Getting Our House In Order

Now that I'm a stay-at-home mom, I finally have time to clean! Sure it's a challenge with a newborn baby who is constantly making more laundry, but Tenley does mommy a favor and takes at least one long nap each day allowing me a chance to do a fast one or two-hour cleanup. 

Our apartment looks decent right now but I'll be the first to admit that these photos are a few weeks old. Still, I've somehow managed to keep all these areas looking the way they do in the photos at least. 

I started by cleaning out the junk. By that, I mean I went through our closets and boxes and gathered together anything that we have never used or no longer use and stuck it in a box for Deseret Industries. It was hard at first--I will admit that--but once I got started, I was on a roll and it got easier and easier to throw out the junk. Especially when I reminded myself of the consequences of becoming a hoarder (not that we are even remotely close, but still, you don't want to start down that path...) which I have seen firsthand. 

I organized our papers and records and stowed them away. 

I targeted our closet next because it was such a huge job and I wanted to get it over with. I found a new, more space-efficient way to fold clothes and organized all of them. And I really mean "all."

Our closet looks a zillion times better

My long-sleeved shirts (yes I have a full drawer...)

My jeans, pants, and skirts (this is kind of a temporary arrangement)

My t-shirts and tank tops 

Dalin's shirts--all filed away and easy to access

His pants, shorts, and sweaters

Our nursery...for now. It isn't that cute yet, but it's clean at least  

Tenley's books and things (she has way more now though) 

Her pack 'n play with the bassinet attachment and a picture of Jesus nearby

Her cure window sill--P.S. pay attention to the bird theme 

The shelves and desk in her room. Not perfect, but it's an organized clutter

I still need to reorganize the kitchen, pantry, and bathroom, but I feel like we are in good shape for now! I am looking forward to getting all areas of the apartment in tip-top shape so I won't stress about the many messes that develop daily.

As much as I love being clean, I hope I am not subconsciously making an excuse to procrastinate my online classes. Right now, I dread doing anything for them. But I have four months to complete three of them, and while that should be very possible, I've already blown eight months. But having a clean home is important, too, and I feel as though if I can get that done, I'll better be able to focus on my stinky schoolwork. (BTW, I've never been a slacker, but BYU online classes are HARD!! They are much harder than BYU-Idaho's online classes because with Independent Study, you are seriously on your own--I've tried contacting two of my professors with no luck. For eight months. I would say that's a significant problem, but so far I haven't received any help.)

Anyway, once I get the apartment clean, thank-you notes written and mailed, and schoolwork accomplished, I'd like to do an even more thorough cleaning of our home...I want to start couponing and basically become the best homemaker I can be since that is now my full-time job. It is not in my nature to do a job crappily. Either I do it well, or I don't do it all.

I will post more photos of my organization progress once I have made some...

What are you doing to get your house in order? Do you have any advice for me on how I can do something differently or better?