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| on top of the piano |
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| pram that's not been used for about two years that's missing a bolt so I haven't felt right about giving it away, plus bags of old clothes for charity |
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| fishing gear that needs to go back to our neighbour, and other detritus |
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| out of season fire = dumping ground |
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| dust, er, spiderweb, er... toy corner |
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| my sewing amidst other collected debris |
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| the 'study' |
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| potential archaeological dig site |
And there's more, but you get the idea.
Before some reality TV show comes and uses our house as a cautionary tale for the rest of the world, I think it's time I re-kick-started
Mission Declutter.
You know, just as my work is cranking up again and Andy is about to go overseas for ten days. Nothing like unrealistic goals!
- Jane x
Start with a timer and de-clutter for 15 minutes. Then go do something fun. Set the timer again and repeat. The easy part is the clearing out. The hard part is re-training children and partners that everything has its own place. Good luck! :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat suggestion, thanks Mary! I'm going to try that tomorrow. Yay!
ReplyDeleteYes, it looks like you have your work cut out for you. Get the kids involved and do an area (or two) every day. You will feel so fabulous after!!!! :-)
ReplyDeleteOh, you have no idea how much I relate to this? Sometimes I just look around and think "how the hell did this happen?!"
ReplyDeleteI laughed so much at your title and photos, it looks like our house! I'm also trying to work through ours, it's a slow process but for each area I tidy and de-clutter I feel sooooo much better. I bought myself flowers (which I never normally do) to put in the living room as a reward for cleaning it last weekend and they make me smile each time I look at them. Good luck! Beth/the linen catx
ReplyDeleteLOL! always good to know that you are not alone amidst the chaos!
ReplyDeleteEvery surface in my house that is out of Joe's reach is cluttered with crap (Sharpie pens, important paperwork, scissors, knives) we were trying to get away from him. But now he knows how to push chairs up to counters and cupboards, so now all that important paperwork has been cut to bits and scribbled all over with Sharpies. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteOf course I was hoping at least one or two people might admit to similar clutter and make me feel better! (Sign of our creative minds?) However, that does not mean the mess gets a reprieve. If I can make the bed, I can do this!
ReplyDeleteOh and Beth I particularly like the flowers as a reward idea. Right now flowers would sink into the abyss but I was looking longingly at some as I walked past a florist the other day.
ReplyDeletelast year I took up a challenge to get rid of one thing everyday - I only got 1/2 way through the year but have not missed a single thing. Mind you it is very hard to keep a house in any order when you have such young children.
ReplyDeleteI love your resolution on making beds ! My excuse for not making beds is that studies show there will be less house dust mites !
Thank you for your lovely comment about my dresses. This post made me laugh. It's always nice to hear other people's stuff is out-of-control as well. In desperation, I once purchased the book Speedcleaning - how to keep your house clean in less that 10 minutes a day. What they failed to factor in was that the room actually has to be tidy before your 10 minutes starts...hmmmm.
ReplyDeleteLooks like my house and my hubby is away for 5 days, and I have the same unrealistic goals :)
ReplyDeleteBernice, I heard about that Speedcleaning book a while back and there was a tip about picking everything up and throwing it into a basket so you could clean the floor, which I tried once but it still leaves you to deal with the basket after... so much for ten minutes! Crinkled, may the force be with you (and me) :)
ReplyDeleteI see nothing but the Singer 348 under the desk and something mysterious next to it.
ReplyDeleteI feel you big time! Here's hoping you make it out alive :)
ReplyDeleteI just found a pair of socks in the fruit drawer in my fridge. Granted, the 3yr old has just discovered how to open it so I've been finding all sorts of things in there, but I'm not sure where she got the socks from. My house needs a cleaning fairy.
ReplyDeleteThanks, for the encouragement, Jane, but I feel I should admit that my house looks pretty much the same as it did 4 days ago, if not worse, and hubby is due home tomorrow! Woops.
ReplyDeleteOh mine too, completely... but I have made some progress on a new dress for myself, teehee! Actually I have made a couple of small dents in the mess but no single area is anywhere near finished.
DeleteI'm so glad that you posted these photos, my house looks EXACTLY the same, I'm am just not brave enough to post any photos. I know I will be sad when my daughter starts school tomorrow, but secretly I can't wait to have to house to myself to put everything (including the christmas decorations) back where it belongs!
ReplyDeleteoh mama, this looks so much like my house lately. I have been on a mission to simplify and get rid of all of the stuff we don't need. The problem is now I just have piles of stuff that needs to be adopted and oh my can I just say "IT IS REALLY ANNOYING" haha! But I have a Dream... and I will get there soon:))) Glad to see I'm not the only one. Thank you so much for sharing! ~ Barefoot Mama
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