Let it GOooo! Let it goooo!!

Gosh! I was reading my entries under the label of Housekeeping. I can't believe I had left blogging soooo  long that I haven't even written about Marie Kondo! Have you heard that method just yet? For me, it's the best method that works for me so far. It all started when I read reviews on the book. Yup, there are schools teaching housekeeping lol!

Anyway, if you wanna know more about Marie Kondo, you can start googling the method but what works best for me is when you have to start letting go of things that do not create spark! Simply pile up the things that you need to sort at one place. Yup, you heard me right! Pile up everything within the same category. The first category is BOOK which is quite hard for me because the Big Bad Wolf used to be my best friend and being an Ex-teacher makes me compile more and more books each year passed.

Moving on to the method, touch every single thing in the same category and if you do not feel anything sparky, just LET IT GO!

So far, it works like crazy because according to Marie Kondo, you will feel happier when surrounded by happy stuff. Try it! So far I have worked on Books, Clothings, and Baking Stuff. It feels easier letting go now but I do have a long list to go.. my sewing stuff (something I wish I can do but apparently sewing needs a whole lot more patience and courage lol) and a lot more!

I really hope I will be able to really declutter and eventually declutter my brain.Woo hoooo!

Let it GOooo! Let it goooo!!

Organizing is sooo Overwhelming! [sigh sigh sigh]

Well, here's the story in a glance... I quit teaching in 2007. The reasons; perhaps in another entry.. but I vowed to myself, never to leave a year passed by without new things learnt or practiced as a teacher. So, mostly voluntary work at my kiddies' school and kindy, I learnt to still be a teacher.
  
At first, it was Kindy, then Kindy teacher training, then English Communication for Primary Teachers then I started doing mini English Camp for UPSR, PMR, then I moved on to Holiday English Camp.. then finally it was English Classes thru Baking. I love all of them and the classes still go on until now.


2 years back, in 2011 or rather end of 2010, we (me and hubby) decided to start doing baking full time as it was more convenient then.. until last year I was gloomy whenever I started baking. It's just that, baking will occupy all the space we have at home. The cleaning up was a bit tiring. Last year I wanted to quit baking. Deep down in my heart, there's a teacher still wanting to teach.

 I remember when we decided to bake full time, it was just a stepping stone for me to get my teaching stuff organized so that we could do teaching and training full time. So, here I am.. going through my papers and drafts which are everywhere. The feeling is unbelievably overwhelming as I really don't know where to start as I constantly looking and reorganizing the same thing again and again. The most frustrating is the fact that most of the time I can't find it when in need. [sigh]. The good thing, though, I can always escape by creating new activities at the very last minute and the class is never a failure (wow! isn't that a sign of a good teacher?).

So, I'll stop organizing for a while.. rather I'd start thinking of how I'd keep all my teaching stuff. Start labelling and then only I'll start sorting again. Orait! off to sleep now.. p/s I've stopped writing at the moment as I was trying to get my kitchen organized and I tell you.... It's way behind schedule but I'm not giving up!

Labelling made easy with my Label Maker!

Books that help a lot in organizing.

Supposed color coding will help.. no chance with me.. everything is blurry blurry me..

Organizing is sooo Overwhelming! [sigh sigh sigh]

The Organizing Queen vs The Queen of Clutter!

My Personal Stuff [sigh]

I always enjoy the trips to my sister's house.. The way she puts the ketchup and sauce in a stylish manner never fail to amaze me. The forks and spoons are arranged in a closed container, ready to be used whenever guests coming.. and yes, she does a lot of entertaining. Her kitchen towels are always clean and there's a certain ways to arrange plates. (well, I'm so used to seeing her rearranging the plates after me washing them). Seeing her cleaning her kitchen seems so exciting and light! The good thing is, she never really mind if I were to 'copy' her ideas. In fact, yesterday, I bought the exact container that she stores the fork and spoon.

I, on the other hand, always take time to find my things. I just realized a couple of years ago (when I first decided to be a little bit more organized after watching Oprah and Peter Walsh again and again and watched tonnes of Clutter Buster Programme on Metro Channel on Astro) that I'm always the messy one, the procrastinator. Even after numerous attempt to be the domestic goddess, I failed. I come to only one conclusion! I'm a visual person. I need to see things in order to remember. Everything that I organized need to be labelled so that I won't mix up again.

