If everyone will use it, the command center could be a lifesaver.
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Family Command Center
Finished the command center. Again, it's not the craftiest, prettiest thing, but for now I'm more concerned with functionality and simplifying than looking the best. It's simple enough.
On the left side, the top one is just "stuff." Important stickies or whatever. The next two and the bottom right are all chore charts for each of the kids. The bottom left is just a message board. I made a pen holder and attached a notepad and the extra thumb tacks. On the right board, the top is a weekly calendar printable. The second one down is a menu planner, and at the bottom I attached two notepads in list form for shopping lists. Then I found these cute free labels just because I love labels and it added something to it :). (One says "Stuff" for the top left board, one says "This Week" next to the weekly calendar, one says "What's for Dinner?" next to the menu planner, and one says "Shopping List" between the two shopping list notepads.) There is a folder bin on the wall on the right and we each have a folder in that for things we need to follow up on. There is also a paper/mail sorter on the desk below for bills due.
If everyone will use it, the command center could be a lifesaver.
If everyone will use it, the command center could be a lifesaver.
Organizing Challenge Week 2 Update
Moving along with getting organized. I think the family command center is done. It will help a lot with communication and organization and time management if everyone will use it! I just have to make the storage bins for toy storage and then next week start the dreadful toy sorting and clearing. It will be nice when it's done though. I'll update with pics of both before moving on to week 3 of the challenge.
Monday, January 6, 2014
Week 1 Almost Finished
Ok, so I'm sort of behind in my 52-week organizing challenge, but as usual my ADD brain is multitasking and all over the place. I did, however, make some pretty cute, easy envelopes for the cash budget out of scrapbooking paper. I am not very crafty at all, but they were pretty simple. I already had the paper, which is print that makes me happy.
Since it's Sunday night, I should be working on my 2nd week, but I wanted to do a few more things. I did get the Christmas decorations put up and in the process got rid of some junk and condensed the storage boxes.
This week's challenge is to get my storage bins together for the toys, and I did get the material I needed for that, so I am not too far behind. So, that's next.. making storage bins.
Since it's Sunday night, I should be working on my 2nd week, but I wanted to do a few more things. I did get the Christmas decorations put up and in the process got rid of some junk and condensed the storage boxes.
This week's challenge is to get my storage bins together for the toys, and I did get the material I needed for that, so I am not too far behind. So, that's next.. making storage bins.
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Week 1 - Budget, Planner, Meal Planning & Putting the Holidays to Bed
I figured the first place I needed to start to get really organized and get my crap together was with my finances and time management, two of my enemies. I looked around for some good systems that may (or may not) work for me and some free printables to make my own binders as cheap as possible to get started. I also wanted to add putting away the Christmas decorations to this week's challenge so it gets done.
So, here is the system I'm going toattempt use.
Budget Binder:
Materials:
Cheap plastic 3-ring binder - 88 cents
A 3-ring zipper pouch - less than $1
A calculator - less than $1
Dividers - 88 cents
Free printables online/made own Excel spreadsheet
My first divider is Budget, which holds Monthly Budget Worksheets you can print for free at blog.jennimullinix.com.
Then I have my checklist. It's just an excel worksheet I made and printed similar to what I was already using and saving on the computer; I just made it a little prettier. It's just a list of the monthly bills and a place to mark off when they were paid for the month and how much/when to make sure nothing gets missed.
The next section is "Cash Check-In." This is new to me. I NEVER use cash and never have cash on me. I want to try the cash envelope system and see how that works for us. The purpose would be to allocate a certain amount to gas, groceries, spending, etc., per week, and when you go to run that errand you take the cash allotted for it. When you run out of the cash for that category for the week, it's gone. There is no debit card or "borrowing" cash from another category. This may very well be the discipline needed. The Cash Check-In free printable can be found at iHeart Organizing blog.
And the the last two sections are check registers for each bank account. You can also find the free check register at iHeart Organizing.
