Tricks of the trade

We have a lot of things we do that I think probably everyone does, until I find out they don't.  Then there are things other people do that I think are really cool ideas that are probably commonplace for them, but not for me.

So, just in case some of these quirky ideas may make your life a little easier, I decided to share some here. I had a post a long time ago that I shared similar ideas, so I apologize if there is a repeat. I didn't feel like going back through my posts to find the last one. Most of these are organization ideas, but there are some (like the first) that are not.

1. Tube sock wrist covers

There is nothing worse than getting inside from playing in the snow and realizing that your kid's wrists are frost bitten. The only thing worse is getting snow inside your gloves and knowing your own wrists are going to be frost bitten! Our solution to this (which my clever husband Josh came up with) is to take tube socks and to cut the toe off of them. Then cut a small slit lengthwise into the elastic band, just big enough to poke your thumb through. The thicker the sock the better.  These stay put and even help to keep your sleeves and gloves in place better.

2. Trash cans laundry sorters

I liked the idea of those bins you can buy that have the different compartments that allows you to sort your dirty clothes every time you put a new piece of clothing in, instead of having to go back and sort the entire pile later. The only problem is that those things are so expensive and the sizes and shapes aren't always ideal for the space you have. My cheap, easy solution is kitchen trash cans. They are tall enough to hold a lot, slender enough to fit well in my closet and they have handles that allow them to be carried up and down the stairs. An added bonus is that they are actually easier to carry down my narrow stairway to the basement than my regular laundry basket.

3. Bookbag hangers

When Elias and Bella first started school, it drove me crazy to have their bookbags sitting around on the floor or sitting on a stand somewhere in the way. So I got a Command brand hook and hung it on the wall by our basement door, so they would be in one place and ready to go when the kids left for school. But then it became a pain to take one bag off if I needed to get into the kid's bag that was on the bottom. Also, I knew that eventually, the kids bags would get too heavy to hang together on one command hook, but the space where the hook hung was not big enough for another. So, I got the idea to use heavy duty wreath hooks over my broom closet door. It is still by the basement door, but they are well out of the way. An added bonus is that during the summer, it is much easier to remove the hangers from the door than to remove the Command hook that was on the wall. But during the summer, since my kids are in the summer reading program at the library, I will use one hanger to keep our library book bag on.  If you are a homeschooler, this may be a good idea to use for your books.

4. Paper trays/sorters

These aren't just for the office! I have a paper tray for regular lined paper and handwriting paper, for printer paper, and for construction paper. It is so nice to be able to grab a piece of paper whenever I need it, instead of searching through a pile of stuff to find a piece.  The sorter above has construction paper in the back and scrap and note sized paper in the front. This is the paper we use for scratch math problems or if I have to write a note to the school. If I print a coupon or something else that doesn't take the entire page, I cut off the blank paper to use. It is amazing how much paper is saved and reused this way! I have a small tray that goes in my utility drawer that I keep smaller pieces of paper.  I use regular flat paper trays for the regular paper, because the kids can get paper in and out of them easier.  Of course, I constantly have to keep up with keeping them organized, because the kids are not the best at putting things back in their proper places! I have a book shelf that is in an unused corner of my kitchen where I keep the paper trays. Since we do most of our homework/note writing, etc. at the kitchen counter, it is right within reaching distance.

5. Sewing box hair sorters

I found these boxes in the sewing aisle at Walmart. I was looking for something small to keep in Bella's drawers under her sink. These boxes keep everything sorted and also have lids, in case you'd ever want to take them anywhere. The bottom two have the lids on them. Sorry for the bad picture taking!

6. Q tip holder

I wanted a container to put qtips in, but didn't want to pay the $10-15 for ones made specially for that purpose. Then found this candle holder for a dollar at one of the dollar stores. It is a perfect fit and looks just as nice as those ones that are made specially for that purpose.

7. Sink caddy

This is not my original idea. When I was in college, a friend of mine lived in a dorm that had one bathroom per floor, so many of the girls used these caddies that are made for cleaning supplies to transport their shower stuff to the bathroom. I have used one ever since. It keeps stuff all together on your sink. Then when you get company, if you want to straighten up the sink quickly, you can just pick it up and hide it away.

8. Earring holder

This is another find from the sewing aisle. Each little plastic container screws onto the one above it and then it has a lid. I love this because I can keep my earrings organized in a compact container and it is also easily transportable. If I want to take some earrings, I simply put them in the top bowl that has the lid and leave the rest of the stack in the closet.

9. Shoe Organizer shelf

Elias and Bella's closets both had these large shelves on top. The extra space was fantastic, but it was so high up it was hard to see what was up there and to keep the space from being a catch all. Plus, since it was only one shelf, it didn't hold as much as it had the potential to hold. So I bought a shoe organizer to make some shelves in the space to store Elias' games. This keeps everything visible, but not just sitting on top of one another. It is just one of those cheap $20 ones that you put together yourself.

10. Baskets and Bins

These bins are in Elias' room. Bella has the same thing in her room, except different colors. These are great for dress up clothes and toys. When they get older, these can be used for clothes or as bookshelves or school supplies.

