...Simplify...(and a Challenge)

Simplify...

This seems to be the new "Hot" word in Blogland right now. Maybe it's just the blogs I frequent...maybe I notice it because it is what I crave.

I am working to simplify my life.

To try and escape the undue pressures I put on both myself and my sweet husband.

To relish in the beautiful life we are in.

To marvel at the tiny lives which we held a small part in creating.

To be thankful for all that we have.

For all that we are...

When I was younger, life seemed so simple, so easy. My parents were devoted to my siblings and myself. My bedroom sat as a place where I could be me, it was a safe haven. And, on those days when alone-time just wasn't cutting it, my parents' laps provided me with unquestioning love and comfort.

The Cosby Show, Family Ties and Full House were on television. Problems were always solved within thirty minutes on those shows. In fact, all my "little girl" problems seemed as though they could be solved just as easily.

I didn't pay any attention to the brand jeans I was wearing or what my parents were driving. My best friends had good hearts, good souls and questionable fashion sense. I never noticed...until I became an adult and looked back at pictures! :)

I always had enough.

I felt safe.

I was humble.

I was loved.

I loved.

I am trying to get back to that place.

I want my children to be children. To play with dolls and cars and not worry about what if's. That's my job, their father's job.

I want my children's memories of childhood to be about the time their parents spent with them, the silly things, the little things, the quirky habits and the laughter we all share.

This year, I am simplifying life. I am going through every.single.thing in this house and I am deciding right then and there if it will make life "better" for my children and my family. If not...to the donation pile it goes!

I heard of an idea on the internet about 40 days to get rid of the extra things in your life. It was by a blogger, when I find her again, I will link to her...

Starting Ash Wednesday (this Wednesday), there will be 40 days (how long the Lenten season is) of purging and simplifying. My goal is to have 40 trash bags of donation-worthy things by Easter.

I will be coming up with a list of places to simplify for this challenge and will link up soon...

Won't you join me for
40 Days to Simplify?

Stain Removal Cheat Sheets (Links Fixed!)

Spring is almost here (Yippee!), and we've already been playing outside every day for the past two weeks. This has increased my laundry two-fold...is that even possible? And, it has required a re-newed interest in stain removal expertise.

I have two handy Stain Removal "Cheat Sheets" that I keep posted in my laundry room. I can't tell you how many times I have used them...and saved the kids' clothes.

The first is from the queen of domesticity, Martha Stewart:

Click Here

The second, I copied years ago from Good Housekeeping.

Not that I need ANY help with stains!

Ha ha!

Happy Friday!

Linking with:

$20 Couch Makeover

This Couch.

It's been with me since 1997.

We've moved 7 times (I think). Three dogs, three kids and a hubby have all been introduced to it.

It looks alright for being 14 years old, doesn't it?

It's just...well...not our style anymore.

The budget is also a little small for buying a new couch.

So...I went to Tar-jay (ie: Target) and found a clearance slipcover for $19.98. Cha-ching!

Here's the make-over:

1. I pulled the skirt off. Can you say A LOT of staples? Jeez!

2. Pulled all remaining staples out with pliers.

3. I stretched, pulled, tucked and tugged the slipcover on so that it best fit the couch. and, here it is!

So, for comparison's sake:

Before

After

 Now, to convince hubby-dear that we need to paint the walls and his desk that are in the same room...hmmm...

Oh! And some throw pillows!

:)

Home Management Binder - The Printables Edition

Looking into making a Home Management Binder, I have found A LOT of printables.

Some are free.

Some are not.

Here is a list of free printables:

Monthly Calenders by Yellow Mums

Weekly Calender by Sprik Space

Weekly Calender by Family Fun

TONS of Cleaning Help/Ideas from Starry Sky Ranch

Everything Mom  has a checklist for everything. Seriously. Love it!

Weekly Meal Plan from Meal Planning Mommies

Monthly Spending Form from Get Buttoned Up

Here are Pay-For sets (that are pretty darn cute!):

Complete Home Management Binder from This Happy Housewife

Printables from Punker Do Designs on Etsy

Cute Printables from Clean Mama on Etsy

There are quite a few out there. If you have found more that you like, please let me know!

I need the most help with keeping track of schedules, meal planning, budgeting and cleaning...okay, that's everything...

Making a House Management Binder - Follow Along

In my seemingly never-ending quest for some sort of organization, I have now been introduced to Home Management Binders. Have you ever heard of these things? It's like having your day, week and month planned and outlined.

There is a place for everything. Cooking, Cleaning, Shopping, Finances, Schedules.

While I REALLY like the idea of a Binder, I can't cough up $35 for a "ready made" one. So, today, my dear friends, I shall start to make my own! (Wish me luck...)

Today will consist of getting the basic ready, perhaps we could all do this together?

