Task - Sorting out Bath-time Madness

I don't know about you, but we sure have an overload of Bath toys in our house, and no matter how many times I clear them out and hide them away they always sneak their way back into the bath!

So todays Task is to clear the bath clutter and find a more practical solution for storage!

Here is Before

And here is after

Gone are the baby bath toys and in their place are new play options!

Not sure why I had put it off for so long!!

ECO TIP: Using the Flexitubs for kids baths saves on water, and the water can then be carried out to the gardens and re-used!

Just a Mum!

I caught my reflection in the mirror the other day, and stood for a minute with tears streaming down my face, looking into my eyes wondering where I had gone, who was I? I felt like a shell of a person. 5 years of being a stay at home mum had taken its toll - I don't even remember who I am, and who I used to be is long forgotten. It's not often that I let down my guard and talk about how I am really feeling, and I am never keen on sympathy, but sometimes we need to share and let each other know that we are not alone. We all have our struggles and at this time in my life this is mine - I am a stay at home mum, I have lost all sense of who I am, and who I am supposed to be now that my little cherubs are growing up - and I realize I am going to have to attempt to find a new me!

As I look in the mirror all I can see is the Label 'mum' and 'housewife' and though I am truly grateful that I have been able to spend my days nurturing and teaching my beautiful children, I am so so tired of being just 'mum & housewife'. My eyes look drained, my hair is a mess, my body is out of shape and all I want is a day without the demands of children and the constant hollering down the hallway and tugs at my clothing.  And I feel so defeated,  join this  with recently turning 30 and wondering where the time has gone and what I have achieved -  my mind is bombarded with questions as to why I do not feel like my life is full.

Organized Chaos was formed as a way for me to take control of my life and put myself out there, but my motivation is so low, and I struggle to find the energy each day to put something into it. Keeping up with deadlines is no longer my strong point as living with kids nothing is ever 'on time' and everything is Chaos! Life has been so overwhelming!

After dwelling on this for a few days I look at my cheeky face miss 5 and that is when I realized that I need to be living my life the way I would encourage my children to live. Do I want them to be thirty and be looking in the mirror wondering what they have been doing all their life. Nope - I want them to look back on 30 years of making the most of each day, living life inspired and motivated, and looking forward to the days ahead and not wishing their days away.

I want to acknowledge all of the mums out there, being a mother is one of the most selfless jobs of all time, you give and you give and you give, and I want to tell you it's ok if you feel run down and at a loss as to who you are - or even who you used to be. Try to take a little time each day to do something just for you, write yourself notes and remind yourself of who 'you' are, stand in front of a mirror and speak life back into your soul and surround yourself with people who will do the same.

‘My’ journey is just beginning and hopefully good things await me and how ever overwhelming it might be I am going to look myself in the mirror each day and tell myself I am more than just a mum, and start to search my eyes for something else that I know is within me.

Be kind to yourself Mamas, it is never too late to let go of all of your worries and search for something bright and new xxoo

Dani

52 Week Challenge - Week 11

Sorting out Computer Files

I had this thought that perhaps my computer was running a bit slow because I had too many photos stored on it........think I may be right!!

I was absolutely shocked to see that I had 267GB of photos on my computer, and this is how I tackled it.....
Forget about the folders that you already have on the computer -Make a new list of folders that you need, create those folders and move the files into them - deleting unwanted files as you go.

These are my results..... 2/3 of my photos are now gone! It took me a few days but it has been so worth it.

nb. coffee may be required for this task!

Dani

52 Week Challenge - Week 10

Coat Hanger Challenge

It's that time of year again, the changing of the seasons, scrambling around in the closet to find something much warmer with that sudden chill that has appeared out of no-where!
This week I am having a good clear-out of my clothes, and i'm finally giving up those items that are out-dated or I simply have not worn for the last few years!

One of the most effective ways to determine which clothes to keep and which clothes need to go is the coat hanger method. Place all of your clothing on coat hangers and place the coat hangers on the rack backwards.

Once you have worn an Item you put it back in facing the right way. By the end of winter you will be able to see what you have worn and perhaps be able to determine the things you really should be letting go of.

