I Made a Fairy Garden!

This Spring I finally made my own little Fairy Garden! 

It's called Lavender Lookout and in my imagination Lavender the fairy sits on her little bench overlooking the ocean.

I have wanted to do a miniature garden for years, and what stopped me was that all the larger flat containers I could find were way expensive.  Finally it occurred to me that--duh--simpler is better: use what you have, Michelle!  

So I took this pot that broke when some little hooligan I know ran his bike into it--and I used retaining fences and plants to prevent erosion.  I ended up loving it so much for its uniqueness and that's what I really wanted to share with you.  Don't be stopped from pursuing that next project because you don't have the "perfect" solution!  See what you have and get creative--you might end up loving it even more than what you originally had in mind!

A New Year, A Fresh Start

Happy New Year!

Yeah, I'm a full six days late.  My family is so lucky to have a nice long break in late December through early January and I take FULL advantage!  But today marks our first day back from break, and honestly I relish getting into the old routines, finding our old grooves and taking a fresh look at life as usual.

We had so much fun with family over Christmas, and then together, just us, for the last few days.  I am coming into the New Year with a renewed energy for my family--to focus on what is important here, in this home.  If I made a resolution, it was to limit the junk I feed my family (more on that later!), but it goes way bigger than that.

I've been overextended, overscheduled, and overcomplicated.  Remember my old mantra, Simpler is Better? Well, I need to bring more of that back and that's what the New Year has me thinking about.

Unfortunately, to get simpler I am going to have to cut back on some things. That's the vexing thing, isn't it? We mommies want to do it all, and we try to...and then we hit a limit, run right past that limit and into that exhausted wasteland where mommies roam free with cranky attitudes and bags under their eyes.  I don't want to live there anymore. I want to pare down and focus on what matters most.  What about you?  Do you make resolutions?  How are you doing on them?

Coming Clean

Happy New Year!

Yep, I am more than a little belated.  Sorry about that, but I am still feeling the "fresh start" mood of the new year and I am going to kick mine off by sharing what's been going on with me for the last six months.

Sometime last Spring or early Summer my husband applied for a job in a different city.  We went through months of waiting, interviewing, waiting, interviewing again before he was finally offered the job, and it was a dream come true!  We absolutely love that area, and it was a great job opportunity, so we enthusiastically embraced the change and put our house on the market.

Five months later, our house was still not even close to selling.  My husband was working at his new job during the week and commuting home on the weekends, and this went on for four months.  I was basically a single mom all week long, with my house on the market and no preschool since it was Summer.  Recipe for crazy.  I have a new appreciation for real single moms, and for moms whose spouses travel a lot.  I will admit that I let most things in my life slide.  Little things like exercise, and healthy eating habits, and friendships, and consistent discipline, and limits on cartoon watching, and attempting patience and...well, you get the point.  It was all about keeping the house clean and looking forward to the Hubs coming home on the weekend.

And it was hard for my husband, too.  That man missed us, ya know?

So, when his job here offered him a new position, and when the folks at his new job were completely understanding about why he would come back...well, he did!  And again, it was a dream come true.  My husband "moved back" in mid-December and we've been honeymooning ever since.

Things I learned from this experience that I would like to share with you:

1. I am a very private person.  This is something I have always known about myself, but this experience  showed me how that tendency impacts my blog.  I had safety concerns about sharing that I was alone with the kids all week (is that crazy or just cautious?  I can't be sure).  But something more was at play here...and it was about opening up to others when things get rough.  I am not good at it.  So I didn't, at least not here.  And, in a way, I regret that because I might have really benefited from getting some feedback from you.  But I also know I am hardwired to be private.  What is a mommy blogger to do when opening up is not her nature?

2.  I am a very impatient person.  When I want something, I want it now.  I have about as much patience for God's plan as my kids have on Christmas morning.  I was so humbled by being forced to wait, and then having His plan be so different from my expectations, and--of course--so much better.

