Queen (or King) of the Castle: Intro (Week 17)

I have a few gentlemen readers...hence the title. ; ) Aunt Ruthie at Sugar Pie Farmhouse suggested a book the I've been reading. I thought I'd share it with you!

Queen of the Castle: 52 weeks of encouragement for the uninspired, domestically challenged or just plain tired homemaker is written by Lynn Bowen Walker. "When Lynn began searching for a general book of family and homemaking tips, she quickly discovered that while there were hundreds of titles on meal-planning, organizing, decorating and parenting, there was no ONE book that acknowledged her job included literally zillions of tasks. And like every woman with a family, she didn't have time to read more than one either. ... So she wrote the book herself!" -- back cover quote

I thought I'd take you through, week by week with a glimpse of each chapter. Since it's not January we're not starting at the beginning of the book, but that's o.k., I hope you'll get a lot out of the bits and pieces that I share with you. I also hope that you'll check this book out yourself. You can purchase it here or borrow it from your local library.

We're starting on week 17 because it's week 17 of the year. Can you believe it?! Wasn't I just packing away all the Christmas decorations just yesterday? Wasn't I just relishing the fact that I had all lazy winter long to get some crafting done? Wasn't I just...well I digress...you get the idea. Time flies when you're having fun and I am having fun with my family at the Old House Kitchen. Anywho...where were we? Right. Week 17...

"So You're a Sidetracked Home Executive?" is the title of week 17. This week we are to focus on getting back on track. Years ago when we didn't have any children I was o.k. at organization. As we increased our family size my abilities to organize and maintain peace and order in the home had to increase or we were going to crash and burn! Lynn gives you ideas of places to seek help in the organization process. From the Flylady to The Messies Manual to the Sidetracked Home Executive sisters Pam and Peggy you'll find ideas for "help".

She also offers ideas for clearing the clutter from your home. The favorite and most used around our home is the Three-Bag Method. Work room by room, sorting what you find into bags or boxes marked "throw away", "give away", and "put away". Set the time and work for thirty minutes at a time. (I work until a room is clean so I can cross it off my to-do list!). When the timer goes off, the throw-aways go straight into the garbage, the give-aways go straight to the car for delivery to the nearest Goodwill (or to someone you know who needs it and you will see in the next few days), and the put-aways go back where they belong (books to the bookshelf, toys to the toybox, etc.).

It may take baby steps to get your house decluttered but you will be so happy that you did it!

Lynn ends this chapter with a prayer and a verse. "There is an appointed time for everything. An there is a time for every event under heaven. ... A time to keep and a time to throw away." (Ecclesiastes 3:1,6)

Next week I'll share tidbits from the next chapter!