Here are a few reasons we hold onto clothes
-We believe that one day we will fit them again ( how many years have you been making that promise) let them go, if you are determined to loose or gain weight then do it, but get rid of the past and buy something new when you reach your goals!
- We have an emotional attachment to them ( if you don't wear it then don't keep it ) if it is hugely sentimental then store it away in a safe place
- It was so expensive you just can't bare to part with it ( if you don't wear it then don't keep it ), organize a clothes swap with a group of friends - you might find something you will actually wear and your item will find a new owner!!

It can be hard not to fill our lives and our homes with things that remind us of something or someone, but there does come a point when we need to let go of the past and move on, let life be new again!

Dani

52 Week Challenge - Week 9

Cleaning the Microwave - Natural Solutions

Cleaning the Microwave can be a bit of a chore, but it can be made so much easier by using this simple technique - throw away the spray n wipe, grab out some vinegar and give this a go!

This is the Before

Using a Microwave safe bowl - fill with 2 cups of water, 1/4 cup vinegar and if you like - a teaspoon of lemon or orange juice for fragrance.

Place the bowl inside the microwave and cook on high for 5 minutes, let sit for 5 minutes and then repeat. The steam from the water mix will help to soften any food particles/grime on the surface.

Discard the bowl of water and wipe the microwave clean with a fresh cloth or handy towels! and pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

It will be great knowing that you have just cleaned your microwave without leaving harsh chemicals behind and it sure beats scrubbing away at the grime!

Dani

52 Week Challenge Week 8

Finding a Place for the Keys

How many times have you spent hours searching around the house, in the car, in your bottomless handbag for your keys? Too many to count? The simple solution is to find a space or a hook that they go on every time you walk in the door :) My front door storage is currently all about having shoes by the door, and no hooks of any kind for hanging things on so I set about changing it

Current Dilemma

And now we have this extra awesome little space!

A place to hang the keys - and the bags and the all important shoes! This was made by my hubby a few months ago and had been hanging out by the back door which we hardly use, it's great to have found it a new home and hopefully now the keys will always have a place to hang!

If you are looking for some DIY keyhook ideas head over to my pinterest page and be inspired!
https://www.pinterest.com/organizedch0595/a-place-to-hang-things/

Dani

52 Week Challenge - Week 7

Sorting the Bathroom Drawer

This Drawer has become a mess due to being in a hurry and not having the right storage to keep things tidy!

Here is the Before

And this is After, be sure to give the drawer a good clean before popping anything back in, my next task for here is to find ideal storage to fit in the drawers, hopefully this will keep things more organized and each of us will have our own space to put things in!

Time to do some shopping and write a Bathroom wishlist! Do you write wish lists when it comes to buying things for the house? Dreams are free right!

Dani

52 Week Challenge - Week 6

Cleaning the Windows

With all of the wind and the pollen that has come with spring and summer the windows are in need of a good clean. As much as possible I like to use Natural products to clean, either using eco-friendly or everyday household cleaners like, vingar, lemon, baking soda etc.

For this weeks challenge I have used Vinegar in a Spray bottle and Newspaper for a streak free clean!

 This is the Before and After, if your windows are really grubby on the outside then give them a quick wipe down with a damp cloth to get the bulk of the grime/dust off!

It can be a Mammoth task but once it is done it's super refreshing to look outside through clean windows!

Dani

52 Week Challenge - Week 5

Taming the Pots!

Sticking with the Kitchen theme this week was all about finding a space for my pots and lids.
My pot cupboards as with many other cupboards in my house are lacking in the tidy department, but that is going to change.

This is Before, a collaboration of pots, pans, lids, baking dishes and Cake Tins

As always the first step was to clear out the cupboard completely and give it a clean.

My pots are looking a bit water marked and covered in finger prints, so I took to cleaning them with baking Soda and Water, Im pretty happy with the Results!

I love it when a Space feels Organized and Simple, here is the Finished Result, I hope to never loose my pot lids again!

and I even found a space for the Sieve..                                        and the Cake tins!

Tick for a Task well done!
As an added bonus here are some great ideas I found on Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/organizedch0595/kitchen-organization/







Say it ain't so, that my friends is a Turntable in a corner cupboard for your pots!

Until next time Happy Cooking!

Dani

52 Week Challenge - Week 4

New home for the Dinner Plates/ Serveware


Luckily this was fairly easy as I had already cleared out the Cupboard when moving my plastics!

This is the before

Serveware is looking a bit cramped and My up-high shelves are overloading with things that I am attempting to hide up high from little hands!




















