From Pigpen to Paradise

Background: All through my life I have gone through 'phases', as I'm sure all of us have. Clothing, hair-do's, music, etc. One phase I have always struggled with is keeping my house clean. I moved out right after high school, and have had a few different apartments. In each of them I was a crazy neat freak... for the first 6 months and then I guess the newness wears off and I slowly begin to let things slide. Well the same goes for my home now. When we were first married, I cleaned ALL THE TIME. If any of your husbands were over here playing xbox, I'm sure they remember me saying "excuse me; sorry" as I stepped in front of the TV to take the trash out, vacuum, etc. And then slowly things changed... if any of you saw Stacy's post, I was guilty of that times 10. I wasn't happy, and I always felt overwhelmed by how many things I needed to do.

The decision: I decided a little over a month ago, that I seriously needed to get my priorities in order, and my butt in gear. I couldn't let having a child always be my excuse of why nothing was getting done. (or having lunch at Chick-Fil-A 3 x's a week). I love the feeling of accomplishment and it was frustrating me that I was "failing". I'm doing this for me first, because I love my family, and because I feel that if being a Homemaker were really a Job with a boss, I would have been fired.

How to: It's one thing to say you're going to do something, and then an entirely different matter to actually do it... and to find something that works for you! Well I did!!! I was talking with my Mom (as I do several times on most days), and was telling her I really needed to come up with a system that would allow me to do a little bit each day, so that I didn't get caught up in thinking I had to clean the entire house, organize cupboards, dishes, dinner, etc all in one day and not feel like I was trapped. I already had an idea of what I wanted to do, but my Mom started telling me about this system she had done years ago. It sounded right up my ally. They even had a book which made it better (which she bought off amazon for me :)

What is it? It's called Sidetracked Home Executives; From Pigpen to Paradise. (S.H.E). It's written by two former pigsty queens, Peggy and Pam, and was written in 1977. So you can imagine some of the verbiage is pretty comical. They came up with a simple system using 3x5 cards that changed their habits, and now it's changed mine! I have had a clean house for over 3 weeks, and don't think I ever said no to a lunch out with friends or anything. My car is clean, my house is clean, stuff is getting deep cleaned, cupboards and drawers cleaned out, no scary tupperware containers in the fridge, it's fabulous. I feel so much better. I go to bed every night with that amazing feeling of, "aaaahhhh, everything is done" instead of "I need to do this and this and this and this... tomorrow".

(I posted a picture of the back, so you can see these lovely authors)

In the book they tell you not to tell anyone what you're doing for 21 days because it's proven that it takes that long to break a habit. So I did my best to keep my mouth shut, and now a month later, I can't wait to tell everyone!

Here are the list of habits they tell you to establish: (just to give you a glimpse)

• Put things where they belong when you are through with them.
• Set the standard for orderliness yourself
• Never leave the room before closing closets, cupboards, doors and drawers.
• Pick it up, don't pass it up; then put it away!
• When you fix anything to eat, put away everything you used before you sit down to eat.
• Dress, hair, and makeup before ANYTHING.
• Never leave the house before you've done all the everyday duties in the card file.
• Check the next days cards the night before.
• Finish what you start.

Most if not all of these are things I was told growing up, and we all know deep down that it just takes a few extra seconds, not the hours we (or maybe just me) build up in our heads.

Then you have different color cards with daily, weekly, every other week, more than once a week, monthly, every other month, and seasonal tasks on them. I won't go into detail, but it works, and I love it. They even talk about how to get your kids and hubbies involved so that you can delegate.

So if you're feeling frustrated, need a system, and/or just want to try something new, I'll lend you my book and help you get started. Or if you want to get your own copy, you can get one on Amazon for about $5.



How things would get:

How things are going to stay:

I give props to those of you that read this post and think I'm crazy because you have it all together. But I know there are probably more of you like me, so let the S.H.E gospel spread.

Now... Who wants to do lunch?