Happy St. Patrick's Day!
I know it's not a super huge holiday, but it's fun. I put up just a few touches of decor around our common living areas that I'd like to share. If I was on the ball, I would have shared this post a week or two ago to inspire you. Alas, I am quite the procrastinator. {I like to think most creative people are.} Hope this inspires you for next year!
Clutter | Does it ever end?
A very common topic that comes up when I am speaking with others about home decor and organization is clutter control. No matter how hard we try, it seems to never fully go away. I admit that I am constantly working on getting rid of clutter in my own home and it is still always there. I've just gotten good at hiding it.
Last year, I embarked on a decluttering adventure beginning in January. I documented my experiences, including before and after pictures all the way through April. I quit documenting the decluttering process only because taking the pictures, editing them and typing up a post each week was very time consuming. The actual decluttering was not. It was a very simple process and one I'd recommend again in a heartbeat. If you struggle in this area, go visit Beth at My Simpler Life right now. She has an awesome decluttering calendar that breaks it down week by week. I've said this before and I stand behind it 100% today, it is extremely difficult to have a comfortable, pretty and functional home when it is consumed with clutter. I say it in love, but it is true.
My number one tip on keeping clutter under control is to recycle, donate, throw away, get rid of stuff you do not use or need! I admit because we move every 1 to 3 years, I am forced to do this much more often than the average person. I grew up as a packrat, but I have absolutely zero qualms about getting rid of things anymore.
If you don't need it, don't even bring it in the house. Don't accept free samples, gifts, leftover craft supplies, etc. I am extremely tempted by these things. But you know what happens when I do bring home those free samples, leftover craft supplies, or things other people are getting rid of? They sit in my bathroom drawer unused or in a box on the top shelf of our school closet or worse.... they create clutter in my home. I don't need that and you don't either. Just say no to free stuff!! (Unless you will really, truly use it.)
Bring one in, take one out. Better yet, bring one in, take TWO out. This goes for clothing, toys, shoes, dishes, appliances, etc. We let Christmas win this year, but I still very much intend to get this done by the end of January. For every toy my kids received, we will be donating at LEAST one. (hopefully more) We weed through the kids' clothing regularly and send outgrown items to family members or to the thrift shop. I used to save it just in case, but I no longer do that. I do keep a few very sentimental pieces of clothing that belonged to my children, but certainly not everything. * One exception to this would be if you have the space and you know without a doubt there will be a sibling coming up that could use this clothes, go ahead and store it away. I am all for saving money!
So there are my top three tips for cutting back clutter. It isn't easy and it's not always fun, but the result is so, so worth it. Having a clutter free home creates serenity and a place of refuge from our otherwise chaotic life. Take the time to invest in the peace of your family!
Last year, I embarked on a decluttering adventure beginning in January. I documented my experiences, including before and after pictures all the way through April. I quit documenting the decluttering process only because taking the pictures, editing them and typing up a post each week was very time consuming. The actual decluttering was not. It was a very simple process and one I'd recommend again in a heartbeat. If you struggle in this area, go visit Beth at My Simpler Life right now. She has an awesome decluttering calendar that breaks it down week by week. I've said this before and I stand behind it 100% today, it is extremely difficult to have a comfortable, pretty and functional home when it is consumed with clutter. I say it in love, but it is true.
My number one tip on keeping clutter under control is to recycle, donate, throw away, get rid of stuff you do not use or need! I admit because we move every 1 to 3 years, I am forced to do this much more often than the average person. I grew up as a packrat, but I have absolutely zero qualms about getting rid of things anymore.
If you don't need it, don't even bring it in the house. Don't accept free samples, gifts, leftover craft supplies, etc. I am extremely tempted by these things. But you know what happens when I do bring home those free samples, leftover craft supplies, or things other people are getting rid of? They sit in my bathroom drawer unused or in a box on the top shelf of our school closet or worse.... they create clutter in my home. I don't need that and you don't either. Just say no to free stuff!! (Unless you will really, truly use it.)
