I would love for you to share with me what you’d like me to post on? What gardening, cooking, organization, decorating, or business related questions do you have?
Post them in the comments below, & I’ll do my best to answer them!
Would you like a plethora of ideas & inspirations at your finger tips?
If you said yes, then head on over to my Pinterest page and follow me there!
Have you been over to my Podcast? Well if not, click this LINK and follow me there for weekly gardening, cooking, organizational tips & tricks, discussions on healthy lifestyles, and of course having incredible conversations with entrepreneurs!
I will share my vast knowledge, as well as host guests who will bring a plethora of information on these exciting topics!
Here are my February 2023 Guests!
For a complete list of Podcast Events, go on over to my Facebook Events page and be sure to register for each one so you’ll receive notification reminders so you don’t miss a beat!
February 1, 2023
Podcast with Jean Roman, Author of For Dragonflies And Me
Join me today as I discuss the importance of using Heirloom seeds. I will touch on the differences between hybrid vs. Heirloom along with my favorite varieties. Click to listen.
February 8th, 2003
Podcast with Jamie Garrison, Owner of Inner Sage: The Studio, The Shop, The Lifestyle
Join me today as I chat it up with Jamie Garrison, Owner & Founder of Inner Sage: The Studio, The Shop, The Lifestyle. She’ll go into how she started, where life has taken her, and where she is now. She is an inspiration to all women & especially entrepreneurs. Click to listen.
February 15th, 2023
Podcast with Amy Maryon, YouTube Extraordinaire, Homeschool Mom, & so much more!
Amy is a YouTube extraordinaire showing off her cooking skills, often using my Cookbook, Lovingly Seasoned Eats and Treats. She is a blogger & home school mom of 10 kids who has created her own curriculum and shares it for FREE on her blog! Click to listen.
February 22nd, 2023
Podcast with My Sahara Tea, Tama Smith~ Co-Founder & Vice President
Today’s guest, Tama Smith Co-Founder & Vice President of My Sahara Corp. is going to thrill you with her business and how at such a young age she has not only developed a desirable product, but also the steps she took to get there! Click to listen.
“There is nothing more calming than an organized home.”— Unknown
In my previous post on Room by Room Organization~ The Kitchen and Pantry, I mentioned the kitchen is the heart of the home. I genuinely believe that, however the living room or family room is where snuggles and relaxation happen.
After a long day at work or school, then home to prepare or help with dinner it feels mighty good to just flop down on a comfy couch or oversized chair and just take a deep breath… relaxation.
Some of you may have young kids, some of you may be single, some of you may be in the golden years of your life… either way, that flop just feels pretty dang good some days!
My Living Room
The living or family room, whichever you call it says a lot about the character and style of the homeowner(s). Is your decorating style shabby chic, modern, eclectic, industrial, farmhouse, or something else? The style will inevitably dictate the type of accents you use.
My family this holiday season! Where is Frankie!!!!
My style is a mix between Industrial & Farm House. I love the metal & wood features the Industrial style offers. I also adore enamelware and cozy fabrics. I also love botanicals & birds… so, I think I pull it together fairly well. Wallpaper coming back into style didn’t hurt my feelings either lol! Don’t hate me, but my house has a couple and I actually loved them, so I kept them.
1. Extra blankets are always a nice touch! I mean can you really have too many blankets LOL!!! I keep about six in a cute tote rolled up tucked away in a corner.
No matter what your style is and how you incorporate it into your home, it is a reflection of what is appealing to your eye and soul. They say the eyes are a mirror into a person’s soul, well I think the home can be this as well.
2. Bookshelves hold decorative elements and books too 😀 I like to showcase special items in mine. Balance is the key.
The family room is the cozy spot in the home where each member can curl up with a good book, or share & talk about stuff.
3. Fireplace mantel in my living room holds several Apothecary bottles that match my decor. I collect these wonderful treasures and have them scattered in just about every room in my home.
“Being organized is really important in a fast-paced life while we have no time to deal with clutter. Be it physical or emotional clutter, it tends to make us sad and depressed or frustrated.” Julie Hage / Life, Organizing
I like my living room to be tidy. Here are some Walk Through tips for the Living Room:
At the end of the day make sure all the throw pillows on the couch are neat and where they should be.
Put any blankets away folded neatly and put back in the basket.
