Homebody's Life Shift

52 WEEKS OF ORGANIZING

I’m diving right in, after my giddy 12 days on prednisone and a few additional pain-free days, my fibro pain is returning.  I knew it was going to at some point, so I had started evaluating Laura’s questions (  http://orgjunkie.com/2011/04/52-weeks-14-does-your-system-need-a-change.html )    about my day to day organizing and cleaning tasks.  And yes I love April Fools Jokes!

1. Have you got a system that needs some evaluation?  My entire system!
2. Pay attention to the areas that annoy you the most.  What can you tweak to make it work?  Who might you need to compromise with?  It’s just me and DH so if it is to be, its up to me.  DH works very hard at our business so I try to do as much as I can at home to make things easier on him. 
3. What was your organizing highlight from last week?  Okay this may sound really dumb, but I moved the place where I keep my coffeepot.  Now that I have gotten addicted to absolutely clean countertops I cannot stand the coffeepot left out.  Each morning after we are done with coffee I rinse out the pot, dump the grounds and put it in a cabinet.  The cabinet underneath our built-in oven.  Well it hurts each time I bend over to get it out and put it away so I realized I needed to move it to where it is easier for me to get it and put it away.  The only spot was in the middle of our cereal cabinet.  So that’s what I did.

It’s former spot:

Why yes that is a rubber salamander lying on it’s back.  It is one of thos things you throw in the freezer and then in your lunchpail to keep your food cold.   The coffee maker’s new spot:

Yeah okay, obviously I need to reorganize the cabinet….but hey at least I can shove the coffee maker up there!

This does not seem very exciting, but really it is.  We do get stuck in doing or putting things in places that are not the best and we just need to free out minds (and the rest will follow) (hey maybe I should write a song!)!  I may be moving a lot of stuff around as I really evaluate what is going to be easier for me in the long run.  Unfortunately I cannot be on prednisone the rest of my life OR I WOULD BE!!  I want to make things as easy on myself as possible so I can actually succeed in the homekeeping department.

Other highlights from this week:  Katie and Ally flew to San Diego to meet DSIL who arrived from Afghanistan on Tuesday very early a.m.  After they left, it was easy to pick up and get the guest room cleaned up using some of my new baskets, see previous post here:  https://allysgrandma.wordpress.com/2011/04/04/holy-canvas-bins-batman/

Here is how Ally’s bed looks now with her new quilt (no room in the luggage to take it home):

It’s like a mini sofa for her stuffed animals and baby dolls!  The Ikea chest of drawers has a very deep drawer where I put these:

This brought up another issue that was not working, which was stuffing all my underwear, socks and bras, slips and stockings into the first two drawers in my chest of drawers in my bedroom.  So I decided to put some of my less worn items into this almost empty Ikea chest of drawers in the guest room.  Now my other drawers are easier to shut and get stuff in and out of.  Another “think outside the box” moment for me. 

While shopping at Kohl’s I also found this cute little heart shaped candy bowl that fits right into the decor in my quilting room.

How cute is that?  $1.64 I paid for that little bowl.  Oh plus 20% off…..

DH mentioned at lunch (we usually go out on Fridays since I cannot make lunches without meat and it’s Lent) that he was thinking of running over to check on another one of our car washes (3.5 hours away).  It was all I could do not to jump up and down and say “goody, goody, goody!”.  I calmly asked what was holding him back??  Good wife that I was, I encouraged him to go, I would stay busy all weekend sewing…I tried not to act too giddy as I pointed out all the good reasons to go…..

Well he left and so this weekend I am working on two boy quilts, one for my great nephew who is turning 5 and one for an expected June baby.  Boy quilts are not that fun…sorry but they just aren’t, so I want to get them both done this weekend, so I can go back to doing fun girley things like this knitted dress for my granddaughter:

The first is for the soon to be 5-year old, the back is the dark brown (not black as it appears in this picture) minky with the main fabric the under the sea, with the coordinating fabrics:

The other fabric was picked out by the mom, dad is a game warden so the bear fabric fits that theme, with the back the lighter tan minky:

Katie and Ally will be back for another visit in 10 weeks!  Katie has a wedding to shoot and Ally has lots of things to do with grandma!!  DH and I made a list of  things we need to do around the house this summer and one thing I would like to get done before they get here is a new patio poured.    I also have a bunch of sewing to get done and more organizing of course!  I am so glad that I bought all the canvas bins, they are going to be used up quickly!!

I cannot close this week out without stating the reason I am doing all this organizing and cleaning.  I want our home to be a relaxing peaceful sanctuary for both ourselves and our children and their families.  And really, how relaxing and peaceful can you feel in the middle of a mess?    

     They are finally together again after 8 months apart.

  Ally is so happy daddy is back.

I love how Ally is smiling and then watching mommy and daddy kiss!  Thank God my SIL is home safe and sound. 

Holy Canvas Bins Batman!

After 10 wonderful days of this:

and this:

this:

and this:

and after going through this at the airport:

I really needed to indulge in some retail therapy.   I really never in my wildest dreams thought I would ever live so far from grandchildren.  I know I am luckier than a lot of women in that I have gotten to see her about every 3-4 months since she was born.  I had $30.00 Kohl’s bucks and a $10 off any $20.00 purchase, so basically $40.00 to spend.  I had given it to my daughter to buy some new shoes, but she did not find any she liked, so she remembered in the airport to give them back to me.  

