Project Simplify – Craft Room and Computer

The final week on Simple Mom’s Project Simplify was a choose your own adventure.  I picked my sewing area in the basement.

I haven't done alot of sewing lately, probably because the sewing area has become a dumping ground for everything that doesn't have a home.  The majority of the stuff from Waverly's closet last week just got transferred here as well as some toys and books that I removed from the downstairs homeschool/play area.  That is on top of the regular junk that needed to be put away.

I managed to get all the surfaces cleaned off.  There is actually a space for me to sew if I feel so inclined.

Before

 After

My fabric collection was out of control and although some was organized much of it was in random piles and puking out of boxes.  Curt laughed at me one night as I took it all out and refolded each piece telling me that it wasn't any less just because it was folded pretty.  I did manage to get rid of a bag of it as rags and another bag to the thrift store and some just went in the trash.  I can't believe that what used to take up the whole shelving unit now only takes up two shelves.  The other shelves were freed up for craft supplies.

Before

 After

By no means am I done the basement sewing area yet I still have this pile...

 

and this pile.

 

 however progress was made.

---

My computer also got a clean out this week, although not planned.  I spent most of the week fighting a virus on our computer and in the end did a clean install of windows.  Thankfully we didn't lose anything in the process and it appears that we are virus free so far.   I'm still a little nervous about the virus since it is one that tries to access your passwords and secure information (ie. banking).  I had to change all my passwords and now keep an eye on all my accounts more closely than usual.

A clean instal is something we do about once a year anyway on our computer and it was due.

Would you look at that beautiful clean desktop.

So there is your reminder to back up all your computer files and pictures and make sure your antivirus software is up to date.  Do it!  Now!

Project Simplify–Closets

This week on Simple Mom’s Project Simplify was closets.

First on my list was Waverly’s room closet.  It was formerly the craft closet but that just wasn’t working any more.  It was getting frustrating that we didn’t have access to the things in that closet while Waverly was napping.  The closet had also become a dumping ground for things that I didn’t want to deal with or had to be cleaned off the kitchen island fast. It was basically becoming a giant junk drawer. 

I have to admit I kind of cheated on this one because most of the stuff just got shuffled downstairs in laundry baskets and boxes to be dealt with next weeks when I tackle my craft room. 

Waverly does however have a closet now for her own toys and such.

Before

After

Next on the list was the laundry room cabinets or more importantly the clutter on top of the washer and dryer.  This one was basically a matter of just putting things back where they belong and getting rid of a few garbage items.

Before

After

Lastly the back door closet.  Mostly just picking up all the junk off the floor.   I organized all the bags and put away the winter mitts & toques.

Before

After

 

And for a final confessional.  I tend to hold onto things so that I can dispose of them properly later.  However I never remember to bring them with me when I go somewhere I can dispose of them.  Here are 3 boxes full of used CFL light bulbs, a huge bag of dead batteries and a bag of old ink cartridges.  I think I can take the ink cartridges somewhere in town, I’ll try to do that this week.  Looks like I need a trip to Ikea so I can drop off the other stuff.  I am NOT putting them back into the closet.

 

---

Project Simplify - Kitchen

This week on Simple Mom’s Project Simplify we moved onto the kitchen. 

I basically emptied out every cupboard and drawer in my kitchen, cleaning, decluttering and organizing.

I am in love with my newly organized pantry.  I put my label maker to good use and labeled all the containers.  I knew what was in each one but anyone else may not have, and the blue labels just look lovely.  I also took all the empty jars downstairs where they belong.

Before

After

My favorite part is the plastic bin you can see on the right of the picture below.  I used this to corral all the bags of beans & rice.  I also added a tray to the lower shelf below to hold all the oils & vinegars.  They are in the same place but it just looks tidier.

The spice drawer, more labeling and putting bags of spice into jars.  So much nicer without bags.

Before

After

Cutlery, I removed half of the cutlery from the drawer and put it up for when we have a large number of guests over.  The drawer also looks nice because Waverly hasn’t had a chance to rearrange it yet, her favorite thing to do while we are baking at the island.

