One of the most popular speakers at a Hearts at Home conference is Karen Ehman…the Hearts at Home queen of organization!
Karen has been described as profoundly practical, engagingly funny and downright real. Her passion is to provide women, wives and mothers with creative tools and doable ideas to help them both simplify life and glorify God. The author of four women’s books including A Life That Says Welcome: Simple Ways to Open Your Heart and Home to Others and The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized, Karen is also the project creator of the Hearts at Home Just for Mom’s Planner an organizational tool designed specifically for the purpose of helping mothers organize their personal and family lives.
Karen has been married for 24 years to her college sweetheart Todd and is the mother of three sometimes quarrelsome, but mostly charming children: Mackenzie 19, Mitchell 15 and Spencer 12.
Today’s Workshop-On-The-Go will help you embrace your organizational style and equip you with practical strategies to work well within your style.
I’ll let Karen take it from here:
Hello Hearts at Home girlfriends! It’s so good to be able to bring encouragement to you today!
A crucial aspect of knowing just where to begin in your quest for managing your time and organizing your home, is embracing your own unique personality.
• Are you a perfectionist type who gives great attention to detail yet stresses and depresses when the plan doesn’t go perfectly?
• Are you a laid-back, take-life-as-it-comes kind of gal who is calming to be around but has difficulty starting and finishing projects?
• Are you a take-charge mom who is proactive and driven, but your “whip it in shape” personality can drive your family away?
• Or are you the fun-loving playful mom who tends to have so many irons in the fire that the home and schedule go out the door resulting in chaos, missed appointments and late fees?
You see any strength, carried to an extreme, can become a weakness. If you just ponder that though for a while, I bet you can come up with oodles of examples!
Each of these four personality types has inherent strengths built in. Left unchecked, however, they soon can affect others in the home negatively. We need to find balance.
We women need to be keenly aware of just how we are wired. And we need to make this work to our advantage when it comes to managing out time and our home.
Here are some specific strategies for each personality type:
Perfectionist Polly
First of all, don’t kill the job with details.
Many women of this type are what I refer to as paralyzed perfectionists. Unless all of the details are in perfect order with flow charts and graphs and bars, they never start! They may do what they do flawlessly, but they do much less of it.
Why?
Because their motto is if it is going to be done, it has to be done right! Such a mom needs to relax her standards just a bit. Really evaluate if the added details are worth it in the end.
Do you really need to have all of your canned goods in alphabetical order?
Perhaps.
Maybe your family functions well this way. If so, more power to ya! If not, and instead you are continually frustrated because of “can confusion” in your pantry and your family is sick of being chided for their lack of adherence to your plan, then….lighten up lady!
Think of a happy medium. Maybe you can compromise and use this plan instead. All of the fruits are on the left, the veggies on the right and the soups and sauces in the middle. (Hey…the categories are still in ABC order!)
A detailed mom like this will need to make sure the results are worth the details and where they are not, she will need to relax a bit for her family’s sake.
Laid Back Lucy
The laid back, calm, cool and collected mom has her own set of set backs. Mainly that she can’t seem to get any project started!
Because she isn’t a “bark-out-the-orders” sort, she will need an extra push to get going. Often, that push needs to come from her calendar.
This is the mom who will wait until she sees the birthday party looming in the near future to finally buy the needed gifts, supplies and such.
Since she is a take-life-as-it-comes gal, she simply sits back and hopes that life comes at a good pace and in the right order. This dear mom will need to force herself to be proactive, to learn to set goals and then break them down into bite sized chunks and arrange them in logical order. (She can often do this with the help of a perfectionist friend!)
Although it feels foreign to her to be in charge, this mom must take charge of her schedule and projects before they takes charge of her!
Take Charge Tina
She is on top of the game, all right. A real go getter! Man can she work!
She blows into the room and blows everyone else away!!!! While it may seem great to have a task master like this– lots will get done you know– this mom needs to realize that there are other people in the home- actual living, breathing people!
