52 Week Challenge: Week 38, Take Two

Ok. In all honesty, I had a completely different post written for this week. I was having a brag about my awesome new studio space and all the super cool storage I'd created for it.

But then I read Laura's post.

And although I can't be sure, I'm quite certain my husband had some direct influence on her post. It's a conspiracy, I know... And both will likely deny it, but I know - just as Laura knows her family moves her stuff so she can't find it - that it has to be.

Why?

Well, I've likely already spent my 121 hours searching for stuff... And that's just the past six months.

Things I've Lost Today (Friday, September 23):

• purse
• cell phone
• house keys
• purse again
• water bottle
• knife
• spoon

And today was a good day.

On Tuesday, I lost my bus pass, missed six buses and was 45 minutes late for work. Although I've not yet lost my corporate identification badge, I have misplaced it a few times - the worst time was when it was buried under a pile of crap on my desk.

Laura asked a few questions, that I must again reiterate, have certainly been influenced by my husband... Let's examine them.

So this week’s challenge is this:

• Identify one item that you seem to constantly be looking for. I’m curious to know what it is.
• Identify a “home” for it that makes the most sense for you. Try this tactic…ask yourself “if this item was lost, where would be the first place I’d look for it?” Maybe that’s a good place to create a permanent home? Pay attention to how you think.
• Consistently put said item back when done with it. Ahh that’s the kicker but so worth it!
• Commit to giving yourself at least 20 days to build this new habit.
• Relax and be less stressed!

1. What am I always losing? Everything. Purse, wallet, inhaler, keys. Screwdrivers, hammers, measuring tape(s), seam rippers. If it can be misplaced, I will do it... Trust me, I don't think there is a thing I own that I haven't lost... Except for our house and my sewing machines and our son.

2. I always have a home for stuff. My problem is I very often forget where. Hence why I lose so much stuff (and so frequently). My purse/wallet is likely the one I misplace the most but in my defense, I switch bags a lot. I have a messenger bag I carry to and from work and a purse I use for non work trips. I always move the wallet back and for but neither bag has a "home", per se. I try to put them in front of the appliance cupboard but they get in the way. If I had to pick a new home, I will pick the back entrance - but once it's renovated as currently, there isn't any room (my husband is Mr Marcos when it comes to shoes and jackets).

So, for the sake of argument (and this post), I will pick my... Wrist watch. I know, it's a weird thing to lose but I do - all the time (no pun intended).

3. Put stuff back... I do! My husband and son move it just to mess with me! Or maybe it is that I think I put it away - sometimes I even have visions of me doing it but when I return to where I think I put it, it isn't there...

My wrist watch will always be put on my bedside table.

4. Twenty days... Check back mid October and I'll let you know how I made out!

I commit to:

Putting my wrist watch on my bedside table every night when I get home from work. No more dumping it in the breadbox, kitchen counter, table or purse (or pocket - where I think it is now). I will make a commitment to walk the 30 steps from the back door to the bedroom to put it away. If I can't, I will leave it on my wrist until such time that I can make the trip to our room.

5. Relax and be less stressed. Ya, cause having to do something for 20 days in a row is going to cause me less stress!

Oh... You mean after the 20 days and I've built the habit... Okay, I'll try it then!

In all seriousness, I know what Laura is suggesting makes perfect sense. I know I waste an incredible amount of my time, my husband's time and certainly my son's time hunting for my stuff. In all likeliness, I'm quite certain many people in my life have spent many of their 121 hours looking for my stuff.

Fact: In high school, my two best friends had keys to my car because I could never find them when we were going out. It became easier to let my friend's have keys so we could actually make it out the door in time.

Part of my reason for participating in the 52 Week challenge was so that I could spend more time living and less time hunting, cleaning and trying to find stuff. I know my husband has the patience of a saint - he has too living with me. I can never find anything (ask me to find my glue gun - it hasn't been seen since 2007) and it drives me crazy - I can't begin to imagine how it affects the lives of those around me.

One of my famous tag lines from my old job was "Have you seen my??? Oh... Never mind, here it is. It was in the wrong pile!"

I don't want to spend another 121 hour looking for stuff. I can most certainly use those five days in a much better fashion - so today, it's my wrist watch... Tomorrow? Who knows? With these helpful hints and a potential plan of action, anything is possible!

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate the encouragement and even a little public ridicule... At least I wouldn't mind seeing this on the six o'clock news!

PS For what is worth, I am always surprised when I lose something for I am always certain I put it away. The End.

52 Weeks of Organizing: The things your mama didn't tell you about organizing

Forgive me, Laura, for it has been six weeks since I last organized anything...

When I get sidetracked, it really does take over. I have lots of things left on my list (to organize) and I keep discovering new areas I never thought about organizing. Like my bathroom drawers or the spice cabinet that still vexes me...

This week I got sick... Really sick. Pounding head, sore throat, stuffy nose, sneezing, coughing, yucky feverish, sick. Why do I tell you this? You see, when I get feverishly sick, I do strange things. I once cut off all my long, dark hair in a fevered frenzy three days before prom... I've been known to make rash decisions as well (like going back to school - quitting my full time job and applying to college without really saying a word to my loving and totally understanding husband)...

This time, I organized. Technically, it started on Tuesday, TroubleMaker's first day of school. With two hours to kill and a sore throat, I decided to try to sort out the mess that is...

