V and Co: back to organizing 101

last snow day I spent separating, sorting and organizing a lot of pink stuff

 We here in the midwest have been having a doozy of a winter. With frigid cold days, icy roads, and blizzard like conditions due to windy stormy snowy days...there have been more snow days and late starts in january alone than what it seems we had all of last winter! Don't quote me on that I didn't do my fact check so I could be lying...but none the less, we've had our fare share of snow days.
I've been using said snow days to my advantage and been doing some organizing. This last snow day I tackled my daughter's toys with her help.
Remember waaaay long ago when I used to talk about organizing like every other week it seemed? Yeah, well I've been off my organizing game for what now seems like 3 years. (The 6 months where we moved 3 times and then moved across country, and the last 2 and half years we've been been in our house we live in now.)
I used to talk about daily tasks and chores and quick tips of what I would do to help keep the house somewhat organized. This last little bit I've been off kilter, not completely, but just enough that I've not been feeling like I've had my organizing game face on...and well, I think I'm finally getting back on track. At least it seems like these last few months I've found a home for everything and I've been reincorporating my little quick tricks every day.

here's a couple of things that I used to do daily...didn't do for the last while I've been feeling "off" my organizing game, and what I've started to do again...which has made me feel like I'm getting my organizing act together again.

first things first:
*I've gotten rid of unused, unworn, and extra "things" that didn't necessarily need to be clogging up space in my house. 
*I've found permanent homes for most things in the house (for the time being at least, because this house definitely needs more storage cabinet built ins, which will happen as the funds are saved up to have them installed)
*I've started the whole process with the closets and moved out. (if you start the purging with your dirty little stashing places like closets and drawers, then you can make closets and drawers permanent "homes" for things, which means easier times putting things away)

AFTER I did the three things above I now do these few little tricks every day/couple times a week to keep the organizing "going":
*Daily Make beds in mornings (I make my kids do their own beds...sometimes it's a stretch that they even tried and have walked away saying they did it, but because I know some mornings are more rushed than other's I don't really get super anal about it, I go behind them after they go to school and straighten it out...Summer time is completely different story I am a little more particular as there's ample amount of time.) There's something about having beds made that just makes the day seem better and almost puts you in a "jump start" to the rest of the day. I SWEAR BY THIS. 
*Daily Do one cleaning chore (i.e. mop floors, or dust all furniture upstairs. Write it out on a list if you need helping remember what day you are going to do what.)
*Weekly/Daily: Designate at least 10 minutes to empty out completely one or two drawers/cabinets...could be as small as a cosmetic or junk drawer,  or go bigger and devote even longer (45 minutes) and do a larger project like your pantry cabinet. (depending on how many drawers/cabinets you have, you'll start to see that the organizing gets easier to do and less time will be needed to do this task because most likely you'll repeat places after a few months)
If trying to do this daily is too much try designating one day a week you do this...that's how I started and now I'm back to being able to do it a few times a week...the goal is to do something once a day (like I used to.)
*Daily: At night have everyone put back things where they belong. That way you start your morning with a put away house, and all you have to do is the daily chore and the one organizing on your list.

Those are the just the few things I've incorporated back into my life that seems to be helping me get back on track.
Granted there are weeks where things just happen and the LAST thing I want to do is keep the routine going. But if you tackle it slowly...and steadily...bad weeks will not be huge starting points again...just a little extra help will be needed to get back on track.

Every day I work on the house right after the kids go to school and I go to work (um in my house, downstairs in my basement...but, yes, I "go to work"). Because I have to work on deadlines and such things I can't spend the whole day organizing..so I allot myself only an hour to hour and half in the mornings. I'm usually working on sewing/blogging/deadline related work by no later than 10 am...(unless kids or husband need me to do some kind of errand/or I have to take the dog to the vet, child to the ortho and all the other jazz I have to do because well...I'm MOM and that's what we do...). I don't spend all day doing this just like I didn't back when I had all my kids under my feet every waking moment of the day. I still want and need to do other things, and I don't want to burn out on organizing either. Although I do have to admit, it gets addicting and I've realized just how.much.I've.missed.it.

