Thoughts on Smooth Running Homes

Weekly I get emails asking what drug I'm on that let's me get up at 6am daily for bible study and quiet time with God, follow my daily routine, have a clean house, meet with friends for lunch, deal with two crazy dogs, and still run my small home based business.

Well, there is no magic pill, sadly. And reading someone's blog does not allow you to often see what's behind the scenes. Thankfully my sweet readers are sheltered from my powder bathroom toilet that needs to be cleaned and my sweater/cardigan pile that has yet to be folded in my OCD Type-A meticulous way. And I try to spare your sheltered eyes from the horror that is my veggie crisper. But sometimes I do get crazy on you and show you the un-perfectness that can be my house. Remember these?? You may want to cover the kid's eyes...

Like the the time I needed to bring in a bio hazard team to help clean up my small, cramped laundry room?

Or the time my craft room made the October cover of the Unorganized Housewife Gazette?

I always try my best to show that Casa Southern is definitely not Monica Gellar clean. We're real people who live in a real home. We forget to sweep. We forget the upstairs trash can needs to be emptied. And sometimes we even put just-out-of-the-dryer 1000 count bedsheets on top of wet bathing suits and leave them there for a day. Or two. (Oy, that was a rough night.)

And even though I sometimes channel my inner Monica, there is always something else that needs to be done. So, please please do not think that my house is perfect. It's not. Or that my husbands shirts are always flawlessly pressed for him each morning. Well, they are, but that was the dry cleaner's doing, not mine. OK, bad example. The point is, I do what I can. My top priority as a homemaker is to make sure that I am creating a happy, organized, and peaceful home that is conducive to laughs, smiles and memory/tradition making. That is my ultimate goal. Notice that I didn't say it was perfectly pressed linens, or dust free baseboards. Are those nice? Absolutely! (Is it bad that I'm thinking about those baseboards as we speak!) But if we ever have a child, I want to make sure that they see a mommy who wants to read that book to them now, not after she does the dishes. And right now, I was SH to see a wife that can relax and have fun when he returns home from work, because she's on top of the chores in her house.

For the most part, I do have a couple of rules that go a long way to ensuring that my goals are met. In no particular order, they are as follows.

A Smooth Running Home:

1. is a Godly home- I rise early in the morning, before Southern Hubby gets up, to make coffee and read the Word, do Bible study and sometimes write in my journal. This without a doubt sets the tone of the day. I have found that when I am too tired to do my bible study or I'd rather browse blogs instead, the rest of my day suffers. And I do things that I know aren't what I should be saying or doing, like losing my temper with my husband, or getting crazy road rage when someone cuts me off in traffic. For me, this is a direct result of not talking and praying with the Lord earlier in that day.

Spending time at night doing devotionals with the Southern Hubby also contributes to the heart of our home. Like I mentioned before, we're reading one of Barbara and Dennis Rainey's couple devotional books and we enjoy it very much. It gives us many things to talk about and share and it leads to a closer relationship with each other and God.

2. communicates- You're not going to be efficient when you are planning to do x for a day and your hubby plans on doing y but the kiddos seem heck-bent on doing z. It just doesn't work without communication. If that means setting aside 10 minutes each Sunday to synchronize calendars and talk about the week's planned events, then so be it. It's worth those extra few minutes. Southern Hubby and I let today's technology take care of this for us. When I put something in my calendar on my blackberry, I always send him an 'invite' to attend. That doesn't mean he actually comes to anything- it just means that he has the important info of where I'll be right in his blackberry. Quick and efficient!

3. maintains a morning and evening routine- I am such a big fan of these! When you have your morning routine down, you're hit the ground running. Everything begins to fall in place and you're already getting things done because you prepared and have a routine. You know what you're going to do and when. You're able to get everyone out the door in one piece and mama/wife is no worse for the wear. Very important! We women set the tone of the day, you know? If that day is started off rushed and harried, what kind of mood does that set you in? You can read a little more about the top things I like to do in the mornings here.

And if you make setting everything out for the morning part of your night routine, then you're a seasoned housewife pro who deserves to win the second showcase in the Price is Right Showcase Showdown. (It's pretty much common knowledge that the second one is way better!) know that it takes 21 days to make something a habit. Stick with it- it will work! You can read more about my nightly routine here.

4. has goals for the day- When I use my daily schedule, I know the things that I should be getting done that day. I've already taken time to divide up my weekly chores, designate each chore on a specific day and printed that list up. Each morning, I pull that day's sheet out, put it on my clipboard, and get to work. :)

5. does not have clutter- I'm beginning to see how my sweet grandmother has a lot of clutter around her house. It's not that it's not clean, there is just stuff everywhere. Things she can't throw away, picture frames from the 80's, and her collection of elephants. She says they bring good luck. (who knew?!) It's easy to fall into this trap. Don't let yourself become Queen of the Paper Piles of the Grand Duchess of Chotskys. It's easier to not get the clutter started in the first place than it is to remove it later on down the road.

What are some tips you have for keeping your home running smoothly? Share them with me! And come back tomorrow for the last post on my meekness series. Keep the questions coming for Southern Housewife Q&A and I'll get those answered on Friday.

Happy mid week, y'all!
xoxo Y