Listen To Your Mother

"Me Me, your car kind of looks like that show Hoarders."

That's a line that you never want to hear from your 6-year-old nephew.

In my defense, my car isn't THAT bad. Just look past the pile of reusable grocery bags and six half-empty plastic water bottles (and, yes, I see the irony in the previous words) and push the three jackets out of your way and take a seat!

However, that one line did more than anything else to convince me to start being more diligent about keeping up with the housework.

I just hate cleaning and clutter doesn't bother me that much - or even really at all.

I've tried different systems, downloaded organizing programs and lectured myself but the motivation rarely sticks past a weekend of heavy cleaning.

So, as much as I hate to do this...I'm going to listen to my mother (please don't tell her) and start with the small tasks. This is what she tells me at least once a month when I moan about how messy my house is.

I have always known my mom is one smart lady and my opinion was validated when I saw the quote below.

Source: simplystated.realsimple.com via Megan on Pinterest

My mom and Henry Ford think alike. Go figure.

Wish me luck in this journey. I took the first step and moved my boxes of Christmas decorations from the dining room to the garage (next step is to con a brother-in-law into carrying them up the ladder to the attic).

Small jobs, people. Small jobs!

I probably won't blog about my progress - no one wants to hear about the bookcase I dusted or the stack of magazines I threw away - but I'll let you know if I come up with any great organizational tips. Don't hold your breath though!

Random Posting 2012 Style

I took a look around my house today and realized that I had a lot of randomness going on...perfect for another round of Random Posting!!!

I just can't make myself put this away. I'm not sure why. I think I see it as a representation of all that is good about my four nephews.

I had all four of them spend the night the week after Christmas and it was bedlam. Actually, it was a lot of fun. They are loud, messy and always asking for candy. They get out EVERY toy that is in my closet, including the Jenga game. 

Now they never play Jenga...just use it to build stuff to knock over later. However, they are very good about picking up the toys (after I tell them a couple of times and threaten them with no more candy). 

I looked over during clean up time and the two youngest nephews were stacking up the Jenga game the way I taught them - except for the one missing piece at the bottom. It just made me smile...

Sticking with the nephew theme, here are the two youngest and they stick-on ties that I got them.

Don't they look fancy?

Have you taken down your Christmas tree and decorations yet?

Obviously, you know how I would answer that question! 

I decorate mostly with snowmen so I can keep them up through January but I really need to take the tree down this week. Mainly because my niece is coming to stay with me while her parents abandon her go on a cruise and her bed looks like this right now...

It's a holding bin for my holiday storage bins and some new decorations I bought after Christmas.

Speaking of clutter...I did accomplish a couple decluttering projects while I was off of work during the holidays, including the pantry in my laundry room. 

The pantry holds a bunch of random items, including my huge supply of plastic bags, foil, wax paper and garbage bags. I actually called my mom while cleaning out this section and told her that I might just be a hoarder after finding 6 boxes of wax paper and 10 boxes of aluminum foil. Her response was "bring me some foil and do you have any quart size bags?"

I sent her 3 boxes of foil, a box of wax paper and 3 boxes of plastic bags! 

That's it for this round of Random Posting...until next time!

I'm messy, not a hoarder!

There's a long-standing joke in my family and it's on me.

First let me explain. I'm blessed with a great family. Two parents who have supported me in everything I've done in my life, including four moves in 10 years. Three sisters (I'm in the middle, hence the blog name) whom I'm lucky to consider friends as well as family. Three brothers-in-law who've been suckered into helping me with everything from hanging pictures to fixing my computer. And last, but not least, four of the cutest nephews in the world (and another nephew or niece on the way).

But with that close of a family comes a lot of joking, ribbing and inside jokes. It's long been known that I'm NOT the neatest person in the world! And that I'm a bargain shopper!

Exhibit A: My Kitchen Counter

In my defense, everything is organized in piles or in baskets! And that the Snack Sacks of Oreos were a $1 at the grocery store this week, so I had to stock up! However, I have to admit that there are items on that counter that have been there for quite awhile.

Like...

My grandma recently moved into a nursing home after spending 60-plus years in the farmhouse she moved into as a bride. Each grandchild had the chance to take home something from the house. I chose the Old Maid game that my sisters and I played with my grandma many a summer afternoon while my dad and grandpa were in the field or out in the barn. I really should put the box in my game closet but it makes me smile when I see the groovy disco dancer on the cover!

And...

The Disney World tickets for the family adventure my sisters and I are embarking on later this month. After months of research and discussion, buying the tickets through Undercovertourist.com was almost anti-climatic. Very simple form online and mailed within days. I have to admit that I'm afraid to put them away because I have a tendency to "put things away" and not remember where I put them!

And...

Pages and pages torn out of magazines that are supposed to help me get organized, get in shape, make better meals and read better books. I have the best of intentions! I tear them out so I don't have the magazines laying around and I even started a binder several years ago to organize them in sections.

Well, I admit sometimes my mess gets the best of me. Last Sunday as I was putting away a couple of weeks (OK, more like a month) worth of clean laundry away, I also had the TLC show Hoarders on for background noise.

As I moved from pile to pile of clean (I stress CLEAN) clothing, hanging them up or folding them away, I watched two women struggle to even walk inside their homes. Boy if that wasn't a motivator! Just for the record, I have NO cats so no worries about finding a "missing" one under any of the piles AND my refrigerator is clean - no rotting food, I promise.

Now, I will admit that I still have a few piles of clothes here and there AND my spare bedroom is still more of a closet that it should be BUT I have made strides this weekend to get myself organized.

If I choose to cook (which I normally don't), I can now use my kitchen counter to prep.

As I put away my clothing, I also sorted out some items that I no longer wear and will offer them to some friends and coworkers whom I swap clothing with from time to time.

AND I found a box of school supplies that I scored for free during the back-to-school sales last summer. This was great timing because a coworker is heading to Africa in a couple of weeks to visit her sister who's student teaching in a village with very few (OK, I don't think any) amenities. HB (my coworker) was telling us that she's taking a bag just of school supplies and food items for the schoolchildren.

So, I pulled out...

I love when I can use my savvy shopping skills and tendency to hold onto items for good, not evil! I'm glad that in a few short weeks some African children can be practicing their ABCs and 123s with these pens and pencils!

Now, maybe I should put together this organizer that I bought months ago at Ikea (I love Ikea).

On second thought, I'll just wait for one of my brothers-in-law to come over!