Cleaning-Project #2

So the tackle this time was the bathroom cabinet and my sewing/craft area.

Here's what happens...

Bathroom:  We have a pedestal sink so there is no cabinet area (which is probably a good, one less thing for me to clutter)  When I'm in a hurry, the bottom shelf of the cabinet catches all my makeup and the hair dryer.  I hated digging around in my makeup basket for my loose pencils so I just leave them out.  Which is all find and dandy till you get cabinets that look like this...not cool!!!

Don't judge me people, I've already confessed I'm a slob!!!  Anyone have that diagnosis yet?

So I took out EVERYTHING.  Trashed what we didn't need or use, and sorting things into baskets.  I took our travel bag that was hanging on the front and hid it neatly behind one of the baskets.  Now,I needed a little storage divider thing, and since I've decided to be more thrifty I resisted the urge to run to walmart and did this.

Juvenile...maybe?  Serve the purpose and fee...Yes!  And remember me saying I hated digging around for my pencils.  Well this solved the problem nicely and was another free solution!

 

With my little storage dilemmas solved, I now have a nice and tidy cabinet.  We I have determined to put things back in their place to keep the above from happening again!  I want them to always look like this...

Now the next thing I moved to was my sewing/craft area.  I am a hoarder collector of items that could be used to make a craft.  My new obsession is cardboard.  I'm pretty sure John is now removing all items from their boxes before bring them into the house.  The mere mention of cardboard is enough to make him groan and roll his eyes.  It's true, late at night when I can't sleep I just lay there and whisper cardboard  and watch him squirm! Love ya babe and now you know why you've been having nightmares!!!

ok ok ok, I'm getting off track.  Shut up and show me pictures already will ya. Alrighty...here ya go!

*Gasp, shock, disbelief and all that other "Oh My!" jazz"

Since this area is in my kitchen, I do keep it pretty straightened but when it blows up-usually after a major project-this is what you get.  I had some stuff I was working on for my Children's Church Class, and it's been a booger of a month with my homework, and the two just didn't mix.  I organized my projects, folded my material and put it away, moved my cardboard that was stacked between the sewing table/cabinet to the garage,  and if I hadn't crafted with it in about a year, then it went to the giveaway pile.  That pile was very small by the way!   I took it a step further and organized my craft travel bag-which I am still madly in LOVE with after several years!!!    

So armed with my super power

Here's what we got now! 

Before and After of the drawers...

 

I feel soo much better about things now and my stress level is steadily decreasing!!!  I LOVE having everything in order, but keeping it that way is my downfall.  It's always those 2-3 stash corners that get me, darn that maid not picking up after me! 

Now in my defense, because with the exception of the playroom all this mess falls on my shoulders, things are not always like this.  Shut it John, no lip from the peanut gallery!

I used to always keep things clean and lately I don't know what's happening to me.  Not to beat a dead horse, but school is really taking it's toll on areas like the house and meals-slackin there too!  I am hoping now that all this mess is getting cleaned and out of my mind, I will focus on school more knowing I don't have so much waiting to be done.  I'm reversing the doward spiral here folks, this is now an looking up staircase!  Yeah, I don't know but if you reverse a spiral all you get is...a spiral in a different direction.  Upward spiral didn't sound any better!

It's really important to me to get back to how things were before because I need to set the standard for my boys. I want my boys to, NO, my boys WILL know how to clean and pick up after themselves.  But if I am not a good example, then I can't expect any different from them.  But this is turning into a whole other kind of post, so enough with my responsibility soapbox.

I'm excited about the changes goin on in the Shilling Nut House and hope you join me tomorrow for project #3!!!

Cleaning-Project 1

K, so as much as I'd love to give you a detailed play by play of how this all went down, I'll spare you. 

1. because I'm sure it will bring back repressed memories of your own cleaning experience
2. because along with cleaning, I've committed to be a better steward of my time and it's just not necessary when pictures will speak for itself!!!!
3. *little side note about pics.  These are non-edited because I just don't have the time and because, well, I just didn't feel like it!

So without further ado, let's see project 1 shall we.  (Cue the Playroom/Office)

*duct tape on wall is next project.  Had a leak from outside faucet that still leaks! 

I know right!!!!  The sad thing is, with the exception of the desk area, that damage was done in one afternoon and mostly by this little bundle of destruction!!!  Food is the only thing that stops this little force of chaos in motion.  Gotta love 'em right...right?!

So I set my timer (Thanks Tonya) and got to work!!!  I had to think of ways to work around the boys because I was also getting rid of crap, and that's hard to do when all you hear is "oh I've been looking for that" or "You can't get rid of that, that is my favorite toy!"  So then I was given this rule "You can't get rid of anything from my birthday or Christmas, cause it is not very nice to get rid of little boys toys.  It makes them very sad, then you would be acting like a bully!"  Well then, I'll meet you at the playground after school cause they are G.O.N.E  gone sucka!!!!

In about 45 minutes this is were we were at. The books were replaced, toys were sorted, trash pile started, and give away basket loaded.  Desk area was the next tackle.  The desk had never really been used or set up as a desk since we moved in.(last Sept).  It was more of a catch all really.  I hope to be doing homework in there now and move my homework corner out of the living room!!!  Looks better now doesn't it!

 

Gave myself 15 more minutes for the desk and here it is!  I'm soo excited!!!!!!!

Now everything has a place, and nothing is just stuffed in a drawer to be out of the way.  Later on I plan on taking a picture of what toys are in what basket/bucket, then tape it to the front so no questions to what goes where.  

I shut the room off, because I couldn't be in there with Captian Distructo.  I'm just not ready to turn him loose in there yet.  I want to at least enjoy it for a full day.  I have laid down the law on picking up when we are done, and if that rule it broken there's gonna be a WWF Smackdown goin on, that's for sure!!!!  I DARE anyone to mess this room up!!!!

So let's take a look at the completed project, where everything now has a home...



    

 

Basket with all our Imaginex toys, books and stackable toys in reading corner, and all educational material in the cabinet (leapster, Bugsby, Leapfrog writer, puzzles and coloring books, and our electronic map)
Stuffed animals are in a basket next to books since they like to use them as pillows, and all things train related are in the big tub.  Their tent and tunnel folded behind the tub and riding toys lined neatly against the wall. 
What I love is that all the toys ALL fit on the foam puzzle flooring, leaving the rest as the office.

Now as proud as I am of this room, I have to show you what I'm most proud of.  If you know me, then you know this is a  HUGE deal!!!!  Take a look at what is on it's way out the door. 

 

With the exception of the blue/green leapfrog seat which is going to storage, the rest is either trash or get rid of.  In the office, that is an old sewing table, typewritter and saddle that is going to the garage, but everything under or beside it is leaving. 

I'm really proud of myself, because as I said yesterday, this is a challenge for me.  I can't wait to show you project 2 tomorrow!