Declutter With Me On Monday | Week 12
Raise your hand if you or your family has had the stomach bug in the last two weeks. *raises hand and waves it back and forth* I am sorry for the silence around here for the last two weeks. My home has been somewhat of a small time infirmary and/or pharmacy during that time. It has not been fun. But that is life, no? Today we are working hard to get back on track. I have some fun posts in store for you this week.
Back to the decluttering! This week we are working in the bathroom. To be honest with you, I could go back into my own bathroom and declutter again. But I decided to work on our kids/guest bath.
I honestly don't spend much time in here... ever. It gets out of control. It gets really chaotic. Here is our girls' bathroom before:
I didn't need to declutter so much as organize what was in here. I did throw out a few expired items and random things Sam had carried in here. Other than that, it was basic picking up and cleaning. Pretty easy. Now, who wants to come mop the floor?
- Clear out under the bathroom sink.
- Declutter bathroom knick knacks and things on the wall.
- Get rid of multiples of hair dryers and curlers.
- Declutter the shower or bath area.
I honestly don't spend much time in here... ever. It gets out of control. It gets really chaotic. Here is our girls' bathroom before:
I didn't need to declutter so much as organize what was in here. I did throw out a few expired items and random things Sam had carried in here. Other than that, it was basic picking up and cleaning. Pretty easy. Now, who wants to come mop the floor?
Don't forget to spend 15 minutes each decluttering another bathroom or room. My girls and I actually set a timer and do this. Make yourself stop at 15 minutes. You'll be amazed at how much you can get done during that time!
One more week of decluttering and we will be 1/4 of the way done with 2012! Can you believe it?
Sweet Little Ceramic Bunny { Local Find }
Have you seen these cute little ceramic bunnies Pottery Barn is featuring for Easter?
They are selling for $24.50. Granted, there are two of them and they smell like spring. Nonetheless, a cheaper alternative is certainly out there.
I found this sweet little bunny at Dehner. It doesn't smell like spring. It doesn't come with a partner. (Though I'm sure you can find one!) But it only cost €1.99. I'd say that is a pretty good dupe.
PS - The ranunculus are from the Farmer's Market in Stuttgart.
Declutter With Me On Monday | Week 10
Hello, Monday. I can't believe you're here again. Where does the time go?
This week's pictures are going to be iPhone quality. I wasn't feeling inspired to drag out my real camera and do any editing at all. Hubby's TDY, baby's teething, school girls are whining and complaining. It's a wonder I got any decluttering done at all!
Clean, organize and declutter the microwave area. Here is my microwave area. Normally, I keep kitchen towels on the white tray on top of the microwave, but they are all dirty! Thank goodness I don't do laundry for this blog.
This week's pictures are going to be iPhone quality. I wasn't feeling inspired to drag out my real camera and do any editing at all. Hubby's TDY, baby's teething, school girls are whining and complaining. It's a wonder I got any decluttering done at all!
Clean, organize and declutter the microwave area. Here is my microwave area. Normally, I keep kitchen towels on the white tray on top of the microwave, but they are all dirty! Thank goodness I don't do laundry for this blog.
Empty out, clean and declutter your utensil crock. My utensil crock truly only has the few utensils I use. I did take them out and was pretty surprised and a teeny bit yucked out by the bottom of that crock! Make sure you clean yours out.
Declutter your small utensils and kitchen tool drawer. Get a drawer organizer if you don't already have one. We have very little flatware, so this task wasn't very daunting. We had some old coffee stirrers that needed to be thrown out. Other than that, I only needed to put a baby spoon in it's rightful place.
Clean off one kitchen shelf. I decided to tackle our coffee/tea cabinet. We have quite the tea and coffee obsession in our house. I guess it would be more accurate to say I have a tea obsession. You just never know what kind of mood you'll be in when the desire for tea strikes. Will you want the calming effect of Sleepy Time? Will you want the relaxing Vanille Rotbusch or the Chai? Maybe a little Earl Grey Creme is just what you need to start your day. I digress. Here is our coffee/tea cabinet before and after. Lots of clearing out expired tea, tossing a few packs of cocoa and organizing a few mugs. Oh, and I guess this isn't the correct place to keep the girls' DS and games, huh?
So, that it is for week 10. If you'd like to join in or you are curious about how this whole decluttering thing started, visit Beth's blog, My Simpler Life. Beth has all kinds of tips for simplifying as well as a free PDF download of the 2012 Decluttering Calendar.
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.
Home Decor Shopping {Go Local!}
This series of posts is for my local Stuttgart area friends. If you are like me, you might be having a hard time finding things for your home that you adore. I don't have a ton of time, but I do like to get out and explore my surroundings. I've been on the hunt for the perfect "go to" home accessory shop since I got here 18 months ago. I haven't found it, but I've found several great things at various locations. I'll try to feature one of my local finds on a weekly basis. If you have a really great score that you'd like to share on my blog, please contact me! I'd love to have some guest posts.
