I'm Back and Ready to Go!

I hit the proverbial wall that I feared was out there looming.  I haven't written in over a week.  I think my problem was when I was getting ready for a weekend camping trip with the cub scouts, I piled to much other items on my to do list.  When they didn't get done, I felt defeated.  So the camping trip was a lot of fun and my son had a blast.  But when I got back, I was exhausted which flowed into the new week.  Yesterday was Wednesday and I felt very weak and down.  I think because my house was a disaster, and I felt that it would take to much work to get it back in hand.

Today, however, was a new day.  I told myself to do what I could and next week was a new beginning!  So I have tried to put a dent in cleaning the house.  No it doesn't look perfect, but when does it ever look "perfect"?  Well never, five people live in this house:)  There are always things that need cleaned and there always will be.  I need to learn to be less critical of myself.  I am a good mom, a good wife, and a good friend.  Being a good cleaner or a good cook will never rank as high in my book:)

So next week may be a little rocky as well.  My kids have a five day weekend!  Friday through Tuesday off from school.  And my husband decided to take Tuesday off as well.  I am hoping to post my weekly plan on Sunday like usual, but who knows.

Monday Again???

Wow, another Monday is rearing it's ugly head and I actually feel ready to face a new week.  I missed posting my plan for the week because I got caught up in hanging with the family on Sunday:)  Saturday was a bummer for me though.  I had planned on a fun night out with the girls only to have it ruined by the threat of snow/freezing rain.  But I guess I would rather be safe than sorry.  Evenings this week are busy for me.  I have two scout meetings and then Cam and I have eye appointments one day after school.  But luckily my days are free unless I can get one of my friends to go to lunch.

Monday & Tuesday- I will work on decluttering the toddler's room
Wednesday- Hoping to organize in the dinning room
Thursday- Work on my 9 year old's room (might need some help from him)
Friday- packing for my weekend camping trip with the cub scouts:)

I am hoping to have the house mostly done decluttering this month.  I still need to do some organizing in the dinning room and office room (I skipped those after the kitchen because we were in the process of moving a bunch of stuff around).  And the kids rooms still need some work.  I need to find some time to work on my teenager's room with her help.  But after this month I hope to set up a schedule where I do monthly cleaning in a different area each week of the month.  One week will be the bedrooms, one week the bathrooms, one week the dining and kitchen areas, and one week the living spaces. 

Loving my To Do List!

I have finally found a "to-do" list strategy that is actually working for me:)  I am so happy.  For whatever reason in the past to-do lists were made but rarely were finished.  I think my problem was the size of the list and having an open ended time frame to finish it.  Now I make a new list everyday.  It will contain no more than 10 things (some big and some small) and I then star three that I feel are the most important.  I have been doing this for a week and a half and have finished almost everything every day.  I like how it gives me focus and how it gives me a sense of accomplishment when I check things off.  It also keeps my expectations within reason.  I don't have a list of 50 things staring at me all just waiting to be done. 

About my "chores" for the week, I am well on track.  Monday I cleaned the laundry room.  Other than taming the pile of rag towels (we just got new towels for the adults and shifted old towels into the rag pile).  I keep 5 in the laundry room for spills and to use as temporary rugs after playing in the snow.  And the others go downstairs in the basement.  I then cleaned and it really needed it.  The baseboards really need cleaned at least once a month in the laundry room because of all the lint. 

Tuesday and Wednesday I spent in the kids bathroom.  With a teenage daughter, her stuff was getting out of control on the counter.  So I got her two plastic boxes to keep under the sink.  One for hair products and one for face and body supplies.  She just has to pull them out and use whatever and then put it back.  I changed out the shower curtain for one we had only used for 6 months and then stored away.  I think the kids will like it because it has ducks on it:)

I fell like life is more calm and I am more focused.  I am really starting to love my house not just like it!

Plan for the Week

So my weekend once again proved busy and fun, but led to me not getting my weekly plan posted.  Saturday Cam (9 years) and I were at our Cub Scout Pinewood Derby.  Although his car didn't win, we had a fun time together.  Then on Sunday, it was a flurry of school projects due on Monday and helping my hubby in his new sports room. 

Here is my plan for this week.  I am going to focus on the Laundry room and the upstairs Bathrooms.

Monday: Laundry room (mostly cleaning but some organizing as well)
Tuesday:  Run errands and clean out the cabinets in the kids bathroom
Wednesday:  A few errands and clean the kids bathroom
Thursday:  Clean out the cabinets in master bathroom
Friday:  Clean master bathroom
Saturday:  Errands and Fun time out with the girls:)
Sunday:  Planning time and hopefully some time in the basement getting ready for the yard sale.

Sounds like a pretty busy week, but I am so excited by my results and accomplishments so far.  It was also nice when my husband complimented me on how great the house looks, even though he has been helping me along the way too.

I finally figured out how to add pics!

So when I started with my linen closet this morning I remembered to take a before picture:)

I know most of you would say "that doesn't look too bad!"  But I would respond, that we had 18 beach towels for a family of five with no pool.  Way to many!  So I set aside one for my husband who likes to use old beach towels during his work outs and put five into the yard sale pile.  Then I organized the flashlights, paper products and cleaning supplies I keep in this closet.

This picture makes me smile:)  And I guess that is what this whole project is about.  If I am happy, then life runs smoother!

I had some more thoughts about yesterdays post as well.  I just want to let you know that I don't include anything on my to do list that is already in my daily routine or is a habit for me.  I don't include starting laundry or loading the dishwasher because those are things I already do EVERY day.  I do include sweeping the wood floors because (while it probably needs done everyday) that is not something that I have been able to make myself do everyday.  That is a habit I am trying to form but am not quite there yet. 

Organizing my mind, not just my house!

So I have on going side projects that I have started as well.  One is to organize not just my space (i.e. house)  but also my mind!  One way I have found that works well for me is to make a daily to do list.  I have tried in the past to have a sheet with daily chores.  I used to store this in a plastic sheet protector and then would check off each thing as I did it.  But lets face it no two days are ever alike!  I might get the floor swept one day but not the next because I have errands to run.  So when that wasn't checked off I would feel bad because I didn't get everything done.

Fast forward to now.  I have a list of 10 things that I want to try to get done today.  I star the most important and try hard to get those few done.  Whatever doesn't get done gets added to the next day or a day later in the week.  Yes it does take time and paper to do this, but I figure this is a small price to pay for the lose of guilt I feel each day.  It is also nice to look back on your day and see what you accomplished:)

You can also add to this page what is for dinner, what your schedule is for the day, or how many glasses of water you drink.

The Master Bedroom

I started organizing my master bedroom on Monday.  My dresser was the first thing on my list.  Pretty easy job.  I refolded all the clothes and only kept the pj's and underwear that I actually wear.  All the others that get pushed to the back of the drawer were eliminated.  Then I dusted the top and got rid of some body sprays I never use.

Today I worked on the side tables.  Again a pretty easy job.  I used a lint roller on the cloth lampshades that were (I am sad to say) covered in dust.  It worked amazingly well, so well in fact, that I also used it on the table runner that I have on my long dresser.   I replaced the old coasters with ones we no longer use downstairs and threw away the baby monitor that quit working and the phone that broke 2 months ago.  Do you see a theme here?  My house is so cluttered with stuff that is broken.  I just never took the time to throw it away.  New promise to myself is to get rid of what doesn't work.  It isn't going to fix itself!

I have decided due to other errands I have to do, I will switch Wednesday and Thursday's tasks.  So tomorrow I will sort through my bookshelf.