2020 kicked my butt. But, now I'm ready to kick back.
A Little History
In 2014 after being a stay-at-home wife & mother for 13 years I decided to go back to work part-time as a substitute teacher. The truth is, the first year I didn't really enjoy the job, so I was very particular about when and where I subbed, and keeping up with my home was easy. The next year, I ended up taking a few longer-term positions and even more importantly getting called back to sub for the same teachers. I got to know the students and they got to know me and I realized I was ready to go back to teaching full time. So I applied, was offered a position, accepted, and began teaching again in the fall of 2016.
The students were challenging and I had to work hard to stay ahead. I went in early and stayed late. I worked at home a lot. But, I loved my job. At home, I managed to get not let the dishes or laundry get too out of hand and kept the floors and bathrooms clean enough. The truth is, I was just treading water, at work as well as home. Then things at work changed. Students changed, the curriculum changed, responsibilities changed. I was no longer able to keep up with the dishes, the laundry, the cleaning. I no longer cooked for my family. In fact, my daughter and I bought our lunch at a convince store on the way to school. The stress took its toll on me, my home, my family, my students. And in October 2019 I walked away from my job.
I know I did what was best for me and my family but I was disappointed in myself and it took me the rest of the year to finally begin to feel like myself and like I could begin taking care of my home again.
2020
I began 2020 with major goals to get my life back on track. But 2020 had different plans. It seems like at the beginning of the year every time I got started getting it together something would happen and kick my feet out from under me, then I would have to start again. And then there was March. My daughter was scheduled to leave on her Spring Break trip to NYC at 5 PM March 13th, my husband and I were leaving the next day for ours. At noon on March 13th, all trips were off and my family and I would stay home until May.
I know, it happened to you, too. The truth is I'm lucky. My husband can work from home. My daughter's school has been one-to-one for several years now, so virtual school was easy to implement and she is able to do school without me. So why am I complaining? I had it easy. So many of you reading this have had it so much harder. I know. I know.
I'm just telling you this to let you know where I am. Where I'm starting. That's right, starting. During 2020 I've been able to keep my dishes and laundry done and my bathrooms and floor clean enough, and I'm cooking meals for my family again. But that's it. My closets and drawers and even some rooms are a disaster. I'm starting again.
Why You?
I can hear you now. "Where do you get off having a cleaning and organization blog? You're a mess! Why follow you?"
This isn't an invitation to follow me. I don't think you should follow me. This is an invitation to join me. I think I have a pretty good system to get my life back on track and keep it there, And, I'm starting today. Right now.
Daily Task List
I'm starting by following routines I set up many years ago. They worked for me then, I think they'll work for me now.
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