wash Archives - as Jules is going

31 Days to Clean: Day(s) #27-31

May 31, 2011 by Jules 1 Comment

31 Days to Clean Having a Martha House the Mary way

Day 27 - Becoming Friends with Goodwill

Mary Challenge: Get a box ready for Goodwill. No wait, get boxes ready for Goodwill.

We, as family, are HUGE fans of get rid of unnecessary things. BUT we have chosen to donate some of our extras in a different way. See:

Martha Challenge: Utility Room – Wash inside of windows and clean window treatments. Wash walls and dust ceilings.

LOVED THIS! My laundry room has one tiny windows and now window treatments so this went fast. The walls and ceiling were recently painted to I skipped the dusting part.

Day 28 – Who Are You Trying to Please

Mary Challenge: Are there areas in your life where you are experiencing a burden of guilt? Ask your husband what he thinks about what you are feeling guilty about.

Relief! LOVED this story and to read the tons of insight in this book get your copy at http://31daystoclean.com/.

Martha Challenge: Utility Room – Scrub sink and clean drains – use Drano or some other drain cleaner.

Once again, YAY for no sink in the UR!!! Check!

Day 29 – To Hire Help or Not to Hire Help

Mary Challenge: Spend some time in prayer thanking God for all that you do have. The areas in your life that you feel like you’re drowning in, ask God to show you where you can find some help.

Martha Challenge: Utility Room – Clean out and organize closet.

Weirdo Alert! LOVED this breezy last week of cleaning and of course the organizing!

Utility Closet Before:

Drug everything out to sort...What I found...

After:

Day 30 – Contentment in the Season of Your Life

Mary Challenge: Write down 10 things you are thankful for today.

1. My Lord who saved me from what I deserve and who desires a daily relationship with silly, mixed up me

2. My God-fearing Husband who is leading my family toward Jesus and loves me in ways I didn't know I needed

3. Magdalen Reese- my "3-in-June" preschooler whose brain won't slow down long enough for her to spit those newly learned big girl words out

4. Isabella Ruth- my ~1.5 year old who is the goofiest kid I've ever met, never siesting to make me laugh and smile

5. Benjamin Ryan- my 4.5 month old who is a physically strong baby with personality to keep up with his boisterous older sisters

6. My family in blood and law, for raising me, shapping me, and guiding me to be who God is calling me to be

7. Long distance forever friends- always picking up Right where we left off!

8. My church family, Central Baptist Pine Bluff, AR (esp- Journey Sunday School Class): friends chasing after Jesus together-

who knew it could be so much fun!?!

9. My home- HUGE (3000 square foot) BLESSING! Using it to host to the fullest of our ability

10. My Health- not just in a cheesy generic sense but for reals! I have the capability to physically and mentally enjoy the above blessings!

Martha Challenge: Utility Room - Trow away any expired cleaning products or bottles you have lying around. Sweep and mop floors.

Did this while cleaning out and organizing

Day 31 – Balancing it All

Mary Challenge: Kiss your husband, giggle with your kiddos, and soak in the Word of your God.

Martha Challenge: Rest. You’ve done a great job!

I WIN!!! I finished in MAY! Maybe not the way I thought I would but technically done! Thank you Sarah Mae for this amazing challenge!

Filed Under: Cleaning Tagged With: 31daystoclean, clean, complete, done, finished, I WIN, julie rothacher, organize, sarah mae, trash, utility room, wash

31 Days to Clean: Day(s) #22-26 Martha Challenges

May 31, 2011 by Jules Leave a Comment

31 Days to Clean Having a Martha House the Mary way

Day 22 - Developing a Workable Schedule

Day 23 - Dealing with Distractions

Day 24 – Organization

Day 25 -The High-Low Cycle

Day 26 – Laundry

In case you were wondering why I am posting so many days together it is because we don't technically have a home office and this series of days was devoted to that space so I've decided to use these days to work on my "craft" closet. Sounds simple enough, right?

These are the listed challenges:

Martha Challenge: Home Office – Wash inside of windows. Wash window treatments. Wash walls and dust ceilings.

Martha Challenge: Home Office – Steam-clean carpet or area rugs, wash hard -wood floors.

Martha Challenge: Home Office - Clean out your desk. Clean out and update files. Organize office supplies and drawers.

Martha Challenge: Home Office – Clean off and organize shelves. Shine and protect wood furniture.

Martha Challenge: Home Office – Carefully wash computer and printer (and any electronics) with a damp cloth. Use cotton swabs to clean out the crevices in keyboards. Clean screens with soft cloth.

but this closet has no windows, the floor had already been mopped when the bathroom was done, has no desk (the desk we have is in our bedroom and was cleaned during that challenge), the files were cleaned out and updated when we "closed out" Dec 2010 and started Jan 2011. So for the Martha challenges I skipped straight to the office supplies, drawers, shelves, computer, and general organization.

Ok, I started this project on a Thursday while my preschooler was as "Nanna Day" and the toddler and babe were taking their naps~ 10am

The Befores...I know- GROSS!

Yes...that is a floor under that pile of stuff I like to chunk in the closet behind the door.

