Styling a Book Shelf

Nothing like having house guests to make you look at your house closer and get it together!
Here is the bookshelf in my master Bedroom, kind of a catch all for keeping things off the floor.

Before: ...Embarrassing!

(nice to see Nephi keeping a watch on things:-)

 After: Orderly

(a little blurry, it's in a dark corner and hard to get a pic)

I sorted all the books by color, then  searched the house for accessories I already had (some in my garage sale box--glad I didn't have a garage sale yet!)  and I'm really liking the results.

This didn't take long at all, and the kids even liked sorting the colors with me.  It's a great quick and easy project, so... go tackle that shelf!

Design, and Dinner, Follow Function

Please Excuse the Interruption:

 I was reading this great book (available at your local library), called House Works.  It's all about organizing your household, and getting it to work for you.    This January I knew something wasn't working for me, and frankly--
I've had ENOUGH!  

It was my dinners.  We've all heard the saying,  "If you fail you plan, you plan to fail."  I'm sure lots of you may identify with the feeling of peering into the pantry scrounging up dinner 1/2 hr before the hubby gets home.  Sometimes I'd plan ahead, and I'd always make a shopping list, but not with a real plan.

So...I did it.

Did what you ask?

I spent a couple hours, planned, gathered recipes, and typed up 

Dinner Menus for 5 WEEKS!

I couldn't stop there.

I typed up the coordinating 

Grocery Shopping List for each week!

(Boo-yah!)

Easy stuff that tastes good, that kids like, not weird, hard to make things- I might add:)
[Some recipes I got from the Campbell's Cookbook, others from Weight Watchers 15 min meals,  others  are family recipes.]

And if anyone wants to make their life easier,  I thought I would post them here on the blog so you can print them out.  Let's get your house functioning for you.  I want less stress and more time to work on other projects when I have my meals planned, and family fed on time.  (and as my husband likes to remind me, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach.")

  I'm already loving how I feel having dinners on the table.  I started Week:1 this past Monday.  So I'll share with you Week#2 for next week, and put one up a week for the next week (for 5 or 6 weeks), if you'd like to plan a long.

Put the Menu on the fridge, and take the shopping list to your pantry and check off the items you already have, then add your breakfast/lunch/snack items and you're ready for the store.

Good Luck! May the Food Force be with you!:-P

Experiment. Using different Mediums on Suitcases.

Hello there! This has been the project I've been up to lately that has made me neglect you. I'm not even finished with it yet, but I wanted to show you what I've done so far.
A fun and different way to store things, other than baskets. Not that baskets are bad, I have my fair share here too!




I did a little thrifting at the D.I and found these beauties. About $2 each (much cheaper than a basket might I add)

I decided to try different Mediums on each one because 1- They are different materials and 2- I thought it would be interesting to try.

For the black one I use Vinyl. Mostly because of the pattern. I knew I wouldn't be able paint this easily. Also, this suitcase's outer shell is some sort of a plastic-y fabric (technical I know) and I knew that painting it would be a mess.

I love how it's turning out. It's just a simple frame from the Silhouette website that I cut with my Silhouette. Yay Silhouette!

For the big teal suitcas I did the cheveron pattern in white paint. I could have done it in vinyl BUT it's plastic and the surface is really bumpy so I knew paint would look better. It does, but I should have use the FROG tape that doesn't bleed. Some of mine bled and being the perfectionist that I am I had to come back with a fine brush and fix some of the lines. Also, taping it! Agh! A total nightmare on one side, but the other side went smoothly once I had the hang of the cheveron pattern.

You can use Latex or Acrylic paint. Also,use a roller!

I like it. I do need to touch up the front a little still.
The next Medium I used is Paper and Mod Podge. This rusty suitcase has hard smooth surface so I knew that paper would work great on it!
I found these 12x12 paper doilies at Roberts (or any scrapbook store)
What I loved about this is that it went on easy and because the doilies were 12x12( but the suitcase is bigger )I had to use multiple papers and there were seams; BUT the seams are nearly invisible with the doilie paper.
Turned out soo cute! I love it!

Here is another one I Deco-podged with paper.










So what is my point of doing this? Well I have them stacked in the living room. One holds toys, one holds quilts, and one holds magazines. You can use them hold anything!
I'm loving it so far! I should also mention that the yellow one was once an ugly thing but I paint it with yellow acrylic paint. I just need to finish the black one and maybe add some tags with labels that tells what is in each one.... and maybe one more blue one.....

Where do you blog from? and Dealing with a Kitchen Office

At my house the office is in the kitchen.  There are pros and cons to this floor plan.  Since I am stuck with having my office here   I might as well try to make it look nice. Currently I can't do anything about these 90's oak cabinets, but a few accessories and a burlap bulletin board I made brighten it up. 

I'm still looking for a cute mug or something to replace my pencil holder next to my urn aka treat stash, and topiary

(never mind all those receipts back there that need a home... and chords that need to be concealed:-))

I often see these wooden office organizers at Marshalls.  This was a bigger one but still only $14.  (Office max types will run around $21 & up.)

Now, why get a pretty file organizer and put boring manila files int it?  Micheals sometimes has files in the dollar bins, usually 4 or 5 for $1. 

One of my most favorite things about getting organized  is the folder I made that has a special tab for "Husbands Stuff." 

 Gone are the days of him asking me where I put his stuff,  because I just point to the folder, and now he doesn't ask me anymore:-) 
I love when simple things make your life easier.  

...and just because I am missing my old house here's a little photo of my old office, a little more roomy than my pseudo office now:-)  It still needed paint but it had room for a sofa and I just finished making the window treatment... and I lived down the street from our grandma... it was great and I miss it.

