Organizing the Kitchen/Homework Area/Family Central

I've said before that it's not that I'm not an organized person as much as I am a huge procrastinator.   That is an understatement really.  Why do today what you can do in a rush tomorrow? 

But that's why this happens.   

That is my kitchen table covered in about a week's worth of life. 

I actually like being organized.  I even have systems set up for organizing.  But I learned recently that because of my personality type they often do not work.

I need to see the things I need to do.   If I don't see them, I forget to do them.  


Often when people organize, they put things away.   That makes sense - part of the beauty of organizing is to cut down on clutter.  So you organize the clutter away.

Which is just not good for a person like me.  Out of sight out of mind.  It can be frustrating.

So, I decided this year that I had to figure out some systems that worked for me.  Because things are starting to get busy around here and I don't expect them to slow down with another child coming this Summer.  

A couple things have helped me so far.

Google Calendar - I update it weekly and print off the month. I color code it, highlighting things that are new to the week like doctor appointments and such, and magnet it to the fridge.  Daily reminders on my computer help me to remember what's going on.   On busy days, I can even print off an agenda.  I can also check my calendar and add items from my phone via texting - without internet connection on my phone.  Love it!  Now, if I could only find away to get this new Palm Pre I could have it with me all the time.  Hubby?

This homework station for my kids helps A LOT!  Everything is neat, organized and still cute but also practical and in plain sight for them. 

 

 Colored Pencils, markers, crayons, pens and pencils are all handy.

 

Hubby finished this bench to match our kitchen table and I can stash games and other miscellanous things the kids need out of sight.  And I can seat a bunch 'o kids at this table if needed. 

A calendar, school lunch menu, neighbors phone numbers on the inside of this cabinet door where phone books, medicines, vitamins and such are also stored.    There are my pens, Sharpies, scissors, hand lotion on the charging station for our phones. 

This is the side of my fridge with a memo board, paper to make lists, photos, and file holder with cute file folders for all of the kids paperwork.  The little Ritz envelope actually has coupons I can just grab on my way out the door.    The kids track out calendar is there, extra keys, nails, tacks and all kinds of stuff in those little magnetic tins. 

   That is how I made my table look like THIS!  Ta-Dah!!

 

Oh, and as a little sidenote here:  this table used to have SIX placemats.  One day my son spilled his milk on his and I set it aside to take it to the laundry.  Elmo found it and it looks like this now. 

What this dog will eat never ceases to amaze me. 

The last thing that helps me not to forget things is the garage door.  It is metal and for things that I absolutely cannot file away and need to have right in my face for a short time - I place them there with a magnet.  I don't have a picture, though.   It's stuff that you might put on the front of your fridge.  I personally like the front of my fridge uncluttered so the door works for me. 

Check out more tackles at Tackle It Tuesday at 5 Minutes For Mom

Also, great weekly lessons learned at What I Learned This Week at Musings of a Housewife.  

Tackle It Tuesday - My bedroom

A couple weeks ago, I was talking about my bedroom needing some attention. I actually started last year. Or maybe the year before. Anyway, I got distracted and stopped.

So, here are some things I have done lately. My big tackle for the quarter!

I have this love for jewelry. My budget allows me to afford costume or handmade items. Hubby purchases me the more expensive items for special occasions. Sweet man.

I have many many necklaces and really did not know what to do with them. They were basically hanging all over my room.

Over candle holders and lamps, in my jewelry box, in my nightstand and all over the top of my dresser.

I like to see them, so I hated to put them away because then I forget they are there.

So, I made this! Well, I saw the idea in Better Homes and Gardens and then made it

Because being original is not really my thing.

I found a small bulletin board. Painted it all matchy matchy for my bedroom. Got some clear thumbtacks (although, I am on the lookout for some cool ones) and hung my necklaces on them! (If you look really close in the left corner you can see a necklace that my daughter made me - it says I love you in plastic beads - so sweet.)

So, I put it in that area in my bedroom that needed to be finished out and painted. Hubby finished painting it and B who watches entirely too much HGTV instructed me to make it my little vanity area. Crazy enough, the kid knows what she is talking about! So, I moved my jewelry box, new jewelry board, a lamp and a photo and I now have a new little corner all to myself.

Hubby was like, "I thought I was painting this so we could make our room more cozy and romantic."

And I was like, "Yeah, now I love you even more for painting this for me, so let's go get cozy!"

Anyway, here it is: I am not totally loving the mirror or lamp, but I will work on replacing those. These things take time.

I have tried to make the bedroom very focused on just the two of us. No toys or no pictures of the kids.

On this shelf is a wooden fish is from an anniversary trip to Jamaica. The big World Travel book is how he proposed to me (another story for another time), the jewelry box is from him. There are photos of us only and shells from beach trips.