Bring one in, take one out. Better yet, bring one in, take TWO out. This goes for clothing, toys, shoes, dishes, appliances, etc. We let Christmas win this year, but I still very much intend to get this done by the end of January. For every toy my kids received, we will be donating at LEAST one. (hopefully more) We weed through the kids' clothing regularly and send outgrown items to family members or to the thrift shop. I used to save it just in case, but I no longer do that. I do keep a few very sentimental pieces of clothing that belonged to my children, but certainly not everything. * One exception to this would be if you have the space and you know without a doubt there will be a sibling coming up that could use this clothes, go ahead and store it away. I am all for saving money!
So there are my top three tips for cutting back clutter. It isn't easy and it's not always fun, but the result is so, so worth it. Having a clutter free home creates serenity and a place of refuge from our otherwise chaotic life. Take the time to invest in the peace of your family!
The makings of a boy's room.
Once upon a time, I posted a picture on Facebook of my daughter studying in her bed. It was meant to tell the story of how peaceful and quiet our home was for all of those five minutes. Instead, it got quite a response from friends about the decor of her room. One response {from my sister}, lovingly stated, "I bet you can't make your little boy's room that beautiful." While it was in jest, I took this challenge head on. My son's room was already cute enough, but it wasn't quite exactly how I envisioned it. Some changes needed to be made, so I got to work..... slowly. Did I mention the photo and comment were posted on April 11? So, six months later, here I am.
Over the next few days, I am going to share with you what I think are key elements of a child's room. Of course, this is just my opinion. But I do hope you find these posts useful or at the very least, entertaining.
Seasonal Decor | It's not too early to decorate for Autumn... Is it?
Well, after quite the sabbatical, I am back to sharing my passion for home decor. I made it a goal for our family to have "The Best Summer Ever" this year, so I've been busy having fun.... and sweating... a lot. {Did you know there is NO AIR CONDITIONING in Germany?!} Despite living in a sauna, we have managed to cross off most of the items on our Summer Manifesto. We still need to do the Alpine slide (hopefully this weekend!) and the Barfußpfad (maybe next weekend?), but we've had a fabulous summer so far.
As much as I have enjoyed sharing smiles and laughter with my precious family, I am anxiously awaiting Autumn. Oh, Autumn, you make my heart sing. To me, there is absolutely no better season. Maybe now you can understand why living in Rhode Island was a dream come true for me. I still hope and pray to move back there one day. {Though anywhere in New England will certainly suffice!}
I have to pull myself back into reality and we are no longer living in New England. We are so blessed to be enjoying Europe and the fall here is rather splendid. I adore the weather and the ever changing foliage. It is stunning, really.
Whether you are fortunate to be living in cooler climates or happy to be in warmer locations, there are many simple ways to embrace the season of fall. I'd like to share a few of my favorite ways to celebrate the season.
Candles: This one is huge in our house. Everyone in the family gets excited about yummy smelling candles. Our favorites for fall all come from Yankee Candle: Farmer's Market, Harvest, and Red Apple Wreath. These candles can be found at Bed, Bath and Beyond, at the Exchange (lucky me!) or from Yankee Candle directly.
Pumpkins: Seriously. Everywhere. I love them. As you all know, I am in a seriously white phase right now, so I will absolutely be on the hunt for as many Cinderella pumpkins as I can find. I am dreaming of miniature Cinderellas lining my windowsills. *Ahh*
Of course, you don't have to put pumpkins on your windowsills. Oh, and yours don't have to be white either. Actually, they don't even have to be real! Some of my favorite pumpkins are wicker from Hobby Lobby. I even have pumpkin shaped bowls, plates and a little jute basket. Find your favorite pumpkins and put them all over your house! Use them as centerpieces on your table. Line them up on your bathroom counters. Stick a few on your entry table. You can never have too many!
Guest Towels: These can be easy and inexpensive. I have always found cute fingertip towels for every season at Target. Also be sure to check TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Home Goods for great deals!
