And here we are, pretty much at the end. You may just about be done, you may have lost track and have to do some (or all) of the SBS Project all over again. If you need to go back, do so. There's no shame in it. Life happens and no space can be perfect all the time. Or some of the time. Or at all. Right now I'm sitting in my living room and wouldn't even be able to walk a straight line through it due to all the Legos, books, and toys scattered on the floor. And you know what? It will still be there in 10 minutes when I'm done with my tea. And guess what else? I will be going back and doing half of the SBS Project again immediately and I'm not ashamed to say so.
As we wind down the SBS Project, I feel the need to note, rather emphatically, that we're going for a sexy sanctuary in the bedroom. Don't get too tied up in making everything perfect, because it will never get there. Perfection is unattainable in this life. What you are going for is a place that you and your spouse want to be in. A place that is (mostly) clutter free, comfortable, sexy, warm and inviting. Don't get too discouraged if your place doesn't look like a magazine. Most real houses don't look like that.
So, let's say you now have a completely clean, clutter free space of marital bliss. Now what? Celebrate! Put the kids to bed and have yourselves an amazing night. Buy some new lingerie (if you like and can afford it), light some candles, put on some music, and just be together in your new space. Shut everything out for a little while and just be together in the space that is set aside for you both.
Make bed/do laundry/tidy the floor.
Do a quick dust and vacuum/mop, if necessary.
Enjoy.
Showing posts with label (Sexy) Bedroom Sanctuary Project. Show all posts
Showing posts with label (Sexy) Bedroom Sanctuary Project. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Saturday, November 24, 2012
SBS Project Day 9
We're coming to the home stretch now! Whether you are literally on your 9th day of the (Sexy) Bedroom Sanctuary Project or it has taken you a month or so to get this far, applaud yourself! You are closer to creating a sexy space that you and your spouse want to be in.
Make bed/do laundry/have your containers. You get the idea.
Tidy floor, if necessary.
Clean under the furniture. For many of us (cough...me...cough) this is a very scary thing, but it can be done. Trust me. I can nearly guarantee that under your furniture does not look as bad as under mine. So, here's what you (and I) are going to do. Figure out how many pieces of furniture you have in your bedroom that need to be decluttered underneath. For me, I have a desk, nightstand, bed, and wardrobe that will need to be cleaned out from under and behind. The bed alone is probably going to take a whole day's work. Therefore, personally I'm going to break it up into a few days if I'm short on time or tired. You should, too. If it takes you a week to clean out from under the bed, so what? It gets done when it gets done.
Do one piece of furniture at a time. If it's very cluttered, set a timer for a certain amount of time, then stop working when the timer goes off. Or, decide you'll do half, or a third, or a quarter of a piece of furniture at a time. Go at your own pace.
Make bed/do laundry/have your containers. You get the idea.
Tidy floor, if necessary.
Clean under the furniture. For many of us (cough...me...cough) this is a very scary thing, but it can be done. Trust me. I can nearly guarantee that under your furniture does not look as bad as under mine. So, here's what you (and I) are going to do. Figure out how many pieces of furniture you have in your bedroom that need to be decluttered underneath. For me, I have a desk, nightstand, bed, and wardrobe that will need to be cleaned out from under and behind. The bed alone is probably going to take a whole day's work. Therefore, personally I'm going to break it up into a few days if I'm short on time or tired. You should, too. If it takes you a week to clean out from under the bed, so what? It gets done when it gets done.
Do one piece of furniture at a time. If it's very cluttered, set a timer for a certain amount of time, then stop working when the timer goes off. Or, decide you'll do half, or a third, or a quarter of a piece of furniture at a time. Go at your own pace.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
SBS Project Day 8
Today on the (Sexy) Bedroom Sanctuary Project, we're going to look at those flat surfaces that tend to collect junk. Don't panic! You can do this. Remember that you can break this up over several days if you have a lot to do.
Make bed/do laundry/have your containers. You get it.
Tidy main spaces of floor, if necessary.
Look at the flat surfaces. These are the tops of dressers, wardrobes, desks, display shelves, nightstands, etc. How long this step will take depends on how many surfaces you have and how messy they are.
