We planted:

• Green Pepper
• Green Zucchini
• Yellow Zucchini
• Carrots
• Radishes
• Green Leaf Lettuce
• Red Leave Lettuce
• Green Beans
• Yellow Beans
• Tomatoes
• Herbs (Basil, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Parsley)

Tip for Seed Planting: the instructions on the seed package about planting rows # apart etc. have that there for a reason. Our radishes are planted too close together and zucchini – wow, they’re getting big…the plants I mean!!

Gotta love diapers drying in the sun, a growing garden and cutie littles!

Every day Chloe and John help water the garden and exclaim with excitement as they watch as the garden plants grown and begin to produce! We’ve talked about what the vegetables will look like when they are ready to be harvested and about the fact that there is no picking without mommy or daddy!! {We’ve already harvested one pepper and a green tomato…}

This huge improvement over last years small window box herb garden; our only garden.

Are you a gardener? What is your favorite thing to plant?

Yesterday I read a post about lost socks which led me to share with you, we have sock troubles.

• Two go in to the washing machine but only one comes out.
• One sock goes in, one comes out and you’re left puzzled (DH discovers a whole in one sock so he throws it out and puts only one in the wash)
• Sock matching is an all day event once the laundry is clean.
• Your sock drawer is a disaster and finding two to match in the morning is an incredible feat.
• Your socks are stretched out because you roll them together in an attempt to keep order in your sock drawer.
• Your husband wears a blue sock and a black sock because differentiating between the two is difficult.

Can you relate to any of these scenarios? I’m sure there are more than a few of you nodding your head or chuckling to yourself!

A few years back, following a link from a blog I was reading, I discovered Sock Cops. Intrigued and a teeny bit skeptical, I ordered two packages.

I immediately opened the package and began clipping socks together. DH’s socks were color coded with Navy socks clipped with blue clips, black socks clipped with red clips and so on. This helps him differentiate between the navy and black socks easily.

DH’s sock drawer is nice and organized now. It’s easy for him to find his socks because the socks are clipped together so no looking for a match.

When he removes them at the end of the day, he puts the clips back on and into the laundry they go. I wash and dry them with the clips on and into the drawer they go. This makes putting socks away a breeze and even my little tots can help!

And if DH only puts one in the wash because he threw a hole-y one away, I can easily spot it, put it in a basket to find a mate the next time DH has a hole-y sock.

Now if you don’t want to invest in Sock Cops, I bet that a clothespin or even safety pins would accomplish the same thing.

I’ve been using this system for our family for several years and have been delighted with how well it works for us and what a breeze it is. It does require husband cooperation though. Also, none of the clips have broken etc. They stand up extremely well.

I would also like to say that this post was in no way sponsored. I bought these clips long before I even became a blogger But if Sock Cop is reading this and wants to send me some more and maybe do a review, I certainly wouldn’t decline the opportunity!

What’s your biggest laundry challenge? What do you do about missing socks?

• This post links to Works for Me Wednesday. (and no this isn’t really a product review…it just kind of seems like one I guess)

Steve Took It

Recently I read some information that I found interesting. It was about water being used that we don’t think about.

When you buy meat, do you stop to think about how much water it took to bring that to you? I know I don’t! Including water that they drink, water it took to grown their food and to clean their waste it’s about:

1. 1857  gallons for one pound of beef
2. 756 for pork
3. 469 for chicken

When purchasing other food, you need to factor in water to raise the animals and then to process the edible product or water to grow the product. It looks something like this:

1. 1382 gallons for a pound of sausage
2. 589 gallons for processed cheese
3. 400 gallons for eggs
4. 103 gallons for bananas
5. 33 for strawberries
6. 109 for corn
7. 31 for potatoes
8. 43 for beans

I’m married to a dedicated carnivore though I, myself, am a veggie girl. It won’t affect our purchasing decisions much but I did think it worth mentioning.

Though we won’t be saving water by eating less meat like some families we do conserve water in other ways:

1. We have a HE Washer which uses a LOT less water than a traditional machine
2. We run full loads for laundry and dishes
3. Short showers
4. Limit our lawn watering

Hmmm, this is kind of a short list. I’m going to cheat and google water conservation. This water consumption link is a good one. We do some of these! Hurray!

Do you find the water stats surprising? What are some ways that you conserve water at your house!

