Week One: kitchen before

Remember the post I wrote a few days ago about a Home Organizatioinal Challenge...
Well if you don't ..you don't read my blog enough..
Shame on you!

Anyway..the post is here.

This week we are focusing on our kitchens. My kitchen is pretty much organized...but totally not decorated.
Here are a few pictures of my kitchen..
Which is not up to my satisfaction so please don't judge!!

I didn't clean up to take these pictures..this is my house..at the spur of the moment!

Ready:

Here is my kitchen table..the dining room chairs are in the living room because and all her princesses were watching a movie..obviously they don't feel the need to sit on our Ashley furniture..they want the dining room chairs. Anyway..you will my denim jacket..cause it was actually cool outside that day..my purse..Lyla's childrens' church paper...etc..

see didn't clean up

This wall I hate..this was one of those moments when we moved in and Gregg said..

Where is this mirror shelf going?

I said

I don't know right now

So...he put it up there..

I hate it!

But I am thinking it might be a good spto for either a chalkboard wall or a control center with a calender some hooks and maybe a bulletin board or something...

Which one you think?

side of the fridge

we are big fans of rapunzel in this house

is there really a way to organize all this junk?

pots and pans..i try not to keep a ton of these..a few were in the dishwasher..but i only keep what i need to cook with..no extras

silverware

my baking cabinet

small appliances

under the sink

ha ha

nothing but dishwasher cleaner and magic erasers

crockpot and ...no lie...the rubbermaid container that Gregg puts his fish in when he catches them until they get cleaned so HE can eat them...

if your married to an outdoorsman ..you will understand

dog bones, bubbles, medicines, vitamins, band aids, potholders and the basket is for Gregg's keys, wallet, etc.

 

containers and dishes...and lunch boxes

other side of fridge..

ok.need to clean that off..

here is our bills basket..looks junky but it works for us.

I do need a better system though

ideas?

plates and bowls

pitchers and cookie jars

cups

here is looking from my dining table through my kitchen ...

if you go through that door..and go left..you enter the living room

right takes you right out the front door

 

So

I don't think I have alot of organizing to do..

I try to keep everything in the kitchen to a necessary level

I just need decor

and a person with a decor mind...because for some reason..

i just can not think of what i want to do in here

 

I will post later picures of everything put away and cleaned up!

Home Organization Challenge

I love to hop over to A Bowl Full of Lemons and see what she is organizing or cleaning from week to week.

I would love to wrap her up...ship her to my house for about a month..let her do her thing..and BAM! my house would be wonderful!

She also sells Shaklee which is a natual cleaner for your home..they have everything from cleaners..dishwasher detergent..to vitamins and shampoo..

Moving on to the challenge..I am a sucker for challenges...and I am a sucker for organizing...I am organizing my house all the time
My poor husband can never find anything..

(a snippet from A Bowl Full of Lemons)

 

 

HOW THE CHALLENGE WORKS:

Home Organization 101 will continue for 14 weeks. Each Saturday, I will post a new "space" along with pictures of my finished space and share the process of how you can organize yours. You can take as long as you need, and once you are finished organizing your space, come back here to this post go back to A BOWL FULL OF LEMONS blog and link up your blog (with pictures) to share with all of us. If you do not have a blog, you can take pictures and share them on our Facebook event page (here). Questions, ask away... Our facebook event page is the best place to ask them. Have fun! Now lets get organized.

 

 

This weeks challenge is the Kitchen!

The kitchen

the dreaded kitchen

probably my most hated place to clean

I think it is my most hated place to clean because I clean it like 59 times a day

But I love my kitchen..we just had a major rennovation in our kitchen and I still don't have it decorated to my liking...or really decorated at all..

*put on my to do list: decorate kitchen*

 

The kitchen is where my family gathers...

It is where friends sit when they come over

 

So it should be the first impression of my home..

so I really need to get to work on it

 

I am feeling inspired already!

or maybe it is my happy pill that I just took

 

Anyway!

