We’ve been in this house, what I like to call my ‘realistic dream house’…for about 7 months now. I have been plugging along trying to impose our style, making it feel like home…we’re getting there, but still have a loooooooong way to go. Let me preface all of this by saying that I was a working mom for most of my ‘mom years’, this move has transformed me into a SAHM…I am truly loving it, unbelievably grateful for the opportunity I have been given. As a working mom, I used the excuse of ‘I work, have four kids, and don’t have time for the house’. So now, I don’t have the ‘I work’ excuse…the house is my work (well, part of it anyway). I have said over & over that I am a ‘not-so-good-housekeeper’, but I am really making efforts to change that.

So I have some goals for my HOME this year:

1. CUT THE CLUTTER! Oh my, we are clutter makers…all 6 of us…and now that I’m at home most of the time, it really bothers me! The following is a photo I’m not proud of, but it is reality…this is what our ‘breakfast bar’ looks like most of the time…how can I utilize this when it is consumed by clutter???  See the shelves way in the background…orderly, no clutter…I try to focus on those LOL.
2. I want to continue with my current decorating tirade…I have been scouring discount places for interesting pieces I can add here & there.  My very awesome aunt came across some uber cool antique books for FREE (my favorite price) that helped me fill some of those bookcases…they are MUCH bigger than they appear.
3. The kids’ rooms…right now I try to stay out of them as much as possible…I wear blinders when I tuck them in at night (not literally, I’m just sayin’ DANG! They can make a mess FAST!).  I do this for my sanity.  I want them to be responsible, take care of their things, and put them where they belong when they are done…I really believe that this is karma coming back to haunt me (sorry Mom!).  Again a shameful picture, this is the playroom that we recently allowed E to move into…he desperately wants his own space, but this is where their TV is, so what do I do???  Suggestions PLEASE!
4. The upstairs of my closet…yep, you read that right…my closet has an upstairs.  You access it through an upstairs door (a stairway would be AWESOME, but you can’t have it all LOL).  I want this to be my work area, right now it is a storage area…you guessed it…CLUTTER!  I need my husband to add some power outlets up there so Martha & Mabel can work for me in that space (my sewing machine & glue gun), fortunately he’s a pretty handy guy so that shouldn’t be too much to ask.
5. Have more living plants.  If you’ve been here before, you know I love to cook…I want herbs at my disposal.  I have a brown thumb (it used to be black, so I’m making progress)…I have successfully grown thyme from seed, and am ready to give basil & flat-leaf parsley a try.  I need LOTS, because I love to cook with them.  I love the way living plants make the house feel, more homey & alive…and I have a sense of accomplishment in keeping them alive 😉  See…here are the plants I have successfully kept alive for several months…one is the wooly-booger plant (another treasure from Aunt ‘Chelle).

So those are my goals, and for now I’m stickin’ to ’em…I will update my progress, it will keep me motivated…my blog is like a work-out buddy…something to be accountable to (other than my procrastinating self.)

Today’s secret revealed:  I don’t think I can kill the wooly-booger plant, even if I tried…but it is a confidence booster…you know, like those jeans that look great on you regardless of the 5-10 you gained over the holiday?  Gotta love a confidence booster!