Clean Clean Clean - LMWL Week #?

First: A virtual giant bear hug for sharing your kind words on my last post.  I know it's totally normal to worry that you're doing it right as a first-time mom, but it was very reassuring to hear you all say it and share your fears and wisdom and experience - all of you who I feel ARE doing it so well!  

My friend Janna sent out this article that I thought was especially relevant.  Like the author says, when being a mom is your job, it's hard to come to grips with the fact that there is no job description or benchmarks you are assessed against.  You can't look to others to see if you're doing it right - The only one you can compare yourself to is yourself.  

"What if we stopped comparing to others and started just comparing to our past selves. “I am more patient this year than I was last year.” “I’m a better housekeeper this year than I was last year.”

“It doesn't matter if you’re THE best, it just matters if you are YOUR best.”

And I can say this:
- I am better at managing our day and being happy at the end of it than I was even 3 months ago.
- I am better at keeping up with the house than I was 6 months ago (just don't ask Tony...)
- I have kept my kid alive, and HAPPY!, for 8 months now.
- I am doing my best each day. (well, most days).  :)  
... and that's all that matters.  

-------------

Anyway, after a few weeks' absence, I finally had the chance to rejoin Emily of Imperfect's Live More with Less challenge.  This week, I tackled our master bathroom.  Much like our bedroom, it's back-of-the-house status leaves it as the last place that gets attention.  It's decently large, except there is only one sink.  There's a big closet, but I just wish they would have made it smaller and made a double sink instead.  The closet is convenient, but not as much as it would be if it were in the hall or somewhere more practical. 

The decor in there is sad and has remained unchanged since we first moved in.  The room gets cleaned, of course, but not as often as it should.  And the cabinets and closet in there were way too full of stuff we don't need.  I'm notorious for saving little lotion samples or hotel shampoos (I know, I know).  Luckily, I had done a big purge of stuff like that in my frantic nesting days before Harper was born, but over the past 8 months it's built back up again.

Here are some befores - again - it's not a pretty space.  It's really not even functional half the time.  But it's low on the priority list.

I could go on and on.  It's a mess, stuff is cluttery, and we have a sheet as a curtain.  (In my defense, the blinds in our kitchen recently broke, so we moved the bamboo shade that was in here into the kitchen.  We plan to frost the glass in here one day, hence the sheet for now...).  

One day, my dream is to frame out the mirrors.  See how the tub has mirrors on both sides of it (making it impossible to take a decent photo in here)??  I guess they were supposed to help make the space appear bigger, or maybe someone just wanted to see themselves bathing 1,000,000,000 times to infinity.  I don't know.  But it's ugly and I just don't know if it's worth taking them down.

The trim needs painting, especially the doors.  The light fixture is so dated.  

It's all blah - but I tried to not let that get me down and spent a naptime fixing what I realistically could.

I emptied all of the drawers and the under cabinets.  I organized and threw out anything expired or sticky or stupid.  

As I sat there looking at that terrible shelf next to the sink, I thought about all of the times I have searched for a medicine cabinet at a thrift store- to no avail.  I thought about ways to add sides to that shelf thing to make the stuff less visible.  Then I had the epiphany I should have had 5 years ago - take it down.  

Needs some wall decor and a little personality now...

Brilliant!  Only a few things on it are used daily, and those would all fit into the two little drawers with some rearranging.  The rest could go in a basket under the sink.  Yes, we might have to bend down (the horror!) to retrieve these things when needed.  But it would be ok.  And I threw out the banana clip. 

The closet was in decent shape, but I still threw away a big bag full of junk.  There is actually room to spare in here now - and I'm fighting the urge to fill it with something   I will let the space breathe for now.

And of course the room got a good cleaning.  Towels were changed out and floors scrubbed (except the shower, don't look there).  

Side note - Anyone else with contacts have the hardest time keeping counters cleaned??  The solution gets everywhere and leaves them sticky.  We even have a little tray to keep it corralled, but SOMEONE doesn't care and gets solution everywhere.... It's a losing battle.

I ignored the other bathroom for now.  (and the mirrors, apparently.)

A clean bathroom is such a nice thing.  I'm going to try to keep it this way for at least 48 hours.