it rained last week

so... last week it rained for a few days...we weren't able to go to the pool.
we were at a lost as to what to do... okay the kids weren't they loved the puddles...but what did i used to do?

oh yeah.
i think i sort of remember the sewing machine and paint and some other stuff i used to have fun with...
i blew the dust off the 'ol craft area in my brain and started to unleash some hounds that have been needing to...well be unleashed i guess. the kids kind of got excited and hovered as i tried my hand at something crafty. i think both parties kind of have missed that little bit of me.
i made something for my house...
exciting!!!!
and i'm editing pictures on how to make it so you will have a tutorial sometime next week.
oh hey and by the way i have a HUGE giveaway on monday. yeah, it's the biggest ever here on the 'ol blog.
uh yeah you won't want to miss it i promise!!!

btw keep the organizing coming! you can link up your progress till the 5th! thanks to the gals who have already shown their progress! it's keeping me motivated for sure! i'm working on my closet and my storage area in the garage... ;) i'll try to add a few more pics (camera was acting up...okay no it wasn't i'm just super lame when it comes to figuring out computer stuff. so i was acting up...new computer means me not knowing what i'm doing for a little while till i get used to the new system...i'm an old dog with no new tricks to be learned when it comes to computers i guess!)
anywho...come back monday and next week for a HUGE giveaway and a tutorial.
have a great weekend!

get the crap out of my house party

<a href="http://www.vanessachristenson.com/"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUKyt-L6dwdBEUD_TcoaWQD8xnZcoFkfuRINovKqj1kI_ng1OfnqAnRVMWEWR2b7lvr7j32aLaFBPn-oYwMeWPlnqR94g8ZUWxw6TRxaPjjdqehqjTuaLFKESFDQ5ab8whlAeeChrczr2H/s400/getthecrapout.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498794097194306834" border="0" /></a>

well did you do it? did you gain a little more control on the clutter and crap?
this last week the kids and i tackled their closets, drawers, toys, and "treasure" drawers.

this time i want to talk about how to get the kids to help.

one way to get my kids to help with the process is to let them know that no "new things" can enter our home, or toy bins without getting rid of something that has seen better days or things that are no longer used. we've been doing this process for a few years. i want to say 5 to 7 years. they have essentially grown up knowing that this is how our house works.
they also know that mom is on a weekly/daily cleaning schedule and this summer we've been working on getting everyone involved so they can learn to be able to do it as well if need be do it on their own as well. hopefully not but i'm trying to set them up for the future. next in the next few weeks i'll talk about that said schedule. it's been tweaked here and there and it works great for our family. of course it will have to be tweaked again once school starts next month.
but we'll talk about that later on.
so now, are you ready to link up your success posts?
please add your button somewhere in the post!

get the crap out of my house challenge

<a href="http://www.vanessachristenson.com/2010/07/first-step-to-organizing-and-cleaning.html"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUKyt-L6dwdBEUD_TcoaWQD8xnZcoFkfuRINovKqj1kI_ng1OfnqAnRVMWEWR2b7lvr7j32aLaFBPn-oYwMeWPlnqR94g8ZUWxw6TRxaPjjdqehqjTuaLFKESFDQ5ab8whlAeeChrczr2H/s400/getthecrapout.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498794097194306834" border="0" /></a>

alrighty. you have spoken so we are going to do a link party this friday and you can link up your progress or your success story.

here are the official rules:

here's the post that started it all

**starting friday you can link up to the post where you talk about with a picture of the area you have tackled or are tackling.

**place this badge in the post (either beginning or end) or on your sidebar to show you are actively trying to get the crap out of your house!

that's it.
no before and afters are necessary,
you can just do the after if you want to.

this is here for motivation or support. please no nastiness or else i'll have to unleash my colombian mother on you and she can put you back in your place.
we'll see you on friday so until then get the crap out of your house!

and then we'll talk more about schedules and how to get your kids to help.

my cupeth runeth overeth

happy monday!

so many of you are on board in the get rid of crap process! good for you! it's contagious and let me tell you...
you guys motivated me to organize a little more than what i anticipated on doing in the first place. we went through and organized all three boy's dresser drawers, and closet, we went through and organized little miss katie's drawers and closet, and i went through a few of my drawers as well. we're going to work on katie's toys this week sometime and then i'll try to tackle that mess of a craft area i have.
ew hives.
now some of you have commited and some of you have already left comments saying you tackled basements, and drawers and closets!! YAY! see this is what i'm talking about. this is why i blog. just that whole awesome encouragement that goes on and all the help we give to each other! fabulous!

