I vow to organize my laundry room!

I can't believe I actually took pictures of one of the messiest rooms in my house...my dreaded laundry room! I REALLY can't believe I'm posting the pictures on my blog for ALL (yes all...heehee) the world to see! BUT there is a reason for my sudden burst of insanity. I'm going to join the 30 Day Organization Challenge from this great blog that I just discovered. I actually discovered it on the day that the challenge started but I put it out of my mind for a few days and now have decided to take the plunge...with my laundry room no less. I probably could have picked any room in my house right now as I feel like I'm drowning in clutter...in almost EVERY room! Sigh.

Do you know that my New Year's Resolution for 1990 was to get organized? I have since read so many organizing books. I love buying organizational books. I discovered that I'm a Sidetracked Home Executive years ago and set up a file system to do my chores. My favourite television show was Clean Sweep (gosh, I wish they'd come to my house!). I joined Fly Lady. I'm drawn to organizational blogs and have this blog's category listed under my favourites because I just LOVED how Amy organizes her home...sigh. So much inspiration and help, yet I feel like such a failure.

I LOVE the look of an organized space...I really do! I get more accomplished when my desk is clean. I'm happier and life is just so much better if my house is clean. Oh it all seems like the impossible dream to me but I know I will accomplish it...eventually.

People always think I'm organized because I have 8 children and homeschool...I just smile. My husband laughs...he knows better...poor man.

And so I take the challenge! It'll be less than 30 days for me and there will be Easter, a wedding I have to travel to, a baptism I have to travel too, homeschooling, volunteering and just life in general to distract me...BUT...I WILL take the challenge. When you (and ALL the world) see the pictures you will know why I have to. Please don't cry when you see the pictures...it'll just make me cry, too. I took these pictures AFTER I cleaned up a little and put a load of laundry on to wash.

If I could close the door I would but there is no door. This is what you see if you need to go to the downstairs washroom...yikes...close your eyes!

Wheee! I found an empty basket...I want to put the clothes that are in the wash right now out on the line. I think the weather looks good enough today. Perhaps that's crazy as it would be quicker to use the dryer but for some reason I enjoyed hanging the clothes out last summer and I really want to feel like winter is over...that might help ;o)

The other basket is full of mismatched socks. I really hate socks. I'd love to just dump the whole lot in the trash and buy new (different coloured) socks and start all over! But...as you might have guessed, I have a hard time throwing things away (even old socks). It'll be interresting to see how I deal with this, ya think?

These shelved just hang on the wall but they aren't strong enough to take the weight and sometimes things fall off onto the floor...LOL. I wish I could say "no thank you" when people offer to give me clothes. With 8 kids people are always giving me huge bags of clothes they don't want. I do try to pass things on and a few weeks ago Big Brothers and Sisters came and took away a few huge bags off my hands but I still have piles and piles to go.

The other side of the topsy-turvy shelf. If you can see on the top right I did try to organize before and put some of the baby blankets that I'm saving for my future grandchildren into plastic zip-up bags (the kind that nice sheets come in). Along the bottom are some hampers that I'd bought in an attempt to seperate laundry into different colours. I do have some good ideas (that's after over a decade of reading organizational books...LOL) but I have to follow through and label. I think labels are wonderful. That's probably why I love Amy's way of organizing her space...she's sure put her label maker to good use! I want one of those babies!!!

Wish me luck! The load of laundry has been done for awhile so I guess I'd better get busy! Now that I've committed to this and told the whole world (yes...they WHOLE world...heehee...I know everyone reads my blog) that I'm going to do this I'd better actaully DO it ;o) Can't wait to see the final results. Oh and if you feel so inclined please post a little encouragement...I might need it :o)