Organizing is "Like a Box of Chocolates"

Forrest Gump nailed it on the head when he said the infamous line, "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get." And how true is that? Well, not only is life like a box of chocolates so is organizing.

Not in the traditional sense of not knowing what you are going to get, but quite the opposite. Let's take a look at your normal every day box of chocolates. You have your toffee, the caramel bites, nougat filled delicacies, maybe even a chocolate covered cherry. Regardless of what kind of yummy treats that came in your box of chocolate, there are always your favorites. The ones you snag before anyone else gets to it. For me, it's the toffee. I LOVE the toffee! Then I try and find the all too familiar square and hope to God it's the caramel ones. The rest, well, I'll leave those to others.

Not only will I be "generous" enough to leave the candies that I don't like :) I also stay away from the gold foil covered chocolates. A little too scary for me. I am not really into the unknown. I'm possibly the biggest wimp the world has ever created. Give me what I know and what I like.

The same holds true for organizing.

Think about your favorite chocolates. Mmmmmm....

Now think about some of your favorite organizational systems that you already have in place.

What do you like about them?

What works for you?

What makes you all giddy and tingly inside?

Now, go back to your favorite chocolates again. (can you feel the extra pounds wracking up on your backside yet?)

Other than the pounds that they will cause, don't you wish you had an entire box of your favorites? The same pretty box. The same cute little chocolate cups that hold your mouth watering confections. Seriously, don't confuse my taste buds with all of the other mystery crap, give me the good stuff!

Ok, Suzanne, you seriously need to go and grab the Dove chocolate bar that Chris bought you and chow down because you are seriously whacked!

But let me explain my twisted rationale about chocolates and organizing.

We already know your favorite chocolates (your favorite methods of organizing).

Now think of the other chocolates (some other organizational tidbits you have read along the way). You look through the box and veto the chunky thing that looks like it is growing hair, you bypass the round one because last time you ate one you very nearly tossed your lunch, but there in the corner is something that looks like the same milk chocolate that you crave, it's square and non assuming, and you decide to try it and hmm, it's actually pretty good. So you take another bite and you start to really enjoy it. You may even decide to put in your chocolate favorites database. (You read some great pointers and it matches some of the other qualities that make your other systems a success and you implement and have fantastic results! It is definitely a keeper.)

As for the hairy thing that looks like a chocolate covered cockroach, I would either pitch it in the nearest trash or give it to someone I don't really like. :o) (Just because a popular TV show host says, "Everyone will be able to get organized with THIS easy step", doesn't mean it's all cracked up to what the hype is. Go with the tried and true....YOUR tried and true.)

Now we get to the mystery chocolate covered in gold. Most people will instantly go to this shining beauty! It's gold. It's wrapped. There is only one of them. It must be Yummy! (Oh, a new product came out and all of my organizing woes will miraculously disappear and I will be one happy organized camper!) WHATEVER! Personally, the gold wrapped mystery meat scares the living daylights out of me! Same holds true with all of the latest organizing hype. I'm sorry, but just because it works for Oprah, doesn't mean it will work for me.

Listen to yourself. What organizing style are you? What has worked for you in the past? What works for you now? What is so flawlessly simple for you when it comes to your own organizational solutions?

THOSE are your favorite chocolates.

THOSE are the things that make your mouth water and beg for more.

THOSE are the solutions that will make your life organized!

You just need to realize what those favorites are and since you are going to be doing a lot of work, why not go and get yourself a box of chocolates to make it less painful? Now where is that chocolate bar? (Thank God for great boyfriends!)

Happy Organizing!

Suzanne Babb

The Things You Hate Most

There have been a slew of changes in my little life in the past 6 months and with change comes new routines, new organizing styles, and new garbage that I HATE to do. Some of the things I abhor doing have been easy to eliminate from my life, but others are a necessary evil.

Let's look at the items that I banished from my very vocabulary. Yard Work. Ya, hate it. Don't do it. Not going to start now. When the kids and I moved earlier this year, I had the choice of renting a home or renting an apartment. Although my son would have loved a backyard to play in, I opted for the "Mom isn't going to mow the yard and neither will the kids" option. So, we moved into an apartment. Not only do I NOT have to do yard work, I don't have to change the A/C filter either! SCORE!

Of course, the same can not be said about my other little "chore" that I hate doing. Not that I was doing it before, but it was something that I needed to start doing. Working Out. YUCK!

