Declutterization! Tips and Tricks!

I've been participating in the Women Living Well Challenge about making your house into a haven for your family and today I was able to laugh a good laugh at the challenge today which made me feel oh sooo GOOD!!! This week's challenge is easier to me than the other 2 previous challenges! DECLUTTERIZATION! And NO I'm not in denial! I have a passion for throwing things away that are broken or never used or are never going to be used again! Take a peek at Courtney's challenge today and if you have issues with clutter - go to it!! And with MY BLESSINGS!!! And if you really need me to, I will come and invade your home and throw or sell or BURN anything you don't need! Ok, maybe I need to rethink that offer! hee hee! I don't want my blog becoming a "let's use Ann to throw away our stuff service!" But seriously, the only clutter I have in my home would have to consist of the toys my kids insist on carting all over my world and leaving in odd places. Or the little things that my hubbie (who really tries - honest!) decides that this little spot right here makes complete sense to stash something away would be called clutter! Or maybe clutter in my home would consist of the stuff in my home that has a special meaning or memory to me. But really, clutter is OUT!!! I have a few rules in my house that has helped me maintain the clutter. Maybe they will help you too! 

1. If it has not been used, touched or thought about for more than 6 months - it's OUT! (YES - six months!!!) 


2. If no one in the family LIKES it - it's OUT!


3. If it irritates or annoys someone in the family (for real - the finger that is poking someone does not count) it's OUT! I'm thinking spousal arguments 


4. If it's broken and cannot be fixed within a WEEK - it's OUT!


5. If it's a book and has not been read or opened in 5 years - it's OUT! (unless it holds pictures - which means you had better do some reminiscing! It's loooong overdue!) 


6. If it's trash or looks like trash - it's OUT! Honestly, moms, I'm talking to you because that little scrap of paper that has a little squiggly line drawn on it by your 2 year old, you don't need to keep it! But if you really really do, make a box for each child and keep those memories IN THE BOX! Then it's NO LONGER CLUTTER - they're memories! 


7. If it hasn't been worn in 3 years - it's OUT! (I say three because you don't want to throw out clothes then find out you're pregnant again and need those clothes again! But use your best judgment or find a friend that you can swap clothes with regularly - my sister has 2 little girls younger than my daughter so our girl clothes have become well used and if I have another baby girl I know where the clothes are and I'll probably get more clothes than I gave my sis in the first place! Works great and saves a TON of MONEY! Same thing with maternity clothes!)


8. When it comes to mail or paperwork or filing, TOUCH it ONCE!!! Take care of it as soon as possible! For example when it comes to paying bills, I open them up and put them in the bill paying slot until it's time to pay them. But I throw away all of the trash or I read the ads if I want to read them WHEN I GET THE MAIL! If I pick up some literature that I want to read, I read it right away then decide if I should keep it or just TOSS it! For the most part, I toss it or pass it on, usually if I want the info again, the internet is at my fingertips! Business cards and magazines are pretty pointless for keeping because if you really want that recipe, look online! Phone numbers of your favorite plumber, store on your cell and get the numbers backed up! NO CLUTTER! 


I think that pretty much wraps it up! My philosophy really comes down to - If I lost all of my possessions in a devastating FIRE would I remember that I lost this item??? If you keep that in perspective, hopefully you will not have that fire but keep it in mind, it DOES happen to people! The things that people miss are the things that really matters to your heart, so if it matters to your heart, keep it tucked away forever! Happy declutterizing! 

Home and Heart Challenge Catch Up!

Ok I'm doing pretty good! I worked really hard yesterday and washed and folded almost all of our laundry yesterday, cleaned the kids room and cleaned part of the living room too! (That's the catch-up part!) I'm hoping to get the living room all beautiful today before we leave for church tonight. Sam's preaching tomorrow at another church. So in case you forgot - here are the before pictures of the kids room . . .

and here are the after pictures! 

ahhhh MUCH BETTER!!!

Day 5 of the Heart and Home Challenge

 YAY I accomplished another day! Here are my before pictures of my messy bathrooms! (In case you forgot!)

and here are the after pictures! 

Sorry I didn't have a before pic of my medicine cabinet - but it needed it! :-) 

here are the after pictures of my second bathroom/laundry room/storage room/ Utility room 

It's all clean and organized better now so NOW I'll show you pictures hee hee and you'll never know how bad it was! 

Notice how the medicine cabinet is now hanging and the sink is moved over - We bought the cabinet for $5 at a garage sale - :0) 

TADA!!! Oh happy me! 