Join me and take the organizing challenge with me!

I will working on my kitchen today..and maybe putting out a few fall decorations while I'm at to slowly work our way into fall..I can not wait for the cooler weather to get here.

 

Head on over to A Bowl Full of Lemons to get the scoop and the schedule of what room we will be working on each week..

Remember you don't have to finish each room in a week..but dont' take out more than what you can do in a week..we want this to be fun..not a burden!

 

OK..off i go!

 

Home Management Binder..in the making

Have you heard about the Home Management Binder?

or Control Journal if you are following FlyLady....

It is just a central binder or notebook that you keep all your daily stuff..so you aren't looking in a box full of bills for the electric bill...or going through all your birthday invitations thinking someone's is this weekend but you have no idea who or where it is...

I'm not that bad..but it easily could get that way

So I have been playing with the idea of making myself one...
And now that my husband has joined the Air Force...he won't be around as much as usual.
I am going to be totally lost..because the only part of our finanaces that I handle is the spending.
Sad but true.

When I started college ...my husband just took all the finance burden on him so I wouldn't have to try to keep up with it...and schoolwork. He is a blessing to me!

So now it is time for me to transition back into power!!!
BA HA HA HA!!
(that is my best evil laugh)

There are SO many cute lists and calendars available to print for free..that I had a hard time choosing just one.
I am a MAJOR list lover..so this was almost torture for me.

Point is...You might see alot of the same or like the same papers in my HMB (Home Management Binder) but I am trying them out to see which one suits me best...

A HMB is always a work in progress...but eventually I will get it just the way I like it and hopefully it will be a great organizational tool for me.

Here we go!

I have no cute cover..it is just a 1/2 inch binder from Wal-Mart.
I have collected printable from everywhere ..so I don't know where all of them came from..but most of mine have come from CLEANMAMA.

Here is just daily routines.

Time scheduled for the week.

today time schedule with a spot for a to do and notes

I like this one..it is a week at a glance with a spot at the bottem for kid activities, dinner ideas, and notes.

Weekly family schedule. This is good because it lets me know what Gregg's plan is for the week.

This one is a little to much for me..but it might work.

It has a daily cleaning schedule along with a weekly schedule

another weekly...with a daily at the bottom and monthly

this is for the stuff that I never remember to do like change my A/C filters

DONE! Goals to get done in one month

Shopping list

Weekly menu plan with a shopping list

menu plan for Breakfast, lunch and dinner spots

fave recipe list..I usually keep all these in the pantry when I don't feel like cooking something new or when someone unexpectedly comes over for dinner

inventory..I will probably never be disciplined enough to do this...but it looks good.

month menu plan of dinners

a blog idea list...this is huge for me..I always think of what I need to blog..but then when I finally get a chance to sit down and blog..I never remember what ALL I needed to write about.

Monthly bloggy calendar

Lyla is getting older and is CRACKING me up with all that she says..so here is a quick spot to jot stuff down....

for example:

Papa did NOT listen in school ..he doesn't even know his colors!!

*he is color blind*

ha ha!

Bill tracking

Important dates..anniversaries..etc.

this is my long term to do list..like stuff I want to do for the house...crafts...etc.

TA DA!

There it is in all its glory!

 

Not much and kind of confusing now..but hopefully it will evolve itself!

 

Do you have a HMB?

I WANNA SEE IT!!!

DONE!

So I made a list with CLEANMAMA this month called the DONE! list
It is a list of stuff to get done THIS month!

As you can see..I only have three goals..this month..ha ha..
There is enough spaces for ten I think...but I knew that I am a total perfectionist and making a Home Management Binder would take me forever!
FOREVER!

Well..I finally got a little bit ...well...the majority of the Home Management Binder DONE!

I have a lot of papers that are pretty much the same...but I am trying them out to see which one suits me best!
See perfectionist
It's horrible sometimes!

