Crossing off my list!

I finally emailed my list to Angela--well, I actually did a long time ago but I don't think she realized she spelled her own name wrong in her email address (nah, I'm sure you were being creatively original). But now, some other AngelaAllen in the world knows my to do list this month. ;)

My list didn't turn out to be a compilation of cleaning so much as a list of things I've been putting off for far too long. I have coupons in my binder that expired 2 months ago. I have been meaning to get my 72 hour kit put back together again for months! And, those books I borrowed a year ago--yes, it's time to return them to my friends.

But for now I'll celebrate by using bloggers awesome cross-it-out feature  on the things I've already done!

File taxes 

Wash/Bleach whites 

Purchase wood for shelf 

Sweep garage 

Ooops

Well that was one way to go about it:

 The first item on my list was the toaster, you know to clean it. Instead I was clumsy and spilled wax in it. After two days of trying to clean and burn of the wax (and eating vanilla smoked flavored toast) I gave in and trashed it. Lucky we have a spare toaster saved from our wedding gift stash. I knew there was a reason to move that little box around with us for the last 5 years :)

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Hooray for another round!

I'm so glad all y'all want to do this again. Like Z said, last's years challenge has actually had long-lasting effects and I still find myself thinking about funny or useful things mentioned last year. I laugh when I look at that small pile of clothes by my bed and remember Kathryn's suggestion to cut off the front two legs of a chair and then attach the back of the chair to the wall, you know as a place for those clothes that's built into the design of your room.

I must say though I'm in a much better place this year, house-keeping wise. I don't know if it's that I'm better it, have more sleep in my reserve bank, or just think I'm awesome, but I feel pretty good about our home these days. Not that it's extremely clean or tidy, but just better. Anyone else there? Or maybe this is an off-year instead?

One of the best things that's developed this year is this:

We now actually do Saturday chores every week right after breakfast. The kids expect it and usually are enthusiastic (Wally likes to cross-off the boxes; he's his mother's son). Mostly this means Justin and I clean and the kids play around us, but they're getting better at picking up under and behind their bed so we can sweep and vacuum. They love the spray bottles for mopping (an idea stolen from someone last year!) and are ok at wiping things down. 

That said, I desperately need this challenge and the chit-chat around it. So here's to round 2!

The Lists

I remember Diana reading through everyone's lists last year and then posting about them and what she'd learned.  I felt like I was channeling my inner Diana while I read through this year's lists.

I've learned I'm not alone in my need to clean up my fabric/crafting corner.  I should maybe employ Rich in insisting I use at least 75% of my current fabric collection before buying anything more.  At least the yarn organization from last year is still intact (and came in handy when I needed to find exact colors of yarn to match the rainbow colors used in a quilt this year!).  Hurray for long-term organization impact!

I remember having "make the bed daily" on my list last year.  Thanks to a full month of making the bed daily because of this challenge, I have missed only a handful of days of not making the bed since then!  Sadly, today was one of those days, but it's been SO nice having the bed made mostly every day.

We should have a dedicated "cleaning the fridge" day for the number of us with that on our lists this year!  Anyone else planning a major leftovers night/week around that?

I'm so glad to be in the challenge again!  I LOVED this challenge last year, and it had some lasting effects.  I'm excited to learn from you all, and learn more about you, too!

The continual journey of "stuff" around my home

Does anybody else feel that as they clean one specified area that was cluttered, most of the stuff is moved to other areas that are also cluttered, waiting to be organized? I've been feeling like I'm just moving stuff around, until it will all be in that one last spot that's overwhelmingly stacked high with miscellaneous things that just seems too daunting to even try to attempt to clean. Anyone else get that feeling? On that note, who wants free stuff?!?! I have bibs, tons of bibs that are going to goodwill soon, and a maroon tablecloth that's oblong in shape 52" x 70". Yours if you'd use them!