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March 2024 Musings Housecleaning— Or Not Happy March, friends! And more importantly— Happy Spring! We made it through another cold winter, and that is something to celebrate! Here in North Carolina, we are living in a painting again, one painted by the Master’s hand. Everywhere I look, tiny baby green leaves adorn the trees and bushes, and color has returned to chase the drab browns and grays away. I hope all of this new growth and life inspires you and fills you with joy!  In bookish news this month, I have been busy creating a list of book reviewers, bloggers, and podcasts in anticipation of FREE SINGS THE SEA arriving in September! Please let me know if you would like to be added to my list, or if you would like to be an ARC reader in the very near future! You can always find me here or through my socials via my LinkTree. #FreeandFawn4Ever! This month, I am continuing my series on prioritizing and finding time to write. Always a challenge for any writer, it can seem insurmountable to a single mom. We’re going to continue looking at small tips and tweaks throughout the year that may help, and this month we are going to focus on housecleaning— or not! I’m going to leap right in here with a statement that will make some of you decide I am crazy! You may be right, but here it is anyway- HOUSECLEANING IS NOT THAT IMPORTANT. Still here? Yay! For some, this might be hard to accept as true. I understand. I grew up with my mom turning the kitchen chairs upside down on top of the table and mopping every single week! And she cleaned out the refrigerator almost as often. To this day, I love the smell of Pledge! But if you are trying to find more time to write, it will definitely have to be a priority, even above shiny clean floors and crisper drawers! Here are three ideas to consider when faced with the daunting task of housecleaning: -Organization is your friend! By now, you probably think that I’m not only crazy, but that my house is a big mess too! Actually, it usually has the appearance of neatness. Baskets are my favorite prop, and they will be your best allies! From the kitchen to the living room to kids’ rooms, almost everything can look neat and aesthetic tucked away in a basket. And focus on surfaces! If you keep the surfaces of tables and bars clean, the whole house will appear tidy. Mail can go in a basket, and backpacks on hooks by the door. You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel when you step into a clutter free room! -Try your best to keep the actual cleaning casual and routine. Quickly take care of dishes right after a meal. Every few days, put on your favorite song and sweep or vacuum a room. Clean the bathroom one morning before you hop in the shower, but only when it really needs it. There are no strict rules on how often you have to clean your house— you make the rules! So instead of spending hours housecleaning, you can choose to sit down and write instead. And that’s much more fun than mopping! This final tip dips a little further beneath the surface because it has more to do with how you think of yourself and less to do with the actual logistics of cleaning. -It’s important not to base your self-worth on how clean your house is, or worse, what other people think about you or your housecleaning. You are only one person, and there are only so many hours in the day. You simply can not do it all. And creatives need time to dream and create. Never forget the magic you are making when you write— you are creating something out of nothing. You are bringing whole worlds and characters into existence from your imagination. And through your work, hearts may be touched and lives might be changed. So go ahead— put down that broom, make yourself a cup of tea, and sit down to write something that makes your soul sing! Much love to you all, and as always, thank you for being with me on this journey! Love, Stac 
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