Teamwork -- Family Chore Time

I am so excited!  My kids are home from school because of snow... second day in a row.  Today I HAD to get stuff done... they're now off for Christmas break.  Sometimes I give them lists of chores to do to help out and we do a chore time.  My bipolar kid, especially, has the tendency to throw a MASSIVE temper tantrum, and then he loses screen time or whatnot.

Today, I've done 6 things on my list -- all my top priority things.  I gave the kids little lists, even the 4 year old.  They're finishing the last items now -- and my bp kid didn't bat an eyelash and IS DONE!!!  He's earned the privilege of playing in the snow and is happy as a lark out there.

Here are my lists for today.  I'm playing a new game I learned from the awesome ladies on the Flylady chat... Twist & Shout II.  This is where you make a list of 6 To Do items which don't take longer than 10 minutes, then right before the top or bottom of the hour, you roll a die or draw from a hat and pick 2 numbers.  You do each of those items on your list -- one for ten minutes, then the next for ten minutes, and then you get ten minutes to chat or play Farmville or whatever you want -- just as long as you drink some water to stay hydrated.  Then it's top or bottom of the hour again and you pick two more numbers and go again.  It's fun!  I sometimes have items on my list that take longer than 10 minutes -- I just do what I can in 10 minutes and then jot them down for use on a list another time. 

My A list today was:

1 = locate checks to take to bank, endorse, fill deposit slip  DONE
2 = go to bank DONE (ok I had to take extra time on this but got back on the clock as soon as I got back, made no other stops, etc.)
3 = online gift order DONE
4 = dress DONE
5 = clutter in kitchen/FR DONE
6 = playroom clutter DONE

My kids' lists were:

DS 10 -- DONE with all items!

1 = retrieve anything he wanted to keep from piles I raked up (!!!) on the playroom floor *and put away these items!***

2 = empty dish drainer, put dirty dishes in dishwasher, hand wash all non-dishwasher dishes and put in drainer

3 = empty all downstairs trash cans and take to outside bin

4 = swish and swipe main bathroom (wipe down sinks and toilet rim, quick-scrub toilet); restock w/ toilet paper, clean towel and soap if empty; remove all dirty clothes and such from the floor and put away properly


DD, 8 --

1 = same as above DONE

2 = vacuum area rugs in living room and entry DONE

3 = empty all upstairs trash cans and take to outside bin DONE

4 = same as #4 above but with downstairs bathroom IN PROGRESS


DS, 4 --  ALL done!  (I need to revac the rug when he's not around)

1 = same as #1 above

2 = vacuum area rug in f.r. and kitchen

3 = pick up all trash on bedroom floor and throw away properly

4 = clean glass on front storm door and on entertainment center door



Here's my B list I'm getting ready to tackle:  It's 2 pm and I just rolled the die.  Going to do #2 from 2-2:10 and #4 from 2:10-2:20.  Free time 2:20-2:30.  :)
     2:45 pm and this is a late update -- I did the paper pile and discarded a TON.  Big progress.  I rounded up all the Christmas cards we've received and put them in a Christmas-y box I have.  I wrote out 3 cards/notes and addressed and sealed them.  Now I just need to stamp and mail them.  Checked off the envelopes of the folks I sent to (I mean I put a check on the envelope they had sent me).  Christmas cards are wayy fun but not easy for an addled mom!  :)
     I'm going to goof off for 12 more minutes and then get back on track at the top of the hour -- # 1 and then #6. 
     Well... it's 5:12.  I've been obsessively doing the FACE thing since I last updated.  So much for sticking to 10 min tasks.  Can you say Hyperfocus???  Oy.  But I have dragged myself away from my evil-looking budget book.  I'll have to patch things up there later. 
     Time to get onto the next task. 
     Oops.  Messed up!  I did #6 in the next list by mistake... so my article is done and submitted.  Yay.  I guess I'll do #5 and then #3 this time around. 
     Done with #3 and #6.  I got goofed up and haven't done #5.  So this next round is #5 and then #1 on the C list... for my own clarity, that's laundry and then 10 minutes of grocery game. 

