The Receipt Drawer...

This drawer was getting so full of our business receipts, I couldn't fit any more.

BEFORE...

THE TOOLS

These are the 2010 "receipt files".
I made them back in January...but it's much easier to just stuff them in the drawer.

THE PROCEDURE
I separated the receipts into their individual businesses.
Filed them into their folders.
Then put the folders in a more accessible place so that *hopefully* I'll put them in their proper homes, instead of shoving them into that drawer.

AFTER...



Today was a good day.
Got some much needed shopping done...
And I spent an hour in my favorite recliner, just reading and thinking.


The baby insisted upon wearing a jacket in the 100 degree heat.
Happy as a clam.

I have decided to tackle the front yard...

the husband is thrilled (that's me being sarcastic).

It needs serious help...bushes are dying and/or overgrown.

The porch is falling away from the house.

It's a big job.

Especially for the husband and I who do not have one green thumb between us.

I keep telling myself, surely it can't end up any worse than it already is.

D says A newspaper article recently reported that under certain circumstances, people have super-human strength. A mother, seeing that her son was pinned under an automobile which he had been repairing and who was in danger of being crushed to death, lifted the 3,500 pound car off the boy. After the incident she tried to lift the car again for the benefit of newspaper reporters and photographers, but she was unable to do so because this time she didn't HAVE TO. The article pointed out that a person can do anything if he really wants to. It confirmed the old adage: "Where there is a will, there is a way".

The husband will certainly need his super-human strength (along with his truck) to pull those bushes out tomorrow!

2 for 1...

I spent the morning cleaning the kitchen...

I realized a couple of drawers had gotten out of control.

BEFORE...

The little girls unload the dishwasher...

I've tried to program them to put things away organized.

As you can see I've failed miserably.

No TOOLS for today but I did use this tool to clean the stove and counter top.

THE PROCEDURE
I cleared.
Sorted.
And chucked.

AFTER...

D gives us 8 points for an orderly home:

1. Let each room fulfill its function.

2. Streamline each room.

3. Keep neat closets and drawers.

4. Have the courage to throw away.

5. Label all stored items.

6. Store some food.

7. Learn the fun of filing.

8. Take care of the children's toys.

My house stinks.

I mean REALLY stinks!
The big boy made yellow eggs and ham for breakfast.

The leftovers burned onto the pan big time!

I can't get the pan clean.
I guess I should just be grateful he's capable of fixing his own yellow eggs and ham.

Cleaning Out My Drawers

That doesn't sound very good does it.

BEFORE...

NO TOOLS

But here's a little splash of yellow.

THE PROCEDURE

I cleared, sent a few things to the DI, folded, and put everything away.


I stole a bunch of these socks from the husband years ago.
They are my favorite.
I call them my boot socks.


I love them because they don't fall down.


AFTER...

D says Now, if cupboard and closet space in your home isn't adequate, invest in some unfinished chests or cabinets. Some houses do have definite physical limitations, but you know, most crowded conditions can be relieved through a little ingenuity mixed with some sorting, filing, rearranging and discarding.

I like the part about discarding!

Changing Seasons...

BEFORE...

I *think* summer is finally here.

Time to put away the winter clothes.

I asked my 8 and 5 year old to go through their drawers and fold all of their winter pants and tops.

Here's how I found the 5 year old's "folded" clothes...

This is just one of the 6 drawers we sorted through...all 6 pretty much looked like this.

At least they start out folded.

THE TOOL

THE PROCEDURE
Found a flower, why didn't I think to look there.

First I sorted through the clothes the girls had taken out of their drawers.

Then I pulled everything out of their drawers and sorted some more.

A few clothes went into the DI bag.

The summer clothes were folded and put into the drawers.

The winter clothes went downstairs into my clearly labeled bins :)

AFTER...

Glad to have a picture of this...

it won't take long for the girls to reorganize their drawers.
Since we're on the subject of clothing.

D says Select clothing that doesn't require ironing, or invest in permanent press fabrics which require only a light press with the steam iron. Fold sheets, towels, and household linens without ironing. The ironing is a good place to eliminate non-essentials and thereby save time for more important activities.

I don't iron--maybe only once a quarter.

Glad to have your support D.

Organizing the First Aid Supplies

Woke up again to snow falling and birds singing.

Snow covered tulips are depressing.

BEFORE...

This drawer's only purpose is to house the first aid supplies.

It's a mess and hard to find anything.

THE TOOLS

THE PROCEDURE
I cleared...then sorted and put like items into individual bags.


Upon finding matches, scissors and meds, I decided it would be wise to relocate most of the first aid supplies to a shelf out of the baby's reach.

AFTER...

I left the container with the band aids in the drawer.

D says With experience comes a kind of Sixth Sense which tells you just how much is a pinch of salt; it informs you, without unnecessary peeks, when a cake is ready to come out of the oven; it gives you a nudge to investigate when Junior has been a little too quiet for too long.