I have been trying everything in the world possible to get myself motivated to work out and some of the solutions have been a bit excessive but the end result is quite impressive.

The basic recipe and ingredients of my little weight loss goal can be transformed into any organizational project or personal goal you may have.

1. First, I needed a motivator to work out. SCOTLAND
2. Second, I needed an accompaniment to get me into the habit of doing something religiously like working out, but something that would be completely easy. TANNING (I am just so pale and I rationalized that I would "look" thinner if I had a tan. I know, I need therapy!)
3. I got myself into a ROUTINE of going to the "Fake and Bake"
4. The instant RESULTS were encouraging and I was starting to feel better about myself.
5. I decided that I was too self-conscience to go to the gym so I borrowed my parents treadmill and I put it on the patio so I was overlooking the park and I started walking on the treadmill for a mile every morning while the weather was still cool. COMPROMISE
6. I GAVE UP Coca-Cola. (Ok fine, not if there is rum in it!!)
7. I have saved up money and scheduled a shopping date with my girlfriend for the weekend before I go to Scotland. REWARD

So far, I had a week of being cranky, depressed, and a full blown headache. BUT I have the beginnings of a great tan, I have lost 12 pounds, I am going to Scotland, and for the first time in 8 years I own a sundress!

How can this be transformed into turning a nightmare into organizational bliss? EASY!

Let's take laundry as an example of something you want to put into a routine and organize a bit better. You are tired of staying up until midnight on Sunday to make sure your clothes are dry for work/school on Monday morning. You would also like to actually have a Saturday that you can spend doing the things you WANT to do versus being up to your eyeballs in dirty underwear!

1. Find your motivator. Let's throw spending Saturday mornings at the park as your motivator.
2. Let's find a quick and easy accompaniment. Clean sheet Sunday! (Can you tell this is my favorite?) Start washing your bedding on Sunday's the habit will be easy and it doesn't take a lot of time.
3. Your routine is the Clean Sheet Sunday. Every Sunday morning, take off the sheets instead of making the bed. Throw them into the washer first thing and enjoy your morning.
4. The instant results will be the way your bed feels and smells on Sunday night when you crawl into your nice clean bed!
5. Instead of doing all of your laundry on Saturday morning, make specific times throughout the week to do it. Tuesday wash towels and fold them during Boston Legal. Wednesday do Whites. Thursday is Colors.
6. Your reward is going to the park on Saturday and not having a single article of clothing to wash, switch, or fold!

Finding YOUR perfect combination, solution, and reward will help you combat your organizational frustration and transform it into organizational perfection!

Happy Organizing!

Suzanne Babb

With Organization Comes Reward

Yesterday, I bought myself flowers! Yep, a full dozen of golden roses just for little ol' me! Other than the fact that I deserve to have fresh flowers, the reason behind the glorious beauty is none other than I earned those babies!

This past week and a half has been a busy one! I went out of town with a couple of girlfriends, I bought a new car, I rearranged my bedroom, I organized my new little office space, I cleaned the apartment, the kids had spring break, my son turned 10, we went bowling and to the movies, finalized my trip to Scotland, spoke to an old friend and I still had to find time to help a client out with her Outlook calendar and work! All of that in the last 10 days! I sure as hell deserved the roses!

The main obstacle I set out to complete and one that has been driving me insane, kept me from getting a GREAT nights sleep, and one that nearly disabled my poor organizational empowered brain was my bedroom and the make shift office that has violated my space.

Talk about disabling! My room was no longer a sanctuary instead it was turned into a living nightmare and one that kept me from feeling at peace when I went to bed. I couldn't work at my desk, I couldn't sleep peacefully in my bed, and it was driving me nuts!

So I decided to take a bit of my own advice and reorganize my space. (Hmm, an organizer who organizes? Who would have thunk?) Sunday, the kids were off at their Dad's for Easter and I stayed at home and dug into the mess of my desk.

One of the things that was driving me insane about my bedroom was the fact that instead of looking at the gorgeous bed I have, you saw the nasty desk and computer monitor. Not that it was right in front, it was just dark and depressing and it drew your eye.

I also had an issue with space...I had very little! My bed is ginormous (a word I love to make up and use) and it leaves little for anything else. However, there was a 4 and a half foot space and a window seat that was on the side of the bed in the corner. I decided to squash my desk up against my bed, put the end table lamp on my desk and use the window seat as extra space for my printer.

