Showing posts with label Organization. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Organization. Show all posts

Spring Cleaning and Organizing: The Kitchen, Part 1


Ugh, the kitchen. It’s the gathering place of the home and the one room that we know ALL guests will spend time in at some point during their stay.  To keep procrastinating with “Spring Cleaning and Organizing” this area would just create more work in the long run. Not to mention, more anxiety.

 I was dreading it, but here we go…here is the “ORGANIZING” part!



So, the kitchen is one of those places that may be as overwhelming to think about for you as it was for me.  Therefore, we are going to break the kitchen up into a 5-day project.  It could all be completed in an afternoon, but I don’t have a full afternoon to spend on this. I want to be with my family. I want to share with you the easiest way I found to complete the task in order to ensure efficiency AND that it gets done, period! J



DAY 1 –  I think that it is important to first tackle the “every day” items we use in our kitchen on the first day.  These are items like plates, cups, utensils, etc. Also, the small appliances you may use.  Since we are always using them, the anxiety we get from the chaos of their state may be lessened by organizing them first.  These are the cupboards you want to tackle today.

1.    Empty all of these cupboards with these items onto one place. If you have a large counter or dining table you can use, great. That way you can see everything you have and all of the items that you need to group together.

2.   Wipe down the inside and outside of all of the cupboards you just emptied. Proceed to also clean any utensil organizers or dusty plate racks, etc.



3.   Remember in our post about Decluttering: The Basics, we mentioned keep toss or donate? Have at it! Now is the time to donate 35 mugs and keep 24, right? (We STILL have too many mugs! Aaahhh!) Get rid of those old plates that are chipped or the glasses that don’t match.  Remember, excess causes anxiety!  If you do have extra mugs, check out our post about Sharpie Mugs That Actually Work!  You can recycle your extra mugs into gifts!



4.   Now, decide which cupboards to return your “keep” items to. Make sure you put these particular items near the sink or dishwasher to make them easy for you to clean and return to their place.

Breathe. Sleep. Wake up to Day 2! J That wasn’t so bad, right?

DAY 2 –  Now that we have the items that we use all day long organized and looking pretty, now it is time to organize the pots, pans and bake ware.  We are also going to organize any storage containers and mixing/serving bowls you may have.  We use them pretty regularly too, so we need to focus here on the second day.

What a mess!!!

1.    Again, empty out the cupboards into one place. Now, wipe down the cupboards.

2.   Now, this is where you REALLY need to think about what you want to put back into the cupboards.  Did you pull out Valentine candy molds that you use once a year? This should be stored in holiday decorations.  Do you have a rusty old baking sheet that you refuse to use but just can’t part with? Cover it with fabric and create a magnetic board! Whatever you do, don’t keep items you don’t use. As a general rule, if you haven’t used it in 6 months, see ya! (Besides the holiday ones)

3.   Evaluate HOW MANY mixing bowls you need or how many “whatevers” you have. I don’t bake often, so 13 bowls was a little much! Remember, you will have to deal with whatever you put back into the cupboard, so make sure you use it!

4.   Match each storage container to their lid. If you don’t have a lid, then you don’t keep the container!

5.   Replace all of the items in “groups”. I use a magazine rack to organize the lids of the pots and pans, stack my pots, stack my pans, stack my mixing bowls…you get the picture. All “like” items need to be together.

What? Extra space! Yessssss!


DAY 3 Here is an “easier” day! Let’s tackle the small drawers you may have that house your measuring cups, pot holders, dish cloths, etc. We added bibs & pacifiers to the list, too.  Don’t forget your plastic wrap, foil, plastic bags & other stuff like that!

Before

After


DAY 4 It’s time for food! Let’s tackle the pantry and the fridge! Now is the time to get rid of the half-empty box of rice that you can’t remember when you opened. Finally let go of the “greens” powder that you opened and used once before spitting it out. Yup, pitch it! Just follow the same routine we have been using to organize the other cupboards.  Here are some other tips to help you out!

1.    INVENTORY – If you read my TOP 10 TIPS TO SAVE MONEY ON FOOD, you will remember that we need to have an inventory of what we have and we can then make a list of what we need. Now is a GREAT time to do that!

2.   PLACEMATS – If you are constantly spilling food on your refrigerator shelves, try getting some plastic placemats, cutting them to fit, and then placing them on the shelves.  Then, you can just easily take out the mat, wipe it down and replace it!

3.   Don’t store your dairy items in the door of the fridge. It is not as cool there and your items may not hold the proper temperature to keep from going bad.

