Here I Go!! Pantry Rescue!!

It is that time again!

The time when I start to feel like my pantry is vomiting all over me! I am so blessed-I have a beautiful, large walk in pantry. Because it is so large it is also a multitasking workspace. It is part food pantry, part art/homework station, part appliance storage and part family history storage space. All that means is that this large space is used for much much more than just normal food pantry items! It is a catch all for the entire family.

For ten years I have been trying to figure out how to utilize the space more efficiently. I have tried numerous different methods trying to keep the space from becoming a massive wreck.

The most successful thing to date has been the two three drawer units that house pencils, note card, scissors etc. There is a place fore the scissors and tape. I may be the only person that knows how to actually put them in the appropriate drawer but my family knows that scissors are generally in that drawer.

The rest of the huge space is a work in progress! A few years ago I added baskets with labels for all the canned and boxed foods. It has been fairly successful-until it isn't! That is where it is right now. The labels mean nothing!!

A year or so(maybe two) I decided that I needed a space for each child's papers. Things that we want to save and things we don't want to lose. I added three, three drawer units. I put names for each family member on a drawer. Those have been successful-except they are now full so they must be emptied. Those things that need to be saved need to be filed in their own files(which I do not have but am getting soon).




One huge problem that I haven't solved yet is the art/school supplies. The shelves are not wide enough for two drawer units-so I have had two open baskets. The problem with baskets is that they are open so they are asking for things to be shoved into them. No matter that the label says construction paper-if there is a space anything can be shoved in.

I am often overwhelmed by the enormity of a big project so I don't even begin. This is one of those projects. I decided that I would only tackle the art/school supplies and the cookbook collection. I emptied four shelves-FOUR and filled my dining room table!

I went through every single basket. I ended up throwing away two full kitchen garbage bags! That is a lot of extra garbage that has been shoved in open baskets! I had two drawer units left over from the last pantry overhaul. I decided that I would use them, even if they don't fit perfectly. Drawers work so-so much better for my family--for ME! If I have to actually open a drawer I will most likely only open it if it is the correct location. So--hopefully, these two drawers will alleviate a bit more "drop ins!"

Four Shelves down! Only FIFTEEN to go!!!(then the floor!!)

Focus/Finish!

I have a new mantra that I am trying to stick to

FOCUS-FINISH

I get sidetracked, A LOT!


So, I am trying to stay focused and finish things.

This is a quick example of how I can avoid things. I have an old dresser in my bedroom. I really need to get rid of it. Two of the drawers don't work right so I barely use them for clothes. The other I do but those undies could be moved. The rest of the dresser is a hutch type top. Truly what it has been for the majority of twenty years is a junk collector/bookshelf/major dust keeper.

Well, today I started dusting in my bedroom. You know that kind of dusting where you look behind something and gag because the dust is so thick you can't tell what color the carpet is? Well, it led me to start cleaning off the top of my dresser. Eewh! gross! There was some cold medicine sitting there that expired in 09. It is so embarrassing!

One problem that I discovered is that I am not a collector yet I have things that are "treasures" from my past. Rocks from my deceased Uncle, belt loops from when Dave was a kid, little kitschy things I bought in Germany(little tiny replicas of castles-I have since learned just don't buy them-they only look cute in tourist shops!). I don't know what to do with these things! I don't know if I will regret it if I throw them out. I know that my Mom was at about this point in her life when once they were cleaning out and they threw out letters she and my Dad had written to each other dating. She has regretted that for many, many years! I don't want to have regrets yet I don't want to drown in junk!!!

So, with my new mantra ---Focus/Finish I am starting this mess. This dresser is going to go away. It is a junk collector. I sit stuff on it that I don't want to deal with. It is going to take awhile. I have only just begun. There are two little drawers that have lots of little "decisions" to make.

FOCUS/FINISH FOCUS/FINISH!!!!!!