Make sure there are no dirty glasses or plates left from snacks.
If you have kids, then be sure to have them help you with this. Remember the Walk Through? Bag & basket in hand! The concept is very simple to apply and it is one that my children completely understand. The walk through is simply going through a room and picking up AND putting away everything that is out of its place. If you need a reminder or missed that post, click HERE to read!
Tidy any items that may have been knocked out of place in the room.
Keep posted for the next in the series as we look at Room by Room Organization Bedroom & Closets!
If you missed my last post on Room by Room Organization~ The Kitchen & Pantry, click HERE to read Part 1 and HERE to listen to Part 2 at my Podcast. Jump on over to my Podcast & SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss an episode!
If you enjoyed this blog , please LIKE, Follow, Share & leave me a comment! I love your feedback!
If you aren’t following me on Facebook, go on over & give a LIKE & Follow me for daily tips & tricks for your home & garden!
Happy Day,
Jean
Copyright Policy
All text and images on this site are copyright of For Dragonflies And Me. Unless otherwise noted, you may not use this content.
“One of the core organizing principles of my life is that success comes through a delicate balance between making things happen and letting things happen.”
— Robin Sharma
Today we will discuss clutter! I love the quote I used today as I feel it fits into today’s theme perfectly. What is clutter? Is one person’s clutter another person’s happiness? Well, I think there is a reasonable balance we can have in our homes.
Are you a minimalist, a collector, or somewhere in between? I admit, I am a collector.
I have utilized this tool for years!!! I found this book over ten years ago, and still live by so many of its principles. I developed my P.M.S. program from it. You are wondering what it is??? Well it is a book called “Sink Reflections, by Marla Cilley”, A.K.A. The Flylady!
My entire organizational series is based on what I learned from this great book.
Marla talks a lot about clutter and how to avoid it. I have jokingly said in the past that I don’t really dislike what I categorize as ‘organized clutter’! The Flylady says there is no such thing but I disagree!
It’s all in the details…
I like dust collectors! Apothecary bottles, decorative bowls & pitchers, bowls with crystals & rocks I’ve collected all adorn my home. I like a homey look…
I believe there is exceptional beauty in the details. My friends often tell me they saw something at a shop and thought of me. They say, “It looked just like you Jean!”
My friends & family know what I like because my home & gardens are a reflection of me.
Now onto today’s topic Clutter- how to conquer it and organize it!
Clutter can become overwhelming and seem almost out of control. When did it happen? How did it happen? Well, as we live our lives and purchase this and that… well, it all adds up eventually. Then throw in the rest of the crew living under the same roof, and WHAM! You have clutter.
So the question is, how do you get rid of it, or at least organize it. Let’s figure this out together utilizing a few tips & tricks from The Flylady!
The Following excerpts were taken & adapted from notes given at a class on organization I attended focusing on this book:
De-clutter 15 Minutes a Dayfor just one month… Here are 4 great tools that make it super easy for anyone- they have been adapted from “Sink Reflections’ ‘, by Marla Cilley.
The 27 Fling Boogie~
*We do this assignment as fast as we can. Take a garbage bag and walk through your home and throw away 27 items. Do not stop until you have collected 27 items. Then close the bag and pitch it! DO NOT LOOK IN IT! Just do it!
*Next, take an empty box and go through your home collecting 27 items to give away. As soon as you finish filling the box, take it to the car. You are less tempted to rescue the items. You will donate these items to a local thrift store.
*Rule of thumb: if you have two of any item and you only need one, get rid of the least desirable item.
The Hot Spot Fire Drill~
*A Hot Spot is an area, when left unattended, will gradually take over. Like a hot spot in a forest fire, if left alone, will eventually get out of hand and burn up the whole forest. This is what happens in our homes. If left unattended, the hot spot will grow and take over the whole room as well as making the house look awful. When you walk into a room, this is the first thing you see.
CLUTTER ATTRACTS CLUTTER! Do you have areas like this that continue to grow if left alone? Does the rest of the family see this as a place to put things when they do not want to put them where they belong? It is our job to nip this in the bud. Get rid of the pile, find the surface underneath and stop this hot spot from becoming a raging clutter inferno.
*Do a few of these a day. Take five minutes per ‘drill’ and see if it doesn’t help immensely.