Oh okay, I did put a picture of each of our babies, but they are part of us, ya know?


I finished the chair.

My "upholstery job".

One of my friends was so impressed because she read on my blog that I could upholster a chair.

Yeah, I may have over stated my ability just a bit.

So, let me clarify - A big piece of foam, fabric and a staple gun is my idea of re-upholstering a chair.

Finally, I added a few relaxing touches like this fountain which Hubby also gave me as a gift. I found that cool square candle at Tuesday Morning for very cheap and then found the square holder and diffuser at Pottery Barn. On. Sale. Snap.

And this blanket. Some plants.

Do you think those lamps should be bigger? I am thinking they look too smallish. They don't seem that way in my room but his picture seems to make them look too small.

My last addition will be to paint my ceiling and replace the ceiling fan. As soon as Hubby is on board with that. These things also take time.


For more Tackle It Tuesday projects go Here!

Tackle It Tuesday - I made THE appointment

I made THE appointment. Finally.

I don't know if I have been in denial or what, but I was given direction by my doctor when I turned 35 to have a mammogram.

I was breast feeding at the time, so he let me wait until the year after I was finished before he recommended it again. That would have been around age 36.

Almost 2 years ago.

I know, I know. Bad decision.

But today.

I made the appointment. For next week.

No more denial that I am over 35.

I am...over 35.

It's okay, though.

I feel good.

And I need to take care of myself.

So, here it is: My mammogram appointment.

Done.

Let's get it over with now.

Want to see more great tackles? Check them out at 5 Minutes for Mom!

Tackle It Tuesday - what else but the laundry?

So, my dryer, precious dryer, was broken for 4 days! Not good. You just never know how much you love a dryer until you don't have one. In order to keep up with the laundry I have to do it at least every 2 days. I really try to do a couple loads every other day.

Add to the fact, that there is a load in the washer waiting to be dried and a load in the dryer also waiting and now they both have to be washed again because they have that yucky sour smell.

So, yes. Today, as in right after I finish this post, I am tackling my backed up laundry. And do you really want to see pictures of my dirty laundry? I think not. Maybe you are actually okay with it, but the real me does not want you to see my dirty laundry - literally.

I will show you the finished product of my sock folding tackle, though.

I have a terrible habit of just throwing all the socks in one basket until it gets pretty full and then folding them all at once. I usually do this in front of the TV, but since I am watching less TV the basket has been staying full. So, without any other laundry to do, I was able to fold 56 pairs of socks. 56 pairs of socks!

Isn't that crazy? And most of them were Hubby's. That guy has a serious amount of socks! Black, blue, brown, light brown, golf, workout...an entire large drawer full of socks. Well, it is full now. Yesterday, not so much and I think, as understanding as he is, he was getting a little peeved about having to retrieve his socks from the big laundry basket.

So, I tackled it! Now, it's on to the big stuff. big sigh. I missed my dryer, but it was kind of nice having an excuse NOT to do laundry now that I think about it.

Stop and smell the geraniums - Tackle it Tuesday

My Tackle It Tuesday advice today comes in the form of my favorite cleaner. I love this stuff!




I have been using Mrs. Meyers Clean Day cleaners since they had only two scents over 4 years ago - Lemon Verbena and Lavender.



Then they came out with Geranium and I swooned over this stuff. It smells sooooo good. I mean, if you are going to tackle some cleaning, you might as well use something that smells this good.





I love the counter cleaner, the window cleaner and the all-purpose cleaner especially. The big refill bottle lasts for, no kidding, 6 or more months. Which is good because it is not the cheapest cleaner in the store. But it is very concentrated so it last longer and you use less than normal cleaners. AND if you go now to many stores, they have a dollar coupon hanging from most of the products.




All natural, no chemicals, plant-derived and did I mention how good is smells??






They also have two new scents - Rhubarb and Baby Blossom scent. They just came out with a new line for pets and also a new scent diffuser! All natural! It might not be natural to get this excited over cleaning products, huh?


But you know what? I like natural cleaning products, but find they don't always work so well and they stink!









But this does not stink. Did I mention how good it smells?




So, I am sharing my love for this, and have not been compensated in any way to do so. I just purchased the dish soap tonight (which after the coupon was $4 and that is about the same price as some other name brand and not so natural dish soap) and it made washing my dishes just a little more enjoyable. Really, it did.

All Natural disposal cleaning tip: Speaking of dishes this reminds me of the sink and the garbage disposal. To clean it, pour a half of box of baking soda in the disposal, and about a cup and a half of white vinegar. Let it fizz up like one of those science project volcanoes. When it stops fizzing, rinse. Your disposal will be all fresh.

For a lot more really great ideas check out Tackle it Tuesday at 5 Minutes for Mom.