Planner:
Cheap plastic 3-ring binder - 88 cents
Dividers - 88 cents
Free printables online
For the planner, I just really needed something to keep me more organized with time management and focused on the things I want to get done 'today' as well as a weekly and monthly planner to keep up with therapy appointments, soccer functions and other things we have going on.
The first section I made "Daily." I found a "Planning My Day" free printable at Just a Girl and Her Blog. It's going to be great, I think. At the top it has a To Do List. Then it is has a Contact section and To Buy section for calls you need make or emails and things you need to buy. Then it is a Time Blocking section with the clock hours and everything listed in your To Do and of course your shopping trip and time to make calls should all be included in the time blocking section.
The next two sections are Weekly and Monthly and these were free printables (so pretty with a quote for each month and a note section for each week), which can be found on the Handmade Home.net.
The next section is a grocery shopping list. (Free printable found at Just a Girl and Her Blog - see link above.) There's a little menu planning section on this page.
I would like to insert a section here more about meal planning, I think.
The very last section is Projects. I printed out a free Room Organization Planner that seems like it will be very useful. I got it at Gifts We Use.
As for Christmas decorations..well, I have not started putting anything away, but I have decided to throw some away and got a few new ornaments on sale 75% off so I could get rid of those dreadful ornament balls. Shatterproof?? Yeah right. Not with my 4-year-old
So, here is the system I'm going to
Budget Binder:
Materials:
Cheap plastic 3-ring binder - 88 cents
A 3-ring zipper pouch - less than $1
A calculator - less than $1
Dividers - 88 cents
Free printables online/made own Excel spreadsheet
My first divider is Budget, which holds Monthly Budget Worksheets you can print for free at blog.jennimullinix.com.
Then I have my checklist. It's just an excel worksheet I made and printed similar to what I was already using and saving on the computer; I just made it a little prettier. It's just a list of the monthly bills and a place to mark off when they were paid for the month and how much/when to make sure nothing gets missed.
The next section is "Cash Check-In." This is new to me. I NEVER use cash and never have cash on me. I want to try the cash envelope system and see how that works for us. The purpose would be to allocate a certain amount to gas, groceries, spending, etc., per week, and when you go to run that errand you take the cash allotted for it. When you run out of the cash for that category for the week, it's gone. There is no debit card or "borrowing" cash from another category. This may very well be the discipline needed. The Cash Check-In free printable can be found at iHeart Organizing blog.
And the the last two sections are check registers for each bank account. You can also find the free check register at iHeart Organizing.
Planner:
Cheap plastic 3-ring binder - 88 cents
Dividers - 88 cents
Free printables online
For the planner, I just really needed something to keep me more organized with time management and focused on the things I want to get done 'today' as well as a weekly and monthly planner to keep up with therapy appointments, soccer functions and other things we have going on.
The first section I made "Daily." I found a "Planning My Day" free printable at Just a Girl and Her Blog. It's going to be great, I think. At the top it has a To Do List. Then it is has a Contact section and To Buy section for calls you need make or emails and things you need to buy. Then it is a Time Blocking section with the clock hours and everything listed in your To Do and of course your shopping trip and time to make calls should all be included in the time blocking section.
The next two sections are Weekly and Monthly and these were free printables (so pretty with a quote for each month and a note section for each week), which can be found on the Handmade Home.net.
The next section is a grocery shopping list. (Free printable found at Just a Girl and Her Blog - see link above.) There's a little menu planning section on this page.
I would like to insert a section here more about meal planning, I think.
The very last section is Projects. I printed out a free Room Organization Planner that seems like it will be very useful. I got it at Gifts We Use.
As for Christmas decorations..well, I have not started putting anything away, but I have decided to throw some away and got a few new ornaments on sale 75% off so I could get rid of those dreadful ornament balls. Shatterproof?? Yeah right. Not with my 4-year-old
Friday, January 3, 2014
52-Week Organizing Challenge
OK, so I decided I wanted to challenge myself to organize my entire house within a year...every room...every corner...every surface...every cabinet/drawer/closet. I need some motivation to keep this up, so I'm hoping if I can look back at my progress in writings and before and after pictures it will help. I also like having all my thoughts, inspiration and links where I found things saved in one place.
