Master Bedroom

How many of you have the master bedroom as your personal sanctuary? Your special place for you and your hubby? How many have your kids in and out of it all day and all night? Is it clean or is it the catch all room?

In our house it is a combo. While are children are not forbidden to be in our room, it is also not a regular place for them. They can, and often do, drop things off in there but it is essentially OUR space. They do not share our bed or come to our room regularly. The occasional thunderstorm or nightmare will drive a younger child to the floor beside our bed. Usually sickness ends with Mommy in the living room with the child. That being said...our room is also that catch all! It is the place where everything gets thrown! Company pulling in the driveway? Hurry, run this basket of clean laundry to Mom's room and shut the door! Don't know what to do with something? Drop it in Mom's room and let her deal with it. And MOST of the time it gets tossed on my bed. Well, come 10 pm when I am trying to go to bed I am NOT in the mood to fold, sort or otherwise deal with STUFF...so it gets moved to the floor to be dealt with later. There is the catch....when is later? For me, it never seems to come! Here are the before pictures. I will be honest...this is the worst it has ever been!

As you can see, there was stuff kind of piled everywhere. Some from Christmas. Some from loaning the breathing machine but not the medicine to an Amish friend. Some that needs stored. Some that is too small for my kids and needs donated but I had to sort it first. Everything gets tossed in here!

Well, yesterday morning...when these pictures were taken...I had been at the end of my rope! I was at my ultimate limit! And the kids had stepped up on Monday and had the first floor in good shape so instead of dedicating my time to my public areas, I got to attack my personal, private HEAP!

Do I want it to get this bad? No! Do I usually let it? No. Does it get so overwhelming that I don't know where to start? Oh yeah!


So I started at the doorway and worked across the room. I sorted, I removed from the room. There was very little trash...it was all stuff that hasn't been put away (like laundry tossed on the cedar chest) and Christmas gifts and such. So I worked, and I worked and I worked. And then I had to leave! It wasn't done! I knew it would be hard to come back and I didn't want to leave it half done...but I had to!

Before I got to the room again, a friend posted on her facebook about rearranging furniture. She asked if we tend to periodically rearrange or leave everything as is. I am a rearranger. I LOVE to rearrange when the kids and Cory are not home and then watch their faces when they walk in! Too funny! So of course, I decided to finish the room last night and rearrange while I was at it!

There are still areas that need help like the top of this wire cage drawer for Cory's jeans. And you might be able to see that the rug needs vacuumed...but since I really don't OWN one....I have to borrow from my mother-in-law! This also has shelves on top that are waiting for my hubby to have time to install them on either side of the fireplace. They have been sitting there since I got them for him for Christmas....at least 4 years ago! Should I hold my breath that they will get up this year? Maybe! The two doors lead to the bathroom and the bedroom walk-in closet which were not yet TOUCHED so the doors got closed so you couldn't see them!

I also still need to tackle my bookshelf. If you can see, it is all at least 2 books deep and much of it is 3 layers deep. And this is just ONE bookshelf in the house! There is another in the hallway, one in Rebekah's room, at least two in the basement and still books in boxes! This picture also shows the wire basket unit that holds my jeans and shorts. Since I have family who sent me lots of pretty things from Kenya, I used some of them to drape over the sides of the baskets to pretty them up a bit!

As I continue to go around the room, I am reminded how much love my hubby put into this room as he carefully laid the wood floor and put the beautiful patterns in it. You can see the lighter stripes in these pictures but as I get over the fire place you can truly see his craftsmanship as you look under the wood rack and see the intricate square he created. It took him a long time to get it just right and it was all because he wanted our room to feel special. Then it struck me. Keeping my house clean is something I have tried to do to make it welcoming so I could feel free to invite people and share my God with them. But my room gets put last. What does that tell my hubby? Am I unintentionally telling him that he isn't as important to me as a million other things? Am I giving him the impression that I don't love him enough to put forth the effort? Oh, ouch! That kinda hurts! And yet....it gives me pause. And it gives me motivation! I want to finish the room and have it look AMAZING instead of just tidy up a bit! I want to blow him away! Oh, realistically I still see areas that need work and have no idea when I will get back up there to work on them, but I can say he was in shock when he got up there last night. He joked about being in the wrong house! And he slept peacefully in front of the fire in this clean room, having been SHOWN he was important.



