Maid for Mondays: How to make the most of a small…ish space

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If you’re like me, you probably have a small…ish space in your house that you need help with. Well, I hope this post will help you with just that. Our house is 1600+ sq ft and we have 6 people living here. Now, that doesn’t sound too bad, until you realize the only reason we have that much room is the previous owners enclosed most of the garage to make more of a living room space. The old living room is the dining room area and the kitchen…well, it’s just all different.

Don’t get me wrong, I love our living space. But, it quickly became apparent to me when our 4^th child was born that I needed to do something different. The closets in the kids’ rooms are so small and not good for multiple children’s clothes. That is what eventually led me to make our laundry room/extra space into a central closet of sorts. (I’m still working on it, but it’s getting there.)

But, what about some of those other spaces in your house? How can you make that small, narrow utility/linen closet work for you? Well, here are some tips I hope will help you.

1. Decide what you need out of that space, not just what you want.
2. Organization is KEY!!!
3. Be creative for storage. Re-purpose things like furniture, boxes (see tutorials here, here and here). This beside the fridge, slide-out can pantry is A-MAZING!!!
4. Think outside the box! This site gives 22 Tips to organize your craft room! WOW!!!
5. Purging as you go is a great way to get rid of those things you don’t use (or might be outdated in a pantry) and makes room for the items you really need the space for.
6. Painting the space is a very inexpensive way to re-do a space!

Now that you’ve figured out what you need out of the space and found some practical ways to organize it, here are steps to take so you can begin changing your space.

1. Take some measurements of your space. You’ve got to know what you’re working with!
2. Draw out a plan for your space. There are quite a few FREE online planners you can use. I just googled Free Online space planner and found some great sites. These three are my favorite: Floorplanner.com, 3 Dream, and Icovia Room Planner. Or you could do it the “old-fashioned” way and use graph paper!! I just like to draw it myself, but seeing the 3-D planners was quite intriguing.
3. Once you’ve got your plan in place, it’s time to start doing! But, plan carefully. Don’t set unrealistic expectations for the project. A hall closet re-do might take a well-planned afternoon. But, a pantry might take an entire weekend…or longer!
4. Enlist some good help!! Now if you have older kids, they should be great help. But, if you’re like me and have 4 young kiddos, you’re going to need some major help!! My kids are very curious and would mean well wanting to “help”, but they can get seriously hurt. Plus, Mommy is still Mommy and so I am not much help to my husband when I’m Mommy.
5. Make it happen!!! I don’t know about you all, but for me this can seem like the hardest step. I don’t know if it’s nerves about messing up or what, but I can plan and plan and plan to my hearts content. But actually getting it done is so difficult for me.

So, there you have it! Annette’s practical tips for making the most of a small…ish space!!

Have you re-done a small…ish space in your home? What tips to you have?

Thanks for stopping by and sharing with us!! Be sure to leave a comment or link so we can all benefit!

Blessings,

Annette

52 Fridays: Week 10 Update

Here goes this week’s report. You can read more about my journey beginning with Week 1. Feel free to join me and Crystal in this journey.

1. DAILY quiet time: I have been reading my daily emails, which I signed up for in January. I signed up at biblegateway.com to help me stay on track. There are several different programs to choose from and I am super excited to get into God’s Word this way!!! I have been enjoying these daily emails as they seem to give me a wonderful, but quick escape to my crazy, busy life with 4 kiddos! 

2. Weekly weight loss: After being sick most of last week, I have managed to keep my portions under control. I find myself not as hungry anymore and find myself not going back for seconds. I am careful not to eat too many sweets (this is my real problem area). This past week we had our semi-annual Just Between Friends sale here and I found a Wii Fit Plus with the balance board for $45!!!! I was beyond thrilled! I have wanted one of these for quite a while now, but just couldn’t bring myself to pay the $100 for it in the store. I’m so glad I waited!!! I’ve set up my profile and done it once (we didn’t even hook it up until Thursday night) and I hope to make time in my day or evening to do this every day! BONUS: My oldest thinks this is just about the coolest “game” ever! 

3. Vintage Remedies 8 weeks to Real Foods: Still getting rid of other foods so I can get started with this. It’s going to take quite a bit more planning than I originally thought. So, I hope to sit down this week and plan out some new meals that I think will transition the family smoothly. And with 4 young, picky-eater kiddos that’s no easy task! 