Before

After

I finally threw out the tea that I didn’t like but have been keeping in my cupboard forever.

I gave my fridge a deep cleaning. It was going to be just a quick wipe down but turned into a whole morning ordeal including ungluing the glass shelves that had been glued down by spilt milk, yuck.

Just a couple of weeks ago I defrosted and cleaned out my deepfreeze so that was one part I didn’t have to worry about, yay!

I didn’t get to my upstairs freezer but I did my duty eating the nearly freezer-burnt chocolate ice cream from in there, all in the name of decluttering.

 

---

Project Simplify–Kids’ Stuff

I’ve decided to participate in Simple Mom’s Project Simplify to help assist me with some spring cleaning.

Week one’s project was Kids’ stuff.  I thought this one would be  pretty easy for me since I seem to go through the kids items on a fairly regular basis but I’m at the difficult part now, I’ve gotten rid of the easiest stuff and I know I need to get rid of more but I just can’t bring myself to do it.  I spent a lot of time this week just wandering around staring at the kids things and doing nothing.

Before

After

Looking at the before and after photos didn’t show much of a difference so I started to list the things I did accomplish.

1. We pulled out all the stuffed animals and got rid of two.
2. We picked up all the  paper, tissue, styrofoam bits, and other garbage that found its way onto the floor of the girls areas.
3. We tidied up the girls room putting everything back in the appropriate container and removing any items that didn’t have a proper home.
4. I gave the girls room a good dust & vacuum.
5. I culled the girls magazines getting rid of any damaged ones and putting them all back in one place, a basket in their room.
6. I re-shelved books, moving them to the appropriate areas and got rid of a dozen.
7. I picked through the Barbie items as the girls played with them and got rid of a few broken dolls & items.
8. I moved the majority of Waverley’s cloth diapers downstairs since we are now in the potty training phase.
9. The basement play/homeschool area got a basic clean up. Mostly it was just a matter of throwing away trash and putting toys away.
10. I hung up some hooks for dress-up and costumes

I’m trying to remove items from each area that don’t have a place and I know that many of these items are the ones I need to get rid of. I guess that is my next step, getting the stuff out of the house before the girls drag it back into the play areas.
Maybe that’s ok for me. I don’t need to do a huge purge all in one go and get rid of a ton of stuff. Baby steps work too, just a little every day and I’ll get there.
 

---

Then on Saturday morning the opportunity arose for us to redo the girls room so we completely cleared it out

Pictures of the finished room to come when I get it all put back together.

Update:  Here's a link to the painted girls room

Lobster and Cleaning

Since Curt & I were not together for our for our 6th anniversary this weekend he arranged for the two elder ones (W is still with me) to go to Grandma & Grandpas for the night.  He took the following day off as his day in lieu of working the weekend and told me the evening and the next day were mine to decide what to do with.  Dinner, a movie, shopping in the city the next day, I was to make the plans.  I didn't need a shopping trip in the city, nor did I want to spend unnecessary money so I nixed that one.  The movies playing in town were all low scorers on Rotten Tomatoes (my one and only movie guide) so that was out and a movie in the city would mean a 8 month old tag along which I didn't think would work so well.  Dinner out would be nice but I hate going out and spending money and then being disappointed with the meal knowing I could have made something better at home, so that option wasn't really jumping out at me either.  What would you choose?

The decision .... dinner at home, made by the two of us together, something different that we hadn't cooked before and for the next day cleaning and organizing around the house, not working on projects but cleaning and organizing. 

After dropping the girls off and running around town with just one little girl (a treat alone) I got home tidied up the house including cleaning off the island top (something we rarely see cleared). I even went and cut some fresh flowers from my garden to put on display (something I never do). We enjoyed a glass of wine,  spanakopita as an appetizer, lobster tails (2 each) for the main and cheesecake for dessert.  We followed it all up with a movie and some more wine on our own couch.  It was lovely!

The next day we cleaned & organized the girls room, the back entry, the garage and part of the shop before going to pick up the girls. How can it look like they have grown only overnight!

