Spring cleaning a little late...

I have been blessed this summer with a Mommy's helper that comes every Thursday morning for a couple hours. She watches my kids while I get some serious cleaning and organizing done. Her Mom offered her services to me for free of charge so she can get some experience and then can use me later as a reference.

Around here, there are things I need to get done and things I want to get done. Usually, wants take a back seat while I focus of the things that need to get done to keep this house running smoothly and the kids all happy and taken care of. Behind the scenes though, lurking in the places that were off limits, it was falling apart.

It really bothers me to start a project and only be able to devote tidbits of time to it throughout the week. I hate leaving things half finished. It keeps me up at night and it consumes my thoughts if I know that I left it sitting there like that. It's been wonderful to have a couple hours at a time once a week to really dig into and finish projects around here.

I was able to tackle the storage area in the basement. There was barely any room to walk around down there and things were all over the place...no real order to it at all....it's amazing how that seems to happen by itself. I like to store things in plastic bins and keep the labeled. So, I took everything out of the twenty something bins I have down there and did some organizing and (I know, big surprise) some throwing away. I got about four bags of trash out of there and was left with 6 empty bins! With all the organization, came some space of my own. I set up a little corner down there and designated it as my scrapbooking and sewing area.

Next on my list was our walk in closet and underneath of master bathroom sinks. It was amazing to me how much I could cram in such little spaces and stuff that I saved too. I did manage to find Dan's SS card and my hospital bills from when I had the kids (I did tuck those away). When all was said and done, I took out two bags of trash (clothes, papers, and things we didn't use anymore) from it. My room is now my sanctuary again.

This week, I plan on tackling the office. That should do it. After that, for the rest of the summer while my Mommy's helper is here, I will shut myself in the storage area and work on Dan's scrap book. I took apart his baby book and then I am adding photos from the rest of his life until we were married... kinda like The Story of Daddy for our kids. I am pretty excited. I started it when I was pregnant with Kaitlyn but ended up relaxing with my feet up, in bed, watching TV. So, I already have all the materials. It just needs some creativity and to be put together.