Laundry is like an avalanche in my house. And from what I hear from other moms, it's like this in many houses. And it's never done. Laundry goes on forever. Which is why it is the one thing that overwhelms me most when it comes to housekeeping.
I'll wash the laundry and make sure we all have clean clothes, but sorting it and putting it away is such a bother. Most of the time I just pick stuff up off the chair in my room or take it from the laundry basket once I've folded it.
I've been so overwhelmed by it lately--and sick of having it EVERYWHERE-- that I've decided to tackle a little bit of laundry every day. Yep, every day I either wash a load, pick up some laundry from the floor, put away a whole basket of clothes, or fold clothes that were left in the dryer.
It's actually helping. Since I know it's never going to stop, doing a little bit of laundry each day has cut back on the overwhelming feeling of doom that I get from just looking at the laundry. Now it's not taking over my house and I feel a whole lot better. Try doing just a little each day. It won't take long until it becomes a habit and then you'll do it without even thinking. Well, that's the theory anyway. Happy laundry-ing!
"Piles" Update with Labels
I am no longer living with piles all over the living room. It got really chaotic there for a while, so I had the kids label sheets of paper for me and hang them on the hallway wall. I had the following pile labels:
Keep
Donate
Freecycle
Dumpster
Sell
Relocate
Gifts
Rafters
Then I neatly placed all the items along the wall which fit into these categories. It worked much better, and didn't stress me out just looking at it! From there, I was able to sort things out throughout a couple weeks. Though I thought it would take me one week, it didn't!
As of today, I've finished the general organization and now I'm starting in on the nitty gritty. So, for now everything has a home, but how that home is organized is still being processed. Pictures will be showing up here soon! Stay tuned :)
Home Emergency/Disaster Preparedness Binder
This is one of those tasks that is so easy to look over and forget to do...for years! I know because we didn't have one for years. But, like I said before, my husband is very safety oriented and wants us to be prepared. Sidenote: But, it's still funny that this was my task to enforce. LOL! But, that's beside the point. The point being: if you don't have one of these, get one! Get your kids involved and assign them each a page or two--it could even count as their handwriting or spelling practice for school.
Here's what your home emergency binder should include:
1) Emergency contact phone numbers--including friends and family who live out of state.
2) Addresses of friends and family--including those out of state. You may need to travel to a friend's house during an emergency or disaster.
3) Instructions for:
*Shutting off your main gas line
*Shutting off your main electricity
*Shutting off the main water supply
*Draining the water heater (in case you need to drink
it).
4) List of items to take with you if you need to leave your house.
5) Place (designated ahead of time) to meet loved ones if everyone is not at home during the emergency/disaster.
6) Contact numbers for doctors & hospitals
7) Bank information
8) Health insurance information
Don't be caught off-guard. This is a must-have for every family to take care of their loved ones during a time that could be very frightening. You can keep your binder along with the rest of your emergency supplies. Ours is in our garage (it may not be a bad idea to have two, and keep them in separate areas of your house).
Cleaning the Microwave
I hate cleaning the microwave. It's such a tedious job--especially cleaning the very top because you have to tweak your hand all crazy, and it's painful if there's a lot of food stuck up there, and you have to really scrub at it to get it to loosen up.
How ironic is it that I am grossed out by icky microwaves? Yeah, hypocritical, I know. Anyway, I was at my friend's house the other day, and she gave me a tip for cleaning the microwave without such a hassle. Here's what you do:
1) Get a microwave-safe bowl & fill it with water
2) Add a little vinegar
3) Put the bowl in the microwave & run the microwave for 3-5 minutes
4) Open the microwave, remove the bowl, and simply wipe down the inside
This is great! The heat and moisture loosen up the food particles stuck to the walls of the microwave (yes, it's a little embarrassing telling you that sometimes my microwave gets that dirty, but oh well) and they wipe off much more easily. Voila! Clean microwave in a jiff. Thanks, C. (and your grandma!)
Yard Sale
I grew up having yard sales, and scouting them out as well. My grandma would pick me up early and we would ride all around town looking for that perfect deal, and being lured by the promise of great treasures.
Now, as an adult, I love spending a Saturday morning running around town checking out yard sales. My boys have become fans as well. We're actually having a yard sale today (it's almost over), as you can probably guess we're having a slow few minutes, so it was the perfect time to squeeze in a blog post.
We've started to take a serious stand against clutter around the house, and the overflow started piling up in the garage. We've made countless trips to Goodwill in the past, but this time we decided to hold a yard sale and make a few extra dollars. We like the idea better too because then people get a better deal--it seems a lot of the thrift stores are way overpriced these days.
If you have things to get rid of, consider holding a yard sale. Head out the night before and get things set up, then wake up early the next morning and set your things out for all the people who will show up. Make sure you put up some signs around your local neighborhood. You can also advertise on Craigslist for free. Make sure you keep a book or craft with you to occupy your time for some of those dry spells in between shoppers. It's fun though (some of you may disagree) and a great way to put a little extra cash in your pocket--or your gas tank!