Handsoap: It's a little touch that makes a big impression. Check out Bath and Body Works for some fun options! {My favorite is Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin} I've also found great fall scented handsoap at Home Goods and TJ Maxx.
Cozy Throws: This can be anything that fits your current home decor scheme. I happen to love this one from IKEA right now. I think black and white stripes is right on par for fall and nicely ties in with the rest of our family room.
Pillows: I personally change out the throw pillows on the bench in front of our apartment door. Right now there are some very cute pillows on Etsy. My favorites are the feedsack pillows.
Mums & Pansies: Of course! These are so super cheap and crazy easy to keep up. Trust me, I have a black thumb! Grab a few pansy plants, throw them in some galvanized buckets and call it a day!
No matter where you live though, you can happily pull out that fall decor and make your home feel warm, cozy and happy. Light the cinnamon candles, put the pumpkin bread in the oven and give me a call when it's ready!
As much as I have enjoyed sharing smiles and laughter with my precious family, I am anxiously awaiting Autumn. Oh, Autumn, you make my heart sing. To me, there is absolutely no better season. Maybe now you can understand why living in Rhode Island was a dream come true for me. I still hope and pray to move back there one day. {Though anywhere in New England will certainly suffice!}
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| Loving fall in front of our RI home.
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| Salzburg, Austria in October, 2010 |
Candles: This one is huge in our house. Everyone in the family gets excited about yummy smelling candles. Our favorites for fall all come from Yankee Candle: Farmer's Market, Harvest, and Red Apple Wreath. These candles can be found at Bed, Bath and Beyond, at the Exchange (lucky me!) or from Yankee Candle directly.
Of course, you don't have to put pumpkins on your windowsills. Oh, and yours don't have to be white either. Actually, they don't even have to be real! Some of my favorite pumpkins are wicker from Hobby Lobby. I even have pumpkin shaped bowls, plates and a little jute basket. Find your favorite pumpkins and put them all over your house! Use them as centerpieces on your table. Line them up on your bathroom counters. Stick a few on your entry table. You can never have too many!
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| Dreamy photo courtesy of Habitually Chic |
Handsoap: It's a little touch that makes a big impression. Check out Bath and Body Works for some fun options! {My favorite is Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin} I've also found great fall scented handsoap at Home Goods and TJ Maxx.
Cozy Throws: This can be anything that fits your current home decor scheme. I happen to love this one from IKEA right now. I think black and white stripes is right on par for fall and nicely ties in with the rest of our family room.
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| IKEA Eivor Throw |
Pillows: I personally change out the throw pillows on the bench in front of our apartment door. Right now there are some very cute pillows on Etsy. My favorites are the feedsack pillows.
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| Lovely pillow from Vintage Designs Reborn |
Mums & Pansies: Of course! These are so super cheap and crazy easy to keep up. Trust me, I have a black thumb! Grab a few pansy plants, throw them in some galvanized buckets and call it a day!
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| Gorgeous white pansy photo from 52 Flea |
No matter where you live though, you can happily pull out that fall decor and make your home feel warm, cozy and happy. Light the cinnamon candles, put the pumpkin bread in the oven and give me a call when it's ready!
Making a Temporary House a Home | Fresh Flowers
I love fresh flowers. They have a way of turning a ho-hum day into something special. When I wake up very early in the morning and sit at the table to feed Sam, I currently see these beautiful ranunculus we picked up at the Stuttgart Market on Saturday. They just add a little something extra. I got one bunch for €7,50. This really isn't a bad price considering how many buds there are on here just waiting to open up!
My girls begged for tulips. At €4 a bunch, how could I possibly turn them down? I also want them to have those special little things in their lives whenever possible. They have some in their rooms, but I also get to look at these while I scrub pots and pans.
Also added to my collection this weekend were these lovely narcissus bulbs. Seriously, does anything scream spring more than this? I received these as a party favor at a baby shower. What a fantastic idea! We have enjoyed watching them sprout and bloom quite quickly!
