No Mess Kids Toy Organization

Here is a fun one for you today!

I'm sharing how we organize our kids toys! :)

You see, Tyler hates stuff out of place and on the floor. Well, the toys didn't really have a place and were ALWAYS on the floor. So we have tried quite a few different systems, but now we have something that seems to be working well.

First we tried nothing. . . . . That didn't work so well... Haha

Then we tried a small basket of toys in the front room. One for each child. It was ok, but toys would more easily end up on the floor of the front room/family room. And those baskets would fill up quickly with toys from their room.

Then we tried ALL their toys in their room with easy access to every-thing. That worked better, but they would just carry lots of toys to the front room. So to convince Tyler that we really shouldn't throw away all their toys, I came up with this!

A toy cabinet! 

I did a major purge of their toys and put it into categories. Then I kept the categories they played with most often and the ones that encouraged imagination. I just used bins I had around the house, but most of these are dollar store. Then I added cute labels! More to help Tyler know where they go and to keep me from just shoving things inside when I feel lazy.

Here is the front of the cabinet:

This little label I made shows each bin that is inside. And I drew it myself!! (It took like an hour and a half, but was fun to do.) you could just copy and paste pictures and print it off! Or you can print off the previous picture, but your categories will probably be different :)

We got this cabinet when we moved into the house. The previous owners left it. Except it was an ugly forest green with a bad paint job and the front wasn't connected to the rest of the cabinet. . . . It needed some love :) I painted it an olive green with paint someone had given me. Then Tyler helped me add hinges I bought at Home Depot and a knob from our bathroom vanity. Now it's really cute and functional!

 I keep the cabinet "locked" by using a shoelace! Haha! We get creative around here.... And when the girls would like to play with something, they ask, and we get one bin out at a time. They have to clean up their current bin in order to get a new one. And we also use this toy box:

That turns into an ottoman, for their 2 toys they can have all the time. This is also really nice if it's too late to clean up their bin, I just throw it all in the box until the next day. Works great! Tyler also made this toy board:

If you can't tell, each toy is tied to the board and can't be strewn across the floor! It was Rosie's birthday present this year. But if you ask me, it was more a present to us, haha! 

This system is really nice! I feel with less toys they are much more imaginative. Instead of moving so quickly from toy to toy to toy to toy.... You get my point. :) and there isn't any of "I just cleaned this room!!" Going on anymore. :) or at least, not nearly as often. 

To give a better idea, those pictures I showed are ALL of my kids toys. Where some might think I'm depriving them from lots of toys- I instead feel I'm blessing them with less clutter for their mind! Less toys and choices to confuse and overwhelm. I see they are so much more content with the toys they do have. :)

Now, I don't know everything, and this system has been working splendidly for us! But find what works best for you, and I hope this could be an inspiration! I personally feel children do better with less toys- but that is my opinion! And if you are the opposite- I still love you and think you're a great parent! Because how many toys your kids have is definitely not an indicator of how good a parent you are. Or if you bottle feed, breast feed, raw diet, sleep in crib, sleep with you, cloth diaper or not. What makes you good is your love. :) so keep on keeping on! And I hope to inspire you to implement systems that make life easier. 

(Easier being the key word there ) :)

Oh!!!

As for their books....

I haven't really gotten a good system yet. I think they should have free access to something as good for their brains as books- but the mess it creates is too much for my sweetheart. So we will keep trying and thinking on that one...

Love you!

Jamie

Are you open to truth?

There are lots of feelings going on inside of me right now.

Mainly frustration, sadness, and hopelessness. 

Why you might ask? 

Because I am amazed at how many people are closed to the truth. ANY truth. ALL truth.

Truth is what lifts you and your understanding, truth brings light to your soul.

For example: I know that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. I know that he is there for me everyday, every moment, through every heartache and every joy. 

As I act on this truth: I am filled with light.       I am filled with love.         I have a hope for the future and an immense gratitude for His love. I am open to read his words and learn more truth. 

This 'light' I speak of brings a true happiness. A deep down, in the dirt, can't deny it, peace that comes only when you are choosing to act on the truth you have received. 

Who doesn't want that?? :)

I feel this peace when I am making a conscious effort to let go of sadness, anger or sin. To choose be patient, to repent, and to love.

I desperately want those I love to feel it too! You included! I mean, I am willing do drive to where you are, grab you by the shoulders, and shake you until you can see how much I truly care! 

So p-l-e-a-s-e. Act on that truth you've received. Whether it be to pray, to love, to serve. Or if you have felt a stirring in your heart as you read about my knowledge of Jesus Christ. To notice it and act on it. Read the book of Matthew from the bible to learn more about Him.

