Clutter (aka "junk") Rehab

Clutter has taken over my home. Actually, "clutter" sounds like I'm trying to be modest about a few piles scattered here and there around our house. Which is definitely not the case here.So let me rephrase.

JUNK has taken over my home. Seriously. Random things everywhere I look, all the time. So much that after a while I just stop seeing it, because my brain can't acknowledge all that stuff. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad enough that you will be seeing me on an episode of Hoarders, but I definitely won't be inviting people over anytime soon, either.



Or maybe I should. Every once in a while I get fed up and host some kind of dinner party or play date at my house. And then the day before I start freaking out and racing around trying to get everything done. That urgency seems to be the only thing that can force me to stick to it long enough to get the house presentable. But by the time I'm done the house looks so amazing! And I think "OK that wasn't too hard. And now that it's clean it'll be so easy to keep it clean!"

And I do.

For a few days. A few weeks tops.

Then one day I come downstairs and realize it has happened again. The house looks as if a bomb has gone off. Or fifty people have moved in, trashed the place, and left. Or it could be that most of the time no one bothers to clean up after themselves.

And by everyone I mostly mean me.

OK yeah, I admit it. As a super crafty, DIY loving, constantly inattentive and distracted stay-at-home mom, the majority of the stuff that is cluttering up our home is mine. It drives M completely bonkers. And I'm trying so hard to fix it, to get rid of the things I don't need or use.

Anyone have suggestions on how I find the time (and energy) to do that without parking the kiddos in front of the tv?

Decluttering Challenge: Day 1.

I know, I know, it's been a while since I've posted. Months, in fact.

I started this blog with such high hopes... then life got in the way and everything just went bad for a while. But I'm back now. I'm trying again! And this time I'm not doing it on my own!

One of my favorite bloggers at Living Well, Spending Less is doing an October Challenge called "31 Days to a Clutter Free Life" and I'm SO excited to get started! Okay, so I forgot I had even signed up for it until I received the first email assignment and am actually a few days behind... but better late than never, right?

Honestly, though, the biggest motivator for me to complete each day's assignment is my super awesome mom. She knows how much I've been struggling so she's agreed to help be my motivation, sounding board, and coach. Unfortunately she doesn't live nearby, but for the rest of the month we will be checking in by phone or email each morning and evening so we both know what's going on.

Now, when I've been working and cleaning for hours and hours (or, you know, like 10  or 15 minutes) and am ready to quit, I will remember that someone actually EXPECTS the assignments to be completed by the end of the day. She will have seen the "before" pictures, she will have seen my very specific list of items to focus on, and she will EXPECT to see the completed "after" pictures.

And I will keep going.

Apparently (for me, anyway) the fear of disappointing someone is the biggest motivation out there.

So here I go. Wish me luck!