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31 Days to Clean: Day(s) #17 and 18

May 17, 2011 by Jules Leave a Comment

31 Days to Clean Having a Martha House the Mary way

Day 17 – Your Cleaning Style

Mary Challenge: Take the D.I.S.C personality test (http://www.quibblo.com/quiz/aw8npyx/DISC-Personality-Style) and allow yourself to get to know you better. Descriptions of the different D.I.S.C types: http://www.discinsights.com/cyber/scripts/disc.asp

I'm not so sure this test tagged me correctly overall or just the kind of mood I was in while taking it. hehe Either way, the descriptions were helpful so I can work on my cleaning style depending on what I'm struggling with at the time.

Martha Challenge: Bedrooms - Clean and organize shelves. Shine wood furniture.

We don't have much furniture in our room so this was quick! (Pictures of our rooms were posted in another cleaning day)

Day 18 – Making Your Personality Work for You

Mary Challenge: Try one of the ideas listed with your personality type.

There were several different areas in all the different "personalities"...humm, does this mean I have multiple personalities???

Martha Challenge: Bedrooms – Clean out and organize closets. Purge baby, purge! (And give to Goodwill)

LOVED THIS TASK!!!

Master Closet

This still isn't as organized as I'd like it but I wish I had before pics to show the PURGE! It was Packed with nonsense.

We could still use a little more purging before our yard sale but we've got a while.

The far right side is now empty except for hangers that used to have shirts on them. The back rod is mine, and the far right is Matt's. The bin under my side are maternity clothes and sentimental shirts I've yet to let go of even though I will never fit in them again. Oh, and the crazy pillow is my amazing J-shaped pillow my hubs got me for pregnancy. WONDERFUL!

Girl's Closet

This is just sorted by size (24 months-4T, right to left) because they share a lot of clothes. The clothes in the bins on the shelf are hand-me-downs or sale items we found for the next season or size. The clothes on the far left bar of the closet are long sleeve items or jackets for next season. The shoes on the self below are shoes they aren't wearing yet. The couple of pairs they wear stay downstairs in a basket in the entry way. Oh, why do I always have some randomness I feel the need to explain...the fan is waiting to be installed in the girl's room. This house had NO lights in the ceilings...Wierd!

Nursery Closet

Jamin's clothes are sorted by size (current and next size so we transition easier) as well as dressy or casual, long or short sleeve. We store everyone's diapers in here, the humidifier, and the clothes on the shelf are the hand-me-down items or sale items we bought of the next size/season (crazy, I know).

Guest Room Closet

I don't really want to confess this but here it is...

WARNING: This is not a before picture

scary stuff, right!?!

Excuse: this is my hold area for my consigning, yard selling, ebaying stuff, then donating. I hope to soon post pictures of this neatly organized closet with all items hung on hangers to consign at the Duck Duck Goose Sale, sorted for my yard sale during the White Hall Trade Days, and my huge donation pile. Ebay stuff is in the Wally World bags, have already been posted and sold!

More confessions...this isn't all of it...there is another HUGE pile in my basement and another in my garage of house hold items we purged. Although I am a huge fan of donating we also feel we were given this stuff to steward to the best of our ability. At this time, we feel like we can sell some of this stuff, rather than just donate everything, and the cash can be significantly multiplied to use to further the gospel overseas.

Ooops, sorry. That needs to be another post. When you're passionate about something, it tends to eek out in every avenue. Let me know if you're interested in and would like to hear more about that adventure God has been and is continuing in our family's life!

Have any passions you need permission to let eek out? Share it here!!! I wanna hear!

Filed Under: Cleaning Tagged With: 31daystoclean, clean, cleaning style, consignment, dust, FAIL, good will, julie rothacher, master closet, organize, personality test, sarah mae, shelves, wash, yard sale

31 Days to Clean: Day #8

May 8, 2011 by Jules Leave a Comment

31 Days to Clean Having a Martha House the Mary way

Day 8 – Overcoming the Curse

Mary Challenge: Think back to a time when God refined your character through difficult circumstances. Write it down and thank Him for His faithfulness.

Martha Challenge: Kitchen – Clean out and organize your drawers.

These were messier than I would have liked to admit...I almost had a Couple "junk" drawers. This helped me re-evaluate, again, which things I actually use, how often I really use them, as well as where the most practical placement of items would be since I had just been using them where they landed last year when we moved in. Some worked for us but some needed moved up away from little hands and some drawers are now accessible and just for my (almost) 3-year-old to keep her supplies/craft items in so she can be more independent. Dividing the towels and washclothes is going to make for another chore my preschooler can help with added putting away the (colored) silverware- great sorting skills.

