Motivation for the Month of the Closets

We've past the halfway point of the month. How can that be? Days drag on and on but weeks fly by and months are barely noticeable. So is life, I guess.

With just two weeks left in the Month of the Closets (http://thewingmom.blogspot.com/p/january-skeletons-out-of-closets.html) I thought I would share how my closet clean-out is going. There has literally been blood, sweat and tears. And you should know that I am one of those people who do not misuse the term literally. These things really happened: I bled, I sweat and I admit, I cried a little. The tears though were of course spurred by finding nostalgic items in my children's closets.

A New Way to Help Pepper Your Plate

Thanks to an old golfing buddy and high school friend, I have learned about a site that I think is about to be my new fav:

The Pepper Plate
www.pepperplate.com

I just joined yesterday (and it was free) so I cannot give a thorough rundown of all the features. However, I can share what made me fall in love and perhaps you will fall too.

It's Called Extreme for a Reason

I have yet to actually see the show, Extreme Couponing, but I have seen tidbits on the concept on other programs. At first I watched in excitement, what did they mean by 'extreme'? Then I watched in horror as these people filled their homes with things they didn't need, didn't want and probably wouldn't use. And it was all in the name of saving money. But wait, if you don't need, want or use the product isn't it still a waste, regardless of price? In my book, yes. So here is how I coupon.

1. I have my favorite brands; some are the off-brand, others are the dreaded name brands. Perhaps it is the scent of the toilet cleaner, the feel of the dish soap on my poor old hands or how the laundry detergent doesn't make the kiddos breakout in a rash. No matter reason, I know there are a lot of items that I won't stray from the three or four kinds I call tried and true. That does not mean that I always pay top dollar for these. In fact, I never pay full price for them. Sure a coupon can be hard to come by for us non-extreme couponers. But I know I need, want and use these particular products, so when they are on sale I buy all I can. Sometimes the store has a limit, that's fine. But believe me, if there is no limit I will buy all that is on the shelf.....and sometimes then ask if there are more in the back.

Enough is Enough, Sometimes It's Too Much

How much is enough? That's a tough question and it really depends on what you are talking about. Gorgonzola cheese? Never enough. Worn-out holed-up socks? Even one is too much.

So let's think about some of the less obvious ones. Sippy cups and bottles. Whoa. This is gonna get deep fast!

When my youngest was still of the cooing, bottle age I had a lot of bottles. And I mean a lot. Being as thrifty (okay, cheap) as I am, I hit every garage sale in our 'hood the summer before she arrived. And at each one I bought bottles; but really for pennies on the dollar who could pass them up?! I boiled them several times and bought all new nipples. By the time fall rolled around I had a brand-new baby and seriously 40+ bottles. I thought I was set.

Secrets of Sanity

I hear it a lot; people ask me how I get it all done each day. And I answer them honestly, I don't. Very little in my house is done on a daily basis. Sure there is the obvious like dressing, brushing teeth and eating (lots of eating) but as for the household chores, very few make the cut as a daily chore.

That being said, I should explain that I have sacrificed the glory of the "Everything's Done" moment to fight off the horrors of the "Nothing's Done" moment. I run the house on a weekly basis. But let's start with the daily items.

1. Dishes - and I mean all of them! Whether it means running the dishwasher half-full (ha, yeah right!) or running it twice, at one point during the day I wash every single dirty dish. A little confession here, I leave my supper dishes overnight. Yep, they see the sunrise. But it means that post-dinner I get family time. We play and read books. I share in their giggles instead of overhearing them from my post in the kitchen. But the following morning by 9 there is not a dirty dish to be found not even from that morning's breakfast.