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Nique
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| Posted: Jan 08 2010 at 8:34pm | IP Logged
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If there is ONE thing you do CONSISTENTLY to make your life easier, what is it?
Do tell!
Mine is storing a few extra bags at the bottom of our garbage pails..so the next time I'm changing one, all I gotta do is reach in and there's another, all ready for me 
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I had always thought that once you grew up you could do anything you wanted - stay up all night or eat ice cream straight out of the container. ~Bill Bryson
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JodieLyn
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putting bills on the bulletin board.. plus having a list (on the computer so it doesn't get lost) of which bills are due which pay period so that even if a bill doesn't show or does happen to get lost I know it still needs to be paid.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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teachingmyown
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| Posted: Jan 08 2010 at 9:19pm | IP Logged
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Sleeping in? Does that count?! 
I try to do my bills once a week and schedule all my online payments during one sitting so I don't miss one. I have a list of everything in Quicken.
I also try to keep the diaper bag stocked with diaper, wipes and extra clothes so I don't have to search for anything on the way out the door.
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In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
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drmommy
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| Posted: Jan 08 2010 at 9:29pm | IP Logged
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Getting up very early for prayer and quiet time. It made a HUGE difference in my life.
On a practical note, getting my clothes and makeup ready for the morning.
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Maddie
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Consistently inconsistent. 
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~Maddie~
Wife to my dh and Momma of 9 dear ones
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guitarnan
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| Posted: Jan 08 2010 at 10:33pm | IP Logged
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Thinking through important events - dance competitions, Scout events, dinner parties - step by step by step, so that I'm ready to go when the day actually arrives.
I drive my family nuts with this. Dance competition days involve a packed picnic lunch, hairstyling, makeup, dance dress and socks and shoes (polished, two pairs) - so it helps if I go through the ritual well head of time and figure out what we need for competition day. Dh bought me a car-mount GPS for Christmas, so I won't get lost (and wake him with "I'm in Delaware but I'm lost" calls) any more!
Planning and pre-packing for field trips, family vacations, dance competitions, etc. helps me relax on the day of the event and enjoy the moment. I know my phone and camera are ready to go and I know we'll have lunch ready, too. I'm the only nonspontaneous person in the family, so pre-organizing is very important for my peace of mind.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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CatholicMommy
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| Posted: Jan 08 2010 at 11:08pm | IP Logged
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Doing little cleaning throughout the day - as I'm in a room or going from one room to another. If I'm washing I'm hands in the bathroom I might wash the mirror; OR wipe down the counter; OR something else similar - whatever can be quickly while I'm there; and/or I'll move something back to the room in which it belongs.
I've done that for years and it is a life-saver!
The other thing we have recently come down hard on is all the details to putting things away when we're done - NO exceptions (let in one exception and soon it's all exceptions!  ). If we can maintain these two things (little things as we are in a room; and really, truly putting things away) then when catastrophe strikes, the aftermath won't be SO bad.
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Garden of Francis
HS Elementary Montessori Training
Montessori Nuggets
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violingirl
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I have a basket on the second floor and one on the main floor. As I find things around the main floor that really belong upstairs I put them in the basket and the next time I go upstairs I take the basket with me and put that stuff away. Same kind of thing for the upstairs basket. I figure that if I have to go up and down the stairs several times a day anyway I might as well put a few things away while I'm at it.
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Erin
DS (2005) DS (2007) DD (2012)
Mama In Progress
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Chris V
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| Posted: Jan 09 2010 at 12:11am | IP Logged
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CatholicMommy wrote:
| Doing little cleaning throughout the day - as I'm in a room or going from one room to another. If I'm washing I'm hands in the bathroom I might wash the mirror; OR wipe down the counter; OR something else similar - whatever can be quickly while I'm there; and/or I'll move something back to the room in which it belongs |
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Amazing how effective this is at keeping the house from turning into a catastrophe! A little bit here, a tad bit there, that's exactly how I manage my house!
violingirl wrote:
| I have a basket on the second floor and one on the main floor. As I find things around the main floor that really belong upstairs I put them in the basket and the next time I go upstairs I take the basket with me and put that stuff away. Same kind of thing for the upstairs basket. I figure that if I have to go up and down the stairs several times a day anyway I might as well put a few things away while I'm at it |
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*ME* too  I love this system ~ fantastically simple, completely practical, and so easy! This works particularly well for me when it comes to laundry that needs to be put away in the bedrooms. Everytime I go upstairs, I never go empty-handed. 