I honestly feel like it's taken me a long time to get back to this. Like I had to make that choice to start the process all over again because it's been years...(and YES, it's daunting to start again...let alone start all together!) Now that I've been doing it for a couple of months, and not talking about it because I wanted to see if this was just a fluke and it wasn't who I was anymore...or maybe I just wasn't ready to do it like I used to just yet. But I feel like I'm seeing a moderately organized home again. I feel like it's not so scary to finally finish the process of settling in this house...and finally getting it organized. Is it  Perfect? Am I going for perfect?  Oh swear word no...that's not who I am and remember WE LIVE HERE...so yeah it's gonna be lived in...
But yeah.
It's coming along.
And I feel like I've come back to a step closer to what I used to think was just part of me...after it not being a part of me for a few years...
It feels good.

just one disclaimer:
Don't go look in my sewing room just yet (or try like ever). That's on a completely different black hole agenda...kind of like my email inbox...(personally I'd like to set fire to my email inbox)

On another note... I've managed to bypass and trick the Overlord by setting out decoy fabric so that I could work on some stuff...and well look for a Valentine How To come this monday. (Yay! It turned out cute and it's super easy and I'm making a few kits to sell if anyone is interested, so come back Monday.)
Have a great weekend. And I hope you get some organizing done in the near future...and if you have an Overlord at your house...may you decoy your way back into some work...
We'll talk soon. 

bloggers block-a-palooza block #16: pinwheel parade

hey there! it's my turn for the block a palooza that quilt dad has put on. make sure you visit all the other bloggers who have already created a block!

with the weather we've been having it actually does feel like spring! (high 50's). the kiddos have been outside every day after school, and can i just say, what a difference it makes to get a little vitamin D in the system and some fresh air? once again dreaming of summer. but lets talk about spring first.
i named my block pinwheel parade because when i looked at the block i thought of spring and lots of kids having their own pinwheel blowing in the wind. so lot's of kids running around with pinwheels = a parade of pinwheels hence the name.
but enough talking lets start cutting

okay here's your cutting:

cut 4 white squares 4.5" x 4.5" - solid areas
cut 10 white square 3" x 3"
cut 10 print squares 3" x 3"

take your 3" squares of whites and your 3" squares of pattern fabric (2 white and 2 pattern will make one pinwheel)
take a ruler and draw a line down the middle from one corner to the other diagonal
place right sides together, with the white facing out towards you.
sew 1/4 seam from your line.
then do it again on the other side of the line.
cut your two halves. open and press with an iron.
**cut your blocks down to 2.5 (all 20 of them)
place 4 squares like the picture above. do this for all 5 pinwheel blocks
take your right block and place it on top of your left block like the picture shown above.
with a 1/4" seam sew your two blocks.
repeat to the top 2 blocks.
open and press your blocks.
right sides together, place the top block on top of the bottom block
sew your two blocks together.
press open.
do this for all 5 pinwheels
next take your solid white blocks and place them like so:

pinwheel-solid-pinwheel
solid-pinwheel-solid
pinwheel solid pinwheel

with a 1/4" seam allowance sew your strips together to make your final block.

done.
PDF VERSION HERE

**now if you have been watching the news you know of the devastation that japan is going through. there are many places to donate, i have a friend who is from the area that the tsunami hit hard, please visit her blog to find out how to donate help. even the littlest amount can help.
then hug and call your family.
and pray for all those not being able to do just that right now.

first step to organizing and cleaning your home

so i don't care if you have never been in the game or if you are trying to get back in the game (as i am) or have never left the game and are interested in hearing other ideas (and sharing your own!). i have this organizing/cleaning schedule that works for me and my family.

is my house perfect?
HAHAHAhaha...ha...hmmm
no.
can you find occasional dust bunnies under my couch?
yes.
do i spend all day every day cleaning?
no.
can my house look somewhat put together in 20 minutes if someone were to come and drop by?
most often yes.

see nobody's house is ever completely clean. i don't care who you are, it just isn't going to happen. because guess what...
everyone poops and takes showers in your bathroom, and everyone makes dirty laundry and dishes in your house.
if you never have those things get dirty in between cleanings then you must be pooping and eating at someone else's house every single day. (and btw that's not very nice. i'm just sayin.)

nope a rotating cleaning schedule wont make your house completely clean all the time but it will keep it somewhat tidy and look clean enough that if by some chance your mother in law calls you from en-route to your house for a surprise visit you can get that baby looking spic and span within 20 minutes just in time for her arrival.
are you ready to gain control?

okay first things first:

GET RID OF STUFF.

that's right before you can be on a cleaning schedule that will work you have to get rid of the extra crap lying around in hidden places.

ever feel like you are just moving one pile of crap to another section so you can clean off one surface only to make the other surface now cluttered?

yeah you have too much stuff.

GET RID OF THE EXTRA STUFF YOU DON'T USE.

here's where to start: inside your drawers, closets, and under the beds.

get three boxes label them:
*throw away
*give away
*store away

empty out completely all the contents of your drawer, closet, or under the bed.

now start placing in the boxes where things go.
if you are keeping that particular item in that drawer or area then keep it and place it aside for it to be placed nicely back in the area you are working on.