My recipe book area... Before


Which led to cleaning the bread box.
Before


And my cooking magazines. Before


And my recipe papers. During


My dresser (again)... After


TroubleMaker's toys (again)... After


My paint kit...
I didn't take a picture of this - mostly because the fan decks were spread throughout the house... Upstairs, downstairs... Now they are happily reunited and sitting happily on their new home so I can find them again.

When I get my mind on something, I can get kind of obsessed... It's about finding a system that works... You would not believe how often that runs through my brain these days. It is obvious my systems don't work. I've been at this Organizing thing for weeks now and it would appear I'm not further ahead than I was back in January... Except now I have more things to obsess about...

But... A System that Works... What does that mean?



That's the breadbox and my 'recipe station' After. I'm proud to point out that there is now room for bread in the breadbox. Additionally, that basket is filled with tomatoes from our garden! I hear they are delicious!

What works for me? Well, I've managed to keep all my recipes in a binder for over a year... Which means I no longer spend 15 minutes routing through a huge stack of print-offs trying to find the recipe for Beef Stroganoff... The problem I did have was that my binder was too small and I have a habit of being a bit of a messy cook and frequently dumped stuff on my papers. So, I thought I'd try page protectors (and a bigger binder).

I now have two three inch binders - one filled with all my cooking magazines (in page protectors, thank you very much) and one with my recipes. Sorted by meal - and further refined by type. There is some room to expand and everything is nice and tidy! This is one system that has worked and will continue to work for me!

I also realized that something a friend said to me a while back was too true. She said her husband was always on her case for her mess... And she couldn't ever figure out how her piles got so big and her office such a disaster. As we talked we both discovered that all too often, our piles weren't created totally by us and more often than not, a good majority of it belongs to our children (and even our darling husbands).

My dresser was a true testament to that. It was piled high and toppling over... But not with my stuff. Story books and toys. My son likes his books and his cars! So I'm going to try and change the way we see his toys and books - since I am naturally lax about putting away my own things, I think it has rubbed off on TroubleMaker. So, since I'm big into role modelling appropriate behaviour, it's time for Mama to get off her duff!

Thanks for stopping by - I'm back on the Organizing Junkie's Train and hoping I can keep it up! Stop back soon, I love having you!

52 Week Challenge: Purging "stuff"

What do you do with two full boxes of stuff you don't want and/or need any more?

Naturally, if you're married to a photographer, you have it all professionally photographed, edited and touched up and made purty!



Then, once all that is done, you commence the big PURGE.


Any guesses on what this is?

I asked Laura a question a while back about a couple of appliances I had that I never used but didn't want to part with because I might need them one day... Her advice was something along the lines of if I hadn't used them (at that point, it was 10 years) would I ever and what could be in that space that I really do use.

I didn't have the courage to ask her what to do with things I've purchased that I don't remember buying...


I'm sure I thought this was really cool when I bought it...


This little treasure involved a box of wine... Need I say more?


I know - harmless little picture frames... Except for the fact that I made these up more than 10 years ago for our old kitchen. My husband thought they looked stupid (I'd framed pictures of various spices I'd cut out from the side of a gift bag - he had no vision) so I never hung them up. Ever. I tossed them in a box... And they stayed there for eleven years...

Eleven years... Who hangs on to stuff they aren't using for eleven years?


I don't know how to do counted cross stitch.


This is a piece of very stiff, hand woven 'cloth' from the Philippines. In my defense, I bought it as part of a fundraiser the women in the cafeteria where I used to work were doing. In 2005.


Spring tension rod: 1999 New, in package...

See, if there really ever was someone who needed the 52 Week Challenge, it most certainly is me! All of this stuff (along with items like unopened Christmas ornaments from Ikea, four partially painted birdhouses, a ream of 11x17 vellum, a magic eight ball, and 17 plastic embroidery framing hoops) is diligently being posted on our local Earthcycle and Freecycle groups. because one person's junk is always another's treasure!

Thanks for stopping by!

52 Week Challenge: 34 Years of Magazines

While I've been embroiled in home renovations, my organizing has taken a bit of a back seat - that said, renovations are like the ultimate reorg of your home but this renovation is part of the 'big picture' renovation that started with me organizing my office/studio space.

So this week, as I put on the second coat of mud and read about installing wall paper, my husband set to sorting and purging his magazine collection...

I've mentioned his ginormous collection a couple of times since I started participating in the 52 Week Challenge. Today, he went through and photographed his collections... He has decidied to finally get rid of all the magazines. All of them. Assuming he can find someone to take them... If he can't he'll take them all to the recycling depot.

I didn't realize immediately that he was doing this. He kept making trips up and down the stairs (his studio is on the main floor, the periodicals were stored in the laundry room). I offered to help after the fourth time I saw him, but he declined... I think it was his way of "saying goodbye".

As I ventured upstairs to see how it was going, he said...



"1996 to 2011 - that's how long I've been collecting Jeep magazine."

I looked at the magazines stacked all over his studio. Fifteen years of magazines were strewn about in neat, orderly piles. No doubt sorted by year, then my month. He's very organized that way.

"Initially, they only published three or four a year so there aren't as many as I thought there would be." he added.

A while later, as I was preparing dinner he requested my presence in the studio.

"1991 to 2010 - 4WD and Sport Utility magazines."



Nineteen years. Who keeps 19 years worth of magazines?

