5 Crazy Things I Do to Keep Things Together
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Life can be crazy. The unexpected is sure to raise its head and knock your best plans off course. “Simple living” is a good thing to strive for, but sometimes it’s elusive.
Here are five kinda crazy things — at least in the world’s eyes — that I do to keep things a little more sane at my house. Please keep in mind that in NO WAY do I think these are must-do’s for anyone else. Like I said, I know that these are kinda crazy for the times we live in. But, they help me and my family.
1. I have my toilet paper delivered.
Oh, yes, yes, I do. About a year ago, I realized that we were constantly running out of toilet paper. I would cringe each time someone would tell me we were out. Running off to the store — when there were no sales to be had — became a regular thing. And no, I didn’t/don’t really have the brain power to follow the toilet paper sales.
Instead, I started ordering it on Amazon. Using Subscribe and Save, I have a regular delivery programmed. I watch for sales on Amazon, not hard to do when Kosher on a Budget regularly reports the toilet paper deals on her Facebook page.
(No, we don’t keep kosher; we’re not even Jewish, but I’ve found some great deals through Mara’s site.)
I’ve found such freedom in having the toilet paper delivered. I can’t tell you why. It’s pretty silly, really. But, I can totally ignore the paper goods aisle at the store and it is so freeing!
Plus, my people are all prepared when they need to do their business.
2. I don’t sort laundry.
A few years ago I decided I wasn’t going to sort the colored clothes from the whites. No longer do I need to wonder if this yellow shirt counts as white or colored, I just toss it all together. So far, so good. (I wash linens and towels separately and in hot water.)
Then to take it one step further, I put the kids in charge of their own laundry. So, I don’t have to sort the different piles either. Quite freeing and saves me so much time.
3. I am not afraid of fast food.
Well, sort of. I am picky about my fast food, limiting it to places like In-n-Out Burger, Rubios, or Chipotle. While I would love to feed my family healthy, home-cooked meals every night, that’s just not the reality. I have to be able to outsource. And In-n-Out Burger, the closest to our house, makes a pretty mean burger.
I even have everyone’s order programmed into my phone. We’re so complicated, that this helps me in more ways than one.
4. I don’t watch TV.
I grew up as a TV junkie. Today I’ve got too much to do. We had cable for awhile, mainly for sports, but now that’s gone, too. I can’t imagine how much time I would waste if I were watching TV. I know that for me it’s an all or nothing proposition — and I’m better off without Downton Abbey or American Idol.
Really, I am.
We do have Amazon Prime so we can watch movies and programs after the fact. This summer we’ve really enjoyed Foyle’s War which we treat like a movie. We’re not hooked to a time and place when we have to watch. Nor is flipping on the TV a habit. (And they just took it off Prime Instant Video, so now we’re even less likely to watch it.
5. I don’t wear make-up.
Last year I had to splurge for some make-up in order to do a couple TV appearances. I hated every minute of wearing it on my face and washed it off as soon as possible.
Do I have flawless skin? No. Do I look as young as I might if I wore make-up? No. Do folks see my unsightly pregnancy-mask-that-never-went-away? Yes.
But, do I have to wash my face every night? Or spend time in the morning putting my face on? No. And for me, this totally works.
Like I said, I don’t think these are things that everyone else should do — or not do, as the case may be. Instead, I offer them as examples of things that you can tweak to make life a little easier for you. Find your own groove, and make it work for you and your family.
1. No make up
2. Job that supplies my work clothes.
3. Store brands for about half our groceries. The other half is due to reading labels and meeting my son’s dietary needs
4. Havent sorted laundry since son#1 was turned one, he’s eight now
5. Make my own laundry soap…..and when I make the “last” batch ingredients go on the grocery list.
6. Invested in cloth shower curtain liners. Haven’t had to purchase a new one in the 9.5 years we’ve been married.
7. No cable, no landline…..just internet, Netflix and cells
8. Bought my husband a keurig five years ago. I don’t drink coffee, but it saves my sanity to not have coffee wasted in the pot or spilled everywhere. Best $100 I’ve on my own happiness. Lol
I glad to see that I am not the only one forgoing makeup. I also freed myself from laundry by making my kids do their own. The next step in this progression is to have them each pick a night or meal to cook! It makes life easier and harder at the same time. Our kids are leaving the nest now and I find myself once again sorting laundry. What is up with that?