The 5 Minute Room Rescue~
This is a reminder to spend just 5 minutes clearing a path in your worst room. You know this area of your home; the place you would never allow anyone to see. Just 5 minutes a day for the next 27 days and you will have a place that you can be proud to take anyone!
Work In Your Zones~
Each week we will be in a different Zone. After a full month, you will have worked your way around the majority of living areas of your home. Do not worry if you don’t get to every room in your house the first month. As one area gets cleaned, it will become easier to do and you will have more time to face those areas that don’t seem to fit in any zone.
This may seem like a lot of information, but once you get into the habit of doing it, you will be amazed at how quickly your home becomes organized. The first month you do this will be the yield the biggest haul. In the long run, you won’t need to do all of these as regularly. You will end up doing it during your spring & fall cleanings. Be sure to add these to your schedules!
In my next post I’ll be discussing room by room organization. If you missed the last post, click this LINKto read it!
“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.”
— Eleanor Roosevelt
Today’s podcast will be the 6th of 10 in my Organization 101 Series. The topic will focus on Zonal Cleaning.
Many of the topics I discuss in this series I learned from an incredible lady named Marla Cilley, A.K.A. The Flylady. Her book, “Sink Relection’s” taught me how to incorporate all this lessons. It was from the inspirations from her book how I developed my P.M.S. concept! So now lets get into today’s topic!
Organization has always been a major part of my personality. I remember growing up always wanting my things orderly. I would purchase little containers to put my make-up and hair accessories in. Even my photo albums were thoughtfully organized by date and events. Later in life I started scrapbooking which allowed me to organize my photos even more! There is a genuine sense of peace and satisfaction when everything has its place and everything is in its place.
Which leads me into the next post in my Organization 101 Series. In my last article I explained The Walk Throughand how you’ll incorporate it into Zonal Cleaning. I thought this one would come across more effectively in a Podcast, so here we go.
Click this LINK to go over and listen! Be sure to follow me here & there so you don’t miss a beat.
Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to me here & there so you don’t miss a beat!
If you enjoyed this episode , please LIKE,Follow, Share & leave me a comment! I love your feedback!
If you aren’t following me on Facebook, go on over & give a LIKE & Follow me for daily tips & tricks for your home & garden!
Happy Day, Jean
Copyright Policy
All text and images on this site are copyright of For Dragonflies And Me. Unless otherwise noted, you may not use this content without written permission.
“Clutter is nothing more than postponed decisions.” — Barbara Hemphill
I’m sure each of us has certain areas in the home that are a catch all. You grab the mail and toss it in a regular spot. There is probably a certain location where shoes get kicked off at… and left. Maybe you even have a location where coats or hoodies land… and seem to find a home there! It can be very frustrating when you walk into a relatively organized room and then these eye sores flash before your eyes… and you just feel your shoulders droop and have a sense of frustration.
Well Dragonfly friends you are not alone in this battle of the Hot Spots! Today I would like to focus on a common statement that occurs in my home on a regular basis…. The Walk Through. “What is a walk through?” you ask. Well, it is the next step in my organization series. I’ll touch on Hot Spots in a future blog post, so keep posted for that!
Many of the topics I discuss in this series I learned from an incredible lady named Marla Cilley, A.K.A. The Flylady. Her book, “Sink Relections” taught me how to incorporate all this lessons. It was from the inspirations from her book how I developed my P.M.S. concept! So now lets get into today’s topic!
If you missed my last post in this series, click on thisLINK to go on over to my Podcast & listen to me explaining how to get your life to a state of inner calm, and outer tidiness.
Doing the walk-through…
The walk through is a very basic concept I believe most of us do everyday, but never really had a name for it. It’s easy to apply to our daily schedules and routines and it’s one that children can completely understand. The walk through is simply going through a room and picking up everything that is out-of-place AND putting it away where it belongs. Simply eh?
In the next post we’ll learn what Zonal Cleaning is and how to apply the walk through in it.
“You can hack your brain to form good habits — like going to the gym and eating healthily — simply by repeating actions until they stick, according to new psychological research involving the University of Warwick.” University of Warwick
Various studies have shown that if you repeat the same action for 21 to 28 days, a habit will be formed. I’ve incorporated this aspect into our daily lives over the last fifteen years and it has paid off.
