Junk Drawer Be Junky No More!

I was feeling a little ambitious last week, and decided to tackle our junk drawer.  Or, it decided to tackle me, as I couldn't get it to shut.

Here's what I started with:

This was my first shot, but 'something' got in the picture too...

Silly belly, always getting in the way!

I started by emptying the drawer out completely and spread it out all over the counter.

I don't know how half this junk got in there, but I guess that happens when the drawer ends up being the place where you just dump things that have no other place to go.

There ended up being so much garbage in there, and stuff that really did have somewhere else to go.  Like the office, or the garage.

Once sorting through everything, and washing out all my organizers, I was left with this:

This picture makes me so happy.  Everything in it's place, and you can see everything.  There is also a little spot for the Hubbys wallet - perfect!

I'm proud to say that over a week later, it still looks just like this.

It will stay this way.

It will.

Hospital Bag Packed? Check!

I've hit the 37 Week mark!  Ack!  The end is near!  I'm getting super excited. Sooner than later, I will get to meet my son.  Insanity.  I almost can't even wrap my mind around it.

What I was able to wrap my mind around this week (now that I'm done working!!!) was packing my hospital bag.

I perused the internets incessantly over the last few months at a ton of hospital bag checklists.  Some of them were insanely comprehensive and included the kitchen sink.  That was a little intense for me, so I took all the things that I thought I would need and compiled my own list.

Here is what went in my bag:

Top Left going clockwise: Going home outfit for mom, hairbrush & elastic band, toiletry bag, toothbrush for dad, toothbrush for mom, shampoo & conditioner, deodorant, toothbrush, chap stick, headband, bobby pins, gum, earphones, video camera & charger, flip flops, makeup bag.

Top left going clockwise: babies going home outfit, receiving blanket, baby hat, two sleepers for baby, nightgown for mom (so I don't have to wear the hospital gowns), nursing bra, sports bra, underwear, iPhone, camera & charger, iPhone charger, iPad, socks.

Items not pictured: spare t-shirt for dad, swim trunks for dad.

Not all things pictured can stay waiting in the bag for labour to arrive, so... I made a list of 'Last Minute Items For Hospital Bag':

I stuck one of the lists to the fridge:

And one to the hospital bag in our closet:

Here are the items in more of a 'Checklist' format:

• receiving blanket
• baby's going home outfit
• two sleepers
• flip flops
• socks
• sports bra
• underwear
• nursing bra
• going home outfit for mom
• night gown
• spare t-shirt for dad
• swim trunks for dad
• gum
• head band
• deodorant
• chapstick
• shampoo
• conditioner
• toothpaste
• hair elastic
• hairbrush
• camera & charger
• video camera & charger
• iPhone charger
• iPad
• makeup bag

BAM! There it is.

Feels good to get that done!

Closet Clothing Dividers

Pinterest is good for so many things.  Aside from wasting time, it gave me the idea to make dividers for the closet in the nursery.

It is such an easy way to know what you've got for your little one so that you make sure they wear it all before they outgrow it!

I started taking pictures a little late in the process, and was doing this at night, so the pictures are kind of crappy... anyways.

Start with some cardboard, I used cereal boxes.

I grabbed something circular out of the kitchen and traced in onto the cardboard, connected the two circles with lines, and made sure to create a slot so it would fit on the closet rod.

After all that, this was what I was left with:

I then traced used that one as a template to make duplicates.

I made a stop at Michaels and picked up some scrap book paper in the colors that I will be using in the nursery.  The paper cost me about $1.59.  A steal!

I lucked out and was able to use one sheet of paper per divider.  I cut the paper in half and used spray adhesive to make it all come together.

After a little more cutting, I was left with these:

I think they are pretty adorable, and practical, which makes me love them even more!

They look pretty fantastic in the closet (the closet has since been painted blue) and is already dividing up some of his cute little clothes!

And in case you were wondering, those are two Halloween costumes filed under 9 - 12 months there.  Don't ask me why I've got costumes already - they were a good deal and I couldn't resist.

So here is project #1 in the (hopefully) many I will be doing for the nursery.

Only 14 weeks to go til he arrives!

Reusable Printable Planner

A few weeks ago, while down in the States, I stopped at Target (so excited that they are coming to Canada!) and almost bought a Real Simple weekly white board thingy.  If I was planning ahead I would have taken a picture of it, but didn't, and I can't find it online.  So you'll have to just take my word for it that it was about $12 or so.

I figured, "I can make something like that and it will be free!"  

What could be better than that!?

Here is what I did:

Not bad eh?  I designed it on my computer, printed it off and threw it in a frame that I already had.  I use a Sharpie to write on it, it wipes off easily with a little Windex.  

It serves its purpose well!  I can put our weekly menu on it, and also put our events or plans throughout the week (mostly for my husbands benefit).

I like it because it's reusable, free and pretty!

I originally wanted to put it up on our magnetic wall but my husband had issues with nailing something into our magnetic wall. Argh...

So, for now, it rests above the peninsula in our kitchen.

The one that I am using now is in 'landscape', but I also made one in 'portrait'.

If you would like to use one for yourself, send me a quick email and I will send one to you!  Please specify which lay-out you would like.  

Maybe one day I will figure out how to include a link to a document in my post, but until then, send me an email!

Mission: Accomplished (well, almost)

The hubby and I were super productive last Sunday afternoon tackling a few of the projects that I mentioned here.

We took a couple of hours, and got down to it!

I tackled the kitchen, and the hubby tackled the basement. 

