I'm back to blogging!

Happy 2009! It's been a bit crazy trying to get Christmas taken down, sorted through, and put away. I did it and even have a box to donate of Christmas decorations to boot.

We have been busy cleaning and organizing, since that is one of my New Year's Resolutions. So far, we've thoroughly cleaned the playroom (happens about every couple of months) and have it so that children can no longer be lost in the mess.

My laundry room has been a sore subject for quite some time. Simply because it is unfinished, in the unfinished basement. It's a pain to get everything down there, back up again, and to remember that I have laundry to do (out of sight, out of mind). Also, my washer was starting to not work so good (I wonder why, it's only about 30 years old). It started with the gift of a washer and dryer from my friend Michelle. They bought front loaders on an amazing sale, and gave us their 8 year old set. It's amazing how 20 years newer affects your laundry! We are working on the dryer, it has a little part that needs fixing, so it still isn't installed yet, but soon will be. So with new machines coming, I got busy while Jeff was watching the second half of the Sugar Bowl.

There was a closeline strung up between the studs for me to hang my clothes on to dry (I only put towels, socks, jammies, etc. in the dryer). We took advantage of a terrific IKEA sale on some shelves. I went to Lowe's and picked up a 10' closet rod, and some brackets to hold it up. We had been storing everything (detergent, cleaning supplies, cleaning rags, etc.) on the floor in boxes because I had no shelves or cupboards. It always bothered me that it is right next to the playroom and completely accessible to the children, or any children visitng for that matter. So now they are up off the floor and out of the way. My laundry room feels so much larger now!

Eventually, when we finish the laundry room, I am making a laundry chute from our closet down to the laundry room. And of course we'll have plenty of cupboards and baskets and such. But in the mean time, this is TONS better.

Before:

After:And we did it all for under $50! The shelves and the rod we can reuse when we actually finish the room, so it definitely wasn't money wasted.

Project: Organization

I had to take a break from the halloween costumes to "organize my life" as my sister Debbie would call it. I just couldn't hack it any longer.

It started with the onset of winter. That would be happening today (Friday) and tomorrow. We are supposed to be getting snow (where are my antidepressants when I need them?) tomorrow. So I needed to bring out the fall jackets (seems like we just started wearing them a week ago) and the winter coats. My coat closet has been such a mess, and every time I open it, it's like a "stuff it in the closet and kick it shut" kinda moment.

I purchased these cute hooks in February, and finally hung them a couple days ago, with the helpful support of my husband. We relocated our shoe basket from upstairs, to down here by the hooks.
Now when we come in from the garage, all shoes, coats, and school bags stay here, before walking upstairs. It seems to help a lot with locating shoes as well. They never make it upstairs into the mess of a bedroom or amidst the toys in the family room. I haven't had to hollar at anyone lately about why their shoes aren't in the basket (we'll see how long this lasts!).

So while digging coats out of the closet, things falling on my head, stuff creeping out from under the door when shut, I decided I'd had enough. It was time to revamp the closet. I have an "art cart" for the kids in the closet. Bella is a "craft addict" and is constantly drawing, cutting and pasting. (I seriously have NO idea where she got that from) So we have some paper/marker/crayon issues. I replaced her old cart (with the little drawers), and bought this new style of cart. I dug up all the .01 cent pencil boxes I purchased this summer, and my label maker. This style works so much better. We love it!

Now I have put a shelf above, and I love, love, love these boxes. There is one for each child (yes, Reed needs one too), and one for me. Any artwork, scrapbooking items, or anything paper having to do with that particular child goes in the box. When full, it gets cleaned out. Bella gets to eliminate her own papers (which she does very well, sometimes too well) and save just her favorites. Then we will add more until it's time to clean it out again. I have a bin for cameras, chargers, cords, batteries, video tapes. A basket for hats, gloves and scarfs, and a basket for my church visual aids.On the inside of the closet door, I have made a "command center". I have an organizer for Bella's friday folder (homework), and her special reading book. Another slot is for mail, and another for Jeff.

Everything has been hung with "command" adhesive (no pun intended). I have a little clip that I can put the girl's school calendars on, and room to grow.

I am so happy to get this clean. We all love it!