Step by step, here is what you are going to do for each surface:
1. Grab your trash/donation/put away containers and keep them handy. You will put anything that doesn't belong in that space in the appropriate container.
2. Start decluttering. If you have a lot to do or are feeling overwhelmed, set a timer for a reasonable amount of time. I suggest 10 or 15 minutes if you are struggling. For each item you find, ask yourself if you love it and if you need it. If the answer is no, put the item in the donation or trash container.
3. When you are done removing all the clutter, all that should be left are things you (or your spouse) love or need. Dust the area. If it's light dust, use a feather duster. For heavier dust, use a rag.
Make bed/do laundry/have your containers. You get it.
Tidy main spaces of floor, if necessary.
Look at the flat surfaces. These are the tops of dressers, wardrobes, desks, display shelves, nightstands, etc. How long this step will take depends on how many surfaces you have and how messy they are.
Step by step, here is what you are going to do for each surface:
1. Grab your trash/donation/put away containers and keep them handy. You will put anything that doesn't belong in that space in the appropriate container.
2. Start decluttering. If you have a lot to do or are feeling overwhelmed, set a timer for a reasonable amount of time. I suggest 10 or 15 minutes if you are struggling. For each item you find, ask yourself if you love it and if you need it. If the answer is no, put the item in the donation or trash container.
3. When you are done removing all the clutter, all that should be left are things you (or your spouse) love or need. Dust the area. If it's light dust, use a feather duster. For heavier dust, use a rag.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
SBS Project Day 7
Now we're going to get into some heavy duty stuff. After we're done with the big stuff, which is going to take a few days, we're going to get into fun stuff, like making your sexy space. It will be fun.
Laundry/Make Bed/Have your containers. You've got this.
Tidy the floor. Anything on the floor that needs to be picked up? Do so.
Look at your clutter corners. These are areas where clutter just kind of falls and stays there. Next to your desk, between the bed and night stand, behind the door, etc. Today, we're going to start cleaning these. Have your donation, trash, and put away containers handy, pick a clutter corner, and start working. If your clutter corners are particularly messy, you are short on time, or you are struggling, break up clutter corners into several days. There's no shame in only doing one clutter area today. Or half of one. Go at your own pace. Remember, we are not doing under the furniture yet.
Laundry/Make Bed/Have your containers. You've got this.
Tidy the floor. Anything on the floor that needs to be picked up? Do so.
Look at your clutter corners. These are areas where clutter just kind of falls and stays there. Next to your desk, between the bed and night stand, behind the door, etc. Today, we're going to start cleaning these. Have your donation, trash, and put away containers handy, pick a clutter corner, and start working. If your clutter corners are particularly messy, you are short on time, or you are struggling, break up clutter corners into several days. There's no shame in only doing one clutter area today. Or half of one. Go at your own pace. Remember, we are not doing under the furniture yet.
Monday, November 19, 2012
SBS Project Day 6
How are you doing with your own Sexy Bedroom Sanctuary Project? Going well? Not so much? Remember, you can always back up and do a certain day or specific assignment again. No big deal. Remember, how fast you go here depends on the size of your room, what state it was in to begin with, how much time you have, and your physical ability.
Today is going to be an easy day. You've done 5 days (or more) so far. I'm proud of you! And I'm proud of me! So, we're going to slow down a bit today and pick up the pace tomorrow.
Make your bed/do some laundry/have your containers. You got all that by now, right? Same thing every day.
Take stock of clutter corners and flat surfaces. Take a look around the room. Notice where your clutter corners are. This is where things just fall and stay there. It could be next to your desk. Behind the door. Between the bed and the nightstand. Notice where these areas are in your room. Don't do anything else with them. Just take note of where they are.
Now, look around at all the flat surfaces in your room. I'm talking about the top of the dresser, nightstand, wardrobe, desk, etc. It may even be your bed if you have the tendency to throw things there. Notice where all these spots are, how many you have, and how cluttered they are.
That's it for the day. Tomorrow we'll start work on the flat surfaces and the clutter corners.
