A Love Affair

Today, I mopped the floors with a a new found joy and enthusiasm.  I am in love.

I danced around the kitchen, skipped through the foyer, chassed round about the dining table and twirled into the mudroom in a most rewarding choreography of sorts.

My new partner. . .

The Rubbermaid Reveal.  

Oh how I love thee.  

Thou art cheap.  ($37.99)  Lightweight. Low maintenance. 

You swivel and turn with precion and grace.

You change directions with ease and reach with tender care into the many corners of my abode.

Your trigger switch is powerful yet controlled.  Responsive to my every movement.

What they said about your reusable microfiber pads is all but true.  

Oh how you have restored my joy.

I so fancied our pas de deux this morning.

Until we dance again. . . . . . .

Work Heartily as Unto the Lord

My dear friend Sara, kindred spirit in all things domestic, recommended this book to me.

The day it arrived, I toted it to a skating lesson, a doctor's appointment and took it out to the pool while I watched the kids swim.

It was pretty much devoured, digested, assimilated in the course of one day.

Many things about our home run quite smoothly.

But there are areas that I knew needed improvement.

This book is full of inspiration, practical ideas and sound biblical teaching

about being a woman, a wife, a mother and a homemaker.

{order book here}

And I do admit - I am a sucker for systems and procedures. Ask my kids!

Kim Brenneman has a whole chapter on systems.

"Systems are essential for the right functioning of any endeavor.

A good system is one in which the work is done completely and efficiently...

so work not only to establish effective systems in your home,

but to diligently implement them. When you do this,

you and your family will be blessed." {page47, 48}

Finding myself back at home full time after teaching for three years as well as moving to a new city and a new home seemed like the perfect time to seek fresh inspiration and improvement.

Most helpful, aside from the chapter on being a wise woman {based on Proverbs 31}, or the chapter on giving your children a work ethic, or the chapter on how to teach a new chore and include your children in all aspects of running a home,

is Kim's division of household labor.

"One of the forgotten homemaking practices that is being rediscovered is that of devoting particular housekeeping tasks to a specific day of the week. Our foremothers understood the wisdom and efficiency of this approach....and I must say, living by this system works well."

{page 129}

BRILLIANT!

So, added to my househould binder is a new schedule (filed under home care):

Monday is Kitchen Day

Tuesday is Laundry Day

Wednesday is Office Day

Thursday is Cleaning Day

Friday is Town Day

Her book devotes a whole chapter to each, describing the tasks and activities dedicated to each day.....much more than the obvious chores in each category, she suggests maintenance ativities in these areas which keep a home tidy, efficient and organized. Ben Franklin once said, "an once of prevention is worth a pound of cure." How true!!!

Her chapters on the importance of morning, evening and meal time routines

are excellent as well.

My desire is to serve my family by maintaining a home

that is a respite and refuge from the world.

A home that is focused on the people abiding here.

A home that supports my husband in his work outside the home.

A home that serves my family as we seek to serve Him and glorify Him in all things!

I pray I am the wife in Proverbs 31 that looks well to the way of her household!

Working willingly and joyfully to bless those in my midst!

Binder Bliss

If you know me well, you know I like to be organized!

I heart oranizing.

How thrilled do you think I was to stumble across this blog a few days ago!?

Jen's blog is all about organization and she has lots of great ideas.

I actually found her site searching for a good homemaker's binder.

She had just what I wanted in her etsy shop

HERE

While I waited for her to email me the pdf file for all things handy to get the Achterkirch home organized, I zipped to Target for coordinating and adorable binders....

because organization can and should not only be practical but cute and inspirational!

Just looking at organization is a happy, happy!

You're probably getting inspired now, too, right!?

My first project was coordinating a Family Binder

Right at the front is our week at a glance -

It is NEVER this bare....I will start in earnest with this template next week!

and right behind that is our task list or to do list.

I am guilty of having such lists everywhere - in my purse, in the kitchen, scribbled inside my calendar and on index cards throughout the house...not any more!

Right here, baby!

My Family Binder is broken down into the following categories:

Contact Information

School Information

Kids Activities

Home Care

Important Dates

Going Away Information

Kids Chores

Before the sheets of important contact information is a pocket for business cards we collect.

Mine will get filled in when we move and find a new contact for, well, everything!

Next is the Achterkirch Family cleaning checklist -

the chores are organized by day, week, month, quarter and year

Almost makes me giddy about cleaning....almost!

Then we have the standardized maintenance checklist -

follow a plan and nothing will get overlooked!

The important dates section records birthdays, anniversaries etc.

with a pocket file following with cards for upcoming events and stamps.

Everything in one place. Do you see the joy in this yet!!!!!?

I decided to put all our finance and budget worksheets in a separate {and coordinating} binder!

A pocket inside the front cover holds a pen and a checkbook.

No more looking for what you need when its time to pay bills!

At the front....our monthly budget worksheets

A pocket for bills due at the first of the month...

and for those due at the end of the end of the month...

a pocket folder for items needing attention -

maybe thats checks needing depositing or an insurance bill that needs a phone call...

And lastly, a pocket folder for receipts.

This collection is from all recent donation activity before we move!

Then, there is my last binder. My favorite binder.

The Achterkirch Family Food Binder.

I Heart Food!

This binder has the following categories:

Monthly calendars for planning meals

Weekly menu plans

Inventory worksheets

Recipe index

I use this monthly worksheet to sketch out meals for a month

and then I can plan more in detail for each week

with this worksheet which has a coordinating shopping worksheet.

Amazing, I know!!!

I included a pocket folder {What's Cooking} for any recipes needed in the coming week

I am making Strawdaddy salsa and sangria for a party tomorrow....

recipes are already pulled and ready!

Also included in this binder are inventory worksheets

One for the pantry...

one for the fridge...

and one for the freezer.

Inventories will help with adding items to the shopping list and will aide me in meal planning. It is always good to use up what you have before purchasing more!

Lastly, I typed up and printed a recipe index...

This is a list of all the recipes I have on recipe cards

or have ripped out of magazines

or have printed off of websites

and live in this {now cleaned out and organized} box...

Oh how sweet it is.

Organization.

I heart organization!!!

If you have any great ideas, share them in the comment section.

I heart good ideas, too!