Christmas PREP~PRE Decorating BLUES...and THEN DECORATE!

Santa Furby...LOL...

I'm a clutter nut...totally have too much 'blessing' around my house, so when it's time to decorate, I gotta TAKE MATTERS into my hands and literally put it either away or OUT the house...DE-CLUTTER and CLEANING before decorating is sooo necessary (IMHO) ;-))  My mama used to say, "We're decorators NOT housekeepers!" But I'm really into changing this in my home and life.  I can't really find the joy in decorating a dirty house...can you?? NOT!

So let's give our abodes a spruce over...let's HIT THE HIGH SPOTS..up around door frames~up over the windows....LOW SPOTS too....under and in EVERYTHING...oh yes! Summer/Fall is a time where there's more dirt and dust~we're inside and outside more...more comes inside in the way of dirt and grime...Windows are often open bringing in the DUST...oh man!

Well, it's TIME...Gather your TEAM~Everyone can do something except the infirm and very elderly..wiping and swiping...in a FLASH it can become clean and organized...

There's several ways to do this...A ROOM AT A TIME...A TASK AT A TIME....and AN AREA AT A TIME...let me explain:

I like to bust rooms up...Let's take the living or great room.  Get a few boxes/bags or receptacles...what ever you've got...PICK UP and place the extra stuff into LIKE itemed containers...Got a BUNCH OF SHOES hanging out at the door??or a corner of the room near it?? OKAY~grab the shoes and pick 'em up...get em out so you can put them away and clean...GET alll the mess out...leave the big items like huge furniture...Can't really MOVE that stuff...but dirt loves to hide in corners~it just naturally WAFTS there, I'm afraid...and I an not just 'afraid,'...LOL..I am healthier when I bust all the dirt out...little people~our precious little children can wipe baseboards while we moms wipe walls~older children can vacuum and mop...they really are a source of great help...it's a FAMILY AFFAIR where all who live together come together to do the job~so everyone can play together too!

Isn't THAT what the purpose of decorating and enjoying the 'holidays' are about? FUN and FAMILY enjoyment?? Let's do our HOMEWORK (de-cluttering, cleaning, and sprucing up...) NOW! and be ever sooo ready for the holidays: THANKS GIVING, CHRISTMAS and NEW YEARS joys...faith, family and fun~

SOOO are you ready?? SET???   Let's GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....here's a few pics of the "mess" I get to conquer...oh yes, I will find NEW homes and places...as I go..as I can...and soon, very SOON~Christmas decor will be HERE!

Self-cleaning table and messy book shelves..ack!

Shoes need a new home! Order won't hurt either!

Messy and needs a good clean!

Hoping to sand and repaint this frame. Construction leftover!

Okay~sooo what are YOUR areas to tackle?? I'm off to find a way to fix this stuff...and..and...Don't FORGET I have two giveAways going on:
ENDS tonight 11-15-11 11:59PM ET Carmex Healing Lotion and Creams
ENDS 11-22-11 11:59PM ET 2~books USPS STAMPS!

Blessings,
SisterT