I just pulled out a box of toys my kids have not seen in several months.  My five year old said "Mom, this is the best day EVER!" :o)  All five of them are in one room playing with their (old) toys but acting like they are brand new presents.  The toys that had been out are now stored away in the closet.

I used to have about seven different boxes of toys in a closet and I would bring out a different box each week.  I haven't been that organized since we moved.  But the kids loved it and it really kept the clutter down.

After they receive a new stock of toys (at Christmas) we go through the old toys and box up the ones that are rarely played with (or that really annoy me or that are similar to others that we have...how many trucks do we really need?).  I then sell them in a consignment sale--toys are big sellers!  After Hurricane Katrina a local charity was collecting stuffed animals and the kids got involved picking out some of theirs to give away to the children who lost their toys in the storm.  They picked out over 50 stuffed animals to give away.

Rotating the toys is great for "buying time" when I have a project to tackle.  Gotta get back to getting out the cold-weather clothes . . . .

:o),

Moms4Psalms

We have had a lot of company stay the night lately.  And the calendar is full with even more to come.  A great book on the subject of hospitality is Steve Wilkins' "Face to Face: Meditations on Friendship and Hospitality".  It is a great motivator to be pro-active about inviting others into your home.  We are always glad when we do!  Once after church (and when I was two weeks away from my due date with baby number five) we invited a visiting family with five children to come over for lunch.  We had not planned ahead and all we had to offer was peanut butter sandwiches, hot dogs, chips, and ice cream, but we all had a great time and even shared several more similar lunches with them over the next months!

When having overnight company there are several items I try to remember to provide.

Some things I intend to always have in our guest's room:

*tissue

*a garbage can

*a mirror

*a quilt or blanket and extra pillows

*a fan (for either white noise or temperature control)

*towels/washcloths

Some things I like to provide if possible:

*a welcome basket with snacks and a note

*fresh flowers in bud vases in several rooms

*new bars of soap in the bathrooms

Some things I try to remember as a guest in someone else's home:

*to let them know as early as possible my arrival and departure dates and times

*to bring a small gift (flowers, chocolate, wine or something else fun)

*to strip the sheets and take my sheets and towels to the laundry

*to write a thank you note

and most importantly (so that I do not wear out my welcome) I hope I always remember the very true Chinese proverb that says:

"Fish and company both stink after three days!" 

:o),

Moms4Psalms

I am hooked on seasonal church and school-run consignment sales.  I buy much of the children's clothes as well as maternity clothes at these.   I have found furniture and homeschool books at great prices.  And as a seller I get to shop before the public and make money (toys are the best money makers for me).

www.thebargainwatcher.com  is designed by a homeschooling mom and you can find consignment sales in your area at the site.  If your area does not have these you can learn how to start one there as well.  Also check out www.kidsconsignmentsales.com for information on starting a sale.  I know of one church that clears at least $13,000 per sale!

Happy bargain shopping!

Moms4psalms

Time to tackle the dishes.   

We currently have seven family members and five are not yet able to do dishes . . . figure those numbers with dishes for three meals a day plus one snacktime.  It really builds up.  I have had evenings of feeling overwhelmed as I did the dishes tearfully.  Here are some things that help me do the dishes cheerfully.

1.  First, of course, is realizing that God wants me to do the dishes!  It is my calling to care for my family and home.  To be full of self-pity over the work He has for me is sin.

2.  I am learning that it is worth it to me to stay up late if that is what it takes to get the dishes done before I go to bed each night.  My mornings start out much better if I walk into a tidy kitchen.

3.  Each family member has one cup to use throughout the day.  The days of over fifteen sippy cups filling my sink are over! 

4.  I let the dishes air dry.  If they come out of the dishwasher wet, I let them air dry on the counter before putting them away.  I no longer take the time to dry them.

5.  We often will use cheap paper plates for lunch and sometimes dinner.  I love eating off the china and those days will be back!  For now, paper products are a huge help. 

6.  I realize it just doesn't naturally occur to most men that sometimes all it would take to make their wives feel loved is for them to do the dishes.  This has curbed feelings of resentment that may start to build when I am having an exceptionally difficult day and my husband doesn't say "Oh, honey, why don't you sit down and put your feet up while I go do the dishes!"   Men and women are just wired differently.  Before I got married, an older lady from my church told me to read "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus" by John Gray.  Though not written from a Christian perspective, it is full of common grace insights into communication with the opposite sex.  I now know when I need help that I need to lovingly ASK for help and not expect him to read my mind.  The book expounds on being sure to show genuine appreciation if he does help, and being sure not to nag if he doesn't.  But that's a subject for another blog . . .

Time to tackle the dishes! 

It is not easy with five young children to have a clean house each week. But here's how I attempt to make it happen . . .

For 30 minutes to 1 hour each morning the children watch a video or PBS (my favorites are the Baby Einstein DVDs, Sesame Street and the Richard Scarry "Busytown" videos) while I tackle laundry, dishes and then a different major cleaning task each day.  For example:

A.  MONDAYS are devoted to laundry.  It really builds up by Monday as we aim to avoid doing unnecessary work on Sundays.   

B.  TUESDAYS I tackle piles of paperwork and bills and focus on removing clutter throughout the house.

C.  WEDNESDAYS are for deep cleaning the bathrooms.  I keep cleaning supplies in each bathroom as well as in the kitchen.  Also, throughout the week as I am in those rooms with the children I clean different areas.  Bathrooms and kitchens need more attention than other rooms!

D.  THURSDAYS are for dusting.  I sometimes dust for a (very) few minutes on different days of the week while in a room with the children playing.  Some weeks I just have to let something go, so some Thursdays I skip dusting altogether! 

E.  FRIDAYS are for cleaning the floors and cleaning the glass and counters throughout the house.  I enjoy the weekends more when the things I notice most are clean--windows/mirrors, counters and the floors. 

F.  SATURDAYS I do very little cleaning and we enjoy family time.  We try to prepare for the Lord's Day by getting out clothes for church, tidying up, and (ideally) preparing a Sunday meal.

G.  SUNDAYS we enjoy worship, fellowship, and rest!  It is a great blessing to our family to be able to enjoy a clean house and not have to do unnecessary work on Sundays.

My recent discovery for managing a home with so many little ones is to have some sort of container (dishpan, crate, or basket) for each family member in the laundry room.  When laundry comes out of the dryer it can be immediately sorted (ideally it will be folded as well).  We have a shelf above the washing machine and each person's clothes go into their basket straight from the dryer.  This has been a huge help! Even if the baskets are not emptied in a timely manner, we can always quickly find clothes for each child! 

Please share any tips that will help a family going through over fourteen outfits (not to mention linens) per day get laundry done before it becomes Mt. Too Tall To Tackle!