Tidy Up Tuesday

Well, last week's Tidy-Up projects were a bust. I just can't seem to motivate myself to clean when I'm sick. Actually, it's all I can do to motivate myself to feed and clothe the children and myself when I'm sick.

So this week started off well. I have managed to clear the clutter from my kitchen, and to stay on top of the dishes. Inspired by my dear friend, Becca, I also cleaned out the fridge (including wiping down the shelves & drawers!) And, thanks to this program, I am much better at keeping a shiny sink than I used to be!
Next, I tackled a job that has been building up and making me crazy for weeks: the dining room table. We have an open floor plan, so when that table (which is rather large in size) is messy, the mess is all up in yo' business, no matter where you are on the first floor.

When I began, it was completely covered. I mean, completely. It started with a few innocent stacks of "things I need to go through" but by the end of the school year and my out of town conference, the "stacks" had multiplied, become "piles," and had slid into one another to create a mountainous region of odds & ends. It was not pretty.

But now it's very pretty!
That stuff at the end is my summer work station. This way I can bring small amounts of work up from the dungeon... er, I mean office downstairs... so I can work on work-stuff, but still keep an eye on the boys.

And speaking of the Boys...

...no post would be complete without a photo of my littler "helpers." I'm trying to instill in all of us a habit of picking up all the toys in the living room before leaving the house, eating lunch, and going to bed... as well as any time things just get really out of hand. Not a lot of success so far, but we'll get there! Does anybody know where I can buy a whistle?
Happy Cleaning!