Mud Room {Real Life for 6}

The mudroom is our between spot, from the garage to the house and it is ABUSED!

Half the time the shoes end up there instead of put away in the garage, all the dirty kitchen towels and table cloths end up on the floor, I haven't organized the cleaning supplies at all. It's just been a hot mess. Used some of my free time to get some things settled this week. AGAIN.  It's still not working 100% for us, but for now, this is what we have!

Yeah, so bad before!

First things first. The laundry stuff, we keep things really basic here so they don't take up a lot of space. Just 2 shelves for soap, color catchers and the stain remover. Once I figure out how this other shelf fits in here?! 

Then Cleaning supplies.

The easiest way to keep these manageable is to limit the potions and sprays you bring home. The less you have the less you have to deal with. We really don't use much, some Bon Ami for toilets and sinks and then just vinegar/dawn combo. All of our cleaning supplies in this 1 basket!

After is a little better but still not exactly what we need, at least its clean and organized and has no clutter!

We have BIG plans for this room eventually. It's not a pretty room by any means, and it's set up so strange! The hot water heater in the closet?  But for now I just need it to work for the 3 kids we have leaving in a rush in the morning, and the 1 kid who loves to play in here! I can't wait to get started (not before baseball season is over) and make this room more usable for us.

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Friday RAOK!

 I stopped worrying (and spending SO much time) about the kids chores, and their lack of doing them, which left me with a few options, 1. Do it myself  2. Micromanage them to do it or 3. Call it Good Enough and let natural consequences do their thing. Well it's been tough on me for the last 10-12 days now but the plus side of letting Good Enough be the goal is that I have more time! I got my organizing for the week done earlier in the week because I wasn't managing their messes. So I have time to do what I want to, today that's making our sweet neighbors some treats. They moved in a couple months ago, and have been great neighbors!  Life has been less than ideal since then, so it's a little later than I normally would like a welcome treat to be!

I just love doing something for someone else! Random acts of kindness are so fun! Lots of ideas out there, some of my favorites

~Buying that frazzled looking mama at Target a coffee

~Leaving coupons on the product at the store

~Mailing a card to a friend, just letting them know you are thinking of them

~Help someone with their groceries

~Ding Dong Ditch some doughnuts to a friend

~Leave a redbox code on a sticky note at the redbox

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Mom Drawer

 This was my dresser growing up, I hesitated to take it back until just recently. Well now that it's here, it's perfect! It fits just right and has given me a convenient spot for my mom/wife life organization.

it's not quite the big command center I was dreaming of, like these.

But it's working! My WOTY is FRESH, still working on it, in lots of ways.  A fresh perspective on what I actually need to make my life run smooth was one of those things. I don't need a big ol' command center, just this. This drawer, where I can keep my planner, my daily necessities like the speaker and devotional/Bible, grocery list, my few favorite pens, lip gloss and eye drops, yay allergies. I also keep my coloring books, in case I have a few minutes to myself ❤️

*May contain affiliated links* I participate in Amazon Associates Program occasionally. I won't recommend a product I wasn't myself interested in trying or have tried. I may receive monetary compensation for participating. This does not change the price for you.

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52 Weeks to an Organized Home

 In an effort to find a FRESH way to organize our home, I am letting someone else make the list!

This year I am Following Home Storage Solutions list, you can find it here.  

Some of the weeks won't apply to me but I'm sure I will have other things to do still. 

The first week is Kitchen Counters and Sink!

This one I can totally do! Although under the sink at our house is scary to me.  We haven't redone the pipes under there, there is still some 1970's contact paper and I am sure some spiders! 

I don't know that I will be doing under the sink. But I might see if I can convince hubby to haha.

Here is our before, just after breakfast today. Yowza.  It's not pretty. We have cabinet doors off that are being sanded so we can paint.

There totally is a spider! Ick!

So today this is what I am working on for Organizing Friday!

Are you following a plan for organizing this year? Just winging it? Want to join me in this one?!

I am always looking for other ideas on how to organize!

Instagram looks like there are a few before and afters with #52weekhomeorganizedchallenge

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Organizing Friday {Week 12}

I didn't get last weeks task all the way done.

Before

After

I don't really know what to do in here, we got rid of so much of the kids bathroom stuff, in anticipation of not having 2 bathrooms, that there really just isn't much to organize. 

I moved the beach and pool towels out to the garage with the life jackets and other summer stuff.

Just needed a space for 

TP

Towels and washcloths

We really kept all of their towels to the bare minimum so they don't take a lot of room.

We didn't unpack the decorations because it just hasn't happened and this bathroom isn't really conducive to it either.  

I do want to grab a couple of baskets for the shelving so I can start stocking up on necessities again, while keeping them pretty. Looking for some deals. When I am on the hunt I put the measurements of the shelf or area in my phone so I don't have to worry about buying something and it not fitting.

The extra bedding was just that, extra. We have been in this house 5 1/2 months and yet to need them. I donated all but 1 extra and there was plenty of room to keep it with the rest of the kids stuff in their closets.