On the wall that used to house my nightmare of destruction, I put a tall skinny table with my beautiful roses on it!

Sunday night I slept like a dream!

The best part is, now when you walk into my room, my desk is hidden behind all of the big poofy pillows that are on my bed and you don't even notice the computer monitor because your eye is following the nose and the warm scent of roses in bloom!

If you are finding that you are completely overwhelmed, unmotivated, not sleeping, not wanting to even look into the laundry room, take a few hours to yourself and really clean out, rearrange and organize your space. It is amazing what a few hours can do for your emotional well being. Besides, it's a great excuse to buy yourself something nice!

Happy Organizing!

Suzanne Babb

Organizing for Moms

Last Thursday I spent the evening 70 miles away from my little home in Gilbert at a workshop with Allison on Organizing for Moms. Talk about a wonderfully fun evening!

Sometimes I get so wrapped up in the business side of "business" that I forget about the wonderful comraderie between people, women, and more specifically "moms". As a mother of two and with having 7 years behind me of being a single mother, it is amazing the connection you get from other mothers. Women who are experiencing the same frustrations, concerns or worries that I have or will. Moms I can relate to or impart some "motherly wisdom" of small children who like to dump their entire bowl of macaroni and cheese on the floor right after you mopped.

During the workshop, we laughed until our stomaches ached, we felt the frustration of our fellow moms, and there were times when we really did want to cry. At the end of the two hours, we really didn't want to leave. Shoot, Allison and I spent 4 more hours together laughing until we cried and almost peeing ourselves in the parking lot in my car! She is definitely my PF'ing friend!

During the night, we learned a couple of wonderful things we tend to forget about. First, don't forget to LAUGH! Laugh with yourself, at your children, at the chaos that is your house, and laugh with the pure joy of being a mom. We also learned two important pieces of being an "organized mom":

1. It really is all about ME! (Or YOU!) As a mom, you are the most important factor in your household. When mom is sick, guess what? You still need to get the kids dressed, fed, off to school, the house picked up, dinner made, and home work done. And yet, we are the last person we actually take care of. If you make one change this year, let it be to give yourself more time for YOU! Even if it's 20 minutes in the bathtub with no interruptions.
2. Routine. Routine. Routine. Find ONE thing to turn into a routine. Whether it's doing "clean sheet Sunday" and always washing the sheets on Sunday, brushing your teeth as soon as you wake up, or going grocery shopping for the entire week on Saturday; take one thing and turn it into a "never fails" routine. It will amaze you how much more in control of your life and your day you will feel.

And ladies, please remember to take a bit of time for yourself. Let go of the guilt, take some time and enjoy you as a person, you as a woman, and you as the lady who brought forth a little life into this world.

Happy Organizing!

Mommy Suzy

Going to the Magic Kingdom

In the fourteen years that I have been a mother and within a few hours driving distance from Disneyland, I have never taken my children. I may have went to the Magic Kingdom on my honeymoon with my first husband (oh, that sounds bad, doesn't it?). But I have never taken my children! So, being that it's my daughter's 14th birthday and she is still into hanging out with her mother, we are FINALLY going!

I have dear old dad to thank for this trip he pretty much is forcing the hand by taking care of the trip. Can't beat that with a stick, can you? So we are piling up the Trailblazer and I get to drive our little caravan to Anaheim tomorrow! Can I just say that I am so thankful that my mom bought the kids portable DVD players last year for Christmas?

So what does a Professional Organizer do to get ready for a road trip? She sits up at 10:30pm the night before and blogs about her trip! I am not to ashamed to admit that the only thing I have accomplished so far this week is get the oil changed, some sort of fluid flush the mechanic guy said needed to be done, new windshield wiper blades, oh and the engine belt replaced because it was broken! Glad I at least got that done!

I probably should have stayed home tonight to get everything done, but instead I felt the need to hang out with a close friend and let our sons run rampant through Jungle Jim's. The kids loved it and it was nice to just sit and think of absolutely nothing but the latest books we have read or recommend.

I really don't have room to complain much and in all honesty, I am not even worried about it because for the most part my life is a complete "always ready to travel" mode. I have my purse I always use on trips already packed from the last time I went somewhere. I did laundry over the weekend and it's still looking pretty good. I delegated the drinks and snacks to my step-mom, and the kids have had their suitcases and movies picked out for months when they heard about the trip. :o) Got to love the enthusiasm there!