1 = FACE (Flylady thing = Financial Awareness Continually Empowers -- "FACE" your finances daily; I'm going to update my budget book and make sure I'm don't need to write any checks; figure out where I've overspent!!!)   DONE

2 = file papers (just do 10 min of throwing away, sorting, filing, whatever)  Done!

3 = dejunking (I'm going to do the rest of that computer armoire top I started the other day in the other post)  Done -- I can pretty much see the top of the computer armoire!  Woohoo!

4 = cards (10 minutes work on Christmas cards)  Done!

5 = laundry (make sure clean stuff is folded and put away, "reboot" laundry and stick something else in the washer -- it's a never-ending process with 5 family members and one serious bedwetter)

6 = gift list (I keep a spreadsheet of what I'm buying, whether it's bought/delivered/wrapped, how much it cost, and a running total of how much budget I have left to spend on each person on the list  -- need to update, wrap a few gifts sometime)  DONE




Here's the C list:

1 = grocery list (I use the Grocery Game website -- need to look at the list today and start my online grocery shopping)

2 = bake (need to make more choc chip banana bread)

3 = cut Sandy's nails (dog)

4 = big kids' wrapping (each big kid has 2 gifts to wrap, one for each of his/her sibs)

5 = Sandy's bath (still the dog)

6 = articles (I write online freelance articles and have one I need to polish and send off)

Dejunking

OK I'm going to concentrate my decluttering efforts on two rooms between now and Christmas:  my bedroom and the family room.

Here are the top three spots in each room which need some attention plus all the embarrassing details:

FAMILY ROOM

1.  Mantel -- We have every kid-sculpture known to man on the mantle.  It's sentimental but soooo not attractive and is dusty!  I believe I'll put them all on the kitchen table, call in the kids, and have everyone take theirs to their rooms.  Also to go:  the coasters (I can only assume I put them up out of the way of a baby several years ago, LOL), the empty picture frame, the garden gnome statue which would look cuter elsewhere, and some computer paraphanalia.  Agh.  --  YAY!  This is done.  Took about 5-10 minutes.  :)  Sooo much better, and we can hang our stockings now.

2.  Top of the Computer Cabinet -- This one blows up fast!  Things which can stay but need editing and organizing:  bill basket, office supplies, empty basket for computer parts (see a theme here?!).  Things which must go:  large basket of random cables for various electronics, random other junk.  I think I'll have my husband go through the cables and pick out any which we use regularly.  (I can't tell the difference.)  I'll then label them with masking tape and a sharpie so I can.  :)  The others, I'll box up and put in the basement storage room w/ an expiration date -- if we haven't used them by then, they'll be recycled at Best Buy's electronics recycling.  This was awful.  But gratifying.  I took our bill-pay "basket" which was something like a TON of paperwork and went through it.  I filed all paid bills from 2010 by month in an accordion folder.  I filed all medical paperwork in another accordion folder.  I made a "to file" folder for the stuff I just couldn't deal with yet.  I made a very small "to act" folder which is now on the paper pile.  Education paperwork is in the file drawer awaiting, you guessed it, another accordion folder.  :P  All that's left in the bill-pay basket now is a few current bills.  I'll have to tackle those manana.  Also, I put about 8" of paperwork in the to shred/to burn pile and a good 10-12" in the discard pile.  I have to get these statements online.  This paperwork is killing me!  Mostly because I sat hunched over on the floor sorting, and I'm wayyy tooo old to do that.  :)

The rest of the top of the computer cabinet?  Ha.  That is a story for a different day.  I did get the better half to agree to stashing all the miscellaneous cables in a sort of cable-purgatory in the storage room.  At least they won't be in plain sight on the computer cabinet anymore.  Too tired to carry them downstairs right now though...

Pfffft.

3.  Area in Front of Built-Ins -- Oh the shame of a messy house.  OK there are papers here that need going through -- not sure what the heck they are but most can likely go straight to discarding.  There's a box of play-doh tools and toys which needs a home.  Let's see -- how often used?  Hmmm.  I would say less than once a month (only because I hate cleaning it up!)... that means it would normally go to basement storage but it's cold for play-doh -- probably will put in the top of a closet?  Or in a very remote cupboard near the fam rm/kitchen?  Then there are two baskets of video-game stuff.  This is tricky -- both are starting to overflow.  Both are mostly filled with boxes from the cartridges and disks though which never get kept in them.  I'd pitch the boxes but we might sell them at Gamestop if they stop playing them -- so... I'll box up the empty cartridge boxes and put them in storage.  That should free up usable room in the baskets.  Hopefully I can relocate them somewhere more convenient after awhile -- but for now, they're ok as is.




