Now that our new floors are installed in the family room, I am very motivated to clean up the joint. Things were so busy for me in 2012 that I really slacked on my usual “stuff control” duties. I knew I needed to clean out a closet, organize the toys, or get rid of clothes that were too small for the boys, but I would feel pressed to get something else done and I wouldn’t do it. For some reason, stuff stresses me out. It might be in a closet, totally out of view, but I know it’s there and I don’t like it.
I like the stuff that’s in plain sight even less!
For about a year, we’ve had this toy shelf with locker baskets in the family room. It’s a piece we built for Cottages & Bungalows magazine and it’s been a great storage piece. My boys are getting older now, though, and they don’t need to have so many toys in the family room, so today I cleaned out the toy shelf…
…and moved it upstairs to their room. They still do a lot of playing down here, though, so I wanted to keep the toys they played with most accessible to them. I cleaned out the dresser under the window and the bottom of the hutch to make room.
That involved consolidating the toys they like and getting rid of the things they never play with or the things they’ve outgrown.
What didn’t fit in the hutch went into the dresser. The drawers slide out easily and everything’s arranged so it’s easy to find and easy to put away.
I also moved the decorating magazines off the coffee table and put some sketch pads, coloring & activity books in their place along with some crayons. We had some out for a long time, but the boys stopped using them, so I put them away.
Their artwork is getting so darn cute nowadays that I want to encourage it again.
I did some organizing for myself as well.
That side table needs a little rehab work…and some paint, of course.
My Oma (grandmother) always had a bowl of nuts out in the winter months, so I’m following in her footsteps. I put some out in an ironstone casserole that’s missing a lid and an English nutcracker I purchased off Etsy.
When I got the hooked Dash & Albert rug for my office, I moved the wool rug I bought from Target on clearance to the basement. I loved it too much to get rid of it just yet. As I was doing laundry this morning, it occurred to me that it would be perfect for the family room. At 5 x 7, it’s too small for the space, but it’s a nice stand-in until I can find and save for an 8 x 10. It warms the room up, reduces sound and breaks up the brown of the flooring.
I can start to see how the room is coming together. Isn’t it cool when you make a change that makes you start to fall in love with your house?
…I still need to reupholster that chair and make a video series of me doing it. I hope to get to that in a few weeks.
I even set up a new place for me to work on my computer. I have been using the kitchen counter for years. I needed to when my boys were younger, because it was out of their reach and it became habit, but now they’re old enough to know not to touch mommy’s computer unless they have permission. This is the perfect little corner.
I worked hard today…scooting around furniture, sorting things, hauling out trash bags, running up and down the stairs…but it was so much fun. I can’t wait to tackle more.
Is organizing and moving furniture this invigorating for anyone else?
Oh! I forgot to mention two things. First of all, tomorrow, January 8, 2013, Joss & Main will start running a sale of home decor items curated by me! It’s called French Blue, Farmhouse White.
I almost always buy used and that makes it hard for people who want to purchase MMS style for their home. I had a great time collectimg furnishings, pillows, rugs and accessories that I would use in my own home. If you’re new to Joss & Main, click HERE to join. Even if you don’t shop, I hope you can get some inspiration from the collection I curated.
Second, the winners of Milk Paint Workshop giveaway are…
Christal Wilson wins one ticket to the Milk Paint Workshop
Kelly of Fadedology.com wins one ticket to the Milk Paint Workshop
And Nancy (queenmum07) wins two tickets for her and her daughter to come to the breakfast.
I can’t wait to meet all of you this weekend!
74 Responses
Your new flooring is gorgeous! Congrats! I LOVE having a clean and organized home as well. It just makes ya function better! 🙂 Enjoy all the beautiful changes. Blessings ~ Judy
Love it! I put my boys toys in the bottom part of my cabinet too, great idea to write a blog post on how to hid your kids toys so it doesn’t look cluttered!!! I think I might work on that right now!
