Organizing: Kids Drop Zone

Next up on my organizing list was to create an area the kids could store their back packs/diaper bag, shoes, jackets, and notes/reminders. Again I took to pinterest to help inspire me. With so many great ideas it was hard deciding which we liked most and would work input space. We started by visiting every furniture store to find a bench that would double as a place to store shoes. After several days we came across the perfect bench at Target on sale! We found four 8x10 frames and four wall hangers. I'd planned to order these paper organizers for each child to display in the frames but when I visited the Etsy site the shop was on vacation for a couple weeks so instead I asked a very talented friend of mine to make me something similar that I could print. She graciously said yes and had these amazing organizing sheets done in no time.

Each child now has a personalized organizer that is framed so we can use dry erase markers to keep track of notes, weekly activities, and monthly activities/appointments.

Once I'd printed them we put it all together. We picked up three bins at Target to slide on the bench shelve to hide the kids school shoes. We used an empty wall near our back door (which is where we enter from) to house our new drop zone. Here are some pictures that include a before and after as well as a couple full photos of the finished project!

Organizing: Family Media Center

With all the purging and organizing I've been doing I have been really wanting to streamline areas in our home. I scoured pinterest for some ideas for a family media center. There is so much inspiration on pinterest that it took no time at all to decide what I wanted to do. We picked up a chalk board, dry erase calendar, two hanging files, and a couple cork strips. We hung them all on the wall in the kitchen so we could keep track of mail, everyone's schedule, leave notes and reminders plus display some of the kids art work.

It really adds to our house while organizing us at the same time! Below is a before and after picture plus a full photo of the finished product!

More organizing and purging.

On day three I worked on cleaning up our master bedroom which had been a catching ground for all the extra things from the other rooms in the house. It took me most of the day to get the room picked up, laundry folded and put away plus clean up the master bathroom. I'm happy with it for now but plan to do more purging in those rooms plus our closet.

Reorganizing and Purging: Day 2

A long night with Kaedyn and Becca running fevers meant we couldn't go to the park with friends today. Instead I worked on getting the kids rooms cleaned and organized.

I started in Becca and Kaedyn's room and closet. I had purchased Becca a Tinkerbell room accessory kit on sale for cheap this summer. I used a couple bins from the kit to organize the toy shelf better and the three hook wall hangings to organize Becca's many purses. I also hung a few things of Kaedyn's.

In the closet I went through all the clothes. I was able to remove 7 boxes of clothes they'd out grown and I'd stored in there this spring. I cleaned up the book shelf and brought in another bin to organize some of Kaedyn's toys. Plus I moved a couple of Becca's strollers to the closet to open up space in the room.

I cleaned the walls, door/doorway, and and baseboards in both sets of kids rooms.

I forgot to get before pictures in the boys room but below is the after. They still had a couple bags from the trip I had to clear out, toys that we moved to the play room, I got 3 large bags of Dylan's clothes he'd out grown and hung his new school clothes. Then I went through the top of the closet and their dresser drawers organizing it all.

Their room didn't take me long but I did end up with a trash bag full of trash, not sure how they end up with all that trash in there. Also not sure how they can sleep with sand in their beds. :/ Eww!

Tomorrow I'll conquer my room, closet and bathroom. Which leaves the hall closet, laundry room, toy room, back yard and garage for the weekend and next week.

Reorganizing and purging!

After returning from our six week stay staycation in New Mexico I was on a mission to get our house cleaned up, organized and purged! I was afraid it was going to be a slow going process because I had a week full of activities to catch up with friends here in Texas BUT I ended up being stuck at home because Kaedyn and Becca have a summer cold. So I got busy yesterday on the center of the house... the kitchen, dining room, and living room!

In the kitchen I went through all the cabinets, wiped down all counters, cabinet doors, base boards, cleaned out the fridge and freezer, wiped it all down, bleached the sink, and wiped down the walls and doors.

I also went through the pantry, reorganized it, purged old stuff and added a few bins to help with lunch meal prep plus a bin for quick kid snacks.

In the living room I cleaned the base boards, cleared out old baby gear, simplified Kaedyn's toys, rearranged the furniture and wiped down the walls and doors.

Between our kitchen and living room is a little counter with cabinets which serves as our junk drawers, miscellaneous items, and displays pictures and cookbooks. I cleaned it all out and purged a ton of stuff!

Not much was needed in the dining room because it stays clean with us eating 2+ meals there a day. I did wipe the door ways and base boards plus changed up the decor I was displaying and wiped down all the furniture.

So all in all it was a very productive day! Three rooms down and five more to go. Jason came home and said I looked like the energizer bunny. ;-)