I can see it in my daughter who has her own space now. She likes to organize her son’s toys in the same fashion I use to do her and her brothers. One of my sons has found the organization I instilled in him with his tools, the other with his hobby cars! I also see it in my two youngest sons with their sports & Pokémon cards! So friends, the payoff is there.
With a plastic bag & basket in hand, toss garbage in the bag and items to be put back in the basket.
Start from the top & work your way down. For example table tops, bookshelves, couches and chairs and then onto the floor. Be sure to look under the furniture. Gather up what needs to be put away in the basket, put trash in the bag.
Once you’ve completed the walk through, I suggest you vacuum or sweep the floor. That gives the finished look!
The walk through is not ‘cleaning’ day, it’s something that should be done repeatedly through the day and especially right before bed. Vacuuming only once unless needed more.
Generally there are three times of day I like to do a ‘walk-through’-
Just before lunch- this is when we typically vacuum if needed.
Just before supper- this makes for a more relaxing meal.
Finally, right before bed! This is the most important one in my opinion. The worst feeling is waking up to a mess!
Now that you have this new tool in your cleaning bucket, you can start utilizing it to keep your home even tidier!
Keep posted for my next topic in my organization series: Zonal Cleaning.
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“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.” ~ Anatole France
Welcome to Day 3 of my new Organization series! Today we’re going to discuss the importance of using a journal and day planner as well as calendars. I am also excited to provide information on a NEW tool I’ve been using to help keep me organized! Read on for more!
Many of the topics I discuss in this series I learned from an incredible lady named Marla Cilley, A.K.A. The Flylady. Her book, “Sink Relections” taught me how to incorporate all this lessons. It was from the inspirations from her book how I developed my P.M.S. concept! So now lets get into today’s topic!
Let’s recap the previous post. Now that you’ve created your lists of tasks, it’s time to put them down onto paper or a spreadsheet. I started using an incredible program called Trello. It is a functional program that grows with you and your projects. You can use it for both work and personal life. I have 2 accounts- one for my For Dragonflies And Me and one for my other business, Food Trucks To You. I’ll be sharing more on this in my next blog post, and providing you with information on an incredible course I used to learn this great time saver.
You should now be at the point where you’ve created and P.M.S.’ed your lists and routines. Now you need a place to keep them so they stay organized and are easily accessible.
That brings us to today’s topic on how to utilize journals, day planners & calendars.
This is where a journal, day planner and calendars come into play. Using these tools will help you keep on track with visual ease. I could never keep up with my many ‘hats’ without them.
What’s the difference?
My journal is primarily used for household tasks and responsibilities where my day planner and calendars keep my work related projects scheduled.
Your Journal
First lets look at the journal. It can be as complex or simple as you the designer want it to be. Be aware that it’ll evolve and grow along with your children and as home renovations occur.
Day Planners & Paper Calendars
I purchase a new day planner along with a desk calendar every year. I live by my day planner and calendars because they allow me to visually see what I have going on and aid me in planning ahead through the year.
GoogleCalendars
I also utilize my Google calendar which aids me in scheduling personal & work appointments including Podcast & YouTube recording times with guests. I love that I can access my calendar from my phone for easy reference.
Incorporating the use of all these elements keeps me on task.
Let’s take a look at how I utilize my journal. Be aware you don’t have to have it set up like mine, It can be as complex or simple as you the designer wants it to be. The important thing is it fits your lifestyle and needs. It will evolve and grow with your family & as home renovations occur.
I thought it would be helpful if I explained how my journal is set up, so here we go.
I use a leather-bound 1 1/2 inch 3-ring binder for my journal. It’s filled with top loading plastic sleeves and side tabbed divider sheets. It’s broken down into the following Sections.
Zones refer to each room of your home and is where you’ll put your room-by-room detailed cleaning routine lists. With this concept of zone cleaning, spring and fall cleaning can almost be eliminated.
Daily Routines holds my morning, daily, after school and evening routine lists as well as each day of the week’s schedule of routines that get done. This is where the example of my morning routine I shared with you last time would be placed.
Here’s an example of my Monday Routine: *Purge magazines and newspapers
*Fill bird feeders
*Bathroom (this is where you’ll go to your Bathroom Routine)- tub, sink, toilet, floor
*Wash all area rugs and throw blankets in the laundry
*Kitchen floor, sweep, dishes
The Daily Home Blessing is my Mission Statement. I’ll share this in an upcoming post!