People with feelings.
She needs to take a deep breath and take inventory of her to do list, making sure that she is taking into account the feelings and skills of others.
When tasks are dolled out, she needs to take note of the abilities and inabilities of family members. (“No wonder junior couldn’t take out that ninety pound load of trash. He himself only weighs fifty pounds and is in the first grade!”)
What this dear mom needs to work on is sensitivity. She already has a keen sense of what work needs to be done. Now she needs to be careful that her family is working together in a logical and caring manner.
Fun-Loving Farrah
If you are a fun-loving sort who is easily distracted making it hard to knuckle down and get any work accomplished, shoot straight with yourself. Trying to tackle tasks when you “feel like it” will not work for you! You won’t ever feel like it! You’d rather play.
Or when you are trying to get a task accomplished, say cleaning out the basement storage, you’ll be easily distracted. You’ll come across the box of old school yearbooks and instead of just moving them to their new, logical location, you’ll decide to pull them out and reminisce for a while. Two hours later, you’ll realize that you are only twenty minutes into your afternoon task even though you have spent over two hours!
A mom with this personality, since she tends toward fun, will need to be motivated and rewarded with fun.
If you happen across that box of school annuals, handle it this way instead: Shriek with delight, give a giggle of glee, but then set that box aside. Tell yourself that after the job at hand is finished, or maybe after three hours of plugging away it, you will grab a Coke and that box and recollect for a while.
It also helps for this personality type to have another person hold her accountable. Yell upstairs to your husband and have him check on you every half hour to make sure that you aren’t piddling around. Call a friend and tell her that if you do get distracted, you owe her a double latte. Have her give you a call periodically that afternoon to help keep you on task.
Final Thoughts
Try to be sensitive to the way God has wired you, but remember that everyone else in your home has been wired their own way. We need to recognize our differences, but remember that we are all part of the same team and when we work together instead of against each other, life goes much smoother!
Giveaway: One gal who leaves a comment today will win a signed copy of Karen’s Hearts at Home book The Complete Guide to Getting & Staying Organized along with a $20 Wal-Mart Gift card to purchase some organizational supplies.
Simply leave a comment telling us which personality type you are when it comes to home organization:
• Laid-back Lucy
• Take-charge Tina
• Perfectionist Polly
• Fun-loving Farrah
Or, are you a combo of two personality types? We’d love to know!
(No need to leave your email address anymore, because WordPress captures that now when you post a comment!)
Oh and don’t forget to jump over to Karen’s blog and check out the great encouragement she offers, too!
I’m a Fun loving Farah,that needs help to get my house organized.
Thanks,
Deb
Great descriptions. I am a Take Charge Tina and I need to tone it down a bit! Thanks for the tips.
Ooooh, I am so fun loving Farrah. I am sitting in the hospital for a couple of days with my two year old. It’s so hard at home to tackle the pull between responsibilty and the desires to snuggle and interact with my kids. I love my life – but, at times am so overwhelmed by my own procrastination and ease of distraction. I’m a single mom with 3 little boyss, so every moment counts. Mommy’s energy only goes so far! I’m trying hard – but would appreciate any tips available. Love Hearts at Home! Thanks for the encouragement! Jacalyn
I’m definitely a perfectionist Polly.
I am a Take Charge Tina by heart…..always trying to reach the happy middle of the road. Thanks for a great article.
Polly Tina, Oh dear oh dear but plodding on toning them down a bit 🙂
Polly/Tina but trying to tone it down 🙂
I am Lucy followed closely on the heels by Polly.
I am a Laid Back Lucy!
Fun loving Farrah….I get distracted way too easily!!! =)
I’m a combination Perfectionist Polly and Take Charge Tina.
