2015-08-28

LASTING RESULTS

My 14 week challenge did NOT go as planned. But guess what. One room has since been clean and orgnanized. Sure. We have the occasional spill of dirty clothes on the floor. Or a pile of toys. But nothing permanent. When I tell the boys to clean up their room, it is done fast. I barely get any whining either. Becasue it is easy and fast. All their things have a place to go. It still needs a few improvements but I have a clear plan of how to  fix it the little glitches. 

It took me weeks to acknowledge it, but obviously the 14 week challenge has brought positive results. I do feel better about it now. Even if it was just 1 room. 

2015-08-22

CHEATING

James was gone, I was sick. I keep telling people getting outside help is not cheating. So I did. My friend's daughter came and helped me fro 3 days. She fed the kids, helped clean up, vacuumed, scrubbed bathrooms, floors and the kitchen and took the little one to the play ground. If it hadn't been for her I might not have stayed sane. I paid her train fare and she got compensation for her time. She insited it was too much, but I do't think so. Plus I want her to come back. Don't I.

So if you are considering outside help. Just do it. You might have to swallow your pride, like I had to, but it is well worth it!

CONFESSION TIME

I'm pregnant. Yup. I am. I know. Totally crazy. I know what you are thinking. She is hoarding kids! I guess I am. Trust me, this one was defintiely still missing from my collection. To be honest with you, I won't be pregnant much longer. That's how far along I am. Why did I not tell you sooner? Because it always felt like I'd be making excuses. I failed the 14 week challenge because I am pregnant. I am not blogging because I am pregnant and too tired. I can't deal with my emotions during decluttering because I am pregnant. 

At the moment I look and feel like a beached whale and I am past excuses. I am looking for baby clothes and can't find them. They weren't in the 0-3 months box. so much for having the kid's clothes neatly organized. So instead of  making one big mess, ripping everything out, I simply got myself a plastic bag and took out all the things that I obviosuly didn't want anymore. Like all the bed linen I have labeled "to go". The stuff is actually going. I might still not have found the baby clothes, but I found clothes that fit the other kids and some things to go.

The attic seems so full. It is suffocating me. I really want to start that 14 week challenge over. 14 weeks in the attic. ARGH! And then the rest of the house. Well. It won't happen in the near future. I do feel that I have a steady trickle of things going out, so that is comforting. 

Come January I should be back to normal with a semi obtainable schedule. And don't we all love January? Perfect for new goals and brand new starts. Well. Let's get through August first!


2015-08-09

JAMES IS BACK

Yes, I know. That went fast. No, he did not read my blog and catch a flight back. He was gone for the whole miserable 10.5 days. And  I was sick the whole time. Survival was on the very top of my list. But being a hoarder I couldn't just throw out a perfectly good post, just because I forgot to post it. I had to use it. So there. Live with it.  I can not tell you how happy I am to have him back, but I am planning on telling you about the things I learned while he was gone! 

2015-08-05

JAMES IS GONE

He left this morning. Things went well until I realized that my "allergies" are more likely just a mean old head cold. I really don't know how single moms cope. I do have one day down, so I only have 9,5 to go. Somehow I will survive. 

Marie's comment on dinner?"I think I will NEVER EVER eat frozen pizza again. It was GROSS!" I'll just take it as a compliment, that my pizza is better. It's just a shame that I already had to resort to frozen pizza the first night. I should have listened to Louisa's advise and planned ahead. 

Alex stayed home from school, he has some random infection on the sole of one of his feet.
Doctor said he should stay off it. I decided that means he should stay home. As that was the easiest for me today, that's what we did.

I feel a little overwhelmed at the moment. It is a good thing James doesn't read this blog. Knowing him, he might get on a flight back. I can do this. I have done it before I can do it again. Really. I can.