4.   If you have frost in the freezer, use a hair dryer to get rid of it. You can also boil a pot of water, put it in the freezer and boil another to replace it in a bit. Then, when the frost is off, spray some cooking spray on the top and sides. The ice will come right off next time!

DAY 5 OTHER:  Here is a category that can cover a lot of items we haven’t talked about. For us, it was vitamins (stored out of reach of small kiddos), junk drawers, kitchen cleaners, etc.  By now, you are a pro!  Make sure you get rid of everything that DOESN’T belong in the kitchen as well. You know, the stuff kids empty from their pockets after school, keys, sunglasses, mail. In other words, make the kitchen a kitchen.  If you have to store mail here, make sure it is confined to one drawer that is “out of the way” so the function of the kitchen is not compromised. 
Before

After
Also, check out the DIY Message Center we made just around the corner from our kitchen! That may help, too! (I still LOVE it by the way!)



Aaahhh. Right? Let’s try that again, AAAAHHHHH! With a cherry on top.
Now, if only we could get to the “spring cleaning part” today. Nah, go take a nap and enjoy!


Don’t forget to check out our other spring cleaning posts!
Toys Made Easy!

                                       .....And much, much more!

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Spring Cleaning - An "Oh Yeah" Living Area!

Oh, you are going to want to do this after you read this post! I can’t tell you how much my ANXIETY has DECREASED in just one day! Oh, my!


This week school is out of session. That means all 3 kids are home which I am SO excited for! But, what I wasn’t excited for were two things: 1.) More people = more messes to be made in the house and 2.) I spend WAY too much time cleaning the house when everyone is in it because of the extra mess. This vacation, that was NOT happening! I decided this past weekend that I would get the living area clutter-free and ready to enjoy with the kids.  This room is open to the kitchen and is where we spend most of our time playing games, reading and playing with the baby.  It is also where I feed the baby and give her nebulizer treatments every 3 hours. I spend A LOT of time here.  But, I just couldn’t stand looking at all of the knickknacks and “stuff” any more.  It made me crazy!



It was time to say, “See ya!” to the chaos.

Shelves in chaos...glad I have cupboards!

I admit that being inside cleaning was one of the last things I wanted to do on this beautiful weekend. But, to me, it was worth it.  The older two kiddos spent the day outside with daddy cleaning up the yard…and they actually got a bit of sunburn on the nose and cheeks! They had a great time and it gave me a chance to go to town on the living room…only stopping when baby needed me.  Overall, it took about 4 hours not counting the stops. But OH, it is HEAVENLY now! J  This morning, we went for a 2 ½ mile walk and when we came home, we got to plop in the living room with our fruit smoothies and just relax in our clutter-free room!

So, if the thought of spring cleaning the living area makes you cringe, just follow these steps. I am certain it will make things seem easier and less chaotic for you!

1.    FUNCTION – You first need to think about what your living space must function as. To do this, just think about the activities you do in the room.  Do you use it as a place to read, watch TV, play with kids, craft, etc?  Living areas can be used in many different ways.  Just make a mental list or write down what you do in the room.

2.    AREAS – For each activity or function the room has, you will need to designate and “area” to do them in.  For instance, if you knit, you will want to have a space designated for that with proper lighting and your tools easily accessible.  They should not be scattered all over the room.  Keep them in a bin or basket for you to stay organized and to put them away easily when you are finished.  The same rule applies for toys, games, books, etc.  Have one space for all “like” things related to your activities.

3.    TRASH – When you have done the above, take a plastic shopping bag or something similar and collect all of the “trash” you find in your living space.  This could be old juice box packets (just sayin’!), magazines, newspapers, leftover Cheerios, whatever! Trash the trash.

4.   OTHER ROOMS - Now, take a box or laundry basket and collect all items that don’t belong in that room.  Maybe your daughter loves to take off her socks when she gets home from school and you find a few under the couch. Or maybe you have random hockey pucks in the cushions of your couch.  Take everything that belongs in other rooms and just put it in one box. Don’t put the items away in the other rooms yet, this will distract you from the task at hand.

5.    DONATE/SELL – Now, remember in my post about XXXXXXXXXXXX, we talked about letting go of items? This is your time to shine! Check that post if you need a refresher, but if you don’t need it, GET RID OF IT!  You will feel SOOOOO much better! I got rid of over half of the stuff on my built-in shelves! Aaaaahhhhh!

