One Constant

Life has been crazy this last month- putting our house up for sale, selling it, Thanksgiving, getting ready for Christmas, trying to find a place to live, and packing, packing, packing. The house most days is in disarray with a box here and Christmas stuff there, but amongst the whirlwind, there has been one constant that has kept me sane…

Made beds.

No matter how thrashed the rest of my house is, I can count on at least the beds being made.

I started making my bed daily 9 years ago.

Right after I had my first daughter, I was way overwhelmed. I remember sitting my husband down one night and telling him that I couldn’t do it all and take care of a baby. I could for sure do one task a day and he got to pick what that one task was. He could either have a clean house, a home-cooked meal OR a showered, put together wife everyday when he came home from work.

He thought for a minute and said what he really wanted was for me to make the bed every day.  (He likes to get into a made bed at night.) I was shocked and surprised. That is the easiest thing ever. I could do that! (I thought for sure he would want me to get ready every day. But he told me he thinks I am just as pretty without make-up. I love him, liar or not).

So I have made my bed every day for the last 9 years. I have taken his wish seriously. I fluff pillows, tuck sheets, and fold blankets. It is one of  the first things I do in the morning (assuming there are no kids in it).

And I expect my kids to make their beds everyday too. For awhile there, I was thinking I expected too much and then I read on some big time blog that she has this same expectation, and I regained confidence in my own beliefs.

Now although my bed is perfect 🙂 I don’t expect my kids’ beds to be perfect. I just want them to form the habit of making their bed everyday so I accept their wrinkled blankets and skewed sheets. Here is Crew’s bed one morning:

And here it is yesterday.  (Man, he nailed it.) Yeah!!! for improvement and taking your time. (What he doesn’t know is now I know how great a job he can really do, so now I will expect more.)

If you feel overwhelmed or like life is out of control, try making your bed every day for a week.  It will keep you from crawling back in and it will stay made all day.  Making your bed just might make you feel a little bit better. And get your kids in the habit too.It is a great start to the day.