OK, I don’t know about you, but around this time of the summer, I am ready to get back into a routine. I work better on a schedule. My kids work better on a schedule. But in summer, the power of a schedule is forgotten and we all just kind of slack off. Until things start piling up. Literally and figuratively, piling up. And right now, around my house, piling up is an understatement! So I’m making the effort to get back on a schedule and set some goals for the months ahead. Here’s what I have in store…
My office is the first priority. It is truly where I do my best work. However, with the kids running all over the house, I have spent little time in there. I’ve walked in to plug in my computer or to drop a pile of stuff off. Now it’s a hot mess! Usually during the school year I have a pretty good schedule. I get up around 6:30am (I’m not a morning person) and I set up my social media and check out what some of my blogger friends are doing before my kids wake up and I relax with a cup of coffee. I get the kids off to school around 7:45 and then walk the dogs. Once I am back and showered I tackle email and phone calls and then I write or photograph or both. Appointments with clients and errands start at 10 am but can vary from day to day. Before you know it, its time for the kiddos to come home and for the afternoon activities to begin. See, the power of a schedule keeps me on track and allows me to get things done.
One thing I have noticed about my office this summer is that there isn’t a lot of hidden storage. Sometimes I don’t want to see all the files and the fabric samples and paint swatches. Clutter makes it difficult for me to focus. My goal for the next few months is to install some built -ins with cabinets so I can hide some of the clutter. I have been inspired by this kitchen from Studio McGee. The color palette is amazing! I’m usually not a fan of green, but this is just stunning!
Having a schedule allows me to declutter as well. I know that sounds odd, but hear me out. Typically, when I have a schedule and I am working on emails and phone calls, I also know that I have to go through mail and weed out any papers. I am a fan of tearing pictures out of magazines and catalogs, then looking them up online and pinning them to various boards. But sometimes those torn out pages just pile up. Before I know it they have taken over the entire house. I’ll leave piles on the coffee table, kitchen counter, desk, etc. I am well aware of my flaws.
When counters are clear and tables pared down, I can focus better. That’s the power of a schedule for me.
So another one of my home goals is to keep the house decluttered, especially the kitchen. It’s not that difficult. You just have to keep it in mind every day until it becomes habit. I need to purge as well. There’s no need to hold on to things that you don’t use. I am the queen of saying “but what if I need it…” But I need to let go of that and get rid of junk!
Now for one of the whopper home goals…. are you ready? THE MASTER BEDROOM! I know you are going to find this hard to believe, but I have had the same bedroom furniture for 13 years. That’s like a designer no-no. It needs a serious update. But I always feel like I don’t have time to focus on it. (hence that schedule thing…) Oh, and bedroom furniture is quite an expense.
When we renovated the house, all of the bedrooms were in good shape. We just added new carpet and painted. The main focus was on getting the bathrooms done. So all of our furniture was just plopped into place. No new bedding or decor. It all went from one house to the other. But now I look at it and I really want to change it up and bring it into this decade. It totally lacks color and style. So I will be planning and scheming and saving my pennies. I want to add some color to my bedroom like I did in my guest room.
There are some other random things that need to be done around here and I plan on scheduling the time to do it. That 10 lbs. I’ve gained isn’t going away without some exercise so that will be a priority. And sprucing up some things here and there will be too. I love a good DIY and I have a few for my children’s rooms that I’m going to try. I also need a new rug in my great room thanks to a 90 lb. Labrador retriever and a puppy.
Are you with me on tackling some stuff over the next few months? My plan is to get back on to a schedule and get to work. Summer has been fun but the power of a schedule is necessary. And I’m ready!
