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I have been married to my husband for 14 years, and we have three children: two girls and a boy. My son has a disability, and it’s been difficult for him and our family. I had always worked full time in order to help provide for my kids and to contribute financially to our household.

 

A few years ago, my son started having problems at school, and I was having to leave work on a regular basis. My husband and I decided it would be best if I quit my job and stayed home full time with my son. So, for a year and a half I did just that. It wasn’t easy. I became depressed. Even though I was helping my son, I felt worthless. We struggled financially living off of my husband’s income. He did seasonal work in the construction field, so work wasn’t always guaranteed for him.

 

I was at home watching the news one evening when a story about Goodwill Industries Serving Eastern Nebraska and Southwest Iowa’s Customer Connect program aired. It was a six-month program that taught individuals customer service training. It sparked my interest. I thought to myself, “This may be just what I need.”

 

I called the number several days later. Unfortunately, the program was full by the time I called. Why didn’t I call sooner? Even though I was disappointed, I was motivated to do something with myself. So I enrolled in a local college to start taking some classes. Several months had passed and I was about ready to begin my classes when I received a call from Goodwill’s Customer Connect. She called to inform me that they had a spot for me in their next cohort. I was so excited I didn’t hesitate and immediately went down to their main office to fill out paper work.

 

I completed the program six months later. It wasn’t easy. My son’s disability and the issues that come with it were still there. I had to leave class early a few times to be with my son, but Goodwill understood and allowed me to do so. With the help of Goodwill, I was able to secure an internship with Charles Drew Health Center. That lasted 12 weeks and eventually turned into full-time employment.

 

Today I am a WIC Clerk in the WIC Center at Charles Drew. I enroll individuals into the program. I really love my job. I enjoy my coworkers and am so blessed to be working. I am so happy I am able to contribute to my family’s needs financially. The lights stay on. We are able to do things like go to the movies. My son is doing better. My oldest daughter is in college. Life is good for us.

   

bit.ly/1eEj8Ob #donatestuffcreatejobs

Prospective color scheme:

Blue, yellow, soft pink and wood accents

 

To do:

 

*Declutter

*Set up sewing machine & crafting area

*Make new yellow curtains

*Make yellow pillows or make a cover the green one in yellow fabric.

*Bring plant back to life/repot (ha!)

*Hang mirror and art

*Buy a rug? [not sure since I will be crafting in this area and it can get messy}

*Bar stools

*Fabric on the short wall under the bar

This is all the clothes we cleaned out of our closets this weekend. Where did we store all this crap?

Watch Jamie showcase clever re-uses for common household items. You can organize your entire house for under $100 with Jamie's unique idea of shopping from home to reuse things you already own (many are in your recycling bin right now.)

Day 9. FlyLady says: "Today we are going to learn how to declutter our homes a few minutes at a time with some fun tools. Making it fun will get the job done! Add a 5 minute room rescue to your Morning Routine."

 

FlyLady: How to declutter

 

There are some great tips! This one is my favorite: "Start at the entrance to the room: Then, work your way around the room clockwise. Do not skip a spot. Whatever happens to be next, just do it."

 

So, this pile was in my craft room (where we both have our own desks and laptops), the first thing on the left after the entrance. I had five minutes to fix it!

 

What do we have here? A huge bag, which has been there since we came home from Oulu a month ago. Time to finish unpacking it, don't you think? On the bag there was my hubby's camera bag and a pair of dirty socks (his). A piece of cardboard, I don't know where that had come from. Some pieces of paper. Done!

 

Links:

Day 9: Declutter a few minutes at a time

FlyLady

Beginner BabySteps

I am in Niagara and have been for a bit. I've been tending to my mom's home during the first four days here (redecorating the dining and living rooms, patching up and helping to declutter.) The work I promised to tackle is done and now we are set to unwind, visit, and take the boys around to places we knew when we were kids. I took my sons to Fort George National Historic Park in NotL yesterday as a start on my search to meet the challenge posed to me during my Get Pushed assignment. Fort George is significant as a point of conflict in the War of 1812, know as the Napoleonic Wars in the rest of the world, wherein the US failed in its one and only attempt to to put its doctrine of "manifest destiny" into practice into effect over British North America.

