Wash, Dry, Fold, Repeat

Confession:  I am a highly unorganized person during the summer months.  It gets better once school starts, but the struggle is real.  I walked into my niece's house yesterday on a non-planned visit.  It was spotless. She is a much busier mama than me.  Like me, she has 4 kiddos.  I often use my four as an excuse, but after being at Amy's all of my excuses deflated.  SPOTLESS.  I was impressed and guilty.  I walked into my own house, and decided that it was time to get out of the summer slump.

  

My biggest enemy is laundry.  Seriously. We are not friends.  I was scanning Pinterest for some laundry pins for this post.  

One of my favorites is..."Sometimes I feel like throwing in the towel, but that would only make more laundry for me!" 

There were several spiritual quotes scattered among the laundry quotes.  I decided they were there, because laundry is truly of the devil.  Other "pinners" realize this also.  

I do have a laundry schedule that I ATTEMPT to keep during the school year.  It really does help.  I thought I would share in case any of you have the same struggle. 

It took me several attempts to perfect this schedule.  It depends on each of your family members and when they will need particular clothes at particular times.  Each number equals one load.

  

SUNDAY -          1.Jeans   2.Large towels

MONDAY -        1.Clark's clothes    2.All whites      3.Boys clothes 

TUESDAY -        1.Wash cloths/hand towels      2. My clothes     3. Isa's clothes

WEDNESDAY - 1.  School uniforms ONLY (this is usually 2 loads because I do Isa's separate from boys)

THURSDAY -     1.Boy's clothes     2.Combo of all towels

FRIDAY -           1. Clark's clothes     2.  Sports & Gym uniforms

SATURDAY -     1. Washcloths/hand towels      2.Whites  3.Misc(blankets, sheets)

I also have one other rule for myself when attempting to keep this schedule.  The laundry that I do MUST be folded/hung and put away before I can go to bed that night. Whew.  At times, this is flexible.  For example, Sometimes on Mondays I can combine Clark's & boys clothes into one load, depending on what they did over the weekend.  And, I often have to do towels more than what is on the schedule.  

Perhaps this will motivate me to get back into my Laundry Schedule now that I have shared it with all of you.

I might have to go to Amy's again today for more motivation.  

The Great Drawer Clean-out.

I will rest well tonight.  My house is CLEAN.  sweet sigh.  I am a much happier person when I am living in a sparkly, clean home.  I have my mom to thank for it.  I gracefully slipped in the kitchen this past weekend, and...there went my already achy back.  I am on the recuperation wagon, again.  Ladybug had a visit from two caseworkers today, so the house needed some dustin', sweepin', shinin' and scrubbin'.  Mom to the rescue.  She also took home a weeks worth of school uniforms for four Presson kiddos that needed to be washed and/or ironed.  THANK YOU, MOM!

 

I also enjoy an ORGANIZED home.  I have been doing a few things to try to get a bit closer to my goal of better organization.  I have labeled my pantry shelves! (patting myself on the back)  This really helps making 4 lunches everyday for hungry kids.  I made a dinner plan for the month of September last week!  (again, pat on the back)  I have been getting all uniforms ready, back packs lined up, and lunches made the night before for the past 2 weeks.  So far so good.  Hoping I can keep it up for the next 38 weeks...whew. 

 

Operation Drawer Clean-out is going to commence this coming Tuesday.  It is another step towards my home organization plan.  I wish I could say that our dressers and drawers stay neat and organized all the time.  Sadly, we have several "junk drawers" right now.  Most homes have one or two.  We have a couple in each room.  I am taking baby steps in this huge undertaking.  My goal is to clean out one drawer a day.  Baby steps.  There are 55 drawers in our house, so it is going to take awhile to reach my goal.  I am sure I will find some interesting items in the boys drawers.  Landry is my little hoarder so there is no telling what I might find in his room.  Perhaps I will find a stash of cash.  It would make me even happier if I could find the mates to our many unmatched socks.

This is the only room in the house that does not need any drawer cleaning.  We have a very particular Ladybug, and she is very tidy with her pretties.

 

I ran across this Cleaning Poem on the internet and thought it was appropriate to remind myself that even though a clean house is nice, a clean HEART is the most important of all!

Dear Lord Jesus:
As I go about my housework
Let me see each job I do,
As a service for my King
And a way of loving You.

Let me wash away my judgments
Of others right or wrong,
As I wash up the dishes
Place within my heart a song.

As I clean up little fingerprints
And lots of muddy shoes,
May I remember how you cleaned the feet
Of the loved ones you did choose.

As I mend up torn pajamas
And sew a button on,
Show me where I need to mend a breech
That's gone on far too long.

Let me tidy up my thoughts
As I tidy up the toys,
Let me sweep away my fears
Like the dirt from little boys.

May I be just as quick with my forgiveness
As I am with mop and broom,
Sweeping up the clutter
In my heart and living room.

May I rinse out pride and ego
As I rinse the bathtub out,
And while we are at it Lord
Let's take care of anger, hate and doubt.

Please remind me often Lord
That the way I'm called to serve,
Is an honor given me
And not below what I deserve.

You know Lord, as I look
At all the work we need to do,
I think we'd better house clean
At least each day or two.
[ By Melanie Hubbard -- Contributed by Holly ]