The Summer of Getting Stuff Done!

My husband and I (now that we are back from our WONDERFUL vacation to Disney World) have officially declared this:  "The Summer of Getting Stuff Done!"  We are trying to use the summer (when he's out of school) to do as much as we can around the house:  painting, repairs, organizing, cleaning so that we can be ready for when this baby comes!  And also...because this is the time of year when we can actually work collaboratively to get some bigger projects done.  It's just hard to dedicate much time to organizing and home improvements when you are pregnant and chasing a toddler all day.

Here are some of the projects I have in mind: 

1. Continuous, CONSTANT de-cluttering!  The logic is:  we are adding another family member to this tiny house in the fall and we simply need more room.  And we have too much stuff, as I have posted about before.  If it doesn't bring us joy or serve a purpose, it's going out the door!  We are still contemplating whether or not to have a garage sale or just donate everything - we'll see how truly ambitious we are feeling by the end of August before we make that decision!  I am paring down ALL my clothes, and even Josh's clothes (though I know there will be another boy who will need them at some point).  But for now, there is clothes overflow...we are going to SIMPLIFY life and keep just what we actually need.

2.  Find a place for EVERYTHING - I'm preparing for label-palooza!  So much of our problem with stuff is that we don't have a place (ONE PLACE) to put it all...it just gets thrown wherever and stays there until...whenever.  Which is sometimes a very, very long time.  So we're done living that way - I'm going label-crazy in the hopes that my hubby (and even Josh) will join me in putting things back WHERE THEY BELONG when they are finished with them.

3.  DEEP, DEEP cleaning - I am not the type of person who enjoys spring cleaning.  Or even regular cleaning.  Of course, I like the end result, but I am not a fan of the actual process.  I have requested my husband take our son to the lake or playground for a few hours a week so I can pump up the jams and get our house shining like the top of the Chystler Building - hopefully so clean, even Miss Hannigan would be proud. 

That's the main list for now - there are other little sub-projects that fall under the above categories, but for now, I'm trying to keep things as simple as possible.  Because, after all, isn't that what the decluttering and organizing is all about?

A Declutter A Day...

Keeps my INSANITY AWAY!!

I have blogged before on how I feel at times like I am being eaten alive by "stuff." Well, perhaps I never used that exact metaphor, but today...that's how I feel. I know I initiated the Throw 30 Things program (still waiting for the all rights reserved R for that one!) and I still think it's a good idea. But in addition, I have decided it's time for a major purge of a whole lot of stuff!

I have been reading up on decluttering and the best ways to go about it - so far, I think the best strategy I have found is to declutter for 15 minutes a day. I found this on Flylady.net, a website I have referenced here before. "Flylady" makes a good point: "Anyone can do anything for 15 minutes a day!"

So true. I think a big part of the reason I avoid getting rid of stuff is that it seems like an overwhelming task. Because, again, at the risk of beating a dead horse: there's just SO much stuff! I feel like I have to wait for a weekend off to tackle a major project because I dread it and I worry that it will take me hours upon hours to complete. When in reality, if I just committed 15 minutes a day to it, room by room, I bet I could have this little old house decluttered in just a few months. And then it will be easier to clean...and just a joy to live in!

I'm still going to throw 30 things...but I've got to start this 15 minutes a day thing also. I can't wait to see the progress! Wish me luck! Today I'm starting in the master bedroom - 15 minutes, no more, no less. Here goes nothing!

Throw 30 Things

I've mentioned before that my house is SMALL. We are three people (well, two and a half, hoping to become more!) sharing one bathroom and two tiny bedrooms. We also have a kitchen, an entry, and a "great room" which is our living and dining space in one. We love our house and are so thankful for it.

But again...it's SMALL.

I've been spinning my wheels lately trying to figure out why no matter what I do, there always seems to be stuff laying around. Stuff in piles, stuff on furniture, stuff everywhere! The stuff could be clothes, books, papers, or knick-knacks...but we have a lot of it. So, you do the math with me:

Small house + Lots of stuff = OUT OF CONTROL CLUTTER!

So I'm clutter-busting, little by little. I'm starting a little system I like to call: Throw 30 Things (Away). Sounds simple, right? Because it is.

There are 12 months of the year and six rooms in my house. Each month, I am going to throw 30 things away in it's designated room. To keep me from forgetting, I'm going to do this on the last day of every month. For example, this month (tomorrow, actually) I'm going to get rid of 30 things in my bathroom. ANY 30 things that haven't been used in forever or do not bring joy or purpose to our lives on a somewhat regular basis (i.e. Advil brings me comfort and my husband joy just about once every month!).