( https://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/matt/1?lang=eng )

I'm not sure what else to say, than to say I love you. Than to say, keep on going. Keep on trying, keep on loving. And keep on believing.

Jamie

Gotta catch them all...... Neon green!!

So that post title doesn't make a whole lot of sense... Unless you watched Pokemon everyday after school, 3rd grade and beyond. Then it makes perfect sense!! No wonder why we're the best of friends ;)

So the chairs are on hold while I dream and think. But that doesn't stop me from doing!

Our dryer started making a funny noise, so I stopped using for fear of something exploding. Which, when heat is involved is totally plausible, right??? Yeah.... Tyler didn't think so either :)

Well, when our laundry got so backed up (like Tyler having to borrow my teeny ankle socks haha!!) I finally decided to investigate the dryer noise. Thank heaven it was only the dryer hose/vent thing that had come off! And I really mean thank heaven :) but thinking about it, I haven't actually prayed and thanked Him. Better do that :)

So in order to hook it back in we had to take out the crazy MESS of stuff that was piled in and around our washer and dryer. This got my organizational gears t-u-r-n-ing. (It was always turning since the world was burning!)

So I convinced (or more puppy-dog-eye asked, ever so sweetly) for Tyler to move the washer dryer to the right side of our little laundry nook. Here's what it looked like after that:

Hot mess, I know. But it will make for all that better of a before photo! :)

So I knew I needed some color in order to WANT to keep it clean. Crazy idea, I know :)

I have some old paint I got for free off of ksl. One of the colors was......

Can you guess it?

....

hint: think of the post title....

....

Here's another hint:

Neon green!! You guessed it! And with only 2 hints too ;)

I only got a little bit done because it was preeeeetty tight. I didn't move the washer/dryer, I just squeeeeeeeezed into that crack on the left. :) 

And I only barely painted behind the dryer, because let's be honest, the only time we will see that is to move the washer dryer out once every few years to get what has fallen behind it. :)

Here is an angle to show that you can't even see behind the washer dryer :)

And this wall, guys....

It has big plans. BIG plans :)

I mean, we are talking hooks upon hooks for hang drying, floor space for bulk foods, shelving for pantry items. .... I could have a somewhat-pantry?! Glorious! I'm so excited. These are the shelves to be installed

They need a little love too. But what doesn't?? 

Love you all!!!!!!

Jamie

Update 3. How can 2 chairs be so difficult??

Hey there! 

Here's the update :)

I stapled and glued the chair back together. Then gave it a good sanding. Now it's not so splinter-inducing. :)

Then I put on a tung-oil product I found in our shed. :) free is great, people! Use what you have!

I only have one issue with this now. Where the wood molded (it's baked in the sun and is no longer moldy) it has shown through! 

I put the backs on again.

My heart just doesn't skip a beat.....

I'm picturing a wood seat, and it's just not WOW yet. Ya know? 

My mom suggested putting the green fabric behind the backrest so the wood could still show and it would tie in with the current green coushins.

Other ideas were to put a wood seat and stain it with a geometric pattern- love! Or to add wood along the sides. :) 

Thanks so much for all of your ideas and support! 

Maybe I'm just making too much of a big deal about it. I just need to come up with a new vision in my head with the wood backs :)

Wish me luck!

On a side note, I have been thinking of doing like a 2-week-fashion-boot-camp on the blog. Where for two weeks there will be inspiration and ideas to help take back time for yourself! Like 2- minute, no fuss hair ideas (they exist,  trust me :) and ways to make your wardrobe fuss free (throw it on, and feel great). Because it seems to me that there are people out there that don't realize how easy it is to look and feel great! I feel like i finally have style, ease, and 'feel prettiness' more than I ever have in my life! So I want to share! 

So PLEASE tell me what you would like to learn about in the comments below! :) I want to cover things that will actually help and make a difference. And what matter to YOU! :)

Love

Jamie

Something stolen- what I did next

Hey guys. 

Sorry no chair update for you today. The wood backs are literally falling apart and off the chair- so I've put my work on hold until Tyler can help me make them sturdy again. He is a-mazing at that type of thing. I am usually reminding him that the nail in the wall for a picture frame does NOT need to hold an elephant. But he usually makes it about that sturdy :) love that guy.

But I do want to share something on my mind. 

On Saturday night someone stole something off my porch. :(

Which, for anyone outside of Happy Valley, would not be very I shocked at this. 

Me, not so much. I was shocked.

It was a vintage little suitcase that sat next to our door on a little table. It housed all of my jewelry making supplies (with a tiny house, you get creative with storage).