All that is left is to grab my make up bag, my travel personal care bag, a couple of shirts and jeans and dump them into my suitcase. Oh, and I suppose I should probably print out the map to wherever it is I am going to! That's always a good thing to do!

Phew, just the fact that I am telling myself that I have it all under control makes me feel so much better than when I started this post! Damn, sometimes I amaze even myself!

Lesson to Learn: When you put things down "on paper", oftentimes it seems less chaotic.

Happy Organizing and have a wonderful weekend!

Balancing Work, Life and Family

A couple of months ago, Allison commissioned me to write a book off of one of my wokshops for Moms. She is speaking at the Motherhood Redefined conference here in Carefree on the weekend of September 21 and she felt that it would be a wondeful compliment to her Live the Life You Love materials.

Well, I am happy to say the first draft is FINALLY finished! It is amazing what can happen over another weekend where I am a lonely adult. Last weekend the kids were with their dad and this weekend they are camping. I can hardly figure out what to do with myself! Ok, fine, I have been working my tail off trying to get this book finished.

Now the ball is in Laura's court as she is my editor. Did I mention she only edits my newsletters and eBooks? I figured the lady needs a break from my blogs so those of you who read them know that they are completely unedited and totally my errors! :o)

The price of the eBook is going to be $24.95, but if you would like to order it and give me a critique or testimonial before September 19th, I will go ahead and reduce the price to $14.95. I would LOVE to have some feedback before the show, especially if I need to change something!
Take advantage of the special.

The Balancing Work, Life and Family eBook covers:

Just for Mom
Creating your ideal routine
Analyzing your time and eliminating time wasters
Design your personal time line
Getting ready for the holidays
Birthdays
Random gift giving
Making a list and checking it twice
The art of cards

Just for Kids
Endless supply of school papers
Family Organizer Board
Controlling artwork
Creating a routine for your little people

Plus a slew of worksheets and the instructions for building your own Family Organizer Board.

100th Post and It's About Laundry!?!

It's my 100th Post! Although, I think I am going to be a bit different and throw a party for my One Hundred and Eleventieth Post instead! (Ok, fine, I am a total LOTR geek! I even took off work to go to the first showing on the first day for each one! Ya, I know!) So I guess that goes to helping explain why I would choose to talk about laundry on my 100th post.

Ewww! I HATE Laundry! But it is one of those necessary evils in life and when I find something to help with my anti-laundry issue I have to share. Now, I am a firm believer in having kids do their own laundry. My kids have been doing it since they were 6 and my parents had us doing it at 8 and although I hate doing laundry, it didn't kill me.

One of the top arguments among my "mom" clients is, "They can't reach the washer and how are they going to pour the soap?" Ok, eh hem, footstool to reach AND the OxiClean Detergent Ball!!!!

I LOVE this! I bought one a while back and have been trying it and it is wonderful! You just pop it into the washing machine and it's good for approx. 25 washes, but you just leave it in. No need to refill, take it out, or do anything else with it. My son, Garrett, loves that he doesn't have to ask his sister for help pouring the detergent any more and she is quite excited as well.

So there you go, my 100th post is all about laundry and child labor! What a combo!

Happy Organizing!

Extra Help for Those with ADD/ADHD

I have several wonderful clients who are making quite a success with their companies even though they have a "touch" of ADD/ADHD. Having the main focus of what they are doing on an overall scale definitely helps them and it also creates an overwhelming feeling of self gratification that they are doing it!

Until the little projects and to do's come into play. Oh, the stress, the anxiety, shutting down and panic that settles in is awful! I can go in once a week and get the office "looking" decent, but what is that REALLY doing? Helping me sleep at night, sure, but in the grand reality of things, is it doing what NEEDS to be done for my clients? No!

Here is what we found out.

1. A cluttered desk and office really isn't a BAD thing. Sure, it LOOKS terrible and I can't handle it, but then again, I am not working in that environment. So who cares?
2. What is HORRIFYING is not knowing what needs to be done TODAY.
3. Not being able to focus on the tasks at hand because of all of the "other" distractions in the office.

What are the solutions we came up with?