My Messy Room:

I think instead of areas, I need to deal with categories first:

Clothing:  This is out of control.  I have too many, apparently.  I only wear some.  I need to fix my closet doors (they stick), fix my dresser drawer (the front fell off), and then go through my closet.  I edited out the dresser not long ago -- although it's time to pack away the summer stuff, huh?  :)  Dirty clothes need washing. 

Papers.  Yes, these got transferred in here during Thanksgiving.  They need to go pronto.  Each kid has a memory box -- not very full, quite empty really.  These can go downstairs to storage.  Problem for the future:  clear out the storage room.  Other papers need to be quickly gone through. 

Elsewheres:  I need to grab a basket and throw in it everything that doesn't belong in my room but has migrated there.  Think: preschooler's toys he drags in while I am getting ready in the morning.  :)  And assorted other junk.  When the basket is full, I will play the sorting game on the couch and have everyone take stuff to their rooms.

Getting Going Today

So tonight, the hub is going out.  That leaves me and the kiddos, and I'm beat-tired.  Also, it's cold and raining.  I could not sleep last night.  There are so many things I need to do and so few I wish to do...  lasagna's baking in the oven and won't be in much longer so I might as well knock out a few chores while I wait for it and continue to supervise homework.

Let's do the DLTCP thing, shall we?

Dishes: 
Empty dishwasher, fill back up.  Same w/ drainer.  Gather all dishes from everywhere and put in.

Be right back...

Back with your scintillating 5 minute report.  In 5 minutes, I emptied both the washer and drainer and then emptied the dishes in the sink (put in the d.w.).  I have a few more to gather, then it's on to The Laundry.

Laundry plan:  start a load of sheets/blankets/pjs. 

Be right back again...

Agh the Dining Room

All right... truth time.  Now I'm hosting Turkey Day here with my parents, my sister, my father-in-law, my brother-in-law, and the hub and 3 kids. 

Good news... Mom, local, is bringing a lot of stuff including the turkey. 

Bad news... I haven't seen my dining room table since New Years.  There is an *embarrassing* amount of stuff on it.  Under it.  Around it.  <ducking>

Now I'm going to make the shameful list of all the crud in my dining room in an effort to tell myself I can handle this:

1. Piles of paper.  OK no need to go into this in detail... I tamed the paper pile in 10 minutes, so I can handle this.  Maybe.  I will.  At least I'll try.  -- BOXED UP AND WILL GO THROUGH ASAP
2. Plastic bowls that don't fit anywhere right now. 
1. Going to my standard questions: 
1. (a) How often do I use these?  Let's see, I probably use one weekly, one monthly, and the rest, every few months. 
2. (b) Where do I use them?  Kitchen. 
2. So one of these needs to be mid-level in a cabinet, and one needs to be way down or way up, and the rest go to down to storage or up over the fridge or something.
3. Printer.  This will probably live there until Tday and then sit on my bed until time to put it back in the dining room.  :) 
4. File box and box of file folders. -- PUT THESE AWAY IN A F.R. CABINET
   1. Going to my standard questions: 
   1. (a) How often do I use this?  Let's see, I probably haven't used it in months... I was trying to set up a good file system. 
   2. (b) Where do I use them?  Kitchen/Fam Rm. 
   2. So I guess this needs to go down to storage right now, or at least in a hard-to-get-to cabinet in the Fam Rm.
5. 2 trash cans.  (Ummm why?)  Obviously one needs to leave this room and go somewhere it's needed.  One probably needs to be in the corner of the living room?
6. Coffee maker. 
1. Going to my standard questions: 
1. (a) How often do I use this?  Every few months.  I use it for company.  I have a one-cup maker for daily use. 
2. (b) Where do I use it?  Kitchen. 
2. So it needs to go to storage.
7. Rice maker -- GOING TO STORAGE PANTRY FOR NOW
   1. Going to my standard questions: 
   1. (a) How often do I use this?  Every few months. 
   2. (b) Where do I use it?  Kitchen. 
   2. So it needs to go to storage.
8. Christmas dishes.  (OK I'm keeping it real here.  This is awful.  Yes out from last Christmas.)
   1. Going to my standard questions: 
   1. (a) How often do I use this?  About two months a year. 
   2. (b) Where do I use it?  Kitchen. 
   2. So they need to go to storage most of the year, but from Thanksgiving until Christmas, they go into the kitchen cabinet and the other dishes go to storage in their place? 
9. Too much furniture.  Two pieces at least should go.
10. Camping stuff I never put away a few months ago.  AGH  PUT IN STORAGE
1. Going to my standard questions: 
1. (a) How often do I use this?  One season a year -- summer
2. (b) Where do I use it?  Um, camping. 
2. So it needs to go to storage -- totally needs to go to the camping storage space.
11. We're not even going to talk about the living room adjacent.  That's another post. 

