Getting Your House In Order

At the beginning of this year we moved into a new apartment. We used to live (believe it or not) in a mortuary. We were able to get free rent and utilities, but we definately had to work for it. So, after a couple years of being able to save money and pay off debt we moved around the corner into a small two bedroom apartment. Aside from being able to have more free-time and being less restricted, I was MOSTLY excited about moving into a new place and having a place for everything and everything being in it's place. I de-junked before moving and planned on de-junking more as I unpacked. In my mind I imagined going through the boxes and while emptying them I would be putting the contents directly into their spot. I was extremely excited for when I was finished I would have EVERYTHING in it's place. EVERYTHING would be clean for at least one minute. The idea behind this is that it is much easier to KEEP everything clean once it's clean to begin with.

Well...SIX MONTHS later....


It's a mess! This past holiday weekend was SO FRUSTRATING! I felt so unorganized. We kept forgetting things. We would be at the 4th of July Festivities and realize that we had forgotten sunscreen, or a change of clothes for the kids, or the baby food for lunch. We came back and forth the 2 1/2 miles to our house. In the meantime, during one of those trips, a set of keys were lost, and lots of time and gas was wasted. That was my breaking point. I NEED to find a place for everything. The easiest way to stay on top of things is to have everything in order to begin with. That is my main project these next two weeks.

I have plenty of excuses. But, I'm not going to focus on those. The important thing is that IT'S OVER! We are turning this around no matter what!!!!!

Here's the plan.....

Yesterday my focus was to recover from the long holiday weekend. We had plenty of piles by the door. We did the run 'n ditch. We would run in the house and throw things just to run back out again. So...yesterday I cleaned up from that mess. The living room got vacummed and the kitchen got cleaned. The piles were gone and everything was as it was before the weekend began, still a mess, but liveable. The bathroom was in desperate need. I only had a chance to do the worst of it, though...the tub and toilet. I also folded all of the laundry from the weekend that I didn't get around to, as well as do a few additional loads.

Next on the list...today...

I have some grocery shopping to do...but on the cleaning list is our BEDROOM. That is the dreaded place of the whole house. Well, actually both bedrooms are DISASTERS! My project for the day is to get the bedroom in order. There are clothes everywhere in piles. Are they clean or dirty? That will be the impossible question of the day. I bet I will ask myself that over 100 times. It's rediculous in there. I will really have to hold myself back. One of my excuses that we're not talking about is that I'm a perfectionist. If something isn't PERFECT, and in this case that means everything dusted and everything in order, including decorated, then I go CRAZY!! Well...today I am focusing on just getting it un-tornadoed. Yes...that's a word. My goal is to be able to walk and sit on the "moon chair" as I call it. Every piece of clothing either needs to be hung up, folded in the drawer, or in the hamper. I will also need to finish up the bathroom that I wasn't able to get to yesterday.

Tomorrow my task will be the kids' room. For that I will just have all of the toys will be in A place. I will go through them again later, but I just need them SOMEWHERE! Not the middle of the floor. And, the same rule applies to the clothes as did our bedroom. I also have a couple pictures still leaning against the hallway wall. Those will be hung up.

On Friday we are leaving for a camping trip. This will be our first camping trip together (the hubby and I), and even scarier...my first camping trip as a Mom! So, that day will have to be focused on getting that ready. It will be SO NICE to have everything in order prior to getting packed for the weekend.

I better get busy...I'm setting the bar pretty high for myself, but I really need these habits to stop and Get My House In Order!