Get Sorted with Chards #2

Welcome to the second week of Get Sorted with Chards.  If you missed our first session you can read all about it here.

Wow, what a week it has been.  How has everyone gone?  Did you set yourself one or two challenges?  Something you wanted to concentrate on doing each day?

For me it was make all the beds every morning and have the washing done – washed, dried, folded and put away – by lunch time.  I am pleased to report that I have had great success this week.  One morning I even managed to have my washing done and away by 7:30am.  Yes, that’s right folks.  You see I drew inspiration from a comment Faux Fuchsia made on one of my Instagram posts.  FF hasn’t used an outside line in over 10 years.  Everything goes into the dryer and is folded from the dryer.  So I thought I would give it a go.  My new routine goes something like this:

1. Each night: put all washing in the machine instead of in a dirty clothes basket (Faux Fuchsia doesn’t even own a clothes basket….so surely we can do this)
2. Stop worrying so much about separating clothes.  I have overcomplicated this whole washing thing for years, until I holidayed with Mrs Savvy B who swiftly told me to stop making work for myself and throw it all in together (DD look away).  So I did, and it actually comes out ok.  I mean, I don’t throw pure whites in, but I also try not to wear these through the week, so everything can go in.  What I used to turn into about 3 loads is now one load…..GAME CHANGER.  So this load is turned on as soon as the last lot of clothes go in, and it is then ready for the dryer first thing in the morning.
3. As soon as I wake up the washing is straight into the dryer – with a dry  hand towel which speeds up the process
4. Once it is dry (by about 7am) it is folded straight from the dryer – which also helps prevent all of those yucky creases you get from the dryer
5. And straight away into the cupboards and drawers.

DONE!  This has been a huge deal for me and I seem to have so much more time on my hands, not worrying about hanging out the washing or remembering at 2pm that I haven’t actually hung it out yet.  I don’t have to think about it all day.  Now, I know this is not a viable option for a lot of you out there – with the cost of electricity and what not.  We are lucky out here, we are on generator power and it doesn’t matter if you have 50 air conditioners going and 3 dryers, the generator still uses the same amount of Diesel each month, no matter what.  I would go to pieces if I lived in town and had to deal with those huge electricity bills, so I do feel very lucky (not to mention cool with our 8 split systems running all the time…..)

But all is not lost, I was able to have the washing done and away, using the outside line, by 11:00 am!  For those of you who trot off to work each morning you could pop your washing in the machine of a night time and either hang it out that night (just like DD used to do, in her thick coat during the winter) or  first thing the next morning.

The next challenge on my list was making the beds each morning.  I have tried to get the boys to make theirs each day, although I have done them a couple of times.  They also unpack the dishwasher each morning which is a huge help.  I have managed to make my bed first thing every morning and, again – this has made such a difference.  Things are in order and it feels so good.

Another thing I have managed to do this week – keep the kitchen clean and tidy – it is normally such a huge mess, but this week I have nipped everything in the bud and stayed on top of it all and it has been perfectly spotless all week.   DD – don’t look away….

4 things that have helped change the way I think this week have come from last weeks Top 10 list.  I have completely changed my thinking paradigm and I tell you what, the results have been huge.  I used to over think everything.  Writing big lists and thinking so much about all that I had to do, instead of just doing it.  I made it all seem so much bigger in my head than it actually was.  Now, I do a simple list each night for the next morning.  When something needs doing I don’t put it off, I JUST DO IT!!!!!!  I know many of you are sitting there shaking your heads, thinking – derrrr, of course you do…. But a lot of us out there have struggled with this.  So, from last weeks list I have really taken the following tips on board:

1. Wake up earlier – I now wake up at 5:30am (don’t put your alarm on “Sleep”, just get up as soon as it goes off).  Washing on, blogging and have some alone time to have a coffee before the boys wake up
2. Washing – sorted!!!! All over it like a fat kid on a cupcake!
3. Don’t put it down, put it away.  Ohhhhh, Merrill, you have no idea the impact this simple tip has had on my week and the way I do things.  Now, whenever I go to put something down in the wrong spot, I think of you, Merrill, and can hear you saying “don’t put it down, put it away”.  I can nearly hear DD’s eyes rolling from all the way up here – I know Mum, I know you have been telling me this for 36 years……. sorry I didn’t listen to you!!!  But good lord you would be proud!!! And thanks Merrill….. thanks a million, you have totally changed the way I do things.
4. Make your bed first thing every morning.  Done!

I have managed to get so much done this week because I feel like I have a clearer head and I am not thinking about everything I have to do, because I am just doing it.  I have been onto the children and making them pick up after themselves.  This has had a huge impact too.  Even the 3 year old is on board.  It does involve a bit of nagging but I am telling you now people – it is worth it.  If he wants the lego I put it in his room (not out in the lounge room to go everywhere) and he plays with it on the sheet.  Yes, it does end up everywhere but he is getting really good and picking it up and putting it back on the sheet ready to be packed away so he can play with something else.  So I am no longer living in a Lego City mess.  It is unreal.

I think there is something about 2015…. I have a good feeling, it is going to be a good, organised year.  I think I may finally be out of that baby/toddler fog.  We have a great Govie and things are just working out.  It feels good.  And I am not the only one feeling like this, Beth over at Baby Mac has just written a post about doing “One Thing” and she totally motivated me there and then to go and change some light globes.  She talks about putting off those annoying jobs.  And she was right, I had put off changing these globes for about 4 months (I am serious…4 months).  So off I went, popped on the stop watch and went for it – 4 new globes – DONE.  And do you want to know how long that pathetic little job took (that I had made seem so big in my head)….. 5 minutes and 14 seconds!!!!! So off you go, don’t think about it JUST DO IT.  Thanks for motivating me Beth, the boys will now be able to see when they go to the toilet!!!

You know what else I achieved on the weekend – without overthinking it…… The Pantry…. DONE.  Tick.  You should see it, actually you can – here, feast your little peepers on this…. I think the pictures speak for themselves really.

The before shots

And the after shots

Oh and I even cleaned under the sink, just because I could, didn’t take long either… look DD – I have a special little container with the detergent and brushes in it, just like you (although mine isn’t a 25 year old ice cream container, it is just a 3 year old gravy container) … could you be any prouder right now? And look at that Gumption sitting there, proud as punch, just like you DD!

Do you even know what Gumption is people?  I am sure all of my friends with OCD know all about it, but for those of you not in the know then, please, let me introduce you to your new best friend: Gumption.  Forget the elbow grease when scrubbing pots and pans, just whack a little bit of this on a scourer and you will never look back, trust me.  And just look and everything it can do….

So there you have it.  Things are going really well here.  Please tell me how you have gone and what you have achieved.  We would all benefit from hearing your story.  Did anything from the top 10 list have an impact on your week, like it did mine?  Have you changed the way you do things?  How is your washing situation?  Are you a reader who prefers to stay quiet on the comments?  I dare you tell us what you have achieved this week…go on, just for shits and giggles. Yes, I am talking to you Mrs Savvy B (who is totally on board with this by the way!!!)

If you are just jumping on board this week, that is fine.  Anytime is a GOOD time to start.  So good luck, you can do this.

Don’t forget you can follow along and share your photos on Facebook or Instagram (misschardy8): using the hashtag #getsortedwithchards