Monday, January 16, 2012

Socks... Missing friends

I am so tired of sorting socks and wondering each time I do it how I am missing some. Does my washer/dryer eat them? It must! I have to buy socks for Ted every Christmas... But not anymore because I found the solution!

I safety pin my socks, Ted's socks, and the kids socks. Why? Simple so I no longer have to match socks and get irritated at my washer/dryer for eating them. It is simple and takes little to no time. I take my socks off, I pin them. Ted takes his socks off he either puns them or leaves them for me to pin next to my bed (this is really what he does). Hollin takes her socks off I pin them! I take Johnny socks off I pin them!

Once the pair (yep, pair) is pinned I throw them in hamper. I wash them pinned and pull out pinned. Then I put them away pinned! When we put them on we take pin out! Simple... And no more Rolling or matching socks. Life is grand!

After all it is the simple things that make my life easier. I don't miss matching socks, especially those navy and black ones that are so close!

I have a friend, my match, my safety pins!

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Changing the Blog...

Well... I have thought a lot about my "blog" and what I wanted it to be!  I read my sister-in-law's blog almost daily and she truly inspires me!  She is the perfect writer and blogger and I love reading it!  However, I am not that person and I don't see myself being that person.  Sure, I love my kids and all the experiences and "-isms" they have, but the real question is... do you care?  Does anyone REALLY care?  No, and this was kind-of a harsh reality for me, but see, my life is really not that interesting. 

I decided I didn't want to get rid of my blog but I didn't want to share every little detail about my kids.  I didn't want to because quite honestly I am a huge scrapbooker and I do it all in their books.  They each have a book per year, and so do I need to do this on top of that too! 

So you ask... what are you going to write about?  I am going to write about:

LIFE AS A WORKING, ANAL, ORGANIZED MOM
    I still want time for myself and enjoy that time.  I need this and therefore, I constantly think of things to make my life easier and more fullfilling so I can spend time with my kids and hubby!  So read on, because rather than bragging and sharing all the crazy, exciting boring details that my kids do on a daily basis I am now going to share... how I make my life easier in my crazy organized world.

I am sure organized!  My hubby would beg to differ at times, but I really am!  Here are some simple things I have put in place around my house (and then I will elaborate more in future, along with new ideas and "systems" that I put in place). 

My clothes, Ted's clothes, Johnny's clothes and Hollin's clothes are Color Coordinated!  Yep, they are hung in the closet by ROYGIV and they go from sleeveless (girls only) to long sleeve with turtlenecks.  I know immediately where all items and clothing items are and what I am missing.  I know where to look when I pull out navy pants and what tops would go (not black, because then we would look like a bruise). 

I made the door to my garage a magnetic chalkboard.  This door always, and I mean always, had disgusting finger prints and I was tired of Magic Eraser scrubbing it and the paint literally disappearing so I bought the paint and did it, all in one day.  I love it!  The kids love it too!  The top part (out of kids reach) I put the weekly calendar/schedule and it is color coordinated to people, so even easier to read and understand.  See I am pink, because, well if I have to answer that, then you don't know me at all.  Ted is green, he likes green and well that is easy enough.  Hollin is yellow, because my dad has called her sunshine from day 1 so that is easy to remember.  Johnny is orange, because he loves the Broncos and football, and I equate the two together.  Family functions are in white.  Birthdays are in purple and so on.  You get the point!

I have labeled and coded my pantry.  I love my labelmaker and any excuse I can find to use it, I do!  I have lined up all my cans, rice, pasta, snacks, cereal, chips, etc. by alphabetical order and labeled all the shelves with what goes where.  This way, we are never searching, my inventory is always accurate and life is easy. 

I have labeled all the bins in the playroom with mini-chalkboards of what goes where.  Now, my kids, can't read, but their daddy can!  So when he helps clean, he knows where it goes and someday they will too! 

This is all I can think of right now....

but there is more to come (including pictures).  Thanks for reading!  After all, if you are going to take the time to read, I might as well help you!  :)