Our Office in a Closet!

So, for the past couple of years we have a room in our home that has multiple purposes.  It's our guest room, that was also our office, that is also the baby nursery.  And while it was working out okay...we realized that we wanted to make a change.  Having the office up on the second floor of our home wasn't working for us.  It felt like we were always running up the stairs to grab envelopes or staples or a highlighter, or the label maker.  You see what I mean.  Little by little, some of the office supplies started making their way downstairs and then we realized everything was becoming too spread out.  We needed a central office area.  And that's when I came up with a fun idea to turn our closet located under the stairs, into a small office.  This little closet didn't have a clear fucntion either...so it seemed like a perfect fit! 

We purchased a vertical file system for this closet to make the most of the space. 

The other "semi big" purchase we made were some wooden organizers with shelves, drawers, and cabinets which I purchased at Lowe's and Target.

The rest of the organizing was lots of fun...I used little baskets I had, and found some in the dollar section of Target.  We then moved everything from the upstairs room down to this first floor closet.

I loved the pop of turquoise color in this small little space and even some pretty fabric to cover the corkboard squares.  So fun!

With all of the papers that come in and out of our home for school, activities, sports and so on...I knew I needed something to organize it all.  So this hanging folder system has an area for each of my three kiddos.  And they have file folders that pertain to them and their schedule and goodies!

One of the other areas we knew needed some real organization were all of the manuals we have for appliances, technology, and baby stuff around the home.  These magazine files are a great way to organize these manuals and booklets we need to keep.

One of the last aspects of this office closet that we implemented a while ago, is the shoe pocket organizer that hangs on the back of the door.  This is a wonderful way to organize all of the art and craft supplies for the kiddos.  They love having access to all of these things and they especially love to get creative!  It's so much fun to watch!

So, that's a little peek around our new office closet!  Soon I will share with you my "mommy central" space where I keep several of the items I use constantly.  We are loving having this spot on the first floor and it's just the right amount of space for all that we have and need to organize.  It's pretty to look at and a very functional space.  Have you thought of any creative ways to organize your office supplies?  I look forward to hearing your ideas!
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One Project at a Time...

Do you have an area of your home that really bothers you?  It might be a drawer, a closet, a cluttered corner, or something big like a whole room!  I want to encourage you to start small with your organizing projects...take it one step at a time.  I dream of redoing our kitchen someday.  I envision white cabinets, granite countertops, and stainless steel appliances.  But that's not going to happen any time soon.  We are saving money and we have our list of home projects to get done.  But the kitchen is a big one and not number one on the priority list.  Well, I realized that because I am hoping to upgrade my kitchen...I have been avoiding doing anything to this area of the house.  And while I don't want to spend a lot of money organizing in here at this point (because it may all change), I still have some areas that needed attention and I couldn't function with them how they were anymore.  Most of my house is really organized and labeled and clutter-free.  But the kitchen is a different story.  I don't love the room and so I don't like to put my time and efforts in here.  Well, I changed that this week.  It's been rainy and I had some time to do a project or two.  I started small.  The cabinet above our microwave holds all of our bakeware, cookie sheets, glass cookware, etc.  It's not the ideal space but it's the only space it all fits.  In my dream kitchen someday, I will have an organizing system for these items!  Here is what it looked like before...

And after getting rid of some items we didn't need, simplifying to what we actually use, making a better use of space, and best of all..."repurposing" a file folder holder for our cookie sheets and cutting boards...I am so happy! 

Here is the after...

It is so much easier to find what I need.  I don't feel like things are going to fall out on my head.  And I didn't spend tons of money organizing. I just worked with what I had!  What area is bothering you and you could take an hour to organize cheaply?  Please share!

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Try It Over There!

I love to rearrange furniture! I will be sitting on the sofa reading, or unloading the dishwasher, or playing in the playroom...and suddenly I feel the need to move something around! It's fun to rearrange furniture, take some clutter away, add a seasonal touch, or just move something and try it in a new spot. And that's what I did again this weekend. I kept looking at this corner in our family room and wanted to add a cozy spot for the kiddos to read. So I brought the green chair down from the playroom, moved this rustic red ladder out of my son's room, and added the library bucket underneath. Now we have a little reading corner for the kiddos and I love how it turned out. I hung a cute piece of artwork above it (just sitting in my decorating room in the garage) and it's complete! Until next time when I decide to do some more moving and rearranging...

What have you moved or rearranged lately and loved?  It's a great way to do some spring cleaning and simplifying in your home!
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It's "Blog" Party Time!