Today is going to be an easy day. You've done 5 days (or more) so far. I'm proud of you! And I'm proud of me! So, we're going to slow down a bit today and pick up the pace tomorrow.
Make your bed/do some laundry/have your containers. You got all that by now, right? Same thing every day.
Take stock of clutter corners and flat surfaces. Take a look around the room. Notice where your clutter corners are. This is where things just fall and stay there. It could be next to your desk. Behind the door. Between the bed and the nightstand. Notice where these areas are in your room. Don't do anything else with them. Just take note of where they are.
Now, look around at all the flat surfaces in your room. I'm talking about the top of the dresser, nightstand, wardrobe, desk, etc. It may even be your bed if you have the tendency to throw things there. Notice where all these spots are, how many you have, and how cluttered they are.
That's it for the day. Tomorrow we'll start work on the flat surfaces and the clutter corners.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
SBS Project Day 5
Today, I got downright cranky. The room was looking better and more comfortable, but I was moody for unrelated reasons. Sometimes, when I get moody, I clean. I did more today than I intended, but I'm happy with the progress.
Anyway, if you haven't cleared the clutter from the floor of your room (the obvious places in your line of sight), back up and do Day 4 until you have finished.
On to today's assignments!
Make your bed.
Have your trash/donation/put away containers handy. As you move throughout your space, put any obvious items you find in the appropriate containers.
Do a load of laundry if applicable.
Clean the walls and baseboards. Whether or not you can do this in one setting (or at all), depends on the size of your room and your physical ability. My room is not huge so I did it all at once. It's OK if you need to break it up over a few days.
My favorite way to get the dirt off the walls is to use a little bit of diluted Doctor Bronner's peppermint soap on a damp rag. Not only does it look cleaner, but it smells nice, too! And in all seriousness, it's amazing how far clean baseboards go to add a sense of order to a room. It sounds crazy, I know. But once you do it, you'll see what I mean.
Vacuum or mop the floor if applicable. Cleaning the walls may have released some dust and debris. Or your floor might be a mess after removing all the clutter. Either way, give the floor a quick cleaning. We're not talking about perfection here.
Anyway, if you haven't cleared the clutter from the floor of your room (the obvious places in your line of sight), back up and do Day 4 until you have finished.
On to today's assignments!
Make your bed.
Have your trash/donation/put away containers handy. As you move throughout your space, put any obvious items you find in the appropriate containers.
Do a load of laundry if applicable.
Clean the walls and baseboards. Whether or not you can do this in one setting (or at all), depends on the size of your room and your physical ability. My room is not huge so I did it all at once. It's OK if you need to break it up over a few days.
My favorite way to get the dirt off the walls is to use a little bit of diluted Doctor Bronner's peppermint soap on a damp rag. Not only does it look cleaner, but it smells nice, too! And in all seriousness, it's amazing how far clean baseboards go to add a sense of order to a room. It sounds crazy, I know. But once you do it, you'll see what I mean.
Vacuum or mop the floor if applicable. Cleaning the walls may have released some dust and debris. Or your floor might be a mess after removing all the clutter. Either way, give the floor a quick cleaning. We're not talking about perfection here.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
SBS Project Day 4
Carrying on, kids, carrying on.
When I walked into the bedroom Husband and I share this evening, I was not amused. Not angry, but a little discouraged. The new toner for the printer had come, and the boxes lay around. There had been people climbing all over the bed and it was a crumpled mess. There were pieces of errant laundry on the bed. A stack of unfolded clothes were waiting for me. The floor was still a sandy, cluttered disaster. What's to be done? Well, do what I did before. Remind the kids that this is personal space and go back to cleaning up. I can not stand to have a room that I can't walk through without tripping.
And, if I'm honest, it's not just the kids. It's Husband. It's me. It's all of us. But that's what this is all about. Turning the family storage room back into a sexy sanctuary. With that in mind, here are today's assignments.
Remind people of the law of your room, if necessary.
Make your bed.
Fold any leftover laundry. Wash more.
Have your trash/donations/put away containers handy.
