Top Tools for Controlling Chaos

Does chaos reign in your home? Choas means confusion and disorder. Do you find yourself looking far and wide for things in the home? Things such as keys, that piece of paper you wrote a note on your favorite pair of earrings? Are you frazzled come dinner time because you’re not sure what you’re serving let alone what you have in the house? Are you rushing in the morning because all the laundry is dirty and you have nothing decent to wear?

These are signs of chaos.

Although her books are not the latest on the market I still love the timeless wisdom for creating order out of chaos that Emilie Barnes offers in her homemaking books. One of her solutions to the problem of chaos is found in four simple tools you probably already have laying around the house. They are basic simple things you can come up with in short order.

First: A To Do List. This is so important. Probably your best diffence against the disorganized bug. Don’t overload your to do list with every project you can think of and things you know you will probably not get to in the next 24 hours.

This list is for daily items. Use it wisely to list things you know you need to get done.

Prioritize your to do list so you know what needs to be taken care of first.

Try to have no more than 10 things on your daily to do list

If you’re new to a to do list start simply. Put on the chores and errands you want to get done that day. Check them off as you complete them.

Second: A calendar or two or tree. Emilie recommends 3 types of calendars to organize your days and I agree. One calendar for the month. One calendar that is a week at a glance and one that is your daily calendar.

Use the monthly calendar for appointments, bills due, and such. When your bills come in the mail, or the email, note the due date on your monthly calendar. Even if they always are due at the same time.

Use your week at a glance to keep track on what you have going on for each day of the week.

You might notice that you keep a certain type of weekly schedule. For example I clean house on Mondays, errands and outings on Wednesday, baking day on Thursday, and the like. Use your weekly calendar to keep track of your own weekly schedule.

And then use your daily calendar to keep track of the pattern of your day. Transfer any routine items, appointments, and yes even meal plans to your day’s calendar.

Third: A telephone/email list for those numbers and addresses you need to access quickly.

Why should keep such a list? Do you remember the numbers and emails for everyone and place you need to call? Of course not but in cases of emergencies or even being out and about you never know when you may need a number or email.

In this day and age of iPhone and iPads I still find myself thumbing through my planner address book so I agree with this one. But of course if you’re more digitally minded then keep this is on your gadget of choice.

Fourth: A great filing system. Everyone needs a great filing system. As much as you try to go paperless there are still papers you need to keep track of and have on file.

Two I can thinking of off the top of my head are your yearly taxes and product manuals. I also keep shipping receipts for a year or longer depending upon the item and we have more sensitive personal papers in our household.

A simple effective filing system will keep these papers handy.

Gain a little control this year and put these four control tools into practice.