It's party time!!  Party time in the world of blogging that is!  I am joining "The Ultimate Blog Party" over at 5 Minutes for Mom.  Check out the badge on the right, to take you to all of the fun!

So, if you're hopping over for a visit from the blog party, I'd love to tell you a little bit about me.  I created this blog a few years ago to share some of my passions and things that I love, with friends. And soon after that, friends started telling friends and others began to find me from the "blog world" which became even more fun!  I write posts about decorating, organizing, traditions, family fun, and yummy recipes.  I blog when I can, not too strict with myself...because like I said, I do this for fun.  I have three little kiddos at home.  My son is five, my daughter is three, and my baby girl is just 6 months old.  So they keep me pretty busy right there!

But in between the play dates, cleaning up messes, and nap times...I love to share tips and ideas with others.  I am passionate about helping one another as moms and wives and just as a friend!  So, when I create something, make something, or find something...I want to share it.  Take a peek around my blog and see what you think.  It's always fun to meet new friends and followers.  Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your weekend!  Some of my favorite and most looked at posts are listed on the right side for you. Or click on one of my labels for a topic that you enjoy!

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Grocery Shopping List!

Lists are my friend!!  I used to just keep a pad of paper on the side of the refrigerator and every time we realized we needed an item or we ran out of something, my husband and I just added it to the list.  But in the last few months, we have become much more efficient and organized with our list making!  I made a grocery list template with the help of "I Heart Organizing" and Jen's blog, added my own shopping needs, and listed the categories I use the most.  After creating this cute template, I made several copies of it and keep it in my file folder, in my "mommy central" area.  So, one copy hangs on the back of our pantry door on a clipboard.  Every time we need an item, we add it to the list.  And before I do my big shopping...I add everything else we need for ingredients and our meals.

When doing my grocery shopping, everything is categorized and makes it much easier to shop for, find, and check off.  No more forgetting an item or having to back track all the way through the store because I missed something.  Such a simple tip but it saves me oodles of time!
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Recipes-On-the-Go!

Like many of you already know, I love decorating and I love organizing...but meal planning is still a skill and passion I have yet to acquire!  I am trying though.  And with my desire to get better at planning meals...I am experimenting a bit with some new systems.  I realized that while it is very efficient to meal plan for the month or even two weeks, I often find myself having a day or two or three where suddenly  I realize it is already 4:00 and I haven't had time to even think about what I am making for dinner.  Or I am walking through the grocery store wishing I had a variety of recipes memorized in my head...so I knew what ingredients to grab for dinner.  Sometimes you are shopping and see something on sale and think you wish you had a certain recipe with you so you could buy the sale item and the other ingredients you need for a cheap dinner. 

So my idea became to develop a "Recipes On-the-Go" mini book.  I keep it in my purse, so I have it all times.  I decided to print up about 30 recipes.  These 30 include some of our family favorites, some new dishes, and lots of quick and easy meals.  I now have no excuses for not being able to grab what I need for dinner...even if I am at Target and it's 4:00! 

In the front of this recipe mini-book is a list of our food staples.  These are the items I like to have in stock at our home, for our family.  These are items we eat often and I like to have at all times!  I got the idea to have the list written down from my favorite blog "I Heart Organizing" and Jen's amazing organizing tips!

Also, in the front of this book are two copies of a small shopping list for my kidlets.  If they are grocery shopping with me and need something to do...I can give them a list and these are the items they are responsible for finding and helping me load into the cart! 

The rest of the recipe book is filled with recipes.  I glued them onto different colored cardstock paper.  My Mexican dishes on purple, chicken dishes on pink, salads on green paper, and so on.  It helps me when I am trying to flip through the book and find the recipe quickly!

So, to be honest when I first set out to make this "Recipes-On-the Go" book, I envisioned it as a bunch of little laminated cards on a binder ring.  But I saw this cute polka dot photo album in Michaels when buying some other goodies...and I couldn't resisit it.  So, I changed my vision a bit and I will see if this works.  It takes up more space in my purse but I had no laminating to do.  Which means, I might decide to go with the ring eventually.  We will try it out for a while and see what I think.  Sometimes when you are creating new systems, it takes some time to see what works for you and your family. 

I am in the midst of redoing my recipe binder I keep in the kitchen too.  I'll be sharing more on that soon!  What ideas do you have for organizing your meal planning? 

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Laundry Room Organization!