I've been on a huge organizing kick lately, I'd love to hear any tips you have to share!

Just Do It!

photo1

Closets are an interesting place.  A place we all use everyday. Our closets make our lives easier, or more difficult.  I stayed up late over Labor Day weekend and was totally inspired by this article, to burn everything in  gut my closet.  Now, we've only lived here for 2 years, but a lot of old stuff moved here with us.  I have organized it once or twice, but this time, I was going to be ruthless.  ("but that shirt was cute!" or "I'll keep it even though it doesn't fit quite right"). No, there will be no more crap jammed into my closet that hasn't been worn in the last 18 months.  I wasn't going to make excuses for things I didn't LOVE.  For example "it still has new tags, I could sell this on ebay."  Well, I had the last 18 months TO sell it on ebay, and I didn't. Adios la ropas!

Note: to those fellow frugalistas, don't worry, there was only about 3 items that fit that description. Hopefully it will make someone's day at the goodwill when they see it.

These thoughts were poignant from The Lucky Shopping Manual:

"If a piece doesn’t work, look at it this way: You paid for it once in cash, and now you’re paying for it in valuable closet space. If it’s not right for you, bite the bullet and let it go."

“Don’t save a pair of jeans for that anticipated five-pound weight loss. Owning them is bad for your psyche. If the time comes when you drop a size, chances are you won’t hesitate to run out and buy a new pair”

photo2

I was watching Rachel Ray with her guest Erin Rooney Doland, author of Unclutter Your Life in One Week.  One of her ingenious organizing tips was to buy all the same color socks.  That way you are not wasting time matching pairs.  While I still have to match different age kids' socks, I thought that would be fantastic for husbands socks! Why do they need all those different designs on their tan/brown/blue/black/gray socks that no one sees anyway!  I could easily shorten my laundry chores by getting all the same black and brown socks.

Warning--those Martha's out there--Turn Away!

One of my friends informed me she doesn't even fold her husbands clothes, she just stuffs them in the drawer! I was shocked at first, but I admit after hearing that I seem to have justified occasionally following in her footsteps.  (I mean really, sometimes you are out of time, and want to be finished with the bazillion loads of laundry each week!) 

[I may or may not have heard a complaint about that. *wink* let's not sweat the small stuff, mm-kay?]

One tip I'm sure you've all heard before, (that's me patting myself on the back), is color code my hanging clothes.  It only takes about 1 minute to put clean clothes  away in their colored area, and it makes finding what I want to wear each morning sooo much simpler.  Not only that, I like it when things look pretty... that's how I get my kicks:-)

photo3

In my 13 gallon bag that will be donated, I  packed clothes that weren't comfortable, old,   clothes  that didn't make the modesty cut (or didn't look very flattering when layering them to look modest), sandals rarely worn (I have 3 favorites which I wear constantly) and uncomfortable socks (maybe someone else will think they aren't?).  I did have a few t-shirts with sentimental value that we bought on different vacations, like my little hawaiian t-shirt when I went there with my mom, and my t-shirt I got on my honeymoon in cancun, but remember, I was in the ZONE.  (And I might have shrunk them in the wash....) I don't regret it at all.  (I did keep my cute cancun woven blouse, I'm not heartless:-)

photo4

I disposed of a broken hanging plastic shelf organizer.   All but 3 shelfs were ripped, so all the clothes I stuffed in would pile up at the bottom.  Unacceptable!   Other items that ended up in the trash were  annoying hangers, hole-y socks, and some stained shirts.   I also took the time to bring out my winter sweaters, hang up jeans, and pack away a few stray maternity items.  

It's not only my closet that got organized, but a little part of life.  Somewhere on my to-do list is decorating it, but let's just start with the small stuff.

photo credits: 1&4 InStyle-Sheryl Crows, Mariah Careys, 2 & 3 Better Homes and Gardens

Laundry/ Mudroom DIY Locker Update

My Laundry room is coming right along.  Here is a view of the west wall:

Before:

During:

You can read all about how my hubby and I built the lockers and where to get the

 Free Plans Here

After:

See more updates like custom diy locker cushions here and the opposite chalkboard wall, and wall stencil. 

It's hard to see but there is bead board on the back, and we added the molding to the top.  They were around $200 for the pair, that's better than $200/ea at pottery barn!
They need to be accessorized, but first I got the lined baskets on 50% off at Michaels, the seat cushions came in a 4pk for $25 at Marshalls- love that place!  I made name tags for the baskets out of scrapbook paper and rub ons, and attached them with a big metal paperclip.

Chalk-a-latte

While they hubby was out of town, I went to town on the laundry room.  This time painting on a chalkboard wall. 

Before:

 This was so easy.  I taped off the square, following a line I traced on the wall using my T-square and a level.  I bought this chalkboard paint that you can tint into any of 12 colors at Home Dpt, $11/quart.  I chose the color "coffee."  

During:

This was after 1 or 2 coats, it took me 4 coats, and my chalkboard is about 5'x6'.  I used almost the whole can.  

After:

The bottom half will be for the kids, and the top half will be for me to get organized, write things like the kids school day schedule (ie: daughter needs gym shoes Wednesday), weekly dinner, etc.  I also got these great Chalk Ink Markers, (like restaurants use) for me to write on the top, which won't be nearly as messy as reg chalk the kids and keep some things on there all the time, like the days of the week.   

I'd say it was a hit.

I got some cool organizers to hang on the wall too, to keep the kids school things in order, more to come!