ROTM - MY TIME IS UP

My time is up. The room isn't done. I am trying to feel like I failed, but I can't. I started in the middle of the month and the project was insane. To add to the madness last week brought with it 6 additional appointments that took a total of 15 hours out of my week. Basically to full work days on top of my normal madness. 2 things I had no control over, 1 was a doctors appointment I made weeks ago not knowing how full this week would be and the other 3 were school and medical appointments where I felt if I didn't act fast I might miss out on getting the help we need. 

When I first picke dthis room I had no expectations of actually finishing, which makes it hard to feel like I failed.

So the room is a mess still. But less of a mess. there is enough free floor space that the girls actually started playing in their room again. we are far from done, I know. The last thing I did in that room was 5 days ago and I added more stuff figuring it wouldn't make a difference. It didn't. 

What now you wonder? Well, pick a new room of course. That means now I have 2 rooms to work on. The boy's room is next. Why? Because that was almost done during the 14 day challenge and I can take advantage of the progress made back then. Plus. They will be doing most of the work, which means I can focus on the girls' room still. 

PIANO RESOLUTIONS

After 5 years of useless piano resolutions I have decided to change my approach. I found a piano teacher who is happy to come to my house once a week in the morning to teach me. So unless I want to throw my money out the window I better practice. 

Today was my first lesson. It was embarrassing how little I have to show after 4 years of lessons. Well. We are starting over and I really like my teacher. (I've known her for 2 years and found out by chance that she is a  piano teacher.)

So it is back to basics on the piano for me. I think it will pay off. Why spend 6 months practicing one song, if I can spend 6 months practicing so songs like that will take 2 or 3 weeks to prepare?

PRESENTS

Let's not talk about the room of the month today. Way to depressing. When I did my 14 day challenge I came across a bag with books and CDs in it. I knew it! I told James that we had more books for Alex for Christmas. OF course I found the bag AFTER Christmas. All of a sudden I even remembered moving it from spot #1 down to the basement as the kids were less likely to come across it in the basement. 

Today I decided to not only be happy I found it but to make sure I won't lose them again. As we have birthdays coming up I went ahead and wrapped a few items. When I was done, I hid the presents in my wardrobe and put the paper and scotch tape away. The scissors are still upstairs as they are Marie's long lost scissors for school. Oops.I am afraid I for once am the guilty party "losing" them. But I am proud of myself. One birthday is taken care of this way already and everything is back where it belongs. I can do this!

ONE THING I WILL CHANGE

I decided if there was only one thing I could change in 2016, it would be doing things right away. You know, putting the dirty dishes in the dishwasher right after a meal and not wait for an hour. Take the trash out when it is full. Answer emails right away and not wait til the evening (because I WILL forget). 

I once read an article on time management at the office. The person decided that he would do everything "right away". I thought this was impossible but decided to read on. He ended up only making plans for 4 hours of the 8 hours his work day is made up off. The other 4 are reserved for doing things immediately. He said it completely change his work experience. #

When I did my "research" on what my friends do who have a clean house, on thing stood out, No matter what their strategy was, they all had one thing in common. They do things right away. Crumbs on the floor? - Get a broom. Taking of your coat? - Hang it up. Opening mail? - Discard junk and envelopes on the spot. 

I have started doing it. I am far from doing it 100 %. I think I might do it 3 out of 10 times. But I am getting better. And I am already seeing results. Especially in the kitchen. The kitchen stays cleaner longer and is easier to clean up when necessary. I might actually have it under control soon.

I have also decided that all the things that need doing "just happened". Of course I am not working non stop.  And yet, it makes a difference. I used to see things and tell myself:"this has been lying here for weeks" implying that it can lie here for a few more. Now with the label "current event" I am a lot more likely to deal with it in passing. 

If doing this 3 out of 10 times makes such a noticeable difference can you believe what will haben if I ALWAYS do that? Well of course this place would be spotless. I think that exceeds my imagination! 

SYSIPHUS

Sysiphus I fell your pain. I have this 3 year old living with me. If I put it in a box, he will take it back out. If i collect it off the floor, he will throw it right back. If I  make a neat little pile he will walk right through it. It couldn't have been much worse for you.

Despite the cruel 3 year old I got 2 waste baskets full of recycling out. I have also started picking pieces to games out of the random things on the floor. I have 8 days left and I will make the most of it!

ROTM - PUTTING THINGS BACK

As I predicted, little people went through the things left on the floor and created extra work by dumping out games and spreading the content of boxes. I knew better than to leave the stuff out. Case of self sabotage? Most likely. But the Unstoppables have made some serious progress. Besides picking up at least 300 items in this room every day, (we found the floor! Yeah!) I put all the clothes and linnen back into the wardrobe. Most of the games went into the big wardrobe in the guestroom in the basement. Why? No time to deal with them, plus they were stacked in so tightly the girls couldn't even get any game out without creating a mess.

Over the last few days I realized that there is not much storage space in that room. There is a wardrobe that has enough room for clothes. A bookshelf, loaded with books and a tiny cluttered bookshelf in the corner. Anything that is "art related" is packed into dense piles on the little table and the rest, which is a lot, is more or less flying around loosely. I have a random assortment of boxes the stuff is supposed to go into, but the boxes have nowhere to go. I am not quite sure how to solve this dilemma yet. I would love to cut the amount of stuff in half, but will settle for parting with a third. SO far things are looking good. My head cold is a nuisance but so far can't stop me. I can do this!

