Organizing Friday {Week 17}

I asked a couple weeks ago how long other people keep their clothes that don't fit right now. For me, it's after baby, none of my summer stuff really fits and I don't see them fitting in time to use them this summer. There was a whole variety of answers. I haven't decided what exactly I will do yet. Something has to give though.

Clearly I needed a good clothes purge! That is what I worked on today and have a bit more over the weekend. I have been reading all about this capsule wardrobe thing and read this great article.

Why I Got Rid of My Wardrobe

So inspiring!

 Right now I feel like not a whole lot of my clothes fit me just right (yay post baby body, not), there aren't many that I LOVE and overall it is kind of overwhelming because there are too many choices!

I didn't know if I could be that brave and limit it to 

15 tops

9 bottoms

9 pair of shoes

2 dresses

2 jackets

like the article suggested. That is SO SO much less than I have right now. I am going to try a little bit more or go that route but put some in storage rather than completely letting them go.

 I have a hard time balancing the wear it out thing vs. the capsule wardrobe thing. I know we do not have a budget for a new (even small) wardrobe every season.
Finding where my budget and lack of desire to shop meet will be interesting.
It was not fun deciding what could be packed away for now. But I think I will like having less to sort through and I don't feel like I let too much go that I will regret it. 

2 Sweatshirts
5 Cardi's
5 Long sleeve tops
9 t shirts/short sleeve tops
11 tank tops/summer tops
*Once we are officially in summer the long sleeve ones will get packed, or if I haven't worn them, donated.
 

 11 dresses
3 jackets
*no room to store the other 2 winter coats

 2 Pair of jeans
2 pair of capri
2 pair of shorts

1 skirt
 *also have a maxi skirt folded

I also kept a variety of basic colored cami's and tanks for under tops. Also, my clothes that are in the laundry, not much though. 3 sets of workout clothes.

I put most of the stuff in a couple of bins in the corner of the closet, but this is what is leaving. And there is evidence of "yes" day, little dude was helping me and playing on his tablet.

Do you do the capsule wardrobe thing? Have you considered a capsule wardrobe? If not, what is holding you back? 

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Organizing Friday {Week 15}

I didn't do much last Friday, Good Friday, hubby was home and we stayed busy. This last week I was working on the kitchen cabinets. We have been living in this place for a full 5 months. There are some things we still haven't touched. I was thinking there was some I can move up higher that we won't be using a while and other things that can just go!

I knew I couldn't do a whole kitchen overhaul in 1 week. We have too much snuggling and baseball for that. But I set a goal of the 3 worst drawers and got those done.
I know I can't be the only one that has a problem storing plastic storage. We usually use glass for storing in the fridge but hubby and kids use plastic for lunch stuff.

 before

 after (and I hope it stays this way)

We also have a whole drawer dedicated to baby stuff, food, snacks, spoons, bottles and sippy cups, bibs and all that stuff.

 before

After

This drawer was just a mess. I haven't used the lunchbox in a year or more. We don't typically use paper plates or plastic utensils. This time of year is when we do. I needed to make a spot so I can grab some at the store. We eat on the go 5-6 days a week during baseball season. It's not great but fine for now.

 before

after

I know we are all busy and finding time for stuff like this can be tricky. I put the baby in the carrier and snuggled him to sleep while I did 1. I did the other while making dinner and bribed the biggest kid to sort plastic stuff.

How do you organize these things at your house? I bet there are better ways out there!

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Keeping Up. How do you manage?

About to get personal here, sorry. I will try to keep it short. 

Social Media. Love it and hate it. Recently something happened on Facebook. I am sure it has happened to many of us. Out of no where, someone I cared about deleted me. Nothing had happened, nothing I posted would have offended her, just random. We've been friends for over a decade, through some serious stuff. Marriages, a whole bunch of kids, divorce. I couldn't image what in the world I did to bring this about. I still don't know. But being the over thinker that I am on top of being awake so many hours at night, it was just getting to me! I started thinking maybe I am just a really crappy friend!

And here I am STILL wondering if that is it, which leads me to wonder, how do we keep up with friends? Having 4 kids makes me feel like the luckiest taxi driver most weeks. Where in this crazy schedule that we have do I make time for friendships? Maybe it's part of my over thinking thing, but I rarely call friends because chances are they will have to repeat themselves multiple times or the baby will start crying or my phone battery will die. I talk myself out of calling people because of those reasons, and others. I try and text friends, but that seems so impersonal and I often will get a text while I am in the middle of something and forget to respond and then it just feels awkward responding to something 2 days later.

**Now don't get me wrong, I am not complaining about the schedule. I know we have made it for ourselves and while this season is our very busiest, it is just a season. I know there are plenty of parents who say NO to sports and activities while their kids are young. That just isn't us.

So I am wondering, how do you do it? How do you make time for friendships, what do you sacrifice? What do you do? Just stop by friends house, always meet somewhere specific and kid friendly? Grocery shop together? Only hang out when you are kid free?

 And please tell me I am not the only one who hesitates to make plans when I know it would work, time wise? I think I talk myself out of initiating time with friends because of silly things like: who knows if I will be able to shower and get dressed that morning on time. What if I look like the hot mess I feel like? Or a big one for me is worrying the baby will spit up, he does this a lot and pretty much every time he eats, what if it gets on their couch/carpet/at a restaurant? These are just 2 of the more common reasons I talk myself out of doing things.  Am I the only one with this much crazy in my head about seeing friends for coffee? Friends I know would never be mad or upset if a baby spit up on their couch?
Maybe you are more like me? What keeps you from hanging with your friends?

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April Goals

My goal in March was to work on meal planning, March was rough, and April is probably going to be worse. I am going to have to meal plan even better the next 2 months. We are starting baseball and softball and T-ball. I am not sure how we are going to be at 3 places at once. This will be interesting to say the least. Figuring out dinner is one thing I will need to just figure out ahead of time to make life easier. Also going to work on eating better and working out again. I have been in such a rut, mostly due to lack of sleep. Our little guy is still up a good portion of every night. I will share some more of what is going on here and with this rut feeling soon too. For now, the usual lineup (So hard for me!) plus a couple more.

 ~Drink more water
~Stick to the meal plan
~STOP with the sugar
~Make the time for at home workouts during the week


Water drinking will probably always be one of the things I need to work on. Meal Planning this month will have to have some portable dinners. We recently added a pressure cooker to the kitchen gadgets, OH MY GOODNESS. I used it every other day since we got it. What a time saver! I had no idea what I was missing out on! I love baking, baking does not love me! Sugar has been such an issue lately! Preparing the hubby and kids that I may be, like for sure will be, on the grumpy side while I work on some sugar detoxing. Planted some veggies a couple weeks ago and can't wait to have them around. When they are here and fresh it's a whole lot easier to enjoy them. I borrowed some dvd's from the library that are less than 30 minutes to do. I have set my alarm again after a few weeks of just letting the baby or big kids wake me up. I should be able to find 25 minutes in a day to just do the workout! Please tell me I am not the only mama that puts laundry, dinner, dishes and 100 other things before doing something for them self?


Anything you are working on this month?  Still keeping my word for the year as a goal for life in general. Refine is my word, looking for ways to apply it to life. How is your word for the year going, if you participate?

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