Pick up the obvious spaces in your floor. We did a brief tidy of the floor yesterday. Today we're doing a deeper clean, picking up any floor space that is visible. That does NOT mean under your furniture. That's later. If your floor is particularly messy, break it up into smaller areas or use a timer set for a manageable amount of time. There is NO SHAME in breaking up this step over the next several days. Stop here and repeat this step until the visible parts of the floor (not under the furniture) are clean or manageable. When you finish, go on to the next day.
When I walked into the bedroom Husband and I share this evening, I was not amused. Not angry, but a little discouraged. The new toner for the printer had come, and the boxes lay around. There had been people climbing all over the bed and it was a crumpled mess. There were pieces of errant laundry on the bed. A stack of unfolded clothes were waiting for me. The floor was still a sandy, cluttered disaster. What's to be done? Well, do what I did before. Remind the kids that this is personal space and go back to cleaning up. I can not stand to have a room that I can't walk through without tripping.
And, if I'm honest, it's not just the kids. It's Husband. It's me. It's all of us. But that's what this is all about. Turning the family storage room back into a sexy sanctuary. With that in mind, here are today's assignments.
Remind people of the law of your room, if necessary.
Make your bed.
Fold any leftover laundry. Wash more.
Have your trash/donations/put away containers handy.
Pick up the obvious spaces in your floor. We did a brief tidy of the floor yesterday. Today we're doing a deeper clean, picking up any floor space that is visible. That does NOT mean under your furniture. That's later. If your floor is particularly messy, break it up into smaller areas or use a timer set for a manageable amount of time. There is NO SHAME in breaking up this step over the next several days. Stop here and repeat this step until the visible parts of the floor (not under the furniture) are clean or manageable. When you finish, go on to the next day.
Friday, November 16, 2012
SBS Project Day 3
Today on the Sexy Bedroom Sanctuary Project, we're just going to do what we did before, plus a little extra. I don't know about you, but I'm starting to feel a little peace entering my room already, which is fabulous, because I'm feeling kind of crabby.
Make the bed.
Put some laundry in to wash (if you have any waiting) and fold any clean clothes.
Have your containers ready for trash/donations/put away.
Pick up the laundry. Look around. Do you have any clean or dirty clothes on the floor? Pick them up. Fold them and put them away or put them in the hamper. If in doing this, you find any clothes that nobody wears but somehow keeps getting pulled back out, put it in your donation container. Or put aside to make rags from. Or toss it.
Brief floor tidy. If you now have enough room to sweep or vacuum the floor, even if you can't do all of the floor, go ahead and do that now. If you look and have anything on the floor that is obviously trash, doesn't belong there, or can get donated, put it in the appropriate containers. If you have a lot of floor space to clean, limit yourself to one specific area or set a timer for no more than 15 minutes and clean for that amount of time. Remember, if you do too much in one day you risk shutting down. This is a quick and dirty tidy, picking up anything that jumps out at us. This doesn't mean that you should clean all of the floor right now (you shouldn't), or clean out from under the furniture. That's later.
Make the bed.
Put some laundry in to wash (if you have any waiting) and fold any clean clothes.
Have your containers ready for trash/donations/put away.
Pick up the laundry. Look around. Do you have any clean or dirty clothes on the floor? Pick them up. Fold them and put them away or put them in the hamper. If in doing this, you find any clothes that nobody wears but somehow keeps getting pulled back out, put it in your donation container. Or put aside to make rags from. Or toss it.
Brief floor tidy. If you now have enough room to sweep or vacuum the floor, even if you can't do all of the floor, go ahead and do that now. If you look and have anything on the floor that is obviously trash, doesn't belong there, or can get donated, put it in the appropriate containers. If you have a lot of floor space to clean, limit yourself to one specific area or set a timer for no more than 15 minutes and clean for that amount of time. Remember, if you do too much in one day you risk shutting down. This is a quick and dirty tidy, picking up anything that jumps out at us. This doesn't mean that you should clean all of the floor right now (you shouldn't), or clean out from under the furniture. That's later.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
SBS Project Day 2
Yesterday, we took out the (obvious) trash, made our beds, thought about new sheets, and laid down the law as to who and what is and is not welcome in our sacred space. If you haven't finished those things, do those first before moving on.
