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Across the Fence:  Gettin' It All Done  |
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cajungal
True Blue Farmgirl
2349 Posts
Catherine Farmgirl Sister #76
Houston Area
Texas
2349 Posts |
 Posted - Nov 20 2005 : 6:04:48 PM
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I'm new here and I am blown away at the group of ladies at this "farm". Y'all are quite incredible.
Here's my dilemma...How can I get it all done?
It seems like no one in this family has clean undies because I can't keep up with the laundry because I'm keepin' up with other stuff like cleanin', cookin', tending to animals and crops, etc... Not to mention home schooling my daughters. In my homeschooling circle of friends we all have the same stresses.....have a great day schoolin' means the laundry doesn't get done.....have a great day cleanin' house means that school wasn't even attempted. Now, I'm not dumb, I'm quite smart and capable of a lot of things. Chores and jobs are delegated among the family members. But, still, I feel like some days I'm just swimming in molasses.
After reading a lot of the posts here, many of you have a whole heck of a lot more to do than I do. How do you get it done? How do you keep from being frustrated? Or, do you not get it all done and just keep a good attitude about what you do accomplish?
Blessings!
Catherine
One of the best compliments from one of my daughters: "Moma, you smell good...like dirt." |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Nov 20 2005 : 9:12:16 PM
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I don't sleep much..AND...I don't get everything done every day. I tend to always be behind in laundry, and I either have a nice looking garden and yard or a nice clean house..hardly ever both at once. I have the most unorganized messy laundry/sewing room ever and my bedroom could use alot of work too (notice I never have posted on the "is your bedroom a haven" thread..mine isn't..haha. Seriously..I try really hard to keep a good attitude, be as organized as I can and make sure my kids all have chores..which I feel is good for them and for me both..and if I don't get something done I just try to do better the next day. I do get anything that is really important to me done for sure and if I know something really means alot to my husband I always do that too and that helps me. For instance he really really cares that the bed is made in the morning and I really really care that the dishes are done...no one really really gets upset about dusting so that usually gets put off..which is embarrassing but happens. No one can do everything so don't beat yourself up about it!!
Jenny in Utah
It's astonishing how short a time it takes for very wonderful things to happen...Frances Burnette |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Nov 20 2005 : 11:42:17 PM
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I don't get everything done every day either. As long as my beds are made, the dishes done, and the house picked up then I'm a happy camper. Right now you could probably write your name on some of my furniture because it is dusty -- oh well! I used to be such a clean freak that I'd pull out every piece of furniture every week when I cleaned. I was driving myself crazy. My dearest friend finally said that there are lots of things in life that are way more fun than cleaning house. So I stopped thinking that it had to be perfect. Then after I had my second daughter I decided that I'd rather spend time with my family and have a little dust on the furniture.
I've been busy getting ready for a couple of bazaars that I'm doing so the housework is way down on the list. I just do the basics and know that when I get my bazaar stuff done I'll clean. Although I did have to do laundry today because we were all out of socks and underwear. Hubby was grumbling a little about it so I made sure to get that done today.
Just do what you can do every day and know that the other stuff will still be there waiting tomorrow.
The only time that housework comes before sewing is in the dictionary!
http://rusticcottage.blogspot.com/ |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Nov 21 2005 : 06:54:26 AM
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i have a few 'priorities' of 'must be dones' .. and at the top of that list is 'have fun .. go on adventures .. enjoy life to it's fullest ... make memories ... enjoy time with family and friends .. be creative .. learn something new each day .. (kids are now grown .. sooooo .. the "hafta' do" list is a lot shorter) .. only have two critters (dawgs) and my honey hunk mostly does the 'care-taking' of them and all the 'outdoor work' like grass-cutting ... (i do gardening and decorating of the outside) .. and down at the bottom of the list is 'do house chores'. but i do love getting up in the mornings and 'puttin' stuff in it's place if it got 'piled' the day before .. and giving the wood floors a swipe with the broom and shakin' the rag rugs out and airin' them on the porch rails if needed .. i am BLESSED with a man who prefers to do his OWN laundry (personal clothes) .. i 'learned him early' on in this marriage about the wiseness of doing that! honey hunk had a hand-knitted wool sweater that he dearly loved (cuz' it matched his baby blue bedroom eyes!) ... oh .. and did i mention that an 'ex-wife' knit it for him? WELL ... soon after we were married ... one day i was doing some laundry, and i tossed that baby-blue-bedroom-eyes-hand-kint-wool-sweater right in with the towels and sheets .. washed them on HOT .. and threw it right into the HOT dryer for an hour or so. (now .. don't get me wrong .. i trooooooooly didn't do this with any evil motive) YEP! you guessed it ... that there sweater came out so small that it would have been tight on a barbie doll! AND THAT .. .dear girlfriends .. is when honey hunk ... uhhh ... sweetly 'suggested' that perhaps it would be better if he washed his own clothes .. and that was about 30 years ago .. OH HAPPY DAY!!!