We are heading out for a mini vacation, when we get back I am sure I will find another area that needs some attention. It's Spring Break here, what are y'all doing for Spring Break?

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Organizing Friday {Week 9}

Happy Monday! And in case this is your first visit, I wanted to explain real quick why Friday's are for Organizing around here. I have a routine down for cleaning all of our home, Monday-Thursday. That leaves weekends and Friday to get projects done. Our weekends are full of family fun, we want to keep it that way. Usually I post these on Fridays. Last Friday I was pretty ill, slept the whole day! So here it is today!

Last week was the laundry area, it was bad. It was more dirty than unorganized. Some of it was from the move, anything and everything kind of got shoved on the dryer.

So much dust and sawdust!

Spiffied it up a little, used what we had and hung a couple things to get them off the dryer and freezer.

 Finally put that star up, it's not centered but it's not falling off the dryer every few days either.

 Love this vintage pop bottle crate for laundry necessities.

I throw all the pocket stuff in this basket. Change, lego's and gum wrappers for days!
This week I am going to try to work on craft stuff, but I may only get to wrapping stuff. Either way, they are in the same space so it will help.

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Organizing Friday { Week 5 }

Our coat closet was a multipurpose area during the holidays. We kept everything in it, wrapping paper and gifts, coats and shoes. It was a bit much. You can see the mess here.

Spent a little time while the baby was asleep just taking everything out and not putting it back in. Most of it didn't belong in there anyway. My mother and father in law were getting rid of this shoe rack, it fit so we were happy to snag it!  Still have all my aprons and baby wearing stuff in there. They need to be easy to access.

This week I am going to focus on our Homework Cabinet. I don't really know what else to call it. It's in the dining room and has all kinds of stuff the kids use after school. Work books, crayons, pencils etc.  It's a mess, although I did do a little work before I took the picture.

 I have a couple friends that just have the best set up for their homework areas and art supply storage. I am going to see if I can find anything this weekend to inspire the kids to keep it tidy.

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Organizing Friday~Week 4

This week was crazy but I managed to get a few things done.

I decided to move the grey table in front of the crawl space, cause it was just a big ol' eye sore. It's not THAT much better but better than it was.

Drawers all cleaned up and rugs stuck down and I fixed the front window curtain.

This week I am working on our coat closet! We are not used to the less space and no place for shoes! 

This is how we started out.

I have a lot of aprons, even after getting rid of more than half. I use them most days and I have a hard time parting with them.

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Organizing Friday Week 3

This area takes the most abuse by our kids!

It wasn't too hard to fix up though.

First I went through all the shoes, again. We have lived here 2.5 months and already they have outgrown more shoes!

Then I just made them each a cute tag for their basket. Finnley sometimes has a hard time remembering which is his, or at least that is what he claims. No excuses now.

 

And yes that is the start of a wee basket for the baby. He will need a bigger one, but for now that little one we had on hand is storing his teeny little hats.

I was going to work on the laundry area next, but decided I should tackle the area we use a LOT, the entryway. Right now it is a disaster, a pile of stuff I need to take out to my car, and 4 drawers that have seen better days.

That rug is making me crazy! It slides all over, fixing that is on my list for sure!

We let each kiddo have a drawer, they can keep whatever they want in here as long as it's not liquid and won't spoil.

It's funny how different each one is. Ramsey has random change, his sports magazines, gum and iPod and a few random Legos. Carsyn has a drawer full of lip gloss, diaries and hair bows, right next to the grody flavored Harry potter jelly beans and tooth fairy $. Finn has more garbage and unsticky stickers than anything else! 

We don't make them tidy their drawer very often, as long as it closes they can keep it as messy as they want.

I will probably encourage a quick tidy of them though. 

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Organizing Friday~ 4 Easy Steps!

I am going to share with you what I did last week and what my plan is for this week is, but first, the basic steps I take when organizing.

1. Stuff that goes together or is the same, stays together. 
All the CD's are in one place. All the cleaning supplies, all the linens etc.

2. Give it a HOME

A place for everything, everything in it's place (sometimes)

3. Make the space work for you

If you need a basket, storage, whatever it takes to make it work in it's designated space, do that.

4. Label, tag, name

Whatever you call it, don't leave a box or bin full of unknown. Save yourself some time later on, label that bin or box or basket.

That's it! Those are the only 4 steps it takes to organize anything.

I maybe shouldn't have called it organizing, it was more just put together. We don't use our front entry much, we typically use the garage, but I am thinking I could do a little more sprucing up out here to make it feel a little more inviting, maybe a basket underneath the bench or something. I will have to see what I can find at the thrift shops.

This week I am working on the kids drop zone. 

It's a makeshift mud area in the garage. It has been used and abused for months now. Hasn't been set straight since we moved in. 

Those shoes need a good purge and sorting. The whole thing needs some cleaning and I need to follow my own advice and LABEL the baskets and bins. The boys especially don't care which basket they throw their mittens and gardening gloves into.

Before long this might be too small! Once Hawkins needs a shoe bin we might need to reconfigure this set up. But for now, in this rental, we will make it work.