My husband. The organized pack rat. I am very proud of him for doing this - it is hard to get rid of something. He started reading both magazines because of his keen interest in "off roading". He got his first Jeep in 1991 and his passion and love for four wheeling was born. Passions and people change and all our purging will make way for new adventures and excitement!

For more fantastic inspiration, check out the Organizing Junkie's 52 Week Challenge and get inspired today! Thanks for stopping in and we'll see you next week!

Menu Plan Monday - Back on the Wagon

I've been slack lately with a good many things... Menu planning, my participation in the 52 Week Organizing Project, blogging in general, housework, eating healthy... I'm just sitting back watching the world run by and the summer zoom past.

I'm not exactly sure where I got derailed but I'm completely off the rails.

There hasn't been a menu on our fridge since the first week in July! I haven't really organized anything in three weeks (although I did move the stuff from Week 28 twice in the past two days) and I just remembered I was going to wash towels and sheets today...

What I have I been doing?

Eating dinner in front of the television, trying to not sweat my face off, remodeling our basement and preparing to start a new job. I've also been staying up way too late chatting with friends, starting blog posts (but not finishing them) and daydream shopping on line. Pssssttttt! My fellow Canadians, did you know that Amazon.ca is FINALLY starting to sell some of the wicked cool stuff in Canada that they've offered for years to the US shoppers!?

On Sunday morning, my husband very bravely offered to go to the store and get a few groceries... So in two minutes, I sat down and planned a menu on the back of the grocery list and off he went.

Guess what?

I tossed the grocery list and receipt when I put the groceries away. What were we having? I don't remember. Neither does my husband. And if I ask TroubleMaker, he'll just tell me macaroni. So it will be another pieced together, use up stuff in the house menu. I dislike "winging" it. I am not a fly by the seat of their pants kind of girl. When it comes to food, I am very serious and without a menu, I'm LOST!

So here is another "toss together in 2 minute menu" that challenges my brainpower late this Monday night... For more organized and less chaotic menus, check out the Org Junkie's Menu Plan Monday and borrow a bit of sanity today!

August 1 to 7
Monday Crispy Breaded Chicken Breasts with Caesar Salad
Tuesday Homemade hamburgers and chips
Wednesday Tuna Salad Sandwiches
Thursday Crock pot roast beef sandwiches (? - don't know if I've got a roast to make)
Friday Hot dogs and smokies
Saturday ~unknown~ my parents are moving and my husband will be helping - don't know when he'll be home
Sunday grilled chicken breasts with bbq vegetables

Crispy Breaded Chicken Breasts
For a long time, I've been seeking an alternative to commercial chicken coating product. I don't like the tasted, don't like the chemicals and all the salt! Through trial and error, I've come up with one that we all agree is tasty, light and super easy to make. I hope you enjoy!

2 to 3 cups corn flakes
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp pepper
dash or two of Chipolte seasoning
1 tsp basil
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 tsp oregano

Place all ingredients into a large ziploc bag. Squeeze out all air and crush with a rolling pin until very fine crumbs remain.

Pour about 1/2 of the mixture into a large pie pan. In a separate bowl, whip one egg with about 2 tbsp of milk.

Dip chicken pieces (I only use boneless, skinless chicken breasts) into milk/egg mixture. Piece meat several times, turning to coat. Transfer to pie pan filled with crumbs. Turn and coat well with coating mix.

Transfer to an open baking rack placed on a lined cookie sheet. This step is essential to getting the crunch all the way around the meat.

Repeat with all chicken.

Bake in a 400 to 425 degree Fahrenheit oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is done (pieces with bone will take longer).

Serve hot with a fresh salad or other sides of your choice.

This recipe will do two to three batches of breasts for us (about 6 large breasts). I store in an air tight bag in the cupboard and I've yet to have it stale, however, we eat chicken at least once a week and would guess I use it up in about 2 months.

Menu Plan Monday - Cooking Blues Solutions?

I like to cook and I enjoy my time in the kitchen but sometimes, the idea that I will cook more than 1000 more dinners until I die can be a little much to take... Mostly because I get tired of thinking of things to make and although I enjoy new meals, I like to try and fit meals into my plan that are quick and easy and don't often require too many 'special' ingredients. I like to keep costs low and tastes high.

How do you keep your menu plan interesting and diverse? I like to include plenty of vegetable servings with dinner and keep it nutritionally balanced but I struggle... This week, I'm trying something different - although I had developed my Menu Planning Program, I was finding it less than stellar because I had to scroll from a laundry list of recipes which allowed me the option to get too picky and give up before I got started.

As I was perusing the local university bookstore, I came across an index binder
Courtesy of Amazon.com and as part of my participation in the 52 Week Organizing Project with Laura at the Orgjunkie.com. one of my 'to do' items is to do something with my recipes... Although I did manage to binderize them a couple years ago, the binder was too small and now it's over flowing!

But when I saw that index card binder, I thought it would be a perfect solution to my recipe problem. I have packages and packages of index cards (which I'll now admit, I can't find) but I saw this and thought it was the perfect solution... Except that still means I need to type up all my recipes (which I started in 2009 but have yet to finish) and print them and since this plan didn't materialize after my first attempt, the likelihood of me completing it this time was also slim.

But it planted a seed of how to ease my menu planning doldrums! But for this week, I'm back to scratching my head trying to come up with something (since I fell off my usual monthly planning) for this week. At least I've only got 1057 more dinners to plan!

