Organize your Home and Life
by Roxy Chuchna - Owner of Roxys
Having a child care business in your home presents a bigger challenge in keeping home and life organized. I have found in working with family child care providers that many times their families think because they are home they can plan the family functions, entertain for the holidays etc. My suggestion to you is to make sure all family members understand you are running a business between certain hours. Setting boundaries in a home can be difficult. Remember if Target opens their doors at a certain hour and closes them at a certain hour and we understand that so will your parents if you have set clear boundaries.
I believe organization for our busy lives are the key. In my workshops I talk about the importance of having a cleaning person come in at least once a month. One of the advantages to this is you give them the responsibility of the house and also it forces you into picking up the house before they come.
Some tips that have helped me:
1. Pick up after yourself. If you get it out, put it away when you finish and train your family to do the same.
2. Don’t try to do two projects at once. One job at a time.
3. Don’t pull out more than you can put back in one hour.
4. Do something for yourself every day, maybe every night, even just for 10 minutes to begin with.
5. Get to bed at a decent hour so you get your rest.
Lets discuss clutter. Clutter attracts clutter. Clutter is to much in a small space. Clutter cannot be organized. Clutter can make you feel embarrassed and ashamed. Clutter keeps saying “you need me.” Go get a trash bag and go to every “clutter spot” in your house and start throwing things away. Take another trash bag and put things in it to go to Goodwill. Don’t tell yourself to have a rummage sale, too much work for too little money. Tell yourself you are going to take 15 minutes a day to de-clutter.
The truth is you are so busy taking care of everyone else’s needs that you forget that you have them too. You are running on empty. Stop doing that!
It is ok to clean one room a day. Don’t beat up on yourself for not having it all perfect. You are not competing with anyone. You don’t need to do it the way your mother did it. She probably did not have a more than full-time day care business running out of her home.
Keep tasks from feeling overwhelming. Clean one drawer at a time, one cupboard or closet at a time and pat yourself on the back for doing it. Do not blame yourself for not doing it all.
Getting the whole family involved is an important key. Stop whining and playing martyr. Do your routines consistently. Quit seeking approval for what you do. Set-up a routine work schedule that the family agrees too. Everyone likes routine and wants to know what is expected of them. You can’t change anyone but you and your loving attitude will set the tone for your house.
