Organizing myself (with the CM Organizer?) - help please! « SCM Discussion Forum: Charlotte Mason Method Homeschooling

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Organizing myself (with the CM Organizer?) - help please!

(14 posts) (7 voices)

Started 8 months ago by Inky
Latest reply from TailorMade

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Inky
Member

So I'm not a natural planner or listmaker. I am easily stressed out when there's too much to do and the house is a mess. All the advice I read seems to be to make lists and use a planner well. But I'm hopeless when it comes to lists and planners - they overwhelm me! Which is why I LOVE the SCM Organizer so much - it makes it all so simple.

But I haven't worked out how to use the SCM planner to organize myself yet - so my school is going great, but I'm feeling overwhelmed and exhausted by the rest - housework, laundry, keeping up with birthdays, getting clothes for the kids for winter, meal planning ... etc etc. I've used FLYlady in the past and it's helped a little. But somehow I've never hit on a system that works for me and my personality.

Or would Charlotte say "habit is 10 natures" and that I should just practice list making until it doesn't overwhelm me any longer? (but that feels so stressful!)

Would love your thoughts!

Thanks

Posted 8 months ago # Report Post
my3boys
Member

Hmmm...well, what do you use to know what you need to do?? Or when you should/could do it?? A calendar/notebook/dry erase board??

I'm just curious...maybe start with what already comes natural to you.

I love the CMO also, but find that I have to have a list of subject, activities, etc. on a weekly document (I'm using the one that comes with the Planning Your CM...). I update it weekly, print it and put it on the fridge or it's on the counter for everyone to see (my kids mark off their own accomplished work).

But, for household stuff, Flylady routines work best for me. I don't call them that anymore, they're just routines: where is the laundry? 27 fling boogies, grocery list on Fri/shop on Sat., clear hot spots, morning routine, etc. Now mind you, it's not all perfect, I'm not a die-hard, but I know if I do any of it, then that's more than what was done before. Decluttering is #1 for me, hot spots, dishes, laundry, meals...those are most important.

I also use a reg. desk calendar (and a purse calendar) to know what I have going on constantly. If it's not on the calendar, it doesn't happen.
I always have a notebook handy that has all my lists for whatever. I declutter that, as well, or I go nuts looking at pages that have old news on them.

Anyhow, when I revised our school schedule I looked at what my kids were naturally drawn to at any given time during the day and built our schedule around it. Why try to force math in the morning if the child prefers to read?? Why force reading if the child likes to work on math?? It's been working great!
That's why I ask what you are naturally drawn to for organizing your life, even if you don't use it consistently.

Hope that's helpful.

Posted 8 months ago # Report Post
anniepeter
Member

I've struggled with this for years too. Recently my daughter bought me the book Large Family Logistics...and I've been enjoying it immensely. It seems so doable. She has no-nonsense methods that don't imtimidate me...not so different than flylady, but in a much better format for me. Very short chapters, I can pick and choose what's most important to me and do just a bit at a time. It's my new goal to make this a required life skills course for my girls - and me! In hopes they won't suffer from this as much as I have. There is a section at the back for when you're overwhelmed that is a great place to start even if you don't feel like it's that bad. Best to you!

Posted 8 months ago # Report Post
bethanna
Member

I have Large Family Logistics as well and love it. Right now I just have trouble being consistent with routines.

Posted 8 months ago # Report Post
Inky
Member

Thanks everyone for your advice.

My3boys - I tend to keep my lists in my head! I do have a planner for calendar items such as Drs appointments. I've never really found a system that works for me.

Posted 8 months ago # Report Post
my3boys
Member

Does it work to keep them in your head?? I'm actually just asking, not being mean :)

I have to write things down to "see" them, get them out of my head for the relief that brings, and cross them off. I had someone tell me (they read it in a book :) that the process of marking things off/crossing them out actually does something, chemically, in the body/brain. I get an "accomplished" feeling. Almost more than the feeling of "seeing" the accomplishment. Let me give you an example: When I grocery shop, I have a list, I always mark off the item, which is normal, but...what I also do is: if I put anything in my cart that was not originally on my list, I mark it down to be able to cross it off. I know weird, but it helps me to feel "accomplished" and not out of control. Lists provide a way to get tasks, ideas, needs on paper, and out of the head (that's how I feel anyway :)

I hope you find something that works for you as I know we all operate so differently.