oh now .. what was the topic? ahhhhh yes!!!!!! 'gettin' stuff done' ... well, honey hunk has always been helpful doing 'house chores' .. when needed. now that he is 'retired' (no such word in the real world!) he just automatically washes up all the dishes afer i fix a dinner! but again, with just the two of us .. that never amounts to a sink-full like it did when the kids were little.
i actually make a fun game out of housework that has to be done! (always have). and don't we just LOVE the results of a freshly mopped floor .. or snow white sheets flapping in the breeze on the clothes-line. i will always 'reward' myself with a hot cup of international coffee or tea .. or fresh baked cookie t'wixt and t'ween different 'chores'.
most of all, enjoy those chilluns while they are young .. enjoy your moments with that man in your life .. enjoy time spent with other family members and friends .. and put 'the little things' on the back-burner (this does not mean to let chores overtake you .. cuz' that will just double your frustration) .. assign 'jobs' .. give rewards (especially those hugs and verbal 'how wonderful you are' ones!) well, this sure has 'worked' for me over the years .. look back over your life with your family so far .. what has given you the most pleasure and the warm memories? these are the important things .. put them first .. and .. "don't 'GRADE' yourself" .. on how 'well' you did one day to the next. just ENJOY!!!!!! xo, frannie
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owwlady
True Blue Farmgirl
899 Posts
Jan
Tomahawk
WI
USA
899 Posts |
Posted - Nov 21 2005 : 08:06:05 AM
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| How I envy all you ladies who have someone to take care of other than just yourself. I would love to trade places with you, dust, dirty clothes and all. Keeping a home for someone is such a wonderful experience. Hang in there, no one is going to remember whether the furniture was dusted, but they'll remember a happy home. |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Nov 22 2005 : 12:44:31 PM
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| jan dear .. there are so many people in need of care or just a friend. have you ever been a 'big sister' in the national program? i did that when my girls were little and it was wonderful! nursing homes adore having visitors come and just sit and talk with 'the forgotten ones' .. who family never comes to visit. join local organizations .. and you will find some 'kindred spirits' who need some caretaking from time to time and some who are great at giving it too. you sound like such a nice person with a great perspective on what is important in life! xo, frannie |
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Kim
True Blue Farmgirl
146 Posts
Kim
Pflugerville
Texas
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Nov 22 2005 : 5:39:01 PM
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I say....BUY MORE UNDIES!!!!
farmgirl@heart
Be at peace with yourself and the rest will follow |
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owwlady
True Blue Farmgirl
899 Posts
Jan
Tomahawk
WI
USA
899 Posts |
Posted - Nov 23 2005 : 08:07:01 AM
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| Frannie, I've just never gotten over the empty nest situation, kids leaving home, getting divorced, all that stuff (and it's been 11 years!!!). I love making a home for someone and living alone can be great at times but so many times I just want to fold a man's jeans when they come out of the dryer. I'm getting better though, thanks for caring. As for the original topic of getting it all done, my obsession is lists. I have lists for everything and anything. I love crossing the stuff off. I also love reading books on organization. But when the kids were little, it just didn't all get done and that's ok. They remember I was their Girl Scout leader not if the floor was scrubbed. |
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thehouseminder
True Blue Farmgirl
361 Posts
USA
361 Posts |
Posted - Nov 23 2005 : 12:15:20 PM
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I don't feel qualified to answer this since I have only the DH, who admittedly is on the messy side, and my fur babies. (and I don't always get it all done either).