What I have assembled:

1 1/2 inch 3-ring binder

10 tabbed dividers

10 protective sleeves

5 colored pens (there are 5 in the family)

White Out/Liquid Paper

Pencil Case

4 folders

So...go out and gather your supplies.

Tomorrow I will link to specific printables (both free and paid for).

Day Two Link: Home Management Binder Printables

What's for Dinner?

Scrambled Eggs

Sausage

Fresh Fruit

Toast

Creating a Recipe Binder

I've joined an organizing challenge. I think it will help to direct me in an orderly fashion to get things organized at home.

This week's challenge was to make a recipe binder.

My old way of storing recipes wasn't bad...it just took up a lot of counterspace. My counters are on a diet...we are trying to make them sleek.

Did I mention that my old recipe box had ROOSTERS on it?

So, since I worked FORever on transitioning all my recipes to 4x6 cards, I took the easy way out.

I found a new photo album that I already had and wasn't using. (One day I'll have to tell you how I keep our photos! It's so cool! :) )

The album has spaces for...4x6 photos. This was obviously a case of fate!

I organized the recipes into:

Appetizers

Beef

Beverages

Breads

Breakfast

Casseroles

Chicken

Cookies

Crock Pot

Desserts

Pork

Sides

Soups/Stews

And, Viola...it's done!

And, yes, those roosters used to be all over the kitchen!

(One day I will re-write all of the cards, too. Baby steps, baby steps!

New Addition to the Daily Blog:

What's for Dinner Tonight?

Crock pot chicken filets

Veggies

Rice

A Baby Gate - Fancified!

Yuck.

As the mother of toddlers, I have these little beauties all ove the house.

I suppose I should be grateful. They have protected my children from harmful things that I leave lying around the house. And, they have protected my things from my children, too.

But...they are SO ugly (and get uglier over time...please reference the lovely electrical tape job in the photo above.)

So, I thought I would "fancify" the gate that is seen as soon as you walk through my front door. The gate to the dining room.

What you need:

Measuring Tape

Box Cutter

Foam Poster Board

Spray Adhesive

Scrapbook Paper

Stapler 

1. I measured the sides of the baby gate that I wanted to cover up
2. Using a box cutter, I trimmed the foam poster board to the right size.
3. Spray adhesive to the poster board.
4. Stick scrapbook paper to poster board.
5. Trim scrapbook paper to fit poster board.
6. Staple gun the poster board to the baby gate on the opposite side than the adjustable arm. 

All Done!



Before

After

**Word of advice - I used foam poster board. It was a smidge too thick, I think. A regular poster board would work just fine. If you would rather use the foam, you just have to unscrew the gate hinges and re-screw them with the gate in the correct position**

I would love to see your finished project!

What Does Your Home Smell Like?

My sense of smell has always been high. Not always a good thing with 2 in diapers...

I love the way a smell can transport you to a different place, a different time, a different mood.

For instance, I can still get goosebumps and butterflies in my stomach when I smell my hubby's cologne he wears. Mom's perfume makes me feel as though I am six years old and safe under the watch of my parents. Burning leaves in the air and I'm ready for hot apple cider and a good football game.

At home, I like candles.

In the fall, I love to burn candles that smell of pumpkins, spices and yummy desserts.

In the winter, cozy smells are up there again. Vanilla cookies, banana breads, spices.

In the summer, nothing but clean and crisp! Clean linen, lemons, cucumbers and melons.

In the spring - soft florals (not old lady perfume), berries and citrus.

At night, I always wash with Lavender Vanilla to tempt me right into dreamland. Linen spray is now a necessity when I have "clean sheet night" - a couple of spritzes and bed calls to me.

 

So, what about you? What does your home smell like today? What smell reminds you of "home"? Do you have special scents for the different times of the year?

Organizing the Playroom - It's a Start!

Does your playroom taunt you like mine does?

I swear sometimes that the toys have actually learned to jump out of there assigned spaces and make a mess all by themselves. I am certain it has absolutely nothing to do with the three little maniacs that are running around this house on a daily basis, right?

Here's what the playroom looks like on a daily basis:

Pretty messy, right?

Oh, and, yeah...this is TOTALLY why we bought this house! :)

So today, as Miss Priss is playing with Play Doh and making hair for the chicken and the cow and the Littlests have tapped out for their nap, I went to work.

I grabbed some organizing bins, paper and a Sharpie. Time to label.

Does labeling things make you feel productive, too? I swear, if I could label EVERYTHING in this house, I would! (Is that a problem? ;) )

Anyway, Little Miss can't read yet, but we are working on recognizing letters and the sounds they make, so I need to have pictures on my labels, too.

Enter my uh-maze-ing artistic abilities. Don't be too jealous! Ha! Seriously, anyone want to teach me to draw?