Next on The List

I go through phases. Usually it is just survival. Doing the daily stuff and keeping my head above water just enough. Then I realize that the chaos is drowning me and I better start digging out.
Quite a few weeks ago-maybe even six weeks ago, I started a list. This is a list that really is on going. I write one quite often. This list consists of most of the chaos ridden spots in my house. Places like closets, cupboards, etc. I started on the garage shoe spot. That project took three weeks to finish. I am happy to report that we are sporting a new shoe cupboard. I will hold off on deciding if it is a success-as it took me nine years to call the other method a complete and total failure.
However, I did cross it off "the list".

Stuff from TWO Shelves in my pantry
This is my latest project off of "the list" My pantry. I have a very large walk in pantry. It really is a lovely pantry. The problem is that it is a very large pantry. It serves dual purposes. It is not only the food pantry it is also the broom closet, the kitchen office, and over all catch all for anything that doesn't want to be properly put away!

I have been working on organizing this pantry for the last three years. I have made progress. I have labeled baskets for food that actually mostly work. I have drawers for pencils, crayons, phone books etc. that have actually been working for 8 1/2 years! The problem is that there is still space that is not designated with a very specific purpose. What ends up in this space? Anything! Mostly art projects and such that I want to save. I have a room in my basement that I have drawers for each of my children. The problem is that my children bring me treasures every single day. Usually I put the art on the bulletin board so that we can enjoy them. Then I decide to clean it off but I don't actually take the thirty two seconds to run it to their drawer in the basement.

So--my very large dining room table and counter is covered with stuff from TWO SHELVES!! Two! I am sorting, purging and will be photographing the artwork. I am also considering new containers. I have realized that my family(and me) do better with closed drawers. This way the only things that gets put into these drawers are the things that are labeled. I will be visiting the store in a day or two to purchase some plastic drawers. Baskets with lids work on things that are used infrequently, such as extra school supplies or recipes. But for the rest I must have drawers-that way, I wont just pile!!! I am also thinking about a label maker.

Hopefully, there will be great success to share soon!!!

Little bits of progress!

It is already June 25th! I can't believe it. As I type that, I realize that I missed my big sister's birthday! So, Happy Birthday Betsy!

We have been busy little bees around our house! My sweet hubby slipped in a pool last week and has injured his back. He has a bulging disc. That is not good news, however, the therapist believes that within a week or two he should be almost back to normal. Because of this injury he has been home for a couple of days. Sitting at his desk on Monday about killed him!

With him home a few little things have gotten done!

*Saturday I painted my garden bench. This bench is in my "garden of potential." It is a large garden spot that I have only dreamed about doing anything in yet. I usually try and spray the weeds at least once a year. It has so much possibility, I just haven't gotten there yet. I started out with the kids helping me paint. That was a good plan in theory, but a bad plan in reality! They were sloppy and didn't last very long. I worked on that bench for about five hours. I had paint everywhere! I decided to try spray painting (we had used primer) the final coats. Okay, that bench will never be brush painted again!

I have never been a spray paint person. I am now! It was so fast and easy! After I finished the bench--in about 45 minutes, I then painted three shelves for Miss A's bedroom! I have been putting all of those off forever! I am a spray paint believer!

While we were at Home Depot yesterday we purchased the spray paint and also brackets to put the shelf up in A's bedroom and also the brackets to put the satellite receiver on in my laundry room! It has been parked on top of my deep freeze for a year, which means that it is very difficult to actually USE the freezer.

Today we actually put those brackets up in the laundry room. I already had the shelf just waiting!

I am planning to actually get more paint so that I can paint the playhouse. This poor playhouse has been an eye sore for about 10 years! It was my niece's playhouse. My big brother built it but never quite finished it. They played and played in it. Well, 10 years ago we went to Idaho and brought it back to Utah. My hubby had plans to finish it. Well, it wasn't high on the priority list. In fact, it wasn't even on the list! Over the course of 10 years about every other year he would spend about 2 hours working on it. Well, this is the year it is going to look a little bit better! I am going to paint it even if it doesn't have a door! Perhaps painting it will make the door happen more quickly!