The Perfectionist Polly came out a couple months ago when I challenged myself to cleaning the kitchen after dinner. No dirty dishes or pots and pans for the next morning. Imagine my kids (23 and 20)coming home for “a visit” and learning that after I clean the kitchen, any mess they make afterwards was their’s to clean. Very freeing for me and a new responsibility for them. (Interestingly enough they still snack the night away but choose to reheat stuff instead of cooking a full blown meal.)
The Take Charge Tina is my other side. I chuckled with the reminder from Karen about “People with feelings.” I do need to remember that the other people in my family are wired differently than me. I tend to blow through the housework very efficiently and need to understand that the others have their own wiring/style that they use to do the chores.
Thanks for the post and the opportunity to win. Karen rocks!
Can I be 3? I am a perfectionist who won’t start something unless I know I can do it perfect. I am also a fun loving mom, who would much rather go to the zoo than clean the house (much less organize it). I also have a lot that I am involved in at church. However, when the mood finally strikes I turn into Take Charge Tina-barking order at whomever is near and can help. At this point I go to our unfinished basement to do laundry and stay there as little as possible as it is overrun with stuff; and I also avoid our “office” as you can barely walk into that room. I know both areas are going to take days to get organized and I haven’t wanted to start. Plus my oldest just started Kindergarten and I need help trying to figure out how to best store and file all of the paperwork 😉
I’m similiar to these three trait combo described above. Are you hiding in my home 😕
I most identify with this three trait combo described above. Are you observing me in my home 😕
I am a combo of Laid Back Lucy and Perfectionist Polly so I am having a really hard time getting anything accomplished! I definitely need help!!! Thanks for the post, I am new here but will definitely bookmark it!
I think I fall under Perfectionist Polly. I’m learning to let go but I pay way more attention to details that don’t matter than anyone really should.
Oh, I see qualities of myself in all four. No wonder I’m so discombobulated. 🙂
Well, before I was married I was a Perfectionist Polly. But now with 5 boys in my house (1big kid – my husband, and 4 little kids) I’m more the Fun Loving Farrah who then stresses at night like Perfectionist Polly because there just seems to be stuff everywhere: toys, papers, books, etc. I’d love to find my organizational skills again and energy to declutter my house and have some peace of mind when it comes to “stuff”. Thanks for your encouragement Karen.
I am a combo of Fun Loving Farah and Laid Back Lucy. I am looking forward to more order in our home for 2011.
I am a Laid Back Lucy and a frustrated Polly. I know what I need to do and hate messes but sometimes I just don’t keep things in order as I used to.
I would say I use to be Polly/Tina but with the current circumstances in my life I have become much more laid back and have had to count on my family to fill in the pieces that I do not have time to. It has been very hard to step back and allow others to do what they think needs to be done in our home and be appreciative because they loved me enough to make an effort.
Laid Back Lucy
I’m a fun-loving Farrah….which isn’t what I thought when I first read the list, but then when I read the descriptions. That one definitely stood out.
I’m a Farah which makes for a messy house when you have 11 children.
I would say I am both a Perfectionist Polly and a Laid Back Lucy. When I have a deadline to meet the perfectionist polly comes out but typically from day to day I’m a laid back lucy.
I’m definitely a combo. Take Charge Tina and Fun Loving Farrah.
Laid back lucy – I need help!
I am completely a take charge Tina! I am very efficient and on top of things but like you said I don’t seem to care about how others around me are feeling- I just want it done and done now! I am trying to make people more important than tasks but it is definitely a process of changing my nature!
I am a Perfectionist Polly learning to ease up a bit.
Fun-loving Farrah here. I get distracted by so many things,and Spouse has to keep me accountable. If he’s there to gently remind me “Hey– get back to work” things go really well, but on my own, I have a tough time concentrating on the task at hand. I’d rather go do something fun.
I see myself in all four styles. I definitely need to get my hands in that book, too. I have been trying to get this house (and my life) organized for months, but I just keep feeling like a dog chasing her tail…maybe I’m doing it wrong?
