LET'S BE HONEST ABOUT THE BLOG

Can I be super honest with you for a few minutes of your time? Blogging has been tough for me this past year and a half. You want to know why? Let me tell you...

You see, I started out blogging in May 2010 - that's EIGHT YEARS ago - and I absolutely loved and found joy in it. To top it off, I made some money and it made blogging a little more exciting. My following grew and grew and grew...I couldn't believe it! 

Teenaged Girl's Bedroom in Scandinavian Design

It has been several months since we redesigned my teenaged daughter's bedroom for her birthday, but I wanted to share how lovely it turned out. It's difficult to get into her room and photograph these days, as she is now homeschooled and spends an enormous amount of time in her room, and more specifically on her bed! If you've been following me for any time now, you may remember that we re-did her bedroom a few years ago! She is now a full fledge teenager and has very specific design ideas and so for her 14th birthday, I told her we could redecorate her room. It has been FIVE years and she's a lot different at 14 then she was at 9 years old! Here is what her room looked like before:

How Decluttering Can Pay Off, Literally!

Lately, I have been hit by the decluttering bug. And by hit, I mean HIT hard. I am pretty good about decluttering, honestly, but about once or twice a year I just start to go a little nuts around the house. Just ask my husband! What I do is I imagine that we are going to be moving across the country! I give myself a deadline - say 2 months - and I start going room by room through every closet, cupboard and shelf! I think about whether I've used the item in the last six months, or even a year. Why am I keeping it? 

The Organizing Itch

This post was sponsored by Formica Corporation

I've got that organizing itch again and so I've been busy trying to work out a few areas in my home to fine tune and get re-organized. I've noticed, and I'm sure you have to, that many of the areas around my home need an organizing update - kinda like my schedule as the kids get older and more independent. I no longer need the big command center area that I once did, but I still need that entry dresser and I wanted to make the space even more functional for our lives now.

I decided that things weren't looking so well and my friends at Formica Corporation told me about a few amazing new products that they wanted to show you, in a normal, everyday environment like mine! So, I agreed - let's do this!

First, I needed to figure out what was the problem because lately our command center area was piling up with more and more stuff. So, I went through and cleared out the clutter on the top of the dresser and got rid of a lot of unnecessary stuff. 

Second, I went through the dresser and determined that I had too much in there, also - surprise! It didn't take me very long to do this process, maybe 20 minutes.

Third, I decided to make this area function a little differently. Instead of having so much stuff on the wall, I wanted something functional yet pretty! This is where I decided that using the Formica® Writable Surfaces came in! I decided that using these surfaces both on top of the dresser and also writeable panels for the wall treatment would be exactly what would work for this area! Formica® Writable Surfaces come in six colors and designs, giving you the opportunity to make lists, jot down inspirational quotes or even doodle. These surfaces, like all Formica® Brand products, are budget-friendly and durable.

 

Now, I can't wait to show you the surfaces I chose and how the project came together....but, you'll have to wait just a little longer before it's ready!

 

  Want to know where I got that product?

 Go HERE and find it!

**I have a few affiliate links in this post - this does not mean you pay a dime more for the product when you purchase through my link. It just means I made it easier for you to find what you might like, so I make a few cents if you purchase. I SO SO SO appreciate when you support Organizing Made Fun. Thank you!!**  Like what you see here? Consider becoming a follower or subscribe via email! 

Connect with me:

 

Step 4 - Find a Faithful Friend: The Mom's Guide to Getting Your House Organized and Clutter Free

Last week, I shared the third step of getting your home organized and clutter free, which was letting go of clutter. You might be thinking, "letting go of clutter might be easy for some, but not me." I'm here to tell you that if you struggle with hoarding and/or are a clutter bug, I've got the fourth step directed especially for you. Find a faithful {organized} friend. Yes, this is very important. You need to find a friend {or if you really can't, hire a professional organizer} to come and help you to let go of clutter.

Look at your home with fresh eyes this week - WALK THROUGH your whole home and start looking at the piles of things everywhere. Actually look at it - pretend you are a visitor in your own home. Are you horrified? Or is it pretty good? Look around carefully. 