The Dreaded Paper Pile

I have a bazillion inch paper pile to conquer. 

Here are some things which might be there, and my plan for them:

1. School papers
1. Art -- keep the A+ stuff, toss the rest
2. School work -- graded -- keep the one best from each kid and post on fridge, toss the rest
3. Report cards -- file all
4. Memos from teachers -- throw away outdated, keep newer ones
5. Field trip slips -- throw away outdated, keep newer ones, sign any that need it
6. Curriculum guides -- toss (info available online)
7. Other
2. Church papers
1. Bulletins -- toss all
2. Newsletters -- keep this month's, toss the rest
3. Kid papers -- toss all
4. Other
3. Papers from the mailbox
1. Bills -- put in bill file alphabetically
2. Statements -- put in bill file alphabetically
3. Junk mail -- toss or shred/burn
4. Coupons -- toss (I just can't keep up w/ them)
5. Letters from friends -- file
6. Other
4. Work papers
1. Notes to self & lists -- toss the obvious, put the others in my work tote bag
2. Reports -- same
3. Other items from the printer -- same
4. Other
5. Medical papers
1. Insurance slips -- file
2. Other -- file or toss
6. Books (don't ask) -- put in "Elsewhere basket"
7. Magazines -- put on magazine table (discard anything old)
8. Photos -- put in photo box
9. Other

UPDATE:  OK I got through most of the pile in just 10 minutes.  What is my deal?!!!  Why have I not kept up?  This wasn't too bad.  DO IT NOW.  :)  Very rewarding.

So, Today!

All of that to draw up my marching orders for today!

Do the Get Myself Ready list first.
First things first, all mornings:  ALL DONE!

1. Get up and wake kids 1 and 2.  Oversee their getting ready for and off to school.  DONE!
2. Get kid 3 up, ready, and off to school (no matter who is actually driving him).  DONE!
3. Get myself dressed including shoes.  No arguments.  (Flylady thing.)  DONE!
4. Brush teeth.  DONE!
5. Take meds.  DONE!
6. Eat breakfast.  Must be quick and nutritious.  Think: bowl of cereal, not toaster pastry or McDs.  DONE!

Do some Around the House routine stuff.  Special emphasis today needs to happen on FACE and Holidays, and PAPER PILE that is threatening to eat our kitchen.
Items to do if at home:

1. Pop a load of laundry into the washer.  DONE! 
2. Empty the dishwasher and dish drainer.  (Or run the dw if hasn't run the night prior.)  ~ DONE
3. Put all dishes in the sink or dishwasher.  DONE!
4. Pick up all scattered laundry and put it in a hamper.  DONE!
5. Sweep floor.  DONE
6. Quickly put anything which belongs in a different room in a box or hamper.  IN PROGRESS
7. Throw away any obvious trash.  IN PROGRESS
8. Do a quick swish & swipe of the main bathroom.
9. Pick one Weekly Home Blessing task (Flylady) and do it.  (I do these one at a time rather than all on one day at one time.  Mostly because I work.)
1. Change sheets.
2. Take out trash.
3. Vacuum rugs.
4. Mop.
5. Dust.
6. Clean glass/mirrors.
7. Throw out outdated magazines.
10. Paper Pile -- pick one:  DID 10 MIN
1. Throw away 27 papers.
2. Spend 15 minutes sorting through per Stephanie Winston's TRAF:
1. Toss
2. Refer
3. Act
4. File
11. Exercise!
12. Pick one
1. Zone decluttering (Flylady) -- look up current zone on Fly site, and declutter in it for 15 minutes
2. Do one room my way (see older Cleaning posts)
13. FACE -- this it the $ stuff, based on Flylady but my way of doing it
1. Updating budget book with current transactions.
2. Paying due bills.
14. Dinner -- 
1. What is for dinner?!  Start anything you can right now (thaw, marinate, crock pot).
2. Plan what time to start cooking and make an appt w/ myself.
15. Holidays -- work the lists

