QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:
- Time to turn over and rotate our mattresses! It’s a good idea to do this twice a year – usually corresponding with the time change. It helps keep the mattress wear even. While I’m turning and flipping the mattress, I will vacuum both sides of it, move the bed and vacuum under it too. This task takes less than ten minutes. And while I have the bed all pulled apart, it’s time to wash the mattress cover (we all should have one) and the dust ruffle (if any).
- Need to run a load of laundry so it doesn’t all pile up for you this weekend? I’ve already run mine, and I’m saving my folding for my 4pm snack break.
- Have time to write a couple quick letters or greeting cards? If you pop them into the mail today, your recipient might get to enjoy their nice surprise card over the weekend.
TODAY’S PROJECT: Dressing Down and Decluttering (The Eternal Battle)
Today I’m cleaning off all sorts of surfaces in my house. Dressers, counters, bookcases, wall shelves, end tables, nightstands, and the tops of bookcases and curio cabinets.
I’ll also take a minute to wipe down kitchen and bathroom counters, which seem to need this service on an almost daily basis.
I am doing this project today to declutter before I haul out Christmas decorations and clutter everything up again. I don’t like having a lot of “knick-knacky” stuff around. Just a few beautiful or useful things in each room. “A place for everything, and everything in its place.”
However, I don’t want to have an austere, sterile home either where people are afraid to sit down or touch anything. That’s why each room has a few (just a few) decorative objects, such as vases, colorful candleholders, scarves, or decorative pillows.
The less you have out, the less items you have to dust or dust around. I tend to rotate out some of my favorite decorative objects seasonally. When not in use, they’re carefully stored in the garage in a Sterilite storage bin. That way I have time to enjoy looking at all my possessions, rather than having so many items cluttering up an end table that I can’t really see or appreciate each one. Then, every time I sort, I reevaluate if an object is worth keeping til next year. Any items I haven’t set out to display for a year or two should be given away, sold, recycled or thrown out.
My bookcases tend to accumulate non-book items for some reason. Currently my upstairs living room bookcase has coasters, CDs, a pen, and some things I moved to high shelves to get them above the puppies’ reach.
In my bedroom, my nightstand is overflowing with hair clips, pens, post it notes, books, and discarded drink glasses. It should only have a lamp, clock and my water glass on it.
Time to declutter, sort, put things away, dust thoroughly, and edit which items I have sitting on top of bookcases and surfaces. I’d like to just have a scarf (or other fabric decoration) on top of a bookcase. On end tables, I like to have just one coaster for a beverage, a colorful placemat, a candle and a framed family photo or two.
This project will make my house cleaner (less dusty), more organized, less cluttery, and more relaxing.
LOVELY BLOGS: Making This Home
“Creative inspiration for an eco-savvy and simple home.” Her blog is arranged around the theme of A Simpler Life. You’ll find tips on giving to others, organizing and eliminating clutter, reducing stress in your routine, beauty and lifestyle, spiffying up your home, money saving tips, and tips on food and the holidays. Recent posts have included A Clean Kitchen Every Night, creating an insight journal, and ideas for a crafty holiday.
I am so, so impressed by this blog. It’s definitely going into my “read every day” bookmarks list!
http://www.makingthishome.com/
LOVELY WEBSITES: Mommy Poppins
This is a very useful website for parents in New York City. There’s info on events, classes, kids’ activities, festivals, preschools, indoor play and parties.