So What Now?

I thought I'd post a little update on "Life After the DLS Projects"...

After doing a project every week day of 2010 it's pretty much become habit for me. I've cleaned, organized or finished something every week day of 2011--so far!

I love it!

I'm also motivated to get "Spring Cleaning" done before this baby arrives.

My kids have been great little helpers and hopefully they are learning to be great little future homemakers :)

I've decided that I miss this blog so I'll keep posting here and there as I do new projects.
I've also been reading Daryl's book The Ultimate Career and she has LOTS more great advice so I think I'll share more of her wisdom as well!

D says,
Don't make excuses for clutter...and Remember, messes multiply; clutter attracts more clutter.
She's right. I've noticed that it only takes one item out of place to start a chain reaction--then before you know it, it's multiplied and attracted more clutter, just like she says.
I've also noticed that children just naturally attract clutter and at our house it's the children that seem to multiply!

An Unplanned Project

I had a very FUN project planned for today...

The husband still has my camera--somewhere in the great outdoors hunting deer.

He was so excited to go on the muzzleloader hunt--he's always up for a new hunting adventure.

The daughter needed her camera for a school project so my plan was to do my very FUN project after she got home from school.

I went about my morning routine, which was filled with many exciting projects...

Making Lunches

Making French Toast and Eggs for Breakfast

Cleaning Bathrooms

Cleaning Bedrooms

Doing Dishes...and that's where the unplanned project started.

As I was putting away a sauce pan I was greeted with

mouse droppings.

I investigated further and it seems the mouse infiltrated 2 cupboards.

I cleaned up the mess.

Washed tons of dishes.

And then went on a hunt to figure out how the mouse

(thinking positive that it was only 1)

got in the house.

I found 2 possible areas.

I did my best to seal the holes.

Too bad the husband isn't here with the camera...and too bad the husband isn't here to take care of the problem.

A few of the clean dishes.

One of THE TOOLS used to close up a hole.

After dinner I decided to make pumpkin oatmeal cookies.

To make me feel better.

And in honor of the month of October which begins tomorrow!

Who doesn't love the smell of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg?!

D has nothing to say about mice...

She does recommend Arranging spices in alphabetical order on shelf for easier finding.

The fun project will have to wait until tomorrow.

Cleaning the Ceiling Fans

You know Fall is officially here when you find THESE at the grocery store!

I HEART Candy Corns so so much.

BEFORE...

THE TOOLS

THE PROCEDURE

I cleaned the white fan first.

It wasn't so bad...I just used a damp cloth.

The brown fan was disgusting.

I pulled out the vacuum.

It's really loud.

The baby ran away covering her ears.

I tried my best to contain the dust.

I used the dry cloth and the damp cloth.

AFTER...

D tells us when cleaning Ventilating Fans:

1. Brush and clean filter and any other removable parts.

2. Clean exterior with a damp cloth.

3. Remove fuzz from blades with the vacuum cleaner crevice attachment.

Remember how I said I was going to stain the cabinets?

I went to buy stain this morning and when I read the label it said "May cause birth defects"...so I opted to do a little research on whether or not it's safe to stain wood when pregnant before taking on that project.

Cleaning the Wood on the Dining Room Chairs...

BEFORE...

Last Friday as I was finishing up cleaning the chair cushions I noticed this...

My guess is mashed potatoes.

THE TOOLS

THE PROCEDURE
I mixed 1/8 cup Murphy's soap with 1/2 gallon of water and wiped all of the wood down.


AFTER...

D tells us It's been said that parents can give their children a liberal education at the dinner table if they put forth the effort to discuss uplifting, constructive topics.

We all get to share our "high" and "low" for the day at the dinner table...the "highs" are generally uplifting, but the "lows"--not so much.

Dining Room Chairs...

I don't think we've spent much time in this room.

The dining room table is my favorite thing in the house.

The husband's parents gave it to us for a housewarming gift.

It holds lots of wonderful family memories...

Sunday dinners, family dinners, holidays, birthdays, game nights.

Every morning we gather around it for family prayer and scripture study.

The top of the table is beautiful which is why I don't dare take the cover off...although I'm considering removing it for my birthday later this year.

BEFORE...

Here is one of the 7 chairs that needed cleaning.
The husband's still looks like new.
The chair cushions have taken a beating with spills...and most recently crayon from the baby who loves to color.


THE TOOLS
I sprayed Quick Job and let it sit a while.
Then I went to work scrubbing.



AFTER...

D says My grandmother had a wise philosophy. She said, "Before your husband comes home, have the table set. The psychological effect is remarkable; he'll think dinner is nearly ready (though it may not be) and will contentedly sit down with the newspaper."

Catching Up...Day 8!

The Family Room

This is the husband's zone...he is the keeper of this room.

The big boy "cleans" it every Saturday.

After 3 months of being played in it needed a little extra work.

BEFORE

Part of the big boy's cleaning includes dusting on and under things...

He must have forgot.

THE TOOLS

THE PROCEDURE
First the husband turned on his TV/Stereo.
Nothing like a little Diana Ross to get you going.

We dusted, vacuumed, mopped, and chucked.

AFTER...

D says A husband should be ambitious and conscientious and thereby do his utmost to provide for his family's material needs.

The kids love spending time in this room playing the Wii and XBox the husband provided for them :)

I think that about does it for catching up...now that I've got the house back in order I can move on to more interesting projects!

Catching Up...Day 6!

The bad news is...I'm still doing boring catch up projects.

The good news is...I should finish catching up on Wednesday!

Today I dealt with the kitchen.

BEFORE...

Forgot THE TOOLS...I was a little distracted.

Today was the 5 year old's first day of Kindergarten!

She was SOOO excited to show me what she picked out to wear on her first day!

She felt pretty proud about how well the yellow stripes on her pants matched the yellow on her shirt.

I praised her for her fashion sense and then talked her into a different outfit :)

THE PROCEDURE

I basically went over the entire kitchen...cleaned a few drawers, cleaned the top and inside of the stove and microwave...

Vacuumed out the floor of the pantry, cleaned out the fridge and freezer and mopped the floor.

AFTER...

D says, In regards to heavy cleaning, some system is better than none, and some systems are better than others. Here's one I would suggest. Instead of it being a time of great upheaval with rugs rolled up, the furniture in the middle of every room throughout the house, tables covered with everything but food, and general havoc prevailing, it can be a time of satisfying orderly accomplishment.

Now that I've accomplished my project for today, I am free to read my latest book.

Mockingjay.

If you haven't read this series, you should.

Start with The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins,

It's great!

Catching Up...Day 5!

Today my goal is to get the office cleaned and blogged by 1:30 when the kids get home from school.

We're going school supply shopping today.

Yes, the kids have been in school for a week now and I am just today getting their supplies.

It's how I roll these days.

BEFORE...

The little girls have used this little area as their desk all summer.

The following picture is disgusting...

This happened earlier this summer.
I cleaned it.
A week later it was back.



THE TOOLS

THE PROCEDURE
Cleared, sorted, chucked, wiped.
Vacuumed the spiderwebs in the window...along with 2 flies that were caught in it.
-Gag-
And -Gag- again.



AFTER...

D says We as homemakers, set the standards for orderliness in our homes. It is basic with us. Children are only an excuse, not a reason, for a cluttered house.

I can buy that, during the school year...but during the summer, I say they are totally the reason for a cluttered house!