“It’s important for moms to recognize that all the small successes in our days can add up to one big triumph. So on Thursday of each week, we do exactly that.”
This post really caught my attention, especially when I read “Once, long ago, when things were overwhelming me (and by things I mean 6, at the time, kids )”… That is so ME right now!! 😉
Anyhow, I was completely inspired and have been busy cleaning and trying to get our home back in order…
~ 1 ~
Does this look clean to you?
I took that picture after the boys “cleaned” their room yesterday…
I then found all this clothing crammed into every possible corner:
It got much worse before it got better!
Is it just me, or does that happen to you too?
About four hours later we were all done and it’s so much cleaner!
~ 2 ~
While cleaning the boys room I bagged up one bag of trash and three bags to donate,
and three more stacks to box up and save for Snuggles.
~ 3 ~
Today we worked on the girls room.
It didn’t take near as long but still needed a good cleaning.
It didn’t take near as long but still needed a good cleaning.
We filled another bag with trash as well as a bag of clothing to donate.
That should make it much easier for them to keep their rooms clean.
Now to catch up on the laundry and move on to the rest of the house!
What are your Small Successes this week?
Stop by Faith and Family Live to read more of this week’s Small Successes.
This is so inspiring! I have those moments, too, when I just have to hit the "reset" button with the kids' rooms. I, too, feel like things can be kept neater/cleaner if there is order to strive for. We do a thorough cleaning of our home every 2 weeks where everything comes up, gets put away, and sorted. It's not easy to keep up with that schedule, but for now, it seems to be working fine. I'm due in about 5 weeks so we'll just see if the rest of the crew keeps up with this when I'm holed up in my room with the newborn…who knows?:) Love your blog!
Um, yeah…so glad to know you are normal! When I send the kids to clean their rooms, I have to send them back a million times to check for certain things, like "are there any clothes on the floor, under the bed, in the corner, etc."
Everything looks GREAT!!!
Thanks for the link to the post, I really needed to read that. I am that overwhelmed mom with 6 kids and one on the way who seems to have lost control of her house. I am slowly taking it back, prepping right now for a Lenten deep clean by sorting through the school stuff, throwing out trash and making a box for the thrift store. It's good to read though about other moms and I am not alone.
Jessica,
I love before and after photos!
Good job – it sure feels good doesn't it?
~Angela
WOW to all 3! You go girl!!! And yes, the same thing does happen here too.
Good for you! It is really inspirational when you share even the less than perfect… the rooms looked beautiful afterward! We have a girls "suite" that needs to be gone through just like that… maybe this weekend?! Have a good night… JMJ
Your small succcesses are HUGE! I can take a bag of trash out of our girls' room weekly. And they always cram clothes into the closet on the floor and under the bed! Great after picture of the boys' room after it's dark outside 🙂
I literally laughed when you asked, "does that happen to you"…boy does it ever!
It is scary how fast our homes can get out of control. It always seems to occur right after big events or changes in our family. This is one reasong that I am looking forward to this coming Lent…it'll be a time of decluttering, reorganizing, and refocusing…
And you, my dear on a roll. The rooms are looking good.
I'm right there with you but seem to be lacking in energy. Posting before pictures of my home would be an exercise of humility. Yes, it's that bad.
Let us (mothers) raise one another up in prayer.
Pax Christi – Lena
LOL, I read that very same post and it had the same affect on me too. But I've been so busy trying to catch up with the school work that got pushed to the side while we were traveling up and back to the NICU that I haven't made as much progress as you have. Thank you for the extra inspiration. Now if only the baby will cooperate. 😉
Fantastic successes and great pics! Thank you so much for sharing.
God bless!
I was inspired by that post as well. However, I am trying very hard to hold off till Lent. I promised my husband I would not start any new projects until after a vacation we have planned next week! I am wanting to start now and get a couple rooms finished, but I got sick and it is hard enough to sit still to recover. I'm sure you know that Mom doesn't stop even when she is sick:)
I really need to get to our closet! Maybe I should do it this weekend!
Can you just come give me a pep talk? Your house looks GREAT!
lol! I actually did think that the first picture of your boy's room looked "clean", and I only have 2 kids! 🙂
Those are no small successes, girl! You rock!