July 25 to 31

Monday TroubleMaker's first "sleepover" - my husband and I doing a "YOYO" or a "Choose your own adventure" night!
Tuesday Brown Sugar Meatloaf
Wednesday Chicken Parmigiana
Thursday Blue Ribbon Chili with Cornbread muffins
Friday Pizza Pops (handmade - recipe review to follow)
Saturday Nachos
Sunday Chicken and Alfredo Broccoli

Thank you for stopping by and check out Menu Plan Monday for more meal planning ideas!

52 Weeks of Organizing: An Amazing Accomplishment!

This weekend, I. No.

This past weekend, we accomplished something I didn't really think was possible. We accomplished the impossible.

First, it was a team effort. I could not have done any of the work if it hadn't been for my wonderful son and my amazing husband. Everyone was involved.



This was my husband's office. This is the area that will be opened up to the rest of the family room. The picture above is of my husband going through 20 years of filing. Tax records dating back to 1990. Instruction manuals for tools that have not been in his possession for nearly 20 years. Every certificate our dog has earned in his 11 years (which always makes people ask why he is so unobedient if he's been so well trained). The receipt for my sewing machine (it was a gift from him in 1999). There was more - lots more.



There are three more full garbage/recycling bags to go out next week. Plus we've got two large boxes (and an armful) of items to be posted on our local Earthcycle group. Did I mention that I haven't actually gone through my stuff yet? That will happen after the renovation and I know just how much space I've got left.

I also believe we've got the only three year old who understands the importance of 'shredding the evidence'. ;) I'm not sure, but could this be proof of his future as a politician?



No one was harmed during the cleaning of this space. The dog couldn't find a place to lay down and the cat decided it was safer upstairs and we only lost TroubleMaker in the piles once.



I enacted Laura's PROCESS. It just so happened I had so much stuff that I literally buried the rest of the family room under my mountains of stuff. I actually exclaimed to my husband "Can you imagine if I was a real hoarder and our whole house looked like this!"

There was only a very narrow path to the laundry room and the stairs leading up to the main floor.



You can ask my husband why there is a toboggan in the middle of that picture... Since it arrived in the mail last November, it has been in my office. I'm not really sure why but since there is was so many things piled in my space, I honestly didn't realize there was a toboggan in there until we started emptying the room.

After almost an entire morning, we did something I thought was not possible. I had no idea it could be done and I'm still surprised when I looked at the pictures. We did it. We actually did it...



Just in case you don't remember just what this space looked like when I started it... Here is a refresher...




I also just realized I never took a picture of the third angle. It was SO bad that even I felt I had to hide my shame!

Can you believe the change?



I know, I know... You're wondering if the rest of the family room still looks like an episode of the Hoarders... I am proud to report it does not. I absolutely refused to stop working on the Saturday until we could find places to sit. Because we are going to be taking down walls, all of my stuff has been packed into boxes and bins and it stacked in the back corner of the room that's coming down. I will cover it with drop cloths and start the demolition this coming weekend.

By Sunday afternoon, my husband was set back up in his "new" office space and continued purging his files. He went from a four drawer vertical file to a two drawer file cabinet! He's got enough space in his new digs for a reading nook and a third desk! We'll be putting the finishing touches on his space next week.

I'm not sure how I top this week's project. I am so proud of me and my boys - this was an enormous undertaking and means significant change for our entire house. Because my studio will be open to the family room, it necessitates me to pare down my mini-craft/design store to a reasonable collection and also will force me to work and live more organized! Thanks to the PROCESS, we were able to effectively empty two spaces, purge, purge, purge and then put it all back together again in a way that will work for our family!

Although I'm not really sure where the toboggan went... Probably to the same place the pair of eyeglasses I had to return... If you see them, please call...

To see more super work and for more information about Laura's PROCESS, check out the Org Junkie's 52 Weeks of Organizing!

52 Week Challenge: Week 25 - RVing made easier! The Power of a List

I know I said I wasn't going to post this week, however, it occurred to me on the drive home from my Mom's last weekend, that I needed to get my act together regarding our upcoming vacation. I have six days before we leave - and I work five of those days and I'm meeting with a client one night this week so that leaves me Sunday to get it together...

I like lists. I love making lists, I love following lists, I love striking things off my lists. I'm a list-o-holic and I get it from my Mother. She likes lists too. She is probably the only person I know who itemizes her dinner lists so she doesn't forget to serve anything. We were at her house today for a Father's Day barbecue. She had a list - and as she got everything out, she checked it off. It was awesome and just a little inspiring!

How do I prepare for this? I make lists. Lists for what clothing we need, toiletries, food, activities, regular gear, things we need to get, toys, books, crafts, staples. There are lots of lists to be made and a bit of shopping we need to do. I have to (well, I don't have to but I do) bake for the trip - cookies are a must, granola bars, snack mix, trail mix, dog treats...

I don't have a fancy template for my lists and they aren't necessary organized in any particular fashion but I know, without a doubt, that I couldn't plan a successful trip without a list. Even the trip to my Mother's, which I've made a 1000 times, is generally done with a list... Especially if it is an overnight trip! We dared the turn-around trip without a list... And guess what?

We forgot our fur-son's food!

So, how do you organize? Are you a list junkie like me? Do you wing it?

