Tuesday, July 8, 2008
How Embarassing
You know it's bad when your own organizational blog goes to seed because you've been...well, gardening. But that's the thing, while I have organized A LITTLE, finances and grief have led me to gardening and baking my own bread and a few other fantastic things. This has all helped me as I have grieved the loss of my mom. If you're interested at all in the stories I've had to tell, then please come see me at Merlot Mudpies. And I'll post a few of my organizational projects here soon, too. You know, once I'm done bringing all the corn and tomatoes in.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Freezer Pics
Finally! When at first you don't succeed, try, try again.
I had to get onto my husband's monster computer for my camera to behave, but we prevailed.
World, meet my new, spankin' clean and organized freezer.
I had to get onto my husband's monster computer for my camera to behave, but we prevailed.
World, meet my new, spankin' clean and organized freezer.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Cameras are Such Deal Breakers
Well, I have pictures of my new fabulous freezer. But I can get my computer to recognize them. I think I'm having memory card issues. If only I could organize my way out of THOSE.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Something Frozen This Way Comes
Today I attacked our freezer with a vengeance. I know that, given the scale of outrage and desperation I've described to you in my beginning post, this seems petty. But, as Laura told me over the phone, "Oh GOOD! It's good to start with something small." I'm sure the psychology of all this organizing stuff will start to make sense to me soon. Right?....RIGHT?
Anyway, our freezer was a total joke. I love ice in drinks but often can't fit ice trays in to freeze any. I often know I've purchased frozen goods but often can't find them because our freezer is to frozen goods what the Bermuda Triangle is to ships and planes: a cosmic black hole, ready to kill and hide with no compassion. Frozen scallops, sweet corn, Ben and Jerry's Karmel Sutra, the cat -- nothing was safe near this freezer let alone IN it.
The simplicity of my solution is mind boggling: I bought an extra rack at Target. The fact that I did not think to write down the brand I bought is proof enough that I'm no pro at this and am learning as I go. However, it's a single-level chrome rack that epands and contracts horizontally to fit many spaces. This one shelf has meant an organized freezer all of a sudden. And get this: When I open it I can see what is in there!!
I promise to start taking pictures. But here is a good example of what our freezer looked like before found on Google Images:
I say "good example" rather than "great" because at least this freezer has shelves and room for ice. Ours had neither. But now, with a single look, I can see everything I own that needs freezing. This has freed up time when I make dinner, and it sure cuts down on the muttered cursing every time I make a drink or need to find something in there! I will post pictures tomorrow of the newly cleaned freezer.
But here are some pertinent items for this small project:
Anyway, our freezer was a total joke. I love ice in drinks but often can't fit ice trays in to freeze any. I often know I've purchased frozen goods but often can't find them because our freezer is to frozen goods what the Bermuda Triangle is to ships and planes: a cosmic black hole, ready to kill and hide with no compassion. Frozen scallops, sweet corn, Ben and Jerry's Karmel Sutra, the cat -- nothing was safe near this freezer let alone IN it.
The simplicity of my solution is mind boggling: I bought an extra rack at Target. The fact that I did not think to write down the brand I bought is proof enough that I'm no pro at this and am learning as I go. However, it's a single-level chrome rack that epands and contracts horizontally to fit many spaces. This one shelf has meant an organized freezer all of a sudden. And get this: When I open it I can see what is in there!!
I promise to start taking pictures. But here is a good example of what our freezer looked like before found on Google Images:
I say "good example" rather than "great" because at least this freezer has shelves and room for ice. Ours had neither. But now, with a single look, I can see everything I own that needs freezing. This has freed up time when I make dinner, and it sure cuts down on the muttered cursing every time I make a drink or need to find something in there! I will post pictures tomorrow of the newly cleaned freezer.
But here are some pertinent items for this small project:
- A simple rack doubled the room in our freezer ($12.99 plus tax at Target)
- Going through everything we had revealed that I have a scary tendency to buy peas possibly EVERY time I shop, and to stock up on other weird things as well
- Throw away things that have been in there for so long you forgot you had them (unless it's ice cream...if it's ice cream go ahead and eat it. We don't want to be rash)
- Try to organize items so that nothing is hidden from immediate view -- but if you don't have the space, then stack in categories so you have a good idea of what's lurking in the back
The Beginning
Let me just say, right off the bat, that my husband is a very loving, understanding, and put-upon man. I don't just say that to pay lip service. It's his honest due. And I love him for it. And I'm pretty sure that it's mostly his sweetness and laid-back manner that keep this marriage going and happy. Because honestly, I wouldn't want to put up with me sometimes! So anyway, that being said...
