Progress Report

During...

Just a couple more photos of our room.  The boys and I moved the bed, dresser, and bookcase today.  Whew!  I vacuumed under the bed, too.  Felt great!  I decided the bookcase doesn't fit in here.  I've always thought that, but didn't have a spot to put it.  It fits in the extra closet, but I don't know if that is the best place for it, either.  I need to think about that some more.  Jeff is going to help me move the pictures and hang up the TV on the wall this weekend.  I also have a mirror that was my grandmother's and I think it will look nice above the dresser.  I will post pictures when we are done.  Just doing a simple rearrange to the room, but hopefully it will make our room more functional and cozy.  And clean!

 The bed is no longer under the window!  I can sit up in bed!  

Before: Master Bedroom

Take a Big Girl Pill

This week I'm back in the master with Flylady.  So far I've managed to clean the blinds, declutter the bookcase, restack the junk in the extra closet, dust, vacuum, and clean the bathroom area connected to the space that only the cat and I use.  I also used wood soap on my grandmother's chair that recently came to live here.  Oh, I also culled my closet giving up a much loved tattered sweater set that is also too big.  That's two sweaters gone this month.   We were gifted a small TV,so the old bulky one went to Goodwill.  The new one can be hung on the wall, but that's a project for another time.  I tossesd trash and got rid of two "rat nests" of stuff that landed in our room for lack of another home. 

I've been contemplating our use of this space lately.  The room has corner windows on the only wall that the bed can fit.  My side of the bed is below the window.  This means I can't sit up in bed to read.  I like to read before I go to sleep.  If we move the bed, we have to take it off the bed risers first and move the stuff under the bed, too.  So, I want to be really certain I want to move it.Most likely, the bed won't get moved.
 
The small extra closet in our room is so under used.  It has no shelves, no rod.  Because we rent, we don't want to install them.  But, the space would be so better used with at least a bar to hang clothes or even a shelving unit.  It's really low on the priorty list, so there it sits. 

I really like having a focus for my cleaning each week.  I didn't think there was this much to do in our room.  And I'm proud of myself for "taking a big girl pill " and getting rid of more things.  I need to do this in all areas of my house!  I will. 

Cleaning Progress

I am happy to report that I nearly checked off the entire Flylady detailed kitchen cleaning list this week!  My plan was to write the list out in my home keeping journal and then not stress if I didn't get to every thing. My thinking is that we/Flylady will be back in this zone again in a month, so I knew I would just pick up where I left off.  That is my plan for each zone, actually.  It's hard to do it all, all the time, but this week I pushed myself a little, because the kitchen really needed it. 

The list is detailed and not things I usually get too very often, like the oven, the microwave, the refrigerator.  Cabinet fronts, windows, and back splash are other places I don't attack every week either.  The floor gets a weekly mop, but this time I even got under and around things. 

I just hope I can keep the momentum going! 

It's a Process

For me, homemaking has been a process that has taken years to develop.   I'm truly blessed to be able to stay home and keep my family going.  Looking back, I'm reminded how far I've come in 17 years, but I still struggle in areas I've always had trouble in, mostly wanting too much leisure time.   Progress is being made, though.

I used to buy and serve a lot of processed foods.  Now,  I make as much as I am able. I finally am making salad dressing.  I've always had a mental block with that, thinking I liked the convenience of buying it.

I used to buy chemical cleaners.  I then bought natural cleaners when a friend was selling them.  Now,  I'm going back to good old vinegar, baking soda, and the like.  I have used baking soda and apple cider vinegar to wash my hair for a couple years.  I'm finally going to make laundry soap.  I decided to try to get rid of as many chemicals in my home as possible.

I've finished the 3rd week of following Flylady's routines, certainly not perfectly.  I was proud of myself when I realized that I wasn't going to get to everything on my long list this week.  I would have liked to have vacuumed under the seat cushions.   So, I'll get them next time.  We (yes, the kids helped) got baseboards done in two rooms.  Something that I normally wouldn't do very often.

I love being a homemaker.  It's challenging.  It's a blessing to my family.   It's a gift from God. I wouldn't trade my job for any other.

*Photos from my mom's lovely new home.