This week, I decided to ORGANIZE my lists - what a good idea, I say! I pack the same things all the time - so why not create a master set of lists to use to make my life easier...

This week, I'm going to share with you two of my lists. The first is an RV Checklist - we have a motorhome and although it is essentially a duplicate of my bricks & sticks kitchen, I feel more secure knowing that I've double checked all the essentials before I leave. I also know the other list I can't live without is my clothing/activities list.

I've created both in a handy-pdf for everyone to download an enjoy and use to make your next trip a little more organized! Please note, the preview looks a little weird, when you open it, it is better but I'll need to revise the font type.
RV Checklist_Basic Inventory



Of course, these aren't exhaustive lists and I've already thought of 4 other things to add to the RV list (walkie talkies, matches, barbecue lighter & tongs) but it's a start and oh-so-pretty!

Clothing Checklists

Do you have a list? Are you a list keeper? Do tell and share what works for you! I'm linking up this week to the Org Junkie's 52 Week of Organizing. Thanks for stopping by and come back soon!

52 Week Challenge: Week 24 - back into the trenches

Well, I am proud to report that this week, I made more progress in my office. And how apropos with Laura at the Org Junkie busting us this week with our unfinished tasks!

With the We-Design-Day project behind schedule, I had to get back into my office so we can move it out and and move my husband into my space and try to get the project back on track. I opened my office door and felt completely overwhelmed. Where would I start? Sure my white sheeting idea worked for Phase One, but now the area I'd tacked in Week 19 was done and the rest of the room was covered up...

Remember my before?



I was SO proud of what I accomplished.

Until I walked back in two weeks later.



I did what, where? I left the office, went and got a gummy dinosaur and then went back in. I still didn't know where to start but I thought "Ok, self... TroubleMaker is at the neighbours, husband is out with a friend... I should go have a shower and do my toenails. No one would blame me - taking a little 'me' time - sure, that's what I need... me time... Forget organizing, I need to recharge."

The thought was promptly followed with me getting to work (so world, please forgive my naked toes). I piled, I moved, I tossed in my boxes. I folded and sorted and cursed my love of fabric. I wished I wasn't messy and disorganized and I even wished for a bulldozer to mistakenly take down my house so I wouldn't have to deal with all the junk I have. No, not really the last one but I did mention to my husband that I was getting pretty close to being featured on "The Hoarders"... Additionally, if I had saved all the money I've spent on stuff I've never used, I'd have a lot of money... Wouldn't we all???

But I kept working and an hour later, I had a floor... Did you know that room had carpet? I'd almost forgotten!



The other thing I'd forgotten was that I've been down this road before... Can you see the three boxes stacked just behind the white table in that picture?? Do you want to know what is in them? Me too. I packed them up more than four years ago (it could even be five) in a previous (failed) attempt of cleaning up my space so I'd have more studio space to sew all the things for the baby we were going to have...

I feel a little more focused - getting through more in my space really helped me to feel like I'm in control and back on track. I also did a lot of reading last week and seeing that I'm not the only one struggling with these tasks did a lot to bolster my confidence!

I'll also be taking a blogging hiatus - we are leaving on our family vacation next Friday so I won't be able to post... If I get to a cafe, I'll post a few pictures but until early July, my 52 Weeks of Organizing will be on hold... But do check out all the others playing along! Thanks for stopping by and we'll see you again soon!

52 Week Challenge: Week 22 & 23!

This week, Laura proposed that every home needs a “command centre”. I myself had been thinking about this very thing. Last year, we implemented a family calendar – which has been an amazing addition to keeping our lives on track! Although previously, we had been digital, it didn’t always work because:

1. We’d forget appointments

2. We’d forget to invite each other so it would show in the others calendar

3. No access when the computers weren’t on

So we use “THIS” family calendar and it’s good. It’s got lots of room to write and it fits perfectly on our broom closet door (which is adjacent to the kitchen). We keep a pencil clipped to it and all appointments, meetings, classes, get-togethers, play dates and days off work get written on it. It is the bomb! My only wish is that we could amalgamate it with our phone desk. Although the phone desk doesn’t get used as a desk (remember week xx?) I like the idea of pens, note papers, address books, phone books and other implements of a good command centre all is in one place! However, until we get there, our Family Calendar keeps us organized and on track!

For my organizing chore (really, it is a chore for me – one I don’t mind, but all of it seems so laborious – thirty some odd years of disorganization will do that to a person) I’m working again on my magazines. In theory, I’ve did this last week too. I did the big box from my Mom but I still had five magazine holders of my own to do.



As I mentioned here, the session I attended with the professional organizer, stated that most people misuse magazine holders. They are not to be for long term storage – one should look through their magazines and pull out the pertinent sections. Only those should be filed in the holder. The rest of the magazine can be recycled. I thought this was sound advice.

Last Sunday, I went to the stationary store and purchased page protectors, a large binder and reusable dividers. Tonight, I finished going through the last of the holders. It's taken two weeks - working a couple hours each night - and I even went through some of the ones I did initially in Week 20 and got rid of a few more pages I thought I would keep! I am getting rid of over 100 hundred magazines and about 10 craft books. It was a tough choice to get rid of the books but most of them date back 5 or 6 years and I haven't opened them since they arrived in the mail!