Zone’s:
My Sections are in this order: Zones Daily Routines Daily Home Blessing Menu Plans & Grocery Lists Tools Personal and Activity Frequency List
Pro Tip: Having a menu helps in grocery shopping and meal prep. I will go into detail on menu planning and grocery shopping in an upcoming post… so stay tuned.
Menus & Grocery lists. I like to spend about an hour once a month creating our monthly menu. I of course ask for input from Dave & the boys so everyone is happy!
Generally I try to design the menus seasonally.
Spring & Summer menus focus on the fresh produce we’re growing and that’s available at our local farmers market.
The second is Fall & Winter which features what we’ve canned, frozen and what’s in the root cellar along with what we may have left in the garden & again what is available at the farmers market.
…and now for your personal touch!
My Personal section holds things that inspire me. I have several poems on mothering, being a good wife & person in general, cartoons, drawings from the children and cards from friends and loved ones.
Frequency of Activities section simply holds a list of how often I want to do particular tasks.
*Each section has a Title Page. I have family photos, pictures the children have made, poems, cards and other special things to me.
As I said, your journal is exactly that- yours. Let it be a reflection of what you love, who you want to be, your faith and your passions!
Day Planners & how I use them!
As a writer, and now having both a Podcast & YouTube channel, I have multiple dead-lines for articles and projects which cannot be forgotten. I keep a list of the magazines, other blogs for inspiration in my day planner in the sidebar on the Month-at-a-glance page. I write the topic for articles & when they need to be published along with the due date. Having these visible on this page makes it really easy to organize my writing time through the month.
All my appointments are kept in this part of the planner as well.
My newest tool is an online organizer called Trello!
“Trello is a collaboration tool that organizes your projects into boards. In one glance, Trello tells you what’s being worked on, who’s working on what, and where something is in a process.
Imagine a white board, filled with lists of sticky notes, with each note as a task for you and your team. Now imagine that each of those sticky notes has photos, attachments from other data sources like Jira or Salesforce, documents, and a place to comment and collaborate with your teammates.
I use it both singly & collaboratively! Here is a screenshot of my home page. I will be devoting a blog on this! So keep posted!
More on Day Planners
I purchase a new day planner along with a desk & wall calendar every year. I live by my day planner and calendars because they allow me to visually see what I have going on and aid me in planning ahead through the year.
On the Daily Pages of my planner I keep more detailed information. Here are some examples
*On office/desk day I’ll jot down all my phone calls that need to be made.
*I put down what’s for supper if it requires something needing to come out of the freezer, like meat.
*I’ll add extra chores to be done that may not be on that day’s routine. For example, during the canning season my kitchen gets a bit more messy. The day we do apple sauce I may want the floor washed or the cupboards wiped down when we clean the following day.
*Errands, appointments, birthdays and anniversaries also go here.
This is my favorite spot because I love the feeling of accomplishing my tasks and seeing them be crossed off the list!
The Desk & Wall Calendars!
My desk & wall calendars are basically large visual aids at a glance. It is also where Dave & the kids can leave me notes of anything they have coming up including field trips, teacher notes, vacation dates, etc. I then add those details to my planners.
Well… now you have some great ideas of how to create your own journal and an outline on what to include in your planners and calendars. Go ahead and start working on these until I get back with the next article in the series… How to utilize Trello and an incredible opportunity for a course I’ve taken! After that we will look at how-to do a ‘walk through’ and then the how-to on Zone Cleaning!
If you’d like to see more photo’s of organization, stop by & follow me on my Pinterest page!
If you aren’t following me on Facebook, go on over & give a LIKE & Follow me for daily tips & tricks for your home & garden!
If you enjoyed this blog , please LIKE, Follow, Share & leave me a comment! I love your feedback!’
Happy Day, Jean
Copyright Policy
All text and images on this site are copyright of For Dragonflies And Me. Unless otherwise noted, you may not use this content without written permission.
