Favorite Things Tuesday

Yesterday I wrote about the Office Space Makeover Challenge.

I mentioned adding art decor and family photos to your space to make it personal.  

You know the kind.   

That little trace of your child's hand on construction paper.  

Or maybe it's the crayon filled "art" that only a Mom can truly appreciate.

You see, I was in my own office late last night attempting (notice I say attempting) to make improvements to my blog and hours later, and a few less hairs on my head, to no avail.

It was just at that moment when I wanted to say a few "dirty words" and I looked up and saw these two precious faces looking back at me.

I could still hear the sound of their little voices.

              That innocent baby smell that makes your heart calm.

It's the kind of thing that stops you in your track and regardless of how simple it looks, it transforms into something so much bigger than they even knew it could be.

By far my most favorite Mother's Day gifts ever!

As for the blog improvements.....stay tuned!

May Makeover Challenge

HOME OFFICE SPACE

As I mentioned last week, this month we will be reorganizing home office space.  This is such an important area of our home regardless of whether you have a designated room or little nook of space.  This is where things happen that keep the home running smoothly.  Bills get paid, schedules are made, and important papers get filed in this area.

Here are just a few things you might consider in case you are wondering why you might need to take on this challenge:

• Your office space has become a "catch all" for other household items that don't pertain to home office.

• You can't locate items that you need because of the chaos in the space.

• The filing system that you currently use is not working efficiently for you.

• The overall look of the space makes you wish for something different.

By the way, this is not an all inclusive list and you certainly don't need to have all four to qualify!!

Now that you've established that you are a good candidate for this challenge, let's discuss a process to implement so the end result is a home office space that you wonder how you ever lived without (or at least puts a smile on your face when you see it)!

The Process

First, don't over commit yourself.  Try to devote a certain amount of time each week to completing this challenge.  The last thing you want to do is overwhelm yourself.

Designate your Space

• This may mean that your office space will stay right where it is.  However, you may determine that there is a space somewhere else in your home that will work better.  Look to Pinterest and other websites for inspiration.

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Declutter your Space

• Remove any items that don't pertain to the office.
• Get 3 large containers/boxes and label them as follows:  SHRED, FILE, TRASH
• Go through paperwork!  I know this is not a fun task, but one that is necessary.  Use the boxes to separate the papers.  You will go back to these boxes later.

Clean Your Space

• Now that you have removed all of the items from your workspace and placed into boxes, you will want to clean the space.  Move furniture if possible and sweep and/or vacuum the space.  
• Wipe down work surfaces; desk, shelves, etc.

Create Stations/Work Centers

Mail Station

• I shared in a previous post here how I made the file folders. I wanted something pretty on my credenza because these are files that I go to daily.  My file folders are labeled as:

Calvin

Kim

Incoming Mail

Outgoing Mail

Bills to Pay

Coupons

Reimbursements

Reconcile Receipts

If you have children at home, you may want to make a file for each of them for items that need to be signed and returned to school and/or any other pertinent information.  

Supply Station

• Decide on an area to keep all of your office supplies.  You may want to use items that you currently have around the house like decorative containers and baskets or consider The Dollar Store or Target for inexpensive solutions.

Filing Station

• It may be a file cabinet, box, credenza.  Whatever you decide, make sure its easily accessible.  Filing usually isn't high on the "fun" list, so don't make it more difficult to complete the task.  I previously posted here about Freedom Filer!  Have I mentioned how much I love this system?  Okay, I LOVE this system.

Add Personal Touches

• This is an area that you spend significant time in.  Make it personal by adding family photos, artwork that you have collected and/or from your children.  You may want to include some type of inspirational quote.  Hobby Lobby carries lots of different options for inspiraton.

Other Things to Consider

1. Conceal Cables & Wires - Command has a fairly inexpensive option here.  Additionally, you may want to identify what your cables are for by using a label system.
2. Invest in a shredder or rubber stamp to go back to that box that you have filled with papers in need of proper disposal.
3. Surge protect your computer.
4. Consider some type of magazine file system for those magazines that keep piling up but you aren't ready to recycle.
5. Develop a manuals binder(s) to centrally locate when needed.  

