Friday, March 29, 2013

Insta-Friday in real life...a real life mess edition


Happy Easter! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend of celebration, relaxation and fun.

With the family home for a four-day weekend, I can't help but think we have more time for...cleaning! I know, exciting, huh? I promised the kids that if they help clean up today we will have a sushi and a movie party tonight. That seemed to inspire them a bit.

Here's a little look at our process, using cell phone photos.

 

I also bribed this guy with $10 to do the worst possible clean-up job ever. Yes, he is scooping up the dog poop that showed up when the snow in the backyard melted. He is doing the job in stages, with some help from his dad.


Strangely, Jolene isn't helping with our clean-up at all.


The husband has vacuumed.


The daughter is at work in her bedroom, for the third day in a row. I tried the "ignore-the-mess" strategy, thinking she would eventually get tired of it. Not so. Now, I'm onto the "spend-all-your-time-in-your-room-until-it's-done" strategy. It's time to play hardball.



So far, she has organized her desk, but she still has a ways to go.



Her new spring shoes are waiting for a home.


I started with the kitchen counter - the one that constantly gathers all kinds of paper, toys, sunglasses, dishes, syrup drippings - you know the one.


I have lots of laundry waiting to be put away, currently on my bedroom floor.


And a couple of bathrooms to clean, including the worst one, the kids' bathroom, shown here.


The very kind Chris at DK Canada sent me some books to get me going on my spring cleaning. They have been so helpful in motivating me. I will be reviewing them soon. We all know how to clean, but sometimes we need a push in the right direction...I know I do anyway.

How are you spending your Easter weekend?

Linking up with:


life rearranged

17 comments:

  1. OH JO!!! Go YOU!! That is motivation indeed! We got back from a week away and I'm just catching up on my fave blogs - I have bags of dirty laundry to catch up on and all the food and outdoor stuff to unpack!! What fun! Why is going away such fun and coming home (nice) but incredibly hard work!!?! Happy Easter - and enjoy your clean! J9 x

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    1. Oh, I know what you mean! You want to relax when you get home, but there's always so much to do! Good luck! :) Jo

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  2. I'm ready for some spring cleaning too. As soon as it gets warm enough in Indiana to open the windows it is on!

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    1. I don't care, Allison, I opened those windows anyway. I want some FRESH air. And the cleaning keeps me warm. ;)

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  3. LOL! I'm in the middle of a post like this too! I'm doing the Easter cleaning weekend as well :)

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  4. Good luck with the spring cleaning! :) Why are kids just so content to live right in the middle of their messes? My daughter is the same way, and it completely baffles me.

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    1. I don't get it. My mom would say that I once did the same though. But I don't think I was near as bad as my girl. :)

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  5. When your son is finished there, I could use a hand doing the same unpleasant chore in my backyard!! What a great family event you've planned there Jo!! ;) I hope you had all those old LPs of yours playing on the turntable to really get them hopping. Have a great weekend :) Wendy

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    1. We didn't even stop to put the LPs on, Wendy. We definitely should have. At least we had our sushi party though. Happy Easter.

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  6. My daughter is also supposed to be clearing her room up this weekend - so far progress slower than pedestrian!

    Happy Easter.

    Kate x
    Kate at Home

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    1. Tell me about it! She took three days just to get the desk clean. We still need to finish up (picking stuff up off the floor) tomorrow!

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  7. way to get everyone on board! happy Easter. xo

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    1. It doesn't often work, but I have got to try to recruit them now and then Deirdre. Happy Easter too! Jo

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  8. Lol, your daughters room looks like my daughters room... She shoves all of her stuff in the closet and under the bed in hopes of it looking cleaner... A very sad attempt. Jolene looks guilty. ;)

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    1. Yes, sounds like our girls have the same "cleaning" techniques. Mine puts clean clothes in the hamper with the dirty clothes whenever I ask her to clean up. Jolene is generally guilty of something. ;)

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  9. Ugh. Totally remember the poop scooping after the snow melt as a kid. So grody!!! I feel for your little man! But $10?? Score!

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