Thanks for introducing me to Jill’s blog, Karen. I’m already a huge fan of yours. 🙂
I tend to be a “Laid Back Lucy” until I get going and then turn into a “Perfectionist Polly!
I am take charge Tina, and I’m definitely a listmaker when it comes to what needs to be done—I don’t always listen to others ideas about how to go about tasks or help. I could be much more laid-back, and I’m working on that!
I am probably a little Fun loving Farrah with a Perfectionist Polly banging on the back door trying to get me “fixed”. I want to have fun, create memories, enjoy the short time I have with my kids. But at the end of the day, I look around at the chaos, realize there is know way I can “fix” it perfectly and become overwhelmed and unable to do even a little to improve the situation. And frankly, I think I am a bit hopeless!
I am definitely a Laid Back Lucy. I procrastinate, I put it off, I wait and at the last minute I panic and stay up all night getting it done.
I tend to be a modified perfectionist polly – modified by God’s grace and the fact that I live with other humans. Even a perfectionist can learn that time with family is more important than time spent alphabetizing labels.
Fun loving and laid back. Whew!
Just call me Lucy! 🙂
I would say I’m a mix of Perfectionist Polly and Fun-Loving Farrah. I’d say I’m about 3/4 Polly, but since I’ve had to leave being at stay-at-home mom to working 40 hours a week I’ve been trying and praying to let Polly go and be more like Farrah!! It makes life more fun and not worrying about all the small things like laundry being done all the time and all the toys picked up. Learning Day By Day!
I would love to win. i’m definitely a Perfectionist Polly and I totally agree that I need to lighten up (snow days and my kids being home ALL day has forced me to do that :).
I am definitely a Take-Charge-Tina, but with a new baby on the way, I had better learn to relax and maybe be a little more Laid-Back-Lucy. Thanks for the tips and advice.
I am the perfectionist. I feel like I need to do my best at everything. I will pull the all nighter to make sure a report is perfect, then make lunches, coffee and get ready for work. I think I tend to be overly organized to a fault and I tend to burn myself out.
I find that I am a lot like Laid-back Lucy and also Perfectionist Polly.
I am mostly Farrah and Tina. I always find these personality conversations fascinating. Thank you, Karen and Jill, for your beautiful personalities that put us all at home with you genunineness and encouragement.
I am Laid Back Lucy and I could definately use some organization!!!
I am a Polly and a Tina and feel like if I could just get more organized I could be more laid back and fun-loving! Thanks for sharing!
I’m a Perfectionist Polly.
I am take charge Tina and perfectionist Polly. It can be frustrating if I don’t give myselft and my family a break. But it comes in really handy when trying to juggle work, family, PTA and church commitments. I would love more tips on how to work with people of different types as I think some people can be put off by my style. I am just trying to utilize my God given gifts to the best of the situations around me. But it can be hard to remember there are people around me also!
I am a combination between Take Charge Tina and Fun Loving Farrah. Funny that my name is “Tina”. When I get in a fuss to get things done, I expect everyone else to jump onboard and when I want to have fun–getting the job done doesn’t always happen. I need to be more receptive to the attidudes of the rest of the family.
I never thought of myself as a perfectionist until I read your description. So I am a polly perfectionist.
I am a combination of several. I’d rather be out having fun, but when we come home and I see the house a mess, I stress and start barking orders…which makes everyone wonder what happened to the fun mom! When I start a project of my own, I can get bogged down in the details and become frustrated with my lack of progress, but I can’t help but want it to be perfect.
I’m generally a mixture of Polly and Lucy….have a hard time getting started, but once I do…. 🙂 However, when my son is home a little Farrah plays into the mix too. I’d much rather play and spend time with him.
I’m a cross between Laid back Lucy and Fun loving Farrah. Quite the procrastinator, but seem to be getting better with age….HELP
Tina, my husband constantly reminds me other people are capable of helping me with projects
Help I am a Lucy and a Farrah!!!!!