I don't have to necessarily throw things away - as in put it out on the curb for garbage day. If there is something I think could be useful to someone else, I may take it to Goodwill or give it to a friend who may have a better use for it. However, on the last day of every month, I am committing to getting 30 things OUT of my house!

The change will happen slowly at first, but I'm convinced there are at least 30 things I could get rid of in every room twice a year. There are probably 60 but I'm trying to do things in baby-steps, here.

So here goes nothing, I'm hoping the first day of Throw 30 Things goes well. And if it doesn't, I may literally be throwing some things because I just can't stand the stuff anymore!

New and Improved House Cleaning System

I realize it hasn't been that long since I posted my daily routine/weekly house cleaning schedule, but as with everything I do, it's a work in progress. And as I strive to get my house in order (and keep it that way) this year, I found that the old way just wasn't as efficient as it could be. So I made some changes.

The daily routine is just about the same as far as taking care of Josh goes, but trying to clean one room of the house each day of the week just wasn't working out. Instead, I am now divvying up the weekly housework as follows:

Monday - Clean Bathroom
1. Change & launder bath mat, towels, & washcloths
2. Clean toilet, bathtub/shower & sink
3. Windex bathroom mirror
4. Empty trash in bathroom & wipe trashcan inside and out
5. Clean kitchen trash cans inside and out

Tuesday - Ironing, Water Plants, Empty Trash
1. Water plants (if needed - usually only in spring/summer since I kill all things green inside)
2. Empty trash in master bedroom
3. Empty trash & diaper genie in Josh's room
4. Iron clothes for the week
5. Windex front door window panes

Wednesday - Dust & Misc. Tasks
1. Dust furniture, objects, light fixtures in every room of the house
2. Fluff pillows and comforter in master bedroom
3. Windex mirror in entry

Thursday - Vacuum & Misc. Tasks
1. Vacuum all rooms in house
2. Vacuum vents throughout house
3. Clean out fridge
4. Sort & toss magazines/catalogs in living room
5. Clean litter box
6. Wipe kitchen appliances

Friday - Scrub Floors & Change Bed Linens
1. Scrub floors in all rooms of the house
2. Change bed linens on our bed & Josh's

And there you have it. Experience has taught me that it just makes more sense (and saves time) to get out the vacuum only once, make up the bucket of mop water only once, and do the dusting once per week as opposed to doing a little of each chore in a different room each day.

I'm happy to report that after one week on this plan, I dread housework a lot less and a lot more is getting done. I may have just finally found a way to get the weekly cleaning done in just a half hour a day. Can I get an Amen for that?!

Getting Rid of the Entry Uglies

Having recently posted about my new love of Pinterest, I will show you just exactly how I'm planning on putting it to good use. My first project is part art, part organizing. Here's a link that will show you exactly what I'm talking about:

http://pinterest.com/pin/5981411974813093/

My house is small, as I think I've mentioned before. Don't get me wrong, I love it - it's a great house and it is God's provision. We are definitely blessed to have been able to purchase a home in Connecticut, of all places! Where every square foot seems to be a bajillion dollars. But I digress...

One of the major problems of having a small house is finding a place to put everything. Sure, the furniture and appliances have their place, but I'm talking about the CLUTTER. Oh, the clutter! I can never seem to get on top of it. I pick up every day, multiple times a day but there always seems to be more papers, books, toys, clothes than I know what to do with. That's when the piles start happening...they're like little armies forming. Planning their attack. And some days I just feel like waving that dang white flag in surrender.

The entry is the WORST culprit. The first room you enter in my house is a big room but it feels like a lot of wasted space because all it's really good for is storage. But I want that storage to be cute. Is that so wrong?

Well THIS is 2012, the year I make my home homier. So I'm starting with this project - painting a bookshelf we already have white - and getting canvas bins for Josh's toys - 1 will be for blocks, 1 for cars + trucks, 1 for stuffed animals, etc. This will be in the entry but it won't look like toy storage...it will look like a cute little shelf with a beautiful mirror hanging over it, and a sweet little lamp on top - maybe a flower or two as well.

Incidentally, I actually have a mirror that looks just like the one in the picture currently taking up valuable real estate in my basement. I'm going to have hubby hang it up after I finish the painting.

I'm not working Sunday so after church when Josh is napping, I'm going to do my project. I can't wait!! I hope it turns out ok. I'm not much of a DIY girl! Yet!

I will post pictures of the before and after next week. Stay tuned!

It's About to Get Pinteresting

I have posted before about my lack of wanting more "technology." Maybe technology isn't the right word - social media outlets is probably better.

I don't want a Twitter, I don't understand it. Now people are talking about something new...Pinterest. Or maybe it's not new to anyone else, but it's new to me.