Fresh flowers are an easy, inexpensive way to add a little something extra to your home. They don't have to be complicated or expensive or perfectly arranged. One of the best places I've found fresh flowers at is the local farmers' market. They are all over the world. I am sure there is one near you, too! In the States, I found extremely reasonably priced flowers at Sam's Club. My favorite were alstroemeria. I could get two bunches for less than $10 and they'd last two weeks! Also, try to stick with what's in season at the time. They will be much cheaper and easier to come by. Finally, don't overlook your own backyard. What types of flowers do you have sprouting right now? Cut a few, stick them in a simple glass or jar and sit them on your kitchen counter. They just may add a little bit of joy to your everyday chores.
Making a Temporary House a Home | Rugs
If you currently have get to live in base housing or practically anywhere overseas, you most likely do not have carpets. We actually have not had carpeting in our last three homes, so rugs have become essentials for us.
Most of our rugs are inexpensive and were found locally. The only thing we did splurge on were the runners for our hallway. Due to the way our apartment is set up, you can hear everything going on in our home no matter where you may be. The hallway basically became a sound tunnel that would echo all of our sounds throughout the rest of the home. We knew we wanted thick runners to absorb a lot of that noise. We looked locally and didn't find anything that was visually acceptable for us. With the current exchange rate, we realized we'd end up paying just as much for something we didn't particularly love. So, we bit the bullet and ordered our runners from Pottery Barn. It was an investment. But, I am happy to say it has paid off already. Our home feels a bit more cozy and the runners have definitely helped with sound control.
Like curtains, rugs work very well in softening a space. This one in our living area is one of my favorites. It is soft, plush and really cozy. My kids play on it. They even stack pillows and layers of blankets on it to lay on the floor and watch a movie. It wouldn't be quite so comfortable without this rug. We found this rug at IKEA in Sindelfingen. It came in several colors.
Rugs can also help to define a space. Our kitchen, living room, entryway and dining room are actually lumped together in one giant, difficult-to-arrange space. Having these coverings on the floor really help to separate the areas. This rug is a neutral, practical jute rug also from IKEA. I believe they had a few with different border colors.
Rugs can fill the void. Our apartment has a very long, kind of awkward entry way. This indoor/outdoor runner is just the right size to fill that space. The fact that it is water resistant is a fantastic bonus. German winters + ice + salt do not equal happy floors! This lovely runner was found in the Estate Sale section of Ballard Designs.
Most of our rugs are inexpensive and were found locally. The only thing we did splurge on were the runners for our hallway. Due to the way our apartment is set up, you can hear everything going on in our home no matter where you may be. The hallway basically became a sound tunnel that would echo all of our sounds throughout the rest of the home. We knew we wanted thick runners to absorb a lot of that noise. We looked locally and didn't find anything that was visually acceptable for us. With the current exchange rate, we realized we'd end up paying just as much for something we didn't particularly love. So, we bit the bullet and ordered our runners from Pottery Barn. It was an investment. But, I am happy to say it has paid off already. Our home feels a bit more cozy and the runners have definitely helped with sound control.
Of course, rugs can be just plain functional as well. Our bathrooms are very strange sizes and shapes, so I had to be a bit more creative in there. I loved the idea of using indoor/outdoor rugs in here because they come in much larger and unique sizes than your typical bath rug. This particular rug was found at Mömax in Böblingen. You will see I have the same rug in different colors in our guest bath as well as the kitchen. Clearly, this rug works for us.
Here are a few before + after shots to show what a difference rugs can make.
The kids/guest bath before and after. This is another version of the indoor/outdoor rug from Mömax. This one is a warm taupe color.
The master bath before and after. Same Mömax rug. The version in the master bath has cool gray trim and woven throughout.
Finally, the kitchen before and after. Same rug, this one with black woven throughout.
One thing you'll notice in all three of these rooms is the same large, WHITE tile. It shows everything. It was getting very annoying seeing every speck of dust. And let's be real, who sweeps, dusts, vacuums everyday? I certainly don't. While I do still have to do those three things more often, these rugs truly help.