 

More on Fort George can be found here:

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_George,_Ontario

 

More on the War of 1812 can be found here:

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_1812

I cleaned up my kitchen counter and... look at this great charging station.

 

freshnestdesign.com

No big parties to ring in the new year here. We spent the preceding hour washing dishes and tidying the house. I worked on my list of resolutions (below) and we sat back and watched the fire works on TV. Happy New Year everyone... I'm going to bed.

 

2008

- Live with intention! Put your money where your mouth is.

- Take a photo of myself everyday this year

- Eat vegan always, even if it's not convenient

- Lose the baby weight... and then some more

- Grow spiritually

- Declutter! Simplify!

- Be a better mama. Be a better wife.

- Read, read, and read some more.

- Start doula training

- Renovate

- "Green" our home and life

- Craft more

- Handmade for birthdays and Christmas

looks a little neater now. i am not going to be hanging the paintings because i'll be moving soon - but i don't mind how they look on the ground.

 

i moved the guitar hero things to the outbox (i NEVER use them!) and the boots into the closet. the records have been relocated.

 

in their place is this cute little ottoman table thingy that i picked up from urban outfitters for $20. i may paint/reupholster is shortly, but i don't mind it like this for now.

A fantastic craft room uncovered through home organizng!

The kitchen is the heart of the home, so it experiences a lot of foot traffic. With three meals a day and so many items to store, this space can quickly become disorganized. However, it’s important to keep your kitchen organized because this will streamline your daily routines.

From Tupperware, to pots and pans, to the pile of cleaning supplies under the sink, it is hard to know where to start. So let our recipe for decluttering your kitchen guide you.

Cabinets and Drawers

Without organized cabinets, it can be difficult to meal prep. Also, if your kitchen is crowded with unnecessary items, it’s tough to cook and clean.

Start by clearing out your cabinets. When you have everything out, decide what to keep, donate, sell, or toss. Discard anything overused, chipped, or expired. Overused items could include: an old non-stick pan, chipped glassware, or a scratched pot. This could also include expired snacks or spices that you no longer use. Do you have Tupperware containers that are missing a lid? Do you have a mug collection that has gotten out of control? Then it’s time to toss or donate these items.

Once you’ve narrowed down what is reentering your cabinets, create labels and sections based on frequency of use. Labels allow easier access and serve as a reminder when you’re running low on ingredients. This could also help your kids unload the dishwasher. Sections allow for better organization. Add risers to stack plates and use clear containers. When you use clear containers, it’s easier to find what you need.

Declutter Tip: Add removable, non-adhesive water-resistant liners to your cabinets to prevent water damage and to help make cleaning easier.

You can repeat these steps for your drawers and pantry. Add drawer organizers and you’ll have a well-organized miscellaneous drawer everyone is sure to envy. For your pantry, add a Lazy Susan so you can easily access your spices. Use clear containers to hold grab-and-go snacks and granola bars. This will make it easier to write your grocery list, as you can see what you have in your drawers and pantry.

Refrigerator

The refrigerator is one of the most forgotten areas of the kitchen, but it can also be home to some of the most harmful bacteria in your house. To better your health and the quality of your food, start by creating a schedule to regularly clear, clean, and organize your refrigerator.

Clear out any unused or expired food. Check for any expired products or spills you may not have noticed. Be sure to discard of these items properly, as some states require you to leave meat in the packaging to better prevent any spread of harmful bacteria. Check out your state’s rules for proper disposal of these items.

Clean your refrigerator, the drawers, the shelves, and any additional containers you may have for organization. If your refrigerator allows, adjust your shelving for optimal use of your space, making it convenient for your daily use. If possible, add liners to your drawers and shelves.

Declutter Tip: Be sure to use hot water, soap, and a new sponge when cleaning your refrigerator. Some disinfectant products can be toxic and should not be used around food.

