Adventures in Nesting

Anyone who knew me in high school or college, or even has a chance to see my house on an unprepared moment knows that I am a bit of a slob. I had the room that a hurricane blew through, rarely did my clothes end-up back on hangers at the end of the day (isn't that what the floor is for?), and I have lived in the chaos quite comfortably for some time. We'll get to the reason why in a bit...

My dear husband is a bit of a neat freak. And he doesn't keep stuff. He doesn't keep anything. He used to pay a bill and throw it in the trash. Records, who needs them? Well not keeping stuff allows one to better organize and maintain neat freak status (that or not sleeping...) much easier.

My problem is, I keep everything. I keep Chloe's weekly progress reports and the lunch menu's from Cadence's schools (someday, if I ever have to prepare her food for lunch, I want to make sure that I am providing a balanced diet and these are an example of what she has been eating). Any coupon that I might use eventually gets stored. I am obsessed with getting the mail everyday because there is more stuff there for me to organize and put in its place.

Usually my stuff accumulates on the kitchen counter, Ben's pet peeve, waiting to be filed nicely in its place. But then, when we have people over or Ben gets antsy about the "clutter," the stacks get moved back to the desk in the bedroom. When we first had cleaning ladies after Cadence was born, the stack would be moved and put away the night before their arrival. Then I started slacking off and the stack started accumulating. First in a box, which was emptied and refilled. Then, when the box was filled, the desk started accumulating...and accumulting...and accumulating. Occasionally, when I would have a free couple hours (thank you husband and Zoo!) I would sort everything out and make piles and get things organized, only for the pile to accumulate again.

But now, something is different, the clutter is making me CRAZY! I have an undeniable urge to stay up all night and organize my home. There is a picture in my mind of how I need my house to be when Brody is born. Chloe's new room will be all painted and the new furniture in place. Cadence's prized toys will each have their special place in her big girl room. And Brody's nursery will once again become my sanctuary for peace.

BUT, before we get there, we have to clean-out the office and move the desk into our room. Which requires we have ROOM in our room. And not piles of paper. So over the weekend I cleaned and dusted our bedroom for the first time in forever (I know, ew!), vaccummed in there for the first time since we got the new vaccum (not gonna say how long) and began to feel some serenity in the room. Finally I realized the pile had to be addressed. But where to start?!? I attacked the box first. Most of the stuff in the box was from early 2008. The good thing here is that most of the coupons have expired; the bad thing is I had to pull out the 2008 files from another box to make sure everything was in its proper place! By the end of the day Sunday it was empty! There were a few things that didn't have a place or will require additional follow-up. They landed back on the desk for a future organizing spree...

That was the weekend...then last night I got a wild hair to clean the kitchen (I was inspired by the accumulating pile of papers that needed to move back to the desk, I am moving everything there so I can attack it all at once!). The dishes that were washed on Sunday finally got unloaded and Sunday nights remnants got put away. The counters were scrubbed and santized. And all the papers were nicely sorted and either trashed or moved to desk duty for further analysis.

When I left for work this morning, I looked at my beautiful kitchen and thought to myself...now this is why I love this house.

You gotta love the nesting instinct. I am not sure how my house will stay clean after Brody is born this summer, but I am hoping that somehow the habits I gain over the next few weeks as I deny myself sleep in order to prepare my home for his arrival will remain habits. It has brought me great peace! And I think Ben loves it too.

Here are the other things that I have on my nesting list, I will keep you updated as best I can!
1) CLEAN OFF DESK (I promise before and after pictures)!
2) Finish cleaning out closet from depressing pre-pregnancy clothes AND clothes I don't/shouldn't wear anymore (i.e. college bar clothes).
3) Cabinet doors on hall closet.
4) Clean-out linen closet in master bedroom.
5) Clean-out office.
6) Clean-out Chloe's room - move to new, nicely organized room!
7) Clean-out hall closet.
8) Clean-out/organize kitchen desk drawers and shelves.
9) Clean-out/organize pantry.
10) Clean-out/organize laundry room.
11) Clean-out/organize garage and attic (unlikely because this is Ben's sanctuary and usually is organized based on his just get it put away philosophy).

Alright, now I am off to go through the Easter decorations to clutter-up the kitchen again! Good times!