***here's a few tips for you people having a hard time getting rid of your glory days jeans...yeah i know you are out there.

if you haven't fit in your glory day jeans in say a year. GET RID OF THEM.
if you can still fit in them...good for you, you should be proud that you still can, but ask yourself this...when was the last time you wore them?
if its more than one year.
GET RID OF THEM!

now do that with all your clothes and all the stupid nicknaks and junk that is clogging up your closets, and drawers and make room for the stuff that is all over your house being pushed around from surface to surface.

***this is what i'm doing right now. i used to do this every 6 months and weed out broken things and papers and just junk that collects because we have 6 people that live in my house.
6 people can break and create a lot of junk in 6 months. it feels liberating once your house is under control and you can open up closets and not have things stuffed in there falling out and know what is in every closet in your house. no really i dare you. do it.

if you are having a hard time getting rid of things even if you know you haven't worn or used something for the last year...put it in your store it away box. and then seal it up with duck tape and then put a date of 6 months from that day's date. if you haven't touched that box or needed anything from that box in 6 months...GIVE IT TO GOODWILL!

so here's my challenge.
for one week your challenge is to tackle one closet or drawer or heck go nuts and do a ROOM. go around every single corner of that or closet or drawer and then room, and get rid of things you are not using and get rid of junk that's just taking up space.
and watch how your clutter on surfaces disappear.

i'm going to do it too.
my craft closet is on the list, and it gives me hives just thinking of tackling it. i may just try something easier first but i don't know...

are you ready to regain simplicity of your house with me?
who's with me?
anyone?

new way to hang plates 101

i love plates being on walls.
i wrote a whole post about it once.
but i hate the gross brassy plate hangers that help keep them up on the wall.

so i tried something new until i can get my hands on some of these:Invisible English Plate Hanger Disc-4 Inch (For Plates 8 to 12 Inches in Diameter)

*i got the hot glue gun out and some ribbon. (any ribbon or scraps of thinly cut fabric will work. i've tried both)

*once i put a nice dab of hot glue on the plate (on the rough part of the plate) and placed my ribbon on the hot glue, i then put another glob of hot glue on top just to seal it up a little more.

*i then went ahead and hung up my plates without the brassiness nastiness (please don't spell check that...i'm sure it's all kinds of wrong)

*****

i tried this a few weeks ago and waited to post it till now after i made sure that if you did try it, we wouldn't have crashing plates falling because of my suggestion. so far the hot glue has held up its side of the bargain at least in the small plate deal.

but i most definitely do not suggest hanging large frames this way or say 50lb mirrors...that would be just plain silly.

*if you are nervous about using hot glue you can always use stronger stuff like crazy glue or epoxy glue.

******

so remember:

*small plates= yes on the hot glued ribbon or fabric

*large 50lb frames or mirrors= stupid and silly to even try the hot glue idea.

don't say i didn't warn you.

let me know if you try it!
and i'll post when i get my
Invisible English Plate Hanger Disc-4 Inch (For Plates 8 to 12 Inches in Diameter)
and thell you how it works!

spray painting 101

since so many of you expressed interest in my spray painting process...i decided to take the camera with me this time and take pictures.
it's super complicated so watch out.

get you some spray paint. (personally i like the satin the best but the red only came in gloss, and since i roll with the punches...i bought it.)
i buy krylon because it's middle ground in price and it says "indoor/outdoor" and i figure anything that says it can be "outside paint" will probably weather pretty well with the storm that my kids create inside the house.
these metal nesting tins here the right color like 10 years ago.
now i want a more vibrant red and white.

here's the trick.

1. lightly spray over your whole surface. not thick enough to cover it, just enough to make sure you get a base coat

2. let that dry

3. repeat with a light coat again not going heavy on the paint. (this is where you get drips)

4. let it dry

5. repeat these steps till you can not see anything through your paint.

and there you have it the final product.

they are rather plain as they are...i have some ideas as to how i want to dress them up...i'll show you when i finally get the supplies and get working on it.

i'll even post it if it turns out horrific and scares young children.

i also spray painted kate's little high chair for her doll. when you are working with plain wood that has never been lacquered or painted you can just go ahead and spray it. but if it has lacquer then you will need to *lightly* sand to roughen up the surface.

the blue that i chose came out somewhat bright but i'm keeping it like this for a while until it bugs me too much and then i'll spray paint it another color if i have to.

