My Pre-Labor Day Labor

After the crazy busy weekend I've had, I'm so glad it's Labor Day weekend.  I really need another day to relax a little - because I really put in some labor around my house yesterday.

After I pulled myself away from the computer yesterday morning, I spent about five hours cleaning.  Yes, I wrote that correctly - 5 hours!!!  My bedroom had become a catch all for everything from bedding, to empty boxes, to an array of miscellaneous items that I couldn't be bothered to find a home for.  Walking into my room was more like walking into a storage room - ever seen the show Clean House? - and it was driving me C-R-A-Z-Y!!  On top of that, I'm one of those mothers that insists on my kids keeping their rooms clean.  How hypocritical is it of me to constantly be on my kids' case about cleaning their rooms, when my own room has ten times the mess?

So, I put myself to work (with some help from Zoe) and we started organizing, bagging things up I didn't need, and finding homes for things that shouldn't be in my room.  I cleaned out my clothes, once again, and ended up with a 30 gallon trash bag, and 2 shopping bags full of clothes that I can no longer wear - because it's all too big.  The last time I cleaned out my clothes, I got rid of the size 22s and up.  I held on the size 20s because I could still wear the pants with a belt and the shirts were just a little baggy.  Well, they all had to go - because even with a belt - the pants looked ridiculous, as well as the shirts.  I was so happy to see them go, but it always hurts when I find things that I only wore maybe once.  I'm a pretty thrifty shopper, and when I spend money on clothes I expect to wear them for a while.  Having several pairs of size 20 pants that I bought at the beginning of the summer, that I only wore once, is bittersweet.  It's nice knowing I beat my goal a lot more than I thought I would - but I kick myself and think I should of just waited.  So, finally after about 3 hours of folding, loading, lifting, and hauling - my room is finally SPOTLESS!!!  But, I wasn't done....

After I was finished with my room, I was "in the mood".  The cleaning mood, that is.  I decided it was time to battle my office.  My office is supposed to be my sanctuary.  A place that hubby designed for me in the spare room where I can retreat to for working out, working on my computer, and a place to go when I need some time alone.  Since starting my internship, however, my office has become another "catch all" for school supplies, school books, and Zoe's toys.  I definitely did not feel like I was walking into a sanctuary when I walked in there.  With some help from Prairie Dawn, and the opposite of help from Zoe, we spent two hours sorting books, shelving books, un-shelving books, re-shelving books, and moving the furniture around.  Finally, my office was back to it's zen-like self (as close as I could it, anyway).  It's amazing how much shelf space I now have available when yesterday, every shelf was cluttered to the MAX!  Just a little organizing and straightening can go a very long way.

By the time I was done with all that cleaning - I was zonked.  Remember how I said last week how you can find other ways to work-out around the house?  Well, I think I definitely put in a great work-out yesterday.  This morning, my arms hurt (just like they do after a good weight session), my legs hurt (like they do after a good run), and I feel great....just like I do after a really good work-out. 

Today, I'm going to try my best and relax.  After a day walking around the fair on Saturday, and cleaning most of the day yesterday, I think I deserve a day off.  I have to go and walk around Wal-Mart this afternoon to do my grocery shopping, so I will be doing something.  Other than that, it's in front of this computer to do homework or in front of the TV relaxing for me.

Till next time.  ;)