I Promise to get Organized!!

And I really mean it this time!  It all started the week after Christmas when I realized that Susanna's (7) jacket that she won for high point for horse shows this past summer was missing & had been for 2 weeks.  It's a big thing to win one of those jackets & I was going bananas trying to find it.  It turned up missing when we got back from my Dad's house, which is 5 hours away.  I was sure she was wearing it when we left my Dad's house.  And she was sure she wore it at the Burger King we stopped at on the way home.  And Hannah was sure she was wearing it the night we had to put Slugger down...turns out we were all wrong, but I'll come back to that shortly.

So, I was tearing the house apart...and discovering things that had been missing that I couldn't find before, and petrified food, books that I didn't even know were missing, socks & undies, etc, etc.  I said to myself, "I am sick and tired of not knowing where things are when I need them!  We have too much stuff! I'm getting my act together & dragging everyone slong with me if it kills me!!"  So, I started in my room & kept working my way along...with the shopvac & garbage bags as my close companions...they've become my best friends...along with the salvation army.

I'm not done yet.  After that initial battle, I've waged the clutter war in short bursts.  I'm now picking one or two goals each day & writing them on the calander to check off.  It's much more manageable & the kids are liking me a lot more this way, too. ;)

The things I'm thrilled with the most so far is I went through all the kids' books & got rid of all the twaddle.  If you're familiar with Charlotte Mason, as most HS'ers are, you know what I'm talking about.
Also, I went through Alyssa's clothes & put each outfit in a gallon ziplock bag with undies & socks.  Got rid of a lot of her clothes & mostly now just have outfits.  I get most of our clothes from the thrift store & when I do I buy pants & shirts that match.  This is a huge timesaver since I don't have to hunt down socks & undies anymore...especially socks!  
I'm working on Susanna's clothes now, but am not done yet.  So, I'm working at it little by little, but am making myself do at least one declutter job each day, no matter how small it might be.
Meanwhile, we still hadn't found the jacket.  I felt ridiculous praying about it-there's much more important things to be praying for, but I did.  And I called several Burger Kings along Rt 17 to see if they found the jacket.
Three days ago, my Dad called me to tell me he came across Susanna's jacket on the floor of his closet.  :)  Apparently, I let my 7 yr old leave the house in the freezing weather without a coat on...how could I have done that?  Anyway, we're all so glad it's found!