Switch Around

While I was cleaning up the girls' room the other day, I got to thinking that since we don't use their dresser, my husband could use it for more clothes' storage space.  So I dumped everything from the dresser into a laundry basket and moved the dresser to our master bedroom.

Since I still needed something for the lamp and monitor in the girls' room, I moved the side table by the front door to their room.

One thing I did store in the girls' dresser was their hair bows.  I have been looking for a way to store them  out of reach and figured out a way to do it for free.  I took two scarves someone had given the girls for Christmas, cut them lengthwise, and pinned them to the curtains that cover the closet.  That killed two birds with one stone because now I have bow storage and I got rid of those scarves.  Frankly, wrapping anything around my kids' necks freaks me out.

Now I have my husband's old bedside table to use as a catch all by the front door.

Out of Order

I had to jump down the list a little because Hurricane Nicandra struck in her bedroom the other night.  She dumped out her sheets and pillow cases, Isa's sheets and blankets, and her old clothes I had in a box to pass down to Esme or Isa, who ever grows into them first-- my money is on Isa.

Anyway, I got rid of another WM bag full of things I no longer need or use and condensed them into one basket.  Those blankets, burp rags, and diaper pads will go to Deysi and Rafa's daughter.  I have some inexpensive, mesh laundry baskets that I use for storage.  So now it is all tucked into one basket under their easel.
While I was in there,  Isa was in such a good mood in her highchair eating a donut that I cleaned out Isa's side of the closet and got rid of another bag of clothes to send to Jackie and Oscar's daughter, Maggie.

I also swept and cleaned under the bed and found four cups and a trash can and a shoe box full of trash.  It's not complete by any means, but I got something accomplished and am ready to spend the rest of the day celebrating our fifth anniversary.

I found the perfect e-card to support my project.

Anyway, I got the top of the gun safe cleaned off and wiped down.  I think one of the many bubble toys leaked up there and made it gooey.  In case any of you want to remark on the decorating taste of having a gun safe in my living room, I can only say that it took five grown men to get it in the door and that's where it stayed.

If I keep going in a circle around the living room, the entertainment center is next.  That is going to take some psyching up to tackle.  On the other hand, I just did it over spring break, and it can't possibly be as bad as it was then.  I need to find some more storage containers to try to contain the girls' hair bows and other associated paraphernalia.

Toys Part One

Going through the toys in the cubby of the family room, I got about a Wal-mart sized bag of trash to throw away and a half a dozen toys to pass on to my niece Deysi's little girl who is due in September.
I forgot to take a before picture, but if you have seen the other pictures of my house (or have ever had small children) I'm sure you can imagine the topsy-turvy mess it was.  For now, it's contained and swept up.

Item No. 2

The computer desk, extended part of the backdoor catchall, was second on the list.  It took three days and  a couple of attempts to get it completely finished with everything else going on around here.
Before

So, I put away clutter, mostly where it belonged and not in another catchall, and threw away the trash.  Here is the result:

I'm not really thrilled with the results, but it will do.  At least it's clean for now.


For the rest of the day, laundry because nothing says I love you like clean underwear.

Day One

The back door area
I cleaned the catchall table by the back door, the coat hooks, the bookshelf end of the computer desk, and the footstool after CPEP (ACT prep summer class) this afternoon.


Before

Then, using my Flylady training, I set up my containers to give away, put away, and throw away.

I wiped everything down and swept behind the furniture and curtains.

Now, at least for a few minutes, I have a decent back door area.  As a bonus, when I was putting things away I found four cups, a spoon, a pair of Nica's sandals, and some of the girls' clothes.

Just what I need on the coat hooks: purse, one diaper bag, stocked and ready to go, and my school bag since I am teaching half a day and have a professional development day soon.

And tomorrow, maybe this: 

One bite at a time

In order to keep myself motivated, I am posting my list of things to clean and organize this summer.  Then, each day I will post a before and after pic, marking off one thing each day-- at least and hopefully.  Here is a preliminary list:
Catchall by the back door.
Computer desk (may have to be done repeatedly)
Top of the gun safe
Entertainment center (may have to be done one section at a time)
Toys (done during nap time)
My dresser (may have to be done repeatedly)
DH's chest of drawers
Bathroom cabinet
Bathroom shelves
Closet (may have to be done in sections)
Changing table
My bedside table
His bedside table
Desk
Pantry (may have to done in sections)
Dining room cabinets
Kitchen cabinets
Top of each refrigerator 
Catchall by the front door
Toys (in the other pile, also done during nap time) 
Cedar Chest
Joey's closet
Joey's chest of drawers
Joey's book shelf and desk
Girls' closet (may have to do in sections)
Bookshelf
Chest of drawers
Linens
Kids' bathroom cabinets
Front porch (may have to be done repeatedly)
This looks like a good start, not totally overwhelming but a little to do each day.
Yes, I think so.

Spring Fever

Every year at this time I get awfully bored with winter and am ready to get out and play in the yard.  A family friend has been posting the most beautiful flowers on Pinterest, and of course I love vegetables out of the garden.  Watching P. Allen Smith has even given me the harebrained idea of having a few chickens, not that I'd know what to do with them.

But I do love playing in the dirt.  I can't wait until the stores put out their trays of flowers and veggies--seeds and I don't do too well together.  Rambo and I will argue about the how and where, and he will get his way.  It's only fair: he certainly does the bulk of the work.
Anyway, I can't wait to get outside.  I want to have potted plants on the porch again this year.  I didn't mess with it last year, knowing I'd have no energy with a newborn and a two-year old.  Guess I had women's intuition about the record heat and drought, ha, ha.  But I am ready for it this year.  I have learned-the hard way, I might add- to wait until April 15th.  One of my Harper great aunts told dad not to plant tomatoes until April 10th, the 9th on a leap year.  But for us I have found the 15th is a sure date to avoid a late frost.  It's nice to look forward to tax day, rather than dread it.

Timeline

I created my Facebook timeline, and in doing so I discovered two things when just skimming over it quickly.  The first thing I noticed is that I need to clean up my posts.  The mechanics of my writing are awful, and I did used to be a real teacher.  If I were to ever look for a job and someone looked me up, my Facebook page wouldn't say much for my use of the English language.
The second thing that was oh, so obvious just scrolling quickly through is that I have an amazing life.  Watching TV or looking at magazines often makes me envious of things other people have.  Seeing the beautiful people in my life makes me at once grateful and ashamed.  Ashamed that I ever wished that I had more things than I do.
I hope to take this reminder and use it to make myself a better wife, mother, daughter, friend, and teacher.

Timeline

I created my Facebook timeline, and in doing so I discovered two things when just skimming over it quickly.  The first thing I noticed is that I need to clean up my posts.  The mechanics of my writing are awful, and I did used to be a real teacher.  If I were to ever look for a job and someone looked me up, my Facebook page wouldn't say much for my use of the English language.
The second thing that was oh, so obvious just scrolling quickly through is that I have an amazing life.  Watching TV or looking at magazines often makes me envious of things other people have.  Seeing the beautiful people in my life makes me at once grateful and ashamed.  Ashamed that I ever wished that I had more things than I do.

I hope to take this reminder and use it to make myself a better wife, mother, daughter, friend, and teacher.