So with heavy heart I drive the 15 miles to town to bury my wounded heart at the retail altar…. I walked into Kohls and immediately spotted 80% off canvas bins.  I immediately started feeling better.  I picked up a few, went onward to the clearance racks of clothes, both for Ally and myself.  Found good stuff, onward to the checkout.   I found some long sleeve shirts to put away for the fall and some Christmastime shirts for Ally for $1.20!

I thought 26 canvas bins was plenty and out I went after saving $666.70 and paying $152.64 for the bins and 16 items of clothing.  Pretty good shopping!

As I wheeled out to my Camry, I started thinking….did I get enough…what if I needed more and have to look back at this great price…what if I regret not getting more, after all my entire home needs to be organized…..I’m going back in…..

I went back to the display that obviously other people had noticed by then as there were an assortment of about 15 baskets left.  I took a few more and put them on the checkout area, waiting for the person in front of me to be finished with their transaction, I kept eyeing the display….mmmmmm…..Nope couldn’t stand it, I went over and cleaned out the rack.  Do you think I have a problem???

I have already started this project since today is Monday, Master Bedroom/Bath Day:

I have also  used a bin to get all the sippee cups out of my cupboards and into the garage shelves until Ally is back for another visit.   I figure I will keep more than a few empty for those times I need to clean quickly and can scoop a bunch into a bin and hide it!  I know I have committed an organizing sin in buying before knowing what I am doing with them, but if you could see my house and how disorganized it is, you would forgive me….hehe.

52 Weeks-They’re Gone! Quick…Organize Something!!

I think I am going to quit the challenge.  It is not helping, I see no results, it is making my life more stressful, the other participants are uninspiring……APRIL FOOLS!!!

Busy happy fun week.  My daughter left last Friday for 4 days so I took care of Ally.  I will say once again you moms out there.  Just to keep the kids clean and fed takes a lot of time, much less the house, the husband/partner and yourself!!  Parenting young children is definitely not an easy task.  So start out by giving yourselves all a pat on the back just for that.   I spent a lot of time playing and observing play and just enjoying a happy granddaughter and my little neighbor.

Anyhoo that kept me hopping.  I have to admit I am going to miss Dancey Dance time….So no big project done this week, just trying to maintain….

Yesterday I woke up with tummy upset and did not feel like going to town to visit various members of DSIL’s family with daughter and granddaughter and as soon as they left, the first thought in my mind was the above.  I was busy from the minute they left until the minute I left for my weekly pain management group, grabbing a water, my notebook and the book we are reading in group…Managing Pain Before It Manages You.

While I did not organize something new, I did manage to put away my new freshly rinsed and dried brand new Vera Wang Bath Towels.  I went to Kohl’s on Wednesday armed with a $10.00 off any $20.00 purchase and my 20% of purchases coupon.  The towels were already 1/2 off so I got a great deal.  I decided to start buying all white towels when Mervyn’s closed (Kohl’s is there now) because I like being able to put a little bleach in them once in a while and it is just easier than trying to be matchy match.  Besides the fact I did not really get a decorating gene along with no organizing gene…..man my gene pool was lacking….

Your questions of the week:

1. How far back does your magazine backlog go?  I only subscribe to 2, Martha Stewart (what a waste), I wanted the tote bag and thought “oh I’m a stay at home wife, maybe I will turn into Martha Stewart “(except for the insider trading) and Money (again what a waste).   Magazine articles are just recycled through the years…I’m old enough to not get much new out of them.
2. Will you be able to part with some of them?  Just started reading the latest Money last night.  I have no trouble getting rid of mags.  I never buy them anymore and will not resubscribe to Martha, I may to Money…depends on how cheap they want to offer me.
3. What area(s) are on your list for next week?  Going to San Diego to meet DSIL who is arriving home from his deployment in Afghanistan…..hoping to stop at Ikea in Sacramento on my way home!!!  Am spending every last minute enjoying my granddaughter and daughter and basking in the happiness a reunion will bring.  PS He has no idea they are meeting him in San Diego…he thinks they are waiting at home in South Carolina!!
4. For fun…do you do your laundry folding standing up at a table or sitting down?  In front of the TV babyyy, thown on my bed….I check the news out usually and I cannot imagine just standing folding laundry either, though sometimes I do it at the dining room table while listening to talk radio if it is around dinnertime.   I could do an entire essay on how DVR changed my life! 

We leave Saturday for the 13 hour drive to San Diego…I only have a few days of prednisone left (I did get to sleep last night pretty good) and I certainly hope the effects on my pain last through next week.  I will send SIL, daughter and granddaughter off from there to fly home to South Carolina and my middle daughter and I will drive back to Sacramento, where I will drop her at her car (to head home to Reno) and I will drive on up and over to Humboldt County to home.  I am hoping to hit a few quilt shops along the way along with the stop at Ikea.  Aren’t Garmin’s neat??

I will be rejoining for week 14 and hope to come back with renewed energy for this year long process to finally once and for all organize my home!

So if you need some great ideas to get something done, reduce your stress level and make life a little easier, head over to the 52 week challenge at www.orgjunkie.com.  I continue to be inspired and get ideas from all participants who I again, say GREAT JOB EVERYBODY!!