Right now, I am all about the white color family. I am drawn to anything cream, eggshell, off-white, ecru, you get the picture. My hubby and I were recently browsing the seasonal decor at Hofmeister in Leonberg when I spotted this gem.
Right away, I loved it. I knew I wanted it, but was unsure of what I'd do with it. I carried it around to show my hubby. When he saw it, he liked it too. His words were something along the lines of, "Oh great, another container." He did say however, if it could be used to conceal some of our junk, he was all for it.
What better to hide than the hubby's watch collection?! This little beauty has found a permanent home on my dresser and I couldn't be happier.
Declutter With Me On Monday | Week 9
Welcome March! Is it feeling like spring where you are yet? I wonder how hard it will be for us to stay inside decluttering when the beautiful weather beckons to us. Or maybe the lovely air will be an inspiration to clear out unwanted and no longer needed items in our dwelling place.
As you all know by now, I completely bowed out of week 8. I could make it up, but I've made the decision to just pick up with the current week. I hope that encourages you to do the same. Some days (and weeks) in our lives just don't lend themselves to extra work and that is okay. The point is to never give up fighting clutter. Now onto week 9!
Our first task was to let go of hobby items from a hobby you have outgrown. Did you know I used to make and sell hairbows? I have a ridiculous amount of ribbon. I sold a LOT, but I still have quite a bit. I think this is the perfect nudge I need to get rid of it. I have been saving it just in case I needed to make some more bows for my girls or maybe my sisters' children. Now my girls have nearly outgrown hairbows and my sisters have all boys. Goodbye ribbon!! I don't have a "before" picture, but rather a "during" picture. Here is all the ribbon being wound and packaged to send to a friend.
On day 2, we were to "trim a collection." I don't really have any collections unless you count stamps! Funnily enough, I had been in the process of putting together a list of retired stamps and accessories to sell and pass on. Here is just a tiny peek at what I set aside to sell. I've actually already sold about 1/4 of these. It is nice to pass on things to people who will use them and to make a little pocket change while doing so! Maybe you have some things you could sell too!
The cabinet on the bottom of this end table is where we store all of our WII supplies. They are haphazardly tossed in there, but it works for us.
As you all know by now, I completely bowed out of week 8. I could make it up, but I've made the decision to just pick up with the current week. I hope that encourages you to do the same. Some days (and weeks) in our lives just don't lend themselves to extra work and that is okay. The point is to never give up fighting clutter. Now onto week 9!
Our first task was to let go of hobby items from a hobby you have outgrown. Did you know I used to make and sell hairbows? I have a ridiculous amount of ribbon. I sold a LOT, but I still have quite a bit. I think this is the perfect nudge I need to get rid of it. I have been saving it just in case I needed to make some more bows for my girls or maybe my sisters' children. Now my girls have nearly outgrown hairbows and my sisters have all boys. Goodbye ribbon!! I don't have a "before" picture, but rather a "during" picture. Here is all the ribbon being wound and packaged to send to a friend.
And here is the ENTIRE storage container I gained by clearing out the ribbon. You have to love that.
On day 2, we were to "trim a collection." I don't really have any collections unless you count stamps! Funnily enough, I had been in the process of putting together a list of retired stamps and accessories to sell and pass on. Here is just a tiny peek at what I set aside to sell. I've actually already sold about 1/4 of these. It is nice to pass on things to people who will use them and to make a little pocket change while doing so! Maybe you have some things you could sell too!
The last day of February had us recycling electronics we no longer use. Did you find you had many {or any} of these? Maybe it's all the moving around, but we don't really have any electronics we aren't using.
Next up on the list is decluttering an end table in the living room. This is our table between the couch and chair. It is usually kept fairly clutter free thanks to our little one year old boy. He can reach most anything on top of this table and he will grab it.
After putting away a few things and straightening up the boxes a bit, here is our table again.
I have a special little side tip for you. Naturally, my one year old gets into these boxes. So, instead of filling them with anything of any value to me whatsoever, this is what is inside the top box:
Cars! I love them and so does Sammy. The bottom box truly is just storage. Here's what it looks like. A few books and some random coasters. I just had a thought, I should probably pass those on as well. Hmm.
On Friday, we were to get rid of pet toys no longer being played with. Well, we don't have a pet, but we do have a one year old. {This post is quickly becoming all about him!} I don't have any pictures, but I went through all of his toys today and weeded out the infant toys, the teethers and the rattlers. I put them in a box in his closet and I will soon pass them onto a pregnant friend.
Finally, on Saturday we cleaned out a coffee table or another end table. We don't have a coffee table, so I chose the end table in the corner of our living room. The top is pretty clear of clutter for the same reason our other end table is. The top drawer however, could stand to be cleaned out. Here it is before:
A few magazines tossed and office supplies put up where they belong. Sam likes to open this drawer and play with whatever he can grab, so I will put stash some of his toys in there as well.
The cabinet on the bottom of this end table is where we store all of our WII supplies. They are haphazardly tossed in there, but it works for us.
And that is that for Week 9. It felt good to get back into the decluttering. As always it's never too late to join! If you would to join us, download your free calendar at Beth's website, My Simpler Life.
