Do you like my thrifted sheets? A twin set (white) that has never been used, and how about polka dots? (Total: $4.25.)
Here's my current list of fabulous things:
1. rick rack
2. ball fringe (which I now have a nice stash of, on account of DIL Natasha going shopping on “embellishment road” in Hong Kong (don't actually know the name of it but need to be there)
3. polka dots.
So I was g-chatting with Rosie today:
me: it's me, bugging you!
What do you want?
There were smiley faces in there but you can't copy them out of the chat, apparently.
So, anyway, apparently Rosie is taking me up on the entryway idea and is taking before pictures.
And that got me to thinking: Remember when we did Pretty Over the Kitchen Sink? The whole idea was that when you finally give into the reality of where you are, you can allow yourself to be happy by what you see. And what you see ought to be a confirmation of the respect you have for what you are doing, however humble it may appear to others.
That was us, looking out.
This is us, looking in! Seeing ourselves as others see us, and instead of taking refuge in that false notion that “someday, when it looks like a magazine, it will be nice.”
No, we need to make it attractive as it is now. If it's the best it can be, it will reveal itself to be one of two things:
1. just fine
2. in need of something particular that we can realistically plan for
Either way, it's good.
And the other good thing is that I'm pretty much done with my Reasonably Clean House posts (and have linked them all up in one place on the sidebar) (I may think of other stuff but I think you can go on what I have).
Which means, if you yourself know how to clean your house the Reasonably Clean House way, you can start training your kids!
Which means I'll start posting (in my usual desultory fashion) about chores and kids!
So, quick, go take your before pictures! Or if you already made it the best it can be (and some of you are wicked fast at doing stuff), post that! Remember, it's about making what you have welcoming and reasonably clean. No fair renovating your house. 🙂 (You can link to Flickr or a Picasa album if you like. Tell your friends to join too!)
We'll do it Monday and Rosie will host so she can show off her entry — AND, so you can still do {phfr} Thursday if you like! Don't forget about Thursday!
Okay, MWAH.
Jennifer says
Have you taught us how to thrift shop yet? I really don't know how or even where are good places to go, though your blog has inspired me to check craigslist and ebay for things we need and we have a couple of success stories on that front. My normal mode of saving money, is just not to shop. I do remember the blog on that one! This isn't too hard since I feel like just getting the grocery shopping done with two littles is about all I can handle. But we are moving soon and will need everything from appliances to window treatments. I need to start saving money on everything I can. Sheets for $4.25 is brilliant. So, how is this done and how is it done with kids in tow when babysitting options are limited?
Emily says
I have exactly the same question! Auntie Leila, a series on thrifting would be fabulous!
Andrea says
Oh I'm so glad you're doing this – I actually did take pictures yesterday with a plan to post today. I'll be sure to link up! It was such a wonderfully eye-opening idea – thank you for such great wisdom!
Also, I'm thrilled to hear you're going to be posting about chores and children. We've had 1 1/2 weeks of successful “official” chores that have been very successful, before that my girls just did what I asked them to do when I needed them to do something. I can't wait to hear your insights!
Mamabear, JD says
Rats. The UPS man brought 4 boxes of bulk groceries today and the kids and I made a cardboard robot right in the entryway. I guess I should relocate that mess.
_Leila says
Mamabear, don't you DARE!
justamouse says
*raiseshand* Another request to see the robot, please!
carrien (she laughs) says
I too have been eying my entryway since that post. I'll be at blogher all the rest of this week but maybe Monday I can show an after as well as a before.
ps. Rosie's entryway is already lovely and welcoming. I have no idea what she could be doing to make it better.
Suzanne says
I saw this post too late! I can't take the “Before” picture. Today I was like a woman possessed.The conversation with my husband when he came home went something like this:
Husband: Wow! This place is ***clean***! What got into you today?
Me: Auntie Leila.
Husband: Who?
Me: Auntie Leila — the writer of one of my favorite blogs.
Husband: What, she said you should clean before you blog?
Me: *sigh* She said to walk in and look at your house to see it the way others would see it.
Husband: Oh! Mmm …yeah…that would do it.
Me: I'm afraid those curtains have to go or be re-hung.
I don't think I'll be able to let the rest of the family in that part of the house for a few weeks, so I can enjoy the fruit of all that labor. Just kidding — sort of.
_Leila says
Haha, Suzanne, well, I hope you just post your *after*! We'd love to see it!
Margo says
I just got obsessed with ball fringe and sewing it onto a shirt – I'll take pictures of THAT this weekend too!
I'll try to join in the link up. Yours are always fun AND instructive!
Provincial Homemaker says
Oh, I am excited to see everyone's progress. I took the before photos yesterday as you suggested. The trouble is from our entry way you can see the lounge, dining and kitchen! So, now to just finish the job. I have weeds calling my name:)
Lisa G. says
How I envy you your rickrack and ball fringe! (and I think only us older folks are still calling it ball fringe – I've heard it named “bobbles”!)
Lynette says
I can't wait for the kids and chores help! I must confess that I don't have my 9 and 11 yr olds do chores. yep, I do it all. Oh I've printed out many a chore chart– but it just seems easier to do it than to teach them how and remind them over and over and over… What can this age (9-11) be expected to do? Could you also give your opinion on how to do allowance and chores? Should they be tied together or separate?
Carolyn S. says
I just wanted to take a minute to thank you for being the inspiration you are to me. I don't know how many times I've stopped in the middle of reading the day's entry to do exactly what you tell me to – and today was no exception. I stopped, grabbed a broom, and swept my front porch of the cobwebs that are easy to ignore as I rarely use my front door. All visitors do, however!
The goal now is to clean off my microwave stand that can be seen immediately upon entering – either front or back doors – and clean off the DR table. Gee, then I'll go upstairs to clean my bathroom and get all the rooms up there “reasonably” clean 🙂
Just….thank you… both for the inspiration and the encouragement. Bless you!
Kh. Patty says
I did our back entryway already, so no, no before pics either. I'll see if I can get it together enough to do a blog entry about it for Monday. It's been like two months! Walking 13-month-olds are bad for blogging.
justamouse says
Awesome! I can't wait!
Amy says
Thanks for the encouragement and advice, I love reading your blog. I didn't have time to do the front or back entrance, I really only had about 10 minutes before we had to get ready to leave for an appointment, so I thought I'd just take some shots of the first things you see when you enter our house, the kitchen, our bathroom and our bedroom. I cleared a counter in the part of the kitchen, and I tidied up the parts in our bedroom and bathroom that you see when you first walk in the door. My husband came home and kept asking me if I'd cleaned and told me a couple times how great the house look, you know, in the surprised excited kind of tone. lol. Thanks for the great idea!
Elena says
I would link, if I could. I've created a blog, but haven't been able to figure out the rest. 🙁
_Leila says
Elena, it's so easy! Put your post on your blog. In your post, put a link to LMLD. Post your post.
Now go to the Link post on LMLD (which we will put up on Monday). You will see a little blue thing at the bottom of the post with a little frog face that says “Add your post” — click on that and do what it tells you! If you mess up, you can delete it and try again!
Then leave a comment on our post!
That's all you have to do, easy-peasy!