That explains the feeling of disoriented after rearranging and reorganizing my stuff. I always remember where I put stuff before I moved them [sigh] and it's so annoying that it's so frustrating. This time, I hope.. my attempt to get organized will materialize.. I'll just try labelling them.. I don't sound convincing though but honestly.. I'm pretty tired organizing and reorganizing..

The Medicine Section (Hmmm)

p/s will keep you updated with the progress and the strategy ;D

The Organizing Queen vs The Queen of Clutter!

He's not just any Peter, he's MY Peter Walsh!

I hate cleaning up the house.. for me it is really a big time consuming thing to do. However, everytime I watch Peter Walsh in action in Oprah, I have this one kind of resolution to work on decluttering. In fact, I have been decluttering for quite a number of time, but then since I really don't have a place to put them, I ended up doing the same thing again and again like one big circle.

What I hate most is the fact that my kids just love to check on the items that I've sorted in boxes and put them everywhere. I just think I have to sit down and do it together and get it sent right after sorting rather than doing it again and again.

I'm amazed with one of the parents at my kids' school who collected our trash, resell and donate the money to the school. But then, it has been 2 years since she has been struggling to get a specific location in the school for her charity shop.

I think I'm gonna restart the decluttering, put the items straight in boxes, label them and seal before transporting to the charity shop (once the school decided where they are going to help us help them .. org mau tolong pun taknak!).. Or perhaps, I should spread a big plastic outside, divide into 5 categories like what Peter Walsh did; trash, keep, donate, sell.. alamak what's the 5th??? then... start having a garage sale..

What I like most about Peter Walsh is.. he is just so positive! Having a cluttered home just make you feel bad enough, you'll feel even worse when you notice your guests straying their eyes and some even make nasty comments.. :P but Peter Walsh, my Peter Walsh is just so inspiring.. making you want to have a better home!

He's not just any Peter, he's MY Peter Walsh!

Bored to Death that I Started Cleaning up!

It has been weeks since I last updated my blog.. Been trying to clean up the clutter that I myself collected. Been trying to complete the housechores that I procrastinated. I actually rewarded myself with RM1 for each of the task that I finished. Teruk betul! I managed to get RM18 that day.. I managed to iron the kids' uniform, azly's office attire, arranging my book shelves, clearing almost every eyesore in the hall.. Honestly, I deserved more than RM18.. It's not the money actually.. It's the fact that I'm trying to motivate myself to do the chores. Not a big fan of house cleaning.. and everyone knows that..

I promised myself I'll just spend it myself to treat myself.. be it chocolate, a cone of really expensive ice cream or even a sneak to Nando's or Johnny's..

Tapi tak sampai hati.. Eventually, everyone got an ice-cream.

Among my favourite channel is 733 - Astro.. specifically "Perfect Housewives", "Help, I'm a Horder" as well as "Scrub". It's really amazing that some people do enjoy cleaning.. I tried watching "Cleanaholics" but they are mostly ridiculously clean that I get so upset with my part of cleaning.

I do like cleaning at times.. but not all the time that I can't even make a mess. My kids, following me.. are not that tidy but then I'd rather the way I am that being a perfectionist. I tried before.. trying to be as tidy as I could but I have to admit, it gets me and the people around me really stressed. I really wonder, as I go to my friends' house.. and couldn't help myself asking them.. how did they ever managed to keep their houses clean and tidy.. The answer is always the same.. "Kemas ke ni?" [sigh]..

Bored to Death that I Started Cleaning up!

Tips on Self Service Laundry (Coin Slot)

Having to follow my husband outstation almost every week this month plus the rainy season now makes me go to the self service Laundrette. Since it was my first time there, it was a bit tricky to make sure that your laundry is clean without wasting your money..

Here's what I learnt so far..

Things to remember:

1. Bring your own coin
(of course they provide the service, but then, since it's self-service, sometimes the staff is not around).

2. Make sure you know the coins that the machine accepts.
The one in Bangi uses only RM0.20 and RM 0.50 only.

3. Bring your own detergent (or you have to buy).

4. A laundry basket is helpful.
I put my laundry in a plastic, so I had to buy because if you put the clean laundry in a plastic bag, it will get crumpled.

5. Sort your laundry before hand.
There are two types of washing machine there, one is front load (8-9 kg) and the other is top load (5-6kg). The first time I went there, the girl told me that everything fits the front load and I didn't believe her. It was true. And everything dries up within 40 minutes in the dryer.

