Welcome to 4 Weeks to a More Organized Home {Simplified}!
From November 5 to December 7 (skipping the week of Thanksgiving), every weekday morning at 9 a.m. EST, I’ll be posting the day’s assignment and then every evening at 6 p.m. EST, I’ll be posting my progress and pictures, along with a link-up for you to share your progress and pictures, too.
Day 1 Assignment
::Get dressed in something that makes you feel great {there’s something about dressing in clothes that make you feel great that just gives you more energy and zest for life!}
::Sit down with a cup of coffee or tea and make a list of 5-10 goals for this week.
::Set the timer for 15 minutes and quickly pick up the main living areas of your home.
::Clean out your purse and/or diaper bag.
Take pictures of your accomplishments and blog about them, if you’d like. And then come back here at 6 p.m. EST to share your progress posts or tell us about your accomplishments in a comment.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANKS FOR THE POSTS ABOUT BEING ORGANIZED AND CLEANING OUT YOUR HOUSE. I DONT FOLLOW IT TO A TEE, HOWEVER ITS GIVEN ME INSPIRATION TO DO WHAT I CAN WHEN I CAN. HAVING A 9MONTH OLD REALLY CHANGES YOUR LIFE, AND “MY TIME” IS NO LONGER “MY TIME”…HOWEVER..WHEN I GET A CHANGE TO READ YOUR BLOGS, I FIND INSPIRATION AND MOTIVATION TO CLEAN AND ORGANIZE AS WELL AS DO SOMETHING FOR ME…{CLEANING AND ORGANIZING MAKES ME FEEL GOOD TOO}….
BECAUSE I HATE TO THROW THINGS AWAY BECAUSE THERES ALWAYS”SOMEONE WHO CAN USE IT, OR ILL NEED IT LATER”…ETC….I HAVE A BUNCH OF THINGS IM “HOUSING” BUT IVE STARTED TO DONATE THINGS IM NO LONGER USING, HAVENT USED IN AWHILE…LONG LONG WHILE IN MOST CASES..I ADMIT….AND IT MAKES ME FEEL GREAT..AND EVEN MAKES ME FEEL LIKE WEIGHTS BEEN LIFTED OFF MY SHOULDERS…
IM DONATING TO MY LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTER…LIBRARY…AND WHOEVER ELSE I CAN…
CHECK YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY FOR ACCEPTING DONATED MAGAZINES…THATS HOW I DONATED ALL MY “fREE” MAGAZINES I SNAGGED AND NO LONGER NEEDED.
🙂
So needed this…my purse stays a mess. Will do right now!
Coming over to this challenge from the Homemaking Organized Blog. I’m a bit behind in getting things done, tend to put off too many tasks and need to get these storage areas sorted out! I’m looking forward to the daily challenges.
Thanks for hosting this. I also love this simplified version – so much easier to do in the evenings after work! I cleaned out my purse and even as small as it is, it was overdue. I set the timer for 15 minutes and did a quick pick-up and vacuumed most areas (also overdue since my vacuum had been broken and I figured out how to fix it just last night). Finally, I thought through and wrote out goals for the week. I even made myself a cup of tea to drink while writing them out – since those were the rules ;).
It’s November and I FINALLY changed my everyday purse from my tiny summer one to a regular ol’ black one that’s bigger and goes better with the season(!) Thanks for the push! Tidied up the house while on the phone with my sis — looks semi-presentable now.
Love! I will totally be participating!
Well got something done today but not nearly as much as I should’ve…I’ve got 20 min til 6 pm so I can pick up in he living area and prep the bedrooms for bedtime(our kids bedtime is 7:30 pm),as for my purse,that should be easy,maybe 2-3 min and that’s it cuz there’s not much in it as it is even though it’s a pretty large one. Also ran some errands,spent about an hour trying to put the kids down for a nap(they fell asleep holding my hand) and tidyed up the master bath…so not so bad for a first day in the challenge! Hope ya’all did better than me.
