basket-case

This I am....

for baskets.

Or maybe in life in general.

Sometimes I think I have a serious problem when I'm sitting on my couch relaxing on a Saturday and my eyes wander to the bottom of the entertainment center and it's cluttered mess.

Does anyone else have this problem?

This is what I saw.

And my thought?

Let's fix this.

So I went to the corner of my living room where we have a basket that held two pillows just for decoration.  Well the pillows aren't conducive to Boone's shedding habits.  So the pillows went downstairs for use at another time and the basket calmed me by catching all the extras that are housed in the bottom of our entertainment center.

There.  It's fixed.  And now my mind can focus on the current reality show of choice (and their messy lives) that blares from the TV instead of a mess in our entertainment center.  Much better.

spring decluttering--breathing easier

I spent my final day of Spring Break cleaning out closets, drawers, and just about anything that wasn't moving.  Nothing in my house was safe today...except for Boone, of course.  We love him just a little too much to get rid of him.  (That sweet puppy stayed passed out asleep in my hallway, just dizzy from watching me in action.)  My game plan:  A pile for Goodwill, a pile for our upcoming church yard sale, a pile for consignment, and a pile for my mom and dad's booth at a local flea market/antique store.

I started out with a bag for each...labeled so I didn't get confused during my decluttering madness.  As you can see, I quickly filled up the designated bags, and added about one bag per pile.  That means7 bags in total by the end of my decluttering for now.

Now don't be confused.  These are the jumbo bags from the stores...not the little pitily grocery bag size.  I can't believe Justin and I have already collected this much junk stuff in two years of marriage.  (Some of it came with us into our home when we moved in....and this isn't the first time I've done this type of crazy decluttering.)

And possibly the most eye-opening part of my entire decluttering experience today....how many clothes I had in my closet and drawers that don't fit, I can't stand anymore, or they are just ragged looking.  (I even had to include a trash pile for some of my clothes.)  Really? And there are people out there that need clothes?! I take my clothes that are in good condition to a local consignment store.  I'm not kidding when I say you can make good money on your clothes each season.  Let's just say my winter items brought in enough cash that it covered a week of groceries on our budget.  Not too shabby. 

Hopefully this jumbo pile will go to good homes!

Decluttering Tips:

-If you haven't worn it all winter or all summer, or whatever the season is....get rid of it! If you didn't wear that red sweater with the fuzzballs all over it this winter....you won't wear it next winter.

-If you're hubby is like mine and completely resists decluttering due to the time it takes...break it down into sections.  For example, I just asked Justin to go through his "undies" drawer today.  That was manageable.  Hey, one drawer is better than none!

-You don't really need all those magazines.  Take them to your local used book store.  Hey, even if you get 5 or 10 cents a piece for them, it's better than having them piling up.  If you just want to recylce them, cut out the ideas you like, put them into a plastic baggie or folder and file away for later use, tossing the rest of the magazine into recycle.

-Get organized before decluttering.  Have a designated bag or box for each place your items will go to.  (Always have a trash bag on hand too.)

-Have a box or bag somewhere (ours is in the basement) so that throughout the year when you find things you don't want/need anymore....you can take it directly to that spot.  Try to clear that box out (take it to Goodwill, etc.) once a month.  Or you may choose to just compile until you can have a yard sale.

-Ask yourself over those "I can't decide items"...is it better that this sits in my house collecting dust "just in case I need it" or that it goes to a home of someone that does actually need it?

-And for you "maybe I could be a little ADD--innatentive" people like myself (I kinda self-diagnosed myself during my Special Education teaching classes in college)...stick with one drawer, one dresser, one closet, and one room at a time.  Don't jump.  It is so tempting...but so not worth it.  You'll be so much more impressed when you just stay focused. (That sorta came out like a little pep talk to myself.)

-Have fun with it! Seriously, take a deep breath and think about how much you are accomplishing even when you declutter the "junk drawer" in the kitchen.


Happy decluttering...be inspired!

coupons for troops--send expired coupons to families stationed overseas

Image link

If you're as crazy as me about decluttering your coupons in order to make room for more and you're looking for ways to help others...listen up! A friend of my sister-in-law recently contacted me about joining in on a coupon exchange through the mail...love it! We live in different places and she's working hard to get a few people together across the US so that we get a variety of coupons.  Can't wait to get it started! However, she told me about something I had never heard of.  Maybe you have.  If so, I hope you're participating!