I'm really working on letting go of stuff. It is stuff. It brings no happiness, joy or even use. It takes up space and reminds me of all the things I've not done (that I wanted to). But there are so many things (like making Barbie furniture out of plastic canvas) that even if I did make, I'd have no use for. My niece is getting older and the dinosaurs my son plays with don't have bendable knees to sit on furniture! Furthermore, I want to spend the time I do have (for crafting - if I ever get the basement renovation completed) doing the stuff I love!



Each week it's getting easier to let go - I just wish I had more time (and energy) to devote to it! The picture above is what I'm passing on... Sure, there might be crafts I'd like to try in those pages, but the reality is, I don't have to do the things I love - when would I find time to do the ones I might like to try???

Thank you for stopping by and to see more inspiration and great ideas, check out all of us playing along with the 52 Weeks of Organizing!

52 Week Organizing Challenge: Week 21 - The Outdoor Organizing Project

There are lots of things on my list of things to organize. Some are big... Ok, most are big but every so often something creeps up and says "ORGANIZE ME!"

That is what happened this week. My original intent was to get back into my office and do some more cleaning an purging, however, it is the end of May and we are most likely free from frost and snow. So it means GARDENING season is upon us! I'll add now that there is a frost warning tonight. GRRR!!!! My poor tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, marigolds, petunias and gerbera daisies!!!!

How does one organize a garden? Well, you see... I'm botanically challenged - and before you Google it, it is a real affliction. ;) My green thumb is green enough but I often have a hard time differentiating weeds and plants. Case in point - our gardens. When we moved in, the former owners had mad gardening skills. They had the side garden all decked out in shrubs and colour. We quickly dug up many of the plants, mistaking them for weeds...

the pretty German Statice I dug up by accident during year two

We added a few, killed a few more but mostly, it's just overrun with dandelions and weed-like plants such as Yarrow, Lamb's Ear and the rogue poppies and sunflowers that grow like weeds (such as wild onions and dill) in this neighbourhood.

Poppies - grow like weeds

This year, I've had enough. With my full time job, blogging, crafting and home renovation projects, something had to go. So I chose flower bed. I spent this weekend on a backyard mission to tidy, purge and organize the yard into a user friendly, attractive, kid friendly place that I can sit and enjoy once and while instead of spending every weekend morning weeding, thinning and filling bag after bag with weeds.

The East garden was simple enough. It's the one I've done the most damage too over the years. What remains are day lilies, tiger lilies, hyacinth, tulips, some weird tulip like plant with teeny little flowers and the very hardy Nanking Cherry tree I got as a Mother's Day gift from my niece, sister and brother in law. I also added some Hens & chicks a couple years ago that took over... I thinned those last year only to see they had babies... Like 100 babies!

So I pulled up all the new edging I pounded in last year, encircled the plants I want to keep (there were six) and that's it. We're digging up the weeds and planting grass. I then hope to get add a couple of fence mounted flower baskets for colour.

I planted four pots of flowers and decided to overhaul our patio. Every thing came off, I washed it (yes, I actually washed paving stones) and then reorganized everything! It looks amazing! I finally feel like we are starting to make our house ours!

I didn't take any before pictures... Too much to do and no camera handy! And I don't have any 'after pictures' either... I know - after Laura suggested always taking pictures to make your story pop and have it be an inspiration! But I figure since the 'finished' project isn't exactly finished, once I get the grass in, I'll update!

Thanks for popping by and I hope you think 'out of the ordinary' for one of your upcoming projects - gardens, like drawers and clsoets, need our love too!

For more great inspiration, check out all of us participating in the 52 Week Challenge at the Organizing Junkie's site!

52 Week Challenge: Week 20 - Sort, tear and purge (Magazine Challenge)

After the success I had last week cleaning up part of my office, I decided to do a simple task this week that would help me pare down some of the items needing to be stored in my new space. Some time back, while I was with my Mom who was purging and cleaning her stuff, I took a box of craft books and magazines. I'm an avid crafter and sewer and I love pouring through magazines for inspiration, ideas and new techniques.

The problem is, I look at them, get inspired and then put them away because I never really have time (or space - did you see my studio - where would I work?!) - "One day" I always think - when I'm retired, on holidays, a weekend... But one day never comes - and often when I do get a chance, I forget what I wanted to do!

Another tip I got from the organizing seminar was that one shouldn't keep more than one magazine holder (meaning one of these) full of magazines. Use the "one in, one out" rule when it gets full or better yet, try this approach - which is what I decided to do with the box of magazines from my Mom...

Sit down (I did it in front of the TV a la Laura) and go through the magazine page by page. When you come to an idea or piece you want to keep, tear it out! Then you can sort them all in page protectors and clip those in a three ring binder!

I know - it's such a simple thing and so obvious... But I come from a long line of "Do not harm the book/magazine/newspaper" people (and I married the ultimate preserver of written word). We do not deface the written word... Ever. No dog earred pages, no broken spines and the newspaper shall be put back together with all the sheets matched - not one can be out of place...

It was difficult and odd and went against everything I knew to be right and true. And when I found the first thing I wanted to keep, I'm quite certain my husband died a little as he heard the 'thrrrrruuuuuuuupppppp' as carefully tore the page from the non-creased, still intact craft magazine from 1996.



But you know what? By the third thing I tore out, it seemed natural and OK. I was conserving the best part and the pages and pages of advertising will no longer interfere with my ability to read the instructions! I also found that my tastes have changed drastically in the past fifteen years... Things I once thought were 'too cute' for words are now tacky and "OMG! I can't BELIEVE I ever liked that!" It's liberating too - it's an odd sort of freedom getting out from under a stack of paper. I get to keep what I want - just what I want... Hmmmm...