Looks great! Hard to have a picture perfect home with a bunch of children around! I have 5. You do a great job
Yes, yes it is ! I LOVE doing that too !!! I have to tell you that my mom got me your book fit Christmas and I LOVE it. I just made my first pillow today thanks to you!! Thank you for your wonderful book and inspiring words. You have completely inspired me and have given me the confidence that I CAN do this.
Thank you, Marion!
Can I just say that I’m so happy you are a “real” mom with toys all over the place!? That is a constant struggle at our house (more for DH than for me). I finally started throwing their toys in to a huge old copper bin/planter/pot thing I inherited from mom. It’s controlled the clutter somewhat, and they know that if anything peeks over the edge, it belongs back up in their rooms.
Now if I cold just get #2 to quit leaving Lego creations and crayons all over the kitchen counter…
Looks great!
Yes moving furniture and organizing is most definitely invigorating to me too! My biggest issue is living in a house filled with teen boys…. and their rooms. Think 1400 square foot house, 3 boys (13 to 18, almost 19), video games, and 3 bedrooms. I know how I would love for their rooms to look but convincing them is another thing…. add to the mix a HUGE dog (105 lbs of black fur!). But I am bound and determined… 🙂 (I think I may have convinced the youngest to redo his room, the middlest’s room is already awesome!… now its just the eldest but he leaves in 7 months so….)
Have a wonderful day! Enjoy your lovely “new” room!
My husband just rolls his eyes when I suggest moving rooms. It was a regular occurence when the kids were younger. One time I decided to move my craft room upstairs which meant moving the pieces to two expedit systems and about 30 baskets. I don’t know how many times I went up and down those stairs, but by the time I was done, my calves were as hard as a rock and I could barely walk.
On the kid front one thing that worked for my 5 was to rotate the toys. I kept a stash of toys in the attic and rotated the toys every month keeping out only what I knew they could keep picked up. This helped keep them from becoming bored with a toy.
Your family room looks awesome.
Beautiful floors! You’re not alone. Stuff stresses me, too. Need to do a whole house purge this year!
Everything looks nice and orderly. It makes you feel good inside. When my girls were younger, every summer they went to Church summer camp. That was the only time of year I could go through all of their toys. Some stayed, some to the Salvation Army and the really broken/destroyed the trash. All they saw when they got home was, that their toys were organized.
I love organizing. I get the exact same way as you. I’ve noticed that a lot of bloggers show pictures of their messy house at times but even your “messy” pictures aren’t very messy. I know, I know your house gets messy sometimes too. But I think you’re a “picker-uper” like me. My house may not be spotless, and it’s definitely not CLEAN, but it’s pretty much always picked up. So….are you a picker-uper?
Yes. I know my messy is neater than most, but my floors can get very fuzzy and my mom has taken to scrubbing my stove and washing my dishes when she comes over. I don’t like for things to get too cluttered, though.
that computer corner is so sweet! fun changes in your family room and getting that toy shelf out is gonna feel so good!
i love the open bins of legos in the dresser, great idea!!! my boys are 10 and 7 and legos are EVERYWHERE in our house, I might just have to employ your tactic!!
Yep! We have 2 boys and 4 girls and they ALL (13 – 2 yrs.) love legos! When the legos come out, creations are EVERYWHERE! “Stuff” makes me nuts too! Lego creations can stay out for about 2 days (in their rooms) before I make them disassemble and put them away 🙂 My Dyson has clogged twice with lost tiny lego pieces! The creativity and fun they have is totally worth it though!
This post cracked me up. I’m a relatively new subscriber, and have seen so many lovely decorating photos, but I never would have guessed there were all those toys hiding in there, too! Ahhhh. Makes me feel so much better! 🙂
I love to organize and rearrange, but am at a point in my life where I have no time for it, and the mess is killing me! A time for every season….I know I’ll get there at some point.
Nothing invigorates me like organizing & rearranging furniture. When I deep clean, it isn’t clean until something has been changed. Without a computer at the moment, I’ve had lots of time to do those little things that I put off. Happy that you are able to do them now. Love that you are so happy about it, too. Your floors and room look great. Can’t wait to catch up when I’m back in the saddle. Reading from an iPhone just isn’t the same. Blog looks great too, btw!
