This bitch does laundry

G'day, bonjour and buon giorno. I know, twenty minutes to fold laundry turned into two, if not three days. Truth be told, I did get distracted and in a big way. The laundry did get folded and put away, but on my way to unload the dryer, I decided to reorganize/redecorate the laundry room. I think I was in there for about 8 to 12 hours. I am happy to report, however, that I have never felt more excited, enthusiastic or energetic about doing the dreaded laundry, particularly when one has seven people residing under one's roof. Did I mention that I have seven adults (ages 16 to 81) residing under one roof? Can you imagine the magnitude of laundry these people produce? Enough said. Onto funner, more interesting facts like the new laundry room decor.
With a dominating black and white color scheme, I decided to throw a red runner in front of the washer dryer, hang some straw laundry baskets, create a behind-the-door broom/mop closet, and the piece de resistance, a black and white shoe rack hanging on the wall across from my washer/dryer. Now I can peruse, if not try on, my favorite 12 pairs of stilettos while the washer/dryer are doing their duty - oh joy, oh bliss, I never thought this could be possible. Perhaps the installation of a full-length mirror on the back of the laundry room door is in order. Note to self: add full length mirror to this week's shopping list. 
One must keep in mind, dear reader, that my laundry room was once a former mud room when the young brood was a mob of clamoring, muddy boot, rain coat, and dissheveled school bag bunch. This very room  has lived many lives. Originally a laundry room/entrance from the garage/mudroom, this 4 ft. x 12 ft. space took on a life of it's own as I transformed it into an incredible shoe/purse closet converting my floor to ceiling book cases into what I felt, were a work of art. The husband and the children were disgusted at the vulgarity of such a gluttonous display, that I had no choice but to dismantle my masterpiece and return the floor to ceiling book shelves back to their respective spots in the living room/library.
Somewhere along my journey of organization and surviving the ongoing renovation, which by the way, deserves honorable mention since I have miraculously managed to maintain, not only my sanity, but a sense of style and decorum as there is little to no evidence from the front entrance that parts of this home are under construction. That being said, I had this tiny  mudroom converted into a lovely functional home office at one point last year, however, that was a short-lived affair that ended in the relocation of the home office into the living room/library, and as of last week, the home office resides on one side of the master bedroom, but that is another story for another day dear readers.
The on-going two year "when will it ever end?" renovation forced me to vacate the entire basement (which served as a fabulous storage area), so young son and his beloved could feather their love nest. This meant the basement laundry room had to be moved upstairs to the former shoe/purse museum, home office, and mudroom, respectively.
Now I am all-for mainfloor laundry areas, but like my organized bitch icon, Martha Stewart, I do prefer a basement laundry facility - more space, out-of-sight (I do feel laundry is something of a personal situation), and no sign or sound of washers and dryers tumbling running shoes or hockey equipment.
With no choice in the matter, I had to make the new laundry room work, and although it is far from complete (a new floor is in the near future), paint the drywall (once the carpenter son muds and sands it), and the deciding factor - do I keep the front-loaders stacked or return them to their side-by-side spooning position? It's a question of not only space but also function,and when one has such limited space to work with, what does one do: choose style over function? That could prove disastrous as, from experience, that is how I have lived much of my life. Stay tuned dear reader as I will post photos of this tiny space that serves as the control centre of my busy household.
If only there was room in there for a small tub with jets, a dry sauna, and a coffee bar. I just had a novel idea. If I repurpose the three foot x two foot granite folding area, I can bring in a tea kettle and coffee make, and a canister of biscotti. Afterall, I can fold the laundry in front of the t.v. while watching more informative decorating/organization programs, in the hopes of inspiring me to create even more organized, pleasing to the eye spaces in my home. I will ponder this situation for the next hour or two, before returning to more home organization projects. Until next time, a la prochaine and arriverderci!! 

The end of frittering the day away...

It's official. I am done with procrastination, done with random to-do lists scribbled on cocktail napkins and the back of ATM receipts. I am done with baskets of unfolded laundry lining my hallway and I am done with misplaced keys, mail, and shoe horns. There comes a time in the life of every woman when "enough is enough". For me, it is hitting at mid-life, perimenopause, during a lull in the employment situation, and last but not least, sharing my home with three generatons of humans and four cats, bringing the grand total to 11 under one roof.
If this isn't the catalyst to provoke change I don't know what is. My mission for this blog - to explore unchartered territories in search of cost-efficient (cheap), practical, ingenious solutions to getting one's home and life in ship shape. It all starts with this blog.
I must confess, as often as I've joked about Martha Stewart installing her own well and septic system, while baking twenty loaves of multi-grain bread and feeding her chickens, this "organized bitch" has indeed inspired me. Dear readers, I look forward to sharing my journey to, not only self-realization (that will be another blog), but self-organization. Wish me luck as I embark on a minimalist lifestyle, escape the trappings of mass consumerism I have spent much of my life saturated in, and finally, organize the shoe and purse collection that has taken up residence in large plastic totes in the garage (oh, the injustice of it all). It is time to divide and conquer, purge and donate.
Where does one start you ask? First and foremost, time for a quick cup of soothing herbal tea, followed by a 10-minute stretch and deep-breathing session, and then, the folding of the unfolded laundry will begin. I will set my dollar-store timer for 20 minutes and will return to report on my progress. As one of those people who get distracted by just about everything between point A and point B, multi-tasking does not work for me. I must tackle each chore, one job at a time, and not move to the next project until the first is completed.
I wonder if I should put up a wipe board and list the top 5 tasks I want to accomplish today. Perhaps I should create a memo in my phone set with an alarm to time myself, or maybe just a good old-fashioned to-do list taped to the fridge door. What to do, oh what to do? I know, I will put the kettle on, make the tea, do my stretching and breathing and then tackle the laundry. Yes, that sounds about right. Will follow up in 20 minutes (give or take). Until then, ta-ta!!!