I think I’m a Polly, but when I try to fight with Polly about being too uptight then Lucy steps in and still we get nothing done.
I consider myself to normally be Laid back Lucy but sadly Perfectionist Polly ALWAYS shows up! 🙂 I have organizing projects that I want to tackle but become overwhelmed with it. My New Years resolution and prayer is that I WILL become a more organized mom! God Bless!
Perfectionist Polly (both at home AND at work!)
There are times that I’m alot like Farrah and Tina then other times that I’m a Polly/Lucy. I have learned to just let some things go so that I can have more time with my daughter, but when the house gets too bad I start to feel anxious over it and have to get it done right away… when this happens watch out because Polly and Tina have moved in until the job is done!
I am fun loving Farrah…completely and constantly desire to stay more task focused and complete what is at hand. Would love to win the giveaway and know I would benefit greatly from the book. I love Karen’s website and am thrilled to be directed over to your website today Jill. Blessings to you, Caroline
I used to be more of a perfectionist Polly, but I’ve learned to be a bit of a laid-back Lucy too. Its a nice combination, but it creates a bit of an internal conflict once in a while.
I tend to be “Take Charge Tina” – ugg. THanks for the reminders on how to do this graciously, and not overbearingly. And can I say how excited I am that Hearts at Home is coming to Colorado!? I used to attend in IL when my children were little, and have missed it the 5 years we’ve been here in CO. I will definitely be encouraging my mom friends to attend.
Great post!! I seem to be an evil mix of all four!! Could so relate to all of it, just depends on the day. Primarily the fun-loving one is more dominant.
I am a laid back lucy (read that “procrastinator”) who then wants everything perfect. Can you see I drive myself nuts? And my family loves me, thank the Lord.
I think I’m a mixture of Fun-loving Farrah and Laid-back Lucy. Which is not a good combination! Most days my house feels like chaos and nothing seems to ever get done. I need help!
I am completely a Polly but long to be a Lucy! I am a great organizer in January but by April my home is right back where I started! I need to learn to take baby steps at keeping it organized instead of thinking that once a month I need to dedicate an enormous amount of time to keeping organized.
Well my hubby jokingly gave me a title a few years back and it was so right on, The Procrastinating Perfectionist. So I guess that makes me a Lucy/Polly but I have come to realize that I’m a little Farrah also. I think being a combination is the worst because it’s so hard to nail down what area to work on. Please Help!
I am both Lucy and Farrah!! so you know my home looks very live in!! Help! Looking forward to reading the book and improving this year!!
I am definitely a combo girl — Perfectionist and Take Care – scary isn’t it!
I am a combination of Perfectionist Polly and Fun-Loving Farrah. I can get a project started, but it is sticking to it until it finished that I have a difficult time with. I have always been that way too…all through school even and I graduated 10 years ago this year.
I am a little of everything-except Polly. I get started on projects and don’t always finish. I want to be a finisher this year.
Even worse, I’m a combo of 3 types – Perfectionist Polly, Laid-Back Lucy, and Fun-loving Farrah
I am fun-loving Farrah mixed with the last-minute-ness of laid-back Lucy and it’s amazing how i see these organizational characteristics seep into my relationships with others and with God. I’ve also been seeing how my lack of organization has hurt relationships in that when i should go call that friend to see how she is, my tornado-hit home has prevented me…it’s taken the priority…over family time, ministry time, devotional time… sorry, i know we were to just put our characterizations, but this topic has been on the forefront for me: this is a HUGE area God has been helping me conquer and change. I am seeing it isn’t just about the piles, it’s about my relationship with Him, about my level of trust and my ability to discipline myself. ok, ok, off my soap box. THANKS FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT!
I am “Take Charge Tina”; I get this from my mother it can be a blessing but it can also be a curse if not used properly. 🙂
I am a laid-back Lucy/fun-loving Farrah combo! I need to change so that my daughters don’t learn my bad habits!
