The Total Home Overhaul

Although the only thing that would truly overhaul our home is to haul it off (we live in a mobile home that was manufactured in 1978), I strive to keep clutter at bay. Truthfully though, our home's foundation is sound, the walls are still sturdy, and only a few minor repairs are needed. However just as letting a few minor repairs go, like not fixing a leak right away so that you don't have to replace the floor later, letting those little piles of paper and clutter go means that we will have to invest large amounts of time cleaning, when all we had to do was maintain. Don't get me wrong, from time to time we will still have to do a "spring cleaning", but if you maintain that cleaning, that "spring cleaning" could be done in a weekend instead of a month. If you are not organized by nature, or were not taught organization skills while growing up there is hope.

One of my online friends and Talk-A-Latte sisters is overhauling her house and inviting you to join her here. Leslie Valeska is that friend. Although right now she is in week 2, you can still join her. Just start with week one and go from there, you can still post and blog about your progress, and comment with others. Even better you can see the problems others have had and learn from their trials. I hope that you get to know Leslie through the process too, maybe we can get her to put a youtube video of her on her blog, especially of her wonderful laugh!!!

I am joining in, although I will not be doing as in depth as those of you who join in. I am constantly watching, maintaining, and purging. This has been an 11 year journey for me, beginning before the birth of my daughter. I have since moved 3 times, acquired a grandchild, sent one son to Iraq, and I am also married to a pack rat, who brings home things like water heaters and basketball goals. We do haul these things off for scrap when we get a trailer full, and it has put food on the table, so I am not complaining, just letting someone know they are not alone, I too have a spouse who drags stuff home.....

I hope and pray many of you are blessed (ya, like I have throngs of followers) on the Journey to Simplicity (Leslie's main page) with Leslie and friends. I also hope and pray that I can share some of my set backs and failures so that someone else does not make the same mistakes I have made along the way.

One tip I want to leave you with is one of the FlyLady's tips, you are not behind, just jump in where you are. Quit beating yourself up, put your big girl panties on and deal with it (that one is mine). Each and every morning that we wake up, we get a do-over from God. We get to begin again. Simply say, "okay, so I had a set back yesterday, life happens, today I am going to begin again and do what I can".

KISS (Keep It Simpe Sweetie)
Valerie