Before and After's of Silverware and Linen Drawers

Before and After's of Knives and Utensil Drawers

Before and After's of Supplies, Bibs, and Baking Utensil Drawers

Filed Under: Cleaning Tagged With: 31daystoclean, clean, drawers, julie rothacher, organize, overcoming, sarah mae, the curse, wash

31 Days to Clean: Day #7

May 7, 2011 by Jules Leave a Comment

31 Days to Clean Having a Martha House the Mary way

Day 7- The Curse (What We're Up Against)

Mary Challenge: Read Romans 8:20-21. What is the hope in the Curse?

My hope is that because I'm a bond-servant of Christ I have been released from my burden to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of being a child of God.

Martha Challenge: Kitchen – clean out and organize your pantry.

Like I've said before: We LOVE hosting all kinds of things in our home! We make up excuses people over. We have been blessed with an amazing accommodating kitchen all necessary and unnecessary items for just such occasions. Our pantry is no exception. We could store food for an army in there! I am kind of what some may call OCD and love keeping things organized so this task wasn't dreaded but it was kind of time-consuming given the size of the God-given pantry. My girls were so excited to "help". They moved items from one shelf to the next so I could wash each shelf and then help group things (great lesson on sorting/matching). Although, I may be creating OCD babies. My (almost) 3-year-old had a hard time when I decided to relocate things from the previous areas she'd become acustom...oops!

Here are the befores:

and afters:

Filed Under: Cleaning Tagged With: 31daystoclean, before and after pictures, clean, julie rothacher, organize, pantry, sarah mae, wash

31 Days to Clean: Day #6

May 6, 2011 by Jules Leave a Comment

31 Days to Clean Having a Martha House the Mary way

Day 6 – The Six List- The $25,000 Piece of Advice

Mary Challenge: Print out the attached Six list and use it for six days in a row.

I really enjoyed this advice but have yet to put into practice. If you have and would share with me a practical/example of how you are using it I would totally benefit from that.

Martha Challenge: Kitchen – Clean out and organize all your cabinets.

I'm a weirdo who like organizing to this was kinda fun! I'm also all about living minimalistic in an attempt to not get caught up in materialism although HOME items are my weakness!

Cup Cabinet

Plate and Bowl Cabinet

Mixing, Casserole Dishes, and Above Stove Cookbook Cabinet

Before Seasoning, Above Fridge, and Medicine Cabinets

After Seasoning, Above Fridge, and Medicine Cabinets

Office Stuff and Serving Dishes Cabinets

Under Sink Supplies and Storage Container Cabinets

Pan and Lid Cabinets

Baking Pans Cabinet

Small Appliance Cabinet

Lenin and More Serving or Baking Dishes Cabinet

We LOVE hosting...well, anything in our home! We make up excuses to have individuals or large groups of people in our home. We have been blessed with an amazing accommodating kitchen that is able to store both dishes, supplies, tools, and food to easily adapt if a dinner date with another family turns in to a dinner party of 20+ (true story!). As a family we intend on using our home for God's glory and if at any time that stops happening my prayer is that He takes this blessing and gives it to someone who will.

This side note is leading me to write a post on the story of our HOME! Coming SOON!

Filed Under: Cleaning Tagged With: 31daystoclean, before and after pictures, cabnets, clean, julie rothacher, organize, sarah mae, the 6 things list, wash

31 Days to Clean: Day #5

May 5, 2011 by Jules Leave a Comment

31 Days to Clean Having a Martha House the Mary way

Day 5 - Priorities

Mary Challenge: Come up with list of our priorities, in order of importance (I suggest rating them, 1-5, to evaluate how you’re doing).

Martha Challenge: Kitchen – Wash your window treatments and/or clean your blinds. Wash the inside of your windows.

I am soooo glad we still don't have "window treatment" anywhere in our house a year after moving in- Thank You Dave Ramsey, FPU. My beautiful, (almost) 3-year-old, big helper was Super Excited about being able to help with one of the tasks! These windows were just the right height, with a step, rather than the ones up high, behind the kitchen sink. She actually was a good helper!!!

Praying you have an adorable little helper during your 31 Days to Clean challenge! PLEASE, share your journey through this book or cleaning challenges in general!