Okay…I’m getting a late start on this 1st day, but the main living areas are already picked up (cuz it was time for my hubby to get home LOL), my purse is cleaned out, I’m already dressed in my comfy evening clothes so I feel great….now I just need to make a cup of coffee and start on my weekly goals list. This weeks off to a great start…. =)
THIS IS JUST WHAT I NEEDED. A PUSH TO HELP ME ACCOMPLISH THE SIMPLE TASKS I HAVE COMPLETELY IGNORED. ACCOUNTABILITY TO MYSELF! THAT’S MOTIVATION. THANKS CRYSTAL
I did it!
http://bebrower.blogspot.com/2012/11/getting-organized-day-1.html
hmmmm. I don’t have a baby bag anymore and I can’t find my pocketbook. Yup. Something tells me I need this! Guess my project will be to find my pocketbook 😉
It’s amazing what 15 minutes can do to a space!! Thanks for the inspiration!
Woohoo! I feel so accomplished! FINALLY! We moved just over a month ago and are still unpacking, but I’m giving myself some grace because we have a 2 year old and I’m 7 months pregnant. BUT 15 minutes a day is totally do-able! Thanks for helping to keep me motivated!!
I did it! (With the exception of wearing something I feel great in. After having a baby 5 weeks ago, my options are limited…)
Thank you for the motivation to get organized and simplify!
2 spoons and lots of receipts and grocery lists in the depths of my purse!
Well, I did well the first day. My daughter is in preschool and I usually shower before I pick her up (around 12:00) but I did it at 9:10 today. I had a cup of tea and did my goals. I only mention this because this is the HARDEST part for me. My house is relatively clean and organized but it’s hard for me to get myself organized at times. I even have on makeup and jewelry! The living area is picked up and my purse is clean. Woo hoo!
Way to go! I’m so proud of you!
Super easy task today! Love it!
Love this, I am so in. Except I will miss all of next week on a cruise, but I think the daily prompts will still help me. Maybe since I will be in town for Thanksgiving, I will do the week I miss then 🙂
I sooo needed this today! And ladies, don’t be jealous, but let’s just say that my purse was a serious hot mess! I could have been on one of those talkshows where they give you prizes for all the stuff you have in there. Who keeps a blue bulb thingy in their purse when they have a 3.5 year old?! And 8 lipglosses or chapsticks!!! I only have one set of lips! Plus, there was a complete buffet of old goldfish and dried up fruit snacks…I could have drilled a hole through them and made a necklace with them! I can actually see the bottom now…finally!
PS. I also lit a candle to make the house smell pretty like Crystal does and made up my list of goals (2/per day) so far, I have knocked 3 off the list already! It’s a great Monday!
You made me laugh, Heather! Mamas never know what they might find in their purses. I’m at the stage where I might find enough Legos in my purse to build something!
🙂 I should have weighed it first before the big unload…sounds like you have your hands full too…Legos! Love them too!
Oh this cracked me up!
I remember a time a few years ago when my daughter was around 5 or 6. One of my friends picked up my purse for me when we were leaving a restaurant and almost dropped it because it was so heavy. “What in the world is in there, rocks?” she laughed.
No long after I was cleaning it out, and yes indeed I did have rocks in there. Several rocks, all painted in red and black pretending to be ladybugs. I still have those rocks, but I no longer carry them around in my purse. 🙂
So excited to do this! I’m expecting baby #2 in Feb and I’m high risk. I need to simply my house so my husband can take over if I need to go to bed rest.
So excited for this new “simplified” series. The holiday season is a mixed blessing for me; one daughter’s birthday in Dec., we celebrate both Hanukkah and X-mas, then another daughter’s birthday in January, so lots of happiness, but I usually feel so overwhelmed and stressed that I don’t feel like I get to enjoy it as much as I should. Will be hosting Hanukkah at our house this year, which begins 3 days after the December birthday (so will have to fit in 2 birthday parties, one family only and one her friends, during this time, and should I even mention that we have a swim meet that same weekend!??!) so I am very much looking forward to getting the house in order so maybe for the first time in about 6 years I can really relax and enjoy this time of the year.