It was great to get the non-kitchen things out of the Cupboard!

My new Plates and Serveware home is the corner cupboard, below the bench where I Normally stand and dish up Breakfast and Dinner, and is also close to the sink which is great for when it comes to putting dishes away!

The least used Appliances are also best stored In a place that is out of the way as it hopefully frees up room in other cupboards and drawers for more every day items. My juicer has been out of action for some time now, but with a new light dawning on a healthier way of living I am planning on swapping it's current position with my Cake Mixer! Taking pride of place on the bench and hopefully getting alot more use!

Happy Kitchens Organizers!

Dani

52 Week Challenge - Week 3

Plastics Cupboard

This has been a long running problem in the house and I have finally managed to work out how to combat the plastics war!!
This is the current situation

It's a bit of a Disaster Zone, the main reason being it is a corner cupboard and down low, so when the dishes are being put away it's more an open the door and chuck it in kind of task! So it's time to have a bit of a change around in the kitchen, it's great to re-evaluate uses for different spaces in the kitchen, placing things in Cupboards that are relative to the tasks you do on the above bench space is a great place to start.

First thing first is to empty out the Cupboard and put everything on the bench. Give the cupboard a good clean and dry it off with a dry cloth.







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Start by sorting out the small things, lids, baking bits and pieces, little containers, random pieces of who knows what. Cookie cutters and icing bag pieces are compiled into one container, anything that is missing a lid, or any extra lids are placed together in another container.

Any recyclables that have made their way into the cupboard are cleared into the recycling bin, out the door they go! I really must have a word to hubby about cutting down on buying bottled water!

After all of the clearing and sorting I now have a new home for my plastics. I have chosen to put them in a tall cupboard with plenty of shelves. Lunch containers on one shelf, food storage and baking on the others. The ones I use most commonly are at eye level and the cupboard is placed between the oven and panty/fridge which is perfect when it comes to popping leftovers in containers, packing lunches/snacks, bake ware for the oven.

Drink bottles/ milkshake cups now have a home all of their own closer to the sink and blender.

Re-organizing your kitchen is all about relativity, have things in close proximity to what they are used for, saves running aimlessly from one side of the kitchen to the other and forgetting what you are looking for by the time you get there :) I would love to hear your tips and tricks for keeping plastics in check!

In the next Task I'm finding a spot for my dinner plates and Serveware!

Dani

52 Week Challenge - Week 2

Organizing the Utensils Drawer

For me this Drawer has always been a spot of Chaos! I have never had the right storage and I have always had far too many Utensils.

Here is the before

The first step is to empty everything out of the drawer and give the drawer a good spray and wipe

Once everything is up on the bench it is much easier to see what has been hiding in there!!

I have decided to separate my cooking/food prep utensils from my baking utensils and store them in different areas for ease of use

Our BBQ Utensils are for the BBQ and are never used in the kitchen so they are getting the boot! I'm sure they will survive hanging out with the BBQ and it will free up much needed space for the other utensils

The next step is to reassess what you use on a regular basis and the things that are barely used at all. If you have a few of each item you could look at downsizing and giving a few things away, following is a list of must haves (not including baking utensils)  remember the key is to simplify and have as little clutter as possible

1. Turning Spatula

2. Ladle

3. Potato Masher

4. Tongs

5. Salad Servers

6. Whisk

7. Icecream Scoop (of course)

8. Vege Peeler

9. Cheese Slice

10.Mini Sieve

11. Microplane Grater

12. Pasta Spoon

13. Wooden spoon 

14. A good pair of Kitchen Scissors 

Here is the Finished Drawer, I have used thin Storage compartments to Separate the Utensils, and my most commonly used items are going in a Container next to the stove top so they are at hand when quickly whipping up dinner!

I have used a neat patterned container for next to  the stove top, the red ties in nicely with our other red appliances which is awesome!

If you are on a tight budget check out these great DIY ideas for Utensil Organization on Pinterest

http://www.pinterest.com/organizedch0595/kitchen-organization/

I would love to know your tips and tricks! Feel free to pop on over to my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Organized-Chaos/1535280623377016 and check out the everyday madness going on! you could even join in on 'Minus 365' and continue to follow the 52 Week Challenge!

Best of Luck with your Tasks this week

Dani