As you can see, the mantle still needs some work...and I realized yesterday that only 2 of our 4 children have their picture up! Oops! Guess I need to add a few frames! The wood rack is empty since he made a fire last night and the one downstairs is full so I think I will take some up and get it ready for another fire! That was nice! Falling asleep to the crackling fire! My curio cabinet of music boxes got moved, but not dusted and cleaned out well. I admit it. It is not a perfect job! But I think the amazing thing is that I did it! I cleaned up the room, I moved the curio cabinet, the bed and the cedar chest and the end result was that Cory wanted to know WHY and I was able to say "Because I love you".

And you know the side benefit? Some giggles! See, moving the bed all around messed with him! He gets up earlier than me in the morning and he is so wonderful he makes his way to the bathroom in the dark. He has done it from one spot in the room for a year or two now. So this morning he floundered. He fumbled! He almost fell! It appears he does better maneuvering through a maze of stuff than across open floor space! Oops! Sorry dear! But you will get used to it because I realized! My master bedroom IS my sanctuary! And it is evidence of my love for my husband and he is NOT going to come last on the list anymore!


Thank you for sharing this walk through my honestly horrible room! Next on my list will be the bathroom and the closet....but I admit...not today! We are painting the living room, staircase and part of the kitchen this weekend and I am resting up to tackle that!

Home Management Step 1

The printouts! Oh my! I have spent what seems like years but is probably only hours searching the internet for free (because I am cheap like that!) home management binder paperwork...then downloading them...then looking at the ones I downloaded and printing out some and comparing to see what I think will work best for me...and what I might be missing!

So what did I DO with all that paperwork? I got out my trusty 3-hole punch and stuck everything in one binder. COMPLETELY unorganized! Sounds helpful? Well, it kinda is! See, I KNEW this would be a large project for me and would take lots of time so I figured get it printed and get it put away so the grubby paws of my children couldn't ruin it....the piles on the desk would be reduced to organized chaos and so that I could at least know it was in there SOMEWHERE and not have to wonder where it went!

Then I took handy dividers and stuck them in an empty binder...or two....or three. See, I decide that I would not be able to use just one binder...it would be big and I would avoid using it! So...next came the generic process of dividing my printouts. Hey...look...some of these are for MOM and deal with basic cleaning schedules, suggested chores for different ages, decluttering, etc. Maybe it would make sense to make a Mom binder. Oh gosh! Wait! There is too much for ONE binder. Maybe a touch of overkill? Hmmm...lets put the calendars here...and the mentoring study you are working on...and maybe some potential devotional materials for the teens you work with and take all of the cleaning references and give them their OWN binder....along with all of those papers I haven't decided where they go yet!

Oh...wait...all of this stuff has to do with blogging....maybe it should have its own space!

Now comes the generic family related stuff...address lists, phone numbers, gift organization (Hey! I don't want the snoopy girls to see that...I'll put it in my Mom binder and keep it farther from prying eyes!), weekly calendars (as opposed to daily schedules), menu planners, grocery lists...it just goes on and on! Oh well, group them all together and stick them behind different dividers and don't worry about filling them out yet!

Now, I know many, many, many people keep coupons and recipes in there. Sounds like a plan...until I realize that I don't coupon. I don't need more clutter and I get so many generic things and I don't get many coupons delivered and I am not paying for clutter like newspapers to be delivered to my house on purpose! Shudder! So that section just doesn't exist for me! Sorry for anyone who wanted to know how I organize them! I organize them right into the trash!

Recipes! Those I have! Tons and tons and tons! Actually, they have an entire 3" binder of their very own! And I have to admit, it needs tons of work! Right now I have taken page protectors and stuck them in and had my 6 year old (okay, she is 7 now) but when she was 6 I had her take all of my loose paper recipes and cards and stick them in the page protectors and that is as far as I have gotten! I figured since I bought the page protectors for another failed chore project, I might as well put them to good use!

