The ultimate de-clutter.
Back in February I did the challenge to de-clutter our bedroom.
This time I am back to doing a de-clutter, but of the whole house!
Very early days but we gave just found out that we are expecting another baby – est date 21 Dec.
Makes me almost 5 weeks, so like I say very early days!
We live in a small 2 bedroom flat so how we are going to manage with another baby its yet to be seen.
Hence why I am starting to get on a huge de-clutter spree. I really just need to be ruthless and just throne stuff out. Do I really need the exam timetable from my standard grade exams back from 1997? I really doubt it, but these are the kind of things I have hoarded for years.
Wish me luck! I am making a start today…..
Damn you schedule posts!
Urgh! I set up a ton of posts – all be it they were short and probably boring to my 2 readers (hi *waves*) but they were posts non the less, I had a moment of blogging one night and wrote a few posts that I had set to post on certain days.
But for some reason they didnt post, and when I logged in it just showed as them being overdue for publishing… maybe I am doing it wrong?!
Not going to post them now as seems silly – though I might tweak them a little to bring them up to date I guess.
Anyone else had problems or am I doing something wrong when it comes to schedule posts?
Happy Mothers Day
It is mothers day here in the UK today, and I would just like to say a huge Happy Mothers Day to my mum.
She has been there for me through thick and thin, though my teenage years of moody bitchiness, and everything that life threw at me over the last 30 years.
I got treated to breakfast in bed this morning by the Jackster who helped hubs make the scrambled egg =) bless him.
We don’t have much planned going over to my mums with flower and a card later on .
Happy St Paddy Day!
A Happy St Paddy Day!
Source: allthingscupcake.com via Jessica on Pinterest
Whilst I am not Irish – though I have no doubt like the rest of world that I have some irish blood in me from Papa’s side of the famiily – I Just wanted to wish those that are and those that arent, and those that just like a drink…
If I was little bit more prepared I would have made some of these cute little cupcakes in the photo above, but alas I want so no cupcakes.
Feb Challenge: Organisation! [THE RESULTS]
![OrgChallenge 125x125 Feb Challenge: Organisation! [THE RESULTS]](http://www.project-mommy.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/OrgChallenge-125x125.png "OrgChallenge-125x125")
org junkie Feb challenge: the result!
I have to be completely honest and say that the bulk of this challenge got down over the course of last weekend – mainly because we had someone come out to value our wee flat, so it had to be nice and tidy.
I am happy with how the room turned out, though there are still some little things to be done – like take the boxes of stuff to the charity shop.
![wpid IMAG03371 300x179 Feb Challenge: Organisation! [THE RESULTS]](http://www.project-mommy.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/wpid-IMAG03371.jpg "wpid-IMAG0337")
![wpid IMAG0386 Feb Challenge: Organisation! [THE RESULTS]](http://www.project-mommy.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/wpid-IMAG0386.jpg "Feb Challenge: Organisation! [THE RESULTS]")
Before & after desk area
Still not how I would like it bit it is a lot more manageable for hubs to work from now.
![wpid IMAG0332 179x300 Feb Challenge: Organisation! [THE RESULTS]](http://www.project-mommy.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/wpid-IMAG0332.jpg "wpid-IMAG0332.jpg")
![wpid IMAG0390 Feb Challenge: Organisation! [THE RESULTS]](http://www.project-mommy.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/wpid-IMAG0390.jpg "IMAG0390.jpg")
Before & after
Moved the little drawers to hubs side of the bed, makes the room look a little better =)
![wpid IMAG0336 179x300 Feb Challenge: Organisation! [THE RESULTS]](http://www.project-mommy.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/wpid-IMAG0336.jpg "wpid-IMAG0336.jpg")
![wpid IMAG0392 Feb Challenge: Organisation! [THE RESULTS]](http://www.project-mommy.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/wpid-IMAG0392.jpg "IMAG0392.jpg")
Before & after
Mirror area is now (semi) clear – the stuff that is there currently is all for the charity shop/ebay.
1. What space did you decide to organize and why?
Our bedroom, as it was no longer a bedroom but a dumping ground for crap to pile up everywhere.
2. What steps did you take to ensure you completed the space within the 29 day timeline?
Basically did it all in a weekend – although I did do a fair bit over the course of the month, just the bulk got done due to us getting a valuation on the house.
3. What was the hardest part of the challenge for you and how did you overcome it?
Finding the time and the peace to get things done in the room. Every time I would start my son would come in and start messing with the piles of things so just gave up. Didn’t really overcome it as such, just told hubby he had to look after wee man whilst I did the bulk of it – running on Red Bull I might add.
4. What did you do with the “stuff” you were able to purge out of your newly organized space?
Have a box full of stuff to ebay or send to charity shop
5. Tell me one of your proudest moments during this challenge?
Feeling like we actually have a bedroom and not a junk room now
6. Explain any organizing “tools” you used to help you create additional space and to establish some limits and boundaries?
n/a
7. What is ONE piece of advice you’d give to someone else to encourage them on their organizational journey?
Just do it! Don’t think about it, you will feel so much better once you see the end result and you will wonder why it has taken you so long to do it in the first place!
Feb Challenge: Organisation!
