Creating my own systems

I recently started reading Get It Together Girl!: A 28-Day Guide to Practical NOT Perfect Home Organization, and was terribly disappointed.  It is another book with specific steps to home organization, which is fine, but either I'm more organized than i think i am (a realistic possibility) or the exercises were a poor fit for me.  I do a fridge purge weekly, and already group like with like in my pantry.  Under the sink is for dish towels and cleaning supplies, over the fridge is for emergency supplies.

And i thought about why i'm not doing the Kelly's Missions or monthly habits as part of FlyLady, and again, they just didn't fit for my life.

One of the reasons I think i've struggled with these sorts of things before is i was trying to follow the systems too closely, but until someone comes up with an organizational system for geeky girls who have a full time job, a role in an activist organization, live with their spouse part time, own a cat, and have an active social life there will never be a perfect fit!  And trying to adapt a life to a system is a recipe for frustration and even failure.

So what elements are working for me?

• Write things down - This is something i learned through Getting Things Done by David Allen, and is admittedly a skill i need to keep improving.  Jotting down ideas takes minutes at the most, and prevents them from being lost in the shuffle of daily life.  
• Create a manual - Many organizational systems encourage a journal or manual of some sort, to serve as a reference for yourself, but also anyone else should they need to step into your shoes.  I am still in the process of creating mine, but hope to share it as it grows.
• Break things down - Many projects can seem daunting initially, but if you set reasonable time limits and work on the tasks that make up a project, anything is possible.  This method lets you tackle big projects over time, rather than exhausting yourself trying to get everything done at once.  This is where that 15 minute thing comes from, as well as the idea of breaking your home into zones.  
• Dedicate time - When you are doing something, try to remove distractions like TV or internet chats. I like to keep music on to keep me motivated, but try not to change the station once i'm going.  If your family all working together is beneficial, do that, but if not, try to make time when you can work alone (which is usually my preference).  I make sure i build time into my weekly plans to work on the most relevant projects.
• Follow routines - Routines mean you can rely on yourself to get certain things done.  I have a morning routine, an after work routine and a before bed routine.  They are all short, simple tasks than ensure i'm ready for the day, and can rest easy or focus on more critical things.  The scale and scope of your routines is up to you and your needs.
• Be flexible - For me this is critical.  My schedule changes often, and my work hours are not always consistent.  I need weekday routines that are short in time span and can be done before work, after work or before bed.  I also don't follow a days of the week plan except for calendar activities (Monday yoga class for example).  Having every Wednesday be grocery day would be way too challenging!  I try to keep a few projects ready to go for when i have time, and schedule things early enough that there is a little wiggle room should something come up.  
• Experiment - There is no one-size fits all for organization.  Be open to new ideas, and give experiments enough time to see if they work.  If they don't, try something else, if they do and it makes you happy, stick with it.  
• Let go - Sometimes there aren't enough hours in the day.  Don't hold onto guilt or shame about not getting everything done, just be OK with what you did do and move on to tomorrow.  Let go of stuff you're not using, is bad, broken, or you just don't like.  Its not as simple as it sounds, but really, give yourself some compassion and create space for the things that make your life better.  

Busy Week

This week was super busy!  Lots and lots going on at work that left me very tired by the time i got home.  The good news is that using my book really helped me get going and kept me on track.  This week is also pretty busy looking, and i'll be spending the weekend in Williamstown with Duncan's family, so being organized will be really important to getting everything done.

Here's this week's plan to get an idea of what i'm looking at!

Not this week (Routines)

This week has been crazy town work-wise, with long days and field work every single day.  Field work means a different schedule (often coming in early and/or leaving late) as well as not necessarily being able to eat breakfast or lunch because of the environment.  That can create a tired, cranky, hungry girl at the end of the day!

So while i've been thinking about routines and systems, i've not been able to consistently implement anything yet.  I have been keeping my sink shiny, something Ian teased me for on Tuesday.

Since tomorrow begins around 4:15 AM, I'm hoping to spend some time in the afternoon working on some menu planning and scheduling from the comfort of my couch (potentially after a nap).  I promise i am working on this stuff though!

As for the blog, i've created a Twitter account, so you can follow along as i attempt to do my various projects.  You can find me there as DomestiGeeky!  I'd love some followers and folks to chat with and learn from!

Getting back to routines, Creating a system

Previously, i have learned a lot from using modified versions of FlyLady.  Although the system is geared towards stay-at-home-moms, homemakers, there is a lot of unnecessary stuff, and a has a bit christian bent, i have found the core ideas to be very useful (for the record, i don't have kids, my spouse lives at home 3 days a week, i work a full time job plus a volunteer gig, and have a vague Catholic influenced but also nature based spirituality).

I'm once again finding myself with a focus on my home and have a desire to return to domesticity, and now am asking how i can accomplish ALL THE THINGS without sacrificing other important elements of my world (yes, that comic is terribly accurate).  So i come back to FlyLady, despite the sugar sweetness, silly acronyms and way WAY too many emails.

