Backpack Station!

***Disclaimer: The picture quality is not so great-due to the fact that there is ZERO natural light in this hall way, 

so bear with me on 'em***

Delaney being in school gave me the ultimate excuse to organize. I needed a place for their backpack, a place for her papers, etc. I was so excited. There was a problem though....we are on a budget. If ,only was no object, I would be at The Container Store at least once a week and this house would be crazy, OCD, organized. But, not the case, so I had to work with what I had. Our mud room in Tanque Verde Manor (btw I'm thinking of changing the name to Mikkelson Manor) will be awesome. Just you wait.

Back to our little house....we literally have no spare room, so I decided that our one and only hallway would have to be the launch pad. I already had the oval shaped wood things and the hooks. Her coat/ sweatshirt goes on the bottom hook and her backpack on the top. She knows to  take out her lunchbox everyday and put it on the counter, then hang her backpack up again. Above the hooks, there are bulletin boards. Basically, I put calendars, reminders, invites, etc that are specific for the kid. In Delaney's case, we have her important line leader and guessing bag calendar up there so she can countdown to her turn. Very big deal.

I am in the hallway, right in front to the kid's door- that closet on the right is my laundry "room". told ya it was small:) We just moved that bookcase into the hallway because we moved it OUT of the living room. I kinda like it there though, so it may stay.

I had the picture frames and the cork, so I just made the little bulletin boards (down the road, I will probably be buying some real ones, but these work for now. 

Brody's little area.

In between the hooks, I put the sorting tray. This is where they put their works of art from school or church. And then once a week or so, I file them in their crates:) 

Nothing fancy, but at least it is somewhat organized!

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Mason Jar Salads!

I love organizing. I love finding new ways to make life easier and more efficient for everyone! In addition to organizing, I am on a new mission to be a more of a serving wife. I know, I know, I know....what is she talking about? Not the Nicole I know. Well, peeps, I have been on some kind of transformation lately, but that's for another post:) This post is about Eric...and salad. Eric gets up at 3:30am everyday to go to work. He works an hour away, with no air conditioning in his truck. When it's 110* outside and raining, the man is a puddle when he gets home. To make his mornings a bit easier, I decided to make some salads ahead of time for him. He does not buy his lunch- we would go broke! After searching Pinterest, I found the mason jar salad and I knew it was the answer.

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I went to Wal Mart and got a case of the wide mouth Kerr mason jars (I don't remember what size, but they are pretty big). Wide mouth is important if you want to eat right out of the jars. Then, you just get all the fixings you like for your salads.

I like to cut up all the veggies and chicken (or whatever you use) and put them in individual bowls, like an assembly line, plus then I feel like Rachael Ray:) The rule with mason jar salads is- don't let the dressing and the lettuce touch.

Here is the way I do it:

1. Dressing on the bottom

2. Carrot shreds

3. Chicken (if you are doing a chicken Caesar or something)

4. Veggies (we usually do zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers)

5. Lettuce (because I am lazy, I usually buy the big tub of organic lettuce from Costco)

Then simply put the lid on and put in the fridge. When it's time to eat, just shake up the jar and enjoy!

**Little tip**
Did you know that if you put lettuce in mason jars (just the plain stuff) if will last so much longer!

There are tons of different recipes for mason jar salads on Pinterest!

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Ready for the week!!

Happy, happy Monday!! I hope you all had a super weekend! We had a pretty low key one, which is always nice. I am happy to report that yesterday I got tons of things accomplished, which made starting the week, much easier. I did not start off well last week and I was annoyed the whole week. 

So what did I do? I am so glad you asked....

1. I went grocery shopping for the week (after church- so early enough to get other things accomplished). 

2. I filled up my gas tank.

3. I put all the groceries away- took all the yogurts out of the packaging, washed all the fruit and put them in containers, cleaned out the fridge &  pantry.

4. Made Eric's salads for the week.

Prepping for the salad making.

Yay! Finished lunches for the week!

PS- I will be doing a post on this later this week!!

