An orderly life is a peaceful life
Life is run at a frenetic pace, and sometimes there is no one there to pull you off. Other times you get lucky and an arm is stuck in front of your face and suddenly you stop, look around, and realize that you’re not spinning 100 miles an hour anymore. I thank my husband for this because above everything, he knows when he needs a rest. He also knows when I need a rest – the hard part is listening to him.
Today I’m talking about order in our lives – financially and physically. Order means “to put things in their proper places in relation to each other.” When we don’t have a modicum of order in our homes, things tend to fall apart. Laundry piles up, the refrigerator slowly empties, the dishes in the sink start seeping mysterious liquids that smell funny – you get the picture. Especially true is when my role as a mother starts falling out of order. This is where the running-at-a-fast-pace-deal starts to play into effect. We’re only focusing on “outside” pursuits like jobs, games, doing for other people. Don’t get me wrong, I’m just as guilty as the next person. But upon further examination, isn’t it the truth? If, say, a friend needs help, we’ll run over there as fast as we can – but if our child or husband/wife needs the same thing, we claim we’re too tired. I admit this freely – and if you say you haven’t done it you’re lying with a capital L. What is it about this scenario that can be changed?
When our homes are in order, we feel better. I move about in the rooms of my home, sometimes, and simply look around. When the couches are orderly, with pillows in place and blankets neatly folded, I feel calm. When the bed is made, with corners tucked firmly into place, I feel calm. That pile of laundry that needs folded? When there are neat piles, crisply folded into little squares, my heart feels calm. If laundry is piled up everywhere, even if I’m at work, I feel those piles calling out to me. Yes, my laundry speaks to me from afar. It’s calling me to put it back in order. It’s my body and mind physically telling me to whip it into shape. We should listen to this voice. It’s much easier to run out when someone calls, or to tell someone we’ll help them day after day when our houses are messy. We don’t want to face the mess, so we leave it for the next day. When our homes are a calm oasis, our families feel better there and so do we.
When I was a young wife and mother, my days were filled with diapers and dirty dishes. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to get it all done. When my husband would come home, he would be greeted by crying babies and a wife desperately in need of a hair-combing. I would get upset if he just wanted to sit. I needed him to take the babies and relieve me. What I didn’t realize is that I wasn’t giving myself or him a haven of rest to be calm in. Instead of taking care of myself, I counted on him to give me the calm I so desired. It took me awhile to realize that I needed to create this oasis for my children, my husband, and myself. I was a selfish person, and until I realized the need for order in my life, my home was a den of craziness. Maybe that’s why I like to watch “Hoarders” so much? Probably so I can feel better about how my home looks now.
It can be said that when our lives are out of order, so are our finances. If we are running, running, running then so is our money. When we’re calm and orderly, then our money should slowly build itself up. I’m working on that last part – working with all my might. Years of not taking care of things financially and physically left us with money issues that are still righting themselves. The only thing left is to dig our way out. This I gladly take on. And I take it on knowing that with it comes order, which in turn creates that mental haven of peace that we so desire and need.
- Here is a great article taken from the website The Organized Home about getting organized. http://organizedhome.com/time-money/tightwad-guide-getting-organized. Great tips and ideas.
- Check out http://flylady.net/ for everything you will ever need on getting your home back in shape. She is funny and not afraid to say it like it is.
- One of these times I will take advantage of the great shoe sales I find like this one http://thefrugalgirls.com/2012/03/reebok-shoes.html. It’s tennis shoe season and I’m going after this one.
Today I’m talking about order in our lives – financially and physically. Order means “to put things in their proper places in relation to each other.” When we don’t have a modicum of order in our homes, things tend to fall apart. Laundry piles up, the refrigerator slowly empties, the dishes in the sink start seeping mysterious liquids that smell funny – you get the picture. Especially true is when my role as a mother starts falling out of order. This is where the running-at-a-fast-pace-deal starts to play into effect. We’re only focusing on “outside” pursuits like jobs, games, doing for other people. Don’t get me wrong, I’m just as guilty as the next person. But upon further examination, isn’t it the truth? If, say, a friend needs help, we’ll run over there as fast as we can – but if our child or husband/wife needs the same thing, we claim we’re too tired. I admit this freely – and if you say you haven’t done it you’re lying with a capital L. What is it about this scenario that can be changed?
When our homes are in order, we feel better. I move about in the rooms of my home, sometimes, and simply look around. When the couches are orderly, with pillows in place and blankets neatly folded, I feel calm. When the bed is made, with corners tucked firmly into place, I feel calm. That pile of laundry that needs folded? When there are neat piles, crisply folded into little squares, my heart feels calm. If laundry is piled up everywhere, even if I’m at work, I feel those piles calling out to me. Yes, my laundry speaks to me from afar. It’s calling me to put it back in order. It’s my body and mind physically telling me to whip it into shape. We should listen to this voice. It’s much easier to run out when someone calls, or to tell someone we’ll help them day after day when our houses are messy. We don’t want to face the mess, so we leave it for the next day. When our homes are a calm oasis, our families feel better there and so do we.
When I was a young wife and mother, my days were filled with diapers and dirty dishes. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to get it all done. When my husband would come home, he would be greeted by crying babies and a wife desperately in need of a hair-combing. I would get upset if he just wanted to sit. I needed him to take the babies and relieve me. What I didn’t realize is that I wasn’t giving myself or him a haven of rest to be calm in. Instead of taking care of myself, I counted on him to give me the calm I so desired. It took me awhile to realize that I needed to create this oasis for my children, my husband, and myself. I was a selfish person, and until I realized the need for order in my life, my home was a den of craziness. Maybe that’s why I like to watch “Hoarders” so much? Probably so I can feel better about how my home looks now.
It can be said that when our lives are out of order, so are our finances. If we are running, running, running then so is our money. When we’re calm and orderly, then our money should slowly build itself up. I’m working on that last part – working with all my might. Years of not taking care of things financially and physically left us with money issues that are still righting themselves. The only thing left is to dig our way out. This I gladly take on. And I take it on knowing that with it comes order, which in turn creates that mental haven of peace that we so desire and need.
- Here is a great article taken from the website The Organized Home about getting organized. http://organizedhome.com/time-money/tightwad-guide-getting-organized. Great tips and ideas.
- Check out http://flylady.net/ for everything you will ever need on getting your home back in shape. She is funny and not afraid to say it like it is.
- One of these times I will take advantage of the great shoe sales I find like this one http://thefrugalgirls.com/2012/03/reebok-shoes.html. It’s tennis shoe season and I’m going after this one.
Published: April 8, 2012
