January room challenge... ideas? - Page 3

[lisalulu]

I'm going to do the bedroom and the bathroom. The bathroom will take second priority if I start running short on time. Off to come up with a to do list!

To do bedroom:
rearrange furniture
possibly take down crib since ds doesn't use it?
go through clothes and do the oprah turn hanger thing
make space for reading if possible
hang up pics that have been sitting around forever
find a new spot for dog bed

To do bathroom:
paint
change out pictures
declutter vanity drawers
put up glass shelf/get jars out of kitchen and on the shelves
take down two towel racks

[rere]

Ok so I made a space for the forest house (the best I could do for free)but unfortunately there is an outlet right there.It's driving me crazy!Any ideas how to hide it?

[SAHDS]

Originally Posted by rere

Ok so I made a space for the forest house (the best I could do for free)but unfortunately there is an outlet right there.It's driving me crazy!Any ideas how to hide it?

Can't you just turn the forest 90 degrees so the top most part is in front of the outlet, blocking it?

[rere]

Originally Posted by SAHDS

Can't you just turn the forest 90 degrees so the top most part is in front of the outlet, blocking it?

It's too deep.I just tried again to make sure.

[vm9799]

Originally Posted by SAHDS

Okay, I am officially choosing DS's bedroom. The poor guy has a bed (really it's just mattresses on a frame) and a nightstand. That's it. DD has a really pretty bedroom and I want him to feel loved too, LOL.

my son's bedroom is getting redone (hopefully) this year as well.....but not yet. his is decorated now, but it's always covered in legos so taking a photo isn't happening! lol!

[rere]

So what do you do with something that your kid loves and plays with but you hate to look at?My daughter was given something like this.She uses it for all sorts of stuff and it's great I just hate looking at it and I can't find somewhere good to put it.

[vm9799]

Originally Posted by rere

So what do you do with something that your kid loves and plays with but you hate to look at?My daughter was given something like this.She uses it for all sorts of stuff and it's great I just hate looking at it and I can't find somewhere good to put it.

in my house, when my kids were younger, all playdough was kept up on a shelf in a closet. only because it was something i didn't want drug all over the house and squished into my 100% wool oriental rug

so my vote would be to put it "away".....whatever that means in your house. let her get it out when she wants to play with it, but then put it back in it's "home" when she's done. this will teach her that everything has a home, with the added bonus of you not having to look at it unless she's actually playing with it.

[sunnysandiegan]

I am going to do one shelf or drawer or other small space each day of this month. I think that'll give me the most bang for the new year.

Jan 1 - We gutted, cleaned, decluttered, and organized two living room cabinets (4 shelves total) of games and puzzles; one office cabinet (two shelves total, but one shelf is divided into 4 cubbies); and I emptied my desk drawer and got about 2/3rds of the way through the job...

Jan 2 - We weren't home today, so nothing got done. We were out running errands and tried to drop off our donations and kept getting referred to other places. Three thrift stores later and our trunk is still FULL! :

Jan 3 - We plan to take a box of electronic gizmos to an e-waste event (free recycling of such items...usually $5) and we hope to find a charity with space to accept housewares and children's clothing/toys. I also plan to finish my desk drawer and perhaps the space around my desk.

[SAHDS]

Keep yours where I keep mine - other people's houses, LOL. Play-Dough hasn't been allowed in our house since 2002. That goes for glitter glue and sidewalk chalk too.

Can you keep it in a cupboard or cabinet? In the kitchen or laundry room or garage or in a closet?

[SkylarJulesmom]

I'm starting today on my living room (Pictures in a minute) The tree HAS to come down today... It keeps throwing off ornaments! As I'm writing this I just heard one more go down (sounds like it broke too!) So I think I'll do that first, I'll take down the whole tree and then clean the floor...

So here's my list for today;
1. Un-decorate tree
2. Vacuum and mop where it was
3. Move computers back
4. Move dining room table back to its usual place.
5. Hang some pictures (hopefully)

Here's my before pictures...View from the door tree from the doorornaments thrown off treecomputerssmall pile of clutter getting smaller

I'll be back later to post afters!

[lightheart]

Originally Posted by rere

Ok so I made a space for the forest house (the best I could do for free)but unfortunately there is an outlet right there.It's driving me crazy!Any ideas how to hide it?

Are you concearned that the kidos will play with the plugs or are you just trying to hide the plugs

What about putting up a curtain rod, could even use a towl rack and putting up some sort of background fabric that would be a nice backdrop for the forest house? some sort of green print maybe?

edited to add.. since it's in the corner you could do 2 rods, one on each wall maybe.

[lightheart]

Originally Posted by rere

So what do you do with something that your kid loves and plays with but you hate to look at?My daughter was given something like this.She uses it for all sorts of stuff and it's great I just hate looking at it and I can't find somewhere good to put it.