Okay, so here's my challenge-- I am sort of following this week by week, but at some point I may do a room out of order (kitchen or car before a kid's room).
Week 1 - Budget/menu planning/put away Christmas decorations.
(Create a budget system, menu planning and grocery list/shopping plan system).
Week 2 - Command Center and storage boxes for Expedit
Week 3 - Sort and purge toys/kids' books
Week 4 - Assess furniture in playroom, declutter shelves, relocate/repurpose.
Week 5 - Declutter any other areas in the playroom.
Week 6 - Wipe down/wash walls and baseboards. Wash windows and windowsills. Touch up paint, paint baseboards and door. (playroom)
Week 7 - Repaint toy box and kid table.
Week 8 - Add kids' art/wall decor.
Week 9 - Organize shelves/purge unwanted items (office).
Week 10 - Paint walls (office).
Week 11 - Get rid of desk, add new desk- paint and paint shelves.
Week 12 - Storage bins for office.
Week 13 - Reorganize O's therapy folder. File papers/create file system.
Week 14 - Closet (office).
Week 15 - Windows/blinds (office).
Week 16 - Declutter shelves in laundry room and make storage bins.
Week 17 - Wash down walls, baseboards, washer and dryer; make new laundry detergent.
Week 18 - Pallets with under baskets; new wall art.
Week 19 - Sort clothes in the boys' room.
Week 20 - Wipe down walls, windows and blinds, repaint (boys' room).
Week 21 - Organize closet (boys' room).
Week 22 - Repair drawers under bed (boys' room).
Week 23 - Sort clothes (Z's room).
Week 24 - Paint desk. (Z's room).
Week 25 - Wash walls, windows, blinds. Repaint. (Z's room).
Week 26 - Sort and purge, storage bins and toy storage for hall bath.
Week 27 - Wipe down walls and cabinets/touch up walls. Repaint baseboards.
Week 28 - Reline cabinet/drawers, stock up supplies, first-aid kit.
Week 29 - Sort clothes (master room).
Week 30 - Repurpose/purge furniture (master room).
Week 31 - Declutter (master room).
Week 32 - Paint (master room).
Week 33 - Purge, sort and storage bins (master bath).
Week 34 - Replace shower door/other shower repairs/cabinet repairs/reline cabinets/stock (master bath).
Week 35 - Paint (master bath).
Week 36 - Sort/purge/storage bins (master closet)
Week 37 -Finish up master closet.
Week 38 - Declutter top of cabinets, top of fridge, and countertops (kitchen).
Week 39 - Reline cabinets, organize cabinets (kitchen).
Week 40 - Reline and organize drawers (kitchen).
Week 41 - Sort pantry and organize.
Week 42 - Replace faucet, stove and dishwasher.
Week 43 - Baby gate.
Week 44 - Clean windows, blinds, and wipe down walls and pantry doors.
Week 45 - Repaint doors and baseboards (hallway).
Week 46 - Repaint kitchen/hallway.
Week 47 - Windows/blinds/walls (living room).
Week 48 -Paint baseboards (living room/hallway).
Week 49 -Clean tile, grout, carpet and reseal grout.
Week 50 - Front yard
Week 51 - Backyard
Week 52 - Car
Okay, so here's my challenge-- I am sort of following this week by week, but at some point I may do a room out of order (kitchen or car before a kid's room).
Week 1 - Budget/menu planning/put away Christmas decorations.
(Create a budget system, menu planning and grocery list/shopping plan system).
Week 2 - Command Center and storage boxes for Expedit
Week 3 - Sort and purge toys/kids' books
Week 4 - Assess furniture in playroom, declutter shelves, relocate/repurpose.
Week 5 - Declutter any other areas in the playroom.
Week 6 - Wipe down/wash walls and baseboards. Wash windows and windowsills. Touch up paint, paint baseboards and door. (playroom)
Week 7 - Repaint toy box and kid table.
