Nifty Notion #7: Cleaning by Number

No doubt you’ve heard of painting by number - a handy little kit that tells you where to paint what colour. You barely have to think but soon have a masterpiece.

This is cleaning by number. A handy little tip that helps you to clean a cluttered room. You barely have to think and soon have a clean area.

Here’s how it works…

Option A: Good for days when you lack motivation but must. Days when you can’t see the wood for the trees.

1. Pick a low-ish number. No more than twenty.
2. Randomly choose that many things from amongst the clutter and put them away.
3. Pick another number (or if you really liked the previous one stick with that).
4. Randomly choose that many things from amongst the clutter and put them away.
5. Rinse and repeat.

Option B: Good for when you’ve really neglected an area. You don’t have the energy today (or tomorrow) but want to get started. A slightly longer term plan for dealing with the messy mounds.

1. Pick a bigger number. Somewhere between twenty and fifty.
2. Randomly choose that many things from amongst the clutter and put them away.
3. You’re done in this room for Today.
4. Tomorrow (and the day after, if needed) – rinse and repeat.

  

I have had to employ these methods this week to deal with a certain sewing area and the attached lounge room. Some days you can, some days you can not. The point is to work at a pace that suits. We’re not talking running, or even necessarily walking; crawl if you must. Just do something. You will feel better for it.

And here's some extra encouragement...

^{Isaiah 40:28} Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
³¹ but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

For other nifty notions click here

Where Home Is

Join me in the Five Minute Friday Challenge hosted by Lisa-Jo Baker. Participants write for 5 minutes with no editing, no over thinking, and no backtracking. This week’s word is: Home.

(Go)

I’ve moved around a bit. Left a piece of me in each town. Got a piece of each town in me.

As a child I always thought of my birth town as home – even when we lived one thousand kilometres away. Home then meant family; grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins. As an adult, I’ve done the same thing – lived one thousand kilometres away (in the other direction this time). For a while home still meant roots; parents, siblings, nieces and nephews.

I still haven’t moved back home. To that town at least. I’ve found a new one. I’ve found a new me. Home is the place where I create a reflection of that.  Home is husband and children. Home is where you will find a collection of things that we love - displayed in a way that expresses who we are. Home is where I can be myself. Home is a safe place to land.

Home is my home away from home – my forever home in glory.

(Stop)

Now, your turn…

New Every Morning

Today I'm linking up with Create With Joy for Wordless Wednesday. Here we share our favourite photos with or without words...




Here's a snap I had fun taking one morning out in the rose garden. (Hint: Click on the image to see a larger version)

Ordinary Treasure

Join me in the Five Minute Friday Challenge hosted by Lisa-Jo Baker. Participants write for 5 minutes with no editing, no over thinking, and no backtracking. This week’s word is: Ordinary.

(Go)

It was an ordinary day. Out digging in the dirt. Building a garden to cheer the yard up. It soon became obvious that the ground around here is full of glass. Bits and pieces of this and that. Fragments of many colours and thicknesses. We set each piece aside. Initially because we didn’t want a garden full of sharp pieces - and then because we were becoming intrigued by it all.

Wanting to be clear of the grass roots we dug a little deeper. The shards of glass became recognisable bottle necks and bases. Our digging had ceased to be about creating a flower bed. We were hosting our own private ‘Time Team’. By the time we were done we had a few whole bottles, and a couple of other mostly whole pieces to add to the collection.

After a little research we came to learn that our ‘new’ treasures had been somebodies rubbish pit. Somebody in the 1880’s.  

Do you think they would be amused to know that their ordinary is now on display in a cabinet? Would they laugh if they knew it began our vintage bottle collection?

Revelation 21:5 Behold I make all things new

There are treasures to be had in the everyday ordinary. It all depends on the way we choose to view them.

(Stop)

Now, your turn…

Two Little Smiles From My Week

‘It takes both sunshine and rain to make a rainbow’ – I’m sure you have heard that one before. But did you know it takes sunshine and rain to grow roses? I mean, seriously, I did know that. But I was so focused on the individual elements that I couldn't see them working together – in my own front garden.

We had sun, so much sun. The plants we wanted to grow in our garden were really struggling. Only the weeds seemed to thrive. Then we had rain, so much rain. And when that got done drowning everything, all I could see were those thriving weeds.

The sun came out again. It was hot and humid. So I stayed indoors with the fan.

Now it’s raining again. A lot.

We were getting ready to go out. I was almost at the front gate when they waved at me. Two most perfect little rose buds. I looked up at the dark clouds looming overhead and ran inside to grab the scissors. The rain was not going to ruin these. We would enjoy them inside instead.

Apparently my eyes have not been working so well. The more I looked, the more I saw. Initially, I had planned on collecting just two rose buds to enjoy. I came back inside with a handful numbering twenty one!

That friends, right there, is heart medicine. The kind God prescribes.

Here’s another dose…

Six years ago, I sat and bawled my eyes out to the Newsboys singing ‘Blessed Be Your Name’. My (then) four year old looked at me worriedly and told me not to cry. He was too young to understand that Mummy and Daddy so desperately wanted him to have a little sister or brother (ok, we were leaning very heavily on the sister side). It wasn't happening as easily as we had hoped.

I took some pictures a few days ago. Despite the blurriness, they are too good not to share.

Here is my (now) four year old dancing his little heart out to the Newsboys singing ‘Blessed Be Your Name’. 

 He doesn't understand why Mummy has a tear in her eye either.

Got a moment of blessing you'd like to share? Tell us all about it in the comments below.