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Rachel May
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Do you have some little organized corner of your house that makes you sigh with contentment when you go by? Some system in place that you don't know what you'd do without? Will you share?
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Rachel
Thomas and Anthony (10), Maria (8), Charles (6), Cecilia (5), James (3), and Joseph (1)
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MaryM
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Unfortunately, no. Can't wait to see other's ideas as I know I need to work on this.
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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MrsKey
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MaryM wrote:
| Unfortunately, no. Can't wait to see other's ideas as I know I need to work on this. |
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^^^
Yeah. What she said! 
Though I admit that I'm working on this and starting to make progress. My kitchen is getting to be under control.
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J.M.J.
Carole
Wife to Tom since '94 and mom to Bree since '96
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Willa
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It's always a process, Rachel!
I do try to keep my bedroom somewhat clear of clutter so at least when I wake up I'm not hit immediately by visual overload. That said, it's not looking that great right now 
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Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
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JennGM
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Rachel May wrote:
| Do you have some little organized corner of your house that makes you sigh with contentment when you go by? Some system in place that you don't know what you'd do without? Will you share? |
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Rachel, I'm taking down my Christmas tree and I have to say the organization for my Advent and Christmas is quite satisfying. Every year when I open the boxes I have my sigh of contentment that it's all marked, easy to access and I know where it all is.
And my books, although needing a little refreshing, I am pleased. I have a general state of organization that I can place my hands on any book within a minute or so.
Some of my kitchen and china cabinets, no changes necessary. My bathroom linen closet not too bad. But other stuff keeps needing reorganizing!
Out of control: outgrown clothes, baby stuff, sewing and craft stuff, photo stuff, tools, winter/summer clothes, table linens, bathroom cabinets, and TOYS and School stuff.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Servant2theKing
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Our new Spare "Oom. When our daughter and granddaughter moved away I cried that they wouldn't be sharing the room anymore, and couldn't bring myself to go in it for a few days. Then inspiration hit! I've read everyone's posts about study areas before and bemoaned the fact that we had NO extra space...until now! We left a single bed in there, for future guests and to serve as a good reading spot. I already had some lovely bedding with cottage roses and found curtains at Goodwill that match the bedding almost perfectly. There's an oversized burgundy leather chair in the room which is another great place for reading and cuddling. We have a small dropleaf table and two chairs, for a quiet study area. The best part of the room...we moved three very large bookcases out of our boys' bedroom into the deep narrow closet for a homeschool "library", and we have one more bookcase in the room itself, so most of our books now have a proper home! The walls now hold several old National Geographic School Maps (from our library bookstore), an antique world map that belonged to my late brother, an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a picture of Christ Crucified with a Crown of Thorns encircling Him, and an image entitled "The Dayspring From on High Hath Visited Us" (either by Margaret Tarrant or Cicely Mary Barker...I can't remember which). Having the books in the closet makes it feel more like a library and the room has a very peaceful, restful atmosphere (aided by the pale green walls and the light green echoed in the pictures, curtains and bedding).
For homeschooling families, if you can devote a room, or even a closet, to storage of books, the change is incredible. I no longer feel as though our books are taking over the entire house! We STILL have books and shelves scattered throughout the house, but the majority of our homeschooling related books now have a proper home AND a lovely place in which to use them (at least SOME of the time)!
Another spot in our home which really encourages me is our "family command center". It resides in our "mudroom" entry area. We have two tall pine cabinets on either side that hold all our bills, office supplies, and everything audio (stereo, tapes, CDs, etc.). There are antique brass cuphooks inside the doors from which I hang stamps, address labels, envelopes, bills and outgoing mail from binder clips. Our computer rests in the center of the two cabinets, on a length of countertop which is placed atop the base of an antique treadle sewing machine (the first antique I ever purchased, during our first year of marriage...so it must qualify as a double antique by now!) The cabinet from the sewing machine, with drawers and all, rests atop the counter and serves as a stand for our computer, with printer underneath. On either side, attached to the pine cabinets, are four old hymnal racks (from pews), where I keep decorated files to hold various paperwork and computer paper. This area is right beside our kitchen/dining area and serves as the hub of our home. I can focus on several tasks within arms' reach and still concentrate on other household activity (like keeping track of the bread I have rising in several pans as I write this.) My husband designed the area based on my suggestions when we moved here and it has been invaluable! The main cost was for the two cabinets, a piece of countertop, and the hymnnal racks, which I found on ebay before our move. Having a designated office space or "Family Command Center" has been very beneficial and really contributes to my need for some kind of order!
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mommylori
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I love how I did my homeschool stuff. I try to stay pretty organized. My best tip for organization is trash all the clutter.lol
But I have a buffet in the childrens room with all the homeschool stuff on it, the bottom shelf is school books, the middle is novel type books and the top is childrens picture books. I also have a box filled with block books.