Anyway..I took pictures of some of the pages in my Home Management Binder...so I will post those later.

Now I just have to remember to USE IT!

Go HERE to print off your DONE! list ..and set goals for September!

Toy Clean out Summer Challenge!!

Over at Organizing made fun ...there is a Summer Challenge going on that is strictly TOY CLEAN UP!
I must have had ESPN (ha ha) because I did this before Lyla's birthday...

Well ...I didn't actually clean OUT all her toys...I switched her room to the room that has the bigger closet so that I could organize toys.

I don't even want to look at a picture of what her room looked like with all her toys everywhere!!!

but as of right now...

I have been working on toys for two days...and threw away 2 trash bags full of toys...

well i didn't throw them away...yet...if I can't get rid of them...I will...

so I am gonna link up...and hopefully post a few pictures later on what her new rennovated room looks like after two plus trashbags gone...

Time for "Fall Cleaning"

I know...didn't we just do Spring Cleaning.
Yea!
But during the Spring and Summer months...more dirt gets tracked into your house than all year long. Kids running in and out. Hubby running in and out. Home rennovations. Birthday parties. Flies. Ants.
Get my drift?

So since school has officially started and September is right around the corner...it is time for Fall Cleaning!

To me...August should be the New Year. Like those little MiniWheats cereal on that commercial where they are all excited about the New School Year.

I am so with them.
seems like everything starts off when school starts back..
your routines, cleaning, supper scheduled, menu plans, football, after school stuff, .....etc.

We all start new when school starts....so let's give our houses a good start to the school year!

Plus with a clean house...that means that we can get organized...which makes for easier mornings for you and the kids.

So ............you ready?

Here is my Fall Cleaning Doozy List! I can't say that I made this up on my own...well I could..but that would be a lie...I am in a cleaning group called Fluttering Flybabies on CafeMom and they posted this list. I love that group because all the girls in that group will do this list...and we will all get through it together.
They have to keep me on track...but eventually we all get it done!!


Out and About
Time to come inside for winter! Outside the house, tend to these autumn chores:

•Clean and store patio furniture, umbrellas, children's summer toys. This wont be hard...we don't have any ..woohoo!!

•Touch up paint on trim, railings and decks. Use a wire brush to remove flaking paint; prime bare wood first. This is something that needs to be done..but it sounds like a job for the hubby!


•Check caulk around windows and doors. Follow manufacturer's recommendations to re-caulk if needed.


•Inspect external doors and garage doors. Do they close tightly? Install weather-stripping, door thresholds if needed.
or get one of the cute little things to put down at the bottom of your door!

•Wash exterior windows.


•Drain and store garden hoses. Install insulating covers on exterior spigots. In hard-freeze areas, have sprinkler systems blown free of water.


•Check gutters and downspouts. Clear of debris if necessary. In cold-weather areas, consider installing heating cable to prevent ice dams.


•Have chimneys and flues inspected and cleaned if necessary.

The Inside Story
Autumn's the time for "spring cleaning". Deep clean now to take advantage of good weather. Face the coming of winter and the approaching holidays with a clean and comfortable home.

FlyLady's Detail Cleaning Lists would be good for this...I do encourage that you declutter each space before you go into detail cleaning...that way there is less to walk around..less to dust...less is best! No Clutter.


•Focus on public rooms: living room, family room, entryway, guest bath.


•Clean from top to bottom. Vacuum drapes and window treatments. Clean window sills and window wells. Vacuum baseboards andcorners.


•Vacuum upholstered furniture, or have professionally cleaned if needed. Move furniture and vacuum beneath and behind it.


•Wash interior windows.


•Turn mattresses front-to-back and end-to-end to equalize wear.


•Launder or clean all bedding: mattress pads, pillows, duvets, blankets, comforters. Tuck the family into a warm and cozy winter bed.


•Schedule professional carpet cleaning early this month! Warm October afternoons speed carpet drying. Carpet cleaning firms get busy by the end of October, so schedule now for best service.


