You see, I DO believe life is too short to make things too hard to accomplish (spotless windows just don't happen - especially with little fingers around that like to point to a squirrel or butterfly), and I want to concentrate on our family, not trying to impress the neighbors. That said, I don't want to feel embarrassed by my home either...
Life is to short for...
1. Spotless windows (um, I DO need to wash mine soon - we've lived here for over 4 years, and have yet to give them a good clean... it IS time, but I'm not going to make sure they are spotless)
2. Having perfect grass with no moss... lets face it, in the Seattle area where we have evergreen trees and lots of rain, you CAN'T get rid of the moss and keep it gone without paying a lawn company to do it, or without spending hours every month on lawn maintenance yourself. I don't have the extra money to pay to have it done, and I'd rather play on the extra cushy mossy lawn with my boys laughing by my side! (I was going to see what I could do about it, but let's face it... when everyone else's lawn is brown because of the hot weather that we do inevitably get for at least two weeks in summer, my lawn will still be nice and green in most areas because that darn moss can live through EVERYTHING!)
3. Washing the cars often... again - this is Seattle. If I wash the cars today, it will likely rain tonight and re-spot them anyway. Now I will admit, my husband pointed out the pollen that has now caked on the cracks of both our cars, so it might be time to give them a good scrub, but I'm not going to do it every weekend!
4. Ironing! Unless we are going to a wedding, it just doesn't happen... in fact I have a divided laundry hamper, and the third section that is hard to reach is specifically for those items that are dry-clean only or that need to be ironed! If something ends up in there, I DIDN'T buy it! I KNOW better. :) I don't like to iron... I've never understood why people iron their jeans (sorry to the 3 relatives I know who do this! Your jeans always look great, but I like mine wrinkled and comfy, plus I tried to iron them a few times, and only managed to iron in more creases!), or why they iron their pajamas (Grandma V - that one is for you! Yes - your nighties are beautiful, but when you put them on and sleep in them, you wrinkle them anyway... never really understood that one either).
I could really go on and on here, but instead, I'll share a few tips I've learned with the hopes that you'll leave a comment and give me some more!
Tip 1: Get those Lysol (or other brand like Costco) wipes - they make simple cleaning a breeze, and REALLY shorten the amount of time it takes to do a quick clean when you are having company over or someone calls to say they are just down the street.
Tip 2: Do a really good cleaning job throughout the house every other week instead of every week... lets face it, the dirt is just going to come back, and as long as the toilet and sink aren't turning pink, who will know anyway? Yikes - confession time here - I don't even do a GREAT job every other week!
Tip 3: When you are in a hurry, vacuum the open areas and do a quick sink/toilet clean - people are more likely to notice dirt on the floors and a dirty sink/toilet than to look for dust and cobwebs!
Here's the post from Twitter Moms:
Lisa Quinn, known as the House Doctor on the ABC San Francisco show, "View From the Bay", is out with a new book.."Life is Too Short to Fold Fitted Sheets: Your Ultimate Guide To Domestic Liberation".
What else is life too short for?
Says Lisa Quinn:
1) Life is Too Short to Plant an organic garden of heirloom vegetables and flowers in the form of P for perfect.
Here's the brutal truth, Ladies, you can't have it all. Why would you even want it all? Consider the alternative for a moment. Consider a life without all this pressure, imagine having happiness, order, peace, and success in your life without all the drama. It begins by stepping away from perfectionism.
2) Life is Too Short to Judge Yourself by Other Mom's Opinions of You.
I met a busy mom of three the other day who in the midst of our conversation admitted that she sometimes skips out on playdates because she feels her clothes and the clothes of her kids don't measure up. I had a similar story to share. I bought a fake Chanel bag once, for certain occasions. I was always terrified that someone with a real Chanel bag was going to out me. It wasn't enough that I was outgoing and personable: I apparently needed a $2500 purse, too. It's not just fashion, it's everything. You've got to love the little zingers you get from the other moms who just want to help. "Oh...so you send Gillian to preschool...Well, I'm sure that makes it so much easier for you" or "Wow, you let him eat that?" or "Bless your heart, you're working so hard. It's no wonder you can't keep the house up." My favorite is, "You Look So Tired." How do you even respond to that? Should you apologize?
BTW, I still have that fake purse. It sits on a shelf in my closet stuffed with plastic bags to help keep its shape. I hang on to it to remind myself what a knucklehead I can be.
3) Life is Too Short to Say Yes.
Are you a yes-woman? Do you consent without even processing the request? Do you agree to volunteer (again) then instantly dread the whole process? Do you feel guilty when you say no?
Thinking you are a bad person for saying no is a symptom of the 'disease to please.' I say take care of the ones you love and shamelessly deny the rest. It may be difficult at first, but after a while, you'll see the payoff: more time and less dread. Just say no. And when you do say no, keep your answer short. Lengthy justifications just make it seem like you are lying. A drawn- out response might also give you time to start feeling guilty and say yes--especially if you are lying.
Moms: What do you think life is too short for? Blog your responses to win a free copy of Lisa's book for review and mention on your site by answering the question and posting a link to your blog post in the comments section below.
LOL - sadly, I've got THAT purse in my closet too! Glad I'm not the only one, and I just might donate it this weekend - it never did make me happy. I'm also one of those yes-people who has trouble saying no to anything... need to really work on that one as my time gets soaked up by things I don't want to do.
How about you? Do you have any tips for taking back your time so you can spend it doing the things that really count?
3 Comments:
Life is certainly too short to worry what other moms think, I agree! It has always been hard keeping up with the Joneses and their darn kids. I prefer moss over grass because, as you said, it is very soft to play on!!! Who wants a chemical company to come in and spray gross stuff to get rid of soft stuff. My tip is to put our paper calendar right on the fridge...where everyone can see what is coming up in our life!
Peaceful Reader - Great suggestion - I need to do better with my calendar! I put a lot in my pda, and need to also write it down so others can see it too. :)
I didn't think about the chemicals, but that is a good point too!
Life is too short to queue up at the bank. Use the Internet!
Steamy Darcy
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