The dear FlyLady is all about routine.  There is a morning routine, an evening routine and others if you want them.  There is also routine tasks for each day, week, month and even seasonally.  This is probably the thing that has helped me the most, along with tackling things in small, manageable chunks.  

If you're like me, you succeed when you 1) know what needs to be done, 2) know how to do it, and 3) can make time for it.  Although routines can feel monotonous for some, for me this system meets those three needs.  It also helps prevents me from spending 3 days in a manic state trying to accomplish everything i truly meant to do over the last month.

In FlyLady land, you have all these routines written out in something called a Control Journal.  It's the magic binder with all your information.  In the world of service oriented individuals, there is also something often referred to as a Butler Book.  While there are different elements in each, the general concept is the same, a guide for how your (or someone else's) home runs.  I am also associating some GTD systems in with this concept as well, as lists and references are important tools.

My intention is to begin building my personal guidebook with my routines, references, calendar, and so on as i build my habits.  I'll try to find a way to share them here as well.   I will be calling it a Home Management Guide for now (a phrase i have seen used less often, but also contains the elements I'm hoping to create, and isn't as emotionally loaded as the other options).  So stay tuned!

30 days of thankfulness (5)

Day 5 in my 30 days of thankfulness


5) My own bed. Last night i was finally able to sleep in my own bed. Although I'm incredibly thankful for my friends allowing me to stay in their home the last week, my own bed feels so wonderful. I'm thankful the power (and heat) are back and I can return to my normal routines.

Laptop Lunchbox

I love my Laptop Lunchbox.  Packing a lunch can save you lots of money, ZenHabits posits as much as $3,000 per year.  Although I understand why some folks need to go out to purchase lunch (socialization, anti-socialization, lunch meetings, etc) I prefer packing my own when I can.

The Laptop Lunchbox system is sort of American Bento.  It's a box with interchangeable compartments, that divide the space up into 1 large and 2 small or 2 medium and 2 small spaces (although you can get creative about that).  There is also a designated spot for utensils, and it comes with a fork and spoon.  It also fits neatly in a desk drawer (or under my desk drawers).  With a system like this you could make ahead several lunches and store them in the fridge (or just components) to save time.  You're also helping the environment by not using single-use containers, like plastic bags

I have a nightly habit of packing my lunch as I make dinner.  Although sometimes I can't help it, I try not to pack the same thing every day, so I don't get bored.  Favorites are salad, leftovers or sandwiches as a main component, with apples, pears, mandarin oranges or grapes as one side and goldfish crackers or gummy fruit as a second side (OK, I do sort of eat like a kid).  I also like this lunchbox because it is very helpful for portion control.  On salad days I sometimes wish it was a little bigger, however, usually I pack the right amount of food for me.  Since I am not my ideal weight, every little trick that helps me eat better is good!

Weekday Morning Routine

Working full time means I need to be in the office for 8 AM, sometimes earlier.  Luckily, I live 10-15 minutes from the office, depending on traffic, most of which is based around the middle school, which happens to be located on the end of my street.  I enjoy feeling productive in the morning, but really enjoy the quiet that comes with the start of the day as well.  My typical morning routine lasts about 50 minutes and looks like this:

• 10 minute snooze I know, some folks are very anti-snooze button, but I enjoy the few minutes of slowly coming to start the day.
• Make the bed I always forget how much nicer the room looks, and how good it feels at night to climb into bed when it's already made.  Also, when you make it every day it's easier to keep making it every day.
• Bathroom time All that important stuff like teeth brushing and doing my hair.  I also do a Swish & Swipe every morning.  If there is one habit worth doing, it's this.  It keeps my vanity and toilet super clean.  I usually use a cleaning wipe rather than a rag, because I like the disinfectant, but it doesn't matter.  Sometimes I will clean around the tub as well, but only if the vanity is already pretty clean.
• Get dressed I've been laying out my clothes the night before, usually right after I do the next day's agenda.  This has really helped me with laundry and saving time, as I'm not looking for something in the dark or that pair of jeans only to find they're in the wash.  
• Feed the cat Seriously, if I missed this he won't let me forget.
• Clean the litter box Doing this daily started as a pain, but it only takes 3-5 minutes tops.  I keep a stash of bags next to it, so I just scoop and carry to the trash.  It also makes the house smell better.
• Eat breakfast & check today's plan When I make my breakfast I also take my lunch out of the fridge and stick it next to my purse, so I don't forget it.  My morning review includes my Remember the Milk list for items that are due that day, Google Calendar for appointments and my daily folder (already stashed on the table!). I also use this time to check on social networking sites, post happy birthdays to friends and read email.  In the winter I sometimes get blue, so I turn on my "magic light" to help boost my mood.
• Clean up breakfast & GO!  I make a rule of ensuring I've cleaned up my dishes before I go to work, so I don't come home to the cat having dragged a yogurt lid around the house.