15-minute Tackle: Guest Room / Thank You Cards

I'm really happy that The Domestic Contessa is hosting the 15-minute Tackle on Tuesdays.  I'm hoping that by participating each week, it will make me accountable for getting my weekly task completed. 

I wouldn't want to admit failure to all of you! 

While working on my 15-minute Tackle last week, I realized that since Grace was born, my daily life has become a series of 15-minute Tackles:

loading the dishwasher, sorting laundry,

making dinner, filling bottles,

taking a shower....you get the idea!

Gracie sleeps great at night.  As a result of her sleeping 12 hours straight every night, she rarely naps longer than 5 to 10 minutes, if at all.  

I see it as a trade-off for a great night's sleep! 

I also see it as a major obstacle in getting anything accomplished

on a day to day basis. 

Gracie will nap occasionally for more than 5-10 minutes, but only if I'm holding her.  If I hold her (like today), she'll take a 2 or 3 hour nap. 

I use that time to catch up on some of my shows that Comcast offers On Demand (I wish they offered all the shows I like On Demand). 

But, holding her doesn't allow me to get anything accomplished around the house.  Defeats the purpose of naptime, as far as I'm concerned. 

She loves watching TV. 

As much as I hate the TV being her babysitter, I  NEED to get stuff done. 

Yo Gabba Gabba, The Wiggles, and Jack's Big Music Show all seem to be the best at keeping her occupied and happy while I get a few things done. 

She loves music and all three of these shows provide lots of singing and dancing as well as some very educational lessons! 

Last week, my 15-minute Tackle was all about decluttering.  I needed to get some baby stuff packed away and get the Christmas decorations down and packed away for Joe to put up in the attic. 

I did great on both tackles! 

I have a huge box of baby clothes that Grace has outgrown, as well as her

co-sleeper and infant carseat in the garage.  I wasn't able to get the swing broken down, so that will have to wait for hubby to do. 

I also have 5 bins of Christmas stuff all ready to go and live in the attic until it's time to bring them down to decorate next year.

Here's the proof: 

The carseat box is holding all of the outgrown baby clothes, her co-sleeper is stacked on top and sitting in front is her infant carseat. 

The three red bins are all Christmas decorations and there is a clear bin on top that is holding some Christmas lights that Joe bought on clearance. 

The 5th bin is still in the basement. 

Joe said he'd carry it up since it's bigger than me! 

It's all still in the garage waiting to be put up in the attic. 

Joe worked most of the weekend and didn't get the chance to take it up yet.

But it's really not bothering me being in the garage. 

I was so focused on getting this done, I was able to spare more than 15 minutes each day on each one.  Every chance that I had where Grace was playing quietly or enjoying one of her shows, I forced myself off of the sofa to get it all away.

I managed to get done early and work on a tackle that I had planned for this week.  Kitchen cabinets.  I reorganized 4 of the cabinets in my kitchen! 

I'm very pleased with myself! 

This week's tackle is going to be the guest room.  The guest room is where most of our clutter lives since we don't have guests too often. 

I'm hoping to have a visitor in the next couple of weeks

and the guest room isn't fit for sleeping at all! 

Here's a small peek at what I have to deal with this week: 

 

Paper seems to be our biggest clutter problem.  Coupons, bills, newspapers, sale ads, printed recipes from the internet....

I really need to find a system that works for us, but until then, I just want this room to look clean! 

I'll also be working on thank you cards from Christmas.  I had something in the works, but that plan fell through, so I have to come up with something else and get them out in the mail soon!