Coupons to Troops is a source for a place to send your expired coupons.  American families that are stationed overseas can use our coupons at the Commissaries and Post Exchanges (their stores) for up to 6 months past the expiration date.  This is where they purchase groceries and everyday items.  Think bread, milk, diapers, etc.  Supposedly prices are much higher and any little financial help is appreciated.  Check out the great, detailed website for all the specifics on what to send and what not to send, how to organize the coupons for sending, and how to ensure the coupons reach their destination before they are past the 6 month deadline.

I'm not sure about you, but I'm always looking for ways to help our troops and their families.  They're living an amazing calling.  Can you imagine trying to live on a budget overseas? I'm sure it's just one more thing we take for granted in the United States.

So do what you can to help.  Get this started in your community of friends, your workplace, your church...wherever you have coupon crazies lovers among you.  I can't wait to do this! (I'll start with the pile of expired coupons I just cleared out of my coupon album!)

Thanks for sharing, Jess!

the decluttering and organizing bug returns!

Well I recently posted here in January that I caught the "decluttering bug"....well it has hit again! I think part of the reason is that it looks like this out my backdoor....

And I am indoors due to snow day numero dos (that's two snow days in a row for the second time this year). Who's complaining though? Not me!

So in the previous decluttering bug post I opened my Tupperware cabinet doors and let you peek inside.  Today...I am going to let you peek into another insanely cluttered part of my kitchen....underneath the kitchen sink. Gross.

Go ahead gawk at it.....

Nasty, disgusting, completely inconvenient....and even a budget hog due to me having NO idea what all I actually had in there.

Check out what all I pulled out of this cabinet.

All of this....

And this...

And even this....

Haha, can you believe that?! I really should be ashamed! (I promise I had good intentions with the recyclables......they were going to be used for a measurement unit in math....)

So the hubby and I took a trip to good ol' Wal-Mart today and found a nice little cheap contraption to help with my decluttering "project" for just around $6.

Can you hear the organizing angels singing?! :)

I threw gobs of things away, pulled out nasty cleaning rags that could have easily been in there since we cleaned when moving into this little bungalow about a year and half ago, and I also compiled things.

Items like these Cascade dish detergent packs needed to be compiled.

Wahla! (Only one bag to fit back underneath the sink.)

I threw out a whole garbage bag worth of junk and took the potting soil and potting shovel (yes they were under there too) down to the basement:

And then I even found I had two of some items that I had no idea about....and even some great scrubbing pads that the cluttered cabinet ate and I obviously completely forgot about. (One of the main reasons to declutter and organize.  If you don't know what you have....you will buy another one....and of course spend more money from the budget that you didn't even need to.)

So finally after all my hard work (really to those of you who are timid about decluttering and organizing...this only took me about 15 minutes) here is the newly decluttered and organized under-sink cabinet.....

Closer looks:

There is a method to my organizing and decluttering madness, too! Dish detergent directly next to the dishwasher, boxes turned to where I can get the contents out of them without even removing them from the cabinet, bug spray hidden in the back (away from Boonie's snooping nose), and there are even some "spring" items for our backporch (such as a citronella candle and hummingbird feeder mix hidden in the back for when Spring finally decides to come around).

I hope the bug will spread to you! Just think....it may make you clean more often!

haha...Atleast that's my personal goal for this lovely little newly-organized cabinet!

blessings, Cait

it's the little things

I went through two HUGE changes my first year of marriage.  Number one...getting used to living in a new home (I still say that was a bigger transition than actually transitioning into marriage) and Number Two....getting used to "living" in a classroom.  Now I use the quotes for "living" in the classroom...however, for you teacher people out there...you know just as well as I do that you really could live there if you allowed yourself.  Well, by no means am I queen of keeping this house perfectly organized nor am I a master of a perfectly organized classroom.  However, I have found some things that just work for me.  They are the little things that make my life just a tad bit easier both at home and at school. These are the little things that keep my life less cluttered and allow for a little bitty breath of fresh air throughout my day.  (Thanks to my lovely teacher friend whose recent blog post reminded me to share my strengths and ideas with others....not to keep them to myself.)  So here goes....the little things that make my life easier.  Hope you can find a glimpse of decluttering inspiration!