“First comes thought; then organization of that thought into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality.” — Napoleon Hill
I live by my calendars & journals which are neatly organized with my routines and lists. I strive for organization in the midst of my daily responsibilities as I wear several different hats: wife, mother, writer, podcaster, YouTuber, and entrepreneur! When I need to take a breath from all of my responsibilities, I love to get lost in my garden. It is my reprieve from the daily grind of life. It’s where I go and write down my thoughts, to-do lists, inspirations for articles, & topics for my podcast. The garden welcomes me without hesitation and without judgment. It just requires a bit of time weeding and tending to it… which has never been a chore for me to do.
Many of the topics I discuss in this series I learned from an incredible lady named Marla Cilley, A.K.A. The Flylady. Her book, “Sink Relections” taught me how to incorporate all this lessons. It was from the inspirations from her book how I developed my P.M.S. concept! So now lets get into today’s topic!
I recently retired from my ‘Day-Job’ where I organized & managed over 70 events for a local DDA (Downtown Development Authority) and over 40 for a local Chamber- not at once, but back to back for the last seven years.
I also have a second cookbook and gardening book in the works while I am building my new Podcast and YouTube channels. I love to stay busy doing what I love!
To say the least, I have to keep things organized!
Pro Tip: Understand & realize your limitations! This will help you stay organized & focus on what is time sensitive and what can wait. Being able to say “No” is essential to not becoming overwhelmed. Oh wait… I’m getting ahead of myself. That is my upcoming topic- P.M.S.- I can’t wait to share that with all of you!
Organize= Peace of Mind
I plan a daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal agenda according to what project is at hand.
Over the next few weeks, I’m going to help you organize your life by teaching you how to set and maintain routines. Routines are the key to success in life and when you have a plan of action written down to visually see, you will succeed!
There are many benefits to creating routines which include keeping yourself organized, scheduled, and on track. You’ll be able to create daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal routines that will be geared toward your life and what is happening with you and your family.
The first step in the process of creating YOUR happy organized life is to begin creating your routines!
Creating and Maintaining Routines
Think about YOURSELF!
First, think about yourself and what your needs are. For instance, do you work a part-time or full-time job away from home? Do you have kids at home? Are you single or married? How big is your house?
Make a detailed list, but not too detailed!
Get a notepad and write down what you’d like to accomplish in your home over the next week & through the current month. Start small and don’t worry about trying to organize the list right now, you’ll do that later. Right now just focus on brainstorming and write down everything you think of no matter how large or small the task.
What are your normal tasks in the home?
Write down your normal household chores on your notepad. For example: laundry, cleaning out the fridge, stripping the sheets, vacuuming, etc. Include any & all chores you do throughout the week.
Get your calendar out!
Now take your calendar & make a list of your appointments for the current month. This will be your point of reference. Include everyone in your household, even the fur-babies!
Now that you have all the basics down, you’ll be able to create routines for everyday of the week and organize your time through the year.
The next step is my favorite! P.M.S.~ This is not going to be what you think…and this is for the next day, so keep posted!
Now that I’ve created my routine, how do I maintain them?
Like anything else, once things become a habit it’s much more likely you’ll continue to do them. Routines are no different. By doing your routines on a daily, weekly and monthly basis, they’ll become second nature to you!
I have my routines for each day of the week written down in a journal. I keep it open on the counter during the day so everyone can see it freely.
Here is a sample of a simple routine.
MORNING ROUTINE
6:30 am~ Rise and shine with a smile and get the coffee brewing!
Head to the bathroom to get ready. While I’m there, swish the toilet and sink; get a load of laundry together to start- Wednesdays & Saturdays for laundry.
Brush my teeth; get a quick shower; put lotions on; get dressed.
Throw laundry in if it’s laundry day
Check email/messages with my cup of java; send any responses that need done.
7:00 am~ start waking the rest of the clan up… get breakfast going.
This would be during the school season. I have a different one for our summer schedule.
Keep posted for the next in the series as we look at P.M.S. and how wonderful it is! I’m excited to share this with you in a Podcast. Jump on over to my Podcast & SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss an episode!
If you enjoyed this blog , please LIKE, Follow, Share & leave me a comment! I love your feedback!
If you aren’t following me on Facebook, go on over & give a LIKE & Follow me for daily tips & tricks for your home & garden!
Happy Day,
Jean
Copyright Policy
All text and images on this site are copyright of For Dragonflies And Me. Unless otherwise noted, you may not use this content.