So now today we're on to duhdundun . . . the KIDS ROOM! Now I need to provide a disclaimer. My kids room is never this dirty does not always get this dirty. It's very hard for me to keep this room clean at ALL. My little three year old and two year old are at that stage where mom needs to be encouraging every step of the cleaning process and usually it's just simply faster for mom to do it herself. They are definitely learning and learning well, but when scrunched for time and when I want it done the RIGHT way, MOM does it! :0). We've even taken the majority of their toys out of their room and put them in the toy room downstairs. That helped but as you can see, it still gets RATHER messy! Ok so with all of that in mind, here it is the BEFORE picture! 

Soooo here is my To Do list from Esther's site! And make sure you pop on over to see what she has to say about unexpected company - I love it! 

THE KIDS ROOM - or other BEDROOMS 

*Deep Cleaning

1. Take down curtains, wash if needed. 

2. Strip the bed, and put the sheets and blankets in the wash. 

3. Hang up any items of clothing, that need hung. Gather dirty clothes (put in hamper to wash)

*4. Gather clothes they don't wear anymore. (If it hasn't been worn in a year or two, donate it! (Throw away anything that needs to be dumped! Please don't donate your junk.) ;0) Sorry, just want of my pet peeves!

*5. Gather all knickknacks, and get them washed and dusted off.

6.  Deweb the room.
7. Gather all toys into a pile. Sort out and put away. (If you have A lot of toys, maybe have your children pick out a toy or two to donate.) Having them choose would be a way to teach them to care for others. (Teach them to give of their best, not the least favorite.)

*8. Gather a bucket with hot soapy water. Wash woodwork, trim and bases, (Walls if needed.) 

*8. Wash windows

9. Dust and polish all furniture - shelves, dresser tops etc...

*10. Rehang curtains, iron if needed.

11. Vacuum/Sweep/Mop (Depending on floor type.) 

12. Put clean sheets on bed, Fluff pillows and make it look nice.

13. Sit back, relax!

14. Revel in your BIG accomplishment! 

Bathroom Day!

Soooooo . . . I'm sure you've noticed, my blog has fallen away from the Heart and Home Challenge the last couple of days and needless to say my living room and bedroom and still in desperate need of some tender loving care. BUT now i'm back on the band wagon and going to attack my bathrooms today! YAY ok, honestly, not really because I DESPISE cleaning bathrooms. IT'S sooo gross! But, I love a fresh-smelling bathroom so I know it will be all worth it! To check up on the challenge visit Esther's blog. I'm loving her pictures of her clean home and they are very inspiring! So with no more dilly-dallying, I'm off to clean this. . .

and this. . .

In The Bathroom (s)

*Deep Cleaning

The bathrooms in my house practically need cleaned everyday in my house. With little boys, it's not an option! (Though, it doesn't get cleaned daily, I try!)

1. Gather rugs and wash.

2. Put everything away...(Hair items, lotions etc...)

3. Any dirty laundry, take to the laundry room.

4. Put toilet cleaner in toilet, to soak.

5. Sprinkle tub/shower and sink with commit (or whatever you use.)

6. Wash sink and counter top.

7. Scrub the tub/shower. (Don't forget the faucets, and empty any hair that might be in drain.

*8. Clean out your medicine cabinet/cupboard. (Throw out old medicine) Wipe out shelves.

9. Clean inside of toilet, then work on the outside. (Don't forget to get behind the toilet.) If you have little boys this tends to be the area that can't be missed! ;0)

10. Clean Mirror and windows.

11. Put clean rugs back down.

12. Mop floor.

13. Sit back and relax!

14. Revel in your gorgeous, beautiful smelling bathroom (s)

Heart and Home Clean Sweep Challenge Day 2

I have to say that I am already exhausted! BUT I'm satisfied in my accomplishments! So here they are - Day 1 Before and After pictures! I think I'm a little sad that the pictures can't REALLY tell the story of all of my hard work! 

After my Kitchen and Dining Area Cleaning! 

Before! 

The pictures can't tell you that my windows are all sparkly and spider-free or that my floor no longer has crusted on cookie batter. Or that underneath everything is as sparkly as the rest of it! But it's all true! :-) 

Even the before picture doesn't explain all that was truly messy with my kitchen! 

But here we are on Day 2 and still pressing onward! Today is another day of cleaning our hearts and our homes! 

Esther brought out some very good points on her blog today but a couple of things she said really caught my attention. She said "Your house is something you have, your home is something you simply create. Our houses are what they are, and our homes are what we make them. " This is oh so very true! I have a house but my home is shaped by the people within it. As mom and wife, I set the tone to my home. We've all heard the phrase "If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!" and how true this is! But if you really look at it, if this applies to happiness, wouldn't it also apply to contentment, peace, joy, love, harmony, or bitterness, anger, calamity, and discontentment? I believe it does! As I'm participating in this challenge, I'm also participating in another challenge on Women Living Well and her challenge for this week is to make my home sing. So I've brought out my worship cd's and my kids praise music and we've been praising God together. My home has been "singing" praises! My house just sits there. 