I think it was my 6th sense that led me to the first aid drawer...to save me a call to the fire department, poison control and paramedics.

The Junk Drawer

Remember back when I said I had finished the drawers in the kitchen and we were all so happy to not have to look at one more boring drawer?

Well, there was one more...the junk drawer, I figured it didn't count, aren't we all entitled to our very own junk drawer?

I've been thinking about this drawer lately and realized I haven't opened it in weeks so it probably should go away.

BEFORE...

THE TOOLS


THE PROCEDURE

I cleared, sorted, chucked (a lot), and was pleased to find a few treasures!



It's not often that I get paid for my efforts.




AFTER...


I was glad to find a home for this guy!


OK, now we're really done with the drawers in the kitchen and I no longer have a junk drawer...weird, I've always always always had a junk drawer.

D says be certain of an item's future value before saving it, and then put it where it belongs. Don't keep stacks of old papers, magazines, bottles, boxes, or similar items cluttered around. "When in doubt, throw it out!".

The Organizing of the Videos

For the next few days we'll be working in the family room in the basement (aka the husband's man cave). The kitchen area stores our very impressive video collection...yes, we still have a VCR in the house and the car!

BEFORE...

THE TOOLS

Another boring day for the tools.

The husband quite likes his buttery seasoning...he's pretty much a professional popcorn maker.

THE PROCEDURE
I cleared and sorted...there were a few Christmas videos that are now in one of the Christmas bins. I sent a few to the DI but most of them fit in these...


AFTER...
I had a couple of empty deep drawers that worked great for storing the videos! It is my hope and prayer that this method of storage will not be so easily messed up.

D says Handy drawer dividers can be improvised by using small boxes such as for candy or shoes. Plastic silverware trays help keep small items in order, and plastic ice cube trays make a fine place for earrings. I actually store some of my earrings in an ice cube tray and it does make a fine place for earrings! If you look at last Friday's post you can see the white ice cube tray on the bottom shelf in my closet!

The Table in the Entry Way

I've had quite a few people express their surprise when they see my blog.

They had no idea my home was so unorganized and "dirty".

I am about to share with you my best kept secret...it may very well be my most valuable BBA so take note!

I try to keep the most visible areas of my home neat and orderly, such as...the entry way, my living room and the kitchen. Really, these are the only areas most people who stop by will see and it's rare they look in a cupboard or closet :)

BEFORE...

This little table (it's actually a desk that used to belong to my husband's grandparents) sits in our entry way and until this year I kept the top of it looking neat and organized but it's gotten away from me over the past couple of months and it has turned into a major catch-all.

THE TOOLS

Things are going well with my "twins".
My niece goes home tonight and my baby girl is going to be so sad. She's loved having a little playmate. And she's loved having several more binky's...she keeps trading hers with her cousins.

THE PROCEDURE

These drawers have not been cleaned out since we lived in our last house...as you can see they are full of CD's that haven't been used in years. I threw away all the cases and DI'd all the ones that we'll never ever listen to again. I condensed them into this...

I was left with 4 empty drawers.

I told the husband he could have 3 of them to store all his special treasures in.

AFTER...

Order is restored! And the husband has been threatened!...NO tools, NO gloves, NO tennis balls, NO paperwork! Only "the good word" is allowed in this space.


D tells us..."I hope your house isn't like the many houses where clutter is as permanent as the furniture. This reminds me of a cartoon I saw the other day where two little children were watching their mother, and one child said to the other: "Someone must be coming. Mom's putting the ironing board away."


My kids always think "someone must be coming" whenever I pull out the mop to clean the kitchen floor. I tend to "almost" it most days and just do a quick "once over" using my foot and a wet rag.

Tomorrow (if all goes as planned) is the start of an organizing project that is our biggest yet! I may not be able to sleep tonight with the excitement of it all!

No More Drawers!

I'm getting anxious to move out of the kitchen...are you as sick of the kitchen as I am??? So I'm going the extra mile and doing a project on this fine holiday, President's Day! I love President's Day...our oldest son was born on President's Day 16 years ago! Anyway, we'll finish up the drawers and then the kitchen will be almost done!

THE TOOL

Another great crock pot day!!

BEFORE...

I have 2 little girls who love to organize and I love that they love to organize so I turned this drawer over to them.

This is the drawer where I keep all the little kids bowls, cups and utensils. It's the bottom drawer and right by the fridge so they can get their own drinks and cereal. It's very handy, but a little too handy for the baby as she likes to remove all items from the drawer--it's a little game of hers.


AFTER...

Shall we take bets as to how long this will look this way?



BEFORE...


It doesn't look so bad...but as we pulled everything out I realized there were a lot of things I never use so into the DI pile they went and several of the hot pads went into the washing machine.


AFTER...

D asks the question, "How can you overcome the feeling of compulsion that makes work a burden?"
Answer: You can learn to do more work and better work than you have to--you can do the best job you know how--you can go the second mile!

So go the second mile my friends and overcome those burdens!