The Master Cleaner

Cleaning out and organizing things this time of year brings a sense of peace. "Out with the old and in with the new" rings in the new year in more ways than one. While I do love getting my home and calendar in order, the new year also offers time to ponder the spiritual.

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too. (Matthew 23:25-26 NLT)

I would be remiss to spend so much time cleaning and organizing the outward environment and neglect the inner mess. Yes, there's mess. There will always be mess as long as we live on this planet. Mess that needs tending to...cobwebs that need sweeping, windows too dirty to see out of and closets filled with secrets. Thankfully there's no mess too big for my God to clean up. Nothing hidden in the dark recesses He hasn't seen. My job is to throw open the doors and windows and invite the Master Cleaner to do His work.

So while I'm purging and organizing, I'm also inviting the Holy Spirit into my mess. Pretty sure He's got the bigger job here.

Cheap laundry room makeover

As I mentioned before we've been reorganizing.  Sort of like nesting without the impending delivery. 

One of the only things I'm not crazy about in our house is the laundry room.  I really hate to even complain...seeing as how some people across the globe do their laundry in the river and all, but for our family of six it's a bit small.  I decided that small or not, it needed a bit of perking up. 

I actually hadn't planned to work on the laundry room just yet, but was inspired by some black and white toile contact paper I found at Dollar Tree...yes, I heart Dollar Tree.  I lined the shelf with the contact paper, bought the kids some new blue laundry baskets to go with the color scheme, shopped my house for some things that matched and viola - a mini laundry room makeover for $7!

The large 'S' I found at a thrift store.  It's fun and funky and makes me smile.  The black stool is a long ago garage sale find and has been in every room of my house at least 10 times.  The 'live, love, laugh' bottles are from Dollar Tree (I think), the pitcher is one Mike painted for me years ago and the basket/liner were a Christmas gift from a friend.  I thought it all went so nicely with my new shelf paper.  Yes, it's the little things that make me happy.

Covered cardstock with extra shelf liner and inserted in the front of the canvas bins I've had for years.  I also covered the light switch plate in the toile.

The kids matching laundry baskets...don't worry...it's clean.

More cute labels covered with the cute contact paper tied with cute ribbon I already had.

Oh, the frugal cuteness of it all!

Pinterest inspired gifts

I'm B-A-C-K!  Thanks to those who checked on my blogging absence.  Still alive and kickin', just not kickin' it on the computer.  Our computer's on the fritz and I can't even begin to explain how crazy it makes me...yes, crazier than I already am!  What should take 10 minutes ends up taking 45 while I wait on the computer to unfreeze it's silly self and catch up with me. 

We had a whirlwind of a December that's culminating in a wonderful week off for Mike. Week off for Dad means a week off for us all.  We've been sleeping in, cleaning up, reorganizing and hanging out.  The week between Christmas and New Year's is my favorite of the year.  It's the one week I don't feel any pressure.  It's the one week there is nothing on the calendar.  It's like a deep breath before we jump back into reality. We can regroup and get ready to start a fresh, new year.  I like that.

Most of you are probably Pinterest addicts like myself.  If you're not, you should be.  Here's a glimpse of the Pinterest inspired Christmas gifts I made. 

 

DIY photo tile - used our own family photo...I have no idea who those people are.

 

Crocheted washcloths - so soft!

 

Peppermint sugar scrub - made myself some too.  LOVE this!  You really must try it.

Yarn tied scarf - made some in corals/browns/off-white.  Mine were fluffier than these, but you get the idea.  If my computer weren't so cantankerous I'd take my own photos, but we'll have to settle for looking at someone else's pics. The scarves turned out so nice I made myself one too.  Wow!  I really gave myself some great presents this year!

Hopefully the computer will cooperate and I will be back to blogging more regularly in 2012.  We'll see.