Anne Line's Kitchen Table - Serving Up Randomness

[AnneLine]

Tuesday of the 4th Week ...

 

Wow, hard to believe we are a few weeks into this challenge.  It's subtle, but I am seeing some changes. I slept in a bit today (had some major things happen in my world and got to bed later than I would have liked... but I still got dressed and ready to go when I did get up.   And didn't even flinch over the routine.. just went on auto pilot.  Each night, I just DO THE DISHES and head for bed.   WOW. 

 

More of my house is under control than a few weeks back. Other things are a work in progress... but I am ok with that. I'm feeling a lot less panicky.... as if I know what I am doing behind the wheel of the cockpit of my flying machine. I may not be completely airborne, but I definitely can feel the power of the vehicle under me... and I know it is just a matter of time before I am really off the ground!

 

Definitely starting to feel less like this....

 

 

And more like this....

 

 

FLYLady's 14th Day

 

go read the essay by FLYLady's assistant, Kelly, about using a calendar.

 

http://www.flylady.net/d/kellys-guide-on-how-to-use-a-calendar/

 

 

I liked Kelly's suggestions about putting things into the calendar as they come up so nothing gets forgotten.

 

I've also found it helpful to make use of the 'cozi calendar' as well. You could do this with any web-based or smart-phone based reminder system as well.... just remember to synch it with the on-line calendar on a regular basis.... that's how I use my 'desk day'... it's part of my Sunday renew-my-spirit and plan-next week day.

 

Here's a link to some info about Flying and Cozi in case you want to explore that:

 

http://www.flylady.net/d/cozi/

 

 

 

A quick check of your calendar morning and evening is now on the daily routines!

• Checking the calendar the night before reminds you want you need to do the next day.
• Checking it in the morning is a safety net to be sure you don't forget something important!

 

MORNING ROUTINE:

 

Dress to shoes (and say Good Morning to God!)

Check your control journal

Check your calendar (and ask God to bless your day and the tasks ahead of you!)

Read your FlyLady emails or check her website

Recognize negative voices and change them

Put out hot spot for 2 mins

5 minute Room rescue (any room). Set Timer & Go

 

 

Spend 15 minutes Decluttering each day. You can't organize clutter.

 

and/or

 

Spend 15 minutes doing one of Kelly's Mission in this week's zone

 

 

EVENING ROUTINE:

 

Shine your sink before you go to bed (Review your day)

Check your calendar (and remember to pray for anyone you met today in need of prayer)

Put out your hot spot

Lay out clothes for tomorrow (Say Goodnight to God!)

Edited September 25, 2013 by AnneLine

[AnneLine]

(Serving leftovers in the kitchen for breakfast today...  and today's meal later on!)

 

but this is an important meal... so please pay attention!

 

 

Wednesday of the 4th Week ... 

 

Well... fell down on the job a the last few days. Got some stuff done... and then fell prey to inertia.

 

Huh.  Well... this has happened before, and undoubtedly it will happen again.  

 

Got overtired... and then got distracted... and the stuff I thought I would get done didn't happen.  Yup.

 

That negative voice... those Evil Spirits.... the Enemy.... tells me I am broken, ugly, never will be good enough.  Some truth in that... and a WHOLE LOT OF LIES.  

 

Reality is:  It happens a lot... has happened before, will happen again.  BUT it does not mean I am ugly, never will be good enough, am a bad person.

 

So... I am NOT going to pay too much attention to this... and I will work a plan to try to harness this.

 

SO... gonna pick myself back up and get back on the flywagon today.

 

Will finish putting together my list of Zone Work goals for my FLY Lady Zone 4(Master Bedroom, Halls & Stairs) and AL's Area 4 (Clients & Business), so I will have them ready to check off.   I have been doing them, but it really does help me to focus if I list them, and I KNOW THIS!!!!!  It helps me to SEE THE PROGRESS!!!!!!

 

AND One of the things that is on that list is finishing up the closet pictures for you... and writing about it.  It is important to my 'BUSINESS' to get that done for you.... and more importantly for me.....

 

 

 

To give us something to think about, here's a video.  

 

Every one of us has vulnerable parts -- the things we want to hide.  What would happen if we could get really humble and not hide the truth?  How would the way we could serve God change?

 

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYutddrXQdQ&feature=player_embedded#t=0[/media]

 

I think one of the biggest gifts I can give myself -- we can give ourselves and give to those we love? -- is to accept my own brokenness... to let 'good enough' be good enough. To thank others for the things they do to try to make our lives better.... even when they aren't perfect.

 

We do the best we can. We can do better, changing bit by bit.

 

God loves our attempts to serve Him better. I am grateful for all the things others do to bless me.  And that is what I am trying to focus on bit by bit during this challenge.