Our homes should be a blessing to our family… and whether we like it or not, we moms/wives/ladies can make it or break it! We need to strive to create an environment that is welcoming, peaceful and cozy for all who enter. A clean, well kept and organized home will make these elements much more easy to obtain. As the ladies of the house, when things are out of order and chaotic, we too feel that and then in turn present that through our actions, attitudes and behavior… “if mom’s happy, then everyone is happy,” is too true a statement! In “Sink Reflections”, by Marla Cilley, she talks about having a Home Blessing (another Buzz word). What this basically refers to is our Mission Statement for our home as women, wives and mothers… it our goal for what we want our home to be… what we want it to reflect. I took this very seriously because I have high expectations! One thing to remember in all this is that even though we have routines and schedules, we must be flexible… we are not drill sergeants, even though I have been accused of that, we are still mommy and need to teach and train with a tender hand so our little helpers want to help and get excited about the process as well. If you have children you fully understand what I am talking about… I have had some really good plans drawn up, but when the baby is puking up a storm from a sudden flu bug… zone cleaning comes to a sudden halt… so be what the Lord has us to be first… woman, wife and mommy! Enjoy yourself in your organizational quests, otherwise it won’t last and it will be just another burden!
Here is my Daily Home Blessing…
DAILY HOME BLESSING
GOAL: To train our dear children in the Fruits of the Spirit and how to apply them to their daily life… not just our dear children, but also myself.
Each day is assigned 1 to 2 fruits- 9 fruits of the Spirit in 7 days of the week.
That day at lunch we review the Bible verse, let them say one that they remember, how many; what book; etc.
Each one of us focus on one area to work on that day: IE. Sat- Temperance/Self Control: Kyle work on self control with reading materials… devotions above hunting/sports; Ethan work on self control by doing a job even when he doesn’t feel like doing it… and so on for each family member.
Give each other encouragement- work together.
Try to create a more peaceful, happy environment~ especially for when dear husband comes home from working.
“But the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy ,peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such, there is no law.” Galatians 5:22, 23.
Next to my gardens I enjoy being in my office next best… that is probably because it is garden themed and very cottagy… There are several elements in the office that need addressing so lets dig right in!
Zone Cleaning the Office: this is my weekly schedule unless otherwise noted. *Dust ~around all ceiling lines and down corners of the room; ~inside wall pocket as well; dust shelf and all furniture- Book shelf, desk, all file cabinets, dresser, printer, computer and computer desk, white cabinet, all pictures/frames, knick knacks, lamps. *Wash windows and ledges; take down curtains first week of month and wash *Clean off all table top surfaces; organize all papers that need it; put all catch all stuff in proper places; file papers accordingly; clean up bulletin boards. *Change garbage. *Vacuum carpet.
Here are some tips on Storage and Organization that I use in my office… now please take into consideration I do all the paper and book work for our farm: meat/egg purchases; 50 member CSA; produce purchase; organization of what my growers will produce; my fields and gardens; seed saving & ordering; I am the Market Manager for our farms Winter Farmers Market and I have over 70 vendors and all the paperwork that goes with that, write three blogs, not to mention all my household stuff… and so on and so on… so I do a lot in my office. It does get out of hand at times… especially when ‘other’ people start putting things in my office and on my desk. *Because I technically deal with five different elements within our farm and dozens of sub-categories within each element I need to keep things separated and very organized. I have 3 file cabinets that help me with this. ~ One is for all Household Documents- such as tax papers, appliance manuals and warranties, large item receipts of purchase, bank statements, policies, and any other things that would fall into this category. ~One is strictly for our farm- one drawer for CSA and the other for market stuff/meat. ~The other holds catalogs, and any ‘other’ paperwork that I need space for. *I use baskets to store a lot of stuff- they are cute & decorative and very functional. I steer clear of round baskets- they take up more space then they provide. I like shoe box size rectangle and square baskets. They sit nicely on shelves and look very neat. Books stand nicely in them and most containers fit as well. I have a five shelf bookshelf in my office that holds some office supplies; reams of paper, envelopes, files, etc.~ several baskets that hide containers of stapes, pens, rubber bands, paper clips, index cards and such. *This shelf also houses many of ‘my’ books- mostly the crafty ones, my cookbooks and several of my scrapbooks. *On the top shelf I have a couple more baskets that hold all my rubber stamps and stamp pads… I don’t do stamping very often and this is a good, out of the way place for me… not to mention the baby hasn’t figured out they are there yet!