I shared this gem with my husband (remember the thousands of mags hidden away in our laundry room) - but he insists he cannot do that. Ever. You see, his magazines are informative and education and research material and he couldn't just keep bits and pieces because he never knows what he may look back for to practice or a specific technique.

But, friends, I had a counter argument for him.

90% of what we read we need is available online. For free. Repeatedly. So, in theory, he could purge through and keep those he felt were important and simply Google the rest of the things he wants to know!

Sounds simple doesn't it?!

For more great organizing tips and check out the journeys of all those participating in the 52 Week Challenge! Thanks for stopping by and we'll see you again next week!

52 Week Challenge: Exposing yourself (and the skeleton in the closet)

Each week, I really enjoy surfing all the blogs of those participating in the Organizing Junkie's 52 Week Challenge. I'm always amazed to see that there are so many people who are continually overcome by their stuff and, like me, are working on getting out from under it all!

For Week 19, I had to call in extra resources... See, I know myself too well and I know there are several good words that describe me: creative, fun, silly, kind, passionate, dedicated. But there are others too - like scatterbrained and disorganized. I don't like those words. Sure, I always joke about my piles and my chaotic filing system and I've purchased something twice forgetting that I had already purchased one but couldn't find it when I needed it (ask me how many large sized bias tape makers I have).

I want to be organized and I want my world to fall neatly into line and stay there for more than five minutes!

Participating in the 52 Week Challenge has made me see a few things. First, I like to think I thrive with chaos around me. I've learned that I'm (more often than not) out of control because my environment is out of control.

It's like the old saying 'contempt breeds contempt' - chaos breeds chaos and one does not thrive: one adapts and learns to exist and survive in the world they created around them. To do anything less would be tantamount to admitting defeat.



I am defeated.

I've also learned that my stuff bordered on hoarding. I'm fairly certain that my entire house would like like my office (if I lived alone). I would just keep piling more and more stuff until I couldn't dig my way out with a forklift!

BUT noticed I said "bordered" - not "borders".

Sometime in the past three or four years I quit buying stuff (mostly). But generally speaking, I'm getting better. I realized that those things do not make me happier or feel better nor do they add any value to my life. But I've spent over 12 years getting everything I have because I really tied my sense of happiness and well being to my possessions. I became so overwhelmed that I just stopped dealing with it. I've moved things around and re stacked the piles but I've never really dealt with all the issues tied to it, in part because I don't know where to start.

This week, I had the opportunity to attend an Organizing seminar with a local professional organizer. I've gathered information from the wonderful online communities and I think hearing it in person helped it click. I've also gone back and read many of Laura's older posts (I easily succumb to obsession).

Quite simply, my office, as it exists now, is more than I can do.



So, armed with a little knowledge (enough to be a little dangerous, anyway) I set out to use the PROCESS and a couple of the tricks from the seminar.

First, I really took a look at Laura's PROCESS. We are renovating the basement, I've spent many hours looking and planning (storage) solutions to my sewing and design studio clutter problem. I've pictured a place for everything and room to grow. I also decided know that I could not possibly keep everything I have and fit it into the new space.

North Elevation

West Elevation



This is what I've allowed myself for storage. The nearly 250 metres of fabric, the hundreds of spools of thread, miles of ribbon, cutting rulers, pins, books, magazines (don't ask me about my button collection) has just this much space to exist in along with the crochet supplies, scrabooking stuff, clay modeling and acrylic painting supplies. No storage solution would allow me to keep everything and keep it even a little organized. Trust me, I tried and tried to get everything to fit but I do believe it would be physically impossible for me to squish the current 160 sq ft of clutter and stuff into 14' feet by 18" deep space I will have. Did I mention I also do interior design jobs on the side so I have a sample library too (of paint chips, product guides and laminate samples)?

So, I planned. Then I 'removed' my stuff from the space - well, sort of. The room is adjacent to our main living space so there is no way I could dump put everything out there. Some of the big stuff is in the living room - at least the huge stuff that I can't contend with. As my husband said, I need space to work at the clutter!

And this is where I began to employ some of the tips I learned at the seminar.

First, remember I said I didn't know where to start? Well, this week I learned about "White sheeting" and not biting off more than I can chew. I knew from the get-go my office was going to be a struggle so the White sheeting idea seemed a good one. I used two table clothes to 'hide' part of my room.

This allowed me to focus on one, small manageable piece of the room. Then I applied "containerize" - but not in the typical way. I got boxes and labeled them "Keep" and "Give-away". I also had a garbage bag and a blue bag (for recycling). Then I set to work and I was ruthless.


The Purge Pile


The Undecided Pile

And I know it doesn't look like much, but it is a huge start for me and combining the two helpful techniques allowed me to positively focus on one area as well as allowing me to see instant results.



And although I did not find any Mom jeans or medication older than 2002, I did find three large sized bias tape makers, 17 garbage CD's (old software - I was keeping for a craft), several floppy discs and the notebook I kept when I had my back surgery in 2003 - in which I document every detail of the surgery and resulting complications... And I only did 1/4 of the room...