3. I take so much for granted.  Like my imperfect house that nevertheless has many features I couldn't find in a new house.  Like children who are resilient and didn't kill me during those five months.  Like a husband who does all that he does.  Like a God who held me in his hands when I cried over this ordeal, speaking gently through my pain and reminding me I will be better for it.  If I am going to make a resolution this year, its to not take so much for granted.

I hope it doesn't sound like I think that what I have been through is the worst thing in the world.  I think of all the women whose husbands are deployed right now and my little situation looks like a fairy tale in comparison.  Nor do I go around being hard on myself in how I reacted.  But I wanted to share my thoughts on the whole thing, and to explain why the blog has taken a backseat.

It's ironic that 2011 was supposed to be the year of "Simpler is Better." Instead it was the year I started a business, put my house on the market, and was a quasi-single mom for half the year.  My motto should have been "Simpler is Not Gonna Happen."  I'm not making a motto for 2012, but if I did it would be something like:

"Love what you have and trust God with the rest 
because life is crazy and you just gotta do your best."  

Ya feel me?

Is Simpler Really Better?

This picture of limes is 100% unrelated to this post.

This week was the last week in Simple Mom's Project Simplify series, which I have loved.  Each Monday morning I've checked her blog in anticipation of that week's "Hot Spot."  I was really excited when she announced that this week's Hot Spot was "Choose Your Own!"

So...which spot did I choose?  Was it my crazed laundry room?  My over-stuffed coat closet?  My insane tupperware cabinet?  What...Did...That...Mommy...Do???

I flailed, that's what I did.  I did NOTHING!  And I have no explanation really except that it just wasn't that simple.

Since I chose my motto for this year, "Simpler is Better," I've been trying to make decisions that encourage simplicity for me and my family.  However, you know I have two main goals--simple and frugal, and lately they aren't playing nice.

These bins were both simple and frugal:

But these curtains...

...well, they were frugal but they were anything but simple.  Simple would have been going online and ordering from Ballard.  Frugal demanded that I couldn't do that.

In fact, I have found that it takes a lot of effort and some amount of money to simplify, at least when you are starting out.  It takes so much time to clean out a closet, a pantry, or kids' toys.  It take way more time to sell things you don't need than to stuff them into an already jam-packed closet, attic, basement, garage, etc.

I'm not complaining about trying to simplify, because I do think it is well worth the effort.  What I am saying is sometimes I hit my limit.  This week I just couldn't scrape together the energy to simplify anything!  Just keepin' it real.  How about you...do you find it is hard to balance simple with frugal?  How do you make it work?

Pantries and Fridges and Freezers, Oh My

This week's Project Simplify challenge was the pantry and the fridge.  Now, I am not gonna purport to be moving any mountains here, but I did organize quite a bit and I am committed to doing these challenges, so here we go!  I promise that by the end of this post you'll get some eye candy...so bear with me!

First, the fridge.  It was easy.  I do it every few months and each time I really enjoy a fresh, clean fridge for two days before it becomes a funk factory again.  Here's what I did in there:

Better, right?

Now, the pantry was a little harder.  I have tried to organize it many times before but this time I took more extreme measures.  As you know, I have exactly $0 for stuff like this.  I did scrape together a few bucks and get a couple of trays and bins, and they make a big difference.  Just don't go thinkin' that this is the pantry of my dreams, okay?  Okay.  Here we go...

 

Turned into...

 

I used these white bins to collect mostly little stuff (e.g. candy) and ugly stuff (e.g. half-empty bags of chips).

I labeled them with vinyl words ("starch," "salt," and "sweet").  Then I faked it with my box of paper plates, cups and straws:

Looks okay from the front...

And just a tad less than okay from the side!!!
But it works for now, ya know?

If you're looking very carefully you'll notice that I removed my bottom shelf on that right-hand wall.  For over three years I have been frustrated because our cat-food bin and step-stool don't slide under the shelf and are therefore 100% in my way, all the time.  Why didn't I think of this sooner?  And that's why I love these challenges--they inspire me to look at my problems with a fresh eye and really find a workable solution.