• This post links to Thursday 13 though there are actually 15 things on my list today! These are some things I learned this week!

Do you want more order in your world? I know I do. I also know from experience that lists help me to do that! I became aware of the importance and helpfulness of lists as a child watching my mother make lists for everything from chores and groceries to camping and vacations. As an adult, I put those same principles to use to make my own life simpler.

I think I am a pretty good list maker. When planning a trip (camping, hotels etc.), I start weeks (or months!) ahead of time creating my lists of what we will eat, what we need to pack etc. I try to envision every possible scenario and what we will need to see it though; it works pretty well. I know my mother did this well and to my knowledge, we were never missing anything critical. I do remember going on a teen canoe trip with dad (I think he writes “mental lists”) and watching him try to make pancakes on tinfoil over a fire, having forgot the frying pan.

What is ListPlanIt?

Regardless of how great a list maker you are (or aren’t), ListPlanIt wants to help you make your life easier!

Launched in 2007 by Jennifer,  wife, mother and list-lover, she created ListPlanIt to be a “place where those who simply love lists and those in need of a little assistance in mental organization can both find what they need.” The wonderful thing about it is that each list was created by a wife and mother who was (and is!) where we are so you will find the lists relevant to your everyday life!

ListPlanIt is an extensive online data base of lists; they are available to print or download. You can use them as they are, or type information right into them; customizing them to meet your exact needs! How awesome is that? They have hundreds of lists for absolutely anything and everything in your life!

(A print screen of the category list and each has many lists associated with it!)

What Caught My Eye?

After logging in, I began to browse through the extensive list collection and quickly realized that there was no way use, look at or even mention them all. The few things I mention here are but the teeniest fraction of the vast resources available at ListPlanIt!

Travel was the one I visited first since my need was immanent. This week I am flying to Calgary for an Epicure conference. I’m not taking my little ones. ListPlanIt has a list for leaving littles behind while travelling. Since this is a first for me, I headed to that one. I am only leaving them with my mother though! In May we are heading to Paris for a week and then Africa! While packing for a 5 day conference is well within my list-planning capabilities; planning for a 3+ week trip to another continent (or two!) with two tots in tow and 2 x 9 hour plane trips? Suddenly, I was beginning to doubt my list-planning abilities. ListPlanIt, has lists for setting up your itinerary, regular packing lists, packing lists for travel with children and also lists to draw up your budget. There is so much information here. I can’t wait to get our trip all organized {thank you,  ListPlanIt!}. I look forward to sharing with you more details about organizing our big trip a little later!

Home Management was the next category I began to explore. I want my home to be well organized and our daily routine to flow smoothly. Why? Because I want our home to be a welcome, warm and loving place where my family (and others!) long to be and it takes organization to make that happen. I have a basic household notebook but look forward to expanding it (a little at a time!) to incorporate some really great things like a monthly cleaning schedule (which comes prefilled in or blank to create your own), a spring cleaning schedule, clothing inventory lists (of what you have for your littles and what you will need for upcoming seasons and in what size), and so much more!

Skeptical?

So was I. What is so hard about making a list? I (and maybe you?) make lists on a regular basis. What makes this so different?

I think the number one thing is that ListPlanIt, no doubt, contains or (or more!) lists you didn’t know you needed. I think it reinforces that there is a list for everything. By creating lists for everything and having it written down, it really frees up your mental space {something I am in dire need of LOL}.

Uniformity is another pro. By having all your lists look similar and of the same size, it encourages you to put them in a binder all together; organized, in one place, easy to find. It encourages me you people in general (those unorganized ones!) to stop writing on little pieces of paper that you may lose.

I liked that many lists were blank with tips for use and then others were prefilled in with suggested items. Two examples would be the travel list where there are suggestions filled in vs. a blank one. Now I will use the blank one myself to completely customize it for what I need however I thought that the prefilled one was a great place to get ideas and to ensure I didn’t miss anything when I made my list.

The duration of a membership is a year so that you explore, see what works for your individual family. You can implement one at a time, gradually easing in to it if you’re new to list making or that you can jump right in.

Buy It or Try It!

I encourage you to check out their trial resources. Looking for more organizational help? Follow their blog or subscribe to the L.I.S.T. Newsletter or become a fan on facebook. Wondering how to get started now? You can read their instructions, become a member and get organized today!