This is a bin holder in our dining room. The bottom bin has phone books, the other bin hold the basketballs that go to the basketball hoop that hangs in our dining room, and the books are our Bible and devotion book that we use at dinner time.

The bins in our craft closet have been changed around and repurposed several times. Just as a disclaimer: this cabinet was just cleaned out last month. It tends to get pretty messy, even with the bins.

These are two baskets I use in the bathroom. I like the one on the right because the bottom has gripper pads on the bottom. This is particularly important because I keep it in the drawer pictured and so it keeps the stuff from sliding around when I open and shut the drawer. I have these baskets like these of every size in my kitchen drawers and cabinets and in the bathroom closets and in our desk...and probably a couple other places I am forgetting. 

I have had this cardboard dresser since before I got married - it is 20 years old! I use this one for Bella's play jewelry and smaller dress up items. It sits in the bottom of her closet. I have a cardboard dresser that is in my closet that I use for my socks and underthings. Organization does not have to be expensive!

I have baskets and bins like these in literally every room in the house. I normally steer clear of containers that are made for one particular purpose. Either they are expensive, bulky, become too cumbersome, or can only be used for one purpose. I find that bins and baskets keep things organized, but then can be rearranged or repurposed easily. Also, when things have their own containers, you don't have to pull out several different things to get to the one thing you need.

As a general rule of thumb, if I need a container to organize something, I try to think outside of the box. I will look in every aisle of the store. I have found things in the hardware department, the sporting goods department (for example, I have used a fishing tackle box for craft supplies in the past), the sewing aisle, and the office aisle and every other aisle in between. Also, when we buy furniture, we consider its storage capacity and its ability to be used for other purposes, not just its looks. For example, when we bought a changing table when we had Elias, we particularly chose one that could be used as a regular dresser after we no longer needed the changing table part.

The long drawer has Elias' pajamas. The white baskets have his socks and underwear. The baskets on bottom are toys. The cabinet has his sheets and his soccer clothes and supplies. Please excuse the mess on top, it is a losing battle to keep it clear!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Uni-taskers

Often if I do buy a container that is made for a particular purpose, I tend to stop using it after a period of time and then just get rid of it. Alton Brown from the show "Good Eats" calls kitchen tools that are only used for one purpose "uni-taskers".  There are some uni-taskers that I feel are worth the money and I am glad I bought.

1. A banana tree

2. Drinking straw holder

Though if I were to buy one again, I would probably choose one that was white, black or stainless steel. When I bought this originally, I had not intended on keeping it out on the counter. But with the kids, it is easier to have it accessible.

3. Plasticware holder

I keep this stocked year around and keep it in the cabinet under the counter and just pull it out every time we have company.

4. Lotion dispenser

I wanted to keep lotion by my kitchen sink, but didn't like the eyesore that a big bottle of lotion became, with all the writing and colors on the front. So I splurged and bought this dispenser from a kitchen or bath store (I can't remember which). I have been really happy with this purchase, even though it is a bit of an extravagance.

5. Pull out spice rack

I really hesitated to buy this. I have purchased spice rack organizers in the past and have ended up hating them. But I really like this one, especially since I don't have much room for spices. It allows you to stock them in a deep cabinet, but still have easy access to all of them.

6. Storage stool

This little unassuming stool gets A LOT of use. We have two of them and I am so glad I did. We store blankets for sitting on the couch in them and we sit on them when we play the Wii or whenever the kids have friends over. They are sturdy, but easily moveable.

Almost every piece of furniture we own has some type of built in storage. People often ask how I keep the house looking so organized.  It is not just about keeping down clutter, (which is a big part of it) but creative, easy-to-use and upkeep storage.

7. My Calendar

 This calendar is like my planning hub. I also have a paper planner that I keep everything that is on this calendar on, plus my daily tasks. And we have an electronic calendar that Josh and I share. We use this because it sends reminders and Josh gets it in his email every morning, so he is up-to-date on what is going on at home, even if he isn't here or isn't going to be a part of it. I keep thinking I should get rid of one or even two of these calendars, but they all serve a particular purpose. The wall calendar is right outside of our bedroom door and right by the basement steps, which are the ones we enter and exit from. It helps us to see what our month looks like in a glance and allows us both to add things quickly to our calendar. My paper planner is more for my "to dos" and for my own mental organizing and recording. Also, because this calendar is dry erase (which makes for easy changes), the paper calendar helps me to have record of things we've done in previous months. And I have already said why we keep the electronic calendar.
We keep papers that we need to have access to or remember where they are, but that I don't want in my "in box" - which is a paper sorter that I keep on the counter for mail or paperwork that I am currently processing or dealing with. I may do a post another day to discuss how I deal with bills, mail, school papers, and the like. It is a system unto itself!



I am not sure if any of these ideas are interesting or unique, but I still enjoyed sharing them!

So what about you? Do you have any organization ideas or interesting ways that you do something? Please share them with me! I am always looking for better ways of doing things!