I stumbled across orgjunkie.com at the end of November when I discovered the 52 week challange that she did. Being almost at the end of the year I obviously didnt join that one, so I am glad to see this one coming up 
I am hoping it gives me the motivation to finally become an organised junkie myself.
Throughout the month there are progress points:
Feb 1st ~ before picture link up and welcome
Feb 10th ~ 1st progress link up
Feb 17th ~ 2nd progress link up
Feb 24th ~ 3rd progress link up
Mar 1st ~ Reveal Day to link up both your before AND after pictures
So here goes nothing:
As you enter the room this is what you are greeted with – the wash basket gets moved from pillar to post every time we go into the bedroom.
View of my hubs side of the bed – housing boxes and yes that is the Xmas tree that we still need to put up in the loft.
The front of the wardrobes – again boxes and random empty plastic bags.
Desk area – where hubs occasional works at – all the stuff there just gets dumped on the bed when he needs to use the desk then just dumped back on the desk afterwards.
My wee chest of drawers housing underwear, jammies and the top drawer is filled with make-up and toiletries.
HELP
Yes this is supposed to be our bedroom – a place of calm and serenity, a place to escape to from the chaos that is the rest of the house.
Not happening in here right?
Main goal:
Turn this bedroom into a gorgeous safe haven for me and hubs, rather than a dumping ground for various things that below elsewhere.
Plan of Action for this week:
- Tackle the desk area first so that hubs has a place to work
Looking forward to checking out the entries for this challenge
February already!
Oh my goodness I cant believe that we are now into February!
Where has January gone?! I would love to say that Jan has been super great but to be honest it was nothing spectacular, just your average month after Christmas getting budgets back on track and starting my new job.
New Job?
Well not really a new job – more a change really. It was the first month that I started as a full on stay at home mum.
I will admit it has been hard – Jack hasn’t spent 24 hours with me 7 days a week as I used to work 38 hour weeks and would only see him on evenings after work.
I feel ashamed that in the last 2 years I have hardly seen my wee boy grown up – so I am really looking forward to the next few months, seeing him develope.
There are a lot of sites that I have bookmarked for ideas on how to keep an almost 3 year old child busy throughout the day.
Is it clear that I don’t know what I am doing?
Everyone says that you learn from your first child and when you have another it is easier. I am not sure about that – but then again I am not altogether sure I could cope with two children, I can barely cope with the one!
Anyhow February is bringing new challenges for myself, my home and also lots of quality time with Jack
What are you planning to do this February?
Meal of the day = Chilli and Rice
So this weeks menu plan calls for Chilli & Rice and then Chilli Lasagne tomorrow. Well I decided to make a huge batch of chilli tonight and make the Lasagne right away, that way tomorrows dinner is all sorted ahead of time.
Super organised of me for a change lol
I make Chilli the cheats way using packet chilli powder mix – its quick and easy and to be honest tastes great, we have served this several times to family and friends and they dont really notice the difference.
As you can see we shop at Asda – A LOT! Over the last few months have noticed an increase in the food pricing – for example the mince used to be 2x 500g packs for £5 now its £6 = ok not a huge increase but still an increase none the less. And we buy a lot of mince.
The Smart Price kidney beans are 19p and the chopped tomatoes 42p. Don’t notice any difference in these compared to the branded stuff at all.
To make the Chilli I just brown the mince for about 10mins until no pink meat is shown, add the tomatoes and beans then the packet of powder. The packet says to add 1 glass of water but I find that the natural juices for the mince and the tomatoes is enough and therefore dont add. Though sometimes I do depending on how much liquid is in the pot at the time.
We have our chilli over rice in a bowl and sometimes add a cheese slice on top and let it melt in
Any Chilli making recipes you love or tips you would like to share?
Menu Panning – Monday 30th Jan
Welcome to my first every Menu Plan Monday!!
Discovered this little linky over at “At Home with Mrs M”
We aren’t a very adventurous family when it comes to meal time, and with a toddler just getting in the throws of eating “our” food we want to have some structure to our meals.
Plus I am now a stay at home mom, so having a weekly meal plan will help me keep track of what is for dinner rather than the age old saying of “what’s for dinner?” being said every single night.
Like I say we aren’t the most adventurous with our food – hubs doesn’t like veggies other than peas, carrots and sweetcorn! Me – well I would eat anything other than celery and courgette when it comes to veggies.
So we are kinda limited as to what our meals will be.
What on the menu for this week?
Monday: Seeing as hubs will be home late me and the boy with have left over homemade Mac & Cheese from yesterday
Tuesday: Chilli and Rice
Wednesday: Chilli Lasagne made from left over chilli from Tuesday
Thursday: Chicken Tikka Masala with rice
Friday: Tomato & Chilli pasta sauce with spicy sausage
Saturday: Mini home-made pizza
Sunday: Roast Chicken with roast potatoes & veggies
I have based this weeks plan on what we have in the house to make for the week – I really want to try use up the the thing we have in the cupboard and freezer before buying any more food.
We do seem to waste food – and it is really really grating on me that we are doing so. We are now on a very tight budget so we cant afford to be wasting food left right and centre.
Over the coming weeks I want to try and experiment with pricing from all the 4 major gorcery stores to see which one will actually save us money.
Look of that in the coming weeks.
