[ecoteat]

My husband and I know we are lucky to have the life we do--I am a part-time teacher with a wide-open summer in front of me, he works from home and can do his work whenever it is convenient, and our 13 month old daughter is very happy, healthy, and cooperative. We live in an almost 300 year old house on 85 acres and we are trying to steer our lives toward being more sustainable and independent.

With our high-maintenance house, fledgling gardens and orchard, careers, high expectations, and a little uncertainty about how being parents fits in with who we were before, we sometimes have a hard time keeping all our tasks straight and making sure everyone (um, me) feels valued, trusted, and competent. DH is a list-maker and I'm more of a take-care-of-things-as-they-come-up person.

All this is a long-winded way to ask: How do you manage everything in your house? Do you make lists? Do you take things as they come? Do you make Excel spreadsheets with everything color coded and prioritized? Do you have a jar filled with projects written on little slips of paper?

 

[CrunchyParent]

I wish I had a brilliant respone, but I'm only smart enough to know that I want to sub to hear the answers, as my house crumbles around me....

 

[CandyApple]

Wow - you guys are really similar to us! I teach, dh farms, and we have a old farm house with acres of yard. We've been transitioning this past week too, from school schedule to summer. I don't have any great solutions, but here's what helps me.

Lists help me, I like the gratification of crossing things off them and having them down to prioritize. I do daily lists (must be done today) and weekly goals (be nice if they got done this week). Plus a running list of summer accoplishments. Dh hates lists, is more the takes things as they absolutely have to be done, or as a the mood strikes him. (I find his way stresses me out way to much, and things sometimes go unfinished til the last minute). He often struggles to see how much he's accomplished in a day, even if he has done a lot, yet he's much better at just relaxing and enjoying his afternoons... Sorry, not much help there.

Even if you don't want to do lists, it helps me to break projects up into categories like: meaningful activities with the boys, general housecleaning/laundry, home maintence project, fun hobby time, out side upkeep. If I hit something from most of them, at night I feel like it was a good day.

My biggest thing is being aware of when I'm in the mood to do what. During the school year there is so little time when I'm not tired or on a strict schedule, its a big change to have the whole day and not be exhausted by 7pm. I'm remembering that I like to deep clean late at night, I like yard maintence after supper when it is cooler and the boys are playing together well before bedtime. I feel good when the kitchen is clean and laundry is started before 8am. I'd rather read to the boys and play before lunch. Do errands with them right after naps.

OK, this has gotten too long. No spread sheets for ua, and each day is a new adventure. Hope that helps,
Amanda