Progress, Not Perfection!

Or “Housework done incorrectly still blesses your family.”

I have never been a great housekeeper…too easily distracted, procrastinate too much, too much of perfectionist,…whatever the reason.  I had made some headway last year, but then Brother Blessing was born.  Let’s just say…I’m just now breaking through the fog of survival mode of the transition to having two kids.

So, recently, I’ve started really trying to get back on track with my daily routines and some decluttering.  At times, it is really overwhelming and discouraging.  For one reason, it is never ending, especially with two little ones running around making messes faster than you can say “Calgon take me away”.  And Brother Blessing isn’t fully mobile yet.  I can only imagine how many messes he will make once he is on the move.  Actually, I can and it’s scary and I’m not going to let myself go there or I might have to hide in my room.

Then there’s the clutter.  We have too much stuff.  And we need to get rid a lot of it – bless someone else with it.  FlyLady (check out the link to find out more) says to just work on it 15 minutes a day.  However, just trying to do the basic things done around the house that have to be done and take care of a four year old and almost eight month old, doesn’t leave a lot of time for much else.  So I look at the clutter we’ve been blessed with and wonder if I will ever finish.  

The perfectionist in me has tunnel vision.  I only see the mess that’s still there, not the progress I’m making.  And while I’m trying to extend myself some grace since I have two whirling dervishes “helping me”, I get down on myself.  And I feel guilty that I’m not doing better, especially when I try to do some sewing or crafting.  I feel like I should be doing housework instead.

We had a gathering at our house recently and did some crisis cleaning to get things presentable.  We’ve done a fair job of keeping things up.  It was the catalyst I needed.  Sister Blessing now has daily routines that help me with their bathroom and her room.  She loves it and I hope I’m instilling good habits in her that will last.  I’m working on getting a least part of my routine done every day, but if something doesn’t get done, I don’t beat myself up.  I just try to get back on track tomorrow.   

Anyway if you’ve read this “book” of a blog entry so far, you’re too kind.  All of this is to say that I’m really trying to get my house in order so I have more time to sew and do crafty stuff without feeling guilty.  I want to bless others with my crafts, but also would eventually like to bless my family financially with what I make.  However, I feel like I need to focus on my family first.  So if you were wondering why I haven’t started the store yet – that’s why.  I just can’t in good conscious do that until I feel like I have a better handle on things.  I’ll still be doing some crafting and sewing.  I like to make gifts and crafting is my stress relief. 

In fact, I’m working on something to help me get organized.  I don’t know if I’ll post a picture of the finished product or not.  One, we left our camera charger at my parents’ house over Christmas and just realized it this week – waiting for it to  be mailed to us.  Two, it probably will have our name on it and I’m still trying to decide just how anonymous I want this blog to remain (at least to those who may read it and not know me personally).