5. Picked out Delaney's clothes for the week

6. Put away two loads of laundry

7. Made sure I had Daylen's lunch money for the week

8. Filled out my to do list

9. Put a load in the washing machine and delayed it so it started at 5:00am (this is my new thing. I love it! When I wake up, I already have half a load finished!)

It seemed like I did a whole lot more than that. By 8:00 I was wiped! I think I like this idea- prepping for the week on Sunday, that way it's way less stressful during the week! How about you? Do you prep for a week a time or a day at a time?


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Mini-office

One of the things that I needed to get used to in this house was the total lack of space for a desk. We have zero extra space for our desk that is currently in storage. When I started working from home, I knew I needed some kind of work space. Just something to make me feel like it's an actual job and so I  wouldn't sit down on the couch, turn on Friends and then "not get any work done". So here is my mini-desk. All that I need to write a blog post, watch some training videos, make a phone call, check my planner, take some notes, email, etc. is right here:)

Like I said, no space- we traded my sister a large sofa table for this smaller table (mainly because I had it's twin under the other window). I just decided that instead of transferring stuff back and forth, that I would make a permanent home for some of my supplies:)

Okay, so Friends was on any way....but you get what I mean:)

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Books A Plenty

We are slightly 'space challenged' right now. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the challenge. The challenge of figuring how to make our stuff fit and make it manageable. Plus, I can daydream about Tanque Verde Manor and it makes the smallness fade a bit. The littles share a room in this house. We went from each kid having their own, big, room PLUS a huge playroom, to one room. PERIOD. It's tough. They have a lot of stuff (more than they should) and they do actually play with it.

One thing that we do not have a shortage on is books. Being a former kindergarten teacher, I have accumulated quite a library. In each of our previous houses, it has been no problem finding a place for them. Here: PROBLEMO. When I say no room, I mean no room. The ultimate decision was to put them on the top shelf of the closet. Not so convenient. Plus, if I'm being honest here, I don't look at them either. We took the closet doors off which made them more noticeable (obviously) but still, they aren't getting much love. 

Well, Pinterest to the rescue! I saw this suggestion a bunch of different places and finally made it up to IKEA to make the big $3.00 (maybe $4?) purchase. I had my handy, dandy husband put up the spice racks, turned bookshelves next to each kid's bed. I love it. Totally convenient and cute! I decided to keep the natural wood finish because it matches their bunk beds. 

Brody's bookshelf- he really likes Curious George

Delaney's bookshelf

Totally out of the way, but very convenient:)

What do ya think??

Do your kids share a room? How do you deal with the clutter? 


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Mission Organization: DVD's

I've said before, we are living in a small house. During the short time that we have been living here, we have learned many lessons. 1. We can live with less. 2. Clutter is multiplied in a small house 3. Organization is key to survival. We have learned that we had (and still have) too much stuff. It's crazy! One thing that we had a ton of before moving, was DVDs. We had a cool shelf that held all our movies-but at this house-it so didn't fit. What to do...what to do.... Get rid of em? No way- see we don't have cable, Directv, Dish, whatever- we don't have any of it. I did not want to see my movies leave, I mean, a girl's gotta have Christmas Vacation, Serendipity, and Sweet Home Alabama at her fingertips, right? For Christmas this past year, Eric listened to my not-so-subtle hints about the super awesome DVD organizers that I had seen at Target, then took him to see, and then casually wrote all over paper that I wanted super duper awesome DVD organizers. It's like he's a mind reader. 

When we decided to move into this house, we decided what would stay and what would go... (should I stay or should I go- you're totally singing it now, huh?). We decided to weed through our movies (I say we, but I really mean me). We actually had duplicates of quite a few movies, which is just crazy. I had two movie boxes and separated the movies into kids and adults (not 'adult' movies, get your head out of the gutter). I was going to alphabetize them, but decided against it-gasp! I just decided to put them in sleeves because I didn't want to leave empty ones and it would annoy me like crazy to get a new DVD and then not have it alphabetized. Yes, I may over think things.... so here's what we came up with:

This is it- all the adult movies are in here!

