I love rearranging my furniture. It makes the same area look different and new. And I like to do it, myself. My husband and kids are accustomed to walking into the house on any random day and finding furniture in a new arrangement, or back to a previous arrangement. My husband always begs me to wait till he returns (especially when 9 months pregnant) and not move the furniture, but I just have to physically do it myself!
I realized the other day that when I rearrange my furniture, and it could be something as simple as moving the dining table, I have a new drive to clean and organize. Double benefit.
Monday 13 February 2012
Sunday 22 January 2012
Best
"The best of you are the best to your...."
Be honest. What was the first word that came out of your mouth when you read this?
We women so happily flaunt this saying of our prophet Muhammad. The best of you are those who are best to their wives. Did you hear that, dear husband?? Let me say it again, just incase you missed a part..
Recently I've been thinking a lot about my dealings with my children. I read somewhere that a person's true nature comes out when s/he is angered. Although true, I think general anger is easier to control than the daily struggles with children. I decided that our true character comes out when we are with our children, and most specifically, when we are awoken for the third or fourth time in the night (or way to early for the morning)! I'm not even a morning person, and my kids' like to test my character before 6 a.m. I think they should have learned by now that they don't want to see that character. They keep testing it anyway. They must think I will change one of these days. I hope they are right.
As I was remembering the morning struggles, it suddenly dawned on me. Although usually translated as "the best of you are those who are best to their wives (or women,)" it actually has the word "family". The best of you are those who are best to their families.
It makes so much sense. Islam emphasizes the rights and protection of the weaker or more vulnerable of two. Whenever it is likely that people will take advantage of a group, Allah himself raises their status by reminding us of the responsibilities of having this "weaker" one under our care. Slaves. Orphans. Women. Children. Old parents.
I will never hear this saying the same again.
Best to their families.
Be honest. What was the first word that came out of your mouth when you read this?
We women so happily flaunt this saying of our prophet Muhammad. The best of you are those who are best to their wives. Did you hear that, dear husband?? Let me say it again, just incase you missed a part..
Recently I've been thinking a lot about my dealings with my children. I read somewhere that a person's true nature comes out when s/he is angered. Although true, I think general anger is easier to control than the daily struggles with children. I decided that our true character comes out when we are with our children, and most specifically, when we are awoken for the third or fourth time in the night (or way to early for the morning)! I'm not even a morning person, and my kids' like to test my character before 6 a.m. I think they should have learned by now that they don't want to see that character. They keep testing it anyway. They must think I will change one of these days. I hope they are right.
As I was remembering the morning struggles, it suddenly dawned on me. Although usually translated as "the best of you are those who are best to their wives (or women,)" it actually has the word "family". The best of you are those who are best to their families.
It makes so much sense. Islam emphasizes the rights and protection of the weaker or more vulnerable of two. Whenever it is likely that people will take advantage of a group, Allah himself raises their status by reminding us of the responsibilities of having this "weaker" one under our care. Slaves. Orphans. Women. Children. Old parents.
I will never hear this saying the same again.
Best to their families.
Tuesday 17 January 2012
Motivations
One of the biggest motivators? My children.
I remember when I was young, before marriage or children. I could afford it then to be unorganized. Then I had my first child. I couldn't get much done, but I could still "afford" to be unorganized. Fast forward to having three children, and I'm still just as unorganized, but at a major cost. My disorganized house, time and life don't let me enjoy my children. During the day, I stress out and every night, I sulk over how "mean" I was to my kids. I know a lot of my impatience has to do with my lack of organization. Although unorganized, I crave organization. In my attempt to create order, I end up being strict or rigid about things that don't matter as much. That obviously creates more friction.
This talk by Nouman Ali Khan talks about what our children crave from us, but only for a limited time. Every elder I speak to gives the same reminder, they grow up too fast. I'm not trying to say I want to leave everything and only be with my kids. A big problem of mine has been not having enough "me" time. But what am I doing to make my time with them quality time? I find that this generation has a hard time giving quality time when all their time is together. It's more likely for mother's who are working to give their children "quality" time because it's limited. There is an urgency and focus on it. As opposed to a stay at home mom, who is with them all day, it is less likely to focus full attention. Or perhaps their amount of quality time is the same, but feels less because of all the "not quality" time in there :)
In any case, I know I hoped to enjoy my children a lot more than I currently do. I hope I can organize myself, my time and my responsibilities, well enough to enjoy and properly raise my kids.
Monday 16 January 2012
Windows
Cleaning My Windows:
So, if you're like me, you will wonder why windows need to be cleaned?? The first time I ever cleaned my windows was a couple of months ago. And this is why.
My youngest was always coughing and/or congested. Her cough was so deep, but every time I took her in, her chest was clear. This was good news of course, but it was frustrating that it would never end, and we couldn't locate a reason. It was like she had a horrible cold for months (yes, literally, about three months by the time she turned five or six months!) By horrible I mean, she would cough and gag in her sleep, always had thick mucus which she would vomit out every few days. The older two also coughed at night, so I figured it really was a constant cold.
Until finally I made an appointment with a visiting doctor who we had for our first. We knew this doctor was amazing with his diagnosis, we had seen it ourselves with our first two. Even through email his diagnosis was spot on. So, we took her in. When he told us the possibilities of what it could be thats keeping her always congested, (one being the possibility that she kept getting a virus soon after one cleared), he mentioned environmental factors.