Happy 6 years to us!

The Garage Sale

Danna & I had our garage sale this weekend.

• I haven't eaten lunch or dinner at home since Wednesday.
• My house is a dissaster (not too unusual but I'll blame it on the garage sale)
• It was so much work for the set-up and pricing everything
  
• I am still exhausted
• The weather was beautiful this weekend
• Danna & I enjoyed the quiet moments where we could sit outside in the old furnature that was for sale and drink our coffee or eat our lunch in the sunshine while the kids were elsewhere with their Dads or Grandparents, peacefull.
• The traffic came in spurts, it wasn't constant.
  
• Everyone that came by commented on the ridiculous amount of stuff that was there "is this all your stuff" "um, not completely but, yes".  It almost got embarrassing, we wanted to say "oh no, this is an 8 family garage sale, this is just our shift working it"
• I enjoyed watching the seasoned garage sale shoppers come through, they noticed everything and found some interesting treasures.
• The things you expect to go don't and the things you think no one would ever buy, someone does.
• I sold 3 old textbooks for $2 each, you can't give those things away.  My advice to anyone in school, sell your textbooks as soon as you are done when they are worth something.  As much as you think you will, you will never look at them again, you will just move the rediculously heavy boxes 5 or 6 times and then when you realize you havn't looked at them once in 7 years, they will be worth nothing and you paid $100-$200 a piece.
• As time went on some prices got reduced and more items got moved to the Free bin.
• We tried really hard not to pick through and keep any of eachother's or even our own stuff.
• We basically decided that at the end there were a few of things that we may take if they don't sell. 
  
• Every time we said we were going to keep an item, it sold
• So we tried saying we were going to keep everything, but it didn't work
  
• We made over $400 combined.
• There is so much stuff left you probably wouldn't think we sold anything
• We're going to open the doors again in a couple of weeks and give it another go, it's all set up already anyways
  
• Believe it or not we've both got more to add
• Prices will be slashed

There's a Rat in The House

A Pack Rat that is, and its me.

Every time I go into my basement and look at the piles of "stuff" sitting down there I think man this is all just junk and I don't really want it.  Then I go and look at the boxes of "stuff" left in M&S's garage that I still have to collect and I have the same thoughts.  For the most part the things that I love and use are upstairs being loved and used and whats left downstairs is extra.

I've decided that now is the time to start getting rid of some of my collected treasures (aka junk). I am going to partake in a garage sale in the next month or so and get rid of as much as I can.
My purging adventure has been a bit like a roller coaster ride I will have a day were I feel like I'm doing really good and getting rid of alot and then the next day I can't seem to get rid of things I know I should.  I think I need someone to come over and tell me its ok to let go of some of this stuff.  Thankfully I have not gone back into the "get rid of" pile and rescued anything (please don't let me do this). 
Curt did remind me that this is not my only opportunity to purge the excess and that it will be OK if I go back at another time and get rid of the rest.  That actually lifted a weight off my shoulders, I will just do what I can now and then at a later date I will do this again and be able to let go of some more.

Bags

I am thinking I need a new bag solution. I left the house the other day with my girls myself and bags. I had the diaper bag, the snack bag, an extra bag containing library books and outgoing mail and the stack of empty cloth grocery bags to be returned to the van. All those bags and I forgot just one more... my purse. I had my big weekly grocery trip planned for the day and no money. I really didn't want to have to drive home to get my purse and then back to town, it would have wasted a half hour driving time and then we would have to have lunch at home before returning and I would be grocery shopping during nap time and the shopping trip would be even less enjoyable. Thankfully Curt works in town so I was able to go get some money from him. I get so frustrated when I forget things or can't find things and it seems to be happening alot lately. I need to get everything organized!