I will try and add some after pictures of all these things later!

Smart Habits Saturday

My children have been home for summer break two full weeks. How has it been going? Well, until yesterday it has felt much more like March than June! We haven't had much outside time. However, that has now changed! Sunshine is on the way!

I have really been trying to keep my kids on track with their daily chores. Honestly, you would think that I had become the Nazi Mom if you listened to #3! She wails "why do we have to clean? It is suppose to be summer vacation!" In truth, we are doing pretty well. It isn't perfect(my house will never be) but they are all doing a bit better. The consistency is really helping to keep the house from falling apart around us. My #2 boy is frankly a terrible bathroom cleaner! I have to go back in every single time and show him where he missed. Usually, it doesn't even look like he touched anything. I have watched him--I think that he is a bit grossed out to touch anything! So, he needs much more practice! I have also had to add little tiny details to their charts. Things such as wipe outside, inside, behind, top and all lids. Take out the garbage, wipe the tub, sweep the floor. --Somehow he thinks that a bathroom is clean if you pour cleaner in the toilet and swish it!!

Another problem that I am trying to tame is towels. My kids like to take baths in my big garden tub. That is alright(I do hate that there are so many extra dirty clothes in my bathroom-maybe I need a hamper!) but they take the towels that are hanging up and then my hubby and I don't have one to use because of course they never bring them back.

So-last week we went to Shopko and bought towels. I told them they could each have two towels. They had to be different so that everyone would know who's towel was who's. Those were the towels that they were suppose to use. If they don't hang them up they will be wet and smelly!

This has worked for this one week! Hubby and I have had a towel every time we get out of the shower! I have also had much less towel laundry!

I am hoping to keep working on projects on bit at a time. My summer is going to fast! July is mostly scheduled out so the projects need to get finished in the next two weeks.

Consistency!!That is my goal!

for more Smart Habits Saturday check out the Lazy Organizer.

Will I Ever Learn?

I am not a born organized person-the reason for the name of this blog. However, I am trying to learn. I am walking around my house picking things up. I realize that my own coat and sweater are still in the family room from the track meet. I go to put them away in my bedroom. As I look around my bedroom I realize that I have a few other sweaters/jackets that need to be put away.

Ok, why do we do this to ourselves? I know that I am trying to teach my children to pick up after themselves. I constantly tell them to hang up their clothes, put the dirty stuff in the hamper, throw the garbage away instead of leaving it on the counter.

Yet, here I am. THE ADULT! The one that is supposed to be a role model

This is the pile of sweaters/jackets that I picked up. Obviously, this is not from one day.

Will this ever improve? How does one make the improvements that will really improve life? I know that these are questions that people have asked throughout time. However, is there truly a way to overcome the way we are now to become the person that we know we are capable of?

Reusing

My friend Lara over at The Lazy Organizer has created a spot that anyone can share things of interest. Talk about Tuesday is the name. Well, in true form, it is Thursday so I thought that I would play along.

When you buy new sheets, blankets, etc. they usually come in a zippered plastic bag. What do you do with these bags?

My smart Mom started using them to store seasonal items such as pillows and sweaters. I have been doing this for a few years and it is a wonderful idea. In the spring when I don't want to wear my sweaters anymore I wash them and then put them inside one of these clear bags. They stay totally dust free up on the upper shelf in my closet. I have some seasonal decor pillows, Christmas blankets, pillows etc. stored in them. Whenever I purchase something that comes in one of these bags I put it in the closest and save it for the next use.

Finally!

Yeah! I finally got my Christmas stuff put away! I had decided that I wanted to go through all the boxes before I put them back in the tunnel(strange, extra narrow, storage spot). What had happened up to this point was me taking the Christmas decorations down and plopping them on the ping pong table. Well, today was the day! My basement is disgusting and I just couldn't really seem to get it clean with all the Christmas stuff snearing at me. I just went through every last box to see if there was broken, old, boring stuff that I wanted to get rid of. I am so proud of myself--I got rid of a LARGE box! It will be going to DI with a large load of outgrown clothes and other odds and ends.