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Organizing Friday~before & after bathroom

Last Friday I showed y'all this embarrassing picture of our master bathroom counter! Ugg moving is not my thing. Unpacking seems so difficult!

I spent a little time each day sorting, purging MORE, even though I just did when I packed! Having stuff packed for a month sure is an eye opener! I didn't even THINK about one of the boxes. So much stuff I didn't need but had. This whole moving thing is surely a lesson in needs vs. wants and simplifying.

We have this very large built in cabinet. The tall shelves are perfect for keeping stuff out of kids hands! I've got medications sorted into types and together! No more digging for cough medicine at 3am! I keep supplements up there too. I fill our medicine holders up in the bathroom, it's just easier to keep them near.

I was going to get rid of a lot of towels, but there is plenty of room so for now I am just leaving them for now.

Our old house we had just enough storage for clothes in our bedroom, this one is a little smaller and we are down 2 large pieces of furniture that held a lot of clothes. Because the bathroom has so much more storage that would otherwise be empty, I moved all the socks and undergarments as well as pajamas and stuff into the bottom drawers. We each have our own space for stuff that can easily be organized and it frees up a drawer in the 1 dresser we have now.

This week I have got to get a handle on these kids rooms!  I know there are still boxes of stuff in the garage, I don't want to bring anymore in until this disaster is a little more managed.

And yes those are our sleeping babies, they each have a bed, but Finn always tries to sleep in some one's bed ❤️

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The 18 things I packed for the hospital

Organizing Friday

I planned on sharing my list before we had the baby, oops!  I had a repeat C section, so this list might not be the same as others. While at the hospital I like to make things as homey as I can, but not make too much work for myself when I get home either, no extra laundry and NO ONE likes to unpack, especially after having a baby!

My list for baby is pretty small

~Preemie Outfit
~Newborn Outfit
~0-3 Month Outfit
I say 1 of each, cause you just never know what they will fit in!
~pacifier
if you are not against them
~Baby Shampoo
We like the Honest Co. it smells delish!
~Banner for Bassinet
 ~Couple Blankets
~Car Seat

That is ALL I packed for this boy! I like to really keep it to basics

For myself I packed a little more, it would have been less if we had been having normal September weather!

~Robe 
~Yoga pants
~Something comfy to wear home x2
~Camera
~Phone and Charger
~Extension Cord
 those tables are NEVER close enough for phone chargers!
 ~Nook
Could have skipped that!
~Plug in Air freshener
Not a fan of hospital "smell"
~Blankets from home and a PILLOW!
Nothing beats comforts you are used to
~Bathroom stuff
I skipped the eyeliner but I did bring a little makeup

That is it! It took me about 5 minutes to unpack when we got home! I didn't need everything I packed but didn't feel like I over packed either.

Anything you HAVE to have when you are having a baby? Maybe something not on every other list?

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Friday 5

I saw this on another mama blog and thought it was fun!

Sharing my favorite 5 things from Pinterest, blogs or wherever.

 

 

1.

 

This outfit!! I am SO ready for fall and I love everything about this, just the right amount of comfy and cute!

 

2.

Pinterest in General is my #2  I am just thankful for so much I have learned and been able to track down for future use. My Things I Should Know board is getting some use!

 

3.

 

 

Great read and such a good reminder. I have more on busyness coming soon!

 Her whole site is full of good reads!

 

4.

 These muffins! SO good!

 

Lastly #5 is Ruum.com

 

CUTE kids clothes, with some amazing discount codes right now, Labor40, Redbook20 and Welcome15 can all be used. Swimsuits for 3.99 before discount!

Just finished my order.. all deals for next summer besides that cute sweater!!

 

 

We will see how many Fridays I can get to this. Anyway, it was fun!

 

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Organizing Friday

Feeling pretty good that I am getting it done 3 weeks in a row. I am on a mission to get and KEEP this place as organized and clutter free as possible!

Last week was the closet that gets abused and has been my Friday project more times than I care to count. But I made a big difference this time and I am already loving the extra room. If I get the chance to really work on our stock pile I might be taking advantage of all this space!

I really like those green Ikea filing boxes, they were inexpensive and big enough to hold all our electronic crud, phone bases, blank cd's and stuff that NEVER looks pretty. There is just no way to make it look good so it needs a box! The other one has all of our wrapping stuff in it, tape, bags, tissue paper and scissors.

This week I am working on our linen closet. As you can see we have lots of blankets and extra bathroom products. I hate seeing boxes that don't stack well and just look MESSY! So I picked up these baskets here and there as I found good clearance prices. I have one for middle of the night kid stuff, cough meds, tylenol, thermometer all those type things. Because no one wants to be hunting for them while there is a sick kid!

The other thing I am doing while I am in there is checking all the expiration dates and amounts of the usuals, then restocking any we are in need of.

Toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss and mouthwash take another basket up. Shampoo (I'm the only one giving that up) and a bunch of travel size stuff are in another basket. Hubby goes out of town pretty often so we use all kinds of travel size stuff. I am sure there is some stuff in here expired, close enough to empty or probably belongs somewhere else to make a difference in here.

I'll share the improvements next week! Happy Friday!

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