Ugh! I am driving myself crazy, Nicole! This week is about switching fall/winter clothes to spring/summer. I finished Sarah and now I am working on the older girls. I could not even get to their bins because I have bags and bags and boxes and boxes of clothes in front. So I have been going through these bags and boxes and watching the girls and getting groceries that I ordered online. I took the girls on a bike ride which was fun but I still have clothes everywhere and the house has fallen apart! Ugh! Once I get these clothes organized. I am not going to put bags of clothes in the attic again!!!! I have to put then in the correct size bin!! Oh well, here goes nothing - going back to work. Sarah is napping. Caroline and Lydia are playing outside with Emma and Harrison. Wish me luck!

I love the background, Nicole! It is cute! Easter is coming! I am still working on Sarah's clothes. We went outside for a little while - until they got too muddy! I have a feeling that I am going to fall apart with my routines this week. I am proud of you that you completed your weekly blessing 2 weeks in a row! Gotta get back to sorting!

Tomorrow's Friday!

Hi Becky, How are you doing today? I am doing good but not doing much. You know what I mean!! I worked late this afternoon to assist in packaging test for the other counselor. Fred took 1/2 day off so he was able to pick up the kids and start their homework. Joy. Joy.

I am boiling 6 dozen eggs to dye tomorrow. My friend Karen and her daughter will come over for the afternoon/evening. We will have a meal and work on Easter Egg creations. Karen's son is busy tomorrow night so Charlie has invited a friend over to play and keep him company. Hopefully, the kids will disappear into the outdoors and enjoy the wonderful weather and Karen and I will get to visit and watch something on the DVR.

Speaking of the DVR, I watched the end of Dancing with the Stars last week. Kate looked ridiculous in that pink flowing dress thing. When the judge said that her partner looked like he was pushing around a grocery cart. I was thinking, that grocery cart is full of Pepto-Bismol. That was a terrible dance. It was so bad that it made me laugh.

Routines: I guess I should mention that I did part of my morning routine. (Dishes, laundry, and bathroom). And, to be quite honest the laundry is still in the dryer. I promise I will do that before I go to bed :). On a positive note the super pink birthday flowers are still beautiful. Do you think they would go with Kate's dress? I'm just sayin?

Peace Out! Love, Nicole

Hey Nicole! I struggled yesterday with my routines. I almost finished going through all the boxes and bags from the attic yesterday. I still have 1 box. I ended up working outside while the girls played yesterday afternoon and then after dinner. I did straighten up the patio area - pruned my sasanqua camellia and raked and sweeped the patio. It looks great! I still have work to do around my baker's rack and grill area. May work on it later if the girls want to go out.

Now I need to straighten my whole house. I just finished the kitchen and now onto the living room and the girls' rooms.

We have Brownies today. I'm in charge since Holly had surgery yesterday. Her surgery went well but she is emotionally and physically drained. Talk to you later!

P.S. I love your photos. I need to clear out my memory card and take more photos!

Hi Becky, I took a few pictures in January when we did our first house blessing. I thought you might enjoy them!

FOUND!

My coupon book from Target. This find made me happy in January. Now the coupon book is in the trash because I realized that coupons are a lot of work!

Released!

Magazines to be recycled. I recycle 2 ways. Feed the Bin and Love the Neighbor. I toss my catalogs ASAP as to help the budget. I give magazines to my neighbor after I read them.After!

I am glad that we have started working on our weekly blessing and our routines. Love, Nicole

Release

Release! Release! Release! I am trying to get rid of stuff but I am tired. I have gone through everything that I brought down from the attic yesterday. I worked up there about 20 minutes this morning and brought a couple of bags, 1 box, and 1 bin. I think that I am finished with the things that I bagged and boxed up from the girls' rooms during many dash and stash sessions. I have bags from my hot spots, bedroom and living room during dash and stashes still left in the attic that I need to go through. I feel good about the attic but no one else would even know that I have worked hard because they would have no idea how really terrible it was before! It still looks junky but at least I can start to walk around up there without stepping on stuff, and climbing over boxes and bags. :) It can be discouraging but I am just going to keep encouraging myself and tell myself that every little bit I get out of there helps!

Then next week I need to start switching clothes for spring and summer from fall and winter for all 3 girls and myself. I am going to donate stuff and get things ready for the Fall Consignment Sale. (We are going to stay home next week. DH says that the President and Owner of his company wants to ride with him. That works out great for me because I am on a roll! I can't work in the attic during the summer because it is way too hot and it makes me feel faint and nauseous!

Then I look toward the back of the attic (deep dark cave) and see all of my school stuff! Ugh! I have a sense of dread and feel panicky just thinking about that stuff! It will be difficult but I can do it! (In 2 weeks!) :) I am going to work on that area while DH is in England.

You are right Nicole! It has not helped me that we have not moved in 13 years! I am starting to think that if I get rid of stuff then it will free up time and space and show DH that I am serious about wanting to add on to our house. We just can't think about it because of all of the junk and financial reasons. If the house is ready for remodeling then we can get ready for saving money. At least that is my hope!

