Closet Transformation

So, I live in this tiny little house in desperate need of storage. Because, let's face it, in comparison to my grand parents, we're hoarders.

That's to say nothing of the lack of thought in the construction of the house. The closet in talking about is already a galactic undestatement for awkward.

I kid not; this is the floor plan of the closet. The front part is about 36" across. Depth is little more than one foot. So, you can see my dilemma. Figuring out something that would actually work took a while, but I settled on these.

I ended up stacking 2 units, which still leaves some wasted space. It's still better than it was. My goal was to get things off the floor right at the door of the closet which pushed another door (think main walkway) shut. My second goal was to get the elf's things where she could reach them.

Let me just say that right now the kid's room is the most peaceful room in the house.

Here is an awful before picture. I tried using command strips, as evidenced by the pink spot on the wall. As messy as it looks, it's actually clean. Think: jackets, sweaters, 2 backpacks, and a box of night undies piled in the closet doorway.

I wanted to provide a clothes bar for the elf and shelves where she could reach her hair supplies. The cubbies do that and allow him to have some space for his things as well.

To start the project, I took everything out except the support for the bar and shelf... It took over our living room.

Then, I measured and installed where I would mount wood to support a low shelf and anchor the lower unit.

I installed the shelf with one support because it is so short.

Next, I installed a piece of wood as wide as the unit to anchor the top.

I also wanted to make sure the unit was sturdy, so I applied mending brackets to the back. (Note: don't try to move the unit by the front once attached.)

I probably did this the hard way, but I installed the low bar last. I really just wanted to be done with it, though.

So, after about a day of cleaning, a day of work, and a day of shopping for baskets, I can say I am done and pleased with the results.

Also, I decided to get a longer board for the shelf and add a couple shelves for the bookshelves the kids have.

Here's hers,

And his.

Here's the cute storage unit I found at TJ Maxx (HomeGoods) with some baskets from HomeGoods and Ross.

I also used some of the baskets to organize the livingroom bookshelf, too.

Once again the before...

And the after, for comparison...

Konmari make-up

I am yet another convert to the wonder that is the Konmari method of organizing, rather, tidying.
In a nutshell, you choose the things you love, give them their own special place, and bid farewell to anything that does not "bring you joy." Keep in mind, even mundane things can bring joy, it's just a matter of honing your ability to sense that joy by practicing in a certain sequence. It is the "tidying festival" that leaves your home a place that brings peace and true enjoyment.
It sounds kind of kooky, but halfway through it, I can speak to the wisdom of keeping only what truly brings you joy. I enjoy the spaces I am creating. They are functional, yet beautiful.
Enjoy some pictures...

Japanese-y Organized

Ok, I'm just really bad at taking before pictures, but fairly decent at re-organizing.

The picture above shows. The bathroom cabinet after I added some storage. There is a tension rod that holds the gloves, flatiron, and hairdryer. I used hooks with clips attached to hang the stuff. The shelf came from Aki-home's kitchen section. And the baskets are from Daiso. (Oh, Daiso...)


The other thing I finally got organized was the kitchen storage cart. The microwave cart we had was just missing something (adjustable shelves, more shelves...). Anyway, after the recent earthquake, with an epicenter within 2 miles, we decided to re-evaluate our kitchen a little. I've been feeling like I want to get B-chan a countertop dishwasher, but our counter to cabinet is about 4 inches too short. I digress. Back to the microwave cart that was no longer containing everything it needed to hold. We decided to replace it with a chrome shelf unit from Aki-home. It has more shelves and is about the same size as the microwave cart.


For once I took a before picture.


Here is the after. It is a work in progress because I still have to get some baskets for it, but I like that we can hang stuff from it, at least.

Madeover Threads

I decided to take back the space claimed by all our linen, and since Blogger has not been working properly on my phone, this post has been sitting unfinished for a while. I even wrote out a post and then my phone died...grrr.

So, after scouring on Pinterest, I found a post where someone used dollar store baskets to re-do her linen closet here. This may not be the exact one I remember, but it fits the bill for this post. I just happened to pick the same color baskets because they contrast nicely with my white bookshelf.