The funny thing is- that when I first put it out there, Tyler warned me not to, because it might get stolen. But it was just SO cute out there and the perfect size! Plus I had faith that people wouldn't take something that wasn't theirs. it's not really worth anything, anyway!

Well. I was wrong. Tyler was dead on. 

It really bothered me most of Sunday morning. I'm sensitive when it comes to people being mean to each other. Like, I feel it in my g-u-t. It really upsets me when my chickens aren't nice to each other! I even got rid of 2 perfectly good, laying hens because they weren't nice to the third chicken! 

Because, really, is it THAT hard to be nice to someone? No. It doesn't cost a penny.

In fact, it reminds me of this video:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3CiCYPisD5w

So I expect it out of myself and others to be kind! I guess that's why it bothered me so much when I realized the suitcase was taken. (Sorry it's gone grandma! But I still have the other one!)

Well, this circumstance has not ruined my faith in the goodness of people. So here is what I did:

It's only been one day. But I am praying that I'll be able to track down that little suitcase :) and I'll start praying for the person that took it. That they can come out of whatever desperation caused them to take it. Can you pray for them too? I'm sure they need the prayers :)

Jamie

Take a Seat! Chair Update 2

So.

These chairs.

I'm not sure what to do....

Let me explain:

If you remember, I found this pretty vintage fabric that is original to the chairs.

I wanted to keep it! But there was none of this fabric hidden on the back of the chair. Let me show you what I mean:

There is no pretty vintage fabric underneath this part. So I decided to just take it off and replace it with a corresponding fabric...

I got some pliers in there and pulled the backing off. It pulled off a little TOO easy...

YUCK!! Pretty much pure mold. I'm pretty sure I can't salvage any of the original fabric or nails....

Bummer. 

DO NOT LEAVE INDOOR FURNITURE OUTSIDE!! As if that wasn't already common sense for everyone but me! :( I thought they 'would be fine.' 

Just wait to you hear the rest of the story...

So I then decided to just try to recover the whole top part with the same emerald green fabric for the seats. So I just ripped and pulled away.

This is the awful part... Put down your lunch/breakfast/snack/doughnut for a second. (Actually, if you're eating a warm maple bar, then you better eat that first. Because warm doughnuts are soooo good) 

Back to the story. I peeled it away and there was a spider egg in there! Ahhh! And earwigs!! *shiver*

As I would pull a nail away at a time, earwigs would fall out on me! And then I would scream. 

Don't worry neighbors, I'm just jumpy when it comes to earwigs....

Why? You should ask my brother... :) 

But like all things that might seam bleak in the moment- if you push on and say a little prayer- things start to look up!

Pretty right?!? Worth the few minutes of grossness. :)

These chairs are starting to take a design turn! 

So.

These chairs.

I'm not sure what to do!

To me the emerald green fabric just isn't matching the pretty wood back! Which I LOOOVE and am totally keeping. 

So what's a gal to do? Should I just make a wood seat to match the top? And forget all my efforts to make the current ones? 

I need some support! What do you think?

:) jamie

Cute 'Frozen' Toddler Hair

"Let it go! Let it go! Can't hold me back anymore!"

Sound familiar? Yeah, we love the Frozen movie here too. . . A little too much for only having seen it about 5 times. :)

Fun fact: my uncle helped make that move! And tangled too! It is way fun to see his name in the credits.

So, since I have a hard time convincing maybelline to let me brush and do her hair, I have to get creative.

"Do you want kitty-cat ears? Butterfly antennas? My little Pony-tail?" I mean, whatever it takes. :)

So recently it's been, "how about Elsa hair?" 

*dingdingdingdingding!!*

And Rosie loves to be a part of it, of course. I did Anna braids in her hair :)

Here is Maybelline's Elsa Hair. (Keep in mind this is the end of the day. After nap times and wrestling. So they're a little less perfect than at the beginning of the day)

I started at the top right with a little section of hair, started French braiding, and grabbed sections as I went. I pictured a diagonal line as I went, ending in the bottom left. Let's just say, she's a fan :) and anything is better than the almost-dreadlocks that it usually is until I can get a brush to it.

Here is Rosie's. ....

SOOOO cute! :) i think it was my first time actually able to braid her hair. Those tiiiiny little braids! Oh my. :)

And here is Rosie again. She wanted me to take a picture of her baby's foot :)

Love these cutie-patooties.

Jamie

P.s. I just though I'd share another aspect of life too: maybelline is freaking out in her room because she didn't get a nap all day and I couldn't take her upset attitude anymore so I had her lay down in bed! She is NOT happy with me :)

Because as much I truly love these sweet spirits, life is life, and I don't want anyone thinking mine is more perfect just because you might not see all aspects of it :) so there. Haha.