So, are you ready to get started?

Have fun with it!

Get creative!

Take lots of pictures and send them to me!!

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Kitchen Makeover Challenge Reveal

Okay friends!  It's here - Reveal Day!

How busy was your April?  Mine was crazy busy tackling some areas from scratch and others that just needed some tweeking.  So, let's get started!

Several years ago I transferred all of my spices into these small jars that I found at Bed Bath & Beyond.  I write the expiration dates on a round sticker and place on the bottom of the jars to ensure freshness.


In a previous post here you may remember I added Fridge Coasters to my refrigerator which I am totally in love with.

I spilled red hummingbird food the other day and really put the coaster to the test.  It passed with flying colors!  No clean up and no sign of a spill!

This cabinet used to make me crazy.  I removed several items that I don't use very often and then added  a couple of cabinet shelf organizers for easier access to heavy glassware.

After our kids all moved out, I noticed that the pantry door wasn't swinging open and shut quiet as often, so I decided that since it was just the hubby and me using it, I could make it nice and pretty with baskets and chalkboard labels.

I liked the look, but I noticed that I was getting a huge overflow on the bottom and stuff in the baskets was lost and forgotten!! Surely I didn't need to stop buying....

So, I removed most of the baskets and added some Clear Better Homes & Gardens containers from Wal-Mart.  Between the clear containers and my new labels, it should be easier to see what I've got!

I also added some bamboo lazy susans to make bottle and canned items more visible as well.  I was surprised that the bamboo ones were the same price as the plastic ones.  They were also purchased at Wal-Mart.

The pantry door is probably my most favorite part of the entire kitchen makeover!  Silly, I know...sometimes it's just the little things!

Here's the Before & After

Ahhhh....
I will be doing a post on my pantry soon and fill you in on all the little details that brought it together!

So, that kind of sums up my kitchen makeover.  Now it's time to hear all about yours!  Please email me your pics  (before and afters) or just afters if you like.  I want to share your amazing work too!

Oh, I almost forgot,

May's Challenge:

HOME OFFICE SPACE

More to come on that too!

Have a great weekend,

Kim

linking up to tidy mom, A Bowlful of Lemons, Sugar Bee Crafts, Savvy Southern Style, Ginger Snap Crafts, diy dreamer

Baking Soda & Water, right?

When I tackle a room, I usually try to do the more difficult item first.  Based on some time management research that I have studied, if you tackle the least desirable item on your list first, you are more likely to complete your "to do" list than if you wait leave it for last.

Yeah, well, I kinda threw that thought out the window for this month's challenge in the kitchen....I saved the worst for last - the dreaded oven!

Self cleaning... why yes, I'm blessed with a self-cleaning oven....

but, here's what it looks like when it's completed a 3 hour cleaning cycle...

Not my idea of CLEAN!

Pinterest to the rescue, maybe?

As I searched Pinterest, this pin seemed to be repinned more than others and figured it must be a good one.

I got so excited, I jumped resistantly got off the sofa and went right to work...

without reading the directions all the way through.

See, the directions I read said, "a little (okay, maybe a lot) of baking soda and water".

But what I missed was the part about this being just for the glass on the oven door.

So...

I scrubbed....

      and I wiped....

              and I scrubbed....

                       and I wiped....

And then of course, here's what happens when the baking soda & water mix drips in between the door.

I"m not even going to tell you what else was in there!

Several hours later and one really sore back and elbow and I'm done!  

It looks great, right?  Well, okay...better, much better!

                      Before                                             After

Afterall, I can close the door and look at this pretty dish towel!

If you are thinking about cleaning your oven anytime soon, let me know how it goes.

Oh, and you might want to read ALL the directions.


Stay tuned tomorrow for the entire Kitchen Reveal!

It's Another One of My Favorite Things Tuesday - Unexpected!

I woke up this morning with a lot of excitement and jitters!

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I had a phone consultation scheduled with Karianne @ Thistlewood Farms (isn't her home awesome) to help me with my blog and hopefully, better inspire my readers.  

whew...

