January room challenge... ideas? - Page 4

[scrapadoozer]

I need to be in for my bedroom. We mini-remodeled the living room last week and all of my sewing stuff had to go live upstairs. Hundreds of notions, trims and other tiny sewing related things need to be purged or organized. My brain hurts.

[lightheart]

I had a big revalation this weekend which I'm sure many others already know. All the pictures I see of pretty, organized houses do not use cardboard boxes as storage slotions, maybe something tucked away in an attic or a basement, but day to day type storage, kids toys, office junk, in the kitchen, in the living room... Pretty places don't have cardboard boxes setting around.

There is no way can I rid our house of all the cardboard boxes this month but it will be part of my goal this month to get rid of all the boxes out of my sewing room that I'm working on this month and follow through the rest of the year ridding the rest of the house of cardboard boxes! And I do NOT want to just replace the boxes with matching plastic bins either!

So far my progress has not been much on my room, I did the intial sweep through it the other day, then I got sick and now my little guy has it so decluttering is sorta on hold, he's seems to be feeling better now and our older son starts back to school tommorrow so hopefully I will get back down there and start working!

[SAHDS]

Originally Posted by vm9799

every curtain rod in my house has been purchased from either lowes or target.

I like Lowes also. I buy their wooden, unfinished finials and holders then I buy their grooved curtain/closet rods (cut exactlyto size) found in the lumber section. I then stain them all to match (the wood furniture in the room) and it's lovely. They have matching rings also which I used in our formal areas. DD has a Target curtain rod in her room (one of the most expensive they carried), and I don't care for it. It bends and isn't as sturdy as I would like.

[majazama]

Originally Posted by vm9799

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.

I actually don't have a target nearby (canada) But thanks for the suggestion.

Originally Posted by SAHDS

I like Lowes also. I buy their wooden, unfinished finials and holders then I buy their grooved curtain/closet rods (cut exactlyto size) found in the lumber section. I then stain them all to match (the wood furniture in the room) and it's lovely. They have matching rings also which I used in our formal areas. DD has a Target curtain rod in her room (one of the most expensive they carried), and I don't care for it. It bends and isn't as sturdy as I would like.

thanks for the idea. I didn't know that I could just go get the separate pieces at the hardware store. I really don't like stuff that breaks easily either.

[majazama]

I'm going to take pictures of my piles of junk, just for the heck of it.

Everyone post pics too!

[slsurface]

Originally Posted by slsurface

I'll join!

I'm going to do my living room, since I need to take the tree down and redecorate/tidy. My usual tradition is to take the tree down the weekend after Christmas, so I'll be working on that this weekend. After that, I'd like to change some of my decor around a little. Then there is the wardrobe/coat closet that could use a good tidying again. Aside from that, I've been contemplating a major rearranging of furniture just to change things up. I might try some things out and see if it makes an improvement...but since it's a small space with a lot of windows and doors, my options for rearranging are pretty limited .

Ok, well I took down the tree and most of the holiday decorations over the weekend. I left a few snow-themed items out and about for now. Changed around some of the artwork on the walls and I'm pretty happy with things now. I uploaded some new pics of the living room here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/archymo...7608688239541/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/archymo...7608688239541/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/archymo...7608688239541/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/archymo...7608688239541/
I decided not to rearrange any of the furniture. After I got the tree down, I felt better about the room and I no longer think it needs a drastic change. So that just leaves cleaning up the inside of the wardrobe.

[slsurface]

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?

First, if you have another outlet to plug in your things, then I would move them to the other outlet. Second, try to paint the outlet cover the same color as the walls. Third, if the outlet is not in use, then cover it with those safety thingies...it makes the outlet even less noticeable.

[slsurface]

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?

: I just gave up and got rid of any rugs or anything that could be ruined by playdough. I try not to stifle his creativity...so messy art projects are allowed. I let DS make his worst messes with the playdough and then I sweep it up as soon as he's done. The worst thing is that he likes to drive his matchbox cars in the playdough, so there is a constant stream of dried up playdough bits falling off his cars and getting *everywhere*! <sigh>

[rebeccalynn]

I'm in . Almost my whole house is messy right now. We were at my parent's house for 5 days, home for 2 and then at the IL's for 4 days. Our 2 days home were packed with laundry, prenatal apt., dd1's bday party and repacking so while I left the house neat and clean for the first trip, the 2 days home was busy enough that I was not able to keep up with my 2 little tornadoes and all of their new toys and the stuff that was taken on the 1st trip but not the second. Clear as mud?