I also took away the over-the-door rack.  I loved this rack in our old house, but with a 24" pantry door it was more of a hazard.  Nary a week went by without me or my husband really banging into it.  This means I lost a *lot* of storage, between removing the rack and taking away that one bottom shelf.  Yet, the pantry is a thousand times better because stuff is consolidated and the space works for what I have.  Spices went into two white trays, and medicines to a kitchen cabinet.  I have even made a big grocery run since I snapped these pictures, and the pantry accommodated a bunch more stuff just fine.

This process reminded me how much I hate throwing things away.  I never do, to my own detriment.  For example, when I made my kids rolls with whole-wheat flour, I used a quarter cup of it and kept the rest on the shelf of despair of baking stuff.  It was So. Much. Stuff.

Ridonculous.

Now it fits here:

I threw away everything I don't need in the foreseeable future.  The boys didn't like their whole-wheat rolls anyway.

So, that's been my Simple Mom challenge this week!  And, as promised, here's a reward for sticking with me...what I *wish* my pantry looked like!

Photo: Country Living

Photo: BHG

Photo: Traditional Home

Be still, my beating heart.  A girl can dream!

Finally, because last week's closet challenge ended with a picture of Biggest hamming it up, now it's Little Boo's turn:

P.S.  You know I am lovin' the Linky's at Simple Mom!

Organizing: Child's Play?

This week's challenge from Simple Mom was kids' stuff, and when I first found out about it I groaned so loudly my whole street heard it.  I *hate* organizing kids' stuff because it feels like the Neverending Story.  Just as soon as the toys are put away, they are all pulled out again.  Just as soon as I get the right clothes in their drawers, they grow out of them.

Ya feel me?

But I did manage a measly effort this week, enlisting Biggest to help me pull some toys out of the playroom.  We did this right after Christmas out of sheer necessity.  We did it again in January, and now we've done it a third time in three months.  He loves it!  He starts pulling out toys he played with 5 minutes ago and saying, "I don't need this anymore!  We should sell it!"  (Yep, even my child is down with Dave Ramsey).

So another box of stuff has moved out of the playroom, never to be seen (or even missed) again.  Still, I'm light-years away from where I would like to be with this room.  It used to be my office/craft room.  Then my baby's toys started exploding.  Exponentially exploding (say that three times fast).  So, as my Realtor predicted, it became the playroom.

Yes, this is what I look like when I am clean.  You should see me when I'm messy.
You can't because That Mommy forgot a "Before" picture.  Sorry.

I have yet to paint the walls, really decorate it as a kids' space, or fill up that shelf with more bright bins to replace the worn-out beige ones.  When I do all those things I will post a real "After" picture.  I keep reminding myself that Tsh challenged me to organize, not decorate.  I do like these labels I made a couple of weeks ago:

Supplies: 29-cent wooden circles, a can of chalkboard spraypaint, ribbon, and a drill.  Easy peasy.

And a couple of years ago I made the letters that spell the word "PLAY."  Those are the only two things I love about this room.  Therefore, my favorite view of the playroom is this one:

I know I am lucky to have a playroom with doors, so please forgive my moaning.  I don't mean to be so whiny, I just am.

As for clothes, I was able to do just a little organizing in Biggest's closet this week.  Have a look at the Before:

Yeah, it's bad.  And I hate it that this is the first picture I have ever shared of his room!
The rest of it is slightly cuter, I promise.

And here's the After:

Yeah...they're not so different really.  BUT I did take out all the clothes that don't fit my big boy anymore, as well as several things that really didn't belong in his closet anyway.  Those bags have items that he will grow into any day now, and the sweater-organizer holds his clothes that fit but are more wintry (all his Spring & Summer has been moved to his dresser).  Blankets are neatly folded on his shelf.  Behind him is his luggage.  I couldn't resist showing you my cutie and the outfit he picked out for himself yesterday.

Next up: Littlest's closet, and it is even worse.


P.S. You know I'm lovin' the Linky at Simple Mom!

Cleaning up the (Paper) Clutter

We're two weeks into Simple Mom's Project Simplify series, and when I first found out about the series I was so excited!

Then BAM!  The very first challenge was the Master Bedroom Closet.  Well, seeing as how I just finished organizing my closet, I kinda skipped out on that one.