At home...

I'm a tad basket crazy...

This basket sits on our table in the foyer.  It houses keys, an umbrella, sunglasses, etc.  (All the junk you need when heading out the door that I can't stand having sitting on tables around the house.)

Oh, I love this one! These are great post-it pockets that you can buy anywhere that has post-it notes.  It sticks to the fridge and is the home to all of our bills that are due or things that need to be mailed.

We have a very small section of our kitchen countertops between our sink and the wall going into the kitchen.  I never prepare food here, so we have this great organizer I snatched up at TJ Maxx that holds grocery ads, gum, pizza coupons, carry-out menus, etc.  I declutter it about once a month.  (Again...it keeps stuff off the countertops and hidden away!)

In the classrom...

(You'll notice there are quite a few more "little things" that keep me sane in the classroom.  After all, I do have 21 busy-bodies to keep in line all day.)

Snagged this up at Goodwill in my pre-teacher days.  This sits right next to my desk and the kiddos empty their "Take-Home" folders into the designated bins each morning.  (Notes for me, homework, and returned papers.)

Yes, simple idea I know.  But hey, as a first year teacher last year...I had to learn this trick! (Finished/Not Finished.)  The kids know exactly where to place their papers as they finish work.  (This holds me accountable that I don't let too many papers pile up...which is oh so tempting to do.)

So we have these big ol' honkin "lecture" carts that I guess some teachers would use to teach from.  Just not at our school.  Definitely not my "teaching style".  So I placed that eye-sore right behind my desk and put it to work.  There is a drawer for items for each day of the week...copies, manipulatives needed, science materials, etc.  There is a bottom drawer that houses materials for my volunteers that come in.  My volunteers know to go directly to that drawer to find the things they need when they come in to help.  This works perfectly.  Maybe not the prettiest....but it works.  (The top holds my overhead projector and my anecdotal notebooks, gradebook, clipboard, etc.)  If you are lucky enough not to have this monster to house in your classroom...you could easily do this with two of the 3-drawer Rubbermaid containers.

Can't say I came up with this.  My teaching partner from last year taught me this cute trick.  A simple file folder that sits at an absent student's desk.  As papers are passed out, they go straight into the folder.

Alright, I'm going to be honest.  These lovely mailboxes are expensive....especially on a teacher's budget.  However, I have learned that teachers are by-far the most resourceful and sharing people on this planet.  Someone didn't want this at the end of last year....it was looking for a good home (or the dumpster).  I saved this little mailbox's life.  One mailbox for each student.  (This is where I breathe a sigh of relief.)  Need to know who didn't pick up their homework? A quick glance tells me. 

(Each of my students has a number 1-21 and their number labels their mailbox.  If you don't have a system like this in place in your classroom....do it!)  The top basket holds our "Wednesday Folders"...the folders that go home from the school each Wednesday. (Hint to snag the "good stuff"....ask around! Be there when teachers are cleaning out their classroom or moving in at the end of summer.  Or...email or ask around and simply ask people if they have things they don't want.  I've also learned a lot of teachers are closet "hoarders". hehe.)

You clean-freak people are fidgeting in your seats.  I'm okay with that.  Kids aren't clean. Period.  So this looks a little messy.  Again, I'm okay with that.  This is on our whiteboard when you walk into the classroom.  Each kiddo has a popsicle stick with their name on it in the bucket. (Bucket compliments of the Target dollar aisle, heck yes.) They place their stick in their lunch choice each morning.  (This also serves as a quick "who is absent" check in the morning.)

This is my job list system.  Simply place velcrow on the door and velcrow on each crayon.  I rotate these each week.  It's that simple.

This is just a little something extra.  It is an extra bookshelf that gasp I don't use for books.  Now don't freak out.  My students have huge access to books in my classroom. I just don't use this shelf because I use those annoying wire shelvings that can make anyone go crazy.  (I didn't say I'm perfect...because those definitely don't allow for library perfection.)  The clear bins hold Science and Math notebooks because there isn't enough room in their cubbies.  (I have a "Tub Master" that hands out the notebooks before the mini-lesson.  Right now you are picturing arms swinging, notebooks flying and kids crying. No worries.  I model and teach them the system at the beginning of the year...so they handle this just fine!)  The red canvas boxes hold paper towels and Clorox wipes in one and a hand sweeper in the other.