I think I need to start carting less things back & forth to the van. I don't know about the whole diaper bag. Right now it holds a spair outfit for Nollie and a diaper & outfit for Luca at the least. Maybe I should just keep this in the van and save myself packing it back & forth every trip because generally it doesn't even get touched. Sometimes, however I need to pack more diapers and extra panties & pants for Nollie if we're going for a long day out or PJ's if it will be a late night. What would I do if the bag was in the van and I needed extras? I've started using a seperate snack bag wich includes a Nollie & Luca's water bottles and a snack. I could put this into the diaper bag (I used to) but I don't really need to bring the whole diaper bag into play group any more for diapers or changing clothes so if we have a seperate bag I can leave the daiper bag in the van and only get it if the need arises and bring the snack bag inside. Usually I get Nollie to carry the snack bag anyway. My purse is just a small little thing right now, big enough to hold my wallet and that's it. Now my wallet is a bit of a monstrosity holding all the cards that I really don't use but maybe I will, however that's another story. I kinda like the small purse right now because it keeps me from carrying extra stuff that I don't need. My purse gets hung on the hanger with my coat so I generally don't forget it. I then have a pile of stuff that doesn't fit into any other bag but needs to come with me so I grab another cloth tote bag and fill it with outgoing mail, library books to be returned, movies to be returned, my coffee cup or water bottle etc. So on a simple trip I'm leaving the house with four bags. Oh don't forget the camera. If anything eventfull may happen I also cart the camera bag/box. I don't pick up the camera the whole trip and then I cart it back into the house. Seems a bit ridiculous. I know Curt would be quick to tell me it is. Maybe If I started using a bigger purse I would have room for more odds & ends like outgoing mail or snacks. Perhaps this means I need to buy a new bag, the perfect bag, or make one, with new fabric and a new pattern. Oh no, I think rather than organizing I may be shopping.

All Things Colourful

I've been adding a lot of colour to my life lately. I guess I'm getting tired of the winter white & brown outside and dreaming about spring. Here is a taste of some of the colour in our house.

We coloured some rice this week. The girls had fun as we danced around the kitchen shaking the rice in a plastic bag to mix the colour in.

Both girls enjoy scooping the rice from one bowl to another, it keeps them busy for up to an hour. Yes it can get messy, I just have to keep my ears alert to the sound of rice being dumped on the floor or table and then we're done. Anyway dry rice is much easier to clean up than sticky cooked rice and the cookie sheet catches most of the misses.


I made some colourful ice cubes, and then.....

...we got to watch them melt and see how the colours changed when mixing together.

I sorted my buttons. They look so much nicer in separate colour jars rather than all mixed together. Seeing them all lined up like this makes me happy.

I hope you're adding some colour to your day.

A Problem with the Horizontal

I have a problem with the horizontal. Every horizontal surface that I come across I seem to place something on it, stack things up until I can't even see the original space. I could make a million excuses, my house isn't organized yet, I don't have my closets done so there's nowhere to put things away, someone else put the stuff there. The truth is I've always been like this, the open space just calls me to cover it up. Sometimes when I try to tidy up I will put everything into a nice neat pile on the corner of the island (desk, dresser, etc). It does look better but the stuff's still there. It drives Curt crazy! I'm working on it, sort-a.

A table in my bedroom - a place things go when you don't want to see them in the main part of the house. Funny thing, the drawers are practically empty but rather than opening them up & hiding things I put them on top.

Craft Storage - Another case of why open the drawer when there's still room on top. My excuse here is I want to organize the drawers. You know get rid of some stuff, use my label maker etc so until then I will make no effort to keep it tidy. When the tower gets too high and things won't stay on top I will have to deal with it. Actually things have started to fall and I haven't' dealt with it, I guess that didn't work.

The spare bed. Atleast all of this stuff isn't no the floor.

The half wall that goes around our stairway - I knew this one would be an issue before we moved in. I put items I want to take downstairs there so that I can grab them on the way down (I usually forget) and various other crap just ends up there.

Flylady says to clean your kitchen sink every night but for me it has been my kitchen table. I think It is so pleasing to see a nice clean kitchen table every night before bed and every morning when I get up. Next I would like to add my kitchen island to the routine and we'll see where we go from there. Baby steps... (please ignore the ugly "curtain" hanging in the background that's a whole other post.)