Before organizing all the linens

The difference is noticeable! I haven't made labels yet, but that wont take long because I have a nifty little label maker. By the way, my label maker is thrifted. So, for about $13.00 I reorganized the linens in our house with the exception of our bathroom towels. Talk about low budget!

After dollar store basket makeover

So at least one small space in our house is organized. Don't let it fool you, however. We still haven't recovered from our move into this house about 3 years ago. Since then, we have moved furniture around in the house about 3 or 4 times, had 2 babies, built our raised bed (see The Bed Saga), and generally lost track of things in the clutter (I'm embarrassed to say).

I am slowly trying to take back our space, since we will be here a while more. So, hopefully I can continue the chain of inspiration to reorganize on a budget. 

How do you organize your home? Can you afford Container Store or do you, like me, shop at Dollar Tree?

Green Glass

A while ago I decided to reorganize my pantry. I searched and searched on Pinterest for ideas. I eventually settled on pink baskets from Daiso and really went to town planning. I didn't want to buy a bunch of stuff that didn't fit, so for once I went in with a very specific list with dimensions. The result is worlds better than what I was trying to do before. Unfortunately, I do not have a before picture.

This organizing kick all started with a visit to Ace Hardware. The person in charge of the online presence introduced me to Pinterest. It was then that I learned about making laundry soap using Fels Naptha, washing soda, and borax. I also started an Evernote notebook for all my recipes and DIY stuff.
So began my ritual greening of my house and lifestyle. I began making all sorts of homemade cleaners and such.
What does this have to do with glass? Well, all over pinterest people have posted about this exact topic and what they use to store it. Typically people use glass jars. So to keep the green theme going, I decided to thrift my jars as opposed to buying new. I was able to score some nice Anchor Hocking jars in different sizes (now used in the kitchen).

Kitchen Jar Storage

 
For a while I was using glass milk bottles and other jars that I already had, however, most of them were on the small side. Plus, with vinegar, I use a ton, so I ended up putting it in a glass jar with a spigot so that I could dispense it as needed (top right in picture). For my homemade laundry powder, I found a nice glass jar with a lid (bottom left).

Laundry Room Storage

The milk bottles I still use for some stuff, like extra vinegar, my fabric softener (more vinegar), and my bleach alternative. In the brown basket, I keep essential oils for other remedies, and to the left of my laundry soap, I keep my collection of Dr. Bronner's soaps and other DIY type ingredients.
I have yet to find a system of containers that works for the laundry room, though. Describing the storage as awkwardly inadequate would be a galactic understatement. The room was clearly built for a washer only.
Since beginning my green organizing project, I expanded my use of glass jars into the kitchen. It didn't help that we kind of got invaded by pantry moths. Nasty little buggars! Since I buy a lot of grain and flour, they spread easily and linger after cleaning. Having 2 little ones makes it difficult to get any deep cleaning done because I am constantly having to stop what I'm doing in order to change diapers, feed them, or put them down for a nap.
Anyhoo, reorganizing my pantry has made it easier to deal with such a problem and convert to glass. It's not completely finished, but it's definitely becoming more organized and aesthetically pleasing.

Executive Homemaker Extraordinaire!

