february resolution : organize

I've made the resolution to create for myself a goal for each month of the year, starting February. (I'm already a little late to post, because it's impossible for me to commit to things.) The reason for this is because every year I have this idea of goals I want to accomplish, but when I write them all down, I get overwhelmed, especially with the idea of sticking to them for the entirety of the year. A goal of one month isn't as daunting, and at the end of the month, I can continue to stick to the resolution, or I can decide if it is too much or just simply not worth it.

For the month of February, I am going to get completely organized. I will organize every nook and cranny in our apartment, and organize my daily life. I will put my kids on the the routine I've always wanted (which includes waking up early... ew, I am not a morning person), where they not only have a bedtime routine every night, but also rise at the same time every morning and we complete certain tasks throughout the day, such as reading lessons, craft time, and a much needed quiet book time in bed for River every day (mostly needed by me to keep my sanity, not so much for the very energetic & cheerful River). I want... no, need things to be tidy and for everything to have a place. I know a clean house isn't everything, especially as a mother to two young children; after all I must answer the call of my kids before answering the call of their laundry, but I cannot function in a messy house. I am also a perfectionist; this doesn't mean that I do everything perfectly... it does mean that I want to do everything perfectly, and when that doesn't happen (because... you know), I give up. It could be a good characteristic, but I treat it in such a way that it is more of a hindrance than a help. I give up on things too easily and I've got quite a lazy ass to go along with it.

This month I want to not strive for perfection, but strive to be the mother and wife I truly want to be. I am tired of feeling sub-par. I know my value is not based on my house-cleaning skills and whether my parrot I mean three-year-old can read (because why else do we teach toddlers to do crazy things like read and name every president?), but I think that to feel good about myself, I need to be at least trying to be the best I know I can be.

Goals for this month:
- Organize every space in every room in the house. Closets, drawers, toy bins, bookshelves, baskets, and filing cabinets. Everything.
- Put the kids on a steady wake-eat-rest routine.
- Don't go to sleep at night with a messy kitchen and living room.
- Organize the past two years' worth of digital photographs.