This is my first appearance in this series on the disciplined woman, by my request. With three little ones, achieving order means catching Owen before he smears lipstick all over my duvet. When it comes to Habit #6 though, several of my mom’s suggestions have made a big difference in this season of my life. Here are three tips for establishing an efficient routine for managing your home:

Food and Clothing First: Lately, my laundry has been spinning out of control. I don't think I will ever see the end of it. I've been trying the denial method. I shut the door firmly and choose not to think about it. But it's not getting any better. I'm still hoping one of my kind sisters will come and do it for me (Janelle, are you doing anything today?)

As a wife and mother of young children, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. On top of that, I really enjoy a clean home. My temptation is to find my joy and peace in the order of my house. I can shut the door on my laundry and fridge, but I cannot shut the messiness of my house out.

But, in busy seasons like this, Mom has encouraged me to focus my homemaking efforts first on these two basic needs: food and clothing. My house may be a mess, but if my husband and children have clean clothes to wear and food to eat, they will be happy and life will go on. So, I guess I’m going to have to open that door to the laundry room after all!

Minimal Cleaning: Before I had children I cleaned my house from top to bottom every week. I sought to keep this standard after I had Andrew.  I would stick him in the entertainer each Friday as I cleaned.  Well, now with three little ones, all that is out the window.  My house is almost never cleaned all at once. For example this past Monday I thought I could mop the floors--just mop, nothing else. Well, by the end of the day, I was only half way done. I still haven't finished. 

My standard, to say the least, is a little lower these days. Mom has encouraged me to adopt a “minimal cleaning” approach: develop a plan for maintaining general cleanliness in the home and save the thorough cleaning for another season. So Windex^(r) and Clorox Wipes^(r) have become my special little friends; my quick way of making my messy house look a little cleaner.