There are sleeves on both sides, with numbers on the top.

What are those numbers for? Well I am glad you asked!

I wrote down each movie next to the correlating number- are you following, this is rocket science people.

Again, my printable is from I Heart Organizing.

I laminated the lists and put them in our binder. Now, when we want to see a movie, we just check the list, pull out the number, and enjoy. We have a list for the kids movies (although we keep a lot of movies in the car) and a list for the grown-ups. 

Our family binder....that's for another post.

Now, I do want to say that I do have some movies still in their cases. I have some Disney movies, the movies my mom wrote and some series (like Nick and Jessica- yep-that's right, love it) that I kept in their entirety. They are in a cabinet in our room.

It's easy to follow and maintain, two things I love!

btw...I will have my menu plan up tomorrow, not sure why I forgot about that!

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Guest Posting!

I'm so excited I may pee my pants! It's my FIRST ever guest post! Not new stuff, just a compilation of organizing tricks.... but it's on one of my best friend's blog....so hop on over, read about her triplets (yes, triplets) and say hi:)

Have a great day!

Bring it on- TWO

We first chatted about my gonna-take-June-on attitude in this post. I told you I had more and who am I to lie (all those rolling their eyes right now- shush). One of the many things I have learned through signing up with Shaklee is I needed to have a "life schedule". I needed to schedule things such as meals, naps, grocery shopping, workouts, etc. I had never done this and never really saw the point until I actually did it and saw how much time I had been wasting. I was told that if I want an at home business, then I need to actually treat it as a business. I needed to schedule time for my Shaklee business. I needed to be organized. Ahhh.... I just love that word. I love when I am "forced" to be organized because it always gives me an excuse to buy new binders and notebooks:) And really who doesn't love a new binder? With new dividers and some special time with a label maker?? Goose bumps. Seriously. I have a smile from ear to ear and goose bumps.

Moving along.... I decided to make a generic schedule with all the for sure things I do or need to do each week. And then I laminated it and put it in my binder (which is a post for later)- such an awesome sentence . Then I printed out a blank one and laminated it. This way on Sundays, I sit down with my calendar and write in the specifics for that week. I keep that one on a clip board right under my daily tasks

(source) for printable

(source)

(printable source)

I like to make lists and I like to cross things off those lists when I complete them. The feeling of accomplishment when all I see are lines across my to do list is amazing. I was using a lot of paper so I figured out a way to remedy that situation. Not sure why it took me so long, but it did. I even remember saying out loud "duh, Nicole, stupid". Yeah, I have long, deep conversations with myself. What I finally figured out was laminating the sheet I was using and I just erase it each night! This way, I can sit down, look at my weekly plan and fill in my daily to dos . I keep this right on top of the weekly on the clipboard. 

(printable source)

It's amazing how much this little space organizes me:)

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Happy Monday!

Totally shoes

I mentioned before that we are living a little, itty bitty house. Let me preface this by admitting that we have lived in some pretty big houses - totally spoiled. So when we went to an 1100 square foot house from a 2300 square foot house, we felt a bit of a shock. We went from a 5 bedroom, with a playroom, to a 3 bedroom with no playroom-heck- there is not even a door in the master bath (like none at all). The little kids share a room and Daylen has his own. I have had to get somewhat creative with organizing. Don't get me wrong, I am a lover of organizing. Like, if someone said "here is $1000.00 gift card to wherever you want", I'd for sure say the Container Store. But, sadly, no one has given me that special card and we are on a tight budget these days so I do what I can.


One thing that drives me nuts, is shoes everywhere. Our 'entry way'/living room is small. In our other house, we had this awesome Eric original bench and shelf with hooks (or hookers as Delaney calls them). I put baskets underneath the bench and that's where we all put our shoes. I'm pretty sure that there is not a wall long enough for that bench to fit on in this house. So what's a girl to do?


