I am trying to organize our house in every aspect that can possibly be organized. The third word in that sentence is the key. I have started and completed the pantry, the "office", the kitchen gadgets drawer, and the pots/pans cabinets. All in two weeks. Yes, all of that took 2 whole weeks. I did start our closet in that mix, but have not finished yet. I do the closet at night and I stopped when I didn't know what to do with CR's 23 jackets. You heard me right, 23 jackets. No, we have not moved to North Dakota. We still live in South Texas, where as we speak it is 94 degrees outside at 9:30. I counted; he has more jackets/pullovers than he does tshirts. Is there something wrong with this picture? He said, "It's so I have one jacket for every day it is cold here." "I am just a jacket guy." "I won those when I was showing pigs, I can't just decide to get rid of one and not the other, or those and not these ... they all have a story." That story takes up his entire lower part of the closet. Usually the girl has more stuff than the guy in the closet, right? Not in our case ... his baseballs and gloves pour over onto my shelves. Oh my Cecil. My goal for this next week is to finish the master closet, get to the guest closets, and then move/donate whatever I deem not allowed in the closets anymore. When you are the CEO of the house, that is what you get to do.
With all of that in mind, please share with me your organizing and house cleaning ideas that make it work for you. We are the kind of people that everything needs a place, otherwise it does not end up good. We tend to make piles and then piles on top of those piles. What makes cleaning up fast and easy for you? I have been picking up and putting away the bulk of what Kirby and I do throughout the day, and then after she goes down at night I clean everything. That is what works now with CR in the field till forever into the night, but once he gets home I do not want to constantly be cleaning when we can spend time together. With little ones, what are your suggestions for cleaning? On that note, what do you clean your floors with? I use Swiffers and a steam cleaner right now, but I have started to second guess the Swiffer. I remember an email a few years ago about Swiffers being deadly to dogs that lick the floor; what can they do to my daughter who crawls then eats her hands all day?
“By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established.”
Proverbs 24:3
Have you read Organized Simplicity? It's great for getting your house in order! I'm working through it right now, but you are right, it takes a LONG time with a toddler!
ReplyDeleteCleaning is overrated but organization is key I do believe. The floors are our nightmare too. I do everything green so water and vinegar and then ammonia when it is read bad. http://cleanmama.blogspot.com/ I follow this blog and she does have a great routine...yet I am no where close to her level. Hang in there
ReplyDeleteThanks ladies! I am going to try both of those resources. Chel - thanks for the green tip ...that is what I want but wasn't sure what would actually kill germs. Y'all rock!
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ReplyDeleteThe piles must be in the genes. Before Ken and I got married he would call me "PILES PATRICK". I told him once we got married he could call me "FILES FABREGAS"! I am much better than I use to be about being organized and putting things away. I found it helps to clean up as you go. Do I always put my shoes up at the end of the day? No. Often you can find a pair parked under our huge ottoman in the living room.
ReplyDeleteSometimes life gets going pretty fast and things get neglected, so we'll have a "let's knock this out together" moment, helping things find their way home.
All the years I've been in the classroom, I always encouraged my students to clean up along the way and when we we're done, we would ALL knock the mess out together. I always thought I'd do that if I had kids...work on it together, make it fun until you're done!
Enjoying your blog and wishing I was closer! Love you!!!!