stair baskets

I got these cute little baskets at the dollar store (the one where everything really does cost $1) and I keep them on the steps for all the stuff that makes its way downstairs that should be upstairs. Once a week or so, the kids have to empty their baskets. I sometimes get mean and dump them on their beds and tell them to get busy, but I don't do that very often, I promise.

I did not intentionally get two different sizes, I thought they were all the same, when I took them out of the package I noticed Zoe's was bigger. Actually it works out because she is the one who has the most migrating stuff. Oh and I do help Tanner with his, obviously he can't do it by himself yet.

homemade gift container

empty pop case (by the way, this is THE BEST orange pop, EVER!!!)

transformed into a gift container using scrapbook paper and supplies (it has six spots for holding things, Starbucks frappachino containers have four- in case you were wondering)

I hate wasting things so whenever I get the chance, I try to reuse things. I have made these before and shared them here before but I really like how this one turned out so I thought I'd share, again. I made this one for my Weight Watcher trainer. I gave it to her Saturday after my last training session. She seriously deserved so much more, I was always calling her at the last minute to reschedule or something else and I think I asked so many questions during my training, I know I was driving her crazy every time.

It has small trinkets inside like gum, lip balm, Weight Watchers candy, notepads, pens, a small magazine (Everyday Food), Chrystal Light drink mixers, and a Starbucks gift card. I also included a matching thank you note using the leftover paper, wouldn't Martha be so proud? The note is probably the best part, very appreciative and says what I can never say in person.

I don't think that these gifts are so much about the gift but more about showing someone you were thinking about them. I have given them to Zoe's teachers, neighbors, and a couple friends, each one looks sort of the same and the actual gifts aren't that great, just trinkets. I love to see someone get so excited to get a little basket of goodies, I think I like giving them more than they like receiving them.

Maybe you could use these for end of the year teacher gifts? (I have given them to teachers at the beginning of the year with school supplies in them- very cute!)

teacher appreciation

Here are my simple teacher appreciation gifts. They are all handed out and everyone has said how much they love these, thank you so much, my favorites...

I know some people have waaaaaay better ideas than this, but honestly, I am pretty tapped out. I am thrilled we could get this together and actually give them to the teachers on time, not a week or so late.

And, a Happy Mother's Day to all you mommies out there. I am hoping for a nice relaxing Sunday and all I truly want is a picture of me with all 3 of my kids! Seriously, would it be too much to ask that I look pretty and they are all smiling too? Yeah, that's like wishing for the moon. Oh well, enjoy mamas. (almost a pug butt in this one too, jeez! a little big of cute pug ears instead)

April Get-Organized Challenge- final post

I promise, this is my FINAL post about my April Get-Organized Challenge!

Here is what prompted me to post this challenge a month ago...

My cutie pie baby playing in my spice cabinet, well actually he was destroying it, and it was driving me crazy. Do you think that it will stay this neat? Probably not, he still loves to go and explore all the spices and containers. My spices before:

Here are my spices after: they are categorized, but it is not really evident in the photo
Eeeeee! I just love adding labels to things! Zoe helped me stick these on, it did take a long time. I figure it will be easy to keep up with since I will only be putting a new label on as I get a new spice or replace one. I like being able to read the top of the jar because I always stand here and cook so just being able to look down is soooooo..... easy!
My measuring stuff is in here too. I bake a lot (and cook almost every meal) in addition to measuring ingredients for recipes I measure portions (for me) always being a good Weight Watcher :) Having these so close to my prep/cooking area is very important to me. My oils and sprays are right here too. I keep a basic supply of baking needs on the bottom shelf. Weird stuff I only use every once in while is in the big pantry, so I don't have to move it around and have it weighing down the spinning thingymabob.
And lastly, my silverware drawer. Nothing too exciting. I just took out the old baby spoons (the ones you use when your baby first eats cereal) and cleaned and sorted really well. I did have some random things in here that I purged, ahh, so glad it is done.
When I posted this challenge a month ago to myself (and anyone else interested) I had no idea we'd be trying to sell our house ourselves. It has been a crazy month. So many things going on, more than I want to talk about here, plus it is just making me extremely grumpy, I apologize for getting these photos posted so late. Not very "organized mommy" of me! I hope I can get my thoughts together coherently (wouldn't that be a change!?) regarding the housing market, sucky realtors, mean people who say mean things about your home, the state of the U.S. in general regarding the housing market, and more. I'd love to share with all of my blog buddies the goings on, but honestly it is so frustrating and horrible, I just can't do it now.

I promise to not share a kitchen picture tomorrow :)

I hope everyone has a great day.

April Get-Organized Challenge

Day 3 of April Get-Organized Challenge recap

Ah, my glass cabinets. When we were looking to build this house, we went to every model home in Ohio (just about) that our builder had to get ideas for our home. When we went into the model that had this island with these cabinets, it took my breath away. I was sold. I knew I had to have these. I was instantly thinking of all the Longabergers I could order to fill up these beauts.