OK, I really needed to see this (the before pictures, that is! *grin*) My house of 7 children (with another on the way) has EXPLODED and I can't get a grip on the mess. Once I stop pitching my hissy fits, maybe I'll be able to relax a bit and declutter systematically, instead of running around with a bag, threatening to throw away EVERYTHING *grin*.
OK, I'm not quite that bad, but you get the picture!
Not that I'm brave enough to post pictures on MY blog….
Wow,after reading these I feel normal! I am a mother of 4 little ones. (ages 4, 3, 2, and 5 mnths) It always seems like Jessica has it all under control. Thanks.. Moms I needed some advice, I am considering homeschooling. With a new year my oldest will be turning 5 this month and I feel like time is ticking. I was considering Seton because it is Catholic and I wanted to stay away from public. But it would be nice, since it will be a first, to have like a big sister to help me. Someone to make sure that I am on track. I feel overwhelmed.. [email protected]
Sorry it's me again. The anonymous messanger! I don't write very much so I'm trying to refresh my memory!Anyhow, My name is Lucia. I live in Oceanside, CA and I would appreciate any good advice…([email protected]) in regards to Catholic homeschooling
Wow! Your results are beautiful, Jessica. Even after we clean, I feel like our rooms are still very cluttered, and I don't have much energy to sort and bag up my five kids' outgrown clothes. Then there is the scary basement closet where most of them go into storage, and it's so cluttered and messy, I can't even get started. Do you have a regular cleaning and declutting day? Do you have an organizational book to recommend? I am pathetic. I've looked at the MOTH book and other resources, and I just feel overwhelmed, particularly because the best hours for doing this would be afternoon, but the little kids are napping or the big kids are doing reading/independent schoolwork in their rooms during those hours (and I need a break). Then it's time to make dinner, Dad comes home, and that's it for the day. Help!
Oh, and anonymous, I've used resources from most of the major Catholic homeschool providers, and they all have their strong points. And the younger children do not require many hours of work, so it is very doable. In many ways, it's easier than loading the kids up, driving them to school, and then doing homework in the evening. Good luck!
haha! I did this in my boys room a few days ago. My little boy finally got a twin bed, so that involved some furniture rearranging in their small bedroom, during which I decided to roll up the area rug and get rid of it as well, so I found all kinds of under the bed/under the rug/behind the nightstands goodies…
I have a question about your state history, that series of picture books you've been using, "G is for Granite" and so forth…did you buy all those, or are you having any luck finding them at your library?
Thanks for all the comments and encouragement!
PNG ~ Wow!! Every 2 weeks! That is awesome! And congratulations on your new little one!
Lena ~ I was *really* lacking in motivation and energy too, but once I got started and started seeing results, I am now much more motivated! I'll be praying for you!
Roxaline ~ Take it easy and get better so you can enjoy your vacation! You can start in a couple weeks when Lent begins! Praying for you too!
Jo ~ We all need pep talks every once in awhile, don't we?! The post I linked to was just what I needed to hear.
Ouiz~ I too was threatening to "get rid of EVERYTHING"… I now see that it was nearly impossible for my boys to keep their room organized since there was just too much stuff in the space they have. You can do it, and I want to see pictures! 😉
Lucia ~ Glad you now see that I don't have it all under control! 😉 I do try, but with 6 children under the age of 10, home educating 4 of them, in addition to a newborn, I wonder if having everything under control is even possible! lol! I used Seton with my oldest for Kindergarten, but switched the following year since it wasn't the best fit for our family. This year my oldest daughter is in Kindergarten and we have been very happy with using Elizabeth Foss's Alphabet Path in addition to Phonics and Math.
Mel ~ I tried to get my library to purchase the Discover America Books, but didn't have any luck. I was going to do the state study without them, but after purchasing the first few and seeing how much we all loved them, decide to buy them after all. I've been purchasing them a couple at a time used on Amazon and spending between $5-$9 each for them. I now have about half of them and continue to watch the prices on the rest. (We are only on the 8th state right now, so we are set for awhile.) It is still quite an investment, but I will be using them again and again in the future so I think it is worth it. Hope that helps.
Wow! Great job! You will feel so much better after you go through everything. I know I have a lot of work to do this Lent, going through certain rooms in this house!! Mainly the one with three little pack-rats in it. 🙂
Their room didn't look too bad in the first picture. That shows you the state my house is usually in. 😉
Cute rooms!
Happy decluttering.
Thanks for sharing! My boys "clean" their room in the exact same way 🙂 Blessings