Here's what I came up with for now:

And a couple of close-ups:

The bookshelf is one we got several years ago at Ikea (love that store!).

The bins were purchased at Wal-Mart.

And that, my dear friends, is my first step to organizing the playroom.



Organizing Tip of the Day - Charging Drawer

Kitchen counters.

Cluttered kitchen counters.

The thorn in my side.

How is it that I accumulate so.much.stuff. on my kitchen counters? From pacifiers that fell on the floor and need to be boiled, to unopened mail, to tiny toys, to charging cell phones...eek!

Today is the day that I deal with at least one of the culprits. The charging cell phones and camera batteries.

A few months ago, Prince Charming and I scored a HUGE deal on this side table:

You just love the extension cord, don't you? Ha!

It was a scratch and dent and they gave it to us for 60% off! Yippee! It now sits in our kitchen, under the television, waiting for a time when the kids aren't so busy and I can display adorable vignettes for every season, holiday and mood I am in. Some day the kids will slow down a little, right? Hello? Hmm...

Back to organizing!

How about a charging drawer? A drawer where, hidden from human eyes and Goldfish cracker dusted fingers, cell phones and camera batteries can charge in peace?

I had Prince Charming drill a hole through the back of one of the drawers. The smart man even trimmed the plug so that the hole didn't have to be so big. Brilliant!

We then thread an extension cord through the hole, and it was done! Just plug in the phones, battery charger, etc. and we are a go.

Only one wire coming from the back of the drawer...what a wire mess relief.

And...one tiny corner of the kitchen counters is empty. The battle has just begun! Watch out clutter, I'm on a roll!

:)

Pinching Pennies - Make Your Own Dishwasher Detergent

So many of you told me you were needing to find inexpensive alternatives to everyday living items, like laundry detergent. Well, I went on a mission to find out what else we can use our stock supplies for (Borax, Super Washing soda, Vinegar, etc)

How about making our own dishwashing detergent?

This one does not to be pre-mixed. It's even easier than the laundry detergent here.

Instead of dropping your old dish washing detergent into the tray, add:

1 Tbsp Borax

1 Tbsp Super Washing Soda

In the Rinse Agent Dispenser area, add:

1 Tbsp Vinegar

That's it!

What other necessities should we find a cheap alternative for?

Cleaning Brick Around a Fireplace

We moved into our new home about 8 months ago. Little by little, it is becoming our home. There is one place in the den which we look at every night...

the fireplace...

Where we can only imagine that someone once lost their eyebrows while lighting a fire.

Look at these flash burns!

I've been doing a little research and have "heard" that foaming bath cleaner (e.g. Scrubbing Bubbles, etc) works to get those burns/soot/ash/someone's eyebrows off of brick.

Today, while the Littlests are napping and Lil Bit is eager to "squirt the bubbles"...we are going to (try and) clean!!

First, I went into this with a lot of confidence, spraying the cleaner across all the bricks. It soaks in...FAST.

After a while, I got a bit of a rhythm going.

Here's some pointers I have:

Have a large cup of water handy to dip your brush into. You'll need to get the suds/grime off every so often. The water gets dirty fast...you'll have to change the water out several times.

Have a cloth available to wipe down the metal hearth surround. It gets goopy and grimey and gross. (But, when you see how much dirt is coming off, you will re-inspired).

Steps1. Spray one (maybe 2) brick(s) with the cleaner.

2. Grab a coarse bristled brush.

3. Scrub with all your might!

Here are the before/after pics. What do you think?

BEFORE

AFTER

Refrigerator Dump Out

Today, I am going to take a page from the Littlests and leave my refrigerator door open for an extended period of time. I am going to finally go through all the junk in my fridge and freezer and throw out what is expired and make some room for organization! (Or make it more of a challenge for the leftovers when they attempt to overtake me in my sleep...some are really that old!)

...Suggestion one: When cleaning out your freezer, wear gloves! Brrr!!

...Suggestion two: As quickly as you can, immediately after opening the fridge door, put ALL THINGS BREAKABLE on the top shelf. Just personal experience here folks, these little hands are too fast!

...Suggestion three: Anything with a soft wrap, ie, something that someone (who shall remain nameless) might BITE through, should also be put on the top shelf. Good-bye Pillsbury cookies, how I would have loved to partake in thee!

...Suggestion four: If the color of the object you are looking at is no longer the 'correct' color, don't smell it, don't taste it, just junk it! (Texas Pete is NOT supposed to be yellow, right?)

...Suggestion five: If the expiration date of the object in your hands is older than your oldest child, you should do this more often. (Note to self...)

...AND...

Ta-Da!

Before Pics:

>

After Pics:

It feels good, a catharsis.

Won't you join me and clean out your fridge?

:)