(Hey mom, a camping checklist!)

Win It!

One lucky reader will win a year membership to ListPlanIt!

How to Enter:

1. Leave a comment sharing how ListPlanIt would help you. (1 entry)
2. Subscribe to the L.I.S.T. Newsletter. (1 entry)
3. Follow the ListPlanIt’s blog. (1 entry)
4. Blog about this giveaway linking back here (2 entry).
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• Ends April 27, 2010
• Open worldwide. Spread the word!
• I received a membership to ListPlanIt in order to write this review but all opinions expressed here are solely mine.

ListPlanIt Winner is Rachel from Alberta, Canada

Well, GG came for a visit, we had a great time, and now she is gone; time to get back into our routine. We haven’t done many crafts but we did fit in one day of “school” last week.

We worked in Chloe’s favorite “schoolbook”  which is made my Kumon. It’s their At the Zoo workbook and she loves the animals and the mazes. As you can see, she is super ambitious and doing two at one time. LOL. While it is a simple book (and we have more advanced ones too), I hope to cultivate her love of learning from a young age by incorporating subjects that interest her. Animals captivate her.

I am slowly learning to let go of my long (and unnecessary in this season?) to-do list and simplify my days.  Since my priority in this season of littles is simply to bond with them, love on them, enjoy them and instill the basics (love Jesus, obedience), much of my to-do list can wait because it doesn’t directly assist my purpose. So some simple goals for the week include:

• Back into our loose routine which will be harder than it sounds since the littles had such a blast with GG around. (I’m making baby steps towards a more structured routine.)
• A walk a day
• Taking my aunt and uncle to the airport
• Spring pictures with the littles
• Getting DH’s car window fixed
• and tackling the paperwork (again!) on my desk (15 minutes a day)
• Following up with contacts for a Sizzling Summer 2010 (and fixing the links in last years series. Ah, the joys of wordpress transition)

At some point {for those who emailed}, I will get up a post about our routine as well as my Contentment page since both of those. I always welcome reader questions and look forward to hearing about what you want to read about!

I know this isn’t a crafty post but the colored pictures were all we accomplished last week for Magic Marker Monday.

Still Burning

Happy St. Patrick’s Day. Seems like a good day to talk about Green doesn’t it?

Our family isn’t the most eco-family in the city – or even on the block.  We’re just an average family; maybe like you? I want to do my part to care for our environment because it is my responsibility and duty to God, my family, future generations and myself! Last year, as I made this list, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that we do have a substantial list! Most of our earth friendly practices were born out of a need for frugality or for the benefit of our family but they’re green none the less!

Cloth Diapers: We switched to cloth diapers (we use BumGenius 3.0 cloth diapers; a one size, all in one read more here). A bit of an investment but better for baby, more economical and better for the earth! I imagine flat prefolds would be even better since less production to make them however, the BG are a really convenient cloth diaper for me! Swim diapers are also a really cool alternative to disposable swimmers…they’re cute too!

Cloth Training Pants: We also use cloth trainers for my toddler.

Cloth Wipes: Recently I began using cloth wipes too. Since I am already using the diapers, why not use the wipes so then I can just put the wipes inside the soiled diaper and toss the whole think in the diaper pail rather than trying to figure out where to put the disposable wipes while I finish the job. I use Monkey Doodlez Wipes Cubes to keep them fresh longer (from going musty smelling).

Baby Food: While I still buy some baby food, I generally try to make my own. Less packaging! Less Cost! Better for Baby! {this was on my original list though now my little man is past this stage.}

Toys without Batteries: Too many toys these days require batteries and “entertain” the child. While some of these are fine, I believe that children should learn to entertain themselves and use their imaginations. Toys with batteries are also noisy and drive my dh crazy. Battery-eating toys are also not great for the environment either!

HE Washer: We have a high efficiency front loading washer which uses less water and requires less soap.

Cold Water: Unless I am washing some heavily soiled items (diaper etc.), I try to wash on cold. My clothes come out just fine!

Soaps: We use soap nuts which are compostable, and Nature Clean that comes in a box, lined with a bag and it has a little spout on the front. I only need 1 tablespoon of soap for a load (even heavily soiled diapers!). Recycle the box and spout and all you’re left with is the bag as garbage. It says it does 129 loads but I get more out of it that that.