Posted 8 months ago # Report Post
Inky
Member

Not really - I mean I get stressed that I'm forgetting things/ late with things etc. I wish I could find a way that list-making really works for me without being overwhelming - which is why I wonder if I can adapt the SCM organizer somehow as that works well for me - it sort of takes the pressure off.

It's just that at the end of the day, I feel too tired to sit down and start planning menus, making to do lists for the next day, etc - either I don't know where to start, or I just end up overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task (probably because I over-think it) and going to bed late. I don't know if that makes sense!

Posted 8 months ago # Report Post
Sonya Shafer
SCM Team

It seems like it would work to put recurring weekly chores in the Organizer and then add things like winter clothes and such on some specific seasonal dates. Hmmm, this intrigues me. I'm going to ponder this and jot down some ideas.

Posted 8 months ago # Report Post
my3boys
Member

I think you should definitely use the organizer for yourself. I tried adding myself, but I didn't really use as much as I should have to give it a fair shot. Plus, I have my flylady routines kind of ingrained in my head and I use a calendar and notebook religiously. But, if the CMO makes better sense to you, then I would try it out. You could just add reminders to, say, Friday for meal planning (or whenever it works for you), laundry, or whatever.

I do need reminders occasionally to do 27 fling boogies, so I may add that to any given day just for the visual reminder. I may do it then, or can look back on the last time I did one. I would probably realize that it's been 2 weeks, or whatever, and that's why the house feels cluttery....

Hmmm...you got me thinking that for certain things it may work for me, too!

Posted 8 months ago # Report Post
delaney
Member

I would love the idea of putting something as "recurring weekly" into the planner. My girls do Phonics Road and I need it in there weekly too. I use the Motivated Moms checklist but find I cross off a bunch and have to draw arrows and shift things around too much. I tried putting my chores in the organizer but find that I don't do them in order always so it makes it hard to work it.

Posted 8 months ago # Report Post
Sonya Shafer
SCM Team

Here are some ideas I brainstormed last night about putting Housework on the CM Organizer. There is a page for housework, one for laundry, and one for seasonal tasks. Take a look and let me know if it's helpful or if you have ideas to add.

Posted 8 months ago # Report Post
my3boys
Member

Awesome!

I'm not the OP, but I will definitely use the ideas. Thank you for putting so much of your time into our needs/wants. We really appreciate it.

Posted 8 months ago # Report Post
Inky
Member

Wow, this looks really helpful. I'll have a go a using this and let you know how I get on. Thank you so much!

Posted 8 months ago # Report Post
TailorMade
Member

It seems like adding your housework to the CMO would work well for you if it works well for your family's school work. I am following the TOC method this year as I only have Internet on my cell phone. It is working so well that I planned out the other aspects of life in a similar fashion. This gives me two binders with which to manage everything. But, things are running fairly smoothly even after several weeks of illness. Because I planned the year (and a grand overall plan for our youngest two dc through highschool) I am no longer in constant planning mode. The thought hasn't even crossed my mind and I've been prone to change plans or start planning for the next year by this time of year every year for the many years we've been Homeschooling.

For our menu, children's chores and my housework I use a 2 page chart (2/week, 4 weeks, placed in page protectors) that I just flip open on the cabinet and follow (or, at least intend to follow) each day. Years ago, I figured out that my "zones" were not the same as Fly Lady's, so, I ditched the email notices, rearranged the rooms by what's most important to our family (read my DH), and tried following it as a to do list. Sort of worked, but not really. Wasn't the format I could "see." I can see with charts instead of lists. So, this chart method acts like a list, but manages several people, tasks, and types of household management that would be a list so long I'd cry. We follow it across and down.

Like Fly Lady, I don't stress if week 2-Tuesday's job doesn't get finished. It will come around in a month. But, I did make note if I realized there was a particular task/chore that never was accomplished and changed the day or person in charge until it became more easily handled.

Some chores needed to be rearranged this year as we added a morning away from the house for a ballet class for our 6yod. I'm glad I made the charts in pencil! Those of that love the computer could just cut/paste chores that way.

Well, enough about me. I'm just encouraging you to use the CMO in an extended way since it works for school. Happy Housework!

Becca<><

Posted 7 months ago # Report Post

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