Then came this week's challenge: Paper Clutter.  And I thought, "Well, Tsh, you already inspired me to clean up my paper clutter."  Since January I have added a basket right by the door to recycle paper, I created a Mommy Notebook to hold important (and less important) paper clutter, and I showed you how I organize my child's growing artwork portfolio.

Just when I was thinkin' I would have to skip another week of the party, I got to the section about something near and dear to my heart: magazines.  Oh yes, I might have a slight issue with magazines.  Without further ado, here's the dilly:

The "light reading" basket in the powder room.

My end-table, which now sports only a few most recent mags.

The corner of my office, aka "Magazine Purgatory" turned blessedly empty corner.

Wow, I let it get bad.  Fortunately I have a system. And now, with further ado, I'll show you what it is.

Step One: Let your magazines pile up until they threaten to topple over and block all exits.  Just kidding.  Kinda. I have been getting more magazines thanks to all the points programs I use (thank you, My Coke Rewards).  I love them, but I may need to draw the line somewhere soon.

Step Two: Set aside some time to tear those things apart.  This is key: set a time limit!  Last week I went through an entire diaper box full of Real Simple in 10 minutes, because that's all the time I gave myself.  If I don't limit myself I sit and read the magazines, which quite clearly I don't have time for.  Here's everything you'll need:

Just tear, staple when necessary, and create one big stack.  Actually, I usually create two stacks: recipes and everything else.  It is easiest to do only minimal amount of sorting at this stage. Your couch is only so big.

Step Three: Take your stack someplace roomy like your kitchen counter and sort it into categories.  You might want to wait and create your categories after you see what you were drawn to and what you collected.  Mine are:

Then you are ready to file your articles by category into an accordion folder.  I got this one at Target a few years ago and it is still treatin' me right:

Another option?  Years ago, I tore every page out of every issue of House Beautiful and put them in binders like these:

Because everyone needs every page of House Beautiful from 1993 and 1997...right?

Step Four:  Further categorize your recipes and file them in your "Recipes" accordion-file:

I'm so full you can't even see my dividers, can you?  They're there, I promise!!!

Told ya so!

Step Five: Bask in the glow of your semi-annual magazine purge!  Good job lady!

Anyhoo, those piles I showed you?  I got rid of those in a couple of hours.  A couple of hours while watching TV that I otherwise would have just been watching TV.  So, hey, wasting my brain offset by being productive...yay me.  To me, that time is worth it to be able to reference all these great ideas.

Or...you could just carry your piles of magazines directly out to your recycling bin.  Then you get to bask in your clutter-free glow without giving up any of your time.  Hmmm...that just might be simplicity nirvana right there.

Maybe someday.



P.S. You know I'm lovin' the Linky at Simple Mom!

What is our Family's Purpose?

When I started my "Simpler is Better" series, I talked about how I encountered Tsh's system of simpler living and Dave Ramsey's plan for financial well-being at the same time.  One of my favorite challenges given by Tsh is the Family Purpose Statement, where you actually write down your family's purpose and then use it to direct your decision-making.  I recommend using the questions Tsh asks in her book, Organized Simplicity, but you certainly don't need to.  Ask yourself:

what do you value?

when do you feel your best? 

what activities does your family love?

how do you want your home to feel?

And I bet you'll get there.  In case you would like an example, go over to Tsh's site and see her post about the Purpose Statement.  I'm so excited about the series on organizing she's kicking off this week, and you can learn about that too!  And, in case you're curious...here's my family's Purpose Statement, hot off the presses!  Just know this is just ours--yours can and should be a reflection of your family and it can take whatever form works for you.

In fulfilling this purpose individually and together, we will: 

always show love and respect for one another.

be grateful for our many blessings, and be happy with what we have.

pray often and read His Word daily.

be good stewards of our resources, by being frugal, living simply, and making purposeful decisions.

tithe.

care for our world and the people in it, striving to show God’s love for His creation.

keep our home organized, comfortable, and welcoming.

have fun together.

I loved sitting down and being intentional about what matters to us.  Hopefully you have one too...or maybe you'll write your own soon!