A Clean House is a Sign of...

A clean house is a sign of many things:

• A family who works diligently together to make the house clean
• A great housekeeper who comes in and makes the place shine
• A mother/father who are task masters and are militant about the cleanliness of their house
• A mother/father who wants desperately to impress someone
• A person/people who are organized and like to have things neat and tidy
• Other

 

http://www.angieslist.com/home-interiors/home-organization.htm

Conversely, a messy house is also a sign of many things:

• Laziness
• Lack of time
• Lack of respect
• Lack of concern
• A family who is only home to sleep and eat and throw things about before they move on to their next scheduled event
• A mother/father who values time with something else more (friends, sports, hobbies, work, etc.)
• A mother/father who values time with their family more
• Other

Unfortunately, I happen to fall into the latter category. And, while my reasons are pure and valid, it is still a messy house.

1. I value my time with my family more than I value a you-can-eat-off-the-floor kind of house
2. I am trying really, really, really hard to improve because other members of my family would like the house to be cleaner

Well, what about those other family members who value cleanliness so much? Great question! Here's the thing: hubby and I are ultimately in charge of our household. Not much gets done without one of us pushing for it. That's not to say our kids are lazy or lack initiative. But they do require direction. And they are more likely to work when they see the leadership working.

http://checkmedaily.com/

 

So this summer my goal is to declutter. In the extreme (because I can never just "kind of" do something).

• I have pulled out every towel from our linen closet for inspection, culled through them,  and then folded up the "keepers" and put them away.
• I have scoured the medicine cabinet, which was full to excess, and thrown away all of those cough medicines and baby Tylenol from 2002.
• I have gone through my closet with extreme zeal and vigor in order to rid myself of all the extra clothes that haven't fit for twenty years.
• And there is more- much more- to come.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-Decluttering/dp/1607747308

The family is impressed, although a tiny bit frightened. What if their room, their possessions, are  next? (Well, they actually are.)

By the end of the summer my house may not be the cleanest, or even the most organized, on the block. But we will be able to:

• Have extra space in closets and in rooms
• Find things easily so as not to buy multiple duplicates (yep, happens all the time)
• Be able to keep things generally more tidy, as everything will have a place

http://designbuildlove.co/using-containers-to-get-organized-day-8-30-days-to-an-organized-home-2/

Yes, these are lofty goals. But they're coming along.

And the best part? I'm not sacrificing time with the family! (Thank you, jobs, VBS, mission trips, church camp, and friends!)

Once this is done, I shall tackle my next goal: cooking fabulous meals (almost) every night (instead of once every two weeks, at best)...

Well, a girl can dream anyway...

http://www.lemonpoppyinc.com/blog/2013/3/1/when-life-gives-you-a-dinner-dilemma-coming-soon-pre-order-t.html