I feel free and more relaxed when things are organized. If things get out of control I feel anxious. It’s the Aries in me (and you if I recall).
I am coveting your locker baskets!! I want some that wont cost a small fortune!!
I LOVE moving the furniture around and do it at least monthly…it’s like getting a whole new house every time!!!
I love that idea of putting some toys in drawers – in easy reach for little ones and easy for them to put away. I can’t say my kids always put their toys away (ahem), but love the idea! I love seeing how your room is taking shape. Thanks for sharing.
Ha…mine don’t either. We’re working on that!
Love it! Inspiring! I need to rearrange my dining area, and this motivates me to want to do just that.
Such a pretty room, I love your little computer corner!! I love to organize and throw things out, I get stressed when things are out of control!
Love your floors!
Girl, if you like running up and down stairs and moving stuff and organizing…I’m extending an invitation to you to come help me with our “unfinished bonus room turned temporary attic” that I refer to as “H*ll”. lol I’ve been at it for days now and I’m wiped out! As ashamed as I am to show photos…I did…on my blog. Feel free to check it out if you’d like. http://neverendingdecorating.blogspot.com/2013/01/happy-new-year-and-my-resolutions.html Have a great week!
HAH!!! Our, or shall I say my hubby’s garage is the same way! His stuff is everywhere! I put things out there to yard sale or give away and the “pile” is HUGE! It is soooo embarassing and I too refer to it as” H*ll” or “The Pit” Made me laugh that someone else feels the same way about a certain space in their home! 🙂
I agree with so many of you that in a world where we have so little control of events, people, and things around us…a little furniture moving and putting “stuff” in its place is great therapy
Here’s to a burst of New Year energy – enjoy your homes everyone. And thanks again Marian for being so honest – you are a breath of fresh air..
Make it a great week!
Oh Marion, I love the nuts out in a bowl! I also had an Oma that did the exact same thing every Christmas, that and of course the Japanese Oranges..I guess they’re called Mandarins now, but hey what a trip down memory lane to see your picture!
My 6yo has a lot of playmobils. I found a 4 foot chifarobe (I love using that word – it always reminds me of “To Kill a Mockingbird”) on wheels – drawers on one side a big empty space on the other. It hides everything so nicely.
Thank you for showing your toy messes! Makes me feel more normal! Cannot wait for tomorrow morning so I can shop Joss & Main!
The nook is perfect and your floors are so so pretty! I would love to move furniture around and change the function of some rooms, but alas my husband is retired from the Army, and that would not be pleasant to him. But I do get to do that with accessories and did that just the other day when I was taking down the Christmas decorations.
I am with you Marian! I LOVE rearranging and organizing! Even just putting a load of laundry away makes me feel accomplished sometimes. But reorganizing things to a more efficient and useful place is the ultimate. A little, fun suggestion for you too. One year I had my son hep me go through his toys and we took everything over to the pediatric ward o the hospital and donated them into their playroom. My son still remember s doing that (he is 14 now) but for years would ask “when are we taking toys to the hospital again?”. Just a nice life lesson! Can’t wait to see you J&M picks tomorrow! Have a fantastic week! ~ Lisa
I love clearing out and organizing too!! I am ready to get going on that now that my kids are back in school. I love the idea of putting the crayons and sketch pads back out. My boys are older (9 and 11) but I know they still like to draw – I bet they would do it more if supplies were easily accessible. Going to give it a try 🙂
I like things organized and put away too. It is so nice when the kids get old enough that their toys don’t have to be in the living room any more. Their room drives me nuts but at least it is upstairs and not in my spaces! Not that they never drag their stuff down, but they are now old enough to put it back!
Another awesome post! Thanks for being so real! 😉
I love what you said about your childs artwork. I totaly agree. I can’t help but smile when my 5 year old gives me a picture she made. They are just so adorable, colorful and cheery! Just like the kids! I love your little nook in the corner, its dreamy. My sister and I recently came back from a trip to IKEA and she stayed up till 2:00am re-decorating. It’s so much fun, isn’t it?