This sits on my desk all day.  I throw papers in that I need to copy quickly after school.  Works like a charm for me.

So there you have it.  A few "little" things that seem so simple, yet they make my life so much easier.  Like them? Use them! Don't like them? Let me know what works better for you! I'm always up for some new ideas to organize!

decluttering bug

I have the decluttering and organizing bug. 

When I get in this mood....I better utilize it! I love to organize and declutter, but the truth is...I'm not always in the mood.  (Especially in this cold weather when I just want to be a couch potato.) Well the bug hit....one, because the winter weather pretty much traps you in your home with a deathgrip and two, I get inspired by lovely bloggers that I find in this world of blogging.  (Bless you, ladies!) So I did the big project a few weeks ago....the hubby's closet.  (Boo me for not taking a before picture.)  The "after" is still evident.  You'll just have to take my word on this one.  I am thinking positive on this one but my unorganized free-organizational-spirit husband doesn't always keep a space decluttered.  So get excited...you may just get a glimpse into that closet before and after...um...let's say this spring or summer.  (I think he can keep it clean...I think he can keep it clean...)

Now onto the little projects that may seem so silly and trivial to you....but they were driving me crazy! These little projects are three cabinet spaces in our kitchen.  Blah.  You know how you sometimes have to "learn to love" something....well that's me with our kitchen cabinets.  I am grateful for what we have...but it takes creativity to make it work! :)

This is our lovely top cabinet over our awkwardly tall cabinet space that we use as our "pantry".  This houses our lunchboxes, bulk bags of chips (Side note...I'm not a "bulk" shopper, but they were cheaper unit-price wise this week at the grocery store...hint, hint), our George Foreman, tea maker, grill tools, etc.  I look at this and cringe.

Before

After

(Not perfect to you organizing queens...but this works great for us.  Accessible and simple.)

Tupperware......

Really?! I let it get to this?!

(please don't tell Martha Stewart)

Before

After

I matched lids to bottoms, recycled the oddballs, and as you can tell, moved the contents to one of our big drawers.  Ahhh.  I can breath easier...this makes so much more sense in our kitchen.

Where the tupperware was now holds oven mits, new sponges and napkin rings (in the white basket), and my aprons.  (Again, it makes sense.  Oven mits directly next to the oven.  Duh, Cait.)

So no longer can my hubby sit in the living room and crack up as he hears me saying some unpleasant words to the tupperware as they topple out of the cabinet and I shove them back in with one hand while closing the door with the other.  Oh darn.

So there you go....hopefully I'm spreading the decluttering bug to you.  Start little....it'll make your progress so much more rewarding as the projects snowball....(like that Dave Ramsey talk?) 

....Now what else can I declutter and organize?

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p.s.  I moved my 2010 coupon savings running total to my sidebar.  Follow me through the year as I pinch pennies with coupons.  Call me a nerd if you want to...but it's so much fun.  Hope it will inpsire you!

organizing coupons--coupon album

Early in my first year as a newlywed I was going through the grocery store and saw this amazing lady weaving into the aisle next to me. In her hands was something that would change my budgeting life! :) It was the most creative and sensible way to organize coupons. I have been through just piling them in my wallet and using one of those silly small pocket thingies that you can organize the coupons into sections. No offense if that works for you....I just hated flipping through the coupons in the sections. Check out this amazing invention.....

Purchase a small flimsy picture album.

(You can purchase these for under $1 at places like Wal-Mart).

Cut your coupons out and simply slide them into the pages where you would normally place pictures.

I like to organize mine with food coupons in the front, Boone's dog food and treat coupons next, then household item coupons (dish detergent, toothpaste, etc.), and finally department store and restauraunt coupons in the back.

Yes, GENIUS! This has made my coupon organization so easy that I use a coupon almost everywhere I go. I am never without my coupons because this light album fits right in my purse. Go for it, you'll be amazed by how easy it is to access your coupons!

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2010 Coupon Savings Running total:

*I saved $7.60 with coupons on my $74.00 grocery bill today.
*2010 savings so far....$12.10


I'm linking this post to Thrifty Decor Chick's So Fresh and So Clean Party