Spring Cleaning - Or Spring Training... You Decide

It's hard to jump back on the horse after not blogging for a month and a half.

There's a lot of self imposed pressure to come up with something REALLY interesting to say.

So, what do I have for you today?

Chores.

Interesting, Eh?

When I started blogging, I was so overwhelmed by parenting babies that I felt I could barely keep up. I went through most of my day in a fog and then in the middle of the night when the boys were finally down, I couldn't sleep. I found solace in other peoples blogs and I could catch up with you all at four in the morning if counting sheep had left me in the dark.

There were so many things on my to do list, but after nursing babies, changing diapers, washing laundry, and laundry and laundry, I felt I could barely brush my teeth much less clean out the garage. So, while I gritted my teeth at the clutter, I found solace in reading that the rest of you were going through it too. While I wondered if I'd ever get my energy back, I did find that sitting down at the computer at the end of the day and typing left me feeling like I'd accomplished something for myself which was gratifying and helped remind me that I hadn't completely lost my mind.

A couple of weeks ago, we watched our neighbors kids while they went out. They're two and four. It's been easy for Brad and I to think that we're getting better at the parenting thing as the boys have gotten older, but when that two year old went zooming through our house, dumping out toy boxes, splashing in the toilet and screaming when we finally told him it was time for bed, we recognized that our parenting isn't getting better, our boys are just getting older.

Phew!

With that has come more energy and also more sanity. I'm beginning to feel like myself again and trying to cross more off my to do list. After six years, my to-do list is not small. So, after the lengthy job of painting the kitchen, which I still need to update you about, I have been taking on more manageable tasks and trying to incorporate more of a schedule so that my to-do list doesn't rule my days.

In the past Brad would take the boys out during the weekend and I would clean the house. I would like to reclaim my weekends. So last spring I came up with a list. It details all the chores I'd like to get done in the month and has a check off spot for the number of times I'd like to complete that chore. My hope was that by doing at least one of those chores, twenty minutes each day, I'd have a pretty clean house. So far I have yet to follow through. Today, the first of March, I've decided to take on the Spring Cleaning challenge and complete the full list by the end of this month, the first month of Spring.

Don't get me wrong, my house is not a disaster, but I find that while I have type A desires, I have a distractible mind. I'd like to create a healthy medium, and know that my house is running smoothly so my distractions have more room to play.

Here's my list:

Vacuum: Living Room ___ ___ ___ ___ Dusting: L.R. ___ ___ ___ ___

Bedroom ___ ___ ___ ___ Bed ___ ___ ___ ___

Boys Room ___ ___ ___ ___ B.R. ___ ___ ___ ___

Office ___ ___ ___ ___ O ___ ___ ___ ___

Mop: Kitchen ___ ___ ___ ___ Dust ceiling fans: Bed ___

Bath ___ ___ ___ ___ L.R. ___

Scrub K. counters/sinks: ___ ___ ___ ___ Dust sills and baseboards: ___

Clean Bath: ___ ___ ___ ___ Dust and vacuum cobwebs: ___

Wipe down Kitchen appliances: toaster ___ Microwave ___ Brita ___ ___

Fridge ___ Dishwasher ___ Oven/ stove ___ ___ ___ ___

Wipe down walls: Hall ___ L.R ___ B.R. ___ Bath___ O ___ Kitchen ___

Kitchen Cabinets: ___ ___

Clean Fridge: ___

Yard

Mow Lawn: ____ ____ ____ ____

Weeds: ___ ___ ___ ___

Laundry: every day

Extras this month: ____________________________________

____________________________________

____________________________________

Want to play along?