Summer Focus: Kids!

Have you ever heard me say, "cleaning the house in the summer is like brushing your teeth while eating Oreos?"  I heard that saying a few years ago and it stuck with me!  I know many moms get really overwhelmed by trying to keep up with everything around the house in the summer.  It can be overwhelming year-round, but adding in kids being home to feed three times a day and trying to deliver them to all of their activities can make it feel impossible!      I am all about keeping the house clean and ordered and truly believe that promotes better family life and mental health for moms.  However, I have worked with kids on several organizing projects over the last few weeks and have been reminded that order is important, but it is not the most important thing.  Each of these projects started in a home with some pretty significant chaos... we were working to uncover beds, couches and floor that had become completely covered in laundry and clutter, making it almost impossible to use...

read more

Storage Baskets & Labels

  I am  starting to think that spring may actually arrive here in Iowa this year!  I love when the weather gets warm for a million reasons.  Like right now my kids are outside playing and my house is really quiet!  Ahhhh!!!   I also love that I get to clear...

read more

Laundry Room Storage & Order

I've admitted it before, but I despise laundry!  It is the one household chore that I find no joy in either the process of doing it or the accomplishment of completing it - probably because it seems like it is never actually complete.  So, my laundry room being in...

read more

Magnetic Message Board

Today is one part organization, and one part DIY.  I'm all about establishing order that is pretty to look at.  As most of you know, that can get expensive! So I always get excited when I have a DIY idea that makes pretty organization cheap too!   As I've...

read more

Taking it One Step Further…

I'm super excited to share my "fancied up" pantry with you all, but I have to say I'm a little hesitant as well.  Remember my first set of posts about my philosophy of organization?  I must clarify that I by no means think everyone should have a "pretty pantry".  I...

read more

Organizing A Pantry

  Do you remember that amazing pantry from my first post?  I know some of you do, because we've talked about it.  A few of you have already been inspired to get to work transforming your pantry, which I find super exciting!  But, I know that others are too...

read more

Coats and Kisses!

What do coats and kisses have to do with each other?  This time of year I am smothered by a million coats that I don't know what to do with, and Valentine's Day planning that always takes me by surprise.  Christmas is over, so I'm supposed to have handling the winter...

read more

Saving and Storing School Papers

As I promised in my last post, I'd like to share about how I store my children's school papers and artwork that I want to keep for years to come! As each child's bin in the mudroom gets full, I transfer papers to 12x12 scrapbook cases from Michael's.  I end up...

read more

Controlling School Paper Clutter

If you have a child that can hold a crayon and make a scribble, you know how hard it is to figure out what to do with all of those "precious masterpieces".  Enter the school years, and it is multiplied by the random "scribble art" to pass time, important parent...

read more

Jase’s Big Boy Dresser!

OK! back to the fun stuff, paint! Since I was in need of a cheap, cute and durable storage solution for my son I knew refinishing a dresser was my best option. And, now that it didn't have to be a two-week process I began to scour Craig's List for the perfect dresser....

read more