Julie
Your organized spaces look fabulous! I store games and kid’s craft materials in the bottom of my dining room hutch and behind the closed doors of my buffet hutch. Being organized and neat gives my type A brain peace, hehe.
I chuckled when I saw the Play-Doh ice cream machine in your before pictures. That is one item in my house that I can never find a perfect place for! It’s such an awkward shape and doesn’t fit in many spaces. Right now it’s crammed in a cabinet, and isn’t with the other Play-Doh items. Where did you hide yours?
Congratulations on your book. It’s beautiful, as is your blog which I’m thankful for, and your home 🙂
I love the little nook you carved out for yourself, the desk is nice and chippy and aged well. Did you do that desk or purchase it, I am sure that is a piece of your handy work.
Cynthia
Yes, I painted it. It’s actually one of the pieces I did for my book.
The need for visual clarity is so important as a mom. I have four kids. I also have all their “stuff”. One big thing I needed to control was the Legos. When I came across wooden wine boxes, I would put casters on them. That way they were contained, easily moved or hauled and can co-exist in my family room in a fashionable way. I mean…. Before you can move mountains, ya gotta get through the Legos. 😉
LOL…yes you do. 🙂
I love the organization in the cabinet! I ordered your book for a christmas prez to myself! Can’t wait to paint something….thinking of a couple chairs for our bedroom. On the prowl!! 🙂
I love how your new floors look. I am thinking of doing the same, pulling up all my old carpet and installing new wood floors. Not sure I would want to tackle it all myself, but then why not?
It is funny, every time I read your blog I feel you are a kindred spirit. I too am stressed by stuff and even stuff in cabinets that I know is a mess stresses me out. My daughter has always laughed at me because I have to clean the kitchen before I can cook. I have relaxed my standards lately after marrying a most wonderful man who is a bit of a clutter bug. It still drives me crazy, but I have learned to deal with it. However with the new year I am on a major purge to get all of my clutter at least under control.
Loving you home is such a good feeling. I’m sure that it will spur lots more creative inspiration. Yay!
Congrats on Joss & Main! Can’t wait to see!
Christen
Oooooooohhhh! I have some croquet balls! Thanks for the great idea. I can handle that! Thanks for all your hard work that inspires us!
looking good!
i do not see you on Joss & Main.
Always look forward to what creative works you are up to!
All about making homes better…Keep up the great projects and inspiring focuses in 2013!
Now I have to tackle my own Family Room – thanks for the reminder and the inspiration!
All the best,
Designer Dad Stephen
Marian, was your grandmother Dutch, German or Flemish like me? ‘Oma’ is what my children say to my mom :-).
My bother was born in Germany, so that’s what started the Oma/Opa thing.
Love it! Btw my boys (8 and 5,5) love your posts when your boys/their toys are involved. They grabbed my Ipad, looked at he pictures and said “WOW the Batman castle, is that from the paintlady in the US?”. Their toys are in my hutch and today they volunteered (‘!!!!’) to sort out their Lego’s, Playmobil, Bakugan cards, … I painted a shelf in Luckett’s Green in the meantime. I’m a happy mom today.
I need to do a major kids clothes and toy purge too! Love the feeling of being all cleaned up!
Your floors look GREAT. Ours our going to get done in a few days. What color stain did you use? THANKS!!!!
Oh, yeah, a girl after my own heart! Decluttering and tidying works for me more than chocolate does! And, I’m not even joking!
Your toy “hutch” is exactly what I had for years in my kitchen…an old oak cabinet with two doors hid the paints, puzzles, playdough, coloring books, construction paper, and other craft projects. My youngest is 14 now, and those have been replaced by jugs and pitchers and vases….but it was a great place for a while!
Yes, when I start organizing, it makes me long for the whole house to be that way….I love the table and the croquet balls…. see this post http://thetatteredtreasures.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2012-11-25T20:26:00-08:00&max-results=3&start=9&by-date=false
I truly figured I was the only one that loved them!