At 10:30 a.m., go run errands.  (Prepare for these now though.)

1. Need to purchase Operation Christmas Child things to go to the preschool when I pick up kiddo #3.  DONE! DELIVERED!  YAY!
2. Need to purchase items requested by #2's  teachers (to send in tomorrow). DONE!
3. Need to drop off letter/check/form at school for #1 to stay for extracurricular. Forgot that!  Again!
4. Get movie from Redbox that I promised Son #1. DONE!
5. Pick up more hot chocolate.  And some shoes for Son #1 who has busted his clean through the soles and they are now leaking rainwater.  (How does he do this so fast?!!!!)  GOT SHOES< FORGOT HOT COCOA

So, here I go -- work with me and post your progress!  I'll aim to work 3 fifteen-minute sessions, then relax (and drink some water ) during each "fourth quarter"!

2:45 update:  I gotta get back on the stick.  Ran errands, picked up #3 from preschool, and then my mom popped in for a nice chat so I'm just now getting back to work.  Gonna pick up where I left off.

Morning Routines/Afternoon Routines

So I guess since some days I'm at home, some I'm at the office, and some I'm driving preschool carpool and am out and about, I'll have a sort of "menu" approach to routine planning. 

First things first, all mornings:

1. Get up and wake kids 1 and 2.  Oversee their getting ready for and off to school.
2. Get kid 3 up, ready, and off to school (no matter who is actually driving him).
3. Get myself dressed including shoes.  No arguments.  (Flylady thing.)
4. Brush teeth. 
5. Take meds.
6. Eat breakfast.  Must be quick and nutritious.  Think: bowl of cereal, not toaster pastry or McDs.

Items to do if at home:

1. Pop a load of laundry into the washer. 
2. Empty the dishwasher and dish drainer.  (Or run the dw if hasn't run the night prior.)
3. Put all dishes in the sink or dishwasher. 
4. Pick up all scattered laundry and put it in a hamper.
5. Sweep floor.
6. Quickly put anything which belongs in a different room in a box or hamper.
7. Throw away any obvious trash.
8. Do a quick swish & swipe of the main bathroom.

Items to do if at the office:

1. Check all phone messages and return calls.
2. Check all email and return some.
3. Open any mail waiting for me and act on anything I can do in 2 min or less.
4. Start projects and actions.

Items to do if out and about town:

• Consult list of errands and run them. 
• Bank? 
• P.O.? 
• Library?
• Grocery? 
• Pharmacy? 
• Target/Walmart?

Larger items around home:

1. Pick one Weekly Home Blessing task (Flylady) and do it.  (I do these one at a time rather than all on one day at one time.  Mostly because I work.)
1. Change sheets.
2. Take out trash.
3. Vacuum rugs.
4. Mop.
5. Dust.
6. Clean glass/mirrors.
7. Throw out outdated magazines.
2. Paper Pile -- pick one:
1. Throw away 27 papers.
2. Spend 15 minutes sorting through per Stephanie Winston's TRAF:
1. Toss
2. Refer
3. Act
4. File
3. Exercise.
4. Pick one
1. Zone decluttering (Flylady) -- look up current zone on Fly site, and declutter in it for 15 minutes
2. Do one room my way (see older Cleaning posts)
5. FACE -- this it the $ stuff, based on Flylady but my way of doing it
1. Updating budget book with current transactions.
2. Paying due bills.
6. Dinner -- 
1. What is for dinner?!  Start anything you can right now (thaw, marinate, crock pot).
2. Plan what time to start cooking and make an appt w/ myself.
7. Holidays -- work the lists

Progress Toward Goals

Hello -- It's Sunday evening and I took it pretty easy today.  I went to church with the family, then went out to lunch with my mom and a friend and my husband and kids.  It was a lovely, leisurely lunch and the kids (mostly) behaved so all was nice.

