Do list that you keep in your planner. Be realistic about what you can accomplish in one day.

___ Sort your To Do tasks by: A. Tasks that need to be done today. B. Tasks that need done this week. C. Tasks that you would like to get done in the future.

___ Once you have your tasks sorted into categories, number the tasks in each category, in the order in which they must be accomplished. 

___Schedule all dentist and doctor appointments for the next year and vet appointments if you have pets. Try to schedule your appointments for first thing in the morning. The later the appointment, the better the chance you'll be delayed.

___Place a small notebook by the bed for things you may think of while lying awake.

___Use a page of your planner for a long term To Do list. Gifts that need delivered, items you have borrowed that need to be returned, movies you want to rent, etc...

**Stay Organized**

Once a month: Pick a future task from your list (C) and schedule time to complete it. Schedule down time. Schedule dates with your spouse, your child, your best friend.

Every 3-6 months: Re-Evaluate your C Tasks and set final deadlines for items that have been left undone since the last time you evaluated. Compare your "To Do" list to your "Priorities" list and make sure your activities are honoring your priorities.

Once a year: On Labor Day, write down everything you wanted to do over the summer but never made time for. When you get your planner for the next year, schedule in these activities. When you buy a new planner, transfer all birthdays and anniversaries for the year.

Cleaning  Schedule

___ Make a list of chores that need to be done around the house. Break them down into daily, weekly, monthly activities. Make your bed every day before your leave the house and teach your family this habit. Clean off the kitchen counter and wash dishes or load the dishwasher as soon as dinner is finished.

___ Carry a basket around the house while you are cleaning. If you find something in a room that doesn't belong, place it in the basket and later put where it belongs. 

___ Take 15 minutes each night to straighten up the house. Assign each family member a different room and list this on the chore chart.

___Clean one room or complete one chore each day. This will save you from wasting an entire day on cleaning. As you clean a room or area, try to work from top to bottom then from left to right so you do not waste time backtracking. Play music when you are organizing and cleaning.

___Assign each family member his or her their own towel for the entire week. This will cut down on laundry. Color-coding the towels is the easiest way to tell them apart. If you have small children, write down jobs they can do and stick them in a jar. Each day have them choose a chore and complete the task. Let the children choose the day of the week they want to clean their rooms.

___Place a set of disposable wipes in each bathroom. These are great for wiping gobs of toothpaste out of the sink and cleaning up any accidents young children have around the toilet. Carry one large garbage can around the house while cleaning and empty the smaller ones into it.

___ Save space by minimizing cleaners. Start buying one all-purpose cleaner whenever possible. To tasks in bulk such as ironing a week's worth of items instead of just one.

**Stay Organized**

Once a Month: If there is a chore that no likes, rotate that responsibility each month.

Every 3-6 months: Change or launder the slipcovers on your furniture.

Once a year: Have a family meeting to update the chore chart and redelegate responsibilities. Steam clean your carpets and upholstery.

Priorities

___ Ask yourself: What and who is important to me? What motivates me? What do I want to accomplish in my life? If I could do anything in my life, what would it be? Minimize time spent with negative people.

___ Make a list of your top ten priorities. These should reflect what is important to you. If you don't decide yourself, someone else will try to decide them for you. Read your top ten list on a regular basis.

___ Make a list of all the activities in which you currently participate. Compare this list to your top 10 priorities. Decide on activities that can be eliminated to make time for your top 10. Make a list of things you and your family like to do that costs little or no money and then try to do as many of these as you can each week.

___ Right now, schedule time in your planner to contribute to your priorities. Appointments may include:

A phone call to a friend you need to catch up with.

Sit down dinners with family.

Family movie or game night.

Exercise.

A date with your partner.

Reading time for you.

Time to read to your children.

Craft time or time to work on a project.

Pray

___ Learn to say no! Set boundaries when needed to help you stick with your priorities.

___Honor your priorities every day.

**Stay Organized**

Once a month: Go on a date with your partner. Take time to call or write a friend to catch up. Spend the day out with your child.

Every 3-6 months: Review your list and add or subtract priorities as they change in your life. Spend time with an elderly relative. Do something positive with the environment.

