Alison and I were talking late into the night a bit ago, one of the topics being how much nicer it is when the house is clean and tidy. Which isn't often around here. We do the vacuuming and stuff, but the eternal Lego projects, dollhouse adventures, crafting explorations and the like take over the family room floor. Then they multiply and consume other parts of the house. As goes the house, so do our meek and quiet spirits. So Alie and I were discussing how much nicer we all are to each other when our surroundings are orderly, and how school goes so much better, and, well, what are we waiting for to change things??
I showed you my organizational goal for this month, but here it is again. I have to post the "before" shot again so that we can all see what a Big Improvement the "after" shot is. Okay, here it is.
I showed you my organizational goal for this month, but here it is again. I have to post the "before" shot again so that we can all see what a Big Improvement the "after" shot is. Okay, here it is.
Scary, isn't it? No wonder we couldn't find the wire cutters. Or the tape measure or the missing piece for the train set, or Emily, OR the surface of my sewing table. (Just kidding about Emily.) This is just one corner of the room, mind you. Trust me, the rest of the room looks just like this. Now here is the after shot:
Doesn't that just make you feel a lot less agitated? It even looks like the sun is shining a bit brighter there. 
There's still way too much stuff, but at least now it all has a home. We also tackled the rest of the entropy-challenged house and made good progress.
Today, inspired by a new house, the girls got their jobs done before school started, we did devotions and enjoyed the time spent together, and in our nice clean family room, school was a joy. All of this order also inspired me to complete some oven-door kitchen towels for a friend (tutorial here -- I must update that one of these days) and a quilt top that has been about three years (four years?? ) in the making:
There's still way too much stuff, but at least now it all has a home. We also tackled the rest of the entropy-challenged house and made good progress. Today, inspired by a new house, the girls got their jobs done before school started, we did devotions and enjoyed the time spent together, and in our nice clean family room, school was a joy. All of this order also inspired me to complete some oven-door kitchen towels for a friend (tutorial here -- I must update that one of these days) and a quilt top that has been about three years (four years?? ) in the making:
Sorry about the blurry photo there. So just think. If I kept a clean house all the time, I would be a completely different person! That might be kind of fun. Look how much I got done! What shall I do tomorrow? Think I'll find some button "eyes" for the fish on the quilt, clean a closet, wash the blinds, dust the fan blades, make cactus jelly, go through the girls' closets for outgrown stuff, bake bread, write a song, and refinish the dining room table. I kind of feel like Superwoman! 
Let all things be done decently and in order.
1 Corinthians 14:40
1 Corinthians 14:40
(Now I know why...)
Oh my house is never messy and all my projects are done.. ;) NOT!!! Good job!
ReplyDeleteKristy
Love it when I wake up to a clean kitchen. Just makes the whole day go better so great job on your projects! Love the quilt too. Have a great day!
ReplyDelete"Entropy challenged house" too funny!!! I wish I could say you've inspired me but we're barely going to be in the house for the next several days and my many unfinished projects are going to stay unfinished even longer. But you are right, when the house is pitted I too tend to be more irritable and short tempered. I so need order!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you were able to get some projects done. BTW, does your husband get bothered by the clutter? When Tim finally says the house needs to be cleaned, I KNOW it's gone too far, LOL!
Blessings, Julie (oldschoolmarm)
Oh your room looks so nice. Don't you just love it when you can see things again. lol I have that problem pretty bad myself. Love the oven-door towels. I made some a couple months ago after seeing your blog about it a long time ago. Fun to make. Also I love to quilt too. Love your fish quilt and to think, it even has feet. lol
ReplyDeleteHave a great day.
Dot
Hi Sally!
ReplyDeleteYou did a *wonderful* job with your room!!! Looks like a place you want to sit and create in now - which is the whole point, isn't it? We have been decluttering and cleaning, and I must say, it makes one feel lighter, doesn't it?
Happy belated birthday! Looks like a great time was had by all in Cali. Have a great time with PlainJane and her family when they visit, as well! Many things going on in your home - sound all good.
The pueblo isn't free, but it is. :P Clear, right? See, the craters and the pueblo are all on a 32-mile loop of road, and once you pay the state park admission fee, then that's the only cost you incur. It costs $5 per adult, and our boys were free. So for $10 we got to drive, stop, walk, and explore all day. Pretty cheap! Take a picnic - there's nothing around to purchase. Learned that the hard way - didn't think we'd be gone more than an hour or two, because we didn't know about the pueblo or loop.
All righty - off to do some research for school. Have a great weekend!
love,
Shani
Wow, you are Superwoman!!! Your sewing room looks great and so do your sewing projects. I love your towels - let me guess, their kitchen in black and red :) and yeah that your quilt is done! Where is that going to go?
ReplyDeleteI think I mentioned that we have been having a cleaning week around here and yes it does feel good. I didn't know it was possible to have a clean house AND homeschool at the same time. I just wish it would stay clean a little bit longer so I didn't have to clean so often.
I'll send HG right over for a cover shot.
I'm the same way. When I'm feeling down, and then I start cleaning (with the kids help) - my spirits start climbing in proportion to the house getting cleaner. It's amazing! Such inexpensive therapy! It never ceases to amaze me how this works.
ReplyDeleteI love the clothes line of mini clothes! so cute! I always wanted something like that in my laundry room.
Antoinette
I am waiting for this day to come to my house! I cannot do it by myself. I have given up. But thank you for posting this. Maybe there is hope! I think the kids need to own this first.
ReplyDeleteJenn
I did a lot of things before hand (chicken and rice.)
ReplyDeleteMy chicken had already been cooked - it was in the freezer in a plastic baggie. And the brown rice I made in the rice cooker in the afternoon. I just had to mix everything up and cook it for 45 minutes.
I try to always use brown rice instead of white because its so much better for you. Do you have a rice cooker? Their really nice - I love mine. You can make it and walk away. (The onion rings on top made it really good too)
Antoinette
Beautiful work.
ReplyDeleteCathy
I love all of your activity! I'm not even going to pretend to be productive until after the baby is born. ;-) I saw myself in the mirror today and it looks like I've finally arrived with my "Jabba the Hut" impersonation. LoL
ReplyDelete