Then we moved in. Reality check. They are kind of shallow so platters don't fit, big baskets don't fit (that's ok, I have lots of little ones), and if you rearrange the shelves to accommodate taller things, they don't look good through the doors. AND then my in-laws downsized and I got all their old stuff in addition to other people in my family's old stuff. They would say, I quote, "we know you like antiques, and you have that big new house, here you go." Me, being the people pleaser would just say, I quote, "oh, you are so sweet, I like these, thanks."

Then I would come home and try to cram them in here. And here "they" (old stuff) sat for 5 years. I did use a lot of the stuff in the right side cabinets for parties but I had a lot of stuff I didn't want.

See. This is my dining room table with all the stuff I had to get rid of. Gone. Off to Goodwill. It doesn't look like much here, weird photo angle, but it filled the entire back of my van, passenger seat and the floor between Parker and Tanner. It felt so good to get rid of all that unused china and stuff.

I will say, I felt a teeny bit bad getting rid of it, but we got our own china when we got married and I like it better, honestly. And my mom has given me some really cool pieces from Anthropologie that fit well with my Longabergers and everyday Fiesta Ware so I decided I didn't feel bad enough to keep them anymore. AND, if/when we move, I am quite certain I won't have room in my new home for other people's old stuff.
Here is the finished reorganization. (Please ignore the top of my island, it was a busy day and stuff was everywhere... you know, life happens.) I only kept my most favorite things. There is no rhyme or reason, just stuff I like. Some is old, some is oldish, some is new, some is silly, I don't care, I do however know I love how much better these cabinets look. I am always amazed at how much relief I feel after finishing a project I procrastinated on for so long.

Far left cabinets... with the doors open, so you can actually see...

Far right cabinets...

Middle cabinet...

April Get-Organized Challenge

The April Get-Organized Challenge- Day 2 Kitchen Cabinet Clean-up

Here is my reorganization of my collection of "Tupperware." I always call it that, even though I have two real, actual Tupperware pieces. Basically, it is all my plastic containers with lids.

This cabinet also housed Zoe's Easy Bake Oven (and cupcake maker, and princess baker, and supplies) that she got for Christmas in 2008. Yes. 2008. They have been in there since then because Tanner was born two days after Christmas in 2008. So a year (+ some more months) later, I am finally getting around to finding a home for them. Here is the big tote holding her supplies. (I know I have posted this before, just a reminder...) She is very happy to go get the tub and dig around getting what she needs to bake me a treat. She just needs a gentle reminder to put the tub back in the basement. I am much happier now that these are not housed in the main area of our home.

OK, so you know I select pictures to post on my blog and they show up all helter skelter, sorry. I really don't know how to rearrange them, yet. Drives me crazy, oh well.

Here is the bottom of the cabinet, AFTER! Woo! Look at all that room! This is my lesser used stuff. Big containers for cupcakes, brownies, lasagna, etc. are down here. AND yes, I am slowly turning into my grandma. I save my cottage cheese (and other) containers to send home leftovers with my family members. (I can't really keep all those cupcakes, brownies, and lasagna in my fridge, I am a Weight Watcher you know!) They are waaaaay in the back.

Here is the top of the cabinet AFTER. These are the pieces I use a lot, like every day. Tiny containers for lunch boxes, small leftovers, etc. All the lids are housed in a random box-y thing, not sure where it came from, but it does the trick. I really like using what I've got to organize, I really don't like spending more money on baskets (unless they are Longaberger of course) or containers, I have quite a nice supply I can re-purpose.

**Don't you love how Max is waiting by the high chair for a crumb to drop? He is the most patient dog on the planet, he will sit for hours waiting for a bite from the baby. And he is in about 90% of my pictures, usually his pug butt.**

Can I just mention that my cabinets ROCK! I will miss them someday when/if we move. The middle shelf pulls out and makes it so nice to get to things. sigh

Here are the pieces as I was sorting/purging... I only kept them if they had a lid. The rest made their way to the recycling bin. If nothing else, it was good to match everything up, this stuff multiplies on its own! Spontaneous reproduction.

Yes, I know my shelf liner doesn't fit the whole shelf. I brought these here when we moved from our old house because it was this really expensive stuff you can clean and reuse (the kind that you buy when you have two incomes and you don't care how much it costs) and I didn't want to throw it away. It works pretty well, just don't look too close.

And in this photo, you can see that I was cooking dinner, pots and pans and stuff everywhere, ignore that, I am always multitasking, a million things going on at once.

The BEFORE. Yuck, so annoying, not functioning, down right embarrassing!
More updates tomorrow. :)

April Get-Organized Challenge

OK, so it is May, and I am a little late in posting about my own get-organized challenge... sorry. Seriously, this selling our house business is throwing a huge wrench in my life and I don't like it one bit, at all! I will have to post about this later...

my junk drawer before:

my new and improved "junk drawer" I can actually close it now without cursing, not that I do that or anything?!

Oh it felt so good to clean this thing out. It was so gross, full of hair doodles, jack bouncy balls, Christmas ornament hooks, and well, junk. It will stay like this for a couple months probably.

I will post more pictures all this week of my other newly cleaned areas. I can only post about 5 photos at once, I am sure there are ways to do more, I am just severely technologically challenged.

See you tomorrow!