All in all, rugs can soften a home, hide a multitude of imperfections and deaden echoing noise. They are a great, inexpensive option to help make your temporary house feel more like home.
Making a Temporary House a Home | Curtains
One of the first things my hubby and I add to a home {other than our own furniture and belongings} is window coverings. Of course, every home we have lived in has been quite different than the one before. For a few moves, we had to buy new curtains for several, if not all, the rooms in our house. We have finally reached the point however, where we seem to have curtains in our arsenal that will fit somewhere in our new home. We usually end up buying a set or two for at least one room in our house though.
Adding curtains can be simple and inexpensive. Of course it can be very detailed and expensive, but there is absolutely no reason it has to be. The curtains don't have to match the room exactly. {In fact, I find a room more visually appealing when there is a little contrast going on.} I usually enjoy the challenge of finding the best fitting, most cheap option there is.
Here are the places I found my cheap, good enough curtains featured in the photos above.
From top to bottom:
My main piece of advice to you would be to just put something up there. I truly think you will be happily surprised with what you see.
Curtains add a lot to a room for a minimal cost. Simple coverings over your windows can add texture and color where there was none before.
Covering your windows can reduce outside noise and filter the amount of sunlight that streams into your home.
Even adding a small valance can pack a big punch.
I still find myself amazed at the difference adding a few yards of fabric to a room can make.
From top to bottom:
- www.target.com We bought these curtains nearly five years (and four houses!) ago for our master bedroom. I am happy to stay they have made there way out of storage to be used in our room again!
- www.landofnod.com My daughter's quilt is from here. I didn't want the curtains to be matchy, matchy. I found her curtains and shams on deep clearance from The Land of Nod and they coordinate nicely with her quilt.
- The Exhange at Panzer. Yes, believe it or not, I found curtains at the Exchange. If you live here, you know what a feat that is. I actually bought these for our old rental house on the economy. We needed something basic and neutral. I liked these because they resembled burlap. It added a nice feel to our rented farmhouse. When we moved on post and decided the bathroom needed some window coverings, I thought these would be perfect.
- www.potterybarn.com Okay, I totally splurged on these. But I promise I went through every other possible resource for a valance in our kitchen. The good thing is, when you get two curtains for $9 for your son's room, you have a little extra to spend on a valance in the kitchen.
- www.walmart.com My hubby and I got some very nice crib bedding for our son. We had a hard time finding something we agreed on. When we finally did, we did not hesitate in purchasing it. At our farmhouse, a curtain was impossible on our slanted attic windows. When we moved on post, our son's room definitely needed curtains. I have to say I came very close to spending nearly $200 on the coordinating curtains for his room. Just typing that makes me feel a little ill. Thankfully, I came to my senses and checked with Target and Wal-mart online. Wal-mart had some nice true red curtains at a beautiful price of 2 for $9.
My main piece of advice to you would be to just put something up there. I truly think you will be happily surprised with what you see.
*If you have a tricky room where you are unsure what to use to cover your windows, email a photo to robyn_lee97 <at> hotmail <dot> com. I would love to feature your space on my blog!*
Making a Temporary House a Home | First Things First
First things first. Par down, par down and par down some more. I know, I know, this is not very fun. But it is an important step necessary to making a house a home. If you move as often as I do, you never know what type of house you will be living in next. A house full of clutter isn't very relaxing. It also does not give way to pretty decor. I admit this is something that does not come naturally to me at all. I am a reformed pack rat myself.
Growing up in an Air Force family, I moved frequently as a child as well. I am sure my parents loved the fact I lugged around boxes of cards I received in the mail, junk I won at a school fair, and years worth of church bulletins. I have this innate ability to attach sentimental value to almost anything. It's an illness.
I also have this problem in thinking, "What if I need this later?" Later has never come for me. Yes, there are certain papers and records you should keep. Thankfully, in the digital age you can almost always find these records online or contact the source to have another sent to you if need be. As for the papers you truly need to hang onto, they can be stored in a small filing cabinet that takes up very little room.
