tidying, tidying, here we go!

Inspired by Charlotte's and Emily's recent posts about cleaning, I decided to finish a little tidying of my own yesterday. Even though I had other projects (a.k.a. sewing) that were begging for my time and attention, I decided that a little while spent putting my scrapbook area in order would go a long way in sustaining my sanity.

While I am grateful to have a dedicated work space, it is in an open part of the house and seems to be a magnet for all things that clutter. This photo was taken after the initial phase of cleanup I began last week (in other words, it started out way worse than this would actually indicate):

My desk was littered with everything from uncut school photos and the recent school lunch calendar to unwrapped Christmas gifts and unread mail.

After just an hour or two, voila!

And here's the New and Improved desk. Note the thrift-store mug Charlotte and I found last summer that inspired the name of my blog.

And for those who have been anxiously awaiting a "final" photo of Sarah's room, I confess I almost forgot to post it. Since I'm not really completely finished (and won't be until I make the curtains, matching pillows, etc.) I was going to wait. Judging by the vast amount of projects currently clogging my sewing queue, however, it looks like it's going to be a while until said projects reach completion. So for now:

Restoring order really does restore my sanity.

Ta-Dum!

Look how far we've come in one week! I guess it's not the final "Ta-Dum," because I don't have the furniture, bedding, etc. in yet. But considering where we were with the leopard print floor last week at this time, I feel quite accomplished.

As a reminder, here is a close-up of what the entire floor looked like last Friday night:


This is Mark working in the closet last week. Note the hideously dirty bucket of water, which incidentally had already been emptied five times previously.

This is what the floor looks like tonight, after mopping one last time. Whew! Now we're ready to move the furniture back in tomorrow, and evict Sarah from the girls' room and the dining room. Her stuff seems to have migrated everywhere.

Here's hoping for a productive and long Saturday!

progress report

Having been two weeks to the day since cleaning out Sarah's room, I finally bought the supplies and started painting today! Nothing feels quite so good as rolling fresh paint onto battered walls. I'm a little taken aback by the color--it's very bright and very orange--but I'm trusting Susan on this one (and humoring Sarah, as well).

It will improve the look greatly once I pull up the teal carpet and take down the blue painter's tape. It looks sort of like a Denver Bronco fan's room at present. Sarah was able to fulfil a life-long dream of helping to paint. I let her put a second coat on the baseboard heater vent.

I think she now realizes that painting, as I have repeatedly tried to warn her, is not quite as much fun as it looks.

I was hoping to only have to buy one gallon of paint, but it looks like I may need a second. Mark still needs to roll the ceiling and I think the walls will need a second coat. *sigh* Maybe by this weekend we can get the trundle bed from my mom's house and start putting her room back together.

I had to laugh because when John came home from school today to the smell of fresh paint he said, 'Oh--I love this smell! It smells like home." Huh. I didn't think I painted that much, but I'm glad it's a comfort smell for him.

just like the good old days!

There is an upside to working fewer hours at my part-time job: I actually find myself with an occasional hour or two at home, alone, during the day! Today was a first in a long time--I stayed home the entire day--no errands, nothing. It was heaven.

Even though I was a stay-at-home mom for nearly twenty years, it's sometimes hard for me to remember what it was like; it feels like such a long time ago--in a different lifetime. Sometimes I actually get a little panicky now, when I have a block of "free time" at home. It's as if there are so many things I want/need/should/could do that I don't know which to tackle first. I have to be careful that, in trying to make the most of my time, I don't squander it away.

Today, however, I had a plan. Part of Sarah's birthday present this year is to give her bedroom a facelift, starting with paint. I've been a little overwhelmed by the project, as her tiny room (only about 10' x 10') is so cluttered that it's daunting to think of clearing it out sufficiently to paint. I decided that today was the day I would tackle her closet, and from there moved to her dresser and *gasp!* under the bed. I figure it is always best to do this sort of cleaning when the child is away from home, as I am at greater liberty to sort things into Keep, Give Away, and Throw Away piles.

By the time I was finished I had two large Give Away bags and two large Throw Away bags (which I quickly took out the garbage before Sarah returned from school). One benefit of having Charlotte and Emily away at school is that I can use their room as an overflow area. I moved much of Sarah's stuff into their room to give me a more clutter-free work zone. Also, once I start painting, Sarah can sleep in their bed for the duration of the project.

Here's how her room looked when I left at 2:45 to pick her up from school: (yes, Jessie, that is Moosey's Nylabone on the floor).

And here's what her closet looked like after my cleaning spree:

Whew! I feel like I've really accomplished something, and now the thought of painting isn't so overwhelming. Of course, there is still the carpet to pull up (hardwood underneath), the curtains to make, the dresser to paint. . . . one thing at a time.