Then there is three cabinets on the bottom the first is homeschool folders and stuff like that, the second is full of 3 ring binders, I seem to have a collection with diffrent stuff in them.lol And the 3rd is full of puzzles. Then there are 3 drawers, and only one with a nob, it is full of school supplies. When I get to the hardware store adn remember to buy handles, I will seperate them out, to paints, crayons adn markers, adn then pencil, pens, and stapler.
My kitchen is pretty organized also. And I couldn't live without my household organizer, it has everything, my routene, family callendar, info for all my utilities, for bill pay, my cleaning routene, and menuplan, and recipies etc etc etc.
One thing I have learned if everything has a place and you know how to get it, then it is organized, you don't need tons of tubs and labels and such, like Martha Stewart does.lol You just need to have it in a system you can find it. But Flylady really helped me with my home, that and I move alot.lol So I don't have time to become unorganized.lol I have moved across the country 4 times in 2 years, and then moved across town type moves 3 times in those same 2 years. so 7 moves in 3 years total, so like I said I really haven't had time to mess any system up, and without a strict system and routene we would probley have fallen apart a long time ago.lol And with all the moving I really haven't had the ability to collect any clutter, I am a throw it out type of girl, I have a garage full awaiting heavy duty day.lol Stuff from the last move, I decided wasn't worth unpacking.lol It had stayed packed for a few moves so it wasn't missed therefore wasn't needed.lol
But if I stick with flylady or Large family logistics routenes, I bounce back and forth, then I am always organizing small area's of my home very slowly. And decluttering them. So I guess that is the system I can't live without.lol
Mainly Large Family Logistics though, she homeschools and has a large family http://largefamilylogistics.net/index.php
http://www.flylady.net/
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saintanneshs
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Yes! My walk-in pantry! It was the first thing dh renovated for me when we moved into this old house and I love it. It's a former double coat closet with doors removed, shelves and paint added. It's filled with labeled, color-coordinated Tupperware and country baskets and things for organization. It holds everything!!
Right now there's even an all-ready-to-go baby carseat carrier parked below the last shelf since the pantry is right next to the kitchen door-- where we'll leave (for the hospital) in a hurry one day soon. 
My pantry is the first thing everyone sees when they come into my house (we're back door, not front door folks), and most of the rest of my house is a renovating work-in-progress, so it's kinda nice to feel like I have something that looks pulled together. To look in my basement is sooo discouraging. The pantry gives me hope!
I hope you find some special spot or system that does it for you, Rachel!
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Kristine
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Paula in MN
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You have found my weakness. Every room in the house is super organized....even the garage. I know where everything is, and if I'm not here? I have a nice little notebook....
I think this might be called OCD???
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 Paula
A Catholic Harvest
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kingvozzo
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PaulaL wrote:
You have found my weakness. Every room in the house is super organized....even the garage. I know where everything is, and if I'm not here? I have a nice little notebook....
I think this might be called OCD???
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Do you want to come to my house?
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Noreen
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Mom to 4 great kids and 10 sweet ones in Our Lady's arms
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Sarah
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PaulaL wrote:
You have found my weakness. Every room in the house is super organized....even the garage. I know where everything is, and if I'm not here? I have a nice little notebook....
I think this might be called OCD???
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Can I make an appt. with you??
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Six boys ages 16, 14, 11, 7, 5, 2 and one girl age 9
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ALmom
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Mommylori:
I have to ask your secret. How do you fit your books on one buffet? Our books procreate, I believe  .
Paula, I'm in line for consultation too. It looks like you could begin a very lucrative business!
I don't think there is a room in my house that is completely under control. I just cleaned off my kitchen desk and for the next few days it will be under control.
I think I know the problem, just not addressed the issue of being overrun with clutter and junk. But I always feel I'm one step from sinking - maybe this summer.
Janet
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Rachel May
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Carole, how are you getting the kitchen under control? What are you doing?
Paula, pick one spot that you KNOW the rest of us need help with? 
Great ideas so far. Keep 'em coming! You are getting my mental wheels spinning.....
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Rachel
Thomas and Anthony (10), Maria (8), Charles (6), Cecilia (5), James (3), and Joseph (1)
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SuzanneG
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My chest freezer makes me VERY happy. There are boxes/bags/baskets for each type of meat, legumes, meals, cheese, breads, etc. On top is my list of what's in there. It's probably the only "list" in my home that is actually up-to-date at all times. It definitely makes me "sigh with contentment" when I walk by. I've threatened to bring it up from the basement for this very reason! 
And, my kitchen cupboards with my Tupperware modular mate system. Lots of contented sighs happen because of these every day
The rest is a work in progress, Rachel. Sometimes I walk around the house in a daze asking myself "why can't everything be like my freezer?"
