This balancing act of motherhood...it's tough. And ever-changing. When I worked full-time it was even tougher because let's face it, when you are home for a few hours every evening, there isn't much time for housework.
On the other hand, that was a great excuse.
Anyway, this week is our first week to try out our new weekly schedule. So far it's going well. Here it is in case you are interested:
Monday--school and laundry
Tuesday--school and storytime at the library
Wednesday--school and stay home!
Thursday--school and homeschool play group in the afternoon
Friday--school and either book club for Sweetheart or play date with friends at a park
Friday evening--grocery shopping?
I know that isn't the most glamorous way to spend a Friday night, but I'm really trying to get stuff done during the week (laundry and grocery shopping being the big 2) so we can play and relax on weekends. All too often we choose to play on Saturdays together and then spend Sunday afternoons working and doing all the things we need to get done before Monday. That's not the way it should be.
Now I just need to figure out more of a homemaking schedule. I can't say "vacuum on Tuesdays" because I vacuum every day. (We only have carpet in the living room.) But I do need to keep the girls doing their chores and figure out one room to concentrate on every day. I have piles and clutter build up everywhere and I've got to get a handle on it.
I think I will start with clothes. They are everywhere. I think they multiply like rabbits! I have 3 laundry baskets of clean clothes from Monday's trip to the laundromat, I have clothes on the chest at the foot of our bed, clothes that need to be ironed stacked in the laundry room, clothes that were drying from Monday hanging in the laundry room, and clothes that are dirty too. Like I said...they are everywhere!!!
I truly think we just have too many. The girls don't need this many choices. I'm going to have to do what is painful and that is to get rid of "perfectly good" things. Someone else can be blessed. If we had fewer clothes to mess with, I think I would feel better. Gosh, haven't I said this before?
What about you? What kind of clutter tends to take over your house?
We've been getting rid of clothes for the last few weeks. Whenever I would wash all the laundry there wouldn't be space to put it all away. Given that we usually only wear about 6-8 outfits regularly, that didn't make much sense to me. So we've gotten rid of a lot and are still decluttering.
ReplyDeleteSo yeah, you guys probably have too many also.
Yep, that's us! Whenever it's all clean it doesn't fit in the drawers or closet. That is just wrong! We will be donating. (And a lot of it was given to us)
ReplyDeleteForgive my ignorance, because I don't know at what age you do what with kids, but....if you have some stuff that is worth selling, maybe you could either have a garage sale or take the girls to a resale shop and sell the clothes. Then they could put the money in the offering box at church. Just an idea. I'm sure you've probably already thought of this (or done it) before.
ReplyDeleteWell....this sounds a little familiar. I think we were frantically "cleaning" our bedroom in June because we were getting a new bathroom floor. (we just couldn't let the tile layers see a messy room, could we?)My husband grabbed a big plastic trash bag and stuffed all the clothes in there that had been in our room, lying on the chair or dresser. Then he hid it in our closet! Needless to say it about takes up the whole closet and we've yet to put those clothes away. (although he did dig into that bag once to get a shirt.) I have really thought about chunking that whole bag!
ReplyDeleteNow, if you ever ask me about this, I will completely deny it! :)
Look, I'm getting braver! :)
ReplyDeleteYou know what clutters our bedroom? Clothes that NEED to be ironed. Because I am so not on top of that. At all. But, my some of my husband's favorite shirts are ones that need ironing. I am trying, I am trying.
ReplyDeleteAs for the resale idea Rachel mentioned, we do that. I have a box/basket in each child's closet that, if I come across a piece of clothing that it too small, stained, or no longer wearable, I just toss it into that basket. Then, when it's full, I sort through it making three piles: resale, donate, trash. Then, the proceeds from the resale I just turn around and buy what's needed for the next season (or if nothing is needed, I hold onto the credit until needed.)
Okay, so you just asked what clutter takes over at my house. Not my life story. :)
Books!!
ReplyDelete...but you need those to homeschool, so i don't know!
I'm thinking to get ahead on the clutter, you sacrifice a couple weekends in the beginning and focus on de-cluttering.
ReplyDeleteEveryone helps. Every room gets done.
Then you can play when finished, knowing the house is in order. And there's NO GUILT!!
Aaaah - clutter! Clothes is a big problem for us too, I must admit! We have way too many, and, like Terry said, we each have our favorite outfits that get worn the most often. The others just sit! And if they aren't sitting - they are being put on for very short time spans and then thrown in the wash - dirty or not!
ReplyDeleteOur other clutter spot is cups! Crazy, huh? But I love to drink from plastic cups. So whenever I go somewhere and me or the kids get drinks in take home plastic cups, we keep them. Then they drive me nuts in the dishwasher when they fill with water. Then I have so many that I don't have room for real glasses. So, eventually, I start chunking them only to watch it start over!
Thanks for always keeping it real!
PAPER - on my desk, mail on my kitchen shelf - it's not horrible, but I absolutely hate the paper build up. I usually clear it out ASAP - go through and dispose of the junk mail right away. It's the stuff that needs to be filed that sits for a few days until I can't take it anymore!
ReplyDelete