We've been in the laundry room.
Not simply doing laundry. It was time for our annual summer clean out.
Our farmhouse is painfully short on storage space (which is why I am constantly looking for ways to hide ugly stuff), and our laundry room serves as linen closet, pantry, laundry center, home for the chest freezer, home for cleaning supplies and puzzles and craft supplies and games and school supplies. And two card tables, one adult-sized, one kid-sized. And the ironing board and a quilt hoop.
You're probably thinking that it is a large room, but it is not. It's just packed to capacity. And over the school year, more things get tossed in, less gets straightened up, and when summer rolls around, there is no floor to be seen and you must enter at your own risk.
So the past couple of weeks have found us doing just that...entering at our own risk, and cleaning and sorting and removing bags of stuff.
Jigsaw puzzling, that is. (We are usually inspired to do a puzzle after finding a stack of them on a shelf in the laundry room.) Summer days are great for spreading a 1000-piece puzzle out on the dining room table and puzzling in fits and starts. I love spending a few minutes here and there, building a puzzle and chatting with the girls. Of course, building puzzles can be addictive. Near the end, we are a bit obsessive and spend more than a few minutes.
Again, this is inspired by the laundry room clean-out. We uncovered oodles of craft kits, craft books, sewing projects, and art supplies! I am requiring Bekah to try one project per week, which will serve two purposes. One, she will learn some new skills and may, in the process, discover a handicraft that will become a hobby. Two, the things that don't excite her we can eliminate from the craft shelf and buy ourselves some free space. Win, win.
But it is so dreadfully humid that I am still tempted to stay within the four walls of my air conditioned home. Some people can't be pleased. Again, I am confirming my favorite weather quote which I stole from the sister of my friend Judy.
So the past couple of weeks have found us doing just that...entering at our own risk, and cleaning and sorting and removing bags of stuff.
We've been puzzling.
Jigsaw puzzling, that is. (We are usually inspired to do a puzzle after finding a stack of them on a shelf in the laundry room.) Summer days are great for spreading a 1000-piece puzzle out on the dining room table and puzzling in fits and starts. I love spending a few minutes here and there, building a puzzle and chatting with the girls. Of course, building puzzles can be addictive. Near the end, we are a bit obsessive and spend more than a few minutes.
I have declared it Craft Summer for Bekah.
Again, this is inspired by the laundry room clean-out. We uncovered oodles of craft kits, craft books, sewing projects, and art supplies! I am requiring Bekah to try one project per week, which will serve two purposes. One, she will learn some new skills and may, in the process, discover a handicraft that will become a hobby. Two, the things that don't excite her we can eliminate from the craft shelf and buy ourselves some free space. Win, win.
The temperatures are about twenty degrees cooler than they were last week!
But it is so dreadfully humid that I am still tempted to stay within the four walls of my air conditioned home. Some people can't be pleased. Again, I am confirming my favorite weather quote which I stole from the sister of my friend Judy.
"The older I get, the narrower my window of acceptable temperatures."
Isn't that a gem? Can any of you relate?
Another whim has seized me.
Maybe it was too much time spent in the laundry room. Maybe my brain is sizzling in all this summer heat. But a new house project is tickling my fancy, although I'm not sure if I have the ability to accomplish it. Hmmm...
My laundry "room" is in the basement. Nope. I am not inspired enough by this post to go down there and start cleaning. But I am very glad that you and your able assistants have tamed the beast for another while. Traditionally, we do jigsaws in winter. How interesting that you're doing them now. It has got to be miserably hot and humid! (Yes, I can appreciate the quote.)
ReplyDeleteI think Bekah's art projects can serve a third purpose-- art credit for school!
ReplyDeleteAnd by the way, according the meteorologists, the humidity is supposed to be lower this week. Maybe once the rain clears out...
I love to do jigsaw puzzles! My grandmother often had one out on her table that she had been working on. Hmmm....I may need to get one out.
ReplyDeleteWish you had shown before and after of the laundry room "make-over". (The good, the bad, the ugly). Could use some inspiration.
ReplyDeleteWe used the 4th of July holiday pulling funiture out from the walls, cleaning behind and under. (It was just my husband and me at home so we had time to do major cleaning. Love puzzles but don't do them often because, as you say, they can be addictive.
Blessings, Sharon D.
I have come to the conclusion that yes, you are crazy... it can't be the heat because you get these same whims in the cold! :)
ReplyDeletePuzzling, great idea. Somehow that has been classified as something to do on snow days in this house. Of course when we are trapped inside during heat waves we should be pulling them out too.
I can't begin to tell you how strangely crazy these days have been. I'm trying, really trying to get back into a routine but it seems in vain right now. Sigh. I think about visiting my Cheryl often so I really hope it's the thought that counts. :)
Blessings, Debbie
I recently cleaned our laundry room and thought I had it pretty well organized, but since the leak in the wall, and everything else is in a mess, I have found that we are right back where we started! I went to get boxes this week, and will be packing up as it seems that all of our wood floors downstairs will have to be sanded and refinished, we are also contemplating doing some painting. Major remodeling just wasn't on my to do list this year. I just wanted a new farmhouse sink. lol
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your Sunday snapshot post, seeing your grandchildren and your children staying connected with each other just blesses me so much! You have a beautiful family!
Enjoy your week,
Hugs,
Sue