Routines - how did you develop them?

rosieben

I think its brilliant that you schedule in a reading time for your dd and I think it would be a great idea to have a ‘routine’ time with your DH.

When my kids were younger we had family time together at the weekend and that was really special. Time goes so quickly and if I had my kids young again I would make them a priority over everything else. Some one I know has a regular weekly ‘date’ with each of her 2 kids, so they get 1-2-1 time with her. Wish I had thought of that 30 years ago!

The point about routine is that if you don’t fill your time with something that you want to do, then that time tends to get filled with nothing or things of less importance IYSWIM.

Apart from house cleaning (Flylady zones, a load of laundry a day, etc) my only other routine is weekly menus/shopping/cooking, where for instance I clean out my fridge on Weds, and note what I need to buy when I shop on Thurs. Means there is room in my fridge for new stuff and also I discover what is lurking in the bottom of the salad box needing to be used up.

One thing I really want to get into a routine with is taking care of me, or what Flylady calls pamper time. I really have a problem with this, I do get to gym 2 or 3 times every week but that’s all. I’d like to do a regular facial, pedicure, manicure etc. No excuse because I have all the stuff I need! I’m rearranging my bedroom so that things are easier to get at (and near to a electric socket for blow drying hair etc) and I hope that will help. I’ve gotten old and frumpy and whenever I look in the mirror (not often!) I am shocked at how bad I look. I'd like to get back to wearing make up now and again and wearing some of my pretty costume jewelry.

JustKeepSwimming_2

Being a "flying by the seat of my pants" kind of girl, rather than a Flylady girl, I know I still have a long way to go with routines! I know they make sense on some level, but yet I rebel against the whole thing!

I've tried the Flylady thing - a lot of her advice is fab & I do find that if I've made the effort to clean my kitchen, then I'm in a much better mood the next morning, which makes it far more pleasant for everyone! A few things on her site do make me want to vomit however...

Her calendar idea is great, although I prefer the one fromhttp://.www.moretimemoms.com as the stickers are better (how sad am I? :rotfl: ). For a laugh I bought the French edition one year; really helped with my routines!

I have a lot of "house routines" under control, probably because I work part time & can clean as & when, rather than have routines set in stone, although my huge weakness is cooking & meal planning! I could save soooo much money & faff time if I just knuckled down & did a meal plan! So I've joined the Grocery Challenge (& the Unnecessary Challenge from the DFW forum although I'm lucky enough not to be in debt) with a hope to finally growing up & getting sorted! :rolleyes2

Hopefully, with some gentle encouragement, we'll all get there!! :T

rosieben

JustKeepSwimming wrote: »

I've tried the Flylady thing - a lot of her advice is fab & I do find that if I've made the effort to clean my kitchen, then I'm in a much better mood the next morning, which makes it far more pleasant for everyone! A few things on her site do make me want to vomit however...

I agree. I love the baby steps and the super fling boogies have really helped me. I dont have any of her products though, I have feather dusters already and dont do the timer thing, just tackle things in small chunks, and it works for me.

As she says, you take what you can use and let the rest go by. :cool:

since coming on this forum I have started to meal-plan and shop by list. it really does make a difference to the spending and although I dont always stick to the meal plan, it is there as a guide.

lil_me

Flylady - The thread on here works quit a bit different to the website, same basics with the fling boogies, hotspots etc added. If you want to join us and have a go http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=446086 there was another website mentioned on the flylady thread, I think its something like organized home.

rosieben

Yes I get the organized home newsletter and there are some interesting tips and useful stuff, but its mainly about selling which is not the same as Flylady IMO. I find the flylady thread on here a bit intimidating at the moment, long lists dont work for me yet, but maybe one day .......

piggybankrupt

For those of you daunted by the flylady website get her book instead SINK REFLECTIONS. I got mine from Amazon and it's my bible - much gentler than website. One routine I established from this is to unload the dishwasher the minute I get up and from then on no-one is allowed to put as much as a teaspoon in the sink -for 2 weeks I had to put tape across the sink to remind us all!!:rotfl: . Since then though none of the family would dream of putting anything in the sink and so the kitchen always looks tidy if anyone comes round - pity about the rest of the house lol!!.

I haven't got any other routines at the mo but am desperate to start the meal planning as I waste a fortune on food:eek: I have bought loads of books on organising your home but Sink Reflections is by far the best - just need to start doing some of it!