Neat and Tidy

We "deep-cleaned" our bedrooms today; like we do every Saturday.
I love to see all of the little girl dresses lined up in an organized row in the girls' closet.
(Well, truth be told, I'm a little retentive about this, actually and have been known to get quite "irked" when someone hangs up dresses for me and puts them in the *wrong* spot! It's true! Are you like this? I have a *section* in the girls' closet, for each type of dress: short sleeves, jumpers, long sleeved, church dresses, etc...)

There something SO satisfying about taking your time and going through each dresser drawer, toy-box, and shelf and sorting through the clutter, organizing and folding all the clothes, and tossing out anything that is deemed as *trash*.

Each Saturday morning, the kids know to wait for me in their rooms. This little system became my resolution to the "do your chores" and then the chores don't get done properly problem.

Honestly, my kids are pretty good about keeping up on their chores. However, it was that once-a-week, deep cleaning job that wasn't getting done to my specifications. So, my solution was to JOIN them in their work. Once a week, I go from bedroom to bedroom and work along-side the kids.

We dust, we straighten, we fold, we sort, we organize, and we vacuum. That's my favorite part! I just LOVE how the whole room looks when we've finished cleaning and we run the vacuum as the final touch:)

There's something else I love about Saturday cleaning, though; that really doesn't have much to do with cleaning, at all.

It's the time I get to spend with my kids. The eldest two children in our house have their own rooms, and everyone else is paired off by two's. (This is new this year as we used to have 4 girls in one room!)

The kids seem to look forward to our Saturday morning cleaning together as much as I do. We laugh, we talk, we ponder, we discuss; sometimes we sing together, too:)

Somehow, while I'm cleaning out their physical bedrooms, it feels as though I am cleaning out my own heart.

Whatever troubles and trials we've had during the week get "swept right up with the dust bunnies", LOL

The sunlight shines through the windows. We make plans for the fun things we do during the weekend with  Daddy at home.

And, during our busy school weeks, I don't worry about the kids' rooms. I know that, come Saturday morning, we will "tackle it" together. They do make their beds and clean up their clothes and toys each day...but you know how that is...clothes that go in drawers, end up in the hamper, clothes that belong in the hamper, end up under the bed, etc...

I think God made man to do chores because He was aware of the hidden blessings that would be contained in the everyday family life of work. Working along-side one another has a way of working out the kinks...solving our troubles...nurturing our souls.

Now-a-days, I think the kids could carry on just fine without me in their rooms on Saturdays. But, I wouldn't want to miss out. I think I'll keep "checking up on them", just because...

Because I love our Saturday morning chores together!