As I make myself around my home, organizing areas that needed some help...it has brought me to our laundry room!  My laundry room has so many uses, and while it has always been pretty organized, there were a few spots that needed some updating.  Like I said, this is not just the place where my laundry gets done.  This room acts as a "mudroom" as the kiddos walk in from the garage and take off their shoes, backpacks, and jackets.  It is my gift wrapping room, equipped with gift bags galore, ribbons, and a cabinet full of gifts to be wrapped!  And one of my favorite parts are the upper cabinets that hold household goodies, cleaning supplies, and more.  So, let's take a peek around as I've had some fun adding labels, a few white spray painted baskets, glass jars, and a new shelf (which I have wanted since we moved into this home).  I love looking at other people's spaces and how they organize, so get ready for lots of photos on this one...

Here is my new white shelf I was telling you about!  I love it, especially as it hides the outlet a little bit better.  Before those plugs felt like a focal point, but not any longer!

The top of my washer and dryer is the perfect spot for a diaper changing station.  My basket has all of the goodies I need and it's in the perfect location...in the center of it all!

I painted these baskets white to brighten things up a bit.  And they are right by the back door to make grabbing our sunglasses a bit easier.

My favorite jars again...one for clothespins, perfect for the laundry room and one for doggie biscuits!

Love this area as it's so great to organize all of the "stuff" that comes in from the kiddos.  These hooks are perfect for jackets and backpacks. And our keys are hung in the center.  On top are some shelves with baskets.  My hubby needs a spot to empty his pockets and his two baskets are the perfect spot to do this as he walks in the door!

Our "boot basket" is where everyone's boots go.  They take up too much room in our shoe cubbies, so they have their own location!

This is our green shoe cubby.  Each child has two cubbies for their shoes.  There is also a little black bench next to it, which is the perfect spot to sit down and put those shoes on.  Because our mail is organized in the laundry room also, our bill scheduler sits on top of the cubby...to get the bill paperwork put exactly where it needs to go right away!

Here is a glimpse at our laundry sorter and my fun quote..."The Laundry Room:  Loads of Fun."  I use this calendar for monthly school activities and important dates to remember.  I see it all of the time as this space is in constant use.  I can write reminders here for when to bring snack, sharing day, class parties, etc.  Even though I love the calendar on my iphone...this is another great visual reminder for me with school and extra-curricular activities!

Next to my monthly wipe-off calendar is my mail sorter.  In the top holder go all of my weekly ads and flyers I need to go through and clip coupons from.  The center holder is for MY mail that comes in.  And the bottom one is for my husband's.  Bills get opened immediately and put in my bill organizer to pay on-line.

We're making our way into my gift wrapping area.  On the right side is my sorter for take-out menus and coupons.  And I love pegboard for organizing items that hang easily!

Recently, I looked through all of my gift bags and got rid of a bunch that have just sat there and I know I won't ever use.  I've got all sizes, colors, and themes!

Aren't these little silver buckets cute?  I love them for all sorts of organizing.  And in my gift wrapping area, I love them for markers and writing a note on the gift!

I think I might be addicted to ribbon!  This is only a small portion.  But sometimes it's fun to add some cute ribbon to a gift bag or present!

Are you bored yet?  I am going to let you peek into my upper cabinets, just to see what is in there.  Sorry if you are on photo overload!  This one includes doggie stuff and light bulbs mainly. 

I added a clear container to this cabinet to group all of my laundry stuff together.  I hardly ever use my iron.  But what I do love is my Downy Wrinkle Releasing spray.  Have you ever tried that stuff?  It is amazing and I think spraying is much easier than ironing!

A larger look at my cleaning supplies cabinet! 

This cabinet has quite a variety of household goodies.  It ranges all of the way from clorox wipes, paper goods, glade plug-ins, to even bath stuff for the baby!  Did you notice the black wire basket hanging in the bottom of the photo?  Love this thing!  It is for outgoing mail.  If a letter, bill, or note needs to make its way to the mailbox...in here it goes. And anyone can grab it on the way to the mailbox!

I love having a little bit of "pretty" in the laundry room.  And this wreath makes me smile as I go in and out the door!

Another closer look at my diaper changing area!

An up close look at my sorter for coupons and take-out menus!

And of course, even the dog needs a basket for her toys!  Our laundry room is so big that this is where she sleeps, eats, and even stores her toys.  Hope you enjoyed the tour around my laundry room.  And I would love to hear of any organizing ideas you use in your laundry room area that you love.  Please share them with us!

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