•Prepare the kitchen for holiday cooking. Clean and organized kitchen cabinets, paying particular attention to baking supplies, pans and equipment.


•Clear kitchen counters of all appliances not used within the last week. Clear counters look cleaner--and provide more room for holiday cooking.


•Pull refrigerator away from the wall, and vacuum the condenser coils. For bottom-mounted coils, use a long, narrow brush to clean coils of dust and debris. check filter on ice maker!


•Wash light-diffusing bowls from light fixtures.


•Inspect each appliance. Does it need supplies? Stock up on softener salt now, and avoid staggering over icy sidewalks with heavy bags.


•Check and empty the central central heat and air collection area.  just had to get a new one..so at least i know that is clean!


•Clean or replace humidifier elements before the heating season begins.


•Inspect washer hoses for bulges, cracks or splits. Replace them every other year.


•Check dryer exhaust tube and vent for built-up lint, debris or birds' nests! Make sure the exterior vent door closes tightly when not in use.


•Schedule fall furnace inspections now. Don't wait for the first cold night!


•Buy a winter's supply of furnace filters. Change filters monthly for maximum energy savings and indoor comfort. When the right filter is on hand, it's an easy job!


•Drain sediment from hot water heaters.

• bring in some wood for fireplace..just to be ready!

OK..my Fall Doozy List!
Wish me Luck!

you know what?

I am sitting here surfing around on the internet....
thinking about sliding over to my craft table and doing something crafty...

and I need to be doing laundry or cleaning house...

and I just don't care!!

To Do

Gregg is working today...until 1pm..so I am doing some housework with Lyla until he gets home! Then it is FAMILY TIME!!

Here is my to do:
unload dishwasher
load dishwasher
take out trash
wipe off kitchen counters
wipe off kitchen table
first gotta clear the table
clean stove
clean coffee table (Lyla's kitchen table) ..that needs to stop!
straighten Master Bedroom floor...poor room
clear makeup off vanity
clean lyla's room...ha ha!!
sweep whole house
mop whole house

laundry! yay!

Not to bad really...I kept the house super clean until Wednesday of last week..then I got tired I guess and slacked off...it is a JOB!! OK..here I go!

1 year old + Baby powder = 1 not happy momma!!

So today after work...I ran by and picked up my little bundle of joy who was playing outside on the playground and suprised her with an adorable pink purse with a huge flower on it.
Here lately she has been really interested in my purses and always has to have one..so I got her her own...

Needless to say she loved it...and I even put a pack of gummy bears in there for an extra suprise.

We had to go to Wal Mart and got her some Big Girl Pull Ups so we can get serious about this potty training business because she has been doing really good.
After shopping we came home and I started to gather things to get ready to cook supper.

While I was achieving my wifely duties of cooking supper my Houdini of a daughter somehow got a hold of a bottle of Baby Powder that was on top of her dresser ...out of her reach! and continued to "powder" her room.

Her whole entire room!!!!

Mind you ...I just spent all day yesterday...picking up toys...sorting things out...vacuuming the floor...dusting...etc...

So guess what I did today?

I picked up toys...and washed the powder off them....I dusted again....I wiped off every flat surface in her room because it was white with powder....I vaccuumed again because her carpet was white from powder...

If Child Protective Services ever has to visit me....now is the time to come because Lyla's room is so spotless you could eat off her floor!

So now we have a lesson going in our house that if is not a toy...Lyla does not touch it! Baby Powder is a mess to clean up!!! And I garuntee you tomorrow when I go in there some will have settle from the air and I will have to dust again....

Why wasn't this is...................................................................
hang on...now we have to have a discussion about carrying around my GLASS of water all over the house...

OK...where was I?
oh yea...why wasn't all this in that nice little book I read about What to Expect on becoming a Mommy??? Crappy Book!!
I ought to write my own...the Real Tales of Motherhood!!