Clutter

I am beginning my organizational goal this week...tomorrow. I decided I really needed to do some research on how others have done it and made it stick. So here I am at the computer this morning reading stuff about cleaning. That and my mom is off work today and I really want to work on this when no one else is (oatmeal break. My husband is the most wonderfullest guy!) (Tony wrote that last part...) around (I might get interrupted or something).

Yeah, I might be procrastinating. Still, I'm going to start this goal. I mean, why make a goal if you aren't even going to try to achieve it?

I went to this site that my friend, Jennifer recommended and it seemed a little odd, and a whole lot of work just to do the cleaning and organizing and decluttering thing. But when I really think about it, I need all the reminders and tips and stuff if I am going to be able to persevere. Yeah, I really need someone to nag me, and I'd rather that come it an impersonal email than from someone who I know and love. I know that there is no accountability in that, but I really do want to do this enough that the reminders will hopefully be enough. Plus I plan on blogging about some of it along the way. My hope is that by the end of the year I will be able to post pictures here of every room in my house (and possibly my shed, but that may be a little too much, I'll decide in the middle of the year). I'm also wanting to throw a party here, but I don't know what for except just to celebrate a clean home (by messing it up with a party...maybe not...I don't know).

Anyway, one of the things in the emails that I got from flylady (the site that my friend mentioned to me) was this place called freecycle. There you can post stuff for other people to come take it off your hands and use. I love that idea. I've been trying to get all my baby stuff into someone else's hands for a while, because I hate to throw it all away if it can be put to good use. The idea of a garage sale is a headache in itself. I could post stuff on craigslist or ebay some of it, but I like the frecycle idea. I don't know if I will actually do it yet, but I looked it over and I'll decide later (yep, I'm procrastinating again).

Just an update on organizing my children, I have to say, the handipoints system is working for us. Becca has been wonderful at getting her chores and homework done on time. Micah is starting to get into it since I stopped printing out the checklists and just let the kids check stuff off on the computer. Ali and Zoe still don't understand, but since Micah and Becca are getting excited about the points, they are, too.

So I'm working my way towards organization taking baby steps. I'll get there. It won't be overnight, though.