Bet You Thought This Would be More Mom Talk

I hate to disappoint, but this is not another Mom Talk post.  I've got my mind on something else and just couldn't get my thoughts together enough to write a full post!  What is my mind racing about you ask?? Read on!!

I've got some big plans for August.  Huge, and I want you to join me.  Let's do this together!! I suppose you'll want to know what you're committing to first, huh?  The Kitchen... A huge overhaul of the kitchen.  This will not be a total kitchen remodel. It is, a total reorganization and spruce up.

This overhaul has been on the radar for a while.  I've given myself an entire month for this project because of my 3 little guys, and the sheer size of my kitchen.  I don't like projects to interfere too much with my daily duties, so this project will be broken up into small easy to manage tasks.

Of course I've already gone and done my research (please read, drooled over super organized Pinterest kitchens). I've also done some rough sketches and notes outlining where I want things to go and how I want various areas to function.

My goals

Re-caulk the back splash and sink 
Purge (it's always a good idea to get rid of stuff)
Clean and shine cabinets (inside and out)
Add liners to drawers.
Add dividers and drawer organizers.
Rearrange drawers and cabinets to make them more functional.
Spruce up my Command Center
Add some organizational items to the fridge and pantry
Lastly, I want to add a bit more decorative items in the kitchen.

My Timeline

August 1 - 3, I'll be tackling the caulking.  I've been putting it off long enough and it needs to get done ASAP!!

August 4 - 17, I'll be tackling the cabinets and drawers in the main part of my kitchen.

August 18 - 24 will be my Command Center Spruce up.

August 25 - 31, I will finish things up in this kitchen overhaul with my fridge and pantry.

So who's with me? Anyone? Need to organize a cabinet? Need to clean out some shelves? How about getting rid of some things you haven't used in a while.  Even if you only have time to do one junk drawer... do it!! We can do this together!! No need to feel over whelmed, we'll tackle a little each day... We've got the whole month!!

Ending the Cycle

If you've been reading my posts lately you'll have noticed that I am on a serious organizing mission. I feel like up until now I've been a mediocre organizer. I'd clean out spaces and return mostly everything back, just more neatly. Inevitably with in a few weeks (months if I'm lucky) things are back to messy and I have to complete the whole process all over again. It's a vicious cycle of mediocre organizing. Does this happen to anyone else?

Well lately I've been trying to stop this cycle. The spaces that I've been organizing have been thoroughly purged, and everything has been given a very specific place (think "top row, third bin"). What I'm learning is the more specific the place for a specific item, the more likely it is you'll put it back in its place. For example, in an up coming post about my linen closet I'll explain how it was organized in a mediocre way. My son's closet was organized in a mediocre way too. I had a home for some of his things on the top shelf. This is too broad of a space. I ended up just tossing things up on the shelf (which technically was put away) until it was a mess. When you organize try and find specific places. Bins and baskets, tags and labels are an organizers best friend.

Anyway, I've decided to create an organizational plan for the next couple of weeks to help me end this cycle. Right now I'm on an organizing high, I just can't get enough and I can't wait to get to the next space. Thing is, I don't want to get myself so overwhelmed and burn out or get frustrated and just give up. So with out further ado, here is my To Do list:

Organize the guest room/craft room closet, it has become a dumping ground for everything that doesn't have a home.
Organize photos (print and digital) for scrapbooking, I love scrapbooking but I haven't touched an embellishment, paper, or a picture in ages and I wanna get back to my favorite quiet time activity.
Create a kitchen command center(including finishing my family master binder), I've been reading about these spaces, and I have the perfect little office spot in my kitchen.
Finish organizing the pantry, this is already a work in progress.
Organize all the drawers and cabinets in the kitchen.
Clean out and organize the mudroom coat closet.
Make-over/organize the laundry room.
Organize the utility closet.
Organize the holiday closet.
Organize the garage.
Create a new filing system for our papers/bills
Organize the office bookcase.
I have a few small decorating projects I want to tackle as well.

Lol, after actually writing this list out it seems super long. But have no fear, I have not given myself a time limit, and some of these tasks have been started already. As long as I work on one thing at a time, I won't burn out. I figure this list should keep me busy for a few weeks months. So far I've completed the playroom, which actually could use more storage... But small steps, both boy's closets(but perhaps I'll be adding some paint to spruce them up a bit, thanks to this post at The Scott's Crib), the master closets, and the linen closet. I will keep you posted as I happily take on these fun projects.

Until next time, Leiah

On My Way

Notice all the scribbles!!!

   So I'm on my way to getting more organized.  I've been working on and tweaking a master daily schedule to follow.  I first made a schedule that incorporated anything I wanted to do.  My schedule had multiple tasks or activities for every hour of the day.   It only took me one day to realize that my schedule was not going to work.  I was racing around like a chicken with her head cut off, and dragging my kiddos behind me.  There was crying, screaming, and full out temper tantrums... from all three of us.

    The next day I went about the same tasks but finished them as they came.  Looked at my schedule, but more as a guide of what needed to be done without looking at the time it should be done.  I didn't complete everything, but with a little self talk, I've realized thats okay.  The boys (and mommy) had a much better day.

     Here is my tweaked schedule:
(please note, if Munchkin is having a particularly terrible two day... this schedule goes to pot!!)

6:00 - 7:00:
Little Bear Nurses

Sometime Between 7 - 9:
The dogs go out
Everyone eats Breakfast
The Kitchen Gets Straightened Up
Mommy Pumps
(During this time the TV is on, I NEED it!!!)
9:00 - 10:00
Munchkin gets dressed
Little Bear Gets a Bottle

10:00 - 11:00
Nap time for Little Bear
Mommy Gets Dressed
Start Laundry
Playtime for Munchkin

11:00-12:00
A Chore from the cleaning schedule (to be posted soon)
More Laundry
Snack time

12:00
Nap time for Munchkin
Mommy Free Time (Scrapbooking, Mary Kay, Blogging, or Vegging)

1:00
Little Bear Nurses
Finish Chores from Cleaning Schedule

1:30 - 2:00
Lunch time for everyone

2:00 - 4:00
Playtime outside with dogs
I can also use this time to teach Munchkin the concept of the day
Little Bear gets a bottle @ 3

4:00 - 5:00
Start Dinner (unless its a crock pot day)
Fold Clothes while I watch TV with Munchkin

5:45
Little Bear Nurses

6:00
Dinner (Daddy is home by then)
After Dinner I like to have family time in the playroom.  Hubby and I get  a chance to chat and Munchkin gets to play around us.

7:00
Bed time routine - Both boys get baths, Once PJ's are on, Munchkin watches Diego.  While Munchkin watches Diego, mommy quick cleans bathroom and bedrooms.  Little Bear gets a bottle and at 8:00 it's story and bedtime for both.  Every once in a while bedtime gets moved to 8:30 for this reason or that.

Once the boys are in bed, if I'm not too tired I'll straighten up the master bedroom and fold more clothes (if not it will wait till the next day)

The next page for my binder I will work on is an important numbers list.

Until next time...