Last Friday kids and I had fun spring-cleaning. As soon as dad came home I started emptying, cleaning and reorganizing kitchen cabinets one after the other. After I guess two of the cabinets, my son came and told me he wants to help. He started helping in emptying and wiping the cabinets. My daughter as well asked if she can also clean something, so I gave her a clean wet towel and told her to clean the cabinet doors.  They had a blast helping me and they were proud of themselves telling dad that they are helping mom getting ready for Nowruz.

This lasted only about half and hour, but it was the most enjoyable half an hour of my life. They had a goal, a purpose. We all enjoyed working together. They still like to help but not that excited about it.

This experience reminded me of my mom telling stories of her childhood and Nowruz cleaning (spring cleaning). Unlike now they used to live in big houses with grandparents, uncles and cousins and for Nowruz the kids each, had a section of the house to clean. She always tells the story with such joy, remembering all the fun they had cleaning the house as a family all together.

I hope to create that joy for my kids too. Maybe these memories stay with them a life time.

I have only 8 days left to finish my project. So far so good with organizing, more than half the kitchen is organized. The spice cabinet is done which is the most important and difficult one. But!  Yes, there is a big but, my whole house is upside down due to my son’s birthday party couple of days ago and his sickness the day after.

Until later,

Well I don’t know what day of this project it is, all I know is that I only have another 18 days to finish all the things I wanted to do to get my life more organized and efficient, and do my spring cleaning at the same time.

Up to now I have organized the master bedroom (mentioned on previous post) the kids bedrooms are all organized and cleaned from top to bottom. I have changed the decoration of my son’s room, changed the place of his bed to make his room more accessible and organized.

Now the kids know what belongs where, every toy has a place! Which was not like that before; they had some toys that didn’t belong to a specific spot and ended up anywhere. So far so good, I was consistent on asking them to clean up their room before bed (putting everything back in it’s place), well they didn’t like it but did it anyway after a lot of going back and forths. I just have to keep in mind not to miss a day on enforcing this, otherwise I will lose the battle and things will go back the way it was.

Bathroom cabinets and few of the kitchen cabinets are organized as well. Looks like I’m almost there, but there are lots to do and I hope I’ll make it in time. Specially that I’m thinking of baking some traditional cookies like Nokhodchi (chickpea cookie) and Noonberenji (rice cookie) for Nowruz. These will take a good chunk of time to do.

Next stop is the rest of kitchen cabinets, fridge, and the TV stand in family room. Then vacuuming, mopping and washing the windows. Just that, nothing more, or is it! I don’t know I’ll get to it when I get there, just thinking of all of these makes me tired. I had a long day, doing my chores and keeping the children busy and entertained.          Off to bed, thank goodness for nights.

Until later,

We all know hot dogs are not good choice of food. Now we should think of choking hazards of it too. American Academy of Paediatrics’ wants to put choking hazard labels on hot dog, or better yet redesign it so it won’t fit a child’s airways. I’m not sure how the future hot dogs will look like, but I’m sure a choking hazard label won’t help.

Most moms that I know are careful to give their children appropriate foods, size, shape and nutrition wise. Many foods are choking hazards you can’t put label on them it’s just common sense. I don’t cut grapes anymore, my children are 3 and 5, but if for some unforeseen reason they have a hot dog it is cut. I cut them not because of the resent news but because to me it is easier for them to eat it.

I don’t think redesigning hot dog will help anything, the rate of choking on hot dog is only 17%. Educating people and giving them tools to be able to prevent choking or in case of choking, help their kid is something that can help reduce the rate of choking.

To me one of the most important thing to learn as a mom is Heimlich manoeuvre. This is the most effective method to use in case of choking. The first thing I learned when I had my son 5 years ago was this method. My children were talented in choking, even on their own saliva. This method saved me a few times specially with my daughter that puts everything in her mouth even now that she is 3 . I taught my children to chew well and not to talk or walk while eating. What do you do to prevent choking? It would be nice to share our experiences to multiply our knowledge in this important issue.

Until later,

Looks like I have more luck doing anything on weekends. So far I was only able to organize kids books. I tried to organize them by putting most popular books in boxes on the bookshelf so they can get them easily without knocking the rest down on the floor.  I also managed to go through 1/3 of the CDs and DVDs to see what is working what is not and organize them in one box. But that’s all and I have a lot to go. Weekdays is all about classes, games, reading and crafts; not cleaning and organizing.

I think I will have a hard time to finish in 38days, most of my work should be on weekends.

Until later,

I started with master bedroom for a change, most of the times this is the last room I clean. Man I keep junk. I thought I won’t have space to organize everything. Turned out that I have more than enough space to organize things, I just had to let go and through away some things that I keep just for the sake of keeping.

I have to explain something, in Chinese calendar I was born in the year of mouse. What mouse does? Collect things!! This is so true, I can’t through away things, I keep them just in case I need them later. Most of the times this later won’t come and I just end up dusting things that I don’t really want to use.

Trash it!! Today was trash day for me; I was in the mood of getting rid of things that are just cluttering my life. This is actually therapeutic, can you believe that. I feel much better now that I de-cluttered. Now I know I have too many sewing and kneading to do. Lots of fabric and yarns waiting to be used and a few unfinished project were hiding under my bed in a container!!! Not that I didn’t know I just ignored them

Tips:

I followed two rules in organizing my room.

1-      Gather all related items at one place, this helps you check your inventory, and cuts the time you have to look for it.

2-      Use all sort of boxes and containers to organize items in. The finished look is more neat and clean that just putting them on the shelf. Moving them is easier as well.

So one room and one washroom done,  the rest of the house to go. I think next stop is family room.

Until later.