Elias' birthday

Elias turned 9 yesterday. He got to be off school for a snow day. That is not a common occurrence when your birthday is at the end of March. He had a really good day. He had his favorite breakfast of pancakes and bacon, played in the snow for about 2 hours, watched tv, played with his Legos, and played on the computer.  And he didn't have any homework to do, to top it all off.  Then Josh brought home a Colasessano's pizza for dinner. We always let the birthday boy or girl choose what we have for dinner on the night of their birthday, even if we aren't really celebrating their birthday on the day of their birthday. Though the picture is blurry, you will notice that in the picture above, the candle is stuck in the pizza. You will also notice that Elias is holding the lighter. He just recently learned how to use the child-safe lighter and is very proud of his newly acquired skill and asked to light his own candle, which he proceeded to do three times.
Then we surprised Elias by telling him we were going to take him to Dairy Creme Corner for dessert. It just opened up for the season last week and we have not been there yet this year. He was thrilled. I will confess, Elias and I were both still in pajama pants and t-shirts. I had never changed out of mine and Elias had put his pajama pants back on after coming in from playing outside, soaked completely through to his underwear despite wearing snow pants. So I told him we both had to change before we could leave. I needn't have bothered. In the course of the 20 minutes it took for us to eat our ice cream, there were three different people at three different times that came in in pajama pants. We would have fit right in!
So, all in all, Elias had a great birthday. I am so proud of him.  He has such a good heart and big conscience (which helps put mamma's mind at ease a little!).  He has a great sense of humor and loves to be around people and to make people laugh. He arrived just before our 9th wedding anniversary, so he has been with us for half of our marriage now. We had prayed for almost 5 of those years to have a child. He was well worth the wait!

Elias made this snow robot with our neighbor boy, Brady. He was so proud of it, he asked for my phone to take a picture, so I would post it on Facebook. Since he made it on his birthday, I thought it would be appropriate to share here too. I was pretty impressed with the size of it, since they had made it themselves.

And the research shows...

As a Compassion advocate, I am well aware of the benefits of child sponsorship or I wouldn't be an advocate! But recently there was an article written in the Journal of Public Economy about a study conducted by an independent researcher, who holds a doctorate in economics, that confirms that child sponsorship is indeed as effective as we think.

To check out the article, visit the Compassion Blog Post "Research Shows: Child Sponsorship Through Compassion Works".

After you are done reading, if you are not a sponsor, it may be a good time to become one. To become a sponsor today, either click on the banner ad on my blog or visit this page to select a child to sponsor. And if you happen to choose to sponsor, drop me a comment or send me a message to let me know. I would love to hear about it and/or help make your sponsorship experience all that it can be.

In a fog...

Today I have felt in a fog. I had come down with a flu-like virus last Saturday that had kept me in bed all weekend and it looked like this morning, I may be in bed again all weekend, except this time, I just couldn't breath. I felt like every time I tried to take a deep breath, something big was laying on my chest squeezing out every last inch of my left lung. I am not use to being sick, especially not two weekends in a row.

Determined that I was going to get to the bottom of why I felt almost as bad as I had last weekend, I tiredly put some clothes on and went back to the urgent care center that I had visited last week. This was the place that had given me 4 prescriptions, one of which changed the way everything tasted, which had been a annoyance all week. Not a place I wanted to spend another Saturday, but I went. I found out that I don't have pneumonia, which is what I had feared, but that the bronchitis is still looming large in my lungs and I have fluid in my ears and sinus passages to boot. After a breathing treatment at the UTC, 3 new prescriptions, and a nap, I feel a bit more like I can breath, literally.

It is weird not getting better immediately. I am used to being well. I am used to healing fairly quickly. The doctor said I need more rest and fluids. I had worked three days this past week. I guess trying to prove to myself that I was indeed invincible. I really didn't think it mattered, because I was on prescriptions and they were going to make me well, like every time in the past.

So I have another Saturday that I have gotten little to nothing done. I am trying hard to focus on rest, but I feel continually like I should be doing something more.

When I was pulling into my garage from the UTC, I got a call. A dear friend was on the other line and I knew as soon as I heard her voice why she was calling. She was calling to let me know that our dog, Scotty, who she had taken in when Elias was 1 because he was allergic, had died. We had not seen him in over a year.  From my sickness and the shock of it, I felt like I was in some sort of dream, like I was watching everything happen outside of myself, like I was feeling and knowing, yet not all at the same time. It was very surreal.

I know that it may seem a silly thing to grieve a dog who has not lived in our home for years, but I do. He truly felt like our first baby, especially in those hard years when we were not able to have children of our own, and he definitely had been part of our family. My friend who has to live with an empty kennel and dog bowls will grieve much more than I will, for sure, so I pray for her. She had loved him well during his life and I never regret giving him over to her care.

Scotty had turned 10 last month. He was only 6 weeks old when we had brought him home so many Aprils ago. I think about how fast time goes and how there will be future calls that will seem more surreal, be more painful, seem too impossible to believe, that someone I love is gone.

The kid we thought we would never have will soon be with us an entire decade and his sister will follow up close behind - the tail end of the promise of family that we never thought to expect. I just feel like I am looking outside of my little bubble of "this is my life" and realizing what a wondrous miracle it really has been.

Of course, it could be all of the medicines coursing through my body!