Step 3 - Let Go of Clutter: The Mom's Guide to Getting Your House Organized and Clutter Free

Today is the day. Are you ready to start looking at things differently? In the Mom's guide to getting your house organized and clutter free, we started by simply getting into the habit of sitting down each evening and planning out our schedule and routine each week. Second, we started meal planning. Those two things are vital habits to form in your home in order to get your whole life/home organized and clutter free. And, did you start these habits? How are you feeling about them? Is it making a difference?  Today, I want you to start looking at your stuff differently.

Step 2 - Meal Planning: The Mom's Guide to Getting Your House Organized and Clutter Free

This week, we're going to explore the next step to getting your house organized and clutter - and becoming more of a home and your life much calmer. Meal Planning.

Meal Planning is truly vital for us Moms, it's the second step to helping you get your home organized and clutter free! Like step one, getting into the habit of doing this on a regular basis will help you the most. You need to decide how often you want to meal plan and how often you need to grocery shop. I have a weekly plan, since we have two teenagers and need food often! Let me help you with this simple weekly step:

Step 1 - Calendar: The Moms' Guide to Getting Your House Organized and Clutter Free

Last week I told you that I am going to get you ready for the new year and coach you to get organized and clutter free. I've got everything a mom could want to know to get your house and life organized. This week we're going to start working on just life in general. You have to decide what kind of calendar person/family you are going to be. For me, I'm all digital {paperless} but I have a large family calendar, too. For you, it might be that you've tried several different ways and you've been unsuccessful, but until you make it a habit EVERY SINGLE NIGHT to sit down and work through what your day will need to basically look like the following day, or weekly sit down and plan out meals and family business, you aren't going to be able to even attempt to keep your house clutter free or organized. 

The Moms' Guide to Getting Your House Organized and Clutter Free

Today is the day! This year is YOUR year! You can get your house decluttered and organized - I'm here to coach you through it! We're going to answer all your questions and excuses for not doing it. Are you ready?

First, let me say, if you don't really want to be organized or clutter free, you won't. It's like trying to make someone lose weight that doesn't want to. It's not going to happen. You have to WANT to make changes. You have to WANT to get organized. You have to WANT to get rid of the clutter. 

Second, this is not a challenge. I know there are lots of "challenges" to get organized in so many days, but I'm not necessarily a big believer in these for everyone. It probably works for some, but my goal is to help you develop solid, long-lasting habits that will help you to stay clutter free and organized. So, if you're looking for a challenge, this isn't it. 

Third, start thinking about what you want for your home. I am adamantly anti-perfectionism. If you are a perfectionist, you absolutely have to give up that thinking - imperfect organization. That's a big topic I'll be talking about throughout this journey and series. 

What area of your life do you need to organize? Your schedule, your kitchen, your whole house, your whole life? Share this with your friends and tell them where you hope to get organized this year!

 

  Want to know where I got that product?

 Go HERE and find it!

**I have a few affiliate links in this post - this does not mean you pay a dime more for the product when you purchase through my link. It just means I made it easier for you to find what you might like, so I make a few cents if you purchase. I SO SO SO appreciate when you support Organizing Made Fun. Thank you!!**  Like what you see here? Consider becoming a follower or subscribe via email! 

Connect with me:

6 Ways to Conquer Letting Go of Meaningful Things

“But,  What If I need It Someday?”

This is a common thought we have when we want to declutter and get organized.  I would bet that if you have a small (or large) problem in your home with clutter that you (or someone in your home) has used that phrase once or twice. This thought can sometimes even paralyze our ability to get rid of anything.   

My grandmother was born to a poor family in 1930 and spent her childhood playing with bits and pieces of scraps and junk in the yard rather than the playhouses, swing-sets and electric ride-on cars that her great grandchildren enjoy. Unlike many of her generation, who struggle with hoarding, she kept an immaculate home all of her life.  

I Hate Packing and 10 Reasons I'm Learning to Like it Again!

I was given compensation from EzPacking to share with you my experience with their amazing product that will make you a much happier packer, too! Plus, I've got a great coupon code for OMF readers...so read on!