So, what are some ideas for parring down? Here are just a few:
1. General Decluttering: Join me in Beth Dargis's Declutter 2012 challenge. You can find Beth's calendar here. You can follow along with me as I tackle the items on the calendar each Monday in my Declutter With Me series.
2. The Kitchen: Keep only the minimum.
Tabletop | I love dishes. LOVE THEM. I used to have at least four full sets of dishes. However, my family always reached for the same dishes. There was never a time I needed them ALL. My husband and I made a decision to sell two of those sets. {One set is our wedding china and we will always keep that. It is currently in storage in the States.} We then spent quite a bit of time looking for a practical, pretty, neutral set of dishes that we agreed on. We finally settled on these. After they arrived and were unpacked, we donated any remaining dishes we had left.
Prep + Serveware | In my house, these are interchangeable. Here are all the bowls I have. Two vintage Pyrex bowls, a large salad bowl from my wedding and two bowls I picked up in Soufflenheim. I also have two Corningware bakers with lids and a shallow pasta bowl from Soufflenheim. {I think the pasta bowl will be headed to donation soon.} I use those for baking as well as storing leftover food. Most of the time, the sides we have with dinner are small enough to fit into a bowl from our dinnerware. I also use the large dinner plates as platters.
Flatware | We received a very simple set of flatware {that we chose} as a wedding gift ten years ago. We still have only that set. Along the way, we seem to have lost quite a few tea spoons. I very recently purchased a set of six from IKEA as those are the spoons my kids use the most. We go through the whole set in less than two days. We run the dishwasher almost daily. It works. There are no dishes piling in the sink because we need to wash them to be used again almost immediately.
Growing up in an Air Force family, I moved frequently as a child as well. I am sure my parents loved the fact I lugged around boxes of cards I received in the mail, junk I won at a school fair, and years worth of church bulletins. I have this innate ability to attach sentimental value to almost anything. It's an illness.
I also have this problem in thinking, "What if I need this later?" Later has never come for me. Yes, there are certain papers and records you should keep. Thankfully, in the digital age you can almost always find these records online or contact the source to have another sent to you if need be. As for the papers you truly need to hang onto, they can be stored in a small filing cabinet that takes up very little room.
So, what are some ideas for parring down? Here are just a few:
1. General Decluttering: Join me in Beth Dargis's Declutter 2012 challenge. You can find Beth's calendar here. You can follow along with me as I tackle the items on the calendar each Monday in my Declutter With Me series.
2. The Kitchen: Keep only the minimum.
Tabletop | I love dishes. LOVE THEM. I used to have at least four full sets of dishes. However, my family always reached for the same dishes. There was never a time I needed them ALL. My husband and I made a decision to sell two of those sets. {One set is our wedding china and we will always keep that. It is currently in storage in the States.} We then spent quite a bit of time looking for a practical, pretty, neutral set of dishes that we agreed on. We finally settled on these. After they arrived and were unpacked, we donated any remaining dishes we had left.
Prep + Serveware | In my house, these are interchangeable. Here are all the bowls I have. Two vintage Pyrex bowls, a large salad bowl from my wedding and two bowls I picked up in Soufflenheim. I also have two Corningware bakers with lids and a shallow pasta bowl from Soufflenheim. {I think the pasta bowl will be headed to donation soon.} I use those for baking as well as storing leftover food. Most of the time, the sides we have with dinner are small enough to fit into a bowl from our dinnerware. I also use the large dinner plates as platters.
Flatware | We received a very simple set of flatware {that we chose} as a wedding gift ten years ago. We still have only that set. Along the way, we seem to have lost quite a few tea spoons. I very recently purchased a set of six from IKEA as those are the spoons my kids use the most. We go through the whole set in less than two days. We run the dishwasher almost daily. It works. There are no dishes piling in the sink because we need to wash them to be used again almost immediately.
