Thursday Thirteen #1- 13 Things I need to do around my house

I'm jumping on the bandwagon. I like to do that sort of thing from time to time. I would have done it earlier but I am just too lazy.

Which leads me to the thirteen things I need to do around my house. Because apparently here is no such thing as teamwork. And that magic fairy? She's still hiding. Probably in the house of some clean freak. And really, I am far too lazy to do these things on a regular basis therefore maintaining some semblance of cleanliness.

Were I very brave I would take pictures of the squalor in which I live.

Please note that this list does not include the things I do every. single. day. Laundry, dishesX3, vacuuming the livingroom, sweeping the kitchen floor, picking up toys, putting away coats and shoes that are left where ever with a devil may care attitude. You know, the usual.


1. Organize my basement. Right now it is a mess of packed and half unpacked boxes, clothes that no longer fit my children and other assorted junk. Taylor and Liam have a TV room of sorts down there and it is sometimes neat, but mostly not. The room is currently doorless, as in a fit of rage at it being an absolute mess, William ripped it off. Had he been thinking he might have unscrewed it, but boy was he mad. And I couldn't really blame him. The storage area is becoming somewhat unwalkable. I have every intention of doing the basement, but I know that the moment I see a giant spider (or even a small one) I will be off and running. It is also a job I cannot do with Sophie around. I could do an hour a day while she naps, but I think the smartest thing is to take up my friend's offer to have them for a day. But I'd probably just blog.

2. Get all the laundry put away. I'm great about doing the laundry, but it will sit folded in baskets for ages. I made a start on it today, but of course there are loads in the basement to bring up and the whole vicious cycle starts again.


3. Wash the shower curtain. I have a cloth curtain and as I was getting in the other day I realized that it is appallingly dirty. Now this shouldn't seem like a big deal to do, and it isn't, but washing the clothing and towels of 6 people seems to be a neverending job. And the curtain just isn't as important as my daughter having a B.O. free gym uniform for school or me having scrubs for work.

4.Clean out the fridge. I did this one! Srtike one off the list. I did actually intend to take before and after pictures but forgot the before so the after seemed rather pointless. Oh God, it was atrocious. Spills everywhere. The fridge appeared to be full of food, as there was no more cramming space but once I had thrown away 3 grocery bags of out of date bottles, containers of moldy food and flat pop bottles it is quite empty and ready for my trip to Costco on Saturday. And it is lovely and clean. And will stay that way, even if it means putting a lock on it to keep everyone else out. I did just realize that I still need to clean out the freezer. Bugger.

5 and 6. Clean out the kitchen cabinets and scrub the fronts. Almost everytime I open the cabinet door with the girls plastic dishes I end up catching a plate or bowl. My tupperware cupbard? Not a lid in sight. My lazy susan cupboard has no room for the huge box of bulk organic rotini and 12 giant cans of roma tomatoes my brother brought me from the Kootenay Co-op in Nelson. The cupboard doors are atrocious. And I didn't do them all that long ago because they were built up with grease when we moved in. What the hell does my family spill everywhere? And how do they spill so much?

7. Sort out my stamps and scrapbooking supplies. All of my stamps have found a new home on the landing going to the basement. It's not ideal, but they are out of the way of the livingroom yet close enough for me to grab is I should need them. But they haven't been sorted from when I came back from my weekend away. They are all over the place and I like them sorted into catergories. Because there is a hidden anal rentitive inside of me. I just don't have the get up and go to actually become one. In my bedroom closet there is an entire of rubbermaid box- one of the big ones- full of paper and stickers. Must be sorted. Must find time. Must not sit at computer so much.

8. Clean out my bedroom closet. Not only are there scrapbooking supplies, there are containers of jumpers, too small clothes that I have got to admit I am never ever going to fit into again, blankets, office supplies and other things that I just seem unable to throw away. Must learn to let things go.

9. Deep clean the kids' bathroom. I only cleaned this bathroom 2 weeks ago, and good God it is a mess. Now, I know 2 weeks seems like a long time but the reality is Liam and Taylor are 11 and 12 and should be old enough to give the toilet seat and sink a wipe on a daily basis. They are supposed to alternate Saturdays for a proper cleaning but never actually do. The amount of toothpaste Liam uses astounds me. There are clumps of it in the sink and on the counter. When I cleaned it I only swept the floor, I didn't wash it. Tonight I was forced to use that toilet and as I was sitting there I was amazed at the baseboards. I've never seen the likes. They will be scrubbed like mad soon.

10. Clean Taylor's bedroom Remember this picture post? Yeah. I'm still waiting. It's worse now, way worse. She says to me that I just don't know how hard she has tried. If hard equals not at all then I do know. So I'm tired of waiting and excusing and yelling. I'm just going to do it myself. And out will go almost everything. Somehow I expect she will still be able to make a mess. She's like that.

11. Clean the girls' room. This won't take me very long, there is just a build up of laundry and a basket of toys that I no longer wanted in the livingroom. They just need to be put away along with some lego and train tracks. Saoirse and Sophie are actually really good about cleaning up (believe me I learned!) and so I will get them to help. I also have a bunch of clothes that no longer fit Sophie. She'll be handing down to Saoirse before long I think.

12. Clean out the garage. Like the basement, there is an awful lot of unpacked boxes hanging out. William is of the impression that if I haven't looked at them in a year I don't need them and they should just be dumped. I wish I had this attitude but I know that there are about 6 boxes of kids books and almost my entire collection of books by English authors. I need those books. Maybe not right now, but one day. I have until March 24th to empty every box otherwise he is just throwing it all out. And he probably would too.

13. Dump the man and children and have a day to myself. I will do this when the house is done. I'd like to say by Christmas but it's me we are talking about. I can get everything done by then but for the basement and garage so I am aiming for Mother's Day. Who wants to clean a cold garage in winter? I am going to book Mother's Day off, tell everyone that all I want is a day to myself and relax in the glory of a clean, organized house.

If anyone has some mad organization skills I would muchly appreciate any hints.