6.    REASSESS – Now that you have cleared out lots of items, take a look around and see if the items left serve a purpose for the functions we talked about.  Now, decorations are OK even if they don’t have an “active” purpose.  But, make sure you LOVE them and that they bring you joy when you see them.  After all, you will be dusting them and rearranging them for another year to come!

7.    GROUPING – Now, we are going to remove all of the leftover items from their homes into a designated place nearby.  It is time to group them together by purpose.  For instance, all of the toys go together, books together, decorations, crafting, remotes, etc.  Clean off all of the ones that are dusty before replacing them.

8.    SURFACES – Make sure that all of your surfaces are cleared off. This includes the mantle, shelving, end tables, window sills, etc. Wipe each surface down with appropriate solution to clean them.

9.    FLOW – Is it easy for you to see the television from each piece of furniture? Are your pieces easy to maneuver around? With the room empty, play with the layout of your furniture if you feel there is room for improvement.

10. WALLS/FLOORS – Now we get to clean off the walls and floors. Make sure you get in those areas that have been neglected! Look for those whispy cobwebs in the corners of the ceiling and for the dust bunnies under that heavy furniture! Clean everything thouroughly, don’t skimp out!

11. REPLACE – Now we get to place the items back into the room!  Keep your groups together and in places that make sense for the corresponding activities.

12. CELEBRATE AND ENJOY your new space! J
 
Aaaaahhhhh.....


Now, if you want to do a deeper clean, wash those drapes and clean the furniture.  I will say that I did not have time to do this on that particular day. But I am SO going to do it when I get a chance.  I didn’t want to take any time away from the task at hand!

Here are also a few tips that may help with spring cleaning your living area:

-       - Do not leave more than one or two decorations on your end tables or coffee tables.  You will not have room for your activities that you may need the space for if they are cluttered. AND, it will drive you crazy when you can’t find a place to set your morning coffee!

-       -Keep your remote controls together. We have 3 that we use regularly. I got a crafty-organizer-box-thingy that I wasn’t using and put them inside. I was also able to put my hand sanitizer and room spray here…did I mention I also change her diapers in the living room?!



-       -For most people, the TV is the focal point of the room. Make sure your focal point is clear of clutter…that’s the most important clutter-free part of the room, the one you stare at all of the time.  Or maybe it’s the mantel of a fireplace. Keep it clear!

-       -Check out your walls. Are there picture frames everywhere? Artwork scattered about? Consider hanging them all on one wall to showcase them.  Filling up each space on your wall will distract the eye and make it float around the room, not really focusing on anything.  This leads to instant anxiety.  If you can’t group them all together, consider removing some or putting them in another room.

-       -Make sure you clean out your hidden storage places as well! This includes ottomans, cupboards, drawers in the end tables. It all has to be sorted!




-       -Make sure your furniture is functional. I started out with a black end table that had no storage.  I switched it for a white one I had in my bedroom upstairs that served no purpose other than to collect dust.  Now, it holds the remotes, diapers, wipes and baby butt cream!

-       -Notice I got some self-adhesive cord clips to control the ugly black wires to the TV from the cable box and DVD/Blue Ray players. Yeah, they are still ugly, but at least they are running together instead of “hanging out” all over!

Well, do you want everyone out of the house so you can get organized? Oh, I can’t even tell you what a difference it makes. It’s crazy! I never really thought about how clutter made me anxious until this past year. I am SO glad you are all holding me accountable to doing the whole house!  Oh, by the way, you all need to hold me accountable to doing the whole house! J

OK, get started and let me know how you are doing! Post photos on our Facebook page as well!

***Check out my other posts about spring cleaning and organizing if you haven’t already!

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My Quick-Fix Message Center DIY


So, I obviously hate clutter. And my least favorite clutter is... paper! I have to-do lists, calendars, appointment cards, sticky notes, scrap paper and beautiful, but LOTS of pictures that the kids draw to display lying ALL OVER my house. I use a large calendar that I had hanging on my wall, but I didn't have anywhere to keep all of the other papers except stacked on my kitchen counter. It was driving me MAD!



One day I just decided to use the hallway wall to organize it. Now, my mission was NOT to make the prettiest, "pinteresty-est" message center, but to just get the job done for now. I needed all of the notes, lists, appointments, etc. in one place...and that place was NOT my kitchen counter. AND, I wanted a place to display the kids' artwork and school papers that they were so proud of. So, here was my fix:

Finding a place: I decided that it would be OK to use the whole hallway wall that people really didn't see unless they used our bathroom or did our laundry for us! :) It is right on the opposite side of the kitchen and phone, so I knew it would be convenient and easy to see.