4. Homeschool Fun: We started back up with school this week. It was slow going and a lot of drama, but we made it! We even did a few fun experiments this week. I saw on Facebook where you could get a broom to stand up all by itself because of the Vernal Equinox (First Day of Spring) approaching on March 20^th. So, we thought we’d try it! And…IT WORKED!! Then, we tried the egg trick too. And it worked! Now, to be fair, I looked it up on the internet and it said that it is quite possible these both could be accomplished during other days of the year, so we’ll have to test that theory. Read more about it here. 

5. Organization: I have fallen off the bandwagon in keeping up with my weekly emails from Home Storage Solutions. BUT…the good news is I have been organizing away this week! I have completely gone through all our summer clothes to finish getting them tagged for the next JBF sale I am consigning in. I also went through the winter tubs I had in the garage so they could be moved to the attic. Whew!! What a workout that was! I also completely cleaned out the girls’ closet of all clothing items and have moved all their toys in! Just one step closer to moving out some bigger furniture in their room that I was using for storage! And one step closer to moving in a twin bed for Miss Priss. Ugh!! I’m not sure I’m quite ready for that yet because she’s just growing up so fast! But, alas…it must happen. 

6. Staying caught up: Have I mentioned how much I love my central closet? Oh I do!!! I don’t know what I would do without it!! It really does make laundry go so much smoother! I am not running around the house trying to put things away between nap times and around kids, etc. This week I had some added loads of laundry with the purchases I made at JBF. But…because of my handy-dandy central closet it was really a cinch! I have stayed caught up on laundry and dishes. Not to mention the other housework too!! I am actually impressed with myself! 

7. Blog changes: I am still working on the design of my blog and getting things just the way I want them before we go live. But, I hope to have everything up and running for a reveal on April 2^nd!!!! I will give you all fair warning before hand so you can be ready for the launch! I can NOT even tell you how excited I am!

So, how are you doing in your quest this year? Are you becoming more DISCIPLINED or ORGANIZED? What steps are you taking to be more organized? What tips can you give those who are struggling in this area?

Thank you so much for stopping by today! Have a blessed weekend!

Blessings,

Annette

Maid for Mondays: The GREAT Clothes Swap

Well…it’s that time of year again. The time when us Mom’s get to drag out boxes and bins of clothes to sort, organize and pack or un-pack.

Is it me, or do your kids’ clothes multiply over the past season? I pull out boxes labeled with the size and gender I need (at least I’m that organized…or mostly anyway) and start the sorting process. Sometimes this takes days upon days at my house.

I have nearly finished this daunting task at my house. (I’m still a little nervous about completely packing away winter just yet! Oklahoma weather tends to get a little crazy in March!) This year it took me a little longer than normal to put away winter and bring out spring/summer.

These are the one’s she didn’t wear much.
Dresses on top, long-sleeve shirts on bottom to left.

As I was putting away my older daughter’s dresses, I realized she didn’t wear half of them. Some of them fit smaller than others, some just didn’t fit her body (she’s kinda thick through the chest area, so empire waists don’t do well on her at this age). But, more than that…she had probably 35-40 dresses!!! And, that was only 24m-2T!! OH. MY. WORD! Can you say overboard?

Remember this? The dresses she wore
the most are in these 2 stacks!

So, I decided that as I packed Winter away and brought out the Spring/Summer items I would be more intentional in my choices. I mean, seriously…my 2yr old daughter does not need 45 dresses! Now, keep in mind she also has some skirt/shirt combos too!! I mean, really?! Can you tell she was the first girl?? Of course, it doesn’t hurt that there are so many cute dresses and skirts out there! And don’t even get me started on the bow situation! ugh! 

So, I made a list of what we thought would work number-wise and went through the bins very intentionally. I made sure every shirt and skirt had at least one match and more was even better! Then, I had to sort through those cute, adorable dresses and pick out the ones I thought she got the most/best wear out of and the ones that were my favorite on her. WOW was that tiresome! I had a hard time letting go of some things, even if she never wore it! But, I did.

Not only am I conserving space by only having ONE bin per size/gender, but I’m also learning to be more frugal with our money and what we buy our children.

