Organizing and Planning for 2006

Just before Christmas struck us the idea for moving came up again. Both DH and I feel like the walls are coming in at us in this house. This was never meant to be our forever house, or even our long-term house. It was our starter home. Now, three kids later, we are really starting to feel pinched.

Part of the problem is me. I am horrible about getting rid of stuff. I do it, but I never seem to be able to get rid of enough stuff, or organize the stuff we are keeping so that we use space wisely. Homeschooling, and all the accompiant stuff has made it even worse this year.

So, last week during one of my 'let me just look through the on-line listings for what is available' moods I came across a house that is a strong possibility. It this first house that has made my husband sit up and say "call the agent and see when we can walk through it." It is 5 bedrooms/3 baths and has lots of interior and exterior space. And even more amazingly it would be something we can afford right now with only the slightest monthly stretch, if even that. DH has also said that I do not need to get my hopes up. He realizes that we need something larger and is ready to make it happen, but we really need to like (love?) the next house. And if it isn't something he feels 100% about we are not going to do it. But at least we are looking. We are going to hopefully go see the interior (we have already driven by and looked over the neighborhood and yard) on Friday when he is off from work.

Until then, we still have to tackle the clutter and the organizing of what we do have. Especially with the new Christmas and birthday things that we have gotten this month. Friday night as I was sitting and fretting over how messy and cluttered the house looked and how I was out of places to stuff things, I finally did something new. I actually went to my husband and said "help!" So he gave me some ideas and we discussed how we use certain rooms and closets. And then told me that with his four day weekend this coming weekend, he will physically help me sort, organize and dispose of the stuff.

Now, I know four days, with 3 children, is not going to be nearly enough so I started on it yesterday. So far I have:
Cleaned out the closet in EMs room, which was being used as general storage.
Rearranged furniture in both EM's room and the big girls' room
Made EM a play area in her room
Moved all misc toys back into MB's and K's room from the Family Room
Moved board books from the family room cabinet to EM's room
Reorganized board games in new cabinet space
Bought and placed new area rug in Family Room to replace old one (a puppy casualty)
Bought and put together new storage cubes to use in family room to store educational toys
Began sorting my clothes in the master bedroom closet

What we still have to do:
Reorganize all book storage throughout the house - move my books into Den to allow for homeschool stuff in FR
Reorganize art & craft storage and other homeschool materials
Make room in master closet to store my craft/hobby supplies
Move mine and dh's music collection from family room into den
Reorganize the girls' closet, maybe set up new closet organizing system
Reorganize the family room cabinets that hold board games and coloring supplies
Generally clean and find an appropriate home for everything!!

If we can figure out the best way to store all the cr*p we own, then half our battle will be done. I still think we will have to move. MB and K sharing a room just isn't working out. K is such an introvert I don't think she is comfortable sharing with anyone, and she is also 3 and drives MB nuts. MB is entering the phase of wanting some more privacy and places to put her very own special collections without sisters messing with them. So if anyone has some ideas of how to meet the needs of these children while they are still having to share a room, please let me know.

The movie is over,and I promised hot chocolate.

Peace,

Amy