"People shouldn't live like this! People don't LIVE like this! What are we doing?? How can it possibly take this long just to LEAVE THE HOUSE?"
That's me in a desperate, emotional breakdown, yet again, because of our apartment.
"I can't keep up with this and it should not take THIS flipping long to LEAVE THE HOUSE!"
I'd shudder to think we were heading to church while I talked like this, but it's entirely possible.
"WHERE IS MY OTHER SHOE?? EAMONN! EAMONN NO NO NO!!! OHHHHH CRAP!"
A can of soda, partially consumed, got emptied right next to my husband's keyboard while I frantically stumbled across piles of clothes, a high heel that Ryan later stepped on cutting his foot open, and other clutter that wasn't put away because there was just no place to put it, trying to grab our toddler son before he got into more things that would make a baby-proofer's hair curl.
"I. CANNOT. DO. THIS. ANYMORE!"
Luckily, I am a calm and clear communicator who uses wit and good humor to say what she means with grace and a smile.
"SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE!!"
We live in a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment in Southern California. There isn't a garage or a patio, and all of our possessions have to fit within the confines of this space. A lot of times I start to clean, look around, and give up before I've begun. We just don't have enough room and as much as we get rid of things, we just don't fit here.
If I could get us on Clean Sweep, despite the inherent shame in letting millions of people see our mess, I'd do it. But the problem with shows like that for people like us is that you have to own your home in order to have it fixed for you. And even if I wanted simply to copy what I saw happening on that show or others like it, we simply don't have the cash for the huge overhaul our place would recommend.
In my mind all this begs a very important question: What about people like us? Can a family without huge financial resources organize their space and their lives in such a way that the changes not only accommodate their strained finances and lack of space, but also create an environment that actually gives them a leg up? How do apartment dwellers make their spaces work for them and not go bankrupt doing it?
Well, that's what I'm hoping to find out, and I'll be tracking it here. With the help of my enviably organized friend, Laura, and any other resources I can find that we can afford, I'm hoping to transform our apartment into a home and a sanctuary -- a space that works for us, not against us.
I'd love your thoughts, comments, and insights as we work, as well as to hear about living space problems you might have. Let's see what this thing becomes!
"People shouldn't live like this! People don't LIVE like this! What are we doing?? How can it possibly take this long just to LEAVE THE HOUSE?"
That's me in a desperate, emotional breakdown, yet again, because of our apartment.
"I can't keep up with this and it should not take THIS flipping long to LEAVE THE HOUSE!"
I'd shudder to think we were heading to church while I talked like this, but it's entirely possible.
"WHERE IS MY OTHER SHOE?? EAMONN! EAMONN NO NO NO!!! OHHHHH CRAP!"
A can of soda, partially consumed, got emptied right next to my husband's keyboard while I frantically stumbled across piles of clothes, a high heel that Ryan later stepped on cutting his foot open, and other clutter that wasn't put away because there was just no place to put it, trying to grab our toddler son before he got into more things that would make a baby-proofer's hair curl.
"I. CANNOT. DO. THIS. ANYMORE!"
Luckily, I am a calm and clear communicator who uses wit and good humor to say what she means with grace and a smile.
"SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE!!"
We live in a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment in Southern California. There isn't a garage or a patio, and all of our possessions have to fit within the confines of this space. A lot of times I start to clean, look around, and give up before I've begun. We just don't have enough room and as much as we get rid of things, we just don't fit here.
If I could get us on Clean Sweep, despite the inherent shame in letting millions of people see our mess, I'd do it. But the problem with shows like that for people like us is that you have to own your home in order to have it fixed for you. And even if I wanted simply to copy what I saw happening on that show or others like it, we simply don't have the cash for the huge overhaul our place would recommend.
In my mind all this begs a very important question: What about people like us? Can a family without huge financial resources organize their space and their lives in such a way that the changes not only accommodate their strained finances and lack of space