I loves me some Before & After's so here we go!

Before

After

Close-Up Before

Close-Up After

Close-Up  Before

Close-Up After

Before

After



Before

After

Before

After

I feel so much better now that it's all done.  Before, anytime I opened one of cupboards I would get this tightness in my chest and found it difficult to breath.  I'm only slightly exaggerating.

I can't properly describe how good it feels to have properly organized cupboards, especially when there is room to spare!

I was also able to purge more items from the kitchen that was added to the 'Garage Sale' pile in the basement.

If you see anything here that you like, let me know!

The hubby took charge of the basement purge and re-organization, with input from me of course.

And some more Before and After's:

Before - Left Hand Side 

Before - View from Bottom of the Stairs

Before - Right Hand Side

Before - Right Down The Middle

After - Left Hand Side

After - Right Hand Side

After - Right Down The Middle

It's hard to get a good picture in the basement, it's so narrow.

It is so much nicer now.  We were able to clear out a lot of garbage and cardboard that really opened up space.  Everything has its place and there is extra room!  How can that not be a good thing.

We even have space dedicated for items that will be 'garage sale-d' soon.  I can't wait for this to all be open, empty space.

It feels so good to be able to cross these things off of my To-Do list.  There is still my closet remaining.  I've gotten a start on it, but still have to sort and purge my clothes.  I will post again once that is done.

Do you have nagging items on your To-Do list that you just can't seem to get to? Anything that you need to add to your To-Do list?

I seem to constantly be adding to my To-Do list.  It just keeps growing and growing!

   

I Can't Keep Putting This Off Forever...

I am terrible at goal-setting.  If I ever do set goals, I rarely, if ever, meet them.  

This post is my attempt at goal-setting and eventually, meeting them.  I'm hoping that the accountability of blogging about this, will force me into finishing these 'projects'.

Project #1: Re-Organize My Closet

Because it looks like this:

This may not look that bad, but it used to look so nice.... all organized and pretty.

This shelf has just become a mess of junk.  I hate it! Yet I keep adding to it everyday.  It shouldn't look like this. Ever.

I have got to find a better way to store all my scarves.  Originally I had them all folded and stacked all pretty, it looked like a rainbow.  Trouble with that was, I was always too lazy to fold them all up again.  Hence, the above photo.

To Do:

• Purge clothes (I do this about every six months, if I can't remember the last time I wore it, or it doesn't fit anymore - it's gonzo)
• Find better storage solution for my scarves and purses
• Clear out the 'junk' shelf and use it for a purpose

Project 2: Re-Organize Basement Storage

Even just thinking of tackling this is overwhelming!  We had this space in the basement that was too small to really be of any use to us, until we bought these fantastic shelves from Costco and decided to use the space as a pantry/storage area.  It started organized, and then stuff just kept getting put there.

View from the bottom of the stairs, looking to the right. Oh, and that is our upright freezer on the left.  Best thing ever!

A closer view of the shelves on the left hand side of the room. Notice all the stuff on the floor... I hate that!

The shelf on the right. Again, crap on the ground!

The view, in all it's cluttered glory.  It makes my chest all tight and anxiety-ey when I look at this.

Side note: thats my laundry room at the end of the hall.  It's so plain and boring.  I have a strong desire to make it pretty.  I'm sure it'll get done... eventually.

To Do:

• Purge junk.  Get stuff together for a garage sale.
• Create designated area's 
• Put stuff together for garage sale

Project #3: Re-Organize The Kitchen

Sigh, the kitchen.  I have re-organized my kitchen three times since we moved into this house, and the last time I did it, I totally mucked it up.  Enough so that my husband comments on it almost every time he opens a  cupboard.

Here is the evidence:

This picture doesn't look too bad.  I absolutely love opening a cupboard and seeing all my Tupperware smiling at me.  The cupboard on the left is a mess, a little bit of everything is thrown in there, and it's too packed.  Why the cupboard on the left doesn't work, will make sense when you see the next photo.

I have no idea what I was thinking when I decided to put all the spices, sauces and random canned goods all put together on a deep shelf.  Oh, I remember, I was thinking, I'll put all the things that I don't use on a regular basis towards the back.  Made sense at the time, until I needed to use one of the items at the back.  It was a HUGE pain in the rear.  It just makes no sense.  And my China doesn't belong there, in amongst non-perishables.

Look at that.  Ridiculous.

When I look at this picture, I see wasted space.  I know that I can fit my China in this cupboard, somehow.  This cupboard can be used way more efficiently.

This is the cupboard in our island/bar thingy.  It also houses Jasper's food, which is why I was unable to get a shot of it with out him sniffing it out.  This cupboard is so crammed with random stuff, it makes it very difficult to get a pups food.  We've got candles, table cloths, platters and plates.  I don't like it, not one bit.  It didn't use to be this way.

To Do:

• Empty out every cupboard in question
• Decide if I want to purge any 'houseware' item, and put it with garage sale items
• Put it all back into the cupboards, but in a smarter, more efficient way

Oh my goodness,  this is a long post, and an overwhelming one.  Seeing it all laid out like this.  It's OK, I can do this.  I know I will feel so much better once this is all taken care of.  I also know that by the time I'm finish these projects, there will be more to do.  It's never ending, isn't it?

As I complete a project I will post about it.   Hopefully you won't have to wait to long to see it!

Do you have any projects on the go?  Been putting anything off?  What is something that you have been dreading tackling? (Mine would be the basement storage!)