Once a year: When you purchase a new planner for the year, schedule your priorities first. Evaluate your extra-curricular activities from the past year and decide if you want to continue those activities in the new year.

Credit to the book: Organize Now by Jennifer Ford Berry

Book Review: Doodletopia Fairies: Draw, Design, and Color Your Own Super-Magical and Beautiful Fairies

Book Review: Doodletopia Fairies: Draw, Design, and Color Your Own Super-Magical and Beautiful Fairies by Christopher Hart

Book Summary: An interactive doodle book of fairies and other fantasy characters from the best-selling art instruction author whose books have sold more than six million copies, pairing illustration tips with drawing, designing, coloring, and crafting activities.

For years, Christopher Hart has given readers the tools and techniques needed to learn how to draw and cartoon. With the Doodletopia series, Hart offers us a chance to practice and perfect our artistic skills. For this latest title, Hart returns to the lush, gorgeous, and mystical subject of fairies. Doodletopia: Fairies provides aspiring fantasy artists and fairy fans with activities to stimulate their creativity. After covering the basics of rendering these characters, Hart sets us loose to interact with the book's many exercises and challenges. Pairing the informative content for which Hart is beloved with myriad opportunities for creative expression, Doodletopia: Fairies offers aspiring artists the next level of interactive art instruction.

Book Review: My daughter was thrilled to check out this book! Of all the drawing books she owns, she said that this one, by far, was the most interesting. Since fairies are the "in thing" right now, the idea of drawing them was right at the top of her to do list. I believe that this book will be one that will be loved very much! A great book to own and a great way to keep a pre-teen or teen busy!

Book Review: Devotions for Christmas

Book Review: Devotions for Christmas

Book Summary: In the swirling busyness of December, take a moment to relax and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas.

We all know that Christmas is a time to celebrate Christ the King born to us, to enjoy our family and friends, and to indulge in those annual traditions we look forward to every year. But even though we may understand the true reason for the season, far too few of us know how to celebrate Christmas as the time of peace that it is meant to be.

With a rich, daily devotion for every day of December, Devotions for Christmas offers you a way to unplug and spend some time reconnecting with a childlike sense of wonder and joy at the mystery and blessings of Christmas. Settle in and enjoy peaceful and hope-inspired Devotions for Christmas.

My Review: This gorgeous book arrived and I was ready to read for December. With a beautiful blue that immediately makes me think of winter, it put me right in the correct frame of mind. With December being so busy, I actually had to make myself sit and read. Thank you for giving me that opportunity with this book! Such great devotions for each day to just sit down and be at peace. A must for the rushed, holiday season!

 

Book Review: Fraying at the Edge

 "I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review”.

Book Summary: Family, community, faith and love. These "quilt blocks" sewn together made Ariana's beautiful life. When they are pulled to pieces, will anything familiar remain?

The Old order Amish life Ariana Brenneman loved vanished virtually overnight with the discovery that she was switched at birth twenty years ago. Now she's immersed in the Englischer world, getting to know her mother and under the authority of her biological father, an atheist intellectual with resolute plans to expand Ariana's worldview. Only Quill Schlabach, a childhood friend living Englisch, can steady the tilting ground between Ariana's two worlds, but can she trust him after so many betrayals?

At the same time, Skylar Nash is forced to choose rehab or spending several months with her true relatives, the large Brenneman family and their seemingly backward life--no electricity, no technology, no fun. What the young woman can't leave behind is her addition to illegal prescription drugs and a deep emptiness from the belief that she doesn't belong in either family.

New ties are binding Ariana and Skylar to the lives they were meant to have. Can they find the wisdom and strength they'll need to follow God's threads into unexpected futures?

My Review: Wow! Even the Amish have their secrets! I knew how different the characters were going to be from the second I saw the cover. It was like a split screen of the same person, but in 2 different worlds. From the very beginning, the worry was there on how each girl would be able to survive this new world so unlike their own. Could they do it or would they buckle under the pressure? Would they leave their new life early and return to the only lives they ever knew? Hmm....Very nice read!