Is it the bright color and the plastic that you don't like looking at? What about finding some sort of wicker basket that you could invert and cover it up with, you could then leave it anywhere and not see the brightness of it.

[rere]

Originally Posted by SAHDS

Keep yours where I keep mine - other people's houses, LOL. Play-Dough hasn't been allowed in our house since 2002. That goes for glitter glue and sidewalk chalk too.

Can you keep it in a cupboard or cabinet? In the kitchen or laundry room or garage or in a closet?

This made me laugh!Although I do enjoy all the messy art supplies.

Originally Posted by lightheart

Are you concearned that the kidos will play with the plugs or are you just trying to hide the plugs

What about putting up a curtain rod, could even use a towl rack and putting up some sort of background fabric that would be a nice backdrop for the forest house? some sort of green print maybe?

edited to add.. since it's in the corner you could do 2 rods, one on each wall maybe.

I'm not concerned about them playing with it.Even if they did the cover has springs so it closes when you pull the plug out.

Thanks for the idea.My daughter and I were thinking about a fabric backdrop(and maybe a small stand of lights)but I hadn't thought about curtain rods.

Originally Posted by lightheart

Is it the bright color and the plastic that you don't like looking at? What about finding some sort of wicker basket that you could invert and cover it up with, you could then leave it anywhere and not see the brightness of it.

Yes,the color and the plastic.I'll have to keep my eyes out at the thrift store for a giant basket or something.I like that idea.Maybe I could make it a cozy?Hmmm?I really do like her being able to have access to it.She doesn't play with it on the rug and plahdoh(and all the other messy stuff)doesn't bother me.

[rere]

Originally Posted by sunnysandiegan

Jan 2 - We weren't home today, so nothing got done. We were out running errands and tried to drop off our donations and kept getting referred to other places. Three thrift stores later and our trunk is still FULL! :

I'm having trouble finding some place for our tv that will be worthless in another month.

[kirstenb]

Okay, here is what I am trying to get done in the living room this month:

Find curtains (I'm not optimistic since I have said that for EVERY room challenge and have yet to buy any for any room, but alas)

See if I can find some other way to arrange the furniture

Hang some frames on the wall

Declutter/decorate the two bookselves and entertainment center

Find something to put on the two ledges we have and get rid of clutter on them currently

Get some of the toys out of the living room and up to DS's room

Get the refinished side table back in the living room


That's all I can think of now but I am sure I will find more as I get going. I'll try to post some pics of how it is now when I get a new camera (DS just broke the one we have now .

[SAHDS]

Originally Posted by kirstenb

Find curtains (I'm not optimistic since I have said that for EVERY room challenge and have yet to buy any for any room, but alas)

Story of my life, sister.

For DS's room:

- desk (found one on Craigslist, will call tomorrow)

- dresser

- risers for frame

- hang framed posters

- curtains w/ sports lights

- rug

- lamp

That should do it.

[vm9799]

good morning everyone! just checking in. today i will not be doing much in my living room or kitchen as i have about 4 orders to fill for my etsy shop......and dh and kids are home so i'm not sure how far i'd get anyway.

so tomorrow after dropping the kids off at school and running to the post office to ship my orders i plan to head home and get to work.

dh went out yesterday and bought all the lumber he'll need to get started on the kitchen, so i'm hopeful that he'll get that started today.

as for my living room, really the only thing i need to do is clean. the christmas tree/decorations have been down since the sunday after christmas, so now i just need to vacuum and dust the furniture. not much of a "challenge" really. lol!

my main focus this month is definitely going to be on my kitchen......it's a disaster!

[Scribe]

I am going to join you all this month, if that's OK. I'm working on our living room. I'll be back later with pictures and a list, but I wanted to subscribe so I don't forget.

[majazama]

I'm gonna join in! I've been doing lots of decluttering recently including washing the walls and going through a box of old school stuff of mine (hmm, don't think I need that spelling test from 1992 anymore)

now my plan is to attack these areas..

-a box of MY old art from forever and ever ago. I think it's time to let it go because my kids art is piling up too! (take pictures of it too)

-make more storage for my sewing room

-get rid of all the crap hanging in and around my closet in my room

-curtain rods? I took down the blinds and I really want some nice curtain rods. where do I find good ones?

-bring recycling and garbage to the recycling place and the dump

-bring stuff to the thrift store

-bring back bottles and cans

[vm9799]

Originally Posted by majazama

-curtain rods? I took down the blinds and I really want some nice curtain rods. where do I find good ones?

every curtain rod in my house has been purchased from either lowes or target. they have THE best selection in my area. the few from lowes were rather expensive (they are our largest windows and target didn't carry rods large enough), but the rest are from target.....and all of them have held up very well. but target is my "go to" place for that sort of thing.....good quality and well priced.