The other reason I did this was to get ready for the semi-annual Just Between Friends (JBF) Sale here. I do two different sales each season, which has given us a little re-imbursement on our own purchases. I usually go with a list of what each child needs, but my numbers were mere guesses. This year I decided to get specific and spend only what I had to spend. So, I went through the clothes I already had for each child and wrote down what else was needed. I went shopping on Saturday with a very specific list in hand. My mom and I did GREAT!!!

The white outline shows you what we purchased!!
Just don't look at my mess behind it!!

Let me tell you…shopping for all 4 kids in ONE location in under 4 hours is absolutely priceless!! I was able to get everything on my list too! I am so pleased with what we found and the prices I was able to pay!!

Now…don’t get me wrong, I’ll probably still scout out some garage sales this season and look for more deals. But, I know that if I find nothing its okay! My kids’ are going to be clothed anyway! Whew! Isn’t that a relief?! I know you were sweating that one, right?!

So, now my bins are back in their rightful place until late July/early August. That’s when I start going through the Winter clothing for the Fall/Winter JBF sale! (Be sure to check for JBF sales in your area by visiting their website.)

This system of organization and shopping seems to work for us right now. But, I am always open to new ideas!!! What other tips do you have for organizing a “large” family’s off-season clothing?

Don’t spend all your time indoors sorting clothes though! Be sure to get out and ENJOY this lovely weather!!!! Hmmm…I guess that depends on where you live, doesn’t it? Nevertheless…Happy Sorting!

Blessings,

Annette


Linking up with these parties:
The Better Mom
The Prairie Homestead
A Wise Woman Builds her Home
The Imperfect Housewife
Growing Home
Far Above Rubies
Raising Homemakers
Women Living Well
Our Simple Farm
Holy Spirit Led Homeschooling

52 Fridays: Weeks 6-8 Catching Up!!

In case you didn’t notice, I’ve missed a few weeks of our 52 Friday’s posts. I am so very sorry for dropping the ball here. My life changed over the past few weeks.

Just to give you the synopsis, my Dad was diagnosed with cancer (after 5 days in the hospital) on January 28^th. He went home that day and waited for his follow-up appointment with his doc on February 3^rd. He was sent from his appointment to the hospital again, with the threat of both lungs collapsing (the left lung collapse landed him in the hospital the first time). That was the last time my Dad would see the outside of a hospital. We spent the next week and a half visiting him in the hospital and preparing for the worst, all the while hoping and praying for a miracle. God had other plans and took my Daddy HOME early in the morning on February 14^th, 2012.

So, it’s been a whirlwind of diagnosis’, doctors, medication, tests, tearful visits and our Last Good-bye (read more here).

But, I am getting back on track here at home and I finally decided that I should put together a form I can just fill out each week. DUH!! This will make it so much easier to update my progress for our 52 week journey!

So, even though this may not be the best update of the year, I’m chronicling my progress anyway. These go in order of what I wrote about in Week 1.

1. DAILY quiet time: I have been reading my daily emails, which I signed up for in January. I signed up at biblegateway.com to help me stay on track. There are several different programs to choose from and I am super excited to get into God’s Word this way!!!

2. Weekly weight loss: Okay, so this has not gone so well. Especially with all the wonderful food provided to us last week after my Dad’s passing. But, I am back to portion control and eating better. I’m looking at a few new approaches and what will work best for me and my family. Because as we all know, if we don’t get our families involved, we’ll just give up. It’s so difficult to make yourself something healthy to eat, when your family is eating your favorite meal.

3. Vintage Remedies 8 weeks to Real Foods: I did not do so well with this, so I’m starting over!!! I have all the emails and what I’m to do. So, with a little more planning and ingenuity on my part I think we can make this work!

4. Homeschool Fun: Well…to be honest, we haven’t had school in the past few weeks with everything going on. But, I did come across some GREAT websites today, which I found on pinterest, of course. Follow my Homeschool boards to keep up with new finds!

5. Organization: I am surprised at how much I’ve been able to accomplish so far. I am still working on getting our kitchen organized just the way I want, but otherwise I am doing pretty well. I am really working on planning things out before I just go changing them around. I found when I changed things in haste, just to have them done, it didn’t always work out so well. So, I may be a little slower on some things than others, but it’s simply because I want to do it ONCE!