So here we go, onto the home challenge, here are the tasks for today 

~ The Living Room and Entry Area ~

*Deep Cleaning (Only if you have the time.)

Ah, the Living room! The room in our homes where our family, resides. (Besides the Kitchen.) 

1. Turn on some music to get you in the cleaning mood.

2.. Begin by picking up the room. Get a basket, and  put everything that doesn't belong, in there. Then put items away. 

3. Gather up all decorations and picture frames etc. Wash and dust these items.

*4. Take down curtains wash or dust off if needed. 

5. Wash rugs and hang them out to dry.

6. Gather any loose fabrics, and wash and dry if needed. (Ex. Pillows, Blankets etc..)

7. Deweb around the ceiling and corners of the room.

*8. Wash the woodwork, and ceiling fans and lights.

9. Wash windows

*10. Organize cds, dvds. All your entertainment area. 

11. Dust all furniture and polish if needed.

*12. Vacuum off furniture or polish (Fabric or Leather Furniture)

13. Vacuum, sweep, polish or mop (Whatever flooring you have.)

*14. Replace curtains and fabrics that where cleaned.

15. Arrange your books and magazines that don't have a place. Under the coffee table or perhaps a basket.

16. Put back all picture frames and decorations back into place.

17. Put on a pot of fall potpourri, light a candle.

18. Sit down and relax!

19. Revel in your BIG accomplishment!


So here are my BEFORE pictures!!! 

Notice all of my DVD's stacked on a pile on top of the TV - my son decided to rearrange them for me. joy. 

General clutter that seems to grow by itself. 

Heart and Home Clean Sweep Challenge Day 1

I am joining up with my friend, Esther in her Heart and Home Clean Sweep Challenge! I'm pretty excited about this challenge, not only do Esther and I share a lot of the same values about being a mom and homemaker but she is challenging me to get my house and my heart clean - something that all of us need to do on a REGULAR basis! It's easy for me to realize that my house needs cleaned, it stares me in the face almost everyday! But when it comes to the heart and it's cleanliness status, it's easier to ignore. So Day 1 is today and I'm already motivated to clean up my heart and home! Check out Esther's Day 1 challenge and see what she has to say.

The heart challenge today is to ask God to help me clean up my heart and my home this week. I think God has been preparing me for this challenge because if you remember in one of my recent posts that I've been learning about this very thing in my devotions lately. Esther emphasized the verse Psalm 51:10 "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew in me a steadfast spirit." I love this verse as we're looking to clean up our hearts and our homes!

The home challenge is incredible! I almost laughed and said, ok what have I gotten myself into here!?! But, my home definitely needs a little kick in the cleanliness area so I really am looking forward to this even if it's a little more than I expected! Here is the list of chores for today!

Kitchen and Dining Area

* - Deep Cleaning

1. Turn on some music to get you in the groove of things

2. Open your blinds, let the light shine in (If it's a nice day, open some widows for some fresh air)

3. Pick up items on counter tops. Disperse and put away.

*4. Take down curtains and throw in the dryer or wash if needed

*5. Wash rugs

6. Wipe down cob webs

7.Fill sink with hot soapy water (This will need to be done a couple times.)

5. Empty dishwasher

6. Load dishwasher

7. Wash any dishes that need to be hand washed - Dry/Put Away

8. Wash off table and counter tops

*9. Wash off baseboards and window and door trim

*10. Wash windows

*11. Wash the outside of appliances, stove top and microwave, clean out the fridge (if necessary.)

*12. Wash cupboard door fronts

*13. Pull decorations off the walls, cupboard tops etc... wash and dust, and put them back in place.

*14. Organize Pantry, wash shelves if needed.

15. Scrub down sink, and shine

16. Sweep floor

17. Mop floor

*18. Put curtains back in place

19. Sit down, relax...

20. Revel in your accomplishment! :0)

How about that for a to-do list? Hee hee! To be honest, this is the perfect week to be taking part in this challenge because except for going to a church this weekend (which I'm very excited about!) for my husband to preach, I'm fairly free! Perfect! So here are my before pictures and my after pictures will come on tomorrow's post after I have finished the tasks! :-) I hope!

Here is my loverly dirty kitchen! Complete with a pile of bobby pins and my bouquet from returning from being the matron-of-honor at my best friends wedding last night and the huge pile of bananas that I bought for $0.29 waiting to be dehydrated. Not to mention the partially finished cake on the counter!

Here is our dining area - complete with dishes from the weekend - yes those are not from this morning! :-) If you would like to join in with this challenge link up at Esther's blog Our Simple Country Life! I know she'll be glad you did!