However, I did recently get some huge inspiration from the website of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. They have 17 kids!!! They do the homeschool thing and are completely debt-free not to mention organized. The site includes recipes, tips, and Michelle does talk about the things which sometimes overwhelm her and how she deals with them. They are Born Again Christians but, if you are a different faith, don't let that put off. They are lovely people with lots of encouragement for the "domestically overwhelmed."
Lucinda
When we were young, there were moments of such perfectly crystallized happiness that we stood stock still and silently promised ourselves that we would remember them always. And we did. --Holly J. Burkhalter , "Four Midwestern Sisters' Christmas Book"
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Nov 25 2005 : 08:25:05 AM
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oh jan .. i, too, love lists .. i have 'lists of lists'! and there sure is a satisfaction in 'marking' things offa' the list when they are accomplished .. and i love ADDING to the lists too! i think it show's 'life being lived'.
now that those kids are bigger .. have they maried and brought grandkids into your life? cuz' honey-doo, when they do .. your life will be full again .. hopefully, they do live somewhat close to you.
and i do understand .. i can't imagine not having honey hunk to snuggle up to at night. (sounds like maybe you need to be on the prowl for a boyfriend .. and the 'operative word' there was 'maybe').
my sister was married for 20-some years .. and about a year or so ago, she started dating again .. HA! she said at her age it wasn't worth it .. all the men her age were mostly looking for a 'nurse and a purse' .. and she's very happy enjoying her grand and GREAT grand-kids! frannie |
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cajungal
True Blue Farmgirl
2349 Posts
Catherine Farmgirl Sister #76
Houston Area
Texas
2349 Posts |
Posted - Nov 25 2005 : 4:13:57 PM
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LADIES!! Happy day after Thanksgiving!!
All y'all have encouraged me! For one thing, I know I'm not alone. I did buy some more undies and bath towels since that seemed to be the items we ran out on. I decided that as long as the Health Dept. can't shut my house down then we're okay. I've tried to have a better attitude about tending to what God has Blessed us with. I've delegated a bit more. Okay, this all sounds good but I've only been goin' at it a few days.
But, most importantly, I've just been enjoying my kids. Sometimes playin' games and sometimes doin' absolutely nothin'.
I love lists, too!!! I love the surge of adrenaline and endorphins that I get when I check something off. I'll even write something down and check it off if I'd done it but it wasn't on the list. Please tell me you do the same thing
I'm gonna check out the Duggar website. Sounds like they have some wisdom.
I started working on a master list of sorts. I have my lists for all my endeavors but I want to incorporate them. So, I'm trying out making a list for each month that is divided into categories. My hope is that I'll pull out the list December and see what needs to be done in the garden, with the animals, tool maintenance, home maintenance, etc.... Then, I'll delegate those tasks, too!
Blessings!
Catherine
One of the best compliments from one of my daughters: "Moma, you smell good...like dirt." |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Nov 25 2005 : 5:56:14 PM
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| catherine .. did you ever do a 'life' time-line? very interesting! |
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gothique
Farmgirl in Training
12 Posts
Susan
Norman
OK
USA
12 Posts |
Posted - Nov 25 2005 : 8:25:20 PM
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Some catalog once had a doormat that stated: "Dull women have immaculate homes." I wish I had bought it!
I'm not gonna be on my deathbed wishing I had cleaned and polished more!
Susan
"Take care of the luxuries, and the necessities will take care of themselves."
-- Oscar Wilde |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Nov 26 2005 : 11:22:38 AM
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I love the doormat saing! Wish I could find one. I used to have a little wooden doll that had ugly strings of hair sticking up -- she wasn't very pretty. The saying on her said "Housework makes you ugly!"
The only place that success comes before work is in the dictionary!
http://rusticcottage.blogspot.com/ |
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Across the Fence: Gettin' It All Done |
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Gettin' It All Done
