Wow. I can’t believe it has been a week since I’ve posted anything on my blog! The days have seriously been flying by – filled with feedings, naps and tummy time. Oh, and everything else that needs to be done in life.
I’ve always been a fan of checklists, but having a newborn has made me love them even more.
Some days Amelia wants to eat more often than others…and it’s on those days that I can hardly remember if I ate breakfast or if I even brushed my teeth (as Jeremy pointed out in his blog last week). So, what’s a girl to do to make sure that she gets everything done and doesn’t let things slip between the cracks? My answer is a simple two words: Check. List. Yes, checklist is one word – but it doesn’t have the same effect that way so I split it into two. Throw me a bone.
I use checklists at work, but I hadn’t used them too often at home. Well, the past few weeks I’ve been using one religiously and it has completely helped me stay on track. Even breaking down something as simple as “cleaning the living room” into smaller parts and putting each one on a checklist has made things so much easier.
First, I dusted everything, including the ceiling fan, then swept up the dirt that the dogs brought in, then vacuumed to get any residual dirt and to make sure the baseboards and couch were dirt and dust-free. I washed the comforter that we use for dog protection on the couch and the towel that we use on the recliner and, finally, I cleaned the tile by hand with a vinegar and water solution. It felt so good to check each thing off my list and made it seem like it wasn’t such a big project. Sure, cleaning the living room never used to be a big project, but having to get it done while the baby is asleep or sitting happily in her bouncy chair makes it a lot more difficult!
And, side note: dogs sure do drag in a lot of dirt.
In addition to checklists, I purchased an awesome stick-on white board that we have in our room that is a calendar for the week. Every week, I write down appointments or other things that I know for sure are happening so that we can glance at it each morning and know what’s going on. I love it!
What do you do to stay sane and make sure that you pay the bills on time or make it to your appointments?
happily everly after—and everything in between 