Perfectly imperfect

I had a huge "Ahha" moment the other day and since it is homemaking related, I would like to share it with you. I am a perfectionist. When I say this, I do not say it lightly. It is a serious problem, it has prevented me from doing so many things and tasks around the house, simply because I don't have time to do them right or "perfect". It has taken me awhile to realize this, but even if something isn't perfect (according to my standards), but it is completed, it still blesses my family and makes a difference.

For example, if I cook dinner, it has to be perfect. The table has to be set just right, the dishes need to be cleaned, there needs to be more than just a meal. I let all of this get in the way of me cooking for my family more often. I love cooking, I hate all of the "extras" I place on it to make it "perfect".

Another example, I never thought we could get our bedroom under control. I knew that even if we did, it would not be decorated the way I wanted, we would still have mismatching furniture and it wouldn't be the bedroom of perfection that I saw in my head. However, now that it is clean, even in its imperfections, it is amazing at the difference it has made. We feel better getting up in the morning and not seeing huge piles of crap. We can actually relax on a Saturday morning without our clutter staring us in the face.

 I came up with a paper solution, that is functional and structured. It is working, and while I would love to add some more personal touches, I know that right now, I don't have time. It is still working and blessing our family, even in its imperfection (again, according to me).

My encouragement to you is this, figure out what you are not doing because you can't do it "perfectly" and just create a temporary fix that will work for now. You will be surprised at how perfect your imperfect solution really is. I want to bless my family with a home that is clean and functional, they don't care if it is perfect. They just want to be able to sit and eat, find clothing easily, have a home etc.

 Don't let your perfectionism rob your family of a functional home!

I'm still working on this, but knowing you have a problem is half the battle. Hopefully it will be better as I continue working on it.

Cheers!
Ashley