I came home and wrote and submitted a couple of freelance articles, and kept one eye on the NASCAR race.  (The hub is a big fan.  Me, not a sports fan, but I'm usually in the room on my computer if a race is on so I chat amiably about it in a very limited fashion.)

House goals left undone as of last night, updated with today's progress, are:

Random ones:

1. Get that laundry basket from the family room into the washer. -- I have other wash I need to do -- two other loads -- so I'm nixing the family room basket this evening.  Bumping until tomorrow.
2. Keep the family room picked up so it still looks decent. -- Wellllll, we've all been in here quite a bit today hanging out, so it's not pretty.  I won't lie.  But I think I could whip it into shape in about 5 minutes, max.  Will do after the kids are in bed in awhile.
3. Work some more on holiday stuff. -- Will be in another post.
4. Get some sort of physical activity -- anything, at this point! -- in today. -- Sadly, I have not done this.  I really have to make it a priority.  Please comment below if you have any terrific insights on making myself do this... I procrastinate every day and my health is starting to show it.

Kitchen ones:

1. Empty dishwasher and drainer. -- DONE TODAY BY DH
2. Put all dirty dishes in the dishwasher. -- DONE TODAY BY DH and ME
3. Throw away as much trash as possible including obvious things from the fridge. -- IN PROGRESS
4. Put "Elsewheres" in a basket. -- DONE
5. Wipe down counters and appliances.  SOME
6. Empty crumbs from toaster.
7. Sweep floor. -- DONE
8. Mop floor. -- I really despise mopping, but it's really bad.  And I have an almost-solid, verrry light colored floor.  Agh.  And Son #1 especially is a big spiller.  (Yes I do have them wipe up as often as I can, but he's a hurricane.)
9. Wipe out a shelf or drawer from the fridge (at least). -- The fridge is in very bad shape.  Deplorable.

The Kitchen (my nemesis)

I clean and clean this room and I never get anywhere.  We just keep using it.  Ha.  I neglected the kitchen yesterday so I need to whip it into shape today. 

Self-care, first:

1. Eat something decent. -- DONE AND DONE AGAIN AT LUNCH
2. Take meds and get something non-caff to drink.  (Prob also caff!) -- DONE
3. Take a shower, for goodness sake! -- DONE
4. Dry hair and put on going-out clothes-- IN PROGRESS

Other little goals:

1. Get that laundry basket from the family room into the washer.
2. Keep the family room picked up so it still looks decent.
3. Work some more on holiday stuff.
4. Get some sort of physical activity -- anything, at this point! -- in today.
5. Go to a holiday craft show at church w/ at least one kiddo -- GOING IN AWHILE

Soooo, the kitchen. 

1. Empty dishwasher and drainer. -- DONE
2. Put all dirty dishes in the dishwasher. -- DONE
3. Handwash anything else and put in drainer. - -DONE
4. Throw away as much trash as possible including obvious things from the fridge. -- IN PROGRESS
5. Take trash out to bin outside. -- DONE
6. Put "Elsewheres" in a basket.

Then cleaning:

1. Wipe down counters and appliances.  SOME
2. Soak carousel plate from microwave.  DONE
3. Empty crumbs from toaster.
4. Sweep floor.
5. Mop floor.
6. Wipe out a shelf or drawer from the fridge (at least).

Decluttering (for another day):

1. All cupboards -- these are jam-packed and awful
2. Top of fridge (where all the Halloween fall-out is living)
3. Mail counter (horror beyond words)
4. Inside the bench

Decorating (for another day)

1. Someday I'd love to get a nicer sink faucet, maybe a gooseneck one.
2. Think about different lighting.  We have two halogen ceiling fans which give off good enough ambient light but there's no task lighting over the sink, for instance.
3. I'd love to put a microwave over the stove and free up the current microwave counter.  Not sure though -- gonna be a long time.
4. Consider taking the bench by the door out.
5. Paint the pantry cabinet.