1. Don't worry about the mess, Suzanne. (Oh, this was the hardest...for me, anyways!)
2. 6 hour (yes, 6 hours!) of brain dumping. Going over every project and the to do's associated with them and writing them all down (ok, I did this.) I then transferred them into Excel and sorted them by Project, To Do, Due Date, Person Responsible. I then put filters on the row so my clients could only see what was needed to be completed for that day. The important piece was they weren't distracted by everything else that needed to be done.
3. Accountability Phase. For the first two weeks, we have a daily conversation at the end of the day where we discuss what did not get accomplished during the day and put together a new due date. We then review the items that need to be completed tomorrow. After we have that settled, we discuss any new action items or to do's that popped up during the day and schedule them into another day. This has worked INCREDIBLY well!
4. Getting out of the office for an hour. After my clients get into the swing of the planning and accountability phase, I have them plan their day by going to a coffee shop, book store, park, anywhere but in their office. This forces them to concentrate on their To Do's versus what is lying around on the desk or popping up in their email inbox.
5. Having measurable goals. The great part of the Accountability Phase and the Excel spreadsheet is I can keep track from the time we start to the time they are out on their own of how effective they have become! When they see just how much they have accomplished, they are OVERJOYED! They still need a bit of accountability now and again, but for the most part they have their routine in place, it's simple, and it's not distracting.

Some times working for yourself is harder than it seems. You only have yourself to answer to, unless you have a 9-year old who comes in after school and asks how your To Do List is coming and how much money you made (the tyrant!). But if you don't have brow-beating-boy always by your side, who is holding you accountable? If you find that you aren't completing your tasks, if you are falling behind on client projects, or you are dropping the ball on your customer service, you may want to consider getting some outside assistance to help you manage your time and hold you accountable to your responsibilities.

Happy Organizing!

Organizing Your Bills

One of the most frustrating aspects of being an adult are bills. You shudder every time you think about them, you close your eyes before looking at your bank balance, and when your daughter goes over the minutes on your cell phone plan and causing an additional $832 a month applied to your bill, it is enough to drive sane and rational adult over the edge and into the pit of despair.

Aside from the cell phone usage, there are a number of great ways to actually organize your bill paying process so you don't have to worry about where you placed your latest cable bill. (And it had better not be in the mountain of mail that has been sitting on your kitchen counter for the last 3 years!)

The easiest way to pay bills is definitely by Automatic Withdrawal, but if you are like me there is just something so personally violating about that. I will pay them online, but I certainly don't want anyone going into my account and randomly taking money out if I have the choice. BUT if you like the idea, the most definitely sign up for it!

For those of you who like the control aspect, let's get on with our next solution.

This next tip is courtesy of one of my clients and when I showed up at her office this was her pride and joy and she loved the system as it was all hers and I can't say I blame her either.

Susan picked up a 3 drawer tower at Target and labeled the top drawer "1st of the Month" - "15th of the Month" - "Supplies."

The top drawer labeled 1st of the Month held all of her bills that she wanted to pay at the beginning of the month. Regardless of due date.

The second drawer had 15th of the Month and had the same system. Everything she was going to pay on the 15th went straight into the drawer.

The bottom drawer held her stamps, check book, a couple extra envelopes, and a pen.

One of the main reasons for Susan's love of her new system was the fact that she didn't have to look at her bills throughout the month. The actual "seeing" of the bills was enough to cause her tremendous stress. Since she regulated what she saw and when, she didn't have to worry about becoming overwhelmed.

Which brings up a great point about your organizing solutions. If you want to be successful about organizing, you need to find a solution that works for you, your situation, and your way of thinking. Once you have that, the world is yours to organize!

Happy Organizing!

ANOTHER Rewards Program?!?!

One of my biggest Pet Peeves is the ever pressing Rewards Programs that the stores are doing these days. Every time I walk into a store to purchase something they immediately ask, "Would you like to sign up for our Rewards Program? You will save $26.35 today."

Instantly, my brain goes into pissy mode and I think to myself, why even bother jacking the prices up if you are going to give it to me cheaper in the first place? Although, I do know WHY it still annoys me. Of course, I have a Rewards Card for every place I shop, but the fact that I have to carry them all with me drives me even more crazy.

*Sidebar: Borders has the WORST Rewards Program so if you don't have one, don't even bother with the clutter it provides you in your purse.

This weekend I was out shopping at a local grocery store and I was standing at the checkout when the couple in front of me was asked, "Do you have your Rewards Card?" During the entire time at the register, this lady was mowing through her purse and as her items were being scanned you could see the panic start to rise, her diggings getting faster and faster, and then when the question was asked she was in full "deer in the headlight" mode.