My Homemaking Binder

Lately I have been drowning in housework and trying to ignore a certain screaming Monkey during nap times. So, I decided to get myself organized so that I could do the things I want to do (like gardening and sewing), not just the things I need to do (the never ending mounds of laundry). Enter the Executive Homemaker Binder from TipJunkie by Laurie.
 Many of the pages are provided, but I did not like the layout of some of them, so I went and found ones that I really like. Also, some of the pages were suggested, but not provided.
Weekly/Family/Party
Mommytrackd has a nice meal planning list with a menu on one side and grocery list on the other. I also like the party planning sheet. I am currently using it to plan an afternoon tea event in late April. The weekly family calendar makes it easy to see what parents and kids are doing, as well as, see meals, too. If you have to leave your infant with a babysitter and you need more than a "phone number of where we'll be" babysitter info sheet, they have a infant specific babysitter sheet. But then, I also put together a 25 page handbook for any babysitter that comes to our house (complete with table of contents and index, can we say Type A???)
Budget
As for the financial section, I have not found another budget type worksheet that I like as much as the ones from Crown Financial. Keep in mind that this worksheet comes from a financial education course ( highly recommended, by the way) and is designed to work with other resources in the context of a class. The worksheet has the capability of recording amounts in different categories for each day and can really help you know exactly where your money is going if you are diligent.
Calendar/daily
For a calendar, I Google-ed a customizable yearly calender from Time and Date with a list of holidays for the next couple years from Cozi. Then, I used this monthly calendar from the Household Planner to help plan chores, as well as, monthly events. For my blogging, I use this planner by Beckie of Infarrantly Creative. I like that it is pretty. Also, to get the daily schedule under control I modified the excel file version of this one to have two columns. It is by Lisa Welchel and she offers other planning resources, as well. On the other hand, a general daily planning page like the Daily Docket looks interesting, as Lisa's link has changed. Find more useful forms here, at Simple Mom.
Goals/Cleaning
The long and short term goal sheet was not easy to find, but I found one here that has a column for each and even a medium category, and I wish I found, a little sooner, the weekly cleaning schedule that works best for me at TipJunkie. I started with a Housework planner by Tashia Calhoun. She offers some free printables, but the site is meant to sell you planning products. If you sign up for updates (which I did), you can get it for free.

Verdict

I have been using this binder for about a week and a half, and I have to say it has helped me be mindful of what I need to do. It also provides a way for my husband to see the areas in which I need his help. It has the potential to cut down on my stress level, in addition to decreasing my frustration with the amount of work I have to complete.

Thank you to all the websites and bloggers who created the resources that I have found. A special thanks to Laurie from TipJunkie for the idea for all this and making it available for free!!!

To my readers: If you stay at home, how do you stay organized? Do you plan your days and how do you keep track of events and schedules? What resources if any have you found? I would love to hear from you.

• Tash
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Inundating Craigslist

I have accumulated a lot of stuff that is now technologically obsolete. Rather than simply donating it, I would like to try to get something for it. My latest packages include a digital camera, an Mp3 player, a couple cell phones, and a PDA. They are all still usable, and since I keep everything, they all have their documentation and original CDs... Well, most of them do anyway.
In an attempt to clear out stuff, I am reposting some of the items. My end goal? Not to make money, not to clear out stuff, rather to use my cool sewing machine... Um, yeah.

Cool Stuff
Digital Camera
PDA
Mp3 Player
Music Phones

Well, if you consider slightly outdated tech stuff cool, then yes. But really, people, I just want to keep the reuse circle going. They make great cheap toys to give kids as a stepping stone to getting the real, modern, and expensive stuff. Teach them to be responsible with the cheaper, older stuff, and they will learn to take care of the better stuff. I think it's biblical or something.

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' " Matthew 25: 21

Why thrifting is so awesome!

This post is more of a ramble than anything else.
Today, I went to deposit a check at the Credit Union and decided to walk to the Goodwill thrift store (link to map) across the street. Counterproductive, I know. Anyway, I was looking for a tray to use to serve tea when guests come over since the one I have is dwarfed by my teapot. Yesterday, we visited the Keepers Goodwill location in South County, and I found two there. The only problem was, I didn't love them. So when I saw the black one with cats and bows, I knew I had to have it. It has handles on the sides and will work with either of my European style teapots or my Japanese Tetsubin.

Among my other finds is a small cosmetics train case (ala Caboodles). I've been using a couple plastic pencil boxes to carry my portable sewing kit that I take out when I use my sewing machines so that I don't have to drag out my entire large sewing kit. It's just so much easier to travel with, but I digress. The train case is the perfect size to fit all my essentials and even has the little pockets and elastic loops on the side to hold some things upright. It's a little beat up looking, but I'm not using it for stuff I put on my face.

Lastly, I found this double tier Michael Graves lazy susan for my kitchen table (pink tag item, not pictured). The table is tiny, so something that can expand what little space there is provides a great service.

The best thing about all this is that it was only around $15. The tray was originally $8, but since it was a yellow tag item, it was 50% off.

The Thrift Shopper.com has links to many thrift stores nation wide, so you can find one near you! Please share your comments, and sign the guestbook. : )