Once I saw enough of my friends talking about it on Facebook (my social network of choice), I decided to check it out for myself. And IT. IS. SO. COOL.

You probably already know what it is, but it's an online pinboard where you can post pictures of things you'd like to do to your house, recipes, fashion, or just about anything you can think of. I've already been on it a ton in the last few days and, dare I say, this could be more addicting than Facebook!

Great, just what I need, something else that sucks my precious time away. But I truly do think this could be used for good. I've already gotten a lot of ideas for ways to organize my house, decorate, recipes I'd like to try, and clothes I want to buy (someday). It's so fun to see things your friends like and then find stuff you like from them! I have to say I didn't think I was going to be a believer, but I AM!

Plus, through Pinterest I found an awesome new blog that I am obsessed with! It's called "The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking" and can be found here:

http://www.imperfecthomemaking.com/

The woman who writes it is a Christian mom of 5 (I believe), including twins and has to be, like...the craftiest mom EVER. Her house is adorable (and looks so CLEAN!) and she just really seems to have it all together. I already commented (and probably freaked her out!) by asking incredulously, "How the HECK do you do all that?" I only have one and I'm not half the homemaker she apparently is!

But there's always room to grow. I'm excited to get some projects started in my house in 2012 - i.e. organizing the linen closet, the coat closet...well, just about every closet! In general, just trying to make our home sweet home a little, well...homier. I've got the Pinspiration, now all I need is the perspiration!

You notice what I did there? Try not to fall off your chair laughing at how punny I am. Please.

Daily Housework and Playtime Schedule

Everyone who knows me well knows I love to schedule things. Not filling up my days with appointments scheduling, but every minute of the day has a purpose scheduling. Even if that purpose is taking a nap! My mom loves to tell the story of when our family was going on a beach vacation when I was about nine. While she was packing up the car, she found a notebook in which I had written my "schedule" for each day we would be away. I had even written in times to have a snack or "drink a coke" - or at least, that's what she claims!

Well, old habits die hard and lately I've been feeling like I need to get a schedule in order to keep my home up, make sure I'm spending quality time with my son and start to get things organized around here.

The problem I sometimes encounter with schedules and lists are that I start out with the very best of intentions and then often fall off the horse when life gets in the way, as it inevitably does. My goal was to make a daily schedule that I could follow and live with. Also, it has to be flexible because my husband and I have Young Life commitments at least twice a week, and there always seems to be something else going on.

So here's my first attempt at getting on a schedule we can live with around here. I'm sure there will be some tweaking that happens as I begin to live it, but that's the beauty of a first draft, isn't iit? Also, by posting for all to see, hopefully this will give me accountability to stick with it!

6:15 - (actually the alarm goes off at 6:12 - my husband as apparently calculated the exact number of minutes it will take him to get ready in the the morning so he can get every possible minute of sleep. That's what I get for marrying a math teacher!) Husband and I get up, I make coffee, iron his clothes for the day and make his lunch.

6:45 - Husband off to work, I do my quiet time with God.

7:15 - I call my mom (yes, we talk every day - I know it's not what "normal" mothers and daughters do, but I love starting my day talking to one of my very best friends)

7:45 (or after) - Josh gets up, I change his diaper, and make and eat breakfast with him.

8:30ish - Josh has a half hour of playpen time while I do the Morning Routine (I cribbed this from my studies of 1950's housewives when I was doing my other blog "Move Over, June!" It seems to work well - I can get a lot done in just a half an hour!)

The Morning Routine consists of:

1. Loading and starting the washer

2. Cleaning the kitchen (empty dishwasher, load new dishes, clean counters)

3. Make our bed and tidy bedrooms

4. Tidy bathroom & run a disinfecting wipe quickly over sink and toilet

5. Tidy living room

9:00ish - Structured Activty with Josh (most of my scheduled time with Josh are ideas from the Babywise series, which I'm sure I will post more on later). This is time where we do an activity I choose, and lately I've been getting ideas from my Parents Magazines - more posts on these later as well!

9:30 - Josh has juice and a light snack. I have water and a small snack with him. Change Josh's diaper and change him into clothes for the day.

10:00 - Josh free play time (he plays in living room with toys independently - or as independently as possible!) I'm in the living room making calls, updating our finances, etc.

11:00 - Josh playtime with Mom

11:30 - Make and eat lunch with Josh, change diaper.

12:00 - Josh nap. I call my husband to check in or just leave a message and say "I love you."

12:15 - Mama nap time! (hopefully) Or reading or just resting a bit. I used to feel guilty about this, but honestly, it's hard to get up so early and go to bed so late (on my husband's schedule) without getting at least a bit of a breather during the day!

