Today is day 9 of the challenge. I have very little energy today and have spent most of the time reading. The dishes are all washed and I ran a load of laundry. I also installed an operating system on my husband's work laptop for him.
The 31 Days to Clean blog post was about distractions. What are my biggest distractions?
Internet - The computer is a terrible time waster. I seem to be spending less time on the computer lately, but it still takes up a lot of my day. I need to make sure I limit my personal time on the internet.
Books - I read like crazy. I love books - historical fiction, Christian fiction, nonfiction, history, biographies, memoirs... If I'm not careful, I'll lose hours to a good book. While books are beneficial, they shouldn't be taking up my entire day.
The cleaning challenge was a continuation of the bedroom, something I don't need to work on. Instead, I just spent some time picking up our apartment after having houseguests all weekend.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
Friday recap
I went running this morning. I can't believe it's 88 degrees that early. I ran 1.95 miles without stopping. My oh my, but that felt good. First time running in over a month.
Today has been a very productive day.
I think that's it, but that's enough. :) Yay for it being almost Sabbath!
Today has been a very productive day.
- 2 hours of work
- Vacuumed the entire apartment, including the spare bedroom
- Straightened the spare bedroom
- Washed, dried, and put away the dishes
- Washed, dried, ironed, and put away three loads of laundry
- Moved our clothes into our bedroom
- Swept both patios
- Cleaned out cat box
- Replaced icky shower curtain in main bathroom with barely used curtain from kitty bathroom
I think that's it, but that's enough. :) Yay for it being almost Sabbath!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
More work
Today was another day devoted to work. I set aside my housework, except for a bit of scrubbing on the tub, and worked for four hours. I'm finally going to get a decent paycheck!
My boss assigned me another two hours of work for tomorrow morning. For once there is actually more work than you can handle! It's a very nice change. :) I'm going to milk it for all it's worth so that we can send an extra credit card payment to the card with the lowest balance. It'll be nice to make an extra payment where none of the money goes for interest.
My boss assigned me another two hours of work for tomorrow morning. For once there is actually more work than you can handle! It's a very nice change. :) I'm going to milk it for all it's worth so that we can send an extra credit card payment to the card with the lowest balance. It'll be nice to make an extra payment where none of the money goes for interest.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Work, bathrooms, and other distractions
Change of plans. My goal today was to clean both showers and toilets. I've scrubbed at the window above the shower in the main bathroom and cleaned the shower walls. I started scrubbing the tub but it's going to need a lot of work. I'm really sweaty now and my arms are tired. That's what I get for not giving it a really good cleaning in ages.
I think I'm done with the cleaning aspect of today's six most important things list. I have the opportunity to put in several hours of paid work today and I'm going to jump on that chance. My paid work is sporadic and today I have the chance to get a few hours in, whereas I normally only get a few hours each week or two. We need the money so I'm going to concentrate on that today.
Hubby and I are going on a date tonight! This plan assumes he gets off work on time as he's working in the office today instead of at home. We're going to the Phoenix Art Museum to see the Phantom Sightings: Art after the Chicano Movement and Charting the Canyon exhibits. Wednesday evenings are free admission for the general public.
I think I'm done with the cleaning aspect of today's six most important things list. I have the opportunity to put in several hours of paid work today and I'm going to jump on that chance. My paid work is sporadic and today I have the chance to get a few hours in, whereas I normally only get a few hours each week or two. We need the money so I'm going to concentrate on that today.
Hubby and I are going on a date tonight! This plan assumes he gets off work on time as he's working in the office today instead of at home. We're going to the Phoenix Art Museum to see the Phantom Sightings: Art after the Chicano Movement and Charting the Canyon exhibits. Wednesday evenings are free admission for the general public.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
31 Days to Clean - Day 8
Day 8 of the challenge! Today was all about making the bedroom a sanctuary.
Well... I don't think there's anything that can be done with our bedroom right now. There's nowhere to put plants, candles, etc. and I can't hang any pictures on the walls. I made the bed this morning and made sure everything was picked up and put away.
Instead, I worked on the bathrooms. We have two, one in the hallway and one just off our bedroom. The bathroom off our bedroom is deemed the kitty bathroom. That's where the catboxes are. Instead, we use the bathroom off the hallway because it has a full tub.
I hate cleaning bathrooms. It's my least favorite chore. Unfortunately, I procrastinate cleaning either bathroom. I get grossed out by the bathrooms even if I clean them once a week. Instead (confession time!), I only clean it about once a month. The toilet bowl gets cleaned more often than that, but the entire bathroom receives a scrub down about once every 4 weeks. Bad Cassandra!
Because the cleaning challenge spends several days working on the bedroom, I decided to spend several days working on the bathrooms. Sure, I could do them all at once but then I'd have to work in there for several hours. No thanks. Instead, I'll break it up over a couple days and then everything will be clean. Hopefully then I can get back to cleaning the bathroom once a week! So today I cleaned the mirrors and the countertops in both bathrooms. Tomorrow I'm going to tackle the toilets and the showers. On Thursday I will scrub both floors. Then both bathrooms will be all fresh and clean!
Instead of posting both before and after photos, I just have the Befores. I'll post Afters on Thursday when everything is clean.
Kitty bathroom:
Yes, the cats are messy. I can sweep and there will be cat litter on the floor within four hours... Oh, and the clothes hanging in the shower are my line drying shirts. The kitty bathroom is the only place in the house with enough room to line dry, as the apartment complex will not allow us to use a clothes line on our patio.
Main bathroom:
Posting pictures on the internet of my dirty bathroom is really embarrassing. Maybe that will motivate me to keep it clean?