Try not to do too much in one day. If you do, you'll just feel wiped out and will stop making progress. There is no shame in breaking up each assignment over multiple days or to do part in the morning and part in the evening. Go at your own pace.
All that being said, let's talk about the assignments for today.
Make your bed. We're going to making the bed every day from now on. I know it may sound a bit silly, but trust me on this. This little step adds a whole lot to the feel of the room.
Get your containers together. From now on, while in the process of cleaning and getting rid of all the clutter, we're going to have a trash bag (big or small), a container for donations, and a container (or two) for things that don't belong in the room. What the container is doesn't matter. Boxes, bags, baskets, whatever. Maybe you don't have anything to donate, or all that stuff actually belongs to you. Adjust accordingly. Don't do anything with the containers today. Just have them.
Do some laundry. Look around. Do you have clean laundry sitting around your room that needs to be folded and put away? Do it. Then put another load into the wash.
Try not to do too much in one day. If you do, you'll just feel wiped out and will stop making progress. There is no shame in breaking up each assignment over multiple days or to do part in the morning and part in the evening. Go at your own pace.
All that being said, let's talk about the assignments for today.
Make your bed. We're going to making the bed every day from now on. I know it may sound a bit silly, but trust me on this. This little step adds a whole lot to the feel of the room.
Get your containers together. From now on, while in the process of cleaning and getting rid of all the clutter, we're going to have a trash bag (big or small), a container for donations, and a container (or two) for things that don't belong in the room. What the container is doesn't matter. Boxes, bags, baskets, whatever. Maybe you don't have anything to donate, or all that stuff actually belongs to you. Adjust accordingly. Don't do anything with the containers today. Just have them.
Do some laundry. Look around. Do you have clean laundry sitting around your room that needs to be folded and put away? Do it. Then put another load into the wash.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
SBS Project Day 1
I want to be very careful about how I proceed here. By "day" I merely mean a chunk of time. It can be literally one day (it will be for me) or you can stretch it out over a couple of days. Anyway, I'm digressing already. So here's my strategy for the first day.
Lay down the law. As you saw in the intro, my kids are always hanging out in my room and dumping their stuff in there. I have now made it very, very clear that the space belongs to Mom and Dad. All others may only enter upon permission. Anything that goes into the room with a child comes out of the room with the child. Absolutely no Legos. Do you need a similar law? Do it. Do it with kindness and compassion, without blame, but be firm.
If this sounds a little harsh, remember: this is a haven and a sanctuary. Not a closet. Not a playroom. They have the rest of the house for that.
Take care of the sheets. Take a look at your sheets and quilts or blankets. Are they in good condition? Do you love them? If so, wash them, then make the bed. If your bed linens needs some help, try to get new if you can afford it. If you can't, wash and dry them and make your bed as best you can. Having bed clothes you love can actually go a long way.
Remove all obvious trash. Any trash cans or bags of trash that need to be emptied? Go do it. I'm talking about obvious trash, not to go looking for it. That comes later.
Lay down the law. As you saw in the intro, my kids are always hanging out in my room and dumping their stuff in there. I have now made it very, very clear that the space belongs to Mom and Dad. All others may only enter upon permission. Anything that goes into the room with a child comes out of the room with the child. Absolutely no Legos. Do you need a similar law? Do it. Do it with kindness and compassion, without blame, but be firm.
If this sounds a little harsh, remember: this is a haven and a sanctuary. Not a closet. Not a playroom. They have the rest of the house for that.
Take care of the sheets. Take a look at your sheets and quilts or blankets. Are they in good condition? Do you love them? If so, wash them, then make the bed. If your bed linens needs some help, try to get new if you can afford it. If you can't, wash and dry them and make your bed as best you can. Having bed clothes you love can actually go a long way.
Remove all obvious trash. Any trash cans or bags of trash that need to be emptied? Go do it. I'm talking about obvious trash, not to go looking for it. That comes later.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
The (Sexy) Bedroom Sanctuary Project...The Intro!
