for everything there is a list...

Armed with the first glass of warm apple cider of this season I set out to complete a major project this afternoon.

I wrote 7 lists....well 6 new ones and updated my ongoing to-do list :)

1. I made a "crafts I'd like to work on" list.

2. A "focus area" list---as in, whenever there's a spare afternoon---I can refer to this list for large projects I can work on (ie: going through our massive bookshelf, DVD collection, etc..)

3. A home inventory list. I stockpile personal care items, paper products, pantry staples, and cleaning items when I get great deals--but sometimes there will be less than desirable sales and we'll find ourselves out of a particular item--which ultimately leads to a trip to wal-mart....which typically leads to finding 2-3 more things we need. So, I have an inventory list to check once a week and see if we're in need of (or will be needing soon) a particular item that can be added to the shopping list.

4 & 5. A BF and AF list, as in "before Florida" and "after Florida". We're headed out of town for ten days in the next couple of weeks and there is a LOT do do before the trip---and I'm assuming there will be many things that need to be on the "after" list as well, I'd just like to be prepared

6. And finally, a cleaning/activity schedule for the home. I had a cleaning schedule in the apartment that worked fairly well. The concept is assign tasks to each day---if they don't get done, it doesn't get done. Now, I have 5 things that are on EVERY DAY with the hopes that if the dishes don't get finished on Monday, they will on Tuesday. I made a list of every chore that needs to be completed and how many times a week I'd ideally love to have it done (ie: mop kitchen floors 3 times, pick-up bedroom 2 times, etc) I added to this schedule what activities we have on each day and I added a "paper pushing/etc" section which includes items like bill paying, coupon clipping, bank account updating, set aside reading time, craft time, and focus area time. This list has been a work in progress for a few weeks and I'm finally happy with how it looks.

Now, I need to rewind a bit---I love lists. I crave organization. I appreciate a nice clean home...BUT it is NOT and (never will be) my top...or even close to the top of my priorities list. I am a realistic gal who is quite aware that I don't have it all together and never will---and I'm certainly not going to pretend that I do :) I have a very active lil' gal who sleeps less than I would like her to and a husband who works a very varied schedule---those relatioships get my whole attention first...and if that means nothing gets checked off that week, it's quite ok with my husband and I.

The second reason for this list is that I have a very hands-on husband. Yes, I "stay home" (which is quite deceptive--because I actually work 20 hours from home a week, but I digress...) Anyways, Mr. B and I share just about every responsibility in the home...though I am solely in charge of updating our bank account (I have a special system for that) and he's solely responsible for taking the trash out :) I'd say that's pretty fair...

Anyways, my sweet husband often asks what he can help me with and some days I'm so frazzled that I have a really hard time thinking about what I need help with--our hope is if he can see a visible list and what is checked off, he'll be able to help and bypass talking to a crazy woman :)

So that's our October goal---which is probably the worst possible timing given the aforementioned trip....so it'll probably just be a "fall" goal. Having a schedule and seeing if that helps maintain order and actually make "keeping house" easier...