So, what do I end up with after step 1? Four binders instead of one. Hmmm....and I wonder how my clutter seems to multiply? I haven't even begun to add gardening stuff or my home-based business that I am trying to get really serious about into there yet!


 Okay, so you like the concept? You think it is too fussy? Too complicated? Too detailed? Too organized, you could never do that!? Well, look a little closer! I haven't filled out the tabs on most of the binders. (Yes, even the ones you just slip the papers in have the papers just tucked into a pocket on the folder!) I very well might rearrange them another 3-5 or maybe 15 times before I am satisfied! But hey, guess what...I started! I have made progress! And if you never start then you are definitely NOT making progress! Maybe I haven't found the perfect solution for keeping me organized....but I am trying! And the paperwork that was falling OFF of my desk now all fits fairly well into the containers I have here.

Okay, so I am being honest! This is a CURRENT (like I JUST took it) picture of my desk now! Yes, there is still clutter...but you can see the desk...my chai mug is actually sitting flat...my 3-hole punch is able to be used. My pencils and pens and markers are finally all in a pretty container instead of a take home kids cup from Appleby's that is from my daughter who is now 14....so it was in SAD shape! So seriously, this is HUGE improvement! I promise!

I get in this rut sometimes where I want to go from TRASHED to PERFECT instantly! I get online and I see pictures of organized peoples' homes and I wanna be that way. But I am organizationally challenged! I mean, I know HOW...but implementation...yeah, I lack! Big time!

So I am sharing my teeny, tiny baby steps with you in the hopes that if you are like me you will realize that it is OKAY to not get it all done in one day, one week or even one month! Get started...and whatever you organize today....keep it up! Keep that particular thing organized daily until it becomes a habit! Once you are doing that naturally, then move on, pick something else and organize that! Just don't forget where you started! Share your stories here! I'd love to see others encouraging and giving ideas!

Procrastination? Organization? Distractions? HELP!

So I have realized something about myself. I hide my tendency to procrastinate behind a curtain of organization!

Oh! Wait! Did I just admit that! Yes, I believe I did!

See, I am so overwhelmed by the STUFF that needs to happen that I look for reasons to NOT get started. Now, I am smart enough to know this only makes it worse, but I still seem to do it!

I look through my house and I make lists...and lists...and lists. Then I sit and organize those lists...the kids can do this, I can do that, etc. Then I try to figure out how long each thing should take...and who should do it and when, etc. Then I realize I have shot the whole morning and it is time to make lunch. Then get the kids moving and get the littlest down for a nap and then it is hot outside and I don't wanna garden and the kids aren't focusing and there come more distractions! Phone calls, texts, etc.

Finally I get to work! It is probably only 2:30 by then! Of course, I only have an hour until my hubby comes home and needs help with something...or just to tell me about his day. Then again, it is time to think about dinner, right? And tonight dinner needs to be early because I have somewhere to be later.

Oh my! What a habit! And if my kids did it, I would be horrified! So...here is my solution!

Yes, it involves a SMALL list! Yes, it will take me time to write it out. But it will also help me stay accountable!

Here is my plan. Today, I am going to tackle the kitchen. I have been sick for a week and have not had much energy so my kitchen is in BAD shape!

 So I am being really real right now. I JUST took these pictures of my kitchen. It is currently 7:08 AM here. I told my daughter who spent the night at a friend's last night that she had to be home by 9:00 AM. I am going to make it my goal to have the floors cleaned swept and mopped. The dishwasher emptied and refilled and all misplaced items that are NOT dirty dishes put away before she gets home. I will point out however, that this is EXACTLY why I am constantly telling my family that when 6 people are making the mess and only 1 person is cleaning it up, it just doesn't work! When that one person is sick and doesn't do her job, the place falls to ruin!

Does anyone else out there have this problem? Does anyone else out there have moments when they get overwhelmed and play the avoidance game? Please tell me I am not alone!

In the effort of total accountability and honesty....here are the after pictures....I took them right at 9:00.


I know it isn't perfect but you can see significant improvement and I am exhausted. Definitely still suffering from sickness!