well i totally made my bed yesterday but guess what...the bed gods i guess were angry. my internet was down all the live long day and i *thought* i didn't have anything posting for that day. i figured it's okay i don't need to be in people's face every single day... and when the internet finally started working, i got to my emails and started reading comments on my post and many of you mentioned how incredibly looong this girls camp was...uhhhh...oops. nope, that was last weekend. and i decided not to post the snorting post and use the one that my 9 year old noise maker wanted to do instead...well apparently i put a "post date" on it and well there you go.

my post for yesterday.

i would of posted it but i would of left out the girls camp info on it.

oh well life goes on.

organizing 101: getting your kids to help

i did an organizing 101 of "where do i begin" read it here.

this time i want to talk about how to get the kids to help.

to help with the whole process of chores we use the token system in our house. granted we've modified it as the year has progressed. certain things are bigger rewards and therefore earn more tokens while other's aren't that important anymore. but cleaning and chores still hold their market value. earning tokens is basically earning "privileges" or money to buy toys or to put into a savings account.

they even have been known to pay for "maid" services (meaning i can't handle it anymore and i clean it up) that's a total of 10 tokens each ( i ain't cheap!) this system has SAVED our family.

something that is important to note is that you can not expect your kids to do anything you yourself aren't willing to do.

first you have to teach your kids what you mean when you say "clean your room."

cleaning your room in my house means picking up and putting away everything where it belongs. and it means i do it with them. as the years have passed by, my older boys know what i mean when i say "clean your room" and they actually are getting real good at it.

get rid of junk:

just like i said in the 101 on "where do i get started". you need to get rid of stuff starting from the closets and drawers first. make room for things that belong in that room

then go through all the toys and get rid of all the junk, or broken toys, and yes even toys that you have a hard time getting rid of, but realize that they don't play with them.

don't buy anymore clothes or toys

unless you have a place for them. if you don't have the room, refrain from buying it. my kids do not have many toys, but the toys they do have they love.

set a time every day that you pick up the room.

for us its two times a day. once in the morning (generally just making beds, and picking up and putting away pjs) at the end of the day right before we settle down we do a once over of putting away toys in bins, and making sure all dirty clothes go in dirty piles and in the laundry room.

weed out stuff regularly.

during the school year i do it while they are at school. once a month or so i look and i get rid of "junk" that gets collected. we also (as a family) around fall time do a big "get rid of stuff because birthdays and christmas is coming" the kids know that in order to get toys they need to make room for them. and that usually means we need to get rid of a few less loved toys.

make your kids pay for their own toys.

well except for birthdays and christmas...here's where the token system comes into play again. 10 tokens equals $1 my kids like to get 100 tokens and then go and spend their $10 on whatever they want to spend it on.

******8

i hope some of these pointers will help with getting your kids started on helping out in keeping their rooms clean.

keep in mind i'm not a professional in any way shape or form, and my house does get lived in and isn't perfect by any means...one thing i do know is moving a lot and living in houses of all different square footage, and any size house will feel small if you have too much stuff in it, and these are some of the things that have worked for us.

decorating 101

picture by pottery barn

CORRECT PLACEMENT OF WALL HANGINGS
i see it all the time. and really it's not their fault. they hear "eye level" and yeah we are taller these days, but too often i see pictures "floating" up on walls too high. and when asked by someone who wants my help to decorate their space i've had a couple of interesting "discussions" on what "eye level" in their house means. i often hear "my husband and i are taller than you."
uh yeah, well most of America is taller than me so what's your point?
it still doesn't change one HUGE point:
picture by pottery barn

art galleries actually set the standard. they say that the average eye level is between 59 to 63 inches. so as decorators of our own spaces, we are advised to use that as our guideline...oh i can hear all the questions already:

should the top, bottom, or center be that height?

the center of your art should be at the recommended height.

what if i have a group of pictures?

well then pretend your group of pictures is one big piece of art. the center of your art should always be around the 59 to 63 inches off the ground.
plan accordingly when you start hanging your group up.

image from the book: In the Country Style: Timeless Designs for Today's Home

what about over sofa's and beds?

6 to 12 inches above the sofa or your head board (so the experts say)

what about buffets or side tables (shelves)?

generally you want to hang it (or have it leaning against the wall) close to the anchoring piece of furniture so around 4 to 8 inches above (so the experts say)

so there you have it my first 101 for decorating.

here's to not having too high of art on the walls.

it'll make your house more pleasing to the eye i promise!
******************

have a great weekend!
we're just chillin

getting ready for our trip to california next weekend.

and while hubby watches dvr-ed shows after the noisemakers go to bed i will snuggle up next to him having a love affair...

i have a date with book #3

City of Glass (Mortal Instruments)
i would like to point out that EDWARD has BEEN REPLACED.

oh yes i dare say that JACE is

much

sexier

than

edward...

oooooh let the hate mail begin.