6. Staying caught up: I am getting caught back up on laundry after being out-of-pocket most of last week. But, with my central closet in place (mostly anyway), things move so much faster and easier! Dishes are caught up now, which makes me feel better. Have some major cleaning to do this weekend to get back on track, but that’s just what it takes sometimes. Now…if I could just find that motivation again! haha

7. Blog changes: I was finally able to purchase my new domain name last night. I will be working on more changes and updates throughout the weekend. I am so excited to get my new site up and running!!!! I CAN NOT wait to reveal it to you all!!!

So, how are you doing in your quest this year? Are you becoming more DISCIPLINED or ORGANIZED? While you’re here, please share some tips!

Blessings,

Annette


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Maid for Mondays: Buried Alive? Creating a Central Closet in your home

When you’ve had difficult weeks, like our family has the last three, how do you keep up with the laundry? I find keeping up with almost everything else is easy (dishes, cooking, etc.), but the laundry is the most difficult. Especially with 4 little ones and a husband who wears a uniform to work. So, how do I keep up? Well, let’s just say that my new and improved system is working wonders for keeping up with the laundry!!

First, let me explain how difficult I found it before. I would be okay getting the washing and drying done. But, then came the folding, sorting and putting away. Now, with two little ones under 3 at the time it was more than difficult to fold laundry while they were awake. I could fold laundry and have it piled and ready to put away, then turn my back for 5 seconds and *POOF! It’s all.on.the.floor! AAAAHHHH!!!! There were days I would do this over and over and over. And I thought to myself, when would I ever learn?! This is crazy!

Once I figured out my scheduling, I moved laundry time back a little and started folding while the kids were either in their high chairs for lunch or napping. But, then the trick became when could I put all this neatly folded laundry away? The kids were napping and when they wake up, they’ll need diapers, a snack and attention for a while. When am I going to be able to put their clothes away? UGH!!! More frustration!

So, I began to seek out options and alternatives. I wanted tips and ideas on how to tackle this obstacle from mother’s with large families. And, after reading many blogs about organization for larger families and watching The Dugger’s on TLC, I realized I really wanted a central closet. So, I started to draw up some plans and gather ideas for what I thought would work best for our family.

Now, we’re still working out the kinks and working on clearing out more of the laundry area, but this set-up is wonderful. I have all the kids’ clothes (shirts, pants, dresses, skirts, tights, unders, etc.) all in ONE location!!! It’s wonderful!!! I honestly never thought I would almost enjoy laundry! But, with this system in place (albeit not completely, but manageable), my life is so much simpler!! I can’t believe I never thought of this before!

Okay, now before you look at these photos, please understand this is still a work in progress and its messy! But, I hope you'll get the idea.

Each bin holds specific items. Then I have clothes arranged on the shelves according to person. My plan is to eventually have a rod to hang the shirts and dresses on, but for now this works.

My washer and dryer are nothing fancy. We got these as a wedding gift 8.5 years ago!! They still work great (although secretly I occasionally wish they would break, so I could justify getting new front-loaders!). I have cabinets above them that hold my homemade laundry detergent, vinegar, and other various cleaning products. In between the cabinets is a hanging rod for those shirts I do not dry. I love having these items right at my fingertips when doing laundry.

Also in the laundry room area is our changing table. When I was processing everything in my head I realized how difficult it was to change diapers on three different kids at various times during the day. Inevitably someone would be asleep when I needed to change a diaper, so I moved the changing table to a more accessible location. This area works great for a couple reasons:

1)        No more sneaking in to get diapers while another child sleeps.

2)     We can change their clothes, dress them and put laundry away all at ONCE!!!!

So, there ya have it. No, its not complete yet and I’m still working out a few logistics, but if you’re looking to simply your life and you have room for a “central closet” system it’s worth it!! If (or when) we move, that is going to be key for us!! I don’t think I could go back.

You may be wondering what I’ve done with the kids’ closets since I’ve moved all their clothes out. Well, they are being re-vamped right now, but eventually they will hold their toys, so their room is not so cluttered. It will help for their toys to have a specific bin/space in the closet to be put up rather than sliding it under the bed (in a bin of course) or stack it over here, etc.

What have you done to simply chores in your house? And more specifically, laundry? Do have any tips or tricks you’d like to share? Leave me a comment so we can all benefit!!

Blessings,

Annette


Today I'm linking up to these parties. Check out some of the other posts for more GREAT ideas!!!