Less Laundry:  Clothes worn once aren’t always dirty (by adults anyway). We also reuse our towels for the week before washing them. If you’ve done a good job in your shower then you should be clean and drying off doesn’t really dirty the towel! Try to wash full loads only and combine loads where possible.

Clothesline: Coming soon. We live in a new subdivision that had a by-law against clotheslines (imagine that!!) Last year they lifted it so this summer I’ll have a clothes line. Hurray!  I have a makeshift one right now and hope to build a proper one this spring. My aunt has a great wheelie one off her deck and I am going to make the same one!

Avoid Chemicals: Not good for you, your family or the earth. Avoid them when you can. We use e-cloths here and have been very happy with the results. Our lawn isn’t perfect and I pull weeds constantly (a lot of work) but I don’t have to worry about my little ones eating dirt & chemicals because our lawn is just dirt! (Fish Mama talked about Chemicals here and when it comes to spiders – I’m all for chemicals!!) We also try to use natural products, especially when it comes to our little ones skin! We like Dimpleskins baby products, as well as Fresh Organics. In the summer we use UV clothing and less sunscreen. Wondering how that is green? Every chemical you put on is either washed off, comes off on your clothing (which is then washed) or is absorbed into your body and comes out in natural ways. Chemicals always end up back in our water system.

Composting: We started last summer. Not hard but we don’t do it in the winter because I don’t want to shovel all the snow to get out to it. It’s an easy way to reduce the amount of garbage you put out and it’s good for your lawn!

Recycle: Recycle what you can but keep in mind that recycling still uses energy etc. to do so it isn’t totally earth friendly. It’s best to try use products with as little packaging as possible, regardless of if it can be recycled.

Packaging: Avoid individually packed items or convenience foods when you are able. We all take advantage of this convenience from time to time but try to avoid it on a regular basis. Thermos and Innate make some great stainless steel cups! Take them with you everywhere you go to avoid buying packaged drinks. Try to support companies who go the extra mile to use as little packing as possible or who use recyclable resources.

Energy Efficient Light Bulbs: This is my husband’s domain but I know we have them.  Make the last longer by ensuring that they are always turned off when not needed.

Turn your Heat Down a few degrees and your a/c up a few degrees. Doing it gradually will help you adjust and you’ll save lots too!

Plan Your Outings so that you can get all your errands done in as few trips as possible.

BYOB: Bring your own bags to the store when shopping. Most stores here sell them for $0.95 but dh saw them on for $0.37/each at Fortino’s. Epicure has some really great ones! Interested? Contact me!

Buy Second Hand: When we first had Chloe, I would have balked at this because we had the money, why buy used? Well, it makes better use of your money, there is nothing wrong with most used things (I have huge issues about having to be able to wash/disinfect things) and it is better for the environment. After all, if everyone bought new and discarded it when finished, our landfills would be overflowing with perfectly useable things and we would be creating a lot of pollution with excessive production.

Cloth Napkins: We switched a couple years ago. Ours aren’t actually napkins; they are small cotton dish towels in very cool bright colors. We got them on sale and love them!

No Paper Towel: Because we use the e-cloth for windows and we use cloth napkins, I was thinking we should eliminate paper towel all together. At first my husband balked (after all where would he de-grease his bacon?!) We started using cotton flour sacks and though we still have some paper towel in our stock-pile, we haven’t used it and we don’t miss it!

Unplug when Unused: Did you know that things that are plugged in use energy even when they are off? Eeek. DH takes credit for this one! I’ve been trying to pay more attention to this.

Quality vs. Quantity: Sometimes Most times finances have the bottom line but I am a big fan of quality vs. quantity. Cost alone isn’t necessarily the best way to determine the most economical choice. We live in a “throw-away” society. While I am a big fan of the dollar store, in many cases you get what you pay for. If you have to replace something multiple times because it breaks, it is costing you more and the environment suffers (pollution associated with manufacturing and then the products sitting in the landfill). Built to last, quality items are the way to go when we can!

Renewable Resources: When possible, we try to go with renewable resources or things made out of what would otherwise have been trash. Chloe loved her Christmas gift; a Tea Set made out of recycled milk jugs!

