Tackle It Tuesday Challenge

Oh...I'm so excited about this challenge. My first thing on my list of 40 before 40 is to clean and organize my garage. Before I even start working on my garage (and attic-#2 on my list), I want to get my home in complete order-I don't even feel like I can start a project that big until I take care of where we eat, sleep and live. I started working on this challenge a couple of weeks ago by first cleaning out SJH's room (see to the right), closet, room, drawers, etc, she had clothes in her closet from when we first moved into our house 4 years ago! I gave my sister 6 boxes and bags of clothes, shoes and toys for the women's shelter she works for. She has room in her closet for her clothes & in her dresser drawers. Second, I cleaned out my boys closet and getting it in complete order. They have 2 closets in their room & we condensed everything down to one closet so we can put a bathroom in the other closet. (I gave my sister another van load of clothes, shoes, toys, socks, pjs, etc after this cleaning process!) Here is the completed closet project...

To the left is the games, this closet originally was nothing but games & books, it's now the boys clothes and games/storage. It's so much easier to put the boys clothes away after they are washed each day. They love it! It's simple! I love it!

The next spot that I tackled was the laundry room cabinets and shelves. They have been moved and simplified into a scrapbooking closet, a gift closet, the closet houses my workout equipment (small weight set, a yoga mat, & other small workout equipment), scrapbook paper, stamps and stamp pads, gifts for unexpected birthday parties. The cabinets in the laundry room isn't scary any more. I can open the doors and nothing falls out at me. My favorite new contraption is my P-touch machine. Everything is labeled and has a home!

I was inspired after reading a book by Quin Sherrer called "The Warm and Welcome Home." Here are some of the notes that I took:

"Build houses & settle down: plant gardens & eat what they produce. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it; because if it prospers, you too will prosper." Jeremiah 29: 5, 7

"God is a God of order, not confusion & everything should be kept in its proper place. Look at how beautifully and orderly he made the universe. He wants my home to reflect the same order He puts in nature-He wants me to be organized and attractive."

"Go through each room and ask...Is Jesus pleased with this room?"

"A time to keep and a time to throw away." Eccles 3:6 (This has been my motto as I clean each area of my home!)

"God sees in our closets." Thought you could hide it, huh?

Well, this was notes just from first 2 chapters...there is so much truth to this and I really feel good when I purge and get rid of clutter and things that I'm not using, broken, etc! So......

What I am tackling this Tuesday??? GLH's room! It's been neglected! Here is what is looked like on Sunday.



As you can see it's quite a mess. We haven't really got it cleaned back up after the 2 snow days that we had a couple of weeks ago when they had a friend over. I'm also partly to blame. I didn't make them clean it up and I contributed to the mess. See the leopard suitcase? I pulled that out of the closet & didn't put it back. See the pile of clothes? I haven't put them in the dresser. There hasn't been a reason for her to go into her room because she has been busy with dance after school AND she hasn't been sleeping in her room. GLH and SJH think that is fun to sleep on a pallet on the floor in the living room. I hope to change that by the end of the day to make room for gifts that she will get for Christmas. I won't get to the closet-I need more than one day. Those projects usually take me two to three days. Since I'm in the mood to purge and get rid of clutter and things that we don't use....I have made a list of some things that I still need to get accomplished in Gs room:

1. See the stickers on the furniture.....made note to get something to remove those stickers!

2. Purge some of the Barbie dolls.

3. Re-organize the closet and install some shelves to the right side.

What did I accomplish today in here room??? Here is the finished product ....I feel good!

Here is my next project....to clean out her closet.....

I got on a roll & worked on my bedroom...cleaned out the night table beside my bed. After I reorganize Gs closet....ours will be next!