 

Pray for me as I pray for you. :pray:

 

 

FLYLady's 15th Day

 

Today we mark about half way on our FLY Lady Baby Steps re-charge.

Each day we are using Control Journal.

Each day we are checking for email reminders from Fly Lady or checking her website.

Starting today, we add making your bed to the morning routine.

Do it as soon as you get up - you will be less likely to forget it!

 

MORNING ROUTINE:

 

Make your bed

Dress to shoes

Check your control journal

Check your calendar

Read your FlyLady emails or check her website

Recognize negative voices and change them

Put out hot spot for 2 mins

5 minute Room rescue (any room). Set Timer & Go

 

 

Spend 15 minutes Decluttering each day. You can't organize clutter.

and/or

Spend 15 minutes doing one of Kelly's Mission in this week's zone

 

 

EVENING ROUTINE:

 

Shine your sink before you go to bed

Check your calendar

Put out your hot spot

Lay out clothes for tomorrow

[AnneLine]

OK... here is my list of ZONE WORK for this week.  

 

I have already started doing my zone work .... here they are!   AND... some are already done (as it is Thursday when I type this!)

 

 

FLYLady Zone 4 - Master Bedroom -  FIVE 15 minute tasks:

 

1  Do 15 minute room rescue in Master Bedroom

2  Detail clean around BR windows (mold patrol!)

3  Dust Venetian Blinds and night stands (I HATE THIS JOB!!!!!!)

4  Wash Windows

5  Vacuum Bedroom and Hall

 

AL's Area D - Clients and Business -  FIVE 15 minute tasks:

 

1  Prepare for call to phone provider regarding problem with billing

2  Contact phone provider regarding telephone problem -- Remember to be Christ-like

3  Order any new phone equipment that may be needed

4  Attend Professional Webinar - Part 1

5  Attend Professional Webinar - Part 2

 

 

Putting these lists together took about 5 minutes .... so I still have 10 mins to spend in each area. And if I can't finish something, or see something ELSE that needs to be done... I can put in on next month's list.  See how this works? 

 

It is reasonable, it is do-able, and I can see some progress!!!!!

 

What is on YOUR list for this week?  Remember - you are not going to everything done in one week, even in one area of your space -- but you can get a LOT done if you do a 15 minute chuck every day.

[AnneLine]

oooops.... not ready for you all yet!   just be patient....

Edited September 27, 2013 by AnneLine

[AnneLine]

OK.... here we go!!!!

 

More Photos of the Monster Closet Cleanout!!!!

 

Ended up doing a double 15 minute day on Thursday because of expecting company!

 

 

Because of the number of photos, these will be posted on 4 threads....

 

 

 

So... here is Day 3 - Part 1 of the 1st 15 minutes:

 

 

Back into the closet where we left off... floor is clear, but there are still

the 'leaves' of my dining room table and other things in there...

 

 

 

First took the coats and outside clothes out -- put them on a chair

outside the closet.   Ay yi yi yi... but we will deal with them soon. 

 

FOCUS on the closet!

 

THAT is way too many leaves for one table!!!!  

 

Time to take them out and figure out what they are!

 

There is also the 'padding' for the table leaves (front and center)

and some stackable cabinet things filled with... about 40 VHS tapes!!!!

 

 

 

Now where did all those clothes go????

Don't look behind you, AnneLine!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

All the leaves are out now.... and now for those

VHS tapes...

 

 

 

 

continued ..... right after this posting!

 

 

 

[AnneLine]

Continuing... here is Day 3 - Part 2 of the 1st 15 minutes:

 

 

Will you look at all those 'autumn leaves' ????!!!!!

 

Now I understand... leaves for our dining room table,

our kitchen table

 

AND for the extra table in the basement!!!!   Good grief!

 

 

Time for the vacuum cleaner.....

easy to vacuum when the closet is empty!!!

 

 

 

Bet you didn't know you could vacuum a room in 1 minute!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

There are the VHS tapes.... have decided to sort through

those during week 5 -- when I have 'special projects' as my

AL Area... this will be a good one.  I know the local

charity that collects in our area still takes those... but a few I

may want to keep..... (yes, we still do have VHS player!)

 

 

20 seconds left in the first 15 minute.... this closet

now has just my husband's coats.  I will not

go through his stuff, but have told him he may want

to explore if he needs all of these....

 

 

But I still have my OWN stuff to sort through that

has been dumped in the closet...  :paperbag:

 

 

And finally, I have found an extra waste basket to

hold the umbrellas, so they now have a nice home

awaiting the rainy season.

 

End of the 1st 15 minutes..... a quick drink of water... and we're off again!

