The Ghost of Tom

My amazing brother Tom recorded this version of "The Ghost of Tom" which is a song my daughter learned for her preschool program. Enjoy and Happy Halloween!

The Ghost of Tom.mp3

A Home for the Holidays: Pre-Assignment #4

I know today is very busy for most everyone! Here is a quick and uplifting pre-assignment if you'd like to squeeze it in:

Get rid of 30 items in your house. Throw away or donate as appropriate. If you are having trouble finding 30 things, check your fridge and medicine cabinet for expired items or get rid of magazines and books. The great thing about media is that if you get rid of it and regret it, you can most likely find a replacement online for cheap. My mom just bought several years' worth of her favorite magazine from the '80s on eBay and libraries are great resources, too. You can also count it for an item if you consolidate two things into one container and throw away the empty one (i.e. shampoo, lotion).

A Home for the Holidays: Pre-Assignment #3

Get a notebook (best option - find one you already have!) to be your journal during this challenge. You can also keep an online journal, but I'm planning to gift it to my husband at Christmas if I'm successful. This is your journal, so you can write whatever amount of detail if you like, and include thoughts and feelings or not. I'm also thinking of using a timer and keeping a time card so I can see how much I put into it.

A Home for the Holidays: Pre-Assignment #2

Here is the second (optional) pre-assignment:

Take pictures of every room in your house in the BEFORE state. You don't ever have to share them and you don't need to document every detail, but paint for yourself a picture of the current state of things so at the end you can see how far you've come.

A Home for the Holidays

Would you like to have a beautifully clean and organized home during the winter holiday season? Let's start now! Join me in completing daily assignments (6 a week) and together we'll make it fun and get it DONE! I'm as guilty as any clutterer and this is a guilt-free zone!

Will you join me? Please post below!

Grab our button on the sidebar and feel free to add it to your own blog or site. Or, post a link to this post on your Facebook and choose the button as your thumbnail. Add my feed to your aggregator so you don't forget the daily assignments!

We started November 1st, but if you'd like to warm up before you dive in, here is Pre-Assignment #1
(if you'd like to see a directory of all the assignments so far, click here):

Visualize your home perfectly cozy on Christmas (or your chosen holiday). What does it look like? What are the differences between your current state and your ideal? What things will you have to plan ahead to get ready in time? How about Thanksgiving?

Write down a few of your thoughts (it doesn't have to be long). You can keep it private or share. Also, brainstorm some possible specific goals you'd like to have in mind because some assignments will focus on these.

Here is my horribly embarrassing writeup (See, I told you I was guiltiest of all! At least it's not as embarrassing as having to have Clean House over for an episode):

I won't go into the details right here, but the bottom line is that my house is a pigsty and I'm just pining for it to be a pleasant place to be. I think having some social interaction and making it a game will really help keep me motivated and rise above the guilt that comes either way (either the house is a mess or I ignore the kids to clean) so I can make positive, lasting changes.

I'd like my house to be less cluttered overall, both from getting rid of things and finding better homes for things.

Living Room: everything is dusted, tabletops are clear, toys and books put away. No more Easter decorations on top of the china cabinet! (how embarrasing!) Carpet is clean.

Kitchen: Countertops and table clean, cabinets and fridge are not busting at the seams so it is easy to find things even if they aren't right at the front. Floor clean without a film over it. Little nooks and crannies are dust-free and clean, wooden fixtures cleaned and oiled. Window blind is fixed and top of the fridge is clean. Would like pre-built cabinets installed above stove and fridge.

Bathroom: Older toiletries tossed, remainder fits in the cupboard well and is organized by type. Everything clean - need a new toothbrush solution. Maybe some wall mount fixtures to free up counter space. Also something with ribbons hanging off to put hair clips on.

Kids' room - carpet is cleaned, scuff marks on wall magic-erased, closet only contains kids' clothes that are current size or bigger. Windowsills and baseboards are dusted. Carpet cleaned.

Bedroom - clothes and jewelry sorted through and organized - only fitting, in-season clothes are in room. Floors are clear and nothing in room that doesn't relate to getting dressed or sleeping. Replace burnt-out bulb and hang extra pictures. Would like to paint a nice color. Maybe also make a space for electronics to charge.

Family room/office - Figure out what to do with old computer parts, clear off desk and go through it and make it a good workspace. Figure out a better configuration of furniture. Pare down the toys - DVDs all in the right cases. Papers filed. Pantry organized.

Storage room - Go through box-by-box and get rid of stuff I don't need. Clearly label the remaining boxes.

Craft room/laundry room - make top laundry shelf usable. Pull out washer/dryer and clean behind them. Make craft room a workroom instead of a storage room.

Downstairs bathroom and bedroom are full of my husband's stuff, so I give myself leave of them until I get the rest of the house under control!

Outside - front porch clear and clean, sweep leaves out of carport. Organize shed.

That makes it sound kind of tame, but I have got a lot of work ahead of me!