Danelle
I have been on an organizing binge since October. I started at one end of the house and have worked my way all the way to the other side cleaning and organizing every inch of storage in our home. I now have only the master bedroom and bathroom to finish. It feels great to have all the closets cleaned, all our accumulated “stuff” purged and to know where all the remaining stuff is. I donated a huge amount of items we really don’t need or use to Goodwill. Hopefully our no-longer-need items will be treasures to someone else.
This is a great post. I have to do something about dog toys, stuffs. I am not sure how they should be organized . In a basket? , it has to be something that they can pick up and play with them . I wish they could bring them back to whatever it is.
This is a great post! I have to figure out how I should organize my dogs’ stuffs, toys, etc… A basket ? It has to be something that they can pick up from there and play with them. I wish they could be trained to bring them back to a basket when they are done.
wow I love everything!! I love to use baskets and tubs for all the kids toys:) I did this fall go to Ikea and buy two wooden toy bins kind of looks like stairs and I put one in the front closet and the second one upside down on top which made a square full of bins. So now the boys toys all have bins and it looks really nice if the closet door is open. Now I am going to tackle the storage rooms:) Oh I just have to have them all nice to even though you do not see those rooms.
Absolutely invigorating. I need to get on it!
You gave me an Ahhhh! moment. My mom and dad didn’t have much, but one treat they gave one another was the (for them) splurge of a bowl of nuts accompanied by an old nutcracker that sat on the dining room table all winter long. Both of my parents are gone now, but you made my day reminding me of simple joys shared with them.
I have absolutely no money for paint or fabric but it is amazing how AWESOME I feel when I deep clean, reorganize and rearrange. I actually enjoy shopping in my own home now. I’ve learned to enjoy the simple things, although someday I would love to be able to afford the MMS paint…..!!!!!!
Marion, want to know what the best part about this post is? To see you live with “stuff” too! 🙂 Love it!! I know from experience though, one day my house will look picture perfect and then projects come along and deadlines need to be met and all of a sudden it looks like a hurricane came through. Counters are cluttered, chairs are filled with “stuff” and my floor looks like an obstacle course! Which is where I’m at right now. Soon it will be purging day for me!
Everything looks gorgeous! Finding clever ways to organize and store toys is always a challenge, so I love your ideas. And oh how I love your side table vignette.
I get so invigorated by moving furntiture and re-organizing my home that once I start in one room, it normally leads to the rest of the house! I go in spurts. My husband, who detests change, gets very grumpy, but I’m so happy that I don’t mind. 🙂 —I think I’m going to tackle the dining room this weekend.
Congrats on Joss & main!
How wonderful for all of us to have your insight and “picks” at Joss & Main! it is like having you as a personal shopper along to shop, or maybe more like a great Girlfriend to help! Could be dangerous too..so tempting. I also love Joss & Main because you can also use it at a tool for inspiration for thrift shop finds or furniture re-dos of our own if not in your budget! I am thrilled that you are now associated with them, but maybe it should be reversed, they should be honored to have you! Good that they have items of all prices ranges, so everyone can find something in their price range! Good News!
I love reorganizing – a fresh start feels so good! And thanks for the pictures of the nuts – reminds me of the bowl of nuts my grandparents always had out. Must be a German thing?
Legos FTW!
Just to let you know that I find on my wood floors (cherry) when i put a rug down on them the floors will fade and when you lift the rug you will notice where the rug was…..so maybe moving them often might help?
So I’m on the hunt for locker baskets for the same thing!!…..my girls playroom shelf!! Any suggestions?
I beg you not to reupholster that fabulous pink-striped chair, it’s so perfect as-is! I sure wish we lived closer together, I’d trade you for it – I have 2 really great shapely old chairs that I’m planning to paint & reupholster but I like yours better. Fabulous job in re-organizing the space. I’ve been on a culling-rampage for the last couple months, it feels so good. Thanks for all the inspiration, as always!
Wow! You make everything look so fabulous! Thanks for the inspiration.