I’m excited to try this series. I tried from the last time and did ok but i’m desperate to get back to an organized life!!! I recently became a stay-at -home mom and trying to get my life into some kind of order with a 2yr old that has his own mind of what my schedule should be like. thanks for the help!!!
Great! So glad we started with an easy one! 🙂
Oh Crystal, I don’t even get home from work by 6PM EST (and I live on the East Coast)! How about changing the deadline a little in future posts, so it works for us working folks as well? While I can do it on my own afterwards, my self-discipline and motivation is boosted when I have deadlines I can actually keep.
Feel free to post whenever you get the assignment finished. There’s no deadline! I’m just letting you know when you expect my post up so that I have a personal deadline to shoot for. 🙂
Kay-
Don’t you worry. I have come to the conclusion that my dirt will still be there tomorrow. This is a proven theory. Most important get plenty of rest and enjoy your evenings if you can. Those are my thoughts on cleaning. I work the 9-5 then come home and work some more, seven days a week sister.
I need this … thanks!
I am up for this challenge (again :))!
Love this series! I have really been working towards organizing my home, but kept felt like I’m running around in circles, didn’t really know where to start. I’ll start with my diaper bag, thank you Crystal!! 😉
Boy there are a lot of Cheerios at the bottom of the diaper bag! I will also try to follow along with this challenge. Our house could benefit from some organizing! Now, on to the purse!
Just cleaned my purse and also organized all my bills and threw away the bills that i no longer needed.. 🙂 Thanks for hosting the series.I needed one 🙂
So glad to see the first assignment is easy! I’ve had quite the morning already with a toddler who got into markers and then spilling flour and sugar all over me and the kitchen! Oofta! And I have to be out the door in a half hour!!!
I’m gonna try to follow along this time….
I will be partaking, but I will be ‘late to the party’ I’m still without power and temporarily moved in to my parents house while they are on vacation since they have power!
I’ve noticed how i take a lot of things for granted during this tragic time in the NorthEast…between power, wasting time, food, etc….time for a change…just can’t wait to get back to normalcy!
Praying for you! Hope your normalcy returns soon for you!
That’s so funny, I saw the name of the series and thought “well, I’m too sick to do anything today” because I’m getting over the flu then I saw the assignment was something I can do while I’m sitting down, perfect! No excuses.
This is perfect! We are getting ready to move so we need this! And perfect one for today both the purse and diaper bag are in need of major clean out!
I am happy to be doing this series. I joined in the last time and my house looked so much better in the end. I have been able to keep up with most of it but I was hoping to get some extra motivation to do some organizing before the holidays. So I am really looking forward to this series. Thanks for hosting the series again.
I love when you do these challenges. It is such a motivation.
Thank you!
So excited!!!
Yes! I soooooo need this series 🙂
I like this series!!! ESPECIALLY before the holidays!
WooHoo! Lets go! I have been on a mission to get organized before the end of the year. I can’t wait. Thanks for sharing with us!
Just had a baby 3 months ago and moved on the same day to a new house(fixer upper), so my home definitely needs this simplified version. Thanks so much!
My baby is almost 3 months old too. We didn’t move but just finished (actually, are still finishing) a renovation on our 102 year old home so I feel your pain Tina!
Can I just tell you how excited I am that you are skipping the week of Thanksgiving? I was feeling defeated about even starting until I read this line of your post. You see, we are going to be out of town for several days the week BEFORE Thanksgiving for a wedding, but home the entire week of Thanksgiving and now I will be able to adjust the schedule and not feel “behind” without too much tweaking. The Lord works these things out. Why, oh why do I ever worry about such minor things 🙂
So cool, Crystal! I actually recently found this series from the last time and was thinking it would be great as an ebook! lol
Love it! I’m in.