Pile on floor Shelves

My discombobulated 1st attempt at simi-organizing this closet.

*anyone in need of a wedding gown or formals, I'll take the best offers! FOR SERIOUS!

My piles out in the playroom...trying to sort

Overwhelming Scrapbooking materials. Pretty sure more than 2/3 of this will be in my Aug. Yard Sale. Come on over!

AFTER!

On Going Scrapbook Projects Bow-making Supplies Gift Wrapping Center

Close-ups

Shelves Scrapbooking tower Random Pics to be sorted

I am hoping to finish these 2 scrapbooks by the end of summer, become disciplined at making more quality bows and paci clips to market, sale most of the sb tower, and find homes for all of the random pics so the hanging basket is obsolete.

warning: If you have ever made a single memory with me that happened to be photographed, you may have pictures coming your way, hehehe

Books Craft Supplies Scrapbook Tower on top of the filing cabinet

Close Ups

Writing Utensils Paper 2 shelves of Craft Supplies

Who wants to come over and make something???

I can handle it...I think. Blow it up with "your crazy" or "this is ok, but...here's a better system" comments. I'm ready and open. BRING IT!!!

Filed Under: Cleaning Tagged With: 31daystoclean, clean, complete, done, finished, home office, I WIN, julie rothacher, organize, sarah mae, trash, utility room, wash, windows

Another Dream

May 26, 2011 by Jules Leave a Comment

Think I'm about to yard sale my 'dream'... Scrapbooking- just not practical n this season of life.

Can't deside...sort by -letters, paper, decor. -by theme -yard sale and trash pile. The task of cleaning my "home office" (craft closets sub for me) for the 31 days to clean challenge has become a spiritual struggle for me today. Torn.

I love the idea of having personally made scrapbooks and even enjoyed making the few I have BUT the desire to use the materials that taunt me from within my craft closet are just stressing me and bringing out my selfish pity party. It's sooo not fair that I have not time for myself. It's not fair that I don't have an organized space to keep my projects sprawled all over. It's so not fair that...you get the picture.

I am currently working on reorganizing my time. Managing each set of 24 hours I'm given should help me feel as though I'm begin more productive...right? I can't decide if I'm throwing in the towel on something that as possible or if this is something God is calling me to purge from my life at this time. BTW I have the same 24 hours all these other, overly productive, moms, and wifes have and been abundantly blessed with tons of random supplies (minus the books), a huge walk-in closet that I am currently using to house all my craft supplies, and my house is 3000 square feet.

Just a few stories in scriptures I'm sifting through today:

Abraham's Promise: Genesis 21:1-7, Genesis 22:1-19, Hebrews 6:15

Joseph's Preporation: Genesis 41:41-57

Rich Man's Store House: Luke 12:13-21

Got any godly advise or stories to share out there?

Filed Under: Cleaning, The Ones about...Stuff Tagged With: 24 hours, 31daystoclean, clean, dream, home office, julie rothacher, organize, purge, scrapbook, wash

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(s) #15 and 16

May 16, 2011 by Jules 2 Comments

31 Days to Clean Having a Martha House the Mary way

Day 15 – I’d Rather Do Anything But Clean (Motivation)

Mary Challenge: Write up a lesson plan for your children about the eternal value that taking care of your domain has. Find scripture, inspirational quotes, books, anything, that will reinforce the “why” behind getting ourselves in gear to clean. There is just something about teaching our children that will dig truth deeper into our own hearts.

Martha Challenge: Bedroom – Wash mirrors, walls, and insides of windows. Wash window treatments.

Yay, we don't have mirrors in Any of the bedrooms!!!

Confession: didn't do it (wash walls/windows)...yet. Upstairs time is scares at my house with 3 under 3. I haven't figured out a way to work upstairs while they are not sleeping in their rooms. I did wash window treatments and finally hung the ones in the girls room (rather than the sheets blocking the light). I hate washing/dusting blinds though...any helpful hints?

oh, and I'm 5'2"...ceilings...prolly never happening. Maybe the cobwebs in the corners with a broom ;o)

Day 16 - Willing Hands

Mary Challenge: What’s your block? What’s holding you back from allowing your ideals to guide you in the day-to-day? What can you do about it?

IRONY: I just wrote a post about my ideal. I still believe letting go of it and letting God reshape it is best right now and totally agree that I can accomplish {close to} my ideals with God's help and with "willing" hands!

Martha Challenge: Bedrooms – Steam clean carpets or area rugs, wash hard-wood floors.

I think I've given up on steam-cleaning any of my carpets this month...in the near future. Not because of inability. Just not the priority right now. Renting one, moving all my furniture, waiting for it to dry, and doing all this in 24 hours would be asking too much of our budget (this month), too much of my hubby to either watch the babes while I did it all or did major moving things for me, it would be a huge inconvenience for my family to be displaced while I attempted this mega goal in their space, and on top of all that, they would have to deal with the mad women that came with that. I vacummed...does that count?

Have you found a trend? I seem to be picking and chosing what works for me, my family, our lives. How are you adjusting this challenge but also allowing yourself to be stretched?