It feels so good to have a BIG job finished!!

Progress?

This is the mess that I have been looking at for much too long. Today I just couldn't stand it any longer!

Why does it seem that to clean up a mess we have to create an even bigger mess first? Is this part of the sickness of chaos? Do truly organized people never have enough mess to really make a mess in the first place?

As I have previously written, I started cleaning my bedroom--deep down, organize, dejunk, garbage, Deseret Industries(DI-like Good Will) all the unused and unloved items. Well, today after the kids and I went to dinner, I told them they had to go and spend 1/2 hour in their bedrooms. Well, Little Missy has a terrible time focusing. She is only 7 so I hope that she will improve. I ended up having to stay right next to her to get anything done. Well, it ended up becoming much more involved than I had originally planned.

This is a shared bedroom with her 3 year old little brother. Well, little brother is almost ready to move out of the crib and into a big boy bed! I decided that I might as well start the process along.

I had everything all torn apart(mostly vacuumed) when I realized that the little man was falling asleep sitting at the counter. So---that ended working in that bedroom for tonight. Hopefully, I will be able to put things back together tomorrow!

Check out the mess I made cleaning the mess!

My Confession

Hello, my name is Rosie and I am a procrastinator. I have plans that never happen. I buy cute things to hang on my walls and they never get hung. I buy hooks and they sit in a box. I am in therapy for this disorder.

Today I made a huge step in my recovery. I actually got out power tools and hung up two hooks that I purchased many, many months ago. I got them cheap at Target. Cheap doesn't matter if they just sit on a shelf! Today-- I put two hooks up in my side of our closet. I have lived in this home for six years. I have needed hooks to hang my robe up for six years. Today---I DID IT!!!

(Now I have to remember to put all the power tools away!)

Baby Steps!

I am trying to focus on making little improvements in my life. Little "baby steps" that will develop into a much more organized life! (Grandious ideas, but trying just the same!)

My family looks at some of the pictures I take and all they can say is "why?" Case in point. My closet has been a mess. It is a constant battle to keep it fairly decent. My sweet hubby is more orderly in his side of the closet. The mess is all mine! Well, the other day I started sucking up bugs in my bathroom. This led to me deciding to really start to clean my bedroom. Unfortunately, my bedroom often becomes the graveyard for things that I just don't know what to do with. Usually the best thing to do with whatever "it" is would be the garbage!

So, I have been working for three days. Ok, ok, I have been working in shifts, here and there for three days! I am making progress!Here is the proof!

Organizing Bags

Are any of you like me? Do you have little parts and pieces of games, books, etc. shoved in many different places. Do you use Ziploc baggies hopeing that they will keep some of these loose things contained? Do you get sick of the baggies being too flimsy to really work?

Enter the Organizing Bag system--Created by my friend Lara at The Lazy Organizer. I was first introduced to these bags a year or so ago. I LOVE THEM. I think that if I didn't have such a sweet hubby I would want to marry them!

Lara has begun selling them online. Check out the little button I have on my sidebar. It will lead you to Lara's Bag site. There are lots and lots of pictures of the various bags and all their different uses. We love them. I have used them for containing playdough, dinosaurs, diapers, the kids personal church bags(the handles are great!). I have given some away as gifts. My Mom uses one to corral all her ipod accessories. I have one that I keep with us as a "busy bag" for my little guy. It has a tablet, crayons, snacks, cars. The handle makes it perfect for him to carry. These bags are made of great quality fabric. I have used a medium and a small one for my makeup bags for almost a year and they are still in great condition.

Go check out these bags. They may be just the answer to your organizing problems!
**leave a comment here on my blog for a chance to win some bags from Lara!