day eight, day nine, day ten

Number 18, deck.




Number 15, laundry room cabinet painting. Looks much better than it did before, trust me. Also added new knobs like in the kitchen.

Number 19, in closed porch. New table cloth, vacuumed floor, windows cleaned. We even ate dinner out there with our bible study this evening, lovely.

day four, day five, fingernails

Not exciting days, no big projects were accomplished but things got done. Purchased a new vacuum, the best part is it has a retractable cord. Winding up the cord is my least favorite part of the job!

Day four-finished the office. Vacuumed, installed the closet doorknob, dusted, all papers and supplies in order. (number 4 from the list)

Day five-today was pretty busy so I had to pick something easy. Stairs. I've never had a house with stairs, besides basement stairs. The worst thing about them is vacuuming them. I say that like I know, I don't. I assume the worst part is vacuuming them I outsource the job to Jim, he seems to do a good job and I don't think he minds...much. So the stairs are cleaned, and I dusted the table that is on the landing. Slightly lame, but it's something off the list.

Cleaning/Organizing pays! In the kindergarten room I found a substantial check lost in the shuffle of multiple moves. In the office I found a savings bond my grandfather got me in 1987. It's only payable on death, and sadly that has applied since 2003. Tomorrow would be his birthday, so I think I'll cash it in and buy something fun with he...he would recommend that.
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How on earth do you trim those little fingernails? I don't need tips on how to keep him still, I got that. I need actual strategy. What kind of clippers do you use? Do you file also? I feel like I clip his nails at least 3 times a week, but it's not helping. He has a new fingernail scratch on his face every morning. His nails we so short and perfect when I got him from the orphanage, I should have asked for a lesson.

day three

Today I worked in the office. The office is furthest from the main area of our house and I think this causes stuff to get trapped there. Some of the random things I found in the office include; a reamer (thing that gets the juice out of the lemon), measuring spoon, and the drill. However, the biggest issue is, of course, paperwork. Let's just say that adoption isn't green. We are responsible for the destruction of a few large trees. I'll be able to pack cookies in shredded adoption paperwork for the next few months. Then Jim has his little pile of stuff he thinks might be important at the time, but turns out it isn't. I know this because I made him go though his "important" pile and 90% was placed in the shred pile. So the papers are all organized and all the random bits of stuff are living in their actual homes. A big pile is being shredded, a small pile made it to the trash, and a couple things joined the donation pile.
A few people, including Jim, asked why the list had items that were repeated. It's either because...
1. I'm not amazing enough to do that job in one day
2. I have a two year old that enjoys "helping" but enjoys playing at the park more
3. I still have a part time job outside the house, need to cook dinner and have to keep the rest of the house in order
4. All of the above.

day two

Today I completed item number six from the list, master bedroom and closet. Well I guess technically it isn't really done since I didn't vacuum, but I couldn't because the vacuum broke. I took it apart and discovered it was beyond my repair. Promise I'll vacuum after I get one!
Anyway, our bedroom isn't really that messy just kind of disorganized...mostly the clothes.

Jim forgets to close his dresser drawers

I keep my drawers and doors shut but
I don't always keep my clothes folded

Is it only me? Do you have these issues too? The clothes all go in there folded but then I can be indecisive in the morning and eventually it ends up like the above photo, a similar issues takes place in the closet, usually with the skirts.

I spent an hour this morning changing the sheets, going though the clothes, hanging a curtain and cleaning out the nightstands.

Oliver helped,

fluff the pillows

check the coziness of the comforter

He also enjoyed the universal wonderfulness
of a freshly made bed

I spent another hour during nap time dusting, finishing the organizing, and trying to figure out why the vacuum wasn't working.

In the end I managed to get a bag of clothes to
donate and a small stack of railroad magazines to recycle

day one

Here is what's going on.
Jim can't stand that I prefer to clean closets or the laundry room or the basement before I clean the rest of the house. I don't know why but I just like it that way. So for day one, mission one I cleaned the kindergarten room. It's a room in our basement where I store my teacher stuff. Last summer, between moving, I worked as a tutor. Great job! but when combined with moving and needing random things for each different child my supplies turned into bins of disaster and they were all thrown into this room.

This isn't a before picture, sadly it's a during picture.
I didn't decide to document the journey until
I already started it

Trash box

Victorious! Amy, Nancy, Bryce...please notice
I'm wearing my "winner" metal