Time to Streamline Your Life (Part Six)

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There’s no better time to streamline your life, simplify, and put systems in place to help you enjoy your home and family more. Do it now!

Time to Streamline? | Life as Mom

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The life as MOM can be a veritable labyrinth of twists and turns. You never know what lies around that bend in the track. Could be a smooth ride or there may be a few bumps in the road. How can we streamline our lives in order to absorb the shock of those bumps? The following are a few of my most recent “notes to self.”

(This is part five in a series of ways to make life easier and more efficient. Go here for the beginning.)

Is it time to streamline your life?

38. Look at the path ahead of you and plan accordingly.

What is happening later this afternoon or later this week that you need to plan for? Even if it’s hours away, get ready for the next commitment now so that when it’s time to load up the kids, you’re not scrambling for shoes, bags, diapers, keys.

Try to think a few steps ahead of yourself so that you’re prepared when it’s time to hit the road.

Do you have a planning system that suits you? You might need one.

39. Be willing to take a shortcut.

This past week I had a jam-packed day: 3 hours at the ortho, a trip to the grocery store with 4 littles in tow, lunch, meeting FishPapa at the auto club for vehicle inspections and registrations, dinner and then a dental appointment for my dreaded filing. All of these things took longer than I expected. Much longer.

So, somewhere in there we had to take a shortcut to make sure everything happened. We chose a quick dinner at Costco since it was cheap and located between AAA and the dentist. It wasn’t part of my original plan, but it helped the rest of the plan to work. It was a great example of the benefits of being willing to take a shortcut. If I had bucked the dinner out, as I am apt to do, life would have been a little more stressful and I would have been late for my dental appointment.

Time to Streamline | Life as Mom

40. Only keep what is useful and beautiful.

I’m reading through Simple Mom’s ebook, Spring Cleaning for Normal People. One of the most helpful things I’ve read so far is the questions to ask yourself if you should keep something: Do you use it? Do you love it? If you can’t say yes, then chuck it. Having less stuff to upkeep will streamline your life immensely.

41. Be satisfied with enough.

Our culture is increasingly focused on acquiring MORE. Despite everyone’s talk about “this economy,” people are still snatching up the latest gadgets and doodas. I’m thinking we don’t need it all. Stay away from the grocery store if you don’t need anything. Learn to make do if you can. Life will be simpler.

42. Have a potluck.

Now is the time for BBQs, showers, and parties. Don’t feel like you have to be the hostess with the mostest. Mostest often includes most mess, most expense, and most headache. Good friends should be helping you bear the weight. So, make a plan to make this summer’s get-togethers potluck. You can say, “bring whatever,” or you can delegate different dishes. Unless your name is Martha Stewart, you don’t have to do it all yourself.

Time to Streamline | Life as Mom

43. Catch some rays.

Now that the season of fun in the sun is upon us, spend a few minutes each day in the sunshine. Within proper limits, sunshine offers one of the best sources of vitamin D which protects the body from a number of diseases and it can improve your mood. Get outdoors as much as you can.

44-50. To be continued….

How do you know when it’s time to streamline?

Have you got a tip or trick that helps you keep things together? Share it with us in the comments!

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4 Comments

  1. This is so true! We love to have get-togethers, and we always keep them casual. We usually provide hamburgers and hotdogs (I pre-make homemade buns if I can), large cans of baked beans (also made ahead if I can but I don’t stress about it), and a big bowl of pre-packaged salad. We tell everyone else to basically bring their own grill-able items and food for their own family – their own chairs, drinks, etc. Then we all share the food that everyone brings! Paper plates, napkins, cups, etc. and it’s all so easy.

  2. Over the last few years we have gradually perged a lot of stuff, a ton really and it feels so great! Organization is so much easier when you only have what you need or love.

  3. I’m hoping to do a little tossing and then hosting friends over. 😀 I love having people over and I’m definitely not Martha Stewart. LOL!

  4. we did #40 today(our storage, aka junk, room) We tossed enough stuff to fill up the bed of out F150. Feels liberating! Next week, we’re tossing the garage