Anti-Procrastination Challenge: Attack your Mending Pile

 I worked on my mending pile a couple weeks ago, but I never got all the way to the bottom of it.  I finally finished up the mending today, but I have a half-sewn dress that I still need to finish.  I started working on it last year, but I got pregnant and couldn't finish it because I couldn't fit into it to try it on!  Now I have a few more pounds of baby weight to lose before I can finish it.  Anyway, I'm rambling.

On to your challenge for the day:

Whether you have 1 article or 10 in your mending pile, I want you to mend at least one item start to finish.

That includes putting all your supplies back away when you're done and putting the clothing back in the closet or washing it if need be.  (If it's been in your pile for a while, it may be a little dusty.  I won't tell you how I know that clothes in the mending pile can indeed get dusty.)

If this is your first time visiting The Imperfect Homemaker, you may be wondering what The Anti-Procrastination Challenge is.

Basically, I challenged myself at the beginning of the year to complete one task every day that I would normally put off until all of my “regular cleaning” is done.  I've done things like clean out a drawer, vacuum under the couch, clean out my coupons, etc.  Just recently, I realized that maybe some of you are like me and do better when you have a little nudge, so I decided to start posting a challenge for you to complete every day as well.  If you go here, you can see all the challenges I've posted so far. 

Be sure to subscribe to email updates or follow me on Facebook so you won't miss any of the challenges!

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Anti-Procrastination Challenge: Do you Have a Will?

Today's Anti-Procrastination Challenge is something none of us like to think about.  But the truth is, all of us are going to die one day.  (Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment)

We tend to procrastinate on matters like making a will because we don't really plan on dying anytime soon.  But in reality,  none of us are guaranteed another moment.  (James 4:14  Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.) 

So let's stop procrastinating and get things in order so that our loved ones do not have extra stress should we suddenly pass away.

Obviously you may not be able to complete this task start-to-finish today, but I am challenging you to take the necessary steps to begin the process.  Contact your lawyer, or find a place online that has a fill-in-the-blanks version that you can get notarized.

We are using the service that is provided to members of the Homeschool Legal Advantage.  They have a fill-in-the-blank form that you can send to them to make any necessary corrections.  They send it back to you to get it notarized and you're done!

If anyone else has any helpful resources for getting your will drawn up I'd love for you to tell us in the comments!

And of course, be sure you're subscribed to email updates or follow me on Facebook to receive each day's new challenge!

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10 Things Small Children Can Do in the Kitchen

My children are always begging to help me in the kitchen, but sometimes I have a hard time thinking of things that they can do.  I did a little brainstorming and compiled a list of 10 things that children as young as age 2 can do in the kitchen.

1.Dump ingredients into a bowl.  You measure it and then allow them to dump it into the bowl.

2. Stir.  Since they will probably not stir it as well as it needs to be done, you can tell them that you will start and they can finish.

3. Put toppings on pizza.  Lay out the toppings and let them have fun spreading them on the pizza.

4. Put forks, napkins, and condiments on the table.  Of course you're not going to let a very small child put the breakable dishes on the table, but they can set the forks and napkins around and help you put small items on the table like ketchup or salad dressing.

5. Sweep the floor.  A child is not going to be able to get the floor completely swept, but they will feel like such a big boy or girl using the broom.  It will probably keep them occupied for a while.  You can also teach them how to hold the dustpan for you while you sweep the dirt into it.

6. Tear up salad greens.  If salad is on the menu, you can keep children occupied tearing the lettuce.  They may even do a better job at it than you!

7. Wash dishes.  Give them a chair, a sink full of soapy water, and some unbreakable dishes, and let them have at it!  They may end up a little bit wet, and you will most likely have to re-do the dishes, but they will have fun!  They will also be developing the skills they need to wash them them right way when they get a little older.

8. Dry dishes.  If you're not in the mood for a wet kitchen, you could wash and let them dry.

9. Chop Vegetables with an enclosed chopper.  If you have a hand chopper that is enclosed, they could take a turn at chopping.

10. Help you unload the dishwasher.  Kids as young as age 1 love to help unload the silverware from the dishwasher.  They can hand you one piece of silverware at a time while you put them away.

Children will probably not do everything perfectly in the kitchen, and you may get frustrated when they use the spoon more often as a bat than as a stirring utensil. But when you allow them to help, they will develop skills that will allow them to really be a help in the future.  You are also spending valuable time with them, and they will know by the time you spend how much you love them.

 What did I miss?  I'm sure there are more things that kids can do in the kitchen that I didn't think to put on this list.

Anti-Procrastination Challenge: Clean out those Coupons!

 If you missed it yesterday, I told you that I'm going to start posting an Anti-Procrastination Challenge for you each day.  If you need a little inspiration or motivation to start working on those annoying things around the house, this is it!  Be sure to subscribe to email updates so you'll receive each day's new challenge in your inbox!

(By the way, I will not be asking you to complete any task that I have not first completed myself.)

Today's Challenge: Clean out your coupons and receipts.

Depending on the type of person you are, this could be a small task or a very large one.  If you don't use coupons, you may only have a few random receipts lying around.  Round them up and file them if need be or throw them away.  If you are a big-time coupon user, you may have a big job ahead of you.  Don't just say “I ought to…” or “I really should…”; just get up and do it!  Toss the expired ones, file the current ones where they need to go, and get them all cleaned up.  Maybe you're somewhere in the middle.  You clip a few coupons for things you usually buy and you have a few restaurant flyers lying around that have come in the mail.  Throw out anything expired and put the rest away.

I got mine all taken care of today.  I know everyone has a little different system for how they organize their coupons.  I call my system the “messily neat system”…or should it be the “neatly messy system”?  Either way, it works for me.  Basically, I came up with a way to keep everything corralled into one place and fairly easy to find without spending forever filing it just so.  Maybe I'll show you how I do it one day.   

For now, you've got a job to do!

And when you come back, I'd love for you to tell me how you keep your coupons organized!

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Anti-Procrastination Challenge: Your First Task!

I shared my anti-procrastination challenge with you before this year even began, and I've been plugging away at it ever since.  I told you last week how it has affected my home, and I am so excited to see the progress I've made in just one month!  I left it up to you to establish your own rules if you want to join me, but if you're like me, maybe you work better if someone tells you what to do!  So, I'm going to start posting the challenge for the day to help spur your thinking as to what those little nit-picky things are that need to get done around the house!

Your first challenge is to vacuum or sweep under your living room furniture. 

I mean, actually move it and thoroughly clean underneath.  You may be surprised at what you'll find under there.  Perhaps you'll only find a few dust bunnies, but if you have kids there is no limit to what might be lurking under there!  You know what I just found under mine?  A clementine!  I am so glad it wasn't rotten!  Putting off cleaning under the furniture would have left a nice little odor in my house in a couple weeks!

So, go get started!  If you find anything interesting under there, let us know about it in the comments!

And be sure to keep yourself updated on each day's challenge by subscribing in the box below!

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