I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU!!

It is official!  The gauntlet has been thrown at my feet and I have to get off my toosh and do something.  You see, I am "that" person who could never, ever, ever sidestep the Double Dog Dares, nor did I want to.  I'm a Virgo and I hear we lead the way in avoiding conflicts and I am not remotely a competitive person (except with myself), BUT when a dare or a personal challenge is thrown at me I fall for it every single time.  This time may actual work for my benefit though.  The dare was to completely organize my entire home in 5 weeks.  This requires me to break my house into 10 zones and organize 2 zones per week for 5 weeks. He said "I'm giving you a challenge" but he may well have said "I Double Dog Dare you" so I jumped at it. Of course I can do it! I can do anything!

     Can I do this???  Can I have a completely organized and de-cluttered house in 5 weeks?  I think I could do it in ONE but the question really is can I do this while also keeping the house clean, cooking, teaching homeschool, working (I do have an actual away-from-home office and job), teach Sunday School and AWANA, get me and the kids to Bible Study, Cub Scouts, Music, Computer Club, Family Night at church, get groceries, study for Battle of the Books (technically Ellie's job but what momma doesn't help prepare??), take care of the farm, and I could go on and on with the Dare Defying activities I perform daily.  And on top of this I am supposed to Completely Organize Two Zones, each zone has 1-2 rooms, EACH WEEK??  

     When I put my mind to something I will get it done.  I have proved that to myself several times.  Not everybody thought I would graduate from college, give birth with no meds & no hollering, My problem is that I have a tendency to question my idea, question my actions, question my progress, and generally beat myself up before I even get started.  I can't do that this time because I've been Double Dog Dared and I'm about to rock this!!  Who does he think he is, daring ME to organize MY house?  I will show him what I'm made of and I'll make him pay for this challenge by having a party when I'm done, and making him and his whole family come to it.  That'll teach him to challenge me.

     So, starting Monday 13 Feb 2017, I will choose one area of my house to start organizing and I'll document it all for accountability.  I have to remember it doesn't necessarily mean decorating (which is what I know ahead of time will clog me up) but it just means to provide a place for everything to go, eliminate all piles, and have an organized way of moving things/work/projects through so that they are no longer hoarded or piled or cluttered.  And before I can post those pictures public, it means I'll have to clean that room spotlessly.  Lately, when my kids misbehave they get the consequence of earning themselves a chore of some sort.  Handing out chores over the next five weeks should be a breeze.  This is already seeming easier.  

     This weekend I will begin to gather the things I will need come Monday.  I will need my new Young Living cleaner, some cleaning supplies, some paper to draw out my designs, paper to list out my To Do's for each room, and mostly ..... MY MOTHER!  I could ask her to come help me watch the kids so I can concentrate but that's what "she" would like to do.  What's she even better at is de-cluttering and that was unfortunately not a trait that she handed down to me.  Nah, I'll watch the kids and I'll cook blueberry anything for her if she'll just come to Last Frontier and tell me what to throw, move, and move again.  I'll ask her -- right after I clean up all the dog hair under the couch and refrigerator.