Buy Local: While I can’t guarantee that you will necessarily save money, if it doesn’t need to be transported, it is better for the environment. It is also good for your local economy. I like to support local businesses where possible and purchase locally grown/raised food. How about you?

These are a few things that Work for Me. After reading the article by Simple Mom, I could add to the list, but I won’t. You’ll have to go HERE for more ideas! Isn’t it amazing how going green can save you green $$?

   What are your number one Green Tips or favorite Green Products?

• More Green = More Green was originally published April 21, 2009
• Join us at Heavenly Homemakers for the little Green Project!

Lincolnion

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of  response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I’m on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I’m thinking, ‘Can’t you see I’m on the phone?’

Obviously not; no one can see if I’m on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I’m invisible… The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more! Can you fix this?  Can you tie this? Can you open this?

Some days I’m not a pair of hands; I’m not even a human being. I’m a clock to ask, ‘What time is it?’ I’m a satellite guide to answer, ‘What number is the Disney Channel?’ I’m a car to order, ‘Pick me up at 5:30.’ I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude -but now, they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She’s going, she’s going, she’s gone!?

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, ‘I brought you this.’ It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe.

I wasn’t exactly sure why she’d given it to me until I read her inscription: ‘To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.’

In the days ahead I would read – no, devour – the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:

• No one can say who built the great cathedrals – we have no record of their names.
• These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.
• They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
• The passion of their building was fuelled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, ‘Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it. And the workman replied, ‘Because God sees.’

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, ‘I see you. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you’ve done, no sequin you’ve sewn on, no cupcake you’ve baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over.  You are building a great cathedral, but you can’t see right now what it will become. At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. 

As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don’t want my son to tell the friend he’s bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, ‘My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for 3 hours and presses all the linens for the table.’ That would mean I’d built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, ‘You’re gonna love it there.’

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we’re doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

—————————————————————————————————-

I received this in my inbox from my mom today. I don’t know who the invisible mom is, but I thank her for sharing her thoughts. I just want to add to the last paragraph, that whether or not the world marvels, if we’re faithful some day we will hear, “Well Done” by the One who matters most because we’re never invisible to HIM!

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Laundry Room:

With a 3 year old and a 1 1/2 year old, wearing cloth trainers at night and diapers full time respectively,  I spend a lot of time doing laundry. Because my attention is called this way and that throughout the day, sometimes I find myself with unfinished tasks. This often results in things being dumped in the laundry room to be dealt with later. Thus, it overflows with ‘stuff’ and it is hard to find what I need. Since we have to go through the laundry room to get to the garage from the house, it makes it especially difficult (and frustrating?) for DH to navigate the dangerous waters of the laundry room.

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Participating in the challenge issued by Org Junkie, I tackled my laundry room. I just want to say that most of my house is fairly organized but I struggle with the laundry room.  I started by removing everything, she outlines this step in her PROCESS. I then cleaned, sorted and decided what was staying (essential laundry and cleaning items) and going (stray items donated, bulk cleaning items moved to bulk shelf in garage, things that belonged elsewhere put in their place etc.)

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I decided to pare down my cleaning supplies. I like cleaning supplies; fun containers and colors, different scents and purposes. I have found that, though I like to browse the aisles and purchase things that appeal to me, I stick with my basics when cleaning. I have my Orange Glo furniture polish (smells awesome!), my Epicure All Purpose Cleaner (love it!), Nature Clean toilet bowl cleaner, Method Good for Wood (this one smells wonderful too, like almonds.) STOP. Why do I have two furniture polishes? The orange is almost done and I am replacing it with the Method one. Method is a company concerned about producing earth-friendly cleaners and I would rather support them. Nature Clean and Epicure cleaners are also environmentally friendly! I also have a container that use to have Method all purpose cleaner in it. I had used it all and kept the container. It now has the tiniest but of Nature Clean all purpose cleaner mixed with water. This is the solution that Chloe (3yrs) uses to clean with. I put all of these items along with a California blinds duster, my Epicure Bamboo cloth and two e-cloths (glass, dusting) into a caddy which makes it easy to grab and go without forgetting something. I do use Lysol Cleaning wipes in the powder room because it means I can quickly give an extra little clean frequently. I also have things like Armoral (car), heavy duty oven cleaner and my rug shampooer cleaner on the top shelf. These are things that I use a few times a year and need to keep for now. Anyway, anything I don’t use any more or had a little left in I either gave away, disposed of, or put it in a prominent place to use up first.

