A clutterless life.

Hello friends,I will tell you my life has often been filled with clutter in more ways than one.I happened to be watching Youtube videos one day mainly pertaining to my healthier eating program and happened to come across this gal talking about organization.

I don't know about you ,but I am not naturally inclined to be organized,nor do I like cleaning.I see it as a necessary evil,but one thing I learned is that clutter and C.H.A.O.S or as the Flylady calls it (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) are detrimental to peace in my heart and mind.I don't want to have to kick my way through my house or know that every time I open a cabinet or door I could possibly have things fall on my head it makes me crazy.
Little by little I started implementing one new habit after another and things started to stick.
The first challenge was to go to each room in my house and get rid of 27 things in each one.Whether that be throwing them away,taking them to Goodwill or selling them it didn't matter as long as it was gone.

I don't really have as many problems getting rid of things as I used to.I used to be a pack rat with a capital R. I never wanted to get rid of anything,because it was either sentimental or someday I would need it,like those size 3 jeans,yeah that's never going to happen!
I ended up taking like 10 van fulls of stuff to Goodwill.It is so freeing to get rid of things.

Well I got rid of more than 27 things in my kitchen in fact I made the mistake of completely tearing it apart and ended up spending 5 full days putting it back together again.

Amazing what some dollar store bins and chalk labels can do.

A lot of people have told me they love my dishes.The blue ones are from Costco the tan ones are from Pioneer Woman,unfortunately you have to be really careful with those because they break really easily.

Encouraged by the progress here I kept moving room to room.

 I picked up this bin set at Walmart.I love it.It holds so much and looks very clean and stylish.

My hubby volunteered to paint the kids bathroom.I don't have a before,but I will tell you it was pretty gross.

 I love the beachy theme and had so much fun decorating.This is one of my favorite pieces.It just reminds me of going on a boardwalk of one of the many beach towns we've visited and walking along with a bag of salt water taffy.

Another love is these scent warmers I have 4 of them and am totally addicted to picking up new scents every time I go to the store.Right now since it's summer it's fruity flavors for the kitchen like watermelon,cherry limeade or peach pie.In the front room it's more tropical like coconut,papaya or pineapple or one of the beach scents.Daniel loves Papagayo Beach he says it smells like blue gummy sharks.In the bathrooms it's the clean linen or pool scents.Not chlorine more like coconut and something else.I'm excited for fall and the pumpkin pie,apple cinnamon and candy corn scents.

I just kept going and moved on to Ariel's room.Her room wasn't this messy I just tend to tear things up when cleaning.

               I think it turned out really cute.

I got the idea for these little baskets on Youtube.
Just dollar store baskets,command hooks and chalk labels.They are great for storing her nail polish,hair clips and bracelets.

I got her two sets of the bin organizers.They are just wonderful for storing things.

 

In May The proverbial walls came tumbling down and Ariel got very sick and as you know has spent almost the entire summer in and out of the hospital and the E.R.,but much to my surprise through all of that my house stayed in tact and when it did get messed up clean up was very easy.

I started implementing more and more of The Flylady's advice on cleaning,organizing and decluttering.Even made up a control journal.

 It really makes things so much easier to have a plan every day.If you're interested in the plan you can go here: Getting started

I even redecorated for summer.

I also cleaned out my horrible inbox that really had over 9000 emails in it.It took hours to delete them all,but now it is manageable.I'm also de-cluttering in other areas of my life.Anything that is a huge time waster or is unproductive or just makes me feel lousy is gone.You can do that with entertainment,activities anything that just takes too much out of you your time,patience,sanity.It's all very freeing.

Cleaning,organizing and a week in meals.

                                                  

Hello friends,Well I've been spending the last few days,first getting over a stomach bug I've picked up somewhere and cleaning and organizing.I don't know how my house gets to be such a mess at times.I imagine it's because having 6 people here all the time clutter just sort of collects.

Anyway we are busy cleaning and organizing and getting ready to put up our Fall decorations.

                                        
I love Fall.I love the crispness in the air,drinking hot apple cider,watching the leaves turn colors and going to pumpkin farms to pick out the perfect one.
So we have been busy,along with cleaning and organizing I really like to have a menu with my meals prepared for the week.It's just so much nicer to know what you're going to make ahead of time.

Monday: Tacos,spanish rice and beans.

Tuesday:Chili with cheese and sour cream,cornbread with butter and honey and tortilla chips.

Wednesday: Corn chowder,rolls and salad.     

Thursday:Chicken Fettucini Alfredo,salad and garlic bread.

Friday:Pizza night.

Saturday: Meatloaf,AuGratin  potatoes, green beans and rolls.

Sunday:BLT's,sweet potato fries,salad and fruit.

   Tonight we will be scooping up ice cream for The Make A Wish ice cream social.The kids love working at the Cold Stone in Silverdale.They always make it so much fun for us.

Come out if you can, even a dollar will benefit a child with a life threatening illness,so they can have their dreams come true.Like Daniel and Ariel did.

                                 

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