WJFR wrote:
| I do try to keep my bedroom somewhat clear of clutter so at least when I wake up I'm not hit immediately by visual overload. |
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I also try to do this. It really helps if even only THIS particular room is tidied and somewhat clean. Right now, however......uhhhhh....
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Suzanne in ID
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Becky Parker
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Well, I like to be organized but lately I just haven't had the energy to stay on top of things, and really it seems like no one else in the family wants things to be organized! Despite that, I will say that the room we call our classroom is quite organized. I have all our school books cataloged and placed on shelves according to subject and reading level so they are easily found. I also have lots of low shelves where I keep Montessori and other "hands on" stuff for my littles. It is usually a mess by the end of the day but I make it a priority to put things away so we start the next day fresh. My own desk is off in the corner and it's a good thing because I tend to put things there during the day until "later" when I can put them away properly. "Later" sometimes doesn't come until Saturday so my desk is a bit of an eye-sore in an otherwise orderly room. (Actually, I'm not sure why I call it a desk. I don't use it as such. I should just call it the "to be put away" table.) The only problem with the classroom is that, while it is quite organized (usually), it is also in the basement and guests don't see it! The first room people see when they walk into our house is the one the kids play in with all their toys! NOT a good set up!
Other areas that are organized are the linen closet, the sun room (my favorite room to be in and keep clean)and the kitchen (I keep things to a minimum there. It helps.)
I really wish I had a mud room as our coats/boots/hats mess is always hard to manage this time of year. That, the toy room, and the laundry room are my biggest head-aches. I think it's funny that my husband doesn't see the problem as his mother's house is always pristene and very organized. I would think it would drive him nuts but he says he doesn't notice it! (I actually wish it did bother him. Maybe then I'd get my mud room!)
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Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
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Cheryl
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suzgallus wrote:
Sometimes I walk around the house in a daze asking myself "why can't everything be like my freezer?"
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This is probably because the freezer is the only place that little children can't go in and take apart what you've set-up. And they probably won't leave their toys in their either. I will come back to answer Rachel's question later. My little Rachel is needing me right now.
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Cheryl
Wife to Bob ('97)
Mom to Matthew 13, Joseph 11, Sarah 10, Rachel 6, Hannah almost 4 and Mary 1
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Paula in MN
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Noreen, Sarah and Janet, you are so sweet!!
I can't help it...it's just the way He made me.
I have some friends that have asked me to help them in the past, and I always tell them to start small.
And Suzanne, all 3 of my freezers are like yours, with *special* places for different types of food, and a list on the front of them so I know what and how much is in them!....and my downstairs pantry is the same way.....and the rule is when you take something out of the freezer or pantry you have to mark it on the list....
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Paula
A Catholic Harvest
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Philothea
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My new kitchen table/island -- it's a 64"lX28"wX38"h farmhouse-style table with two enormous drawers, which I have tricked out with lovely organizational features. My favorite part is the spice organizers -- they're little tiered inserts that lie flat in the drawer and then you lay all your spices in them face up and slightly elevated toward you for easy viewing. No more digging for spices -- I can open one drawer and instantly see everything I have with one glance. I have the spices organized by purpose -- baking spices, all-purpose spices, meat seasonings, etc. I use a ton of different spices and I used to make a huge mess of my cabinets looking for things -- now I don't have to do that anymore, and they're right at hand across from the oven, lifted to waist-level for easy grabbing (they used to be in a base cabinet so I was always kneeling).
I looooove my new island. :)
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JennGM
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Philothea wrote:
My new kitchen table/island -- it's a 64"lX28"wX38"h farmhouse-style table with two enormous drawers, which I have tricked out with lovely organizational features. My favorite part is the spice organizers -- they're little tiered inserts that lie flat in the drawer and then you lay all your spices in them face up and slightly elevated toward you for easy viewing. No more digging for spices -- I can open one drawer and instantly see everything I have with one glance. I have the spices organized by purpose -- baking spices, all-purpose spices, meat seasonings, etc. I use a ton of different spices and I used to make a huge mess of my cabinets looking for things -- now I don't have to do that anymore, and they're right at hand across from the oven, lifted to waist-level for easy grabbing (they used to be in a base cabinet so I was always kneeling).
I looooove my new island. :) |
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Anyway you can share pictures? I'm drooling over here. Does your island have a sink or electricity, too?
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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MrsKey
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Rachel May wrote:
Carole, how are you getting the kitchen under control? What are you doing?
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I moved! :D Seriously. I moved and this new kitchen is so much nicer that I've just made a concentrated effort to keep that one room organized (putting things away after using them) and taking a key from FlyLady and keeping my kitchen sink shiny. It seems to be working.
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J.M.J.
Carole
Wife to Tom since '94 and mom to Bree since '96
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Best of....Oganization