I still have a bunch of vases to give away. Our church is having a yard sale this summer so I plan to donate these. For the time being, I cleaned the top of my cupboards and put them up there in a display. They are out of the way and will find new homes come summer. I only need a few.

A while ago I had organized all our craft supplies and stored everything in the laundry room. Well, the cupboard that held books and school supplies has been moved to a more practical location however the craft supplies? There isn’t anywhere that I could store them other than in the laundry room. They are against the wall by the dryer. All the drawers are organized. We do crafts at the dining room table and when John (1 1/2yrs) is a but older I will move them out there but now, for safety’s sake, they need to still live here. Since I put my laundry basket on top of the bins anyway, I think it still works.

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After everything was clean, as I put things back I gave some real thought to how the mess usually happens and how I could deal with it.

• Containerizing. I love beautiful containers but right now a trip to the Container store is just too pricy and even the dollar store costs money.  Solution? I now use cloth wipes but used to use disposable. I have lots of those empty containers and I put things like my soap nuts, extra cloth wipes, mesh wash bags, cloths pins etc. into those. I also used cardboard fruit baskets to sort my cleaning cloths and gloves. Cost? None!

• I throw kitchen laundry and towels into the washtub through the week but then need to use the wash tub. Solution? Oversized green laundry basket from the garage fits perfectly in the tub but means I can move it easily to get into the sink and not have towels all over. I also have a laundry basket in the corner for clothing. DH often takes his socks off on the main floor or the littles make a mess on their clothing during meals. Having a designated clothing basket separate from the smelly kitchen linens is a must

• With no windows, I would love to paint and add some happy wall stickers in there to cheer it up. I saw some cute pink bubbles and such online once. I don’t really want to spend any money right now though. Solution? I hung my Fall dining room centerpiece on the wall. It not only protects it from crunching during storage but it looks pretty. It’s made of dried Chinese lantern flowers. I also put up a bulletin board a while ago. I tidied it up and will have Chloe make some new pictures for it. I also have a page on contentment up for me to read as I am in there. It’s hard to be content about everything all the time isn’t it?

• My cupboards are sorted into Laundry/Ziploc, Epicure/Light bulbs and Household cleaning. A functional system for me which will help me know what products we have so I avoid overbuying.

• I know sometimes clutter will still end up on my dryer. Solution? A basket! Now I don’t actually like this particular basket however it was one we had. It’s about the right size. I’ll watch at yard sales or value village for one that will work for me. I use a downstairs basket and and upstairs basket system in my house and it works well. I simply leave them on the banister downstairs and upstairs, filling them as I go about my day. When I make a trip upstairs, I take the basket with me and put away anything that was in it and take it back down with me. Before implementing the basket principle, I would just pile things on the stairs to go up or down. The basket is much more effective. It means that I have a temporary holding space that has boundaries! I’m going to use that in my laundry room as well. I know it will work for me.

Kitchen Cupboards:

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I also reorganized our  kitchen cupboards (which was going to be my original project until my laundry room started to overtake me!). I buy many baking items from my brother-in-law in bulk and needed to create space. We also got a sale on KD which my husband and littles love.  I moved some cupboards around, emptied them, gave them a cleaning, sorted, designated some things to be used up right away and threw out expired food items.

My DH’s creation

Reflection Questions:

1. What was the hardest part of the challenge for you and were you able to overcome it? Starting! LOL. I also hate to get rid of anything. This challenge was a motivator though and because I wanted all the cleaning things to fit in the cupboard (and look nice for the photos), I was more ruthless than I usually would be. It helped me to truly identify what I really use and keep only that.

2. Tell us what kind of changes/habits you have put into place in order for your area/room to maintain its new order? Well, I mentioned some already but the biggest thing I think is having a cupboard specifically for my Epicure products. This means they actually have a home and aren’t all over. The other biggie? Accepting that I will have things that end up there as a holding spot, and designating a limited space for them. Knowing that the basket principle works for me in other areas gives me confidence that it will work in our laundry room too.