OK I'll be back in awhile.

Elsewheres

OK now to the part I dislike.  :)  I need to take this couch full of stuff and send it off to whence it belongs.

My preschool son picked up all his trucks and stashed them on the couch so he could vacuum. Time to send them to his room. I have some other items which are straightforward - they go to kids' rooms.

Then there's Sockland. I have a big Lands' End tote full of odd socks. My daughter calls it Sockland - and now we all do. Someday I mean to have the kids actually go through and match up socks, and then discard what doesn't have a mate. However, right now, it just gets brought out, dug through, and pillaged for socks. (We have a big issue keeping up with everyone's socks! It's dreadful.)

Finally, I have a full basket of items which do not go in the family room but do not go in the bedrooms. These represent trickier decisions. For instance - there's a pair of blue jeans with holes in the knees. I keep thinking they could be cut-offs. I hate to waste things. However... then there's an old backpack, a vacuum cleaner wand, some clothes that don't fit the kids.

These are the crux of the issue.

We have three purple bins aka "The Purple Baskets" which sit on the couch. Kid #1 has one, #2, and #3. I toss things in there as I come to them and they periodically take them to their rooms, put stuff away (or cram it under the beds) and bring back the empty baskets. At least they bring them back when I threaten them.

However, the basket of random items... not so easy. What is really the problem here, I wonder? There's a flip flop that doesn't really fit, is b-ugly, and I don't know the location of the matching one. There's a small pile of linens.

I guess all of these things represent either messy areas I don't want to face (i.e. the linen closet) or they represent guilt and procrastination (such as the hole-y jeans).

Time to decide now about the contents. I know, I'll look at frequency of use.

1. Back-up backpack. Keeper. My oldest kid loves backpacks and will dump his school one out on the floor and use that for play or travel if I don't keep a spare. Frequency? Not weekly. Probably monthly or every few. For now, I'm pretending every few -- winning it a spot in storage in the basement with the luggage. Ding ding ding.
2. Flip flop. Eh. Kid likes it. Might grow into it. No longer flip-flop weather - will stick in w/ swim clothes/toys for now. If mate shows up, will put there too.
3. Shorts. It's November. But they still technically fit the kid.  But he's four. They won't fit him next year, right? Or will they? OK I'll store them wrapped as "#3's Summer Clothes" and put the year on the bag. Likely they'll be donated.
4. Two shirts which have stains even after laundering. I love love love Shout stain gel. I'll take them to the laundry, pretreat them, let them sit, and launder them again tomorrow.
5. Vacuum wand. Once again I will put it on the vacuum. Hopefully Kid #3 will leave it there. (Ha.) We did have a discussion about that.
6. Firefighter's dress-up outfit. I think I will keep all kids' dress-ups in the playroom. Need to hang hooks but for now, will just store in closet there.

I'm off to scatter things.

Cleaning Up

I picked up the family room.  But it's heavy and I don't know where to put it down.  Ha.  Really, I did those last 5 steps. Weirdest/most annoying thing I found: my son's Halloween bucket with a bazillion empty wrappers in it. Threw those away, put the bucket out of reach on the fridge.

All right, now that I've picked up, it's time to clean. I did leave Little Guy's toy trucks on the floor because he's still playing with them and we're hanging out in here right now. I'm no toy nazi. Not at the moment at least.

Time to:

1. Dust
2. Wipe glass
3. Vacuum and/or sweep

If you're joining me, let me know how it's going!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here I am back again.  My preschooler wanted to muscle in on the cleaning action so he chose to vacuum.  (Begged me.)  He had fun w/ the vacuum which is as tall as he is.  Vac'd the area rug in the family room and it looks sooo much better.  (I don't have the heart to go over it again or it would be even more fab.) 

I swept about 50 pencils and pens off the floor, and we both wiped up some spots and splatters on the hardwood. I dusted the furniture (just a quick dust) and he used a windex cloth on the tv, computer, and glass door on the entertainment center.  So it looks a LOT better -- even though I haven't yet distributed all the stuff in the "other room" basket which is sitting on the couch.  Or put in the laundry from picking all of that up. 