I have Freecycled all my old design resource guides and paint fan decks, 18 gift bags (I have a dozen still saved for my own use) and I have two - two cubic foot boxes filled with craft items to be played forward. I also have about 70 bottles of acrylic paint I'll be passing on to my Painting Princess of a Sister!

It was a good week and very rewarding for me to see actual progress!

The Things That Keep you Awake at night...

Ok. I'm an insomniac - I have been for as long as I can remember. I do sleep but if my mind starts to work, there is no shutting it off until I get the idea that's keeping me awake out of my head.

First, I'm behind in my 52 Weeks of Organizing. Second, the wind has been banging everything around at night and I don't like it. Third, I want a pond and fish and a nicely landscaped yard. Fourth, I can't have a pond because my husband pointed out some problems: first, the neighbour has 8 cats second: we have a child third: I have to be responsible for it. Fifth, I've got a lot of stuff. Sixth, as much as I want a new house (my friend is placing an offer tomorrow on a brand new build) with everything brand new inside, I can't justify the cost of a new house. Less house, less yard (then we have now) and MORE money. Seventh - which is the real reason I'm awake - we've decided (sort of, maybe, kind of) to improve our house and make it ours.

Which has my brain working in 1000% overdrive. A new look inside and out. It's totally overwhelming to think that I/we can make changes to our home... It's been our home for seven years and now we might be really making it our home and I can't sleep... What colours will I chose? We will change the facade? Will it be too cramped with the conversion of the main floor for the studio?! It's all swirling away in my head and just keeping me up.

And don't get me going on the landscaping... I'm not much of a gardener - I don't have time to spend hours pulling weeks and watering stuff. Tonight we decided to seed lawn in the front part of the East (flower) beds that we dug up a few years ago. This got me toying with the idea of doing the same with the remainder of the East bed. Then I could get hanging baskets and small planters to do flowers in. I could then transplant the few plans we have (that I like) into an expanded West bed just off the patio. Then I wouldn't have the maintenance of such a large flower bed and I could do hits of colour with nice baskets or planters. And do not get me going on the front yard...

I better stop there or I will get no sleep tonight. It's going to be hard enough to shut the brain down from trying to figure out how to make our 1981 bungalow not have the frontage of a typical infill house... And being we have to re-roof this year, i have to make sure I have it moderately planned so the colour of the new shingles will 'go with' my eventual plan for the rest of the exterior renovation.

On second thought... Maybe we should just find a new house!

52 Week Challenge: Week 18 - The Recap

Well, it's been an interesting and very busy couple of weeks at my home. I will be the first to admit I've suffered a bit of slackeritis. I also had a commitment to sew some lovely little coats for super talented papillion that will be representing Canada in the World Open Agility trials taking place in England next week!


I am getting back on track this week but have been knocked back by a flare of my Rheumatoid Arthritis. It has left me exhausted, sore and kind of crabby. The next bit will be yucky as I will be starting a round of steroids and likely trying a new course of treatment that I'm not looking forward too at all... So today - this week - is about regrouping and regaining some control.

I lamented to my husband (who, I might add, agreed too heartily) that many of the spaces I'd organized over the past 17 weeks have once again nearly returned to their former cluttered state. The Cupboard of Doom needs a refresh, TroubleMaker's Dresser has had a three year old pulling out 17 shirts and 8 pairs of pants every morning in an attempt to get an outfit that "matches" (because what I pick apparently doesn't match), our dresser looked almost as bad as before and the computer and it's companion cart were once again cluttered with junk and I didn't help matters by stuffing some random stuff in the drawers while tidying this morning.

But I decided instead of trying to attempt an entirely new project, I'd go back over and give a bit of a tidy over the stuff I've done the past 16 weeks. It was rewarding to straighten up - it didn't take as long as I thought and although I didn't get back to every thing I have done, I did make a nice dent and it was easy enough to tackle with my somewhat limited mobility.

This week, Laura asked three questions for the participants of the 52 Week Challenge to answer.

Questions to ponder:
1. Do you sometimes use limited funds as an excuse not to get organized?

2. What’s on your list to organize this week?

3. What one task do you notice yourself continually putting off? Why do you think that is?

Well... These got me thinking. Although I do not use my limited funds to excuse my lack of organization, I do often think that if I had more money, I could buy things that would make it easier for me to be more organized. In my past, I have often purchased 'organizational devices' in hopes that they would aid me in keeping my paper and such organized. They have not. Most often, I don't even end up taking the 'device' out of the box! So although I do often daydream about fancy holders and baskets and racks, I know and understand that until I learn to keep myself more organized, no device - regardless of how awesome - will not make me more organized.

This week, I need to start tackling the one place that scares me deeply and that I keep putting off... My sewing studio. I've spend months planning a renovation to our basement. I'm nearly finished the planning but in order for anything to start, I have to pack up my room... No, not pack. I must apply Laura's PROCESS.

Thankfully, my "skills" of being an interior designer have really helped me - for months with my "We-Design-Day" articles, I've been researching what may/will work for my much needed storage solution for my craft and sewing supplies. This will allow me to store things where I can see them and access them but it will also 'make me' pare down my excessive collection.

The pictures below are only a small representation of the problem I'm trying to solve... But I'm on my way - I just have to get in there and start!



I've got a plan and now, I just have to start going through the piles and containers and allow myself the time to say 'goodbye' to everything... Which I think will be the hardest...

Wish me luck... I'm going in... Please send a search party if you don't hear from me!