3. What did you do with the “stuff” you were able to purge out of your newly organized space?

• Random things to donate (bubble machine, mirror, collectables, old toys etc.) were put into a box and donated. I now have a special box to put donation things in and when it is full, I will take it down and donate it.
• I love samples and free things. I had a whole whack of sample sized soaps. At first I put them in a prominent spot to use first but then realized that on our 3 week vacation this spring, I will take them with us to save money on our laundry bill. I put them in a baby wipe container.
• Rogue socks went into my new “rogue sock basket” located in my bedroom where I do all the folding and sorting anyway.
• Bulk cleaning items were moved to where all the other bulk items where.
• I disposed of cleaning products I had tried but didn’t like, keeping only the things I like and use regularly.

4. What creative storage solutions were you able to introduce in order to create additional space as well as establish some limits and boundaries?

• Disposable Wipes Containers
• Cardboard Fruit Baskets
• Wall hanger for the broom and other items behind the door (dollar store)
• Laundry basket found in garage

5. Why do you think you should win this challenge? See photo below.

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When I first read the challenge, I thought, “I’ll do the garage”. Well, I opened the door and immediately was overwhelmed. I don’t know where to start, how to start or where I can find the time since it is a task that can not involve the littles. I can work on it at night (dark) or during nap time (not much time!). I would have an almost 0 budget for the job. We don’t have our basement available for storage so the garage houses everything: bikes, yard tools, seasonal clothing, camping gear, skating gear, old files, Christmas decorations, outgrown clothing that I was going to sell, things we’ve never unpacked since we moved in 5 years ago, things my husband is going to sell, the extra seat from my van, my strollers and more…

I have learned a lot about organizing from Org Junkie and am feeling confident of a job well done in the laundry room but that was just training for the real (and overwhelming) job I need to tackle very soon. The prizes you are offering would all assist in tacking an even bigger job ahead.

UPDATE:

When I cleaned out and better organized my cupboards, I found the perfect container for my laundry room to replace the metal basket I had in the original pictures. I didn’t like the look of the metal basket or the fact that it may scratch my appliances. I love the vibrant color of this container! I do hope to replace the wicker basket there with a sorter laundry basket when I find a deal!

So hurray for me, and everyone else who accomplished big or little organizational challenges in February.

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My Work

I have the greatest work in to world;

A husband to encourage when things go wrong,

When he comes from work to greet with a song,

Denims and shirts to wash and mend,

A helping hand, when needed, to lend,

Three times a day is meals to cook,

To strive to be my best to look,

His back to rub at the close of the day,

For his faithfulness to God I pray,

When hubby’s in the field I take lemonade,

for all these tasks his love has Paid.

I am a " Wife."

I have the greatest work in the world;

The job of rocking a baby to sleep,

That of guiding his tottering feet,

A baby’s clothes to launder and fold,

A precious life to shape and mold,

A drink to give from a little cup,

At night his toys to gather up,

Hurts to heal and fears to quell,

A baby to keep clean and well,

A stack of diapers to put,

Oh, what a happy worthwhile day!

I am a "Mother."

I have the greatest work in the world;

A home to keep happy, clean and bright,

Make things go smooth and strive for the right,

Jams to cook and jellies to make,

Cookies and pies and bread to bake,

Washing, ironing, and sewing to do,

So many tasks, will I ever get though?

Lettuce to wash and peas to pick,

floors to scrub, lost items to seek,

Dishes to wash and windows to shine,

These and many more tasks are mine.

I am a "Homemaker."

Help me, Father, to faithfully work,

Forgive if I unconsciously shirk,

give me the patience and love I pray,

To keep myself in duties way;

With all the hustle that each day brings

May I not neglect the needing things;

Each day to spend time alone with Thee

That Jesus Christ be seen in me.

Thank you for husband, our home, our girls and boys;

Thank you for love which brings me much joy.

Thank you , Lord.

—-Mary Lou Burkholder

Last week was full of back pain, a cold, mounds of laundry, expensive car repairs and I can honestly say I wasn’t thinking thankful thoughts. Beth of Patchwork Chronicles shared this poem and it just touched my heart. Thank you Beth!

And thank you Lord, for placing this reminder in my path. Help me to remember to have the right attitude regardless of my circumstances; please let my heart be filled with gratitude always.

• This post links to Gratituesday

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If you were hoping to read a post about how to get it together, you will be disappointed. This post is more about “getting it” together; an invitation to join me as I (once again!) embark on that journey. Let me explain!