The second trip I washed everything in my own washing machine at home, and put everything in the dryer (to save 30 minutes of washing). But I had to run the machine again. Then I realised that my machine is not as powerful as the ones in the laundrette.

The third trip was different. I sorted all the towels and jeans together. So it was easier to dry.

BUDGET SAVING TIP: Split the laundry using the same dryer!
I was told by the girl there, you can start your dryer with all the daily clothing (not very thick ones) then after about 15-20 minutes, add the thick ones.. by the time you add the thick ones.. the ones in the dryer is almost dry.. If you put everything together.. you have to run another cycle (which costs you another RM2.50 and 40 minutes!)

BUDGET SAVING TIP: Add extra time before the dryer stops!

Find out whetner you can add time. I just knew that you can open your dryer anytime to check whether your cloths are dry, then add coins to run the dryer so that your cloths will be completely dry.

If you are washing a comforter, open the dryer every 10 minutes and take it out. Put back your comforter in the machine. If you don't do that.. your comforter might be a bit damp.

Happy Laundering!

Tips on Self Service Laundry (Coin Slot)

Cleaning up the toyroom

Today is playroom cleaning..

These are the things that we have to do.

1. Open up all windows to let air in
2. Sort the toys into
boy's stuff, girl's stuff, baby's stuff, soft toys, cars, figurines
3. throw all the broken toys
4. throw used paper, folded paper, small notes, short pencils
5. wipe corners, sweep the floor and carpet
6. Arrange the books
7. All set!

Cleaning up the toyroom

Housekeeping in Action

Believe it or not.. housekeeping is more exhausting than having 25 periods a week in school. Cleaning is one thing, to maintain is another thing... Here are things that i've learnt so far.

1. If you don't start folding.. it's gonna start piling
the next thing you know, you'll run out of empty basket and you will start hearing questions like "Ibu, mana track bottom nurul?", "ibu, brief haziq dah nak kosong".

2. Folding clothes can be relaxing
take it as an art.. see how neat can you be or how high you can go without the clothes falling or better still, start practising thinking something else while doing it.. ha ha ha... i realize that i hate folding clothes while watching tv especially when i'm watching martha stewart. I just have to concentrate on all the detail. So, i'll do it when my kids are around. So i can do it while they watch tv.

3. It does not take long to clean the bathroom if you do it regularly
i tried using bicarb soda paste to clean between the tiles. It gives a very clean and fresh look. I don't clean the bathroom as often as my maid (my maid does it twice weekly) but cleaning it after the thorough scrub was easy. Just use a cloth to scrub the sink and the tiles and another piece of cloth for the toilet. Then i brush the toilet bowl as well as the floor. Wala!

4. A clean kitchen has a clean floor
I learn this from my neighbour next door. She makes sure that she cleans the kitchen immediately including the stove and the spill immediately. My auntie always cleans the utensils she uses while she is still cooking. The effect - you don't have everything piling up in the sink when you finish cooking. I used to put everything everywhere because when Neng was still around, she'd clean up everything. 4 years having a maid really spoilt me. He he he... Anyway, once the kitchen floor is clean, it gives a very good effect...

5. Assign your chores according to days
When i first quit my job, life was hell. The chores were unbelievable. Luckily my husband understands me well. I hated house chores a.k.a malas. But i gave myself a try and i watched a lot of helpful tv program; perfect housewife, scrubber, how clean is your house etc. Some of the tricks are from my sister (who claims that her house is not clean enough! ya right! Try harder kaklong! show off!)

Trust me.. housekeeping takes more than common sense. I know some will disagree totally but it can be learnt and made into habits.

I learnt through the hard way. I'm not perfect still. My house is still messy but i'm improving. So, Monday is laundry and guest room cleaning day, tuesday is school uniform washing day and folding yesterday's laundry, wednesday is dusting, mopping ground floor kitchen scrubbing and ironing day, thursday is playroom cleaning (so that the playroom is clean and tidy for the kids during the weekend, and mopping day (1st floor), friday is my free day!!! I love friday!!

But then, i'm still flexible with myself. There are times that i get bored and feel like window shopping or swimming. I'll just do it. i don't think anyone should get stressed over house chores. You have to be happy and able to manage your stress. Appreciate yourself and give some time for yourself. Train your kids to appreciate you and appreciate your kids for appreciating you. I love it when my kids come home and go waa and wooo seeing the room being cleaned or the floor being mopped or even small things like a polished table..

Housekeeping in Action