Release! Release! Release! :)

Congratulations and Routines

Hi Becky,

Congratulations on all of the trash you have made this week. Becky, let it go and keep it going! You can do it!

Routines are the name of the game. Right?

This morning I was able to take care of my morning routine before school. I had to work late to cover a meeting for the other counselor so there was no afternoon routine. I need to figure out what that is anyway. I will have more housework to do tonight to get ready for tomorrow. I want to spend a few minutes in the kitchen and when I finish the load of laundry in the dryer I will be caught up on laundry. Tomorrow, I will start with one load of laundry per day. That works out well for me. Sometimes, I need to do 2 loads due to sheets and/or towels otherwise I am good with one load.


Routine overview:


Morning--going pretty good (laundry, dishes, bathroom, and bed
Laundry--very good (one load per day)
after work--need to develop (dinner...)
evening--need to develop (kids snack, dishes, sink...)


Why is this so hard? I have less to declutter than you do. We have purged with each move. After we moved from our first house DH has not allowed me to put any "junk" in the attic. From time to time DH will ask me "Nicole, what is in the attic?" The only items in our attic now are the stuffed animals and suitcases. I can toss a lot of things...but I have never met a stuffed animal that I did not love. DS and DD each have a container for stuffed animals. We put the stuffed animals in the attic that will not fit in the bin. Occasionally, we will get all of them down and rotate. This usually happens because DD is missing one of the animals that is hanging out in the attic. When we were shopping this weekend, did you notice that I refused to look at the stuffed animals? Anyhoo, I still need to work on many hidden areas of clutter. You would think that my house would be House Beautiful with my new job and all!! I wish. So frustrating.


I know the benefits of having a straight and clean home. I feel better. I do not feel stressed out. I can relax. I can breath. And this when the house is straight when it is clean it is a bonus!! When I am really doing well in my routines...this happens. But, I never remember having it last more that a few days in a row. DH said that he would prefer a clean house over food. Clean house OVER food. Really? I think I have a theory on that but that is another post all together.

I am going to do a few things tonight to help me tomorrow. Tomorrow will be day 2 of routines. Love you, Nicole

Hoarders on A & E

OMGosh! I watched Hoarders on A & E late last night! It was so shocking, sad, and interesting all at the same time! I hate to say it but I can understand some of their behaviors - not all. I can see how the clutter and stuff/junk can be overwhelming to deal with! I do not want to become a excessive hoarder!

This show and Clean House on Style (especially Messiest House in Country 3) is motivating me to clear out our house including our attic! I have to get rid of things we no longer need, want, or love! I have to get rid of a lot of my school teacher things! That will be hard because I think, "Well, when I go back to teaching I will need that." But, I tell myself that if I need it, I can get it later, but more than likely I will have no use for most of it.

I have been asking myself this morning, "Does this item improve the quality of my life?" Mostly NO it does not! I do not want to live the rest of my life worrying about stuff and about keeping stuff! I want to spend my time with my husband and children, extended family, and close friends, like you, Nicole! One of my fears is not getting control of my clutter and letting it take over or getting sick and being unable to get rid of it! I must do it now while I am young, healthy, and able!

Dear God, Please give me the strength to let go of objects and only keep the items that I need and love! Amen.

Thank you, Nicole for encouraging and supporting me!

Cleaned all day but others can't tell!

Hey Nicole! I am sorry that I couldn't talk long. DH had recently gotten home from his meeting. I feel the exact same way as you about all of the work I did today - can't tell - but I know what I did. I am just trying to tell myself that I am cleaning for me! I think and hope that if we just keep up with our routines every day then we should be able to tell a difference in a few months. I need to aim for doing my routines every day this week.

I had brought 2 boxes and 1 bin down from the attic. By the time Andy got home, I had already cleaned out, threw away, and put away the things from the 2 boxes. I was in the middle of the bin. I got through half of it. I hope to finish it tomorrow. I have to get our attic decluttered as best as I can before it gets too hot. It just weighs on me having all of that stuff up there. I look at the ceiling and think OMG there is so much junk up there! I also need to go through clothes - the girls - and switch out the seasonal items.

I am thinking tonight that we are going to stay in home next week. I'll see how I feel tomorrow. We could leave my parents'house on Saturday night. DD1's choir is singing on Sunday - she doesn't really have to go but it would be a good excuse to stay home. Also, our church will have a donkey for Palm Sunday which would be neat seeing the kids following the donkey with the palm branches. Anyway, I am rambling. I think that I am taking DH to work in the morning so he can leave his car at home. I like having his car at home for security reasons.

I am going to try to have all of my morning routines complete in the morning. Do you want to try to do a mission or clean up from the kids coming home in the afternoon? DD1 has drumming from 4-4:45. How do your kids do with doing their homework while trying to beat the timer? DD1 likes it but I always forget to set the timer for her until she has a breakdown. We'll talk tomorrow!