He told us that once a week I should vacuum her room, clean the window and place a protector between mattress and sheet. Even if I can't see any mould, he explained, I should continue to clean the window with a wipe all around the sides every week.
I wasn't sure that this would make a difference, but since there was nothing to lose, I decided to try it. And I couldn't believe the results! Since then, she rarely coughs at all, rarely is congested or has a runny nose! (by rarely I mean maybe once every week or two, and that usually signals to me that I haven't cleaned the windows recently.)
My older two also stopped coughing at night! It's amazing what a difference something so little makes.. and that no one knows such a little thing! (I have told many of my friends this since and I feel like it's helped at least the few who have done it.)
*IMPORTANT: So I tried to get efficient and clean even better, so I pulled out the handheld part of my steam mop and used it all around the windows today. Yes, I saw dirt and probably mould falling off, and I cleaned it up with a towel. The window looks cleaner than ever. But after doing two windows, I can feel it in my chest :( And before writing this post I thought I'd do some quick research. Turns out you have to be careful in cleaning mould because you can make the mould spores airborne and spread it more throughout the house :( So much for that!
Check this out: http://www.healthy-house.co.uk/information-on-mould-and-mould-allergy
If you clean your windows and feel any difference, please do let me know by posting here! (yes, adults are allergic to mould too, of course! and I did feel a difference in myself too, although I don't clean my windows as regularly as I do the kids.)
So, if you're like me, you will wonder why windows need to be cleaned?? The first time I ever cleaned my windows was a couple of months ago. And this is why.
My youngest was always coughing and/or congested. Her cough was so deep, but every time I took her in, her chest was clear. This was good news of course, but it was frustrating that it would never end, and we couldn't locate a reason. It was like she had a horrible cold for months (yes, literally, about three months by the time she turned five or six months!) By horrible I mean, she would cough and gag in her sleep, always had thick mucus which she would vomit out every few days. The older two also coughed at night, so I figured it really was a constant cold.
Until finally I made an appointment with a visiting doctor who we had for our first. We knew this doctor was amazing with his diagnosis, we had seen it ourselves with our first two. Even through email his diagnosis was spot on. So, we took her in. When he told us the possibilities of what it could be thats keeping her always congested, (one being the possibility that she kept getting a virus soon after one cleared), he mentioned environmental factors.
He told us that once a week I should vacuum her room, clean the window and place a protector between mattress and sheet. Even if I can't see any mould, he explained, I should continue to clean the window with a wipe all around the sides every week.
I wasn't sure that this would make a difference, but since there was nothing to lose, I decided to try it. And I couldn't believe the results! Since then, she rarely coughs at all, rarely is congested or has a runny nose! (by rarely I mean maybe once every week or two, and that usually signals to me that I haven't cleaned the windows recently.)
My older two also stopped coughing at night! It's amazing what a difference something so little makes.. and that no one knows such a little thing! (I have told many of my friends this since and I feel like it's helped at least the few who have done it.)
*IMPORTANT: So I tried to get efficient and clean even better, so I pulled out the handheld part of my steam mop and used it all around the windows today. Yes, I saw dirt and probably mould falling off, and I cleaned it up with a towel. The window looks cleaner than ever. But after doing two windows, I can feel it in my chest :( And before writing this post I thought I'd do some quick research. Turns out you have to be careful in cleaning mould because you can make the mould spores airborne and spread it more throughout the house :( So much for that!
Check this out: http://www.healthy-house.co.uk/information-on-mould-and-mould-allergy
If you clean your windows and feel any difference, please do let me know by posting here! (yes, adults are allergic to mould too, of course! and I did feel a difference in myself too, although I don't clean my windows as regularly as I do the kids.)
Sunday 15 January 2012
Kitchen Troubles
1. Get rid of anything I don't need in the kitchen. For us this meant a good amount of playdoh and accessories. I haven't yet found a new home for these items.
2. Now that I have more cupboard space, re-organize my cupboards. I put all my flour, rice, oil, etc, in containers next to the stove.
3. Looked at what always ends up creating a mess in my kitchen (even when it's "clean"). In my case, this was fruit (very limited counter space), mail/ sales papers, and random toys that find their ways in. I am thinking of what home I can create for these places.
Will post a picture of the completed cupboards tomorrow.
Why Organize?
I’ve figured out my problem. Or really, the solution. The solution to all my problems is organization. I need organization in my life, from my house, to my time, to raising my children and keeping up with life. The lack of organization in my life is taking over and prevents me from accomplishing anything in life. This is why I want to organize myself. I’ve decided to start with organizing my house.
I know people who are naturally organized. Asking them for help is, unfortunately, not very helpful. Most of what they do comes so natural to them. They find it easy. But its not easy for me. It’s very difficult. Because my brain doesn’t organize everything. I don’t just “know” how best to organize things. I also don’t have “a place for everything” and even when I hear that, I can’t figure out what home I should give most objects? Sure, clothes belong in closets. Dishes in the cupboard. But what about the hundreds of other items that never seem to have a place?
I really am organizationally challenged. I’ve come to accept it. And now I hope to resolve it. I’m sure there are others out there like me who can’t “just organize.” For those people, I hope this will help them learn with me along the way. And for those who have already been through this journey or are naturally organized but have some tips, maybe they can help us along the learning. 
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