so here's the next question:

do you want a show and tell? like say come this friday we do a link party of before and afters?

or would you like to move on to the next post of organizing and cleaning and schedules?

it's up to you guys. i'm here for whatever.
let me know and we'll move in the direction of the most popular suggestion.
okay...

did you have a nice weekend? we roasted marshmallows to celebrate two full days of working hard on the sewer. yeah you read it right...the husband dug up our pooper (well the leach line and made sure it was running right. he found a few problems and fixed them. i was his trusty sidekick.
and let me tell you, having to spend umpteenth hours together in a trench and working on crap (literally) really makes you appreciate the other things in life you work on together.

my cupeth runeth overeth on the love i have for that man, and the crap he's willing to work on.

:)

first step to organizing and cleaning your home

so i don't care if you have never been in the game or if you are trying to get back in the game (as i am) or have never left the game and are interested in hearing other ideas (and sharing your own!). i have this organizing/cleaning schedule that works for me and my family.

is my house perfect?
HAHAHAhaha...ha...hmmm
no.
can you find occasional dust bunnies under my couch?
yes.
do i spend all day every day cleaning?
no.
can my house look somewhat put together in 20 minutes if someone were to come and drop by?
most often yes.

see nobody's house is ever completely clean. i don't care who you are, it just isn't going to happen. because guess what...
everyone poops and takes showers in your bathroom, and everyone makes dirty laundry and dishes in your house.
if you never have those things get dirty in between cleanings then you must be pooping and eating at someone else's house every single day. (and btw that's not very nice. i'm just sayin.)

nope a rotating cleaning schedule wont make your house completely clean all the time but it will keep it somewhat tidy and look clean enough that if by some chance your mother in law calls you from en-route to your house for a surprise visit you can get that baby looking spic and span within 20 minutes just in time for her arrival.
are you ready to gain control?

okay first things first:

GET RID OF STUFF.

that's right before you can be on a cleaning schedule that will work you have to get rid of the extra crap lying around in hidden places.

ever feel like you are just moving one pile of crap to another section so you can clean off one surface only to make the other surface now cluttered?

yeah you have too much stuff.

GET RID OF THE EXTRA STUFF YOU DON'T USE.

here's where to start: inside your drawers, closets, and under the beds.

get three boxes label them:
*throw away
*give away
*store away

empty out completely all the contents of your drawer, closet, or under the bed.

now start placing in the boxes where things go.
if you are keeping that particular item in that drawer or area then keep it and place it aside for it to be placed nicely back in the area you are working on.

***here's a few tips for you people having a hard time getting rid of your glory days jeans...yeah i know you are out there.

if you haven't fit in your glory day jeans in say a year. GET RID OF THEM.
if you can still fit in them...good for you, you should be proud that you still can, but ask yourself this...when was the last time you wore them?
if its more than one year.
GET RID OF THEM!

now do that with all your clothes and all the stupid nicknaks and junk that is clogging up your closets, and drawers and make room for the stuff that is all over your house being pushed around from surface to surface.

***this is what i'm doing right now. i used to do this every 6 months and weed out broken things and papers and just junk that collects because we have 6 people that live in my house.
6 people can break and create a lot of junk in 6 months. it feels liberating once your house is under control and you can open up closets and not have things stuffed in there falling out and know what is in every closet in your house. no really i dare you. do it.

if you are having a hard time getting rid of things even if you know you haven't worn or used something for the last year...put it in your store it away box. and then seal it up with duck tape and then put a date of 6 months from that day's date. if you haven't touched that box or needed anything from that box in 6 months...GIVE IT TO GOODWILL!

so here's my challenge.
for one week your challenge is to tackle one closet or drawer or heck go nuts and do a ROOM. go around every single corner of that or closet or drawer and then room, and get rid of things you are not using and get rid of junk that's just taking up space.
and watch how your clutter on surfaces disappear.

i'm going to do it too.
my craft closet is on the list, and it gives me hives just thinking of tackling it. i may just try something easier first but i don't know...

are you ready to regain simplicity of your house with me?
who's with me?
anyone?