I am the Take charge Tina and sometimes I even annoy myself. That is so sad. I need to relax a little and back off from the need to control. I am working on that.
I see all four in me and I happily embrace them… I choose to see them like different personalities that I can whip out as needed… if Perfectionist Polly pays attention to details – boy I live there… it is very common to see huge easel pads in my office with a break down of all aspects of any project to ensure that everything is covered. BUT once I’ve done my part to the best of my ability I reach out for Laid Back Lucy – the calm side of her – with the belief that whatever happens to my plans was the way things were meant to be – and I do not fret it.. Take charge Tina tends to show up to assist PP.. and probably drives my hubby crazy .. 🙂 I believe in TO DO lists.. if it’s not written it usually doesn’t get done for me.. but I try to mellow Tina down with Fun Loving Farrah – and try to spontaneously opt for fun things as much as possible – even if it means staying up later to catch up on some of my to do lists.. 🙂 Here’s to all four (and counting) personalities 🙂 Use them with caution:-)
It’s funny…I think I’m a combination gal myself. However, in my house we are all perfectionists regarding different things (2 daughters 18 and 15 plus hubby). We all have our moments of procrastination on things that stress us out or don’t care for. When we play, we have a ball! Yet, we can all take ownership and lead something we are passionate about. Do we overextend ourselves,? Absolutely! Do we sometimes forget the big picture and get stuck in the minutiae of everyday. Absolutely. Do we forget that people come first? Never! We all have to realize and work on that the tone of what we say and the words that we do say have a big impact on those around us and our priorities may not be someone else’s.
I am a Laid back Lucy until I feel I really have the time to completely finish the project then I am a Take Charge Tina.
Oh I am a fun~lovin/laid back lucy. Lol I havr all those problems stopping me from getting perfectly organized
I’m afraid I can see a little of myself in all of them. Ouch!
I feel like I swing between being Polly and Farrah – bursts of both.
I am a Take Charge Tine, I cringed as I read the accurate description…Thanks for sharing!
I am a “take charge Tina” mostly with a little Polly mixed in. Lethal combination to my family!!!
A fun loving Farah!!!! Thanks for your suggestions and thoughts!!!
I am a fun loving Farrah most of the time. I am easily distracted. Plus having moved so many times, I know that with each move comes a new sense of organization…things do have a way of getting done. Enjoy each day!
fun loving Farrah! Having moved mulitple times in a few years, I know that things have a way of falling into place. Enjoy each adventure life has in store!
I would have to say I am Fun-loving Farrah! Thanks for a chance to win!!
I’m a little laid-back Lucy and a little fun-loving Farrah. Thanks for the information and fun post. I hope I win!!
I am the fun loving type with a bit of perfectionist thrown in.
I’m a cross of Polly and Tina who’s trying to get old clutter organized to maintain a new, simple schedule!
I am definitely laid-back Lucy. It is so hard for me to get started and then finish once I start a project. This is something that God has been consistently helping me with. Slowly but surely I am starting to see results.
A mix between Take-charge Tina & Perfectionist Polly
I am definitely Take Charge Tina, but trying to do better with sensitivity toward my family.
Laid-back-Lucy!! I am definitely terrible at starting projects, and finishing them….only in my dreams!! 🙂
I’m a laid back Lucy and fun loving Farrah combo.
I am Tina but so so wish I could be a little more like Lucy and Farrah!
Mixture of a Laid-Back Lucy and a Fun Farrah! HELP!!! 😀
I am a Perfectionist Polly. It takes me sooo long just to figure out how a project “should be done” and if I can’t figure it out, I don’t do it at all. It drives my husband crazy! I am working on being more carefree but it just goes against every fiber of my being to just throw things in a drawer. “Out of sight, out of mind” does not compute 🙂
I’m a Farrah and Lucy combo. Thanks for the tips!!!