Well... I don't think there's anything that can be done with our bedroom right now. There's nowhere to put plants, candles, etc. and I can't hang any pictures on the walls. I made the bed this morning and made sure everything was picked up and put away.
Instead, I worked on the bathrooms. We have two, one in the hallway and one just off our bedroom. The bathroom off our bedroom is deemed the kitty bathroom. That's where the catboxes are. Instead, we use the bathroom off the hallway because it has a full tub.
I hate cleaning bathrooms. It's my least favorite chore. Unfortunately, I procrastinate cleaning either bathroom. I get grossed out by the bathrooms even if I clean them once a week. Instead (confession time!), I only clean it about once a month. The toilet bowl gets cleaned more often than that, but the entire bathroom receives a scrub down about once every 4 weeks. Bad Cassandra!
Because the cleaning challenge spends several days working on the bedroom, I decided to spend several days working on the bathrooms. Sure, I could do them all at once but then I'd have to work in there for several hours. No thanks. Instead, I'll break it up over a couple days and then everything will be clean. Hopefully then I can get back to cleaning the bathroom once a week! So today I cleaned the mirrors and the countertops in both bathrooms. Tomorrow I'm going to tackle the toilets and the showers. On Thursday I will scrub both floors. Then both bathrooms will be all fresh and clean!
Instead of posting both before and after photos, I just have the Befores. I'll post Afters on Thursday when everything is clean.
Kitty bathroom:
Yes, the cats are messy. I can sweep and there will be cat litter on the floor within four hours... Oh, and the clothes hanging in the shower are my line drying shirts. The kitty bathroom is the only place in the house with enough room to line dry, as the apartment complex will not allow us to use a clothes line on our patio.
Main bathroom:
Posting pictures on the internet of my dirty bathroom is really embarrassing. Maybe that will motivate me to keep it clean?
Monday, August 3, 2009
31 Days to Clean - Day 7
Today is day 7 of the 31 Days to Clean challenge. I can't believe I've completed 7 days already! Time goes by way too quickly.
The mental aspect of today's lesson revolved around six tips in leading a self-disciplined life.
1. Commitment - Sometimes I struggle to remain committed. I don't have too many issues making a commitment; it's maintaining commitment that is difficult.
2. Set and complete goals - Again, I have little trouble setting goals. I love creating goals and steps to complete those goals. I just have trouble following through.
3. Do what you say you will do - I try but need to try harder. If I don't think I can complete something, I need to keep my mouth shut about volunteering. Which leads to number 4...
4. Learn to say "no" - Yup. Learn to say no.
5. Practice - Practice doesn't make perfect, though it certainly helps improve. Moving forward and making progress is more important than reaching perfection, especially if perfection isn't something that will likely be reached. It's still important to try!
6. Don't give up - Never quit!
Today's cleaning challenge is general bedroom clean up. As evidenced by the pictures below, our bedroom is very sparse and didn't need much cleaning. I put the clothes away, vacuumed, made the bed, and took the library books into the living room where they belonged.
Before:
After:
We live very simply (as in, we don't have any money and therefore can't afford nicer furniture). The only things in our bedroom are the futon we sleep on and a flipped over laundry basket that serves as my nightstand. It's pretty easy to avoid clutter in the bedroom when you have nowhere to put it!
The mental aspect of today's lesson revolved around six tips in leading a self-disciplined life.
1. Commitment - Sometimes I struggle to remain committed. I don't have too many issues making a commitment; it's maintaining commitment that is difficult.
2. Set and complete goals - Again, I have little trouble setting goals. I love creating goals and steps to complete those goals. I just have trouble following through.
3. Do what you say you will do - I try but need to try harder. If I don't think I can complete something, I need to keep my mouth shut about volunteering. Which leads to number 4...
4. Learn to say "no" - Yup. Learn to say no.
5. Practice - Practice doesn't make perfect, though it certainly helps improve. Moving forward and making progress is more important than reaching perfection, especially if perfection isn't something that will likely be reached. It's still important to try!
6. Don't give up - Never quit!
Today's cleaning challenge is general bedroom clean up. As evidenced by the pictures below, our bedroom is very sparse and didn't need much cleaning. I put the clothes away, vacuumed, made the bed, and took the library books into the living room where they belonged.
Before:
After:
We live very simply (as in, we don't have any money and therefore can't afford nicer furniture). The only things in our bedroom are the futon we sleep on and a flipped over laundry basket that serves as my nightstand. It's pretty easy to avoid clutter in the bedroom when you have nowhere to put it!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
31 Days to Clean - Day 6
Today is a continuation of Friday. My desk is very clean and today I purged my old files. I consolidated some files, threw some old paperwork into the shred pile, and reorganized the way my files are divided. Now I should be able to find what I'm looking for!
There is still the question of how I gain self-discipline to stay on top of my housework. I like these verses:
Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do,
do all to the glory of God
(1 Corinthians 10:31).
Whatever you do in word or deed,
do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks through Him to God the Father
(Colossians 3:17).
Whoever speaks,
is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God;
whoever serves
is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies;
so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ,
to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen
(1 Peter 4:11).
I want God to be glorified in everything that I do and say.
There is still the question of how I gain self-discipline to stay on top of my housework. I like these verses:
do all to the glory of God
(1 Corinthians 10:31).
Whatever you do in word or deed,
do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks through Him to God the Father
(Colossians 3:17).
Whoever speaks,
is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God;
whoever serves
is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies;
so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ,
to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen
(1 Peter 4:11).
I want God to be glorified in everything that I do and say.
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