Tidy Zones

Today, I want to begin a talk about something I learned from two women called the "Slob Sisters." Back in the late 1970's, I read and reread a book by Pam Young and Peggy Jones, entitled "Sidetracked Home Executives." They later wrote another book, "Get Your Act Together," with a more streamlined approach to their same system of organization. This is where I was introduced to the concept of Zones and a Weekly Plan.
The Amish worked up the singsong limerick that kept them washing on Monday and ironing on Tuesday, etc. In other words, a weekly plan. They said, "Think of a weekly plan as a disposable guide to focusing your life for seven days at a time: In a typical week, you will need to devote a certain amount of time to do housework, play, be with your family, rest, run errands, and do paperwork."
So, our weekly plan should include the following: A Play Day, A Desk Day, A Full Cleaning Day, A half Cleaning Day, A Go-FER Day, A Family Work Day, and A Family Play Day. Traditionally, certain "women's chores" were assigned a day of the week. You might be stitching a set of dish towels (I have a set I'm working on right now) or making a "sampler" of a cute kitty doing the chores, and so on.

Here is a list of the "traditional" chores.
Monday - Washing
Tuesday - Ironing
Wednesday - Mending
Thursday - Marketing
Friday - Baking
Saturday - Cleaning
Sunday - Day of Worship

And here is another one from many years ago:
Washing on Monday
Ironing and Mending on Tuesday
Kitchen storeroom, dairy on Wednesdays
Bedrooms on Thursday
Living rooms on Friday
Kitchen only, cleaning silver, changing beds, Saturday
Sunday was traditionally a day of rest. No one would dream of doing anything but the barest necessities. The maids used to say that if you sewed on Sunday, you would have to unpick the stitches with your nose in Hell, after you died. No doubt, they believed it! (Yikes!)

"Eat it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without." In days gone by, this was the motto of a good housewife. Seems like a good one for today, as well. Confusion as to what to do concerning house-cleaning and when, nearly always arises from lack of a system, and no preparations have been made for when the dreaded day arrives.

Stay tuned for more about Tidy Zones

Tidy Tip # 10

Tidy Tip # Ten

Ok ... did you get started on something? If not, you might start by emptying one shelf or one cupboard, and begin sorting. As you take things off of the shelf or out of the cupboard and you find things that belong in other places, put them there immediately! If there is no room in the place that the item belongs, then set it in the general area. Keep it up until the cupboard or shelf is Tidy!

I find this phrase helpful: "Where does this (item) live?" Ideally, every item should have a place where you know it belongs, and can take it there instantly. And guess what? You are then able to find "it" ... whatever it is ... instantly too! Yay!

Tidy Tip Number Nine - One room at a time

Okay, if you're like me ... life just gets in the way sometimes and you find yourself overwhelmed once again. I recently broke my foot, and couldn't really do much in the way of cleaning for about six weeks! So, now what do I do?
Start with one room, and don't invision the entire house: Make a master list of that room - meaning every single thing that needs to be done in that room! If you have plants in that room, write down water the plants. Clean light fixtures, dust baseboards, windex windows, wash curtains, and so on.
After you've written out this room's master list, decide how often each thing needs to be done, and write a little note next to it - daily, every other day, weekly, every other week, monthly, every other month, and seasonally.
Now, today ... do the daily, and every other day things. We are working hard to get rid of clutter!
Let's say we are working on clearing out the dining room, so that we can use that area for eating only. What a concept, huh?
Ok ... now, I want you to set a timer for 3o minutes and spend the time decluttering this area. Clutter is things you don't ever use, don't love, or don't belong in this room.
After those 30 minutes are up, set the timer again and clean this same room for 30 minutes ... using your master list - 3o minutes; no more.
Ok ... you're done for today. Don't try to do too much at once.