Function: I needed a place to write down my 10 "To-Do"s for the day without losing the paper that I write them down on.  I also needed to keep the calender close by and needed a place for the scrap papers to be together that I just "jot" stuff down on.  I also wanted to display my kids' art and special school papers.

What to use:  

- Dry erase board: I knew I needed a dry erase board.  In my old age, I don't remember anything unless I write it down.  And, I love my to-do lists when I can find them! :)  A dry erase board was my favorite option.

- Calendar: Check!

-Cork board: As I was sorting papers, I came across a few that I needed to hang, such as the school lunch menu and some phone numbers that I knew I would need often.

I had debated on getting another plastic file for the wall like I had used in my mudroom post, but didn't really see the need for another place to collect papers.

Where to find items:

-I got super lucky when I remembered that I had a huge dry erase board down in the basement from when I used to teach couponing classes.  I originally got it at Staples.com, I can't remember the price, but I'm sure it was under $100. Check out the link to see the current prices, but mine had an aluminum frame and it is AWESOME. It has been in the basement for over a year!

-I also already had the calendar. I got it at Staples as well for $5 at the beginning of the year. It is actually a desk calendar, but has holes to hang it on a wall as well.

-Cork board: I ended up buying 3 of them for $6 each at Joann.com.  It was a little hard to hang them side by side and line them up perfectly, but it may just have been the person hanging them! :)

So, first, I cleared off the wall and then washed it down with, you guessed it, a magic eraser! It was FILTHY! I never realized how many times we scuff the wall when we carry things through there. Or how many times my kids hit the wall with their hockey sticks! Oh well, it's just a wall! 

Then, I started by laying out the items i the way I wanted them to look on the wall. I hung the dry erase board first and then figured out the layout of the calendar and cork board. I knew I needed to be able to reach ALL of the dry erase board to write on it.  I also knew I needed the calendar at eye-level.  My original plan was to have the kids' artwork hang below, but I couldn't get the layout quite right.

Here's the final message wall:




I absolutely LOVE it! Like I said, it may not be pretty, but it gets the job done and gets me more ORGANIZED which is the name of the game right now!

As you can see, I write down my 10 to-do tasks for the day and cross them off as I go.  I also write down what I have to have done for the kids for that day. My older two love to cross off their "chores" after they get them done and I take care of the baby's.  Right now, she is sick with RSV and we keep track of when we do her nebulizer treatments so that when my mom comes to babysit, we can easily keep track. Love, love, LOVE!

Now for the kids' artwork...I had 2 cork boards left. I decided that I would hang them in the small space that the calender originally hung in. It is right between the kitchen and playroom, but I figured it was better to hang the pictures there than have them all over the fridge anyway. At least it would look a bit more organized and the kids would feel special when they saw them decorating the space! This is how it looks now...



And all I can say now is aaaahhhhh. It is done and out of the way!  I find it SO much easier to keep track of my day now. Everything is in one place and easy to find. I don't lose my to-do list and now the household knows what needs to be done for the day without asking! Yes, I love it! It took about 2 hours total, but was worth it!

Now, go tackle your message center so you can breathe easier!
I'd love to see photos, too! :)  Post them on our Facebook page!

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Spring Cleaning: Toys Made Easy!

Oh, spring...I'm sure you are on your way, right? I mean that snowbank out my window is just a figment of my imagination...UGH!

Well, nevertheless, spring cleaning is in full swing at my house! 


If you missed out on our previous posts about "De-cluttering your home and your life", then you will want to catch up here:






Since I last wrote, we have been busy cleaning out the "kid" rooms. These include the bedrooms and the dreaded playroom. Just hearing the word "playroom" makes me tired!  But, we had to buckle down and do it!  We did the bedrooms one night and the playroom on a Saturday.

One word:  Toys.
Two words: More toys.
Three words: Donate, donate, donate!!!

If you feel the same way, I am here to help!  

I think that if children have too many toys, it can be overwhelming. Also, if you think about it, the more toys they have, the less that each toy gets played with before they are outgrown or the batteries are dead! Right? 

Also, remember back to when you were growing up...did you have an entire room dedicated to toys, books, stuffed animals, remote control cars or iPads and Leapsters?  I mean, really. Do they REALLY play with EVERYTHING in there?  Doesn't it make you crazy to walk in and see the piles of "stuff" all over the place? I am a pretty organized person and our playroom always has had the little bins and the closet system to store games, etc. But, it was NEVER "nicely organized" all at one time except for the 10 minutes after we organized it! What a waste of time.

So, if you are with me and want no more of the craziness, here's what you gotta do!