She didn't disappoint - understatement!  

But that wasn't the unexpected part - I was fully expecting to be charged up and motivated...all you have to do is read one of her posts and you will get the picture.

The unexpected part of my day came when I hung up the phone.

My youngest daughter, Katie showed up and told me she brought me something.

  

Even though she's 24 now, I still never know what surprise she has 

lurking around the corner.

And when I reached the kitchen, there they were.  

PINK TULIPS!

Just because...

Aren't they beautiful!  

Are pink tulips my favorite flowers?  I can't really say that I truly have a favorite flower, there are so many that I love.

Receiving them from my daughter,

                         just because, 

                             now that is TRULY one of my favorite things!

Hope you are having a beautiful day,

Kim

What's in your Wallet?

Over the years, I have struggled with the best way to stay on a budget.

I've tried a couple of different ideas recently, but admittedly, failed miserably!

I was recently looking at a A Bowlful of Lemons website, when I came across a tab titled "Budget".  

You can read more about it here.  

In one of her posts, she talks about cash budgeting and why credit card purchases anesthetize the pain of paying.   In another post she discusses a cash envelope system.  I have actually tried a cash envelope system  in the past nd there were a lot of things I DID like about it.  However, the one thing I DIDN'T like...well let me just share an experience I had...

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Picture this:  Your standing in line at the grocery store checkout and your cashier has just given you the total. You smile, and oh so studiously, proceed to go into your purse to get the cash.  You've got six different envelopes that all look the same and you just need to find that one labeled "Groceries".

Searching....and searching....why is it that things go into a black hole once they enter our purses?

Jeopardy music is now ticking in your ears because you've got four people in line behind you.  You smile, and say "I know its in here, I just need a second".  

Here comes the sweatballs...

And then, you stumble across the old faithful credit card.  The voice in your head starts talking...."I shouldn't"...."the people behind you are getting aggravated"..."just do it...you can pay it back later"...  

Before you even stand a chance of thinking about it again....swipe away!

And just as you are pressing that last green enter button, there it is...magically, you're "Groceries" envelope rears its pretty little head.  

No....you don't dare ask her to void the charge and start over...

Are you getting the picture?

As I read on about the "cash envelope system" that Toni @ A Bowlful of Lemons uses, I had renewed faith that I could possibly make that "Cash System Budget" work!

She featured a pouch from Etsy at www.atime4everything.

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Without hesistation, I chose my favorite pattern and ordered my new pouch.

I opted for bright colors so it would be easy to locate in my purse.  I love that I can zip it closed and know that everything will stay intact.

It comes with six clear tabs but you can order more if need be. 

I received it in less than a week and have already written my categories on the tabs. I used a fine point sharpee to label my tabs and  I can change them if needed, by using rubbing alcohol and a tissue. Now I just need to fill them up with moolah!

And, if the renewed cash budget system fails again, well...I might have to look into Shopaholics Anonymous.

What type of budget system do you use?  How is it working for you?  

Happy Organizing!

Kim

Reader's Space: Travel Essentials Container

One of my readers sent this to me and I just had to share with everyone.

She and her husband do a lot of traveling to the beach and decided that they wanted an easy way of bringing staple items on each trip!

 Here's what she had to say:

"Whenever we were traveling by car we realized that we were always having to pick up a lot of the same basic items for our stay once we arrived.  So we decided to make up a travel container that we could keep the items in one location and then just grab and go!"

Their bin consists of the following:

Paper Towels

Toilet Paper

Utility Knife

Batteries

Extension Cord

Pot Holders

Dish Soap

Dishwasher Soap

Laundry Detergent

Dryer Sheets

Aluminum Foil

Plastic Bags

Trash can Liners

Salt & Pepper

Plastic Cups

"We use a flat bin because after unpacking everything, it conveniently stores under the bed until its time to retrieve it and take back home to replenish for the next adventure."

Thanks so much for sharing.  I was just looking for a reason to go to the beach and now I think I have one. You would agree with my logic, right?

Have a great weekend!

Kim