 

 

 

WHAT can AnneLine do with ALL THE CLOTHES AND JUNK

SHE HAD ON THAT CHAIR in just 15 minutes... well... stay tuned!!!!

[AnneLine]

MONSTER CLOSET CLEANUP -

 

4th 15 minute period (part 2 of Thursday...)

 

 

NOW I understand why FLYlady says not to take out more junk than you

can sort in one 15 minute period.  This looks kind of overwhelming....

 

But I know I can do it if I just focus....

 

 

And.... we're off!

 

I have put two chairs out for the clothes.  As I look at each item,

I will ask:  Keep?  Give away?  Throw Away?

 

 

 

Ah.. .the Texas Rangers' jacket given to me by a cloistered prioress. 

Three sizes too small for any of us. 

Someone else will get some good use out of this!  GIVE AWAY!

 

 

About 6 pairs of BRAND NEW WITH THE LABELS ON THEM women's slacks. 

 

Purchased them along with identical items when I hoped to shrink.   I didn't

 

Someone else can be using these...  GIVE AWAY

 

(and what a wonderful thing someone will be getting!!)

 

 

 

A home-made Bishop's Costume, created for St. Nicholas

for a Sinterklaas party.  (Dutch St. Nicholas event)   

Complete with all his jewelry!  

 

Not sure about this one.... have let people use it,

but hesitate to just give it away because these days,

it could be used for something not very religious.  

 

Put this one aside and think a bit more.....

 

 

AnneLine has at least 5 coats.  And she doesn't need that many.

 

She really just uses the red fleece jacket, the white puffy

windbreaker, and a really nice light weight rain coat.

 

I am going to give the others away.  Goodbye blue windbreaker!

 

 

Suddenly..... this is what is left of that pile!

 

 

 

continued......

[AnneLine]

Continuing... here is Part 2 of the 2nd 15 minutes:

 

 

Carrying the three surviving coats back to the closet....

 

 

 

And there they are with Mr. AnneLine's coats....

plenty of room for them now!

 

 

 

Looks uncrowded and usable, even with Mr. AL's coats

not yet sorted!!!!

 

 

 

Time to put the leaves back in the closet... all of them

are now neatly stacked at the back of the closet.

 

 

 

We are now left with the VHS tapes (in the next room),

the big blue 'bag of bags' and the clothing to be donated.

 

I want to get rid of some of those extra carry bags as well...

what a perfect thing in which to place items to be donated!

 

 

Items to be donated ready to take to basement until

I can get them picked up... and still a big bag of bags

to sort!  Will do that at the same time as the VHS tapes...

 

 

And there they are!!!!   the only things that remain

to be sorted are the bag of bags... and the VHS tapes.

 

 

 

 

St. Nicholas' robes are in our laundry area... I want to

think a little more about what I want to do with those...

 

to keep or give away, and if so, to whom.

 

 

WELLLLL.. I finished the closet a day early!!!!

 

 

THIS is what I did on day 5:

 

[AnneLine]

Thursday of the 4th Week....

 

I need to remember that ultimately this is a process... and attempts are better than not attempting.

Was so tired today, that I took a 5 hour nap!!!!!!!   

But I am still trying to keep on with this..... always remembering...

 

"God does not require that we be successful; God requires that we try." Bl. M. Teresa

 

That inspiration now is added to my Inspirations page....

 

I'm doing today's task first -- checking FLYlady's inspirational musing/testimonies/essays.

• When I am feeling frustrated, I can reach out to others for help and healing.
• But mostly, I can reach into myself and beg God "Tell me again how much you love me."
• And I know He does....
• But I can and do forget, all too often.

 I can pick myself up and start again, trusting in God's loving help, and in the support of those who love me.

 

 

FLYLady's 16th Day

 

Today look in your email box for an email from Fly Lady.

It could be a musing, a testimonial or an essay.
Just read it.

 

You can also go directly to her webpage and read the message there.

 

MORNING ROUTINE:

 

Make Bed

Dress to shoes (and say Good Morning to God!)

Check your control journal

Read your FLYLady emails or check her website

Check your calendar (and ask God to bless your day and the tasks ahead of you!)
Recognize negative voices and change them

Put out hot spot for 2 mins

5 minute Room rescue (any room). Set Timer & Go

 

Spend 15 minutes De-cluttering each day. You can't organize clutter.

and/or

Spend 15 minutes doing one of Kelly's Missions

 

EVENING ROUTINE:

 

Shine your sink before you go to bed (And Review your Day)

Check your calendar (and remember to pray for anyone you met today in need of prayer)

Put out your hot spot

Lay out clothes for tomorrow (and say Goodnight to God!)