Utensils | I purchased the bamboo set of utensils from Pampered Chef about 18 months ago. I just received the silicone Le Creuset utensils for Christmas. Together, I use these utensils for about 90% of my cooking. Occassionally, I use the OXO spatula and spoon. Very rarely do I use the pasta spoon or masher. Actually, I need to donate those.
Cooking Accessories | I have a bunch of cool tools that are great for cooking. Thankfully, they are small. I use them occassionally and they are easy to store. I use the Pampered Chef adjustable measuring spoons and measure-all cups multiple times a day. I also use the solid measuring cups and rolling pin frequently. Those are my MUST HAVES. The other things in here really could stand to be donated.
Pots, Pans + Bakeware | I have a large nonstick skillet from Pampered Chef as well as a large Le Creuset pot that I use for everyday cooking. I have two bakers from Soufflenheim, two cookie sheets from Pampered Chef, a Pampered Chef stoneware loaf pan and some generic muffin pans. They are all very easy to store. I have some old nonstick pots that I really need to replace. I use those for boiling eggs, etc.
3. The Bathroom: Minimize!
Towels | In our master bath, we have two white bath towels, {We had four until a recent laundry mistake. Oops!} two white hand towels and several Norwex washcloths. In the kids/guest bath, we have several sage green towels as well as some very cute personalized towels my mother in law made for the kids. All of our towels were wedding gifts. We have yet to buy any towels. {Until I replace those white towels I ruined!!}
Products | I once had a mentor tell me she never accepted free samples of makeup, toiletries, etc. She is a genius. My kids and hubby have all used the same toiletry products for years. It really simplifies things. Sometimes we keep a replacement, most of the time I replace as needed. Having very little toiletries to clutter our bathroom is really nice. I have a product problem. I have way too much stuff. I collect makeup I never use. I truly use the same makeup every single day. I need to get rid of the rest, but I haven't been able to make myself do that quite yet.
4. Closets: If you think about it, most people could do with a lot less clothes. All we really need is a few pair of jeans, some nice tops and a couple of cardigans. I am not an expert on this subject, so please don't look to me for specific advice on clothing! I do know we have way too many clothes. I had a realization that a lot of clothes = a lot of laundry. I have really parred down the amount of clothing our family has, but we could stand a little more weeding out. My goal is to have everything fit nicely into our dressers and closets with space to spare.
5. Books: We have a lot of books. Most of them are books we don't want to get rid of, but we do not use. I came up with a good idea of storing them in clear containers such as this. That way, we can look into the box without actually opening it when we are searching for a specific title. The system works very well. We kept these books in storage either in a basement of storage room. Right now they are safely stored in the States.
6. CDs/DVDs: We have too many of each of these. They were taking up way too much room. My hubby and I decided to recycle all of the cases and bought cd/dvd storage cases that hold 100. We have two with music and one with movies. This takes up far less room than when the cds/dvds were in there original cases. They fit nicely into a small drawer in our armoire.
7. Toys: I try to regularly go through my kids' toys with them and weed out those that are broken or no longer loved. Just having Christmas, it is definitely time to do this again. Although my kids do have too many toys, I try very hard to keep them out of site when their rooms are picked up. The toys are kept in multiple bins within their closets or in drawers/on shelves of their furniture. This, of course is a personal preference. But I do find it makes the overall atmosphere of home much more calm. On a daily basis, my kids drag out quite a bit of their toys. We help them completely clean their rooms about once a week.
8. Laundry: I used to keep a laundry basket in each person's room. That made doing laundry very challenging and frankly, it never got done. When we moved into our new house on post, I had everyone put their dirty clothes in the laundry room. We have a sorter similar to this. {Local friends: I got it at Momax in Boeblingen.}When one of the compartment {or all of them!} is full, I do a load of laundry. It has really helped me to stay on top of those piles of dirty clothes.
Well, I think that covers nearly everything. I hope this post helps you with some ideas to par down in your own home. Now that we have covered this, we can move onto the fun things next week!