At this moment-The start!

So the downstairs is mostly done. By mostly I mean every room that you see. The bathroom is clean too, but whatever.

The old office is not clean. I have been putting that on hold until after the basement boutique. Why? Well it used to be the office. When we moved the computer to a visible part of the house, Jeff said I could have the office for a craft room/sewing room. Yippee! But I haven't had time to organize or redecorate it. It's on my list of things to do. Also, the hall closet is in a state of disarray. And I hate that hall closet and the lack of room for the coats and shoes of 8 people. So some rethinking of the space is in order. But all in good time.

What I have learned while cleaning today and yesterday, is that I was waay too ambitious thinking I could get the house back to my old standards of clean in just two days.

But then I thought, hey! What's a few more days? I can work on it to get it to maintenance order, and by the 1st of April I can start my 30 days. So that's what I'm doing. Cuz I can. Plus then I can get the kids to help with the upstairs after school. It's definitely messy from a collective effort by the younger children in this house. So they can help un-messify it.

My ultimate goal is to have my house in order to the point where Kate or Julia can have any friend over, and that friend could snoop all they wanted in drawers, closets, etc and not find a messy spot in the house.

My pulse is racing just thinking about it. My stomach is doing flip flops just contemplating it. And poor Henry and Nora, who are home with me all day and leave a trail of stuff in their wake, are about to experience a change "the likes they've never seen before!".

Ah. Motherhood.





I can't do anything about the dirty, needs to be stretched rug. I have no money. And the couches, same thing. Although I could attempt a slipcover in a lovely, snot on it, drop peanut butter on it gray color that can be pulled off and put in the washing machine. hmmmm.






I love the *ting* of light off of that picture. It's like the Heavens approve.


Even my entry way is tidy. It's a red letter day around here folks.


Ultimately I realized it will take the same effort every day that it took when we were selling our house in Utah. Even with the house already clean, it took me an hour plus every morning to get it showing ready. Dishes, laundry, vacuuming, cleaning up after small fry. It's hard work. I haven't done it consistently in a while so I'm sort of miffed that everything takes so long.

But I'm challenged! I mean, I'm challenging myself! (I am challenged, but that's a topic for a different day:)

How's it going out there? Anyone rocking their way to a new and improved, ready to show house?

Do tell.