Wendy
I would love some help getting organized!
I would say I’m probably a mixture of Laid-back Lucy and Fun-loving Farrah. I have good intentions, but not the motivation to get going. Thank you for the chance to win this giveaway.
[email protected]
I would love not to be…but I am perfectionist polly. I love order. I love being organizied. I love everything to have a home and get very frustrated when things are not put in their home. But I am working on being less of a perfectionist to be able to spend more quailty and fun time with my family!
I used to be Perfectionist Polly…then life happened. After baby number 5 came, I learned to seize the day and be Fun Farrah…what has happened to my house where is “there was a place for everything and everything had it’s place”. I am stuck in wanting to be where I used to be, and living with the who I am these days of me, and there I sit like a Dys”Fun”ctional Polly…who am I?!!!! And just of the subject a bit….is there any such thing as “normal” and if there is….who do I need to be =)
I used to be Perfectionist Polly…then life happened. After baby number 5 came, I learned to seize the day and be Fun Farrah…what has happened to my house where is “there was a place for everything and everything had it’s place”. I am stuck in wanting to be where I used to be, and living with the who I am these days of me, and there I sit like a Dys”Fun”ctional Polly…who am I?!!!! And just of the subject a bit….is there any such thing as “normal” and if there is….who do I need to be =)
I am a Take Charge Tina and I have seen myself run over people and never giving a hoot about their feelings. I just finished reading Karen’s organizing book and would love to have 1 to pass along to other friends. It has such great ideas!!!
I see myself in all four. It just depends on the project and the day! I definitely need the help!
Unfortunately, I am USUALLLY the perfectionist – HELP!!!!! 🙂
I’m more of a Perfectionist Polly–but I’m getting better at knowing my limits :0)
Little bit of Farrah and a little bit of Laid-Back Lucy! Help!
I’m a combo between Laid Back Lucy and Fun Loving Farrah. But when I actually start rolling I think I turn into the other two!!
Fun post!
Visiting from Karen Ehman’s blog ~ so glad I came by. I’m definitely a Fun-Loving Farrah. Appreciated the tips and techniques! I’m off to have more fun…. 🙂
Blessings to you!
I am mostly a Laid Back Lucy but a little bit of Fun Farrah creeps in every so often. Thanks for the encouragement!
I am primarily a Perfectionist Polly, but I can also be a Take-Charge Tina. I would much rather be laid back or fun loving, like my husband. But if I were more like him, nothing would get done. I am a working mom, and I have to get the ducks in a row for things to happen and get done. When I’m away, homework is not done, kids don’t take snowpants to school for recess, etc. I do get frustrated with this. Can it also be possible that my Take Charge Tina comes out to a serious level about once a month? I already have Karent’s book (a Christmas gift to myself) but have only skimmed it so far. Now it’s time for the deep reading.
Oh Man!!! I can see myself in all four types depending on what’s going on in my life, or my mood. I would love to check out some of these books on practical approaches to getting your home/schedule in gear and sticking to a solid plan!
Laid Back Lucy
Perfectionist Polly describes me!
I am Perfectionist Polly.
I’m a cross between Perfectionist Polly & Take Charge Tina – oy vay! Loved your encouragement – it was so refreshing. My 3 year old son just had two major spinal surgeries and is in a body cast until mid-February. God has DEFINITELY been teaching me to relax, keep things in perspective, let go of high standards and enjoy the precious moments with our children that are right in front of us. Thank you for this fun give-away!
Just FYI – the picture that comes up when I post is my husbands because for some reason wordpress always grabs his info instead of mine….still trying to figure it out??? 🙂
Dana
I’m a perfectionist Polly and it can be so hard to let the little things go!
This is really hard! I would say a Take Charge Tina is probably the most accurate though I’ve really toned it down as I’ve gotten older (and hopefully a bit wiser?!?)