As we have all said at one time or another, "I can't find my card. Can I try my phone number?" After several attempts, the phone number just wasn't taking and the cashier was getting impatient.

What happened next was demoralizing and revalidated my extreme distaste for these stupid programs that I undoubtedly always sign up for and it most definitely worthy of another blog post, but for the sake of my not ranting and raving too much we're going to move on. Let's just say they were not ALLOWED to use my card.

We have all been the person who has forgotten the card, gave it to our significant other, or just plain left it in our other purse. Sometimes we luck our and our phone number works or some kind hearted individual allows you to use their card, but what can you do to ensure you have it with you all of the time?
What I do is put all of my Rewards Cards on a single key ring and keep it in my purse at all times. I don't want them cluttering up my actual key ring because that just gets ridiculous, but having a key ring to use is great. I also made one for my husband, since they always come with two key ring size cards. The big card, I throw away. I don't want to carry them in my wallet, what is the point?

If you don't have an extra key ring you can always use binder rings. I picked up a pack of them at Target and they have some great colors if you want something a bit splashy. They come in jewel tones and three different sizes.

Regardless of what system you use, keep all of your cards with you and make the transfer of items from one purse to the next includes your Rewards Ring.

House Work and Laundry

Every Saturday morning my husband goes out and plays roller hockey with the lads and I take the kids to archery and we come home and clean the house. Jorge cleans the bathroom, Garrett dusts the living room and I clean up the rest of the house.

However, this weekend we got a bit off our normal routine and when it was time to get the house cleaned up today, I suddenly realized I really hate doing my floors. Every room has tile, the kids have marble, and it takes me about 3 hours to clean my floor every weekend. Quite frankly, it makes me very grumpy. During one of my grumpy moments when I found yet another dust bunny, I told Frank rather indignantly that I was hiring a house keeper to come in twice a month to do the floors and clean the house.

My husband is a very patient man he would have to be to put up my "vivacity" and he very calmly replied that if I found a way to do that without compromising any of our other bills than I could do that. Hmmm, for some reason that just doesn't sound fair. Logical, yes. Fair, no.

I quickly decided that I could definitely do some pencil pushing and find an extra $100 a month to get someone to come in and do all of those things I hate doing. I sat down at my desk, figured I would check my email first, check out my stats on my website, see if there was anything fun and exciting in my Google Reader since I haven't had a spare moment in the last 4 days and catch up on reading the blog posts. (Hmm, not quite what I came in for, but I will get there!)

As I was reading up on my emails and blog posts I found Marcia's Financial Freedom post and quickly remembered that I was suppose to be figuring out bills myself, but since she was writing about Financial Freedom I may as well check it out. It makes sense, right? Research before I commit. Sounds good to me!

I started reading through her questions...


Do you have enough money to live comfortably?....No, I need a house keeper. I hate doing it.
Do you have a savings plan for emergencies and retirement?...Hello, I'm 33 do I need one? (Ya, I do! AHHHH)
Do you have too much debt and don’t know where to start?...Now that is a scary question and I think I'm going to chose to NOT answer that one.
Do you know exactly where all your income goes?...Last night it went to Boston's Pizza after we watched the Anaheim and Ottawa game. Go Ducks!
Do you have a system for paying your bills on time? ...A few days late isn't bad, is it?
Are you an emotional or impulse spender?...Of course not, just because I buy a new pack of pens every time I walk into a store does not make me impulsive. I know I'm going to do it beforehand.
Do you know how to cut down when you need to save for once-off items like taxes, holidays, etc?...oooh, taxes. That is a very bad word and should be lumped in with the evil 4-letter kind. If only it WAS 4-letters.
Do you know how to budget? Or do you have difficulty adhering to a budget?...Oh I can budget! You should see my Excel Spreadsheet it is GORGEOUS!

Obviously, as I was going through the Q/A period I realized that I probably need an extra hand with all of this. Between priorities and savings, the logical solution to my housekeeping situation is to stop whining and clean my own damn house, but the realistic part of my brain is screaming at me and saying "you spend 5 hours a week thoroughly cleaning the house, what else could you be doing with that time." When I look at it from that perspective I can honestly say that I can afford to hire someone to come in.

Maybe Financial Freedom is what I need to help me realize what I'm spending my money on and where I need to be spending it most.

Ah, I foresee a housekeeper in my future!