Week 8 - Add kids' art/wall decor.
Week 9 - Organize shelves/purge unwanted items (office).
Week 10 - Paint walls (office).
Week 11 - Get rid of desk, add new desk- paint and paint shelves.
Week 12 - Storage bins for office.
Week 13 - Reorganize O's therapy folder. File papers/create file system.
Week 14 - Closet (office).
Week 15 - Windows/blinds (office).
Week 16 - Declutter shelves in laundry room and make storage bins.
Week 17 - Wash down walls, baseboards, washer and dryer; make new laundry detergent.
Week 18 - Pallets with under baskets; new wall art.
Week 19 - Sort clothes in the boys' room.
Week 20 - Wipe down walls, windows and blinds, repaint (boys' room).
Week 21 - Organize closet (boys' room).
Week 22 - Repair drawers under bed (boys' room).
Week 23 - Sort clothes (Z's room).
Week 24 - Paint desk. (Z's room).
Week 25 - Wash walls, windows, blinds. Repaint. (Z's room).
Week 26 - Sort and purge, storage bins and toy storage for hall bath.
Week 27 - Wipe down walls and cabinets/touch up walls. Repaint baseboards.
Week 28 - Reline cabinet/drawers, stock up supplies, first-aid kit.
Week 29 - Sort clothes (master room).
Week 30 - Repurpose/purge furniture (master room).
Week 31 - Declutter (master room).
Week 32 - Paint (master room).
Week 33 - Purge, sort and storage bins (master bath).
Week 34 - Replace shower door/other shower repairs/cabinet repairs/reline cabinets/stock (master bath).
Week 35 - Paint (master bath).
Week 36 - Sort/purge/storage bins (master closet)
Week 37 -Finish up master closet.
Week 38 - Declutter top of cabinets, top of fridge, and countertops (kitchen).
Week 39 - Reline cabinets, organize cabinets (kitchen).
Week 40 - Reline and organize drawers (kitchen).
Week 41 - Sort pantry and organize.
Week 42 - Replace faucet, stove and dishwasher.
Week 43 - Baby gate.
Week 44 - Clean windows, blinds, and wipe down walls and pantry doors.
Week 45 - Repaint doors and baseboards (hallway).
Week 46 - Repaint kitchen/hallway.
Week 47 - Windows/blinds/walls (living room).
Week 48 -Paint baseboards (living room/hallway).
Week 49 -Clean tile, grout, carpet and reseal grout.
Week 50 - Front yard
Week 51 - Backyard
Week 52 - Car
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Another New Year..Organizing Challenge
It's another new year, and here I am AGAIN trying to get organized...starting over. I am determined this time. I think I will do an organizing challenge. Starting the new year with a challenge sounds like a good time to me. I am starting with the first week creating a budget, mail, and bill pay system.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
New Playroom inspiration
It's been a while since I've blogged about any changes in the home. Since 2010, we unfortunately haven't changed much. We did install some laminate flooring in our family room, which I love, and painted our front room.
I have been finding inspiration yet again and mapping out rooms in my head with new ideas. I'm currently working on my office. I've cleaned it out (except for a mound of paperwork I need to go through and the closet). I have some bookshelves I have to bring in from the front room. I need to paint them and a filing table and make my DIY desk. I've been creating my own storage boxes and need to make some more (I will post pics of these things later). I need to paint and add some wall art.
My new playroom idea is also very exciting and I scored an Ikea Expedit for $25.00 on Craigslist for part of my plan in there. The office, playroom, partially the boys' room and bathroom are all being worked on simultaneously since I'm repurposing items from other rooms. I'm looking forward to posting each step of the way.
I have been finding inspiration yet again and mapping out rooms in my head with new ideas. I'm currently working on my office. I've cleaned it out (except for a mound of paperwork I need to go through and the closet). I have some bookshelves I have to bring in from the front room. I need to paint them and a filing table and make my DIY desk. I've been creating my own storage boxes and need to make some more (I will post pics of these things later). I need to paint and add some wall art.