*I have a couple of those really cute storage boxes too: one holds my Cricut cartridges and small supplies and the other holds what ever scrap booking project I am currently on… which brings me to another point… my office is also my Craft Supply storage room… sigh! I dream for a craft room along with a first floor laundry and a bathroom I can do cart wheels in too some day… just to be able to set up all my scrapbook and cricut supplies is a dream… no room and too many little hands for that these days. *On the floor under the bottom shelf I have two more of those large rectangular laundry size baskets that hold back issues of my favorite magazines… Martha Stewart Living, Country Gardens and Organic Gardening in there. I do a lot of referencing in these for blog ideas. *I have a really neat old drop leaf table that is painted a light tealy green… this is my desk where I do my field plans, pay bills and keep my day planner. I have several family pictures, and other containers that hold pens, and misc. office supplies on it.
*I have a Computer table/shelf that I picked up at a garage sale… really it isn’t a desk at all… it’s actually a long (6feet), narrow (2 feet) counter with a top and middle shelf… I love it! I have my lamp, printer, and PC on the top shelf while I keep stackable file trays on the middle shelf with other totes that hold my Trade Publication magazines… Growing For Market and Farmer’s Market Today, along with any other ‘current’ documentation that I am working on. Under the middle shelf. On the floor under the middle shelf I keep my Cricut, a few other totes that hold my other favorite magazines… Countryside & Small Stock Journal, Mother Earth News, Acres USA, and of course Country Living… among a few others like Hobby Farm, Mary Jane’s Farms, etc. I know the FlyLady says pitch those, but I truly do reference them all the time. They often give me inspiration for my blogs… they are a part of my work!
*I have several other pieces of furniture in my office that I store crafting supplies, current catalogs, receipts and more… but I don’t think necessary to get into… Some key tips that I like to use in my office is to keep current! Don’t hang onto years worth of catalogs… With my seed catalogs I keep the current year and one year back to compare. With us being a farm, I get oodles & oodles of catalogs… If I don’t shop them, I don’t keep them! Recycle them and do everyone a favor. *Paper work can be so troublesome! My philosophy is pitch anything 3 three years or older. With exception of tax & bank documents, large purchase receipts with warranties and any thing else you will REALLY NEED! *I have two bulletin boards: one is above my PC desk and this has any current and due bills for the farm, CSA group name list & schedules, and of course some inspirational sayings, cards and photos… it has to be cute! *I keep a wall calender right beside my office chair which is between my desk and PC counter, I only write ‘family’ appointments on this one. I keep my day planner on my desk as well as a full size desk calender on my desk top. I use my day planner for everything; farm related, family and personal- it is my tell all! The full size desk calender is where I keep my hired girls hours and any other farm related appointments. on. They are all together and can be easily cross referenced. Day planners are a girl’s best friend!
We are abounding with all the good stuff coming in from the fields and gardens… here are a few yummy recipe’s to help you use it up! Enjoy!
Heirloom Tomato Melt 1/4 cup shredded Colby jack cheese 1 everything bagel, split 2 slices of an Heirloom Tomato 2 Tbsp. fresh Parmesan Cheese, shredded
Sprinkle half the Colby jack cheese over each bagel half; top each half with a tomato slice; sprinkle half the Parmesan cheese onto each tomato; broil on low for about 4 to 6 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and golden.
Cornmeal Covered Green Tomato Sandwich1 1/2 to 2 cups finely ground cornmeal 1 tsp. sea salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 1/2 tsp. season salt 2 large green Tomatoes, sliced about 1/4 inch thick Shortening for frying 2-3 Tbsp. butter, softened 8 slices french bread, cut 1/2 inch thick if not already sliced
1. Combine the cornmeal and all the seasonings into a 1 gallon plastic bag; mix thoroughly. 2. Coat each tomato slice gently, one at a time in the bag of cornmeal mix; remove from bag. 3. Heat shortening in a large skillet over medium heat; fry tomatoes until golden on both sides; remove from skillet onto several layers of paper towel to absorb excess oil; pat dry. 4. Spread butter on one side of each bread slice; arrange 4 slices, butter side down in skillet; top with tomatoes and remaining bread, butter side up and fry each side until toasted golden on both sides.
For Dragonflies And Me 