Every so often, I really do feel that I have it all together. I’m sure you do too. You look around and find that your home is mostly in order, your to-do list is relatively small, your days have fallen into a routine, you’ve mostly figured out how to juggle all the responsibly you have. We do that, smiling to ourselves…and then **bang** a new ball is tossed our way. While we may have graduated from the beginners class at juggling school, this new ball throws us off.

I’m sure some of you are nodding right now. You know just what I am talking about! For those of you who are scratching your heads thinking, “she went to juggling school?” I didn’t really. It’s my sad attempt at an analogy.

Anyway, life is running smoothly and then you:

• Change jobs
• Move
• Get married
• Have a baby
• Experience a loss
• Move to a different phase in life
• Or your little (and not so little) ones move to a different phase in life
• You accept new responsibilities
• Your finances change
• and the list goes on…and on…and on..

Suddenly, (back to the juggling analogy) with that new ball thrown at you, you’ve either

1. Caught it no problem and are expertly managing just dandy or
2. You’ve dropped them all and are looking around, bewildered and wondering how to get back into the game or
3. You caught it but you’re precariously throwing the balls with no sense of rhythm and are in danger of dropping them all.

I’m number three. After John was born in the summer of 2008, it took me a while to get back into a routine and adjust to being a mom of two. I did find my groove though. As the little ones grew and I accepted different responsibilities and tasks, my routine changed as well and I embraced it. I’m not sure what happened in the past several weeks but suddenly I find myself with new opportunities, responsibilities and tasks but no routine, no plan and I’m starting to flounder…

Step One – STOP

Stop. Don’t run in circles, or paralyze yourself with defeating thoughts. Just stop. Breathe. Have a nap, go for a walk, eat some chocolate, pray, read your bible or a good book. If you have littles, utilize nap time for yourself or snuggle up with them and read.  When you get too busy, your calendar and to-do list too full, sometimes it is easy to become overwhelmed and defeated. Take a break. I’m not saying a long one but give yourself permission to just stop. Whether it is 10 minutes or a whole afternoon just do something nice.

Step Two – EMPTY YOUR HEAD

Brain Dump. No idea whose idea this was originally but it isn’t mine I’m sure. I think I heard it for the first time listening to the workshop tapes from Graceworks though I think it was called something else. Anyway, write a list of everything that is in your head. Write down your grocery store shopping list, upcoming doctor visits, birthdays, your daily household duties, the tasks your husband asked you to get done this week, the commitments you made for church…absolutely everything! Don’t worry about rhyme or reason. We’ll sort it out later. And keep that list handy and  running. Often as we go about our days, something else will come to mind. Add it to the list too!

Step Three – FILL YOUR HEART

When things get hectic and crazy, often devotions are the first thing on the chopping block because we (me!) don’t have time but the truth is we don’t have time not to! While we (I) will eventually share more of what my schedule will look like and how I will (Lord-willing!) get everything done that I need to, for now we want to empty our heads (step 2) and fill our hearts. The first thing to make sure is that I start my day with quiet time. Now I say start but my day always starts before I have quiet time, I just try not to let it move on too much before I sit, pray and read my bible. I am not one of those who can get up before my family to have my alone time with the Lord. It is something that I always aspired to and felt guilty about not accomplishing because that is what good Christian wives and mothers do isn’t it? Well, that may be what good Christians do but often real mothers just can’t get quiet time first. (Side note: Passionate Housewives Desperate for God is a must-read that talks about this!) Most times my quiet time isn’t as quiet as I would like or as long as I’d hoped or as alone as I’d like. But that is my season. God can (and does!) use every little bit of my time that I commit to him. A bonus? My little ones witness first hand their mommy spending time with the Lord. Some mornings I shower, get Chloe and I dressed and then have some QT but other mornings, depending on John, it may not be until after breakfast. I always most days try to get it in ASAP. As I seek to bring back the elusive order and routine, I will first seek Him!

That’s it for this week folks. Take a little break and make a list. Make the Lord a priority this week. We can do that can’t we? I’d love to hear how and when you have quiet time!

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Do you have a tune-up you are working on or completed? Link up (directly to your post) or share a comment! If you could mention TUT and link back so others can join in too, that would be appreciated!