For the Love of Quatrefoil | Spring Wreath
I don't remember exactly when my love affair with quatrefoil began. I just know it is going strong. If you aren't exactly sure what quatrefoil is, I am sure you are in good company. You can find the entire rundown on Wikipedia, but in short it's an architectural design stemming from Gothic roots. I was in quatrefoil heaven on our trip to Venice. It was beautiful and it was abundant.
Unfortunately, quatrefoil is not abundantly available in the world of home decor. I am very okay with that. It means I have to be a little more creative, but it also means my home is that much more unique.
As I was planning out my spring decor, I searched out quatrefoil accessories. In my quest, I found this awesome tutorial on making a quatrefoil wreath!
http://tatertotsandjello.com/2010/06/quatrefoil-wreath-tutorial.html
I finally got a little free time to play today and I put together this wreath. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. The colors invoke thoughts of spring and the shape also hints at St. Patty's Day just around the corner.
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| Quatrefoil at the Doge's Palace in Venice |
As I was planning out my spring decor, I searched out quatrefoil accessories. In my quest, I found this awesome tutorial on making a quatrefoil wreath!
http://tatertotsandjello.com/2010/06/quatrefoil-wreath-tutorial.html
I finally got a little free time to play today and I put together this wreath. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. The colors invoke thoughts of spring and the shape also hints at St. Patty's Day just around the corner.
Real Life Right Now
Real life is finding joy in the simplicity of everyday.
Real life includes sick babies, sick husbands and missed deadlines.
Real life is not decluttering on a daily basis, but rather on a weekly basis. This week, the sick baby did not allow for the decluttering.
Real life is always putting your family first and never regretting that.
Real life is needing a little time alone and going for night walks to catch some fresh air and a grip.
Real life is letting go of the idea of perfection. It is not reality.
Thanks for being patient with me friends as I take a breather from the decluttering this week. I promise to be back on Monday with week 9. Also stay tuned for new a new decorating post!
Pretty Hooks = Laundry Room Helpers
I see these types of hooks all over the place. You know the ones: wine label hooks, a ceiling tile hook, cheap ones, ornate ones, vintage finds and discount store treasures. I love them. The thing that always stops me from buying them up is the thought of, "What will I do with them?" Well, the thought deters me anyway.
So, I have these pretty hooks. I also have the drooliest baby who goes through bibs and shirts like you would not believe! I have two messy girls and a messy hubby too. We have dishes and a table that begs to be wiped down. You add all those things up and you come up with wet bibs, damp towels and soapy dishcloths.
When I'm ready to get these things out of my sight, I like to take them to the laundry room. I can't just throw them in the hamper though, they will become foul and contaminate the rest of the laundry. Before I would toss them into the pile of patient laundry, I would lay them flat on the dryer or over the door of the washing machine. That wasn't the most convenient place because I needed it for empty detergent bottles and socks who'd lost their partners.
Well, guess what I found! Some pretty hooks. These in particular came from the dollar bins at Michael's. {Does Michael's still have those?} I just used tiny nails to tack these to the wall in our laundry room right underneath a decorative sign. They work wondrously!
So, do you have any extra cute hooks looking for a home? Put them to work and rescue the rest of your laundry from the stink!
Special thanks to my own mom who gave me this idea!!
So, I have these pretty hooks. I also have the drooliest baby who goes through bibs and shirts like you would not believe! I have two messy girls and a messy hubby too. We have dishes and a table that begs to be wiped down. You add all those things up and you come up with wet bibs, damp towels and soapy dishcloths.
When I'm ready to get these things out of my sight, I like to take them to the laundry room. I can't just throw them in the hamper though, they will become foul and contaminate the rest of the laundry. Before I would toss them into the pile of patient laundry, I would lay them flat on the dryer or over the door of the washing machine. That wasn't the most convenient place because I needed it for empty detergent bottles and socks who'd lost their partners.
Well, guess what I found! Some pretty hooks. These in particular came from the dollar bins at Michael's. {Does Michael's still have those?} I just used tiny nails to tack these to the wall in our laundry room right underneath a decorative sign. They work wondrously!
So, do you have any extra cute hooks looking for a home? Put them to work and rescue the rest of your laundry from the stink!
Special thanks to my own mom who gave me this idea!!
mes choses préférées | basket of books
I am looking for all kinds of ways to bring my children into the spirit of Easter. One thing we've done the past three years is collect all of our Easter books and put them in this cute box on a bench in our dining room. I think I may have been inspired by something I read somewhere a few years ago to do this, but I don't remember exactly where or what it was.
This box contains all sorts of books about Easter. Some are serious, some are silly and some are just plain fun. I keep these specific books put away the rest of the year and only bring them out on Ash Wednesday. I am looking to add to our collection, so if you have any ideas, please let me know!
Our collection currently contains the following:
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What is Easter? board book
Runaway Bunny board book
The Story of Easter board book
The Tale of Peter Rabbit board book
God's Easter Love (Boz Series)