I don’t sort laundry either. I grocery shop only once a week at a small, local grocer. It always gets done in under 30 minutes. Usually 20 unless I run into a friend to chat with! I don’t have a cellphone. We don’t have a tv. I’m not on FB. But I still figure out ways to waste plenty of time…
Don’t we all. LOL!
I’m in the no makeup club too, unless special occasion like date night or Sunday church (I like getting dressed up once in a while, thought after makeup every day for years it took me a while to feel I was really “dressed” without it!).
I don’t sort laundry and my mom acts like I’ve broken one of the commandments. 🙂
we had amazon fresh grocery delivery for months after my second child was born. Felt indulgent but so worth it for that transition time. It remembers past orders and is a cinch. Not widely available yet, though (we are Seattle area).. When baby #3 appears this Feb we’ll probably do it again.
I almost never buy clothed for myself and the only jewelry I wear regularly is my wedding ring set.
I shower every 2-3 days. Used to bother me but not anymore. Better for your hair anyway, and feels like a treat when I do. I only blowdry my hair about once a year too.
best advice I got for buying kids’ clothes: pick a couple colors and a neutral for whatever season/size you need to buy and get all items in coordinating colors. I’ve done this for more than a year and it makes dressing my kids so much easier. My son has pretty much only worn red, white and blue in his 21 mos 🙂 ha! Also, old navy is great for baby/toddler boys so whenever I need to buy I go online and make a big order without dragging everyone along. Any store I can skip in person is a bonus.
Love the toilet paper delivery! ! I’m going to set this up today. With 5 kids and a full time job this sounds like a great time saver!
Thanks for # 5 . I was thinking I was the only one who din’t bother about make up after I became a mom 🙂
To be honest, I didn’t wear it much before then, either. I bought a stack of Mary Kay once at a party and hubs asked me to return it. He said he liked me better without it. Yay for marrying the right guy for me.
Well I have to be honest too LOL I didn’t wear much make up before either . The only time I had make up on my eyes was on my wedding day .
I don’t know if others mentioned it but I got this idea from a friend of mine – the sock basket. As the only female in the family, the pink/purple/teal socks are mine. Every other grey, white, black, greyish-brown guy sock is tossed in the sock basket in the upstairs hall. You find your socks. You match them. If your brother grabs your socks then you shouldn’t wait until it’s too late.
90 second eye treatment some days. No make-up. Conservative clothes area of the country so fads come really slowly so there’s not much to worrying about the latest and greatest. I have a basement that has an extensive pantry storage section so we rarely run out of a needed item. Costco’s giant containers/selection helps there too.
Emailed reminders go to the community garden and take vitamins. Otherwise I’d forget.
I stopped matching, too. Hubs go in his drawer. Since the kids wash their own clothes, they’re stuck with their own socks. Love it!
At my husband’s suggestion, we just started a 7 day meal plan. I mean… we eat the same 7 dinners every week. I thought I would hate it, but I actually love it. We are starting our 4th week and I am not sick of anything. And I have gotten more done in the last 3 weeks than in the previous 6 months. I was amazed once I realized how much time and energy I had been pouring into meals. I know I will eventually get sick of something, but I don’t have to change the whole plan. I can just change the one thing I am sick of, and then in a few weeks change another one.
I love this idea! I would like to maybe do a two week rotating meal plan. I can’t imagine the energy I would save!!!
Brilliant! Go you!
Yay I’m not alone in my craziness. I too do not wear makeup. I once sold Mary Kay for some extra spending cash and I hated wearing the makeup and giving makeup tips…I felt like such a hypocrite. I seriously did not know what I was talking about, but everyone has to wash their face so that helped. I never sort laundry or iron. I told my husband if he wants his shirt ironed just throw it back in the dryer. I work full time and have a 12 year old so ironing is not on my priority list.
Fast food is fine with us too, but only once in a while. I use my phone to leave myself notes or I even text myself so I don’t forget things.
These are great! My for-sure favorite is keeping the fast-food lists in your phone. I also try to maintain healthy eating, but we’re busy, and it doesn’t always happen!