You’re ready to simplify. You acknowledge that life is too complicated, and you’re so excited to change that you want to throw yourself head first into purging and cleaning and buying matching containers to organize your entire life by this afternoon. I know. That’s how we all start. And then we crash and burn. You know it’s true. This is a no-denial zone.
Remember that you cannot effectively organize an overly scheduled, overly cluttered, overly hectic life until you rid yourself of the excess, or clear your queue as I like to say. Nevertheless, you can use organizational tools to help you on the journey to simplifying.
I have one such tool for you today, and I’m ridiculously excited about it.
Oooo, I’m getting that giddy feeling! Wheee! See, this is why I don’t drink caffeine. Focus, Christy!
Today’s tool is a planner from Susan of The Confident Mom. It is called…wait for it…
The 2013 Confident Mom Weekly Household Planner
Did you hear the Hallelujah Chorus just now, because I think I did…just a little.
This is not your typical planner filled with pages of imposing blank spaces. Let me tell you about it, unless you’d rather check it out for yourself at Susan’s website, The Confident Mom. In that case, arm yourself with the discount code SIMPHOME for $2 off the planner and supplement package.
Visit The Confident Mom (Don’t forget your coupon code!)
Here’s what I love about Susan’s planner:
It takes the thinking out of home management. It’s like someone took your entire household to-do list (even the things you forget about) for the next 52 weeks and laid it out into short daily and weekly tasks. It’s like that, because that’s exactly what Susan did. Don’t believe me? See for yourself.
Isn’t it pretty? Notice how the weekly chores (as well as yearly or seasonal tasks) are assigned a day, so you’re not overwhelmed by the enormity of merely existing in today’s society. The same-old, same old tasks are also included in their own section, and can be checked off as you (or your children) complete them. And there’s plenty of room for personalization, so if, say, your dog ate the neighbor’s pink flamingo lawn ornament, you can add replace flamingo…and dog…on your Saturday list.
The tasks Susan includes in her list are those which she uses in her own home, from daily to annually, as well as those she has garnered from clients and users of last year’s planner. Wow, that girl is thorough! Occasionally some of the tasks won’t apply to you, so you get to plaster a gold sticker on your forehead without even doing anything. That’ll keep the four-year-old inside you happy!
You realize what this planner means, don’t you? No more paralysis from not knowing where to begin. The thinking is done for you! Now who doesn’t like a little vacation for the brain now and then? Okay, my hubby, but who else? Bill Gates, yes, but, you get my point.
All you have to do is find your day, pick something, and do it. Ignore the other days, ignore the empty bubbles, ignore the naked baby running through the house with a bag of chocolate chips…okay, don’t ignore that one. You can jump in where you are. If you’re down and out for a week with the flu or on family vacation for two weeks, who cares! Jump back in when you can, and keep moving forward, not looking back. Just do the next thing.
Sigh. Relief.
Wait…there’s more. (You knew there would be.)
There are two version of the planner available–with or without a Scripture reading plan that will guide you through the Bible in 365 days. (Again, jump in where you are and don’t stress if you miss a day.)
Plus, Susan offers a terrific supplement that can serve as an excellent family organizational tool. You can be ready for emergencies, baby sitters, holidays, grocery shopping, and much, much more that I won’t go into here. You can learn more at The Confident Mom. To enjoy $2 off the planner/supplement combo, use coupon code SIMPHOME at checkout.
Visit The Confident Mom. Take the coupon code with you!
The planner and supplement are available for instant download after purchase, so you can take advantage of your enthusiasm to fly through today’s list. You can print the planner and put it in a binder, have it bound at a print shop (around $4), or hang a page a week on your refrigerator.
Do I recommend the 2013 Confident Mom Planner?
I do. I really do. I like this planner, and I highly recommend it, but…
I don’t want you to buy it unless you can assure me that you will not obsess over the empty bubbles. Do what you can do and be content with that. You are on the journey of simplifying, and, yes, a safe, clean home is part of a simple life. In our zeal, however, we can put our tools and our end goal ahead of the purpose for those tools and end goal. In other words, sometimes we put “making home safe and clean for the kids” ahead of the kids themselves. Spend time on it with them, spend time on it for them, but don’t spend time on it instead of on them.
Let me reiterate, my favorite part of the planner is this: if it’s not on today’s list, don’t worry about it. Go! Have a snowball fight with the kids. Learn how to bake bread. Take a walk with the love of your life. Then, when tomorrow rolls around, gather your family around you and tackle the new day’s tasks…and just the new day’s tasks.
For more information about the 2013 Confident Mom Planner, to hear what other moms have to say, and to purchase, head on over to The Confident Mom.
Don’t forget your coupon code! The planner alone is $9. The planner/supplement combo is $14, but my readers save $2 off the combo with the code SIMPHOME. Thanks Susan!
If the planner doesn’t work for you, that’s okay. Susan offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. Isn’t she a doll?
Click here for more info or to buy! (And don’t forget your coupon code. This is a recording.)
Disclosure: Susan gave me a free copy of the planner and supplement to see if I was interested in promoting it. Would I have promoted it if there was nothing in it for me? Yes, yes I would. Why? Because I share with you anything I believe will benefit you, and which fits in The Simple Homemaker’s guidelines of a simple life…but I will never sell my values or your trust for a few bucks or a free planner…not even one as terrific as this.
If you buy this planner through the links in this post, I will receive a commission, which is one way you can support The Simple Homemaker. Earnings from this site do two things: 1) they are reinvested in The Simple Homemaker, and 2) they buy schoolbooks for my seven children who are chomping at the bit for Spanish lessons and science books. You don’t have to buy through my link, but if you wish to buy, are using my discount code, and appreciated my time investment and honest review, please consider using my link. Thank you! Now go hug somebody.
When I talk about simplifying, I often hear a cacophony of agreement from people wanting to clear out their garages or offices, get rid of a few children’s toys, or sort through their wardrobes to find those 80s skinny pants that frighteningly seem to be back in style and might still fit. (Listen. Those pants were a bad idea the first time around. Two wrongs won’t make a right.)