Tag: organization

Cleaning and Organizing – Update Part One

On By jackiblosblackisIn House, OrganizationLeave a comment

So far this series has not turned out how I wanted it too. It is not that I do not want to post. The problem is I do not have my phone with me all the time to take photos. I always think about it after the fact. I want to catch my daughter growing up and I never have my phone to take those pictures either.

Not going to lie; I have no clue where my phone is at the moment ha-ha.

I also organize things as I go along. While something works in theory, it may not work in practical. This means systems need to change until it works the way it should. If it takes too much effort to put things back where they belong, than the system does not work.

An example of this would be my cookie sheets. I did have a system that worked. I have since consolidated three drawers into two. I needed a drawer for ‘healthy’ snacks that would be in reach of Missy. In this case unless I add another set of drawers in the pantry I will just get over it. It really is just a pain in comparison. So this one does not have an end yet. Until I find my happy place the sheets just keep getting shuffled around.

Another example would be….who knew this would be so difficult. I am having trouble thinking of a decent example. Even from the duplex before this place was purchased.

I will have to come back to finding an example. Rather than trying to do the full room, I am going to split some of the areas in to parts. I also have to go back and change what I have organized in the first place. I do not want to go over the entire room again if I have only touched a small area (which usually has a large impact). Breaking things up to simply just what I have done, if there is enough content, will make me feel less overwhelmed. It will also keep you feeling good about your place compared to mine.

2018 Goal Update – 2nd Quarter

On By jackiblosblackisIn PersonalLeave a comment

Check out my first update here to compare how things are going along.

First and foremost I want to get Missy into swimming lessons. I am not a strong swimmer and this is something she should know how to do. It is a safety thing.

  • She is not old enough for lessons here so I will have to take Missy to the next town over. Before I can do that I need to buy a bathing suit. Something I have not done in over a decade.

I want to get our front and backyard all pretty and cleaned up.

  • I had to give up on the front yard. Something came up and that was the trade off. However most of the backyard will be done. I have the garden redone and the privacy slats ordered. I did however miss trimming the dead stuff from the raspberry bushes.

Setting up the garden and green house.

  • I answered this above. You can see a much more detailed answer here. I am also doing a series on the process of container gardening.

Keeping Missy’s Christmas/Easter Cactus alive. It is her first plant and her Grandma bought it for her.

  • Still successful in this. It really needs a bigger pot though!

As always trying to keep up with the blog.

  • I really wish this was a routine already.

Have my debt paid off (even with taking mat leave I am sure I can do this).

  • Paid off and a future post coming on this.

Seriously getting my life organized. I mean it is now more important than ever to get things to become habit. And good habits that Missy can grow up seeing.

  • This is coming along slowly.

I want to get at least two rooms renovated. Probably the office and Missy’s room. There is nothing big that needs to be done. Pretty much just painting and adding working pieces to the rooms. I am only saying two since I want to focus on outside.

  • This is not started yet but Missy’s room will be started shortly. She needs to be moved into her own room. Both of us wake each other up.

I also need to make sure I focus on me some this year too. My health really depends on this.

  • I have not seen the therapist since I got the all clear. I have had my hair done a second time since my best friends wedding has happened. I am thinking about getting the master bedroom done. It would just make my self care so much smoother. I need to have proper organization set up.

I am still making an honest effort at everything and that is what matters. Time is flying though and I really hope to have a start to everything by the end of September. Fingers crossed!

2018 Goal Update – 1st Quarter

On By jackiblosblackisIn Personal1 Comment

I am running a few weeks behind on this one. I did not forget though and that is what is important. I will go through the list one by one and see where things are at.

First and foremost I want to get Missy into swimming lessons. I am not a strong swimmer and this is something she should know how to do. It is a safety thing.

  • Well it still seems to be winter here so no swim lessons yet. Also I am waiting to see if we will have qualified instructors this year before signing her up in the next town over.

I want to get our front and backyard all pretty and cleaned up.

  • See the first part of the above answer ha-ha. Everything is still covered in snow.

Setting up the garden and green house.

  • Still winter.

Keeping Missy’s Christmas/Easter Cactus alive. It is her first plant and her Grandma bought it for her.

  • So far I am succeeding.

As always trying to keep up with the blog.

  • I am going back and forth on this but I could be doing worse.

Have my debt paid off (even with taking mat leave I am sure I can do this).

