Saturday, July 18, 2009

Suddenly Saturday


I've decided to stop cramming my OCD manic Saturday lists down everyone's throats in an effort to focus on you guys, and the things that will be helpful to you.

Some tips for pleasing those perpetually wandering eyes, focusing on everything that isn't done:

-Tidying up shoes is a wonderful little gem.

-Removing and relocating everything on top of the refrigerator does wonders, I promise, and it is possible even in kitchens with limited space.

-CADDIES CADDIES CADDIES!

-Put appliances you seldom use in cupboards underneath.

-Sort your bookcase.

-Clear one surface you can look at and derive some peace, pretending the entire house looks that way.

-Close doors to scary rooms.

-Straighten things symmetrically.

-Stack things that were previously strewn every which way.

-Fresh flowers wherever they will bring you the most joy.

-Easy, aesthetically pleasing changes/removals.

NOW, ONTO BUSINESS:

-Today I want you to wash your windows. I know the sun is pissing everyone off but at least let it shine through clean, streak-free windows.

-Rid the house of kid debris, using whatever method you deem appropriate. Get that crap in their rooms!

-Cobweb check.

-Clean out your microwave.

-No slacking on laundry and dishes. Aren't paper plates a summer staple?

-Organize your bathroom drawers. You know there's hairbands and Q-Tips, tampons, coupons, and broken hair claws in there. Get that shit out, wind up your flat iron--it's too hot to use it. Hair supplies in top drawers, Band-Aids and such in the second drawer, feminine bullshit in the third drawer, and if you have a fourth drawer, surprise me! If you have no drawers, CADDIES!

You all seem to be doing so much more than I am assigning, even if it's different tasks. You guys can do this, in between melting. You can always text me for encouragement, many of you do. (503) 910-9546. Make me proud my dutiful Moxlings. :)

(Later) Here are my scariest demons this Saturday. Our bookshelf which we've outgrown by 400 books, our school/craft/game/miscellaneous shelf that I'd sooner burn to a cinder than ever look at again, and this ever-jumbled stack of XBox games in desperate need of a caddy. (I'd sooner burn the XBox too, but my boy works hard and deserves his fun.) We just have no room. I really hate the games being on the shelf because they stick out. Perhaps I can hang them from the ceiling. Anyway, here are my before shots, if I don't post the completed tasks by tonight it's because I gave up and bought a one-way ticket to Boston.

Bookshelf, and yes I know I ought to paint it. It's putrescent. Get off my back!


Household catch-all, with a bit o'school stuff:


The dreaded games. He doesn't care if they're alphabetized, can you believe this???


And don't forget, I have to try and make sense of my kids' Harry Potter closet/bedroom once I survive these. Wish me luck, come sit and hold me while I cry, bring me some kerosene...

7 comments:

  1. Okay okay. I see none of you is chomping at the bit here, so I thought I'd get the ball rolling by doing something I wouldn't normally do. Typically, when I post my crazy lists, it can be assumed I complete them. Once in a while I catch something up on Sunday, but over all, I'm good for it. I've also been known to post before and after pics, in hopes of impressing the hell out of you. Well, I cannot get it into this thick head of mine that today is Saturday, I keep thinking it's Friday, so I'm running at 85% instead of 200%. Ugh! Thus, I hatched a plan to kick my own ass. I'm posting before pictures of tasks that aren't done yet so that I have no choice but to complete them. I much prefer cleaning to organizing, and these are both organizing, so I'm sucking the big one, but I'll be so glad when it's done. I'm also going to finish the kids' room while they're gone, but am too ashamed to take a picture.

    So far I've:
    -MADE COFFEE!!!
    -Finished all laundry
    -Put in a load of all mats, incl. porch mats
    -Swept all suddenly bare floors
    -Hung the clothes Quinn tried to get rid of, which still have tags, duh.
    -Started clearing out space in the kids' room.
    -Did all dishes.
    -Bleached an old mug Todd's had since 1706.
    -Hand washed my black bra.
    -Emailed my very very oldest friend on earth, Rahshia, with whom I was reunited on facebook, whom I adore, and with whom I have 1,000 shared memories.
    -Drank half the coffee, awaiting panic attack. Playing with fire...
    -Cleared counter top.
    -Refolded all blankets in living room.
    -Figured out what CADDIES (!!!) I will get at the store.
    -Trying to decide if I can justify taking money out of savings to buy new throw pillows. I need more red in my life.

    Meanwhile, Todd is tending to his flock of veggies, and the kids are at Wunderland (puke) with my mom, so today's an okay day.

    Let's hear your stories Moxlings. :)

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  2. I'm here! Even if just a bit late for me....but my excuse is I just woke up (its 10.20PM...omg?!)
    Well as you know I usually work weekends so my cleaning is minimal. However I had today off as we have our little ones home this weekend (minus the cute boy as he's managed a sleepover! :o.. he deserves it). So Maurice and I went out and got out of the dark ages and invested in a Blu-Ray player, a few blu-ray discs so we could breathe in the HD quality and we then watched Marley and Me and cried our eyes out. (cos we are soppy dog lovers who share this crazy image of dog-love heaven, etc etc) This mixed with the fact that I have barely managed today at all, since our guests stayed last night until past 1am. THEN that cute little Willow came bouncing in my bedroom at 6.30am thus leaving me with about 4 1/2 hours of sleep which I didn't need since, I've lacked sleep most of this week. So hence the napping tonight just so I was out of the danger zone.
    Whew....glad today is nearly over. Bring on tomorrow! xxx

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  3. Mesina-I'm schlepping crap to and fro and you're buying Blu-Ray? Hmmm...having trouble conjuring up sympathy, lol, but I know you'll kick as tomorrow. I was also choked up watching Marley and Me, and I am notoriously not an animal person. The bigger question is: Why aren't you here?

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  4. LOL on the alphabetized x-box games. I have had visitors over before while my dd is putting a dvd away and she is quietly humming the ABC's to herself and taking far too long to simply put a dvd back on the shelf and eventually someone is prone to ask what in the world is taking her so long, why isn't she just shoving it in the shelf. To which she must reply, they have to be in order.
    Yes, I feel slightly sorry for my kids who are surrounded w/ this level of OCD. HA!

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  5. Eddie cleaned the windows!!!!!
    The view is magni-bulous, my coined word for magnificent and fabulous because I'm just so darn thankful.
    We move in 3 weeks (he also found a new house for us) and he still cleaned the windows for me. Off to bask in the happiness of that, I will ride on it til Sunday.

    Amy (DB)

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  6. Karinda-Give your daughter a hug from me! I too have worried about OCD affecting my kids but I think I struck a good balance. They're not afraid to get dirty but they prefer to be clean. :)

    Amy-Hooray for Eddie! And for new words! And for moving, wow y'all are busy!

    I did get the big nasty bookcase out of the way while I watched Dexter, but the school shelf looms large, and while I did find caddies for three things, the XBox games have me stumped. Guess it's off to Fred Meyer tomorrow. Oh, and I haven't showered today and that's really disgusting.

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  7. Here is my favorite part: *Close doors to scary rooms.*

    But seriously, I completed the list except for cobweb check (I just can't motivate myself to do it) and going through all of the bathroom drawers. There are just too many. I substituted washing the car instead :)

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