The Purge

The Purge.

I'm SO Not talking about the movie... sick...

I'm talking about what happens in our home every spring and fall.

I had my checklists, charts, graphs, pictures, bullet points, schedule... haha just kidding... kinda...

You're thinking What the heck is she talking about?!?

I'M SO TIERED OKAY!

The Purge.

We start with everyone's clothes. I tally up how many pieces everyone has then I make my lists of what items are needed. Usually spring and summer things are on sale at the end of summer such as well as swim wear and summer shoes. 

It's a great time to get things for next season!

I scored a new suit for Alex for $9 at Walmart.

We're going to try some shoe places for summer shoes for next year.

Wha happens when you let the kids label their own bins without supervision... 

Next day we go through winter clothes and the closet that we store things in. I, again, tally what everyone has and needs and re consider how things are organized. I usually rearrange furniture, purchase some new organizing pieces, or install some new hooks and shelves. With a large family you continually need to do this year after year. People move in, people move out, new babies enter stage left, family flow and function changes.

The final day is tallying school supplies and re organizing any bins or baskets that store things. Decoration changes usually happens this day! Here's some pics of the final products :)

Entry Way

For our shoes. So tired of piles of shoes everywhere.
Hoping to get those hanging dividers to place in here.

Backpacks, vests, and sweatshirts.
We're building a separate place for jackets and snow pants.

Dining Room

Added a buffet table. We can't seem to fit food and everyones plates and cups on the table anymore. 

Kitchen

Still trying to find a new place for my bulk bins so I can place plants on that shelf. 

Yes we eat that many eggs...

As you can see we eat mostly canned food and bulk goods.

My new chalkboards my girls gave me and our medicine cabinet. 

Office/Guest Room

Games, Gift Wrap, and family library or reference books.

School supplies, school books and craft supplies

I have a few more things left to clean and organize before I'm done (is it ever really done?), but I'm in a good place to start our school year this coming Tuesday.

This guy is ready to go to the gun range...  or maybe a nap?

I had a very sweet moment with the Lord this morning. Exhausted, running on coffee and pure "mission mode" mentality and sleepless adrenalin (if that's a thing? - I guess it is in mom world), I have been up until 1:00am and up at 5:45am, I had my quiet time with Jesus and my Bible and coffee. Then I was reading some article on feminism. After this I made an egg bake and jumped in the shower. With 30 minutes left until my egg bake was done, I woke up one of my girls to get her in the shower.

I was brushing her hair - the one that has a LOT OF THICK CURLY HAIR - and I tapped into "mission mode". Hurry, get this done, quickly, let's go!

Then the Lord stopped me. He reminded me of when I make Challah bread for our Shabbat and how I spend that time kneading my bread and praying for my family. I pray over our food, over my husband, over my kids, over my home, over my church family, all while I knead those loaves of Challah. It takes a while, and it's strenuous work, but I turned it into a time I look forward to each week.

The Lord reminded me of the article I read about feminism. He was pouring into my heart a renewed love and passion for my children, my husband, my home, and my church family. I was overwhelmed with patience and joy and excitement to provide a safe, organized, comfortable place for these growing characters, these souls that will spend their lives on a tiresome journey called life, these precious children of God who are bombarded by the world, their flesh and the enemy day in and day out.

Then the Lord whispered into my heart to spend the time showering and brushing, praying over my daughter. I prayed that the Lord would make her a beautiful, chaste, meek, faithful daughter of Him. We had great conversation in the steamy bathroom on this cool morning in the quiet before anyone else's little feet came pit pattering across the floors. 

As I did my bi-annual purge, I took this renewed perspective and prayed over my home. I prayed that our school year would be fruitful. I prayed I wouldn't hold my home to dear to myself, but that the Lord would have His way with it. I prayed it would be a clean, comfortable, welcoming place, fully functional for all that the Lord wants to use it for. 

I guess the Lord had more then just a physical purge for our home this season. It was a spiritual one ridding me of my poor perspective and cultivating that joy that I blog about so often.

There really is No Greater Joy then to serve the Lord and to see my children walk in truth.

Here's some ideas for the checklists I use for this during season. 

I add onto them and change them every year to better fit our needs. 

This has a page 2 that includes:

Tape (scotch)

Tape (masking)

Tape (duct)

Tempera Paint

Water Colors

Print Brushes

Hot Glue

If you would like these emailed to you, please shoot me an email.