Organize your items. The top of your refrigerator should be home to drinks, quick grab-and-go snacks, and any leftovers. Lower shelves should contain any ingredients slated for cooking. Your refrigerator door has less opportunity to remain cold, so this is a great place to store condiments. Any dairy or eggs should always be placed in the coldest area of your refrigerator, so try to place these products toward the back of the top shelf. For more organization tips, check out this link.

Don’t forget to take a picture of your newly organized kitchen and share with us here for a chance to win one of our weekly prizes and an entry for the Grand Prize!

 

Visit Here: www.invitationhomes.com/blog/clear-the-clutter-challenge-...

 

Top part of a china cabinet found at flea market - $45. Here goes another attempt at fabric organization.

5 things you should toss this week for quick, easy decluttering.

 

Used at: Hello Tidy

 

Image Source: Broken and disregarded umbrelloa

This was the homeschool table area when we first moved in a week and a half ago.

Moved our office to the room next door this week. A chance to declutter!

this is the west wall. The cork board helps in displaying my frequently used stencils.

I found these things tucked into handbags and hidden on the closet floor.

i was also attempting something with directional natural light to highlight the flowers, but not sure if it worked out at all...

first time photographing flowers, any advice appreciated. this is super hard!

 

another angle i tried. --> www.flickr.com/photos/71895342@N04/7069403019/

i was trying to play around with creating haze with neighboring leaves in the bush...

Decided to have another big clearout as the ‘stuff’ is gradually taking over again. I swear it breeds behind my back when I’m not looking! And it seems that as fast as I declutter and Freecycle it, my parents or my daughter give me more stuff they think I’d like!

 

Going to do another “Wave bye bye to 100 things in 10 days” challenge, like I did on Swapbot earlier in the year. That was a fun challenge and as it was not long after Christmas, it wasn’t too hard to do.

 

Day 1’s assortment was:

 

Cutlery drainer: this still had its label on and had been on my craft room windowsill holding pens, knives, scissors etc. After my big craft room tidy up I put all those things into a spare tin so the cutlery drainer was excess to requirements now. I put this on Freecycle.

 

Two document wallets that I had bought at a craft show to hold the scrapbook papers that I also bought there. I wanted to keep them flat and hadn’t taken anything with me. As I have 4 rigid containers at home to keep scrapbook papers in, I don’t really need these any more. These were also put on Freecycle and another crafter had them.

 

Lime green and pink paper trimmer and two spare blades. I had great trouble finding a paper trimmer that cut straight, and this wasn’t one of them! I eventually found one after having bought about 6 different ones, so this one was not needed any more. This also went on Freecycle and found a new home with another crafter.

 

Two plastic container/storage boxes. These were also excess to requirements after my craft room tidy up. My mum is also a crafter so these will be going to live in her craft room now.

 

An L-shaped pillow for sitting up in bed and reading. This had been in the top of my wardrobe for about 5 years. I never sit up and read in bed, and the pillow wasn’t suitable even if I did. On to Freecycle it went, where it was re-homed.

 

A wicker basket. This had also been in my craft room holding ‘bits’: after the big tidy up I no longer had a need for it, so it too went on Freecycle and was taken to a new home.

 

Ikea deep display box. I bought this years ago intending to do something with it, but never did, so don’t see the point of keeping it. Freecycled it to another crafter.

 

Sagem mobile phone and charger. I think this was the first mobile I had, and as I had recently inherited hubby’s old one, I no longer needed this. Freecycled to a new home.

 

Two feather pillows that had been in the top of my wardrobe for a couple of years. Children have both left home now and we have an excess of pillows anyway, so could safely Freecycle these.

 

Mannequin jewellery holder. Given to me by my daughter as she didn’t want it, so I Freecycled it for her.

 

That concludes Day 1. Some of the things will be hanging around for a couple of days until the new owners from Freecycle can collect them, but they will all be gone by the weekend! Yippee!

 

Very messy before shot of my home office I let it go way to long before cleaning, including typical paper clutter, as well as toys on the floor as well as other junk that didn't belong in the office in the first place.

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