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Chris
Happy Wife with my Happy Life
Mama to My Five Girls ('04~'07~'09~'11~'11) 
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stellamaris
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| Posted: Jan 09 2010 at 5:37am | IP Logged
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Drink coffee!
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In Christ,
Caroline
Wife to dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
Flowing Streams
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jenk
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Lately, it's been asking my boys to pick up things I've dropped... my belly's too big for me to easily reach the floor
I truly lack consistency but strive for it.
I love the basket idea, though, and may adopt here.
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Jen
with 2 boys, 14 and 8, and a girl expected 1/09
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Mimip
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| Posted: Jan 09 2010 at 8:21am | IP Logged
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1. I have a bag in the car with essentials: Diapers,wipes and desitin underwear, change of clothes for the youngest two and in the winter sweaters and the rest of the year sunscreen
2. As soon as the groceries are unpacked, the reuseable bags go back in the car. This helps me cause I never know when I'll have time to do groceries and the bags are already in the car waiting for me!
3. I make the bed as soon as I get out of it. This way if the rest of the house is an explosion, at least my bed is made. (BTW this is because growing up this was the only chore I had in my house so having a made bed goes a long way to my internal peace  )
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In Christ,
Mimi
Wife of 16 years to Tom, Mom of DD'00, DD'02, '04(in heaven) DS'05, DS'08 and DS '12
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amyable
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| Posted: Jan 09 2010 at 8:24am | IP Logged
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Well, I'm not 100% consistent in anything, but...
*starting a load of laundry and emptying the dishwasher first thing. If those are done super early, the rest of the day is able to flow so much better
*I have a watch with three alarm settings. I set mine to go off at 8 AM (when I make sure I've done the above, pray, and get the kids rolling for school), Noon (pray, put the toddler down for a nap if he isn't already, think about the afternoon and if I'm really on the ball -- dinner), and 5 PM (pray, panic about dinner I mean start dinner prep/clean up of house, get kids off the Wii )
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Amy
mom of 5, ages 6-16, and happy wife of 
The Highly Sensitive Homeschooler
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Chris V
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stellamaris wrote:
| Drink coffee! |
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Most definitely!
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Chris
Happy Wife with my Happy Life
Mama to My Five Girls ('04~'07~'09~'11~'11)
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LLMom
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| Posted: Jan 09 2010 at 10:54am | IP Logged
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I always do the dishes. Nothing makes me grumpier than a messy kitchen in the morning.
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Lisa
For veteran & former homeschool moms
homeschooling ideas
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Sarah M
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stellamaris wrote:
| Drink coffee! |
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Girl, you are singin' my song!!!
ETA: Actually, one thing I do consistently is prepare the coffee maker the night before; this makes my getting-out-of-bed moment quite a bit easier. I know that if I can only move my body to the kitchen and flip a switch, I will be oh-so-much-closer to my first cup.
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cornomama4
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I *always* make sure we have a large supply of the 2 essentials: apple juice and diapers. Oh, and TP. Not much can disrupt us like having to run to the store for one of those things!
Other thing is never go to bed until the coffee machine is ready and the milk pails are clean, sterilized and ready. It's hard enough to go out and milk in the snow as it is, if I have to wash the pails before I head out it really puts me in a mood
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DominaCaeli
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Chris V wrote:
| Everytime I go upstairs, I never go empty-handed. |
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This is exactly what I constantly tell my husband: "Are you heading upstairs? Don't go empty-handed!"
amyable wrote:
*starting a load of laundry and emptying the dishwasher first thing. If those are done super early, the rest of the day is able to flow so much better |
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This is exactly what I try to do in the mornings--it really helps to jump start my days.
Nothing remarkable, but every day before my husband gets home, the kids and I do a tidy of the downstairs (kitchen, family room, bathroom, and dining area) and I set the table for dinner (we eat as soon as he arrives). It makes the house so much more inviting. I do a second tidy right before my husband and I head upstairs for the night--it is so nice to wake up to a straightened house.
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Blessings,
Celeste
Joyous Lessons
Mommy to six: three boys (8, 4, newborn) and four girls (7, 5, 2, and 1)
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Jan 09 2010 at 4:14pm | IP Logged
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Quick tidy every day!! Saves my sanity!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Natalia
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Have a menu planned for the whole week. If I know what I am cooking for each meal of the day, the rest seems to flow easier.
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Natalia
http://pannuestrodecadadia.blogspot.com
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Topic: If there is ONE thing you do CONSISTENTLY