Right now I'm eating soup and popcorn and making sure to hydrate so I'll get back to it soon. 

Meanwhile, future plans for this room:

Sometime *after* I quick-clean the rest of the common areas in the house, I'll return to this room and do some decluttering.  Then perhaps some redecorating.  Someday.  I feel some lists coming on:

Declutter Spots -- Fam Rm

1. Top of entertainment center (again)
2. Top of computer cabinet
3. Mantel
4. Hubby's little computer table
5. 2 end tables
6. Filing drawer/end table
7. Yes we have wayyy too much furniture in a smallish/medium room
8. Hearth (I know I know)
9. Built-ins and alcove -- there's a jot off the corner of the family room which has built-ins.  They'd be nice but the floor all in front of them is crammed with stuff the kids pull from the game cabinet (base of the built-ins), plus some of my file stuff.  Hi I'm Jen.  I have a bigtime paper problem.  Different post.
10. Bookshelves

Decorating Needs -- Fam Rm

1. Smaller couch or perhaps a cover for the existing couch (gonna have to thrift-shop to get one, or something like that)
2. 86 the entertainment center.  I'm sure we're the only people left in America with a huge (25" ha) tube tv, plus some huge outdated audio equip that my +1 is soooo enamored of.  This was the center of some recent, pretty rare, marital spats.  I'll do what I dare.  Dream is a small, current-style entertainment table to put the TV on.  Not sure where to send the audio.  Must.  Tread.  Carefully.
3. Computer cabinet.  Dammit, they went and replaced tube stuff with flat screens, so our computer monitor is now tiny.  So is the CPU.  Don't need that once-coveted computer armoire.  Plus the kids yank on the doors and we pile crap on top.  We need a student desk a two wall-mounted shelves.  Period.
4. Need replacement lampshades.  Don't ask.
5. I'd love to 86 the brass/glass doors on the fireplace but that ain't gonna fly w/ the mister.  I'll settle for switching out the shiny brass hardware on the end tables.  Need to scratch-cover those end tables too and then someday refinish them somehow.
6. Hang better wall art.  TAKE DOWN THE BORDER I CANNOT STAND.  People who lived here prior were truly lovely people.  (I knew them.)  The geese, I don't like so much. 
7. Must remove metal mini-blinds from exterior door and big window.  Must replace with neutral roman shades or something like that.  Valences have to go.  Very 80's.
8. My dad made me a beautiful, HUGE bookshelf/cabinet.  Then we moved here and there are built-ins.  So the cabinet is in here too.  Need to relocate it.  Where?

My Plan

After all that deliberation, here is The Plan (du jour!)... it's the Flylady Plan on Additude...
I'll be deviating from it, I'm sure, tweaking it, but it involves making four lists.  Here's the link, because this is word for word:  Additude magazine: Planning for the Holidays by Marla Cilley

List 1:  Holiday Traditions

List 2:  Holiday Menus and Recipes

List 3:  Gifts

List 4:  Dates To Put on Your Calendar


That should cover the planning part.

As for the housework, I have a bunch of good links, but right now, I'm looking at about 105 minutes (but who's counting?!) until my other two kids come home, so I need to just jump on in and get something done.

I'm starting in the family room -- join me!  (In your family room not mine, silly!)

Grab these:

• Big trash bag
• Hamper
• Laundry basket or cardboard box
• Broom/vacuum
• Duster or dust cloth
• Window cleaner and cloth

1. Dishes:  Grab any dishes and put them in the kitchen dishwasher or sink.  Neatly.  Go!
2. Laundry:  Grab any dirty clothes, dishtowels your toddler has dragged in, stray socks, bathing suits in November, and put them in the hamper.  Pronto!
3. Trash:  Throw everything you see that's tossable in the trash bag or recycling bin.  Count pieces and see if you can get to 15! 
4. Clutter:  If you see something that belongs in another room, toss it in the laundry basket (not the one holding your laundry, another one) or cardboard box.  Go!
5. Papers:  Quick, grab any paperwork that isn't trash and put it in The Dreaded Paper Pile.  (Mine is in the kitchen.)

I'm off to do these things.  I'll post more later.