Sweets in a Pinch
I don't know if you're like me, but sometimes I get these monstrous cravings for sugar--anything sugar! Now the bad part is (besides that it's terrible for your health...and teeth) when you have the craving, but nothing in the house to satisfy it. This is where I have to stop and thank my mom, grandma, and sister--over the years they've each inadvertently contributed one of the following quick-fix recipes for when you're desperate for sweets. I picked them up by watching them whip them up for themselves or for the kids (back when I was a child). When you're in a pinch and need your sugar, try one of the following:
1) Tortilla with sugar. Just throw a tortilla on the stove top (turn it on of course) and flip it several times 'til it's a little crisp. Then spread butter all over and sprinkle with sugar (you can even add cinnamon). Voila! Tasty & sugary.
2) Hershey's cocoa mix (powder) and butter. Just spoon some butter into a small coffee cup and melt it in the microwave. Once it's melted, add a little of the cocoa mix and it makes a quick fudge-like treat.
3) Peanut butter & honey. For this you can either mix the peanut butter & honey together, and just eat with a spoon, or you can mix peanut butter, honey, and powdered milk together. Mix it so that you can spoon little balls onto a plate. Put them in the fridge for an hour or so and enjoy. Tasty with a little crunch!
Hope you get a chance to try these recipes. They're a little naughty, but yummy!
Piles
I literally have piles of books, and papers, and STUFF all over my house. If you were in my house this weekend you would've heard my youngest son's voice echoing from the bottom of the stairs saying, "somebody has to pick up these books. I keep tripping over them!"
It has been a challenge trying to figure out how to get all of these homeschooling books--and folders, papers, and supplies to stay organized and also be readily accessible to us during the day. Well, it's still a work in progress because it seems that I just can't get enough bookshelves.
So, I'm in the process of doing inventory of all our homeschooling supplies, etc. so that I can visualize where the different items would fit. This is a time consuming task and while trying to get everything else done during the days and nights, it has stretched out over more than a weeks time...and I'm still not done. But, let me assure you, when it is done, it will be one darn good organized system.
When it's finished, I will post pictures as I intend to have my books color-coded in order to easily find books of different subjects. Papers will be placed in binders and hanging file folders, and crafting supplies will be put away neatly in the craft armoire. I can't wait until next week (or maybe the week after) when this process will be finished and my kids don't have to worry about tripping over things in the hallway. Until then, thanks for your patience, boys!
Tidy Tupperware
I did it! I finally tackled the tupperware cupboard and got my kids involved as well...So I guess it should be we--WE did it. And you know what, it didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would. I divided the work into thirds,we each tackled a separate part of the task,and it was done in no time.
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| Before |
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| Lids After |
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| Containers After |
Here's what to do:
1) Take out all of your tupperware containers
2) Find the matching lid for each container
3) Toss out any left over pieces without a mate (or set them aside for crafts like we did)
4) Place the lids & containers in separate clear bins
5) Place the bins in your cupboard in an easy to reach place
We moved our tupperware from a lower cabinet to a taller pantry. This way it's a lot easier for us to return them back to their correct place. I can't believe I've been married 7 years and never thought to do this. But, like I said, organizing is not my forte. But, I am determined to learn. So, cheers to tidy tupperware!
Organizing 101
Keeping a tidy house isn't exactly my forte. I am thirty years old and still learning how to keep up with taking care of a household. Dishes, laundry, bills, vacuuming, mopping, wiping baseboards--this stuff is tough!
A few years back I asked my mom why she didn't teach me certain things about cooking, cleaning, etc. She answered, "I tried to teach you, but you told me that you were going to be rich when you grew up and that you would pay someone to do it for you!"
I guess that plan backfired because I am not rich and I do not pay anyone else to cook or clean for me. So here I am learning what I wish I would have years ago. And it doesn't help that my brain doesn't organize well. But, there is still hope. I'm reading a lot about organization and I'm learning to do it in a way that works for my family. Slowly, but surely we're getting organized. I don't think we can keep up with the Joneses, but we can get to a place that allows our household to run smoothly and won't send me into a fit of convulsions every time I try to find a pair of scissors.
Knight in Shining Armor
Before I met my husband I had no concept of what it meant to be prepared for an emergency. I was a single mom and lived on my own with my young son; had there ever been an emergency or natural disaster, I would've had no idea what to do. (On second thought, I probably would've made it through and pieced together some solutions). I guess what I really mean is that I never gave it any thought. It didn't cross my mind that I should have had some food, water, and emergency supplies set aside--just in case.
Now that I'm older and wiser (he he) I've embraced the fact that though we don't live in fear, we do need to be prepared in the event of an emergency. So, with a lot of help from my hubby, some enlightening conversations with friends, and quite a few hours of internet research, we're ready. So bring it on Mr. Emergency, my knight in shining armor has rescued me and prepared me for a day such as this.
I will be posting tips and tidbits about emergency preparedness and what we have in place at our home. I hope I can help some of you who aren't sure where to start. Hopefully there will never be a day when we need to dig into our emergency supplies, but as the old saying goes, it's better to be safe than sorry.