So my goals are in the following order...

1) kid's room
toys - declutter and find storage for the new things
bed - move dd2 to her new big girl bed and stor the crib
2) living room
christmas decorations - declutter and put into storage
3) mail - go through the mountain of mail that is being delivered today
4) kitchen
go through the random bags from the trip
5) laundry
clothes
all bed linens
6) craft/computer room
reorg closet
declutter computer desk

[JenniferH]

I have a spare bedroom that is collecting junk right now. I started on it over the weekend, and I plan to be done with it by next week. I also have to get in my DD's room and start boxing up stuff she isn't and won't be using.

We are moving in a few months, and there's a MASS of crap I have to donate/repurpose/sell/toss. There is an overflow dumpster in town that I may take some of the stuff to and just put it on the ground. Lots of folks treasure hunt there.

[rere]

Originally Posted by slsurface

First, if you have another outlet to plug in your things, then I would move them to the other outlet. Second, try to paint the outlet cover the same color as the walls. Third, if the outlet is not in use, then cover it with those safety thingies...it makes the outlet even less noticeable.

Thanks,but it's the only outlet in the area and it's a plastic safety one so paint won't really stick to it.

We put some fabric up and it's way better but still not quite right.I'm going to try a different kind and see how that goes,

[vm9799]

Originally Posted by SAHDS

I like Lowes also. I buy their wooden, unfinished finials and holders then I buy their grooved curtain/closet rods (cut exactlyto size) found in the lumber section. I then stain them all to match (the wood furniture in the room) and it's lovely. They have matching rings also which I used in our formal areas. DD has a Target curtain rod in her room (one of the most expensive they carried), and I don't care for it. It bends and isn't as sturdy as I would like.

hmm.......i've never had any issues at all with the rods we got from target. they are just as nice and well made as the ones we purchased from lowes. we buy the "thomas o'brien" stuff, so maybe that makes a difference.

[gromero]

Subbing.....

I want to do our living room/dining room.

Got dinner about ready to go on the table, but I will be back later with some pictures and a list.

[majazama]

so here's my 'before' pictures of my sewing room.

behind door
far right corner
far left corner
left corner as you come in the door

[rere]

Originally Posted by majazama

so here's my 'before' pictures of my sewing room.

behind door
far right corner
far left corner
left corner as you come in the door

I've got that same "couch"on my front porch.It is covered in blankets though so you can't be completely sure that it's the seat from our old minivan.

[rere]

Ok here is the outlet covered.

[slsurface]

Originally Posted by rere

Ok here is the outlet covered.

I like it ! But in my house that solution would last about...oh, 30 seconds. DS thinks that fabric, curtains, blankets and such are for pulling down and dragging around the house to play hide and seek under or to throw at the cat :.

[majazama]

Originally Posted by rere

I've got that same "couch"on my front porch.It is covered in blankets though so you can't be completely sure that it's the seat from our old minivan.

haha.. maybe I should put it back in my (still running 1994) van. I thought I'd save gas mileage without it in there.

[majazama]

I forgot to add the picture of my bedroom closet...

and I wanted to ask... what could I do with this? It works kinda for a drying rack, but the small stuff falls off. It originally came with plastic buckets that was supposed to be for the kids toys, but they didn't use them the way it's intended (ie piles of freakin buckets everywhere, and more mess) so now the buckets have been put away... but I'd still like to use this 'thing' for something... what do you think?

[sunnysandiegan]

Originally Posted by 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.

Jan 3 - DH did drop off the box of electronic gizmos to be recycled.

Jan 4 - I went through the shed, which was in pretty good shape. I specifically was interested in the painting supplies and home improvement stuff. We are converting an old cardboard dresser into a dollhouse for DD, so I was inspired to get the painting stuff. I tossed out (or donated) a handful of items that were no longer useful.

Jan 5 - I didn't really go through anything today in a traditional sense of the phrase. I did clean both upstairs bathrooms from ceilings to floors and everything in between, though. I finished off a product and recycled the container. I recently went through all the nooks and crannies in these bathrooms (decluttering and cleaning and organizing), so all is in order in both.