1. First, you have to get over the fact that you will "hurt" someone's feelings by getting rid of a toy that they gave to your children. Most people understand that there comes a time when the toy is no longer needed or wanted. And, chances are good that they will never know anyway.

2. Next, you have to get rid of YOUR emotional attachment to the items that are no longer needed or used. See my post on Decluttering: The Basics.  Remember how clutter can affect our emotions, our actions and our relationships. Reflect on the benefits of de-cluttering. This will inspire you to donate away and know that you will still have those precious memories even so!


Are you ready? Are you detached?  Let's get started with a step-by-step for tackling the toys in any room!

1. The kids: Your first job is to make the children aware of what is happening. Talk with them about the fact that some toys are going to be donated and what exactly that means.  Talk to them about people in need and also about how you need to make room for more toys that will come in throughout the year.  You can even set up a reward system.  For instance, they get a "point" for each toy they donate and when they reach "25 points", they get to go to the zoo or bowling or something special!


2. Designate Areas:  Before sorting through toys, designate areas to put each and every toy until all of the toys are gone through.  These are the piles we used:

          -Keep
          -Donate
          -Save for the baby (or someone you know)
          -Sell at yard sale (I didn't want to have one, so we donated)
          -Trash
Donated Toys and Books

3. Set A Goal:  How many toys do you want to remove? How many do you have space for?  Set a goal and let your kids know. Remember the "point" system can correlate to this.  We got rid of about 1/3.

4. Get Started!  OK, here is decision time. I gave my kids 5-10 seconds with each toy.  I told them that if they took too long, mommy or daddy would decide for them.  It only took a few times before they caught on! :) 
***When we first started, I encouraged them by saying "find 5 toys you want to keep". Then, I had them find 5 they wanted to donate.  That way they felt comfortable with the process.


5.  Clean:  Now that you have 5 piles (or 4), you are ready to clean out the playroom. Dust the shelves, bookcases, whatever...clean the floors, wipe the walls. There is no reason you can't take the extra time to do this. Do you really want to wait until you "spring clean" next year? Ick.  Don't forget to wipe down the "keep" toys that need a bit of dusting before you put them back!

6. Sort The "Keep":  I know, I know, one more step. But, this will be easier.  Sort your "keep" toys into piles such as books, stuffed animals (ugh, my pet peeve!), balls, games, etc.  I love using see-through containers and shoe boxes to store them. When placing them back on shelves, you should put the toys with small pieces or the ones that need supervision in order to play in higher levels of the room.  The safer ones such as giant Legos, chunk puzzles, etc. should be placed within easy reach of the children.


7. Label: If your children are able to read, use a label maker to mark which bins are for what toys. Or, if your children are younger, take a photo of the toys that go in each bins and just tape them onto the container.

8. Rules:  No matter what, it is a great time to set some toy-playing rules if you haven't already done so.  Point out the toys that they are required to ASK to play with (the ones with supervision or that are too high for them to reach).  Also, let them know that if they want to get out a new toy, they need to put back the one they are playing with.

Other tips:

- Each night, grab a laundry basket and have the kids fill it with the toys that are lying around the house. Then have them put them where they belong.  This will eliminate you having to wake up to a house of craziness...well, with toys anyway!

- Rotate your childrens' toys if you still don't have enough room for your "keep" toys.  I love the expression on their faces when they "find" a toy that they have missed!

- No one needs more than a couple stuffed animals, if that.  I am still trying to figure out why they still make them? They get my vote for most useless toys in the world.

- When you are shopping for holidays, birthdays, etc...ask yourself if you will be so happy you bought the toy you are considering for your child in 3 months. Will it still be in one piece or will parts be missing?  Is it a "fad" or does it fit in with the toys your child adores?  Do you have a place for it?

In closing...

If you can keep toys confined to the bedrooms, that would be ideal.  A few toys in the corner of a room are fine, but the more room you allow for toys, the more toys seem to accumulate. I know from experience! :) 

You will also feel SOOOOO relieved when you are finished with sorting toys and donating them to a charity.  Yes, we could have made some good money with all of the toys we donated, but I did NOT want to store them anymore. In the first night alone, we got 5 huge trash bags full of toys to bring to the Salvation Army! That was just from their bedrooms! AWESOME feeling!

I know you can do this, so get busy! And, get the family involved. Throw on some music, get some snacks, whatever. It actually was fun when I think back...hard work, but fun!

Don't forget to report back!

Do you have a toy tip that you are willing to share?  I'd love to hear it! 

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