1:30 - I shower and get ready for the day

2:00 (or after) - Josh up from nap, change diaper. Josh free playtime and/or run errands with Mom

3:00 - Josh playtime with Mom

3:30 - Make and eat snack with Josh, change diaper.

3:45 - Josh playpen time. This is when I clean the room of the day. I will use a rotating schedule that will start out like this:

Monday - Bathroom

Tuesday - Master Bedroom

Wednesday - Josh's Room

Thursday - Entry

Friday - Kitchen

Saturday - Living Room

Sunday - Rest

However, if I have Josh's playgroup or something (as I do every other Wednesday) during this afternoon slot, I will simply pick up the next day with the room I was supposed to do today. So basically the rooms will just rotate regardless of day after a while - but this is how I'm starting out!)

I have a detailed cleaning list for each room that I will go through as well. I will simply work for 30 minutes (until the timer goes off) and get as much done as I can in that time. I will pick up where I left off on that day the next week.

4:15 - Get mail with Josh & read him a story (we read way more than this during the day usually but this is just to ensure we read at least once a day)

4:30- Josh free playtime, Mama check email, then play with Josh.

5:00 - Quick house tidy up - kitchen clean up, put toys away, etc.

5:30 - Move clothes from washer to dryer - fold previous load (if applicable) and put away.

5:45 - Josh bath (if needed - we try to do this every other day)

6:00 - Make dinner. Josh playtime with Daddy (this is usually when he gets home).

6:30 - Eat dinner.

7:00 - Josh in PJs, diaper changed, teeth brushed.

7:15 - Prayers with Josh and then he goes to bed.

7:30 - I do dinner dishes and clean kitchen.

8:00 - Free time (unless it's a Young Life night) to blog, hang out with my hubby, meet a friend for coffee, etc.

10:00 - I get ready for bed or try to be in bed by now. Sometimes it happens, sometimes not!

Well there you have it - that's what I'm going to try to stick to and see if things can get organized around here. I'll keep you posted on my progress!

Who Do You Follow?

Sometimes I feel like the only person on the planet who doesn't "tweet." From the very beginning of Twitter, I thought "that sounds like a crazy HUGE waste of time." I also thought it could be dangerous or just plain weird to tell the world where you are and what you are doing every minute of every day. I also think if you do multiple things per day, you may feel obligated to tweet about each of those things, and then come on - you'd essentially spend more time tweeting about your life as you would spend actually living it.

Now, I have to be honest - when Facebook was the new kid on the block back in college, I rolled my eyes at that, too. And now I absolutely adore it. Probably more than I should! I love being able to post pictures of my son, see other people's photos in one easy stop and just feel like I'm still a part of people's lives who live far away from me. It's so easy and convenient to go to one place and see EVERYONE. Especially because my sister recently moved away, leaving me the only family member in Connecticut; the rest of our family resides in Ohio. I miss them terribly.

As of now, I'm standing my ground on not starting a Twitter - but I have a confession to make. Though I don't have a Twitter account of my own, I do follow someone on Twitter. And this is the weirdest part - it's not even a person I know! Let me explain before you cast me off as a psycho stalker.

A while back, I was introduced to this website called Flylady.net, which helps people "get control" of their house - with easy routines, organizational help, and goal-setting. I liked the idea of this site and have even put many of the routines to use in my own home. It's noticeably cleaner and easy to keep on top of, I must say! Flylady also has links on the page to Facebook and Twitter so you can "keep up with flylady." Curious (more about Twitter than anything else), I clicked on the Twitter link one day. I saw women posting left and right about their accomplishments in their home - be it a completed load of laundry, a shiny sink, or a P90-x workout achievement.

One "tweeter" in particular seemed super busy - and super accomplished. I felt a twinge of guilt as I realized she had done more before noon than I had all day! I decided to turn my guilt into something productive and take a closer look. Her profile indicated she was a stay at home mom of three school aged kids - and a Christian as well, something else I could identify with.

It happened slowly at first - I would peek at the Flylady page here and there, checking for her updates and being inspired to do what she was doing. If she was swiffering her floor, I would think "hey, that's a novel idea!" and do the same to mine. Before I knew it, I was receiving daily text updates from this woman's Twitter and adding so many things to my to-do list. She's like my housekeeping mentor. Without knowing it. Weird? Maybe. Honestly, it's just inspiring me to get off my butt and make good use of my time at home to make my home a little, well homier.

Ok, that's my confession but now I want to know - who do you follow? Am I the only crazy one who follows people they don't know? Make me feel better about my life! At the very least, I already feel much better about my home!