  • I am going to say my debt is officially paid off. Now there is a small balance but that is from something very recent. At some point this year I will make a post about how exactly I did paid it all off. Also what has and has not worked for myself. I do not think it is anything magically but it took some work to find out exactly what worked for me.

Seriously getting my life organized. I mean it is now more important than ever to get things to become habit. And good habits that Missy can grow up seeing.

  • I have no comment on that right now.

I want to get at least two rooms renovated. Probably the office and Missy’s room. There is nothing big that needs to be done. Pretty much just painting and adding working pieces to the rooms. I am only saying two since I want to focus on outside.

  • It is tax time, I have not even begin to look at doing this.

I also need to make sure I focus on me some this year too. My health really depends on this.

  • I have started this. I seem a therapist a couple times. More so I could make sure my mental health was good and I received the all clear. I did get my hair done but right now that is about it.

As you can see somethings I have not been able to start at all yet. I have been making attempts at other things. As long as I keep attempting eventually it will become habit. I also can try other ways if something really is not suiting me. It is nice having my debt paid off and lets me focus on other things.

I really cannot wait to see what I get done by the end of June!

Cleaning and Organizing – Laundry Area

On By jackiblosblackisIn House, OrganizationLeave a comment

I lost the before photos for the laundry area but trust me it looks better now ha-ha. I do have the after photos though.

On the floor we have the container that we keep the dry dog food in. I purchased this on amazon. There is a smaller container that is empty right at the moment. It actually is only ever in there when a new bag gets opened. The laundry hamper is used for towels and clothes. I also have a plunger hidden back there.

The bottom shelf starting from the left is canned dog food, dog treats, dog grooming and health items. Once Missy can walk some of this needs to be moved. Galaxy’s pills are there. The first basket is clippers (nail and hair), hair brushes, and toothbrushes. The last basket is all the cleaning clothes and in the back I have the mop pads.

On the middle shelf starting from the left are all soy candles and the basket contains wax melts. We have the regular cleaning supplies loose and in the basket is stuff I do not use often. I put them in a basket just so they stay together.

On the top shelf starting from the left we have the water additive for the dogs. One basket contains filters for the dog bowl and the other contains random dog items and poop bag rolls. The blue pail is just random cleaning items, tools, small bag rolls, and the attachments for the forced air dryer. A large excess of laundry soap. Normally I would say you are not saving money when buying smaller containers but when the sale come on it turned out I saved more on the small bottles compared to the big bottle. Unfortunately it is not very environmentally friendly either. I have two rolls of paper towels behind the one box of tissue. I hardly ever use paper towels.

On the left side of the closet is pretty basic. The only things missing are the mop and the vacuum. The fabric hamper is not truely suppose to be there but I currently have no use for it. I am going to hold on to it for a little bit longer before I donate it.

Across from the closet are the washer and dryer. Is my cow not pretty! It was the first piece in my cow collection. I have been dragging it along with me for 11 years. Okay, so, on the left we have dog towels and mostly laundry supplies. I also put the essential oils in here. There is no way for Missy to get to them in here.

On the right starting on the bottom is just a small brush and dust pan. The middle shelf has extra cans of air, the basket is magic sponges and brushes, latex gloves and the fuzzy dust things. On the top shelf are the tools for cleaning the dryer vent and face masks. I have the face masks from when I was cleaning homes. I used them particularly at seniors homes since they have compromised immune systems.

These are things that no longer belong in this area and are not actually leaving the house. I had to throw out a bunch of stuff but I have no photo of that. The few things in the bin are being put in the porch with the other dog items in that area.

I am hoping areas like the cleaning supplies will get smaller. I am just currently trying to use up products I have and just will not repurchase them. I also get cleaners from my mother if she cannot stand the smell of them and they do not bother me. I really do prefer just the vinegar.

Coming Soon – Mini Series ‘Cleaning and Organizing’

On By jackiblosblackisIn Cleaning, House, OrganizationLeave a comment

When we bought the house I wanted to take photos of it empty and things happened so quickly that it was not empty long enough to do that. I do have the relator photos but the previous owners items are also pictured. I of course do not want to post those public. I also wanted before pictures for renovations.

After some thought on what to do; I have decided I am going to do a mini series. I will do the before photos of each room/area before cleaning and re-organizing. The last few months things fell behind and I did not finish getting everything put away anyways. So, we will have a real life, new mom mess.

Also because this is real life each post will be made up of things being done over a course of a however long it takes. I think this will be apparent with pictures but things are getting done. In the end that is all that matters.