If there ever was something I'm happy to share with you, it's that I hate packing. I'm not exactly sure what makes it so awful - perhaps it's the idea that I can't fit everything in that I want or the not knowing what to wear or maybe just the having to put outfits together and not knowing what "mood" I'll be in when I get there. Do you feel my pain? Maybe not, but packing is just one of those dreaded things for me. Funny thing is, my husband can pack in like 5 minutes - well, he actually likes ME to do his packing but he can pick out all his clothes in 5 minutes. Anyway, I digress...

Preschool At Home and September's Wrap Up

At OMF we've had a month full of posts that have focused on training our kids as well as a few updates on my kitchen renovation.  If you've missed anything you can find the links at the end of this post.

I have a busy home filled with four girls aged 20, 17, 12 and an almost 3 years old.  The 20 years of experience as a mom hasn't changed my desire to keep my little ones close to home for their early years, but it has given me confidence to teach them myself.   Today I'd like to briefly share one tool I've created this year to organize our preschooler's learning. 

5 Ways to Get a Better Night's Sleep

I am partnering with IKEA to share some of my best tips for the #First59 Campaign. 

How can you possibly get a better night's sleep? Well, for me, there are things that I do each day to help me ease my way into getting a better sleep! It might seem like simple ways, but they are definitely something that help me be calm. We've got a busy schedule some days and I try to consistently get to bed around the same time. 

5 Quick Tips to Keep Your Space Organized

So, you want an organized space! You work and work, declutter and declutter. Now your space is FINALLY looking pretty organized! But, here's the part that's crucial - it's the "keeping your spaced organized" part that's the last step and it's a critical step! I'm going to give you five quick tips that you can keep with you. Feel free to pass this along to any other friends who are trying to get, and stay, organized! Pin it - don't forget about it!

TINY House Fever!

Have you seen the latest craze on HGTV and other channels? It's Tiny Houses - and it's fascinating! My daughter and I watch these shows weekly and can't believe how people can live in such teeny, tiny square footage! Can you?  So, I've come up with some of my favorites and why we can all relish in the tiny-ness that is so fascinating!

5 Tips for Letting Go of Clutter

If your goal is to get organized this year, than clutter is your first obstacle! Sometimes we just need a little push to figure out how to let go of that extra clutter hanging around, right? I am going to give you five quick tips for letting go of your clutter! 

The BIGGEST Organizing Mistake You Make {And How to Fix It}

What if I told you that you are making the BIGGEST mistake in your organizing? Would that be a big deal to you? With your resolution to get more organized this year, this could be the one thing that helps you realize how to do it, and do it RIGHT.

The 10 Best Organizing Posts of the Year

It's not a secret that organizing is my passion - along with a few other things like decorating and DIY. It's also a passion of mine to help inspire and motivate YOU to get organized - it doesn't mean that MY way is the ONLY way. It just means that it gets your brain thinking about all the ways you can get your whole life organized, one little area at a time. And I really hope that you feel that I have helped you in this way. It's the end of the year and 2015 has been so good for organizing! I want to show you the best of my posts of the year! 

15 Last Minute Stocking Stuffer Ideas that Don't Cause Clutter

Maybe you have done great and are all done with all your Christmas shopping - maybe you've been done for weeks, or just a few days. Doesn't matter because you need ideas for stocking stuffers for your kids - BUT, you don't want them to be trinkets that are going to make a pile of clutter! Right? Or maybe you have a tween or teen and just can't figure out what in the world to get them. Well, I'm here to help you! I've got 15 uncluttered stocking stuffer ideas that you can get at the last minute!

Tips for Keeping Large Utensil Drawer Organized

A couple of weeks ago, I shared my #cupboardconfessions with MasterBrand Cabinets as my sponsor and a chance to win a $300 Visa Gift Card! Today, I'm going to share some tips for keeping a large utensil drawer organized, a video of how I organized mine, and the winner of that $300 Visa Gift Card! Do you have a drawer in your kitchen that is a MESS? Maybe it looks a little like this?