The bedroom Husband and I share is a very sad catchall of our lives. Unfolded laundry. Toys. Papers waiting to be filed. Piles of sand tracked in from outside. Towers of just...stuff. Very, very unsexy. Not just unsexy, but unsettling! I'm tripping over things, Husband doesn't know where his clothes are, and the kids seem to think any floor space is their playground. I was working on it. All of it. Slowly, but surely...until I get tired. And then the kids take over again. Then all of the work is negated.
Recently, I encountered the final straw: Facetime. For those of you that don't know, Facetime is a program that allows you to video chat on certain devices. The kids got in the habit of talking to Husband's parents, which at first was fine. Then, my youngest child got into a bad mood that has now lasted for 2 weeks, and when he gets mad, he goes to Facetime his grandparents. I don't blame him for it. He's only 5. But, more often than not, he, and his older brother, Facetime in my bedroom. Our bedroom. The room I share with Husband. It feels too much like I have way too many people in my personal space, even though those people are actually half way across the country. Don't get me wrong, I love that they can talk to each other. It's wonderful to have the kids occupied sometimes so Husband and I can just have a minute to breathe. At the moment, though, I'm feeling hormonal and tired and so...crowded. Do they know they are crowding me? No. It's not their issue (my kids or my inlaws). It's my issue. But it is an issue that desperately needs to be fixed to preserve my sanity.
Therefore, for the two reasons stated above (clutter and privacy), I am taking back our bedroom! It is a space for myself and my husband only. Everyone else may only enter upon invitation. I know it's childish of me, but this is a small house and sometimes Mom just needs a little bit of space! Space that belongs to no one else but myself and my husband. This is where we talk. Where we argue. Where we love. Where we dream. Where we cuddle. Where we nurse each other in illness. Where we reassure each other. Where we need to be at the end of the day. It is our space, and doesn't deserve to be treated like the whole family's closet and conference room. I am making a stand and taking it back. I will make it into the sanctuary it is meant to be!
In the next few weeks, I'm going to be setting aside chunks of time and give myself assignments to complete in the bedroom. When it is all over (I don't know when that will be until I write out a schedule), I will have the bedroom that we deserve. I'll be posting what I'm doing, so everyone is free to follow along and do their own SBS Project. Join me? I think you'll want to.
Recently, I encountered the final straw: Facetime. For those of you that don't know, Facetime is a program that allows you to video chat on certain devices. The kids got in the habit of talking to Husband's parents, which at first was fine. Then, my youngest child got into a bad mood that has now lasted for 2 weeks, and when he gets mad, he goes to Facetime his grandparents. I don't blame him for it. He's only 5. But, more often than not, he, and his older brother, Facetime in my bedroom. Our bedroom. The room I share with Husband. It feels too much like I have way too many people in my personal space, even though those people are actually half way across the country. Don't get me wrong, I love that they can talk to each other. It's wonderful to have the kids occupied sometimes so Husband and I can just have a minute to breathe. At the moment, though, I'm feeling hormonal and tired and so...crowded. Do they know they are crowding me? No. It's not their issue (my kids or my inlaws). It's my issue. But it is an issue that desperately needs to be fixed to preserve my sanity.
Therefore, for the two reasons stated above (clutter and privacy), I am taking back our bedroom! It is a space for myself and my husband only. Everyone else may only enter upon invitation. I know it's childish of me, but this is a small house and sometimes Mom just needs a little bit of space! Space that belongs to no one else but myself and my husband. This is where we talk. Where we argue. Where we love. Where we dream. Where we cuddle. Where we nurse each other in illness. Where we reassure each other. Where we need to be at the end of the day. It is our space, and doesn't deserve to be treated like the whole family's closet and conference room. I am making a stand and taking it back. I will make it into the sanctuary it is meant to be!
In the next few weeks, I'm going to be setting aside chunks of time and give myself assignments to complete in the bedroom. When it is all over (I don't know when that will be until I write out a schedule), I will have the bedroom that we deserve. I'll be posting what I'm doing, so everyone is free to follow along and do their own SBS Project. Join me? I think you'll want to.
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