Monday, January 12, 2009

Taming the Beast

Now that I am feeling 175% better, I am on a mission. I am bound and determined to get this house back into order. Since moving here 5-1/2 years ago, I have been either pregnant with or without bedrest, taking care of a newborn, or recovering from near death experiences....so many times that our house has spiralled out of control into the overpopulated mess of toys and clutter that make it what it is today. Well watch out, Mr. Mess Beast...here I come! And trust me, you do not want to get in the way of a tired, hormonal pregnant mom!

My first task was completed two weeks ago when the bathroom flooded. Our hallway had been littered with stuff for what seems like forever, and being in that small space trying to dry out the carpet and under the tile was enough to spur on the cleaning guns. Our hallway has been clutter free ever since, and now we just may have a small chance of getting out of our house if it ever caught on fire (which is still entirely possible due to the 5 running computers and paper mess in the older boys' room).

Today, I began the largest task of all....the younger boys' room. That's the big bonus room over the garage that also contains the crowded laundry room and video game clutter. There are no good storage options in this room, as it had originally been intended as a family/theater room. It has been an organizational pain in my side since we moved into this house. Just how exactly does one make a bedroom for three boys manageable without a closet into which to put things away? I have multiple shelving units in the room, but for some reason, the boys are oblivious to how putting away clutter actually works. The thing that really bugs me, is that though the laundry room is right IN their room, as well as two hampers, neither of the boys find it necessary to do anything other than leave their dirty clothes lying all around the room. They are very piggish.

I spent literally all day in this room, throwing things away, and trying to maintain some sense of order with all of the miscellaneous toys and parts strewn about every inch of floor. It was frustrating. It was tough. My back hurt like crazy. But I kept going. Over ten hours of work, and looking at it, one would wonder what I even got accomplished. That's how bad the mess is.

My biggest feat was getting Tubby's bed set up. He is still currently sleeping with me at night (and nursing a bit), and has no idea what his own bed would be like. It is an adorable Thomas the Tank bed, that I was able to set up in the little private alcove in that big room. This space had been so packed with junk, that it had been impossible to even enter. It now holds one cute bed, a bookshelf for toddler toys, and nothing junky at all! Tubby enjoyed playing in this new space tonight with Crispy and Laura. It still may be awhile before he actually sleeps in this bed (or in this room) as I want all of the dangerous items (legos, magnets, marbles, etc)removed from the large room first. Looking around, I still have many days work ahead of me. But that's okay, because I am going to get it done! After that, I will tackle the girls' room and get them moved back into their pretty girlie haven.

2 comments:

Alison said...

Do realize that we hit this "nesting" stage at exactly the same time - on the very same day! How is that possible? You can think of me from now on, as working right along side you, in my own messy house, just a few miles to the north! Fly lady, here I come! I'm glad you're feeling better. I still get a little queasy now and then, but am also feeling almost 175% better. Yay! Morning sickness, I will never experience you again! Good riddance!

Tracey said...

Keeping a house clean with kids is a no win situation I've come to decide. I just look around in disgust at my own house daily. I do better in the summer when I am home and do not have the work from my job hanging over my head. But if you get your house clean and continue to feel that nesting urge...