CALLING IN SICK

I am once again battling a head cold. Of course I have 2 doctor's appointments with the kids this week on top of the normal stuff. The baby is sick and James is still having issues with a tooth that was fixed weeks ago and needs to go back to the dentist. 

So when the alarm went off at 6 am I called in sick. That lasted until 7:30. Ah well. 5 loads of laundry and 4.5 hours of taxiing people around I am just glad to be back to normal. 3  months ago this would have been impossible. Right now it just takes the correct amount of chocolate! hehehe

ROTM - TEARING APART THE WARDROBE

I had fun tearing apart the wardrobe. I took all the clothes, games and linnen out, and washed the shelves. Too bad I lost my stamina and never got the stuff back in. Games and puzzles are out for little people to peruse and clean clothes and linnen are available to be torn apart and trampled into the dirt. Considering that the floor is covered in toys and clothes and no floor is visible, the wardrobe  that was in semi order might not have been the most obvious place to start with. On the other hand it is the only section of the room where everything already has its place and it was more a question of cleaning and sorting out items, torn or too small. Which I did. I got a few items back in but most is still stacked across the room. Funny thing is Marie assumed it was her little brother and came to tattle. I am not sure how she thinks the little one reached the top shelf, but I am glad I am not suspect #1 when chaos is involved. Tomorrow's mission is to get the stuff back in.

ROTM - THE GIRLS WILL CRY

Why would I pick the girls' room as the room of the month? It is definitely one of the rooms that will be the most work and the month is half way over. I picked it because this room REALLY needs some TLC. Every time we were able to clean it up, it fell apart within just a few days. Proof enough that something is off, or we would be able to maintain it. Other reasons to pick it are:

• I have helpers (like it or not)
• I have started this room a few times and never finished
• I was in no mood to tear apart rooms like the bathroom just because I didn't wipe down all the shelves

So here are the rules:

• take apart
• deep clean
• declutter
• put back together
• available time: 1 month

Lets get cracking.

5th DAY OF CHRISTMAS

Seriously? You didn't think I am still doing that. Were you? I started 4 days. Didn't get any done and the days of Christmas have not only been over for more than I week, I still would have 8 days to go! Stop shaking your heads. I did finish both bathrooms, my room is still clean, the en passant pile is pulsating, which means it varies in size one day it grows, one da it shrinks, the part of the hall downstairs has all surfaces cleaned and the laundry room is done except for getting the stuff out of the way that won't be stored there. Erm. Yes, I know that is the hardest part, but is is mostly trash and just needs to be taken out and a few other items that I actually have room for. I guess I am just too sidetracked to haul them up the stairs. 

I have decided that those projects do help me immensely. So here is the next one. I shall call it:"Room of the month". There you go, shaking your head again. I know what you are thinking; "One day she wants to do them in a fortnight, next thing you know she only wants to do one a month. What's her problem?" Well, "her" problem is that school is back in session. With Mr Grumpy I struggle to just keep everyday life going on a school day. No energy left for dehoarding. During school breaks, with free babysitters and the kids entertaining themselves I have all the time in the world to take on new projects. Unfortunately the upcoming school breaks are so packed with activities and travel already, that I won't have time for monster projects. So room of the month it is.

EGG WHITES & COOKIE DOUGH

I hope this story will help illustrate what kind of person I am. I must admit I wasn't to eager to go to my parent's house. Too much potential drama. I feel rather fragile emotionally at the moment so I don't really need more drama. I did anything to avoid getting ready. I still had cookie dough and egg whites for James's favorite marzipan cookies in the fridge. So instead of packing I started making cookies. We wouldn't want to waste 3 egg whites, now would we? And not to mention the cookie dough.

Now I don't think this was only about not wanting to go. I really can't handle throwing away food unless it is rotten.

It also shows just how happy I am to avoid taking care of the task at hand if it is unpleasant. I need to learn to face life. I will start by facing the laundry on Monday.

RESOLUTIONS TO HELP ME KEEP MY HOUSE CLEAN

So. There we go. Let's split this up. What is keeping me from keeping my house clean. Well, besides my husband and 6 kids?

• I am often unfocused when doing things
•  I leave things for "later"
• Some days it is impossible to get in 2 hours of work during the day and after dinner I am too tired.
• Too many things don't have a home

this is how I will fix it:

• invest 1.5 hours during the day, leave 30 min for after dinner (TIMER!)
• take care of things immediately 
• daily clean up call before bed for the kids (max. 5 min)
• declutter, declutter, declutter 
• have a "room of the month" "extra time" will go into this room

I have seen good results with all of geh above so doing these things again is guaranteed to show results!

EMOTIONAL CLUTTER

It's time to let it go. Some things will never be solved. Turning them over and over in your head analyzing and reanalyzing is nothing but churning. And churning, as we know, gets us no where. It might be too big to let it all go at once, but just like with things you can touch, even letting go of a small thing, is letting go of something thus making more space. Letting go takes practice. They say that ever journey starts with the first step. If we don't take that one tine step because is will not significantly lessen the distance to our destination we will never get there. 

So think of one thing that is emotional garbage, In your mind, dump it into the garbage can, burn it, tie it to a bunch of balloons and let it go. What ever works. Just let it go.