Take Command of a Hot Spot

A command centre. A FAMILY command centre. You know what I mean. Command Centres are all OVER pinterest. We are talking works of art made of corkboard/ dry-erase board featuring key hooks, wall-mounted cups, clip racks, plastic folders for take-out menus, wooden letter holders, a calendar, a clock, all colour co-ordinated and themed, with subway art saying things like "Breathe". They look like the family is sponsored by Ikea/ Pottery Barn. 

This is mine:

Not so much "command" centre, really. But this is what greets me when I come back from the gym this morning, all sprightly and humming Moves Like Jaggerand it really gets me down. I know I am not going to create a command centre worthy of pinterest, firstly because I think they are all about "show and tell" and less about "real life", and secondly because I know I wouldn't maintain the perfection even if I did manage to create it. However, I do need to do something about this particular "elephant in the room". Perhaps you have one of your own? In that case, here are a few tips for tackling a "hot spot". 

1. Create a tracklist called Housework for doing jobs you don't like, full of upbeat songs that don't spin you backwards into that awful 4th Year school trip when you forgot to put deodorant on and sat by James Robertson on the coach. I use Grooveshark for this; you can see my playlist below.

Choose about fifteen songs; any more than that and you'll get sidetracked looking up Pet Shop Boys' b-sides. Play said tracklist for the duration of the task. 

2. Run a sink of hot water and add home-made dish soap. Plunge all dirty crockery and cutlery into the sink and let it sit while you take out the bottles that need recycling. Save the tomato sauce bottle for the home-made ketchup you've been meaning to make for six months, and the coffee jars, because they are just BOUND to be useful storage jars.

3. Put hand-cream on, followed by rubber gloves, and get washing up done. Leave to drain.

4. Look up tips on simple savings for getting stains out of thermos flask; opt for the following method: 3tsps of bicarb inside the flask, then fill with hot water and leave for thirty minutes.

5. Before washing up the coffee jar, finally sign up to get Kenco rewards - I drink so much coffee that I am bound to rack up enough points to get some Jamie Oliver Herb Pots within a fortnight. BTW, any spare codes gratefully received! 

6. Find homes for the following: bottle of bergamot laundry spray, tape measure, hairgrip broken necklace belonging to Prima, coffee hand scrub, assorted pens. Keep Prima's spelling book and homework book on the worktop, as an aide memoire to actually DO spellings and homework. 

7. Clean worktop surface with multi-purpose cleaner.

8. Smile ruefully at the fact that all of the above took only about forty minutes and treat yourself to a cup of coffee.

Cash spent today: £4.99 on Avon. I like supporting the local Avon lady who lives in our street and has two young children. I bought a Perfect Kiss Lipstick in Red Embrace shade and got a Red Brick Glimmerstick Lip Liner for free.

Random Awesome thing (from 1000 Awesome Things): #786 Getting recognized for doing something you love

Today I am grateful for: coffee with friends in front of the fire.