Things Look a Little Different

Here's what started it all:

The Rackleys gave us their desktop computer. (So, so grateful...) We'd had a laptop for such a long time that I nearly forgot we'd need an actual DESK to put the desktop ON! Ha! This desk had been upstairs in the school/play room because that's where we kept our printer and paper, etc. See?

So the desk had to come downstairs to where the internet was--our bedroom. (No phone line upstairs.) And the recliner in the bedroom would have to be moved. Somewhere.

The living room was the obvious choice, but it was pretty crowded already. If the recliner was going to fit in here, it would have to take the spot of "Nana's Couch": the chaise lounge you see in the left-hand corner.

Noah and I moved the chaise out of the way and stuck the recliner in its spot. And while I was at it, I moved the ottoman to the center of the room to act as a sort of coffee table.

So now I had to figure out how to squeeze the chaise lounge--the only piece of furniture we will absolutely not part with--into the kitchen, of all places!!


First of all, I turned the kitchen table horizontally and moved my little drop-leaf table out altogether. It serves as just a lamp table and a place to put our Bibles, so I moved it to the living room to be a "sofa table" for the over-sized chair. (no pic) With the kitchen table turned this way, the chaise fit quite nicely in the bay window. A much better use of the space, I think. 

Of course, you'll remember we had school desks in the kitchen before.

They obviously had to go. Which brings me to point out, it was actually not ALL the new computer's fault--this crazy rearranging I felt the need to do. Honestly, I had HAD it with schooling in the kitchen. Stuff was everywhere, and it was hard for any of us to stay focused on school. I really needed a classroom again! And those overstuffed bookshelves in the background...(see them??)...an eyesore I couldn't wait to hide upstairs!


So the desks AND the bookshelves, now nicely reorganized, were banished to the bonus room. And with the exception of those VERY heavy bookshelves, Noah and I did all the rearranging ourselves during nap time! He loved every minute of it. And he didn't even panic when we got the recliner stuck in my bedroom door! (Unlike his mommy.)

Now I have a classroom again. Schooling multiple ages is still a challenge to say the least, but this way we can contain our chaos in the one room and close the door behind us when we're done.

The crummy part of all this rearranging and how very. much. I like things this way...is that our house will quite possibly be sold soon. And we will be moving on to who knows where. *sigh* Nothing like the last minute. The story of my life.

This post is part of Tackle It Tuesday. 

Tackle It Tuesday: The Armoire

This week I had had enough! Our armoire is home to all of our visual media. For years I've stored the kids' movies in the deep bottom drawers. Both VHS tapes and DVDs fit just right so that the titles could be read at a glance. It was perfect. 

Well, except for the fact that FOUR children means FOUR sets of little hands pilfering through the movies at any given time and usually at multiple times per day!! We were left with lots of movies out of their cases, lots of cases out of their drawers, and lots of general mess! 

It was making us parents a little sideways. 

So. I rearranged and reorganized and redid. (If you don't know this about me...I love to rearrange, reorganize, and redo!!) It always makes a bigger mess than the one you had to start out with, but that's okay. It's a process.

 After getting rid of several movies we don't really care about, and taking better advantage of  the top shelf, I ended up with an entire empty drawer! I decided to put throws in there...because my hubby likes blizzard winds blowing on him wherever he goes. Ahem...

The little drawers are significantly less of a headache now...

These bottom drawers no longer have any kid stuff. Just boring mommy and daddy things. I'm hoping that will deter little hands from checking everything out all day long. 

All the kid movies are out of reach. (Until someone figures out to get a chair, right?) 

And, yes, I do feel the need to group the movies according to a system. It makes me feel good to have the movies like this while simultaneously living with cluttered counter tops, a (literally) crumby kitchen floor, and laundry that is perpetually coming out of my ears. Laundry, I've come to accept, that will never (can never) be all done. 'K?!

It just looks so much better, if I do say so myself. (I even dusted!)

Now I can close the doors and know it's gorgeous inside! :)

Order. Don't you just love it???

This post linked to...

Tackle It Tuesday

Honestly, I'm usually in no mood to tackle anything, but today I'm planning to give it my best effort...

You see? I have these jars. It's a jar collection, actually. (I need these jars! So save your breath if you're thinking of talking me out of it.) And the collection? Well, it doesn't have a good home. And it's starting to drive me a little batty. It's certainly driving my hubby batty, so I've got a responsibility to fix this little probleeem-o.

It may take a while, as there will need to be some considerable shifting around amongst the cabinet contents. It's not going to be a pretty process. But I'm diving in. To tackle it. Regardless.

*takes deep breath*

Finding a place for jars prompts...

finding a new place for the waffle iron and toaster...

which reminds me that I also really want to put the kids' plates and bowls down low for better accessibility.

Of course, moving the plates and bowls to their better, new home displaces a few things...

which have to be moved amongst the baking pans, etc....

which need to be reorganized.

Some of the smaller jars have been living WAY up above our small, very crowded shelf of herbal supplements, medications, etc., so they're taking a trip to a much lower home...,

making room for my hand-choppers and my new prized-possession, an emulsion blender.

Then there is the pantry, which turns out to be a great place to store my larger jars!

But the pantry is, to say the least, in sad condition.

Let's just say I fill a trash bag and leave it at that, shall we?

The coconut oil gets moved from a very inconvenient location to a much more convenient one. That, in itself, is reason enough to shift things around!

Now? Well, I'm not ashamed to say it...

it makes me downright happy to walk over to the pantry for the baking powder or a sweet potato. 

Happy, I tell you!!

Because my pantry is awesome!

I even end up with an empty cabinet (where the jars used to be and where they had begun to overflow). It's always nice to have a little extra space left over...

And...ahem...now no one has to know I have a jar-collecting problem...

You know. As long as I keep the cabinets closed.