Just Trying to Make You All Feel Better

A few days ago I posted this picture and was surprised that a few of you were relieved, or surprised, or something, that there were toys on my floor, because I guess a few days prior to that I happened to have a picture of Liam on the floor with just one toy. So in the interest to make you all feel better about your lives, your houses, your organizational skills, your time management capabilities, and your overall awesomeness I've decided to take you on a tour of my house. A tour of my house when there's just two weeks left until the end of school and two weeks until a birthday party and so much to do I'm not sure where to begin.

A few days ago Bossy asked us to tell her in ten words how our life is out of control. And to get us motivated she posted a picture of her closet. So, here's our front hall closet.

Just looking at this picture I can see two things I should go and get rid of right now. That duster - there's a better feather one in there somewhere. And that pillow up on top. Except, what do you do with a pillow when you're done with it? Throw it away - that seems wasteful, but who wants an old dirty pillow? Who?? Don't think that closet is so bad...okay, here's the bottom of the said closet.


A vacuum, another vacuum, vacuum pieces, a kid's play vacuum, the American flag, the swiffer thingy, Chute and Ladders (because it won't fit on top), and some other random stuff. The closet scares me and I'm lucky when I can push the vacuum into there and close the door safely. What? Are you thinking, "Come on, everyone's closet has stuff in it. That's not so bad." Okay then, let's take a walk down the hallway.

Yup. There it is our hallway. Notice the nice path on the left. Everything else - bins to go up in the attic, but not yet, I still have to finish washing some winter clothes, but first it has to stop being cold out so I can stop wearing said winter clothes. Bags to take back to the stores, but not yet, I have to find some receipts. Bags full of stuff for Liam's birthday party. And a bag full of hand-me-downs for Quinn from his cousin that I have to sort through to see what's going to fit. "But Cathy," you're thinking, "that's not so bad. Nice and organized. Come on. Don't be so hard on yourself." Okay then, let's take a look at the kitchen table. The kitchen table I cleaned off for 40 minutes this morning BEFORE taking the picture. That kitchen table (and floor too - check out the floor as well).

Let's start towards the left. A bag of clothes that are too big for me (used to have 3 bags, but gave some away) that I need to donate. On top of that a sling I'm borrowing from a mom at work that I need to return. A bag of stuff I need to put away. Quinn's slippers, a plastic bottle that kept Liam entertained for awhile, and random Cheerios and graham cracker crumbs. Wait. That's just the floor. Okay - on the table. I have no idea what all that crap is. Seriously. Are you still thinking it's not so bad. WAIT. Are you still reading??? Let's move on to the basement. Oh the basement. Let's start right at the top of the steps.

At the top of the steps are some dust rags waiting to go down to the wash. At the bottom of the steps are about FIVE blankets from our living room waiting to get washed and put away until next winter. Not so bad...let's keep going...to the right as you walk downstairs you'll find this....

Quinn's playside of the basement. Not too bad. Mike straightened this up a few days ago. (Thanks! Mike!) Turn around and what do you find? Oh goodness...here it is...

A pool/ping-pong table covered with random crap. Seriously random crap. Some scrapbooking stuff, some things I need to find homes for. Heck, everything I need to find a home for. And on the floor - some toys that used to be in the living room, but needed to disappear to have the carpets cleaned, two bins of scrapbookin stuff, and more toys. WAIT. Still reading? There's more...Turn just a little.

There's my desk with an old desktop computer That Does Not Work. But what do you do with an old computer? Seriously. Tell me. We have another one up in the attic. And my scrapbooking table (or Mike's poker table) covered in more stuff. More stuff. Still not convinced my life is out of control. Let's take a quick glance at the unfinished side of the basement.

Quick glance. And if you're still not convinced that my life is just a tad out of control right now. Here's a peak at our garage.

Notice the boxes. From a garage sale we had two summers ago. Stuff that didn't sell. Waiting to be donated. And on top of an old chair is stuff we want to get rid of. I guess our biggest problem is we're not sure how to get rid of everything and I don't just want to throw it out to the trash.

If you're still not convinced let me know and I'll take my camera to work where you can see what a preschool room that needs to be packed up completely by the end of the year looks like at the end of the day. The boxes, the desk - that's where the mess is. The toys are super organized (seriously - I love my classroom), but my files, my desk, my books, oh goodness. I need a Clean Sweep.