I am a Perfectionist Polly mixed with Fun Loving Farrah. I love organizing, but I am so easily distracted and value time above all. I feel a ‘need’ to have everything in order, but I love just loving on Lucas. It’s a hard balance and some days are better than others:)
I’m a combination of Laid Back Lucy and Fun Loving Farrah. Boy, do I really need help organizing my house with that combo!
Although there are elements of perfectionist Polly in me, I think I am more of a laid-back Lucy because I have such a hard time completing a task! I do get distracted, too, though, and that makes me a fun-loving Farrah. Bottom line is…. I NEED HELP!! My goal this year to get organized, get rid of the clutter and feel better about myself while doing it. I sure could use your help!!
I am a combo of Profectionist Polly and Fun Loving Farrah. I really like everything to have it’s place and be organized but sometimes it gets overwhelming and I don’t do anything. I also saw myself in the person who likes to look through everything when organizing and not getting a whole lot done because I went down memory lane! Putting something aside to go through after the tast is complete is a good idea for me. Thanks Karen!
I am a take-charge Tina. Thank you for the reminder to see my family for who they are.
I am a mix of Perfectionist Polly and Take Charge Tina, but I am working on throwing in a little Laid Back Lucy. I need to relax more and not sweat the little things. Life is too short and my girls will be grown and gone way too soon and I worry that I will have missed out on the fun. I am working on getting better organized and decluttering this year. I have way too much stuff!! Yard Sale season is just around the corner and I am making my pile!
Good post to reflect on. While I can identify with each of these categories from one moment or another in my life, I lean more towards the Perfectionist Polly and Take Charge Tina. My laid back husband and 10 month old son have both been a good (and hard at times) balance for me. They teach me to slow down, enjoy the important things in life, and appreciate people more.
I am a Perfectionist Polly suffering from a severe case of analysis paralysis (possibly with a touch of ADHD) and a SAHM of two, soon to be three.
I can see that I seem to have inherited this personality from my mother and her from her mother. Worse than being able to see the advanced stages is the thought of my children following in my family’s footsteps. I’m on a mission to change my family tree… 🙂
I am a Fun-loving Farrah. I need to try very hard to keep at the task on hand.
I guess I’m fun loving Farrah as I am easily distracted
I was a Task Tina, now have mix of Fun Loving Farrah. Thanks, Karen and Jill.
laid-back
Laid-back Lucy! Actually, I’m not too bad at starting projects; I’m just usually overly-optimistic about what’s involved, so have difficulty finishing them. Looking at that last bit of wallpaper that didn’t get put on that corner piece, didn’t touch up painting close to the ceiling, floor project not done…but just thankful that God continues to provide my needs!
Thank you for the descriptions! I believe I’m a Take-Charge Tina and a Fun Loving Farrah. I can get things done when I really set my mind to it (especially if it involves others because for some reason that motivates me). However, if it’s cleaning out the closets or trying to organize something in my house HOLY COW I get easily distracted and then I stress, get depressed, feel overwhelmed and just want to pull the covers over my head and wish it would go away.
I’m so thankful that I came across this site! I’m really interested in reading your book as I think it would help me. Thank You!
Oddly, I’m a combination of a Perfectionist Polly and a Fun-Loving Farrah. It makes it terribly hard to get things done. I have the basic head-knowledge of how I think things should be done, but I am so busy volunteering and taxiing my kids around, I have trouble making the time to organize and stay focused on the task at hand. With 4 children and 2 dogs, I have lots of distractions! I sure could use Karen’s helpful book!
I’m a Fun-loving Farrah! But I have managed to get my house fairly well organized (mostly) with lots of help from my hubby! I’ve still got improvements to make though!
Definatly a “Laid Back Lucy/Fun Loving Farrah” combo who is in desperate need of help on the home management front!
I think I’m a cross between Polly and Lucy… the one I am depends on the day! 🙂