My new playroom idea is also very exciting and I scored an Ikea Expedit for $25.00 on Craigslist for part of my plan in there. The office, playroom, partially the boys' room and bathroom are all being worked on simultaneously since I'm repurposing items from other rooms. I'm looking forward to posting each step of the way.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
DIY Shadowbox
So, I had this idea for Father's Day for
the mister...a Pittsburgh Steelers shadowbox. I headed out to Hobby Lobby to get a shadowbox
and the ready-made ones were not the right size. So they price
quoted me on a custom-made shadowbox and it was $170! I said, um,
yeah..thanks. I'll get creative and figure something else out. I
decided to take a trip to Home Depot. I had my daughter and oldest son
with me, and we headed over. I walked in and a customer service rep
asked me if I have found everything ok (well, not really since I just
got here), and I told her I need some help with my idea. Common sense
told me of course what I needed to do, but I really wasn't sure where to
start. She pointed out 2 guys down the way and said they'd be the
best. As we walked toward them, one started walking toward us. He
asked me if I needed any help and I said, actually, yes, I'm looking for
you! You could tell this was really this guy's calling. He was so
excited to help me. I told him what I wanted and he basically just
shopped with me. Then, we get all the materials, and he says so is
anyone helping you when you get started besides me helping you pick the
stuff out? I said, um, no - well, a 6-year-old and a 9-year-old. He
said are you able to cut the wood? I said, well, we just bought a jig
saw, but I haven't used it. I think I scared him. He said, okay, I'll
cut these then. This guy helped me get my nails, made sure what I had
and what I didn't have, and kept to a budget, he cut my boards all down
and sent me on my way.
So we got home, and everything went so smooth. I am using paint I already had, built it, painted the first coat, and I just need to go get one more thing, and it will be done for approximately..........$35!
More to come and pictures later....
It's pretty much finished now. I just need to go get the glass, print off a picture of the other half and his brother from their Pittsburgh trip for the frame in there, and put the magnet on. It's far from perfect, but it was something very new for me. I ended up deciding to do hinges with magnet closure and adding a knob, not part of the original plan but he can add to it or take things out this way.
So we got home, and everything went so smooth. I am using paint I already had, built it, painted the first coat, and I just need to go get one more thing, and it will be done for approximately..........$35!
More to come and pictures later....
It's pretty much finished now. I just need to go get the glass, print off a picture of the other half and his brother from their Pittsburgh trip for the frame in there, and put the magnet on. It's far from perfect, but it was something very new for me. I ended up deciding to do hinges with magnet closure and adding a knob, not part of the original plan but he can add to it or take things out this way.
It has a couple of felt flags, half of a football helmet, a Steelers picture frame, a merchandise book with a signature, the Terrible Towel, a little football guy (beats me who it is), a Steelers helmet pipe, a ticket to the Steelers game in Pittsburgh, and a Cardinals ticket. The Cardinals ticket is significant to him because after they both played the Super Bowl, he went to the Steelers' first game of the next season and then 3 days later went to the Cardinals' first game of the season. I think I will add something Super Bowl-ish too.
Monday, June 14, 2010
DIY Laundry Room Makeover
Before:
(I still need to touch up the paint on the door, baseboards, etc.) We added the bamboo Roman shades and a plywood cut to size (with our new jig saw) for a folding area, and I painted the room.
I added some cheap art for an extra touch to make it more of a room.
I don't have a laundry door because it broke years ago. I have taken other doors off in the past (Viggo's closet) on purpose because the tracking was annoying and it, if kept neat, looked much better and made the room bigger. A lot of the inspiration rooms purposely take off doors for more of an open-living environment. One of our linen closets was built without a door. The closet doors in my office are having the same track problem as Viggo's, so they will be coming off too (as well as the linen closet in the master bath just because). I guess we were one step ahead (thanks, kids, because we know you are the ones who broke our doors....)
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