Limited funds = IKEA. I love this piece of furniture so flippin much ( I originally saw it at iheartorganizing). It's really quite embarrassing how much I enjoy showing it off, to all 5 people that have been to our house. But, the bad boy works. The kids have their own lean out shelf thing and so do Eric and I. When we come home, we walk to the shoe cabinet and put them in their respectable homes. No shoes in a pile by the door, no shoes in the middle of the walk way, no shoes under Opie, nope, just in that brilliant cabinet.

There it is!!

Our wittle entry way

The top drawer holds our sunglasses, a receipt bin and a couple other random odds and ends.

The grown up cabinet

The littles cabinet

These are my favorite shoes in here:)

It's very skinny, which I love. Here both of the cabinets are open and there is still room to get around!

Love this thing!

BRING it on...part 1

I apparently shot myself in the foot yesterday when I boasted the fact that I was so ready for June cuz June started with a bang. First came the all-I-wanna-do-is-lie-down-with-a-pillow-over-my-eyes migraine which resulted in an early bedtime. Then, the kids came in my room this morning, early, and got in bed with me. Totally cool with this when they sleep next to me, get all cuddly and even snore. Brody did that this morning, but Delaney was not so cooperative. She was trying as hard as she could to wake us up. She was playing with her Polly Pockets...using my lady parts as mountains, then using my mouth as a cave. So annoying. So I woke up pretty irritated. Now to switch my mind to the book I am reading (One Thousand Gifts) and be thankful that they are well enough to annoy the crap out of me and that even though this house is so little it makes me wanna scream, it's still a house and we can afford it and we have money to pay rent. And......exhale.

Back to the READY part. We are big believers in Dave Ramsey (and are learning all about Dani Johnson) but we've never really followed through. Til now. We now have our budget in place, as scary as that is. We need to be super serious (said in the Kate Winslet voice in Titanic -ya know when she's all naked and stuff getting her picture drawn) if we want to Tanque Verde Manor (just tryin out the name) to happen. That means no more trips to Target that are not carefully planned, that means no more grande, no water chai's from Starbucks that are unplanned. Basically, it means planning the crap out of everything. I don't know why that's so freaky- I LOVE to plan. So we did.

First up.... the finance binder, dun, dun, dun. This binder (original idea found here) holds the key to our future. In it, we have a pocket for the bills that need to be paid,a calendar so we can see what's due when, our budget, our checklist (I just put a check in the column with the month so I remember it's been paid, so weird that I can never remember that), the bills that have been paid, then the "debt" section. We are planning on adding the debt snowball from Dave Ramsey to this one, but I was spent at this point.

THE binder

To be paid side, along with a cute pencil and calculator

The "DUE" calendar- I like to cross them off as they get paid.

Our checklist.... from www.iheartorganizing.blogspot.com

Page 1 of 3 of our budget. Again from Jen at Iheartorganizing

In addition to the budget, the envelope system has made its debut again in our house. We have specific envelopes for different categories in our budget that we will only use cash for. Once the cash is gone, it's gone. Our categories are: Groceries, Costco, Dining out (although we have cut this considerably), Gifts, Hair, Clothing (again very small), and Blow (exactly what it sounds like-unless you're a crack addict, then not that.) So that's it. We take money out, put the receipt in and budget.
The next part is putting it all into Mint.com. We have it set-up, but have not utilized like we should, so that's the next step. It's free for crying out loud, there's zero reasons we should not use it.
One of our biggest money suckers is groceries. So I sat down and figured out our menu for June. I really love knowing that I have it all planned. It makes me feel better. Of course if I check the weekly specials and see something perishables that is fabulous (ie artichokes) then of course I have the power to switch it. Eric, on the other hand, is not. He erased the dates and made the magnets crocked, ugh, so it's just better that he leaves it alone.

Our June menu...we have a couple blank dates because of my mom's birthday and father's day, not sure what we are doing yet (btw...I got this whole thing from The Homes I Have Made)

The envelope wallet... so official

That's part one of the "Bring it June". I have more, but right now, I am going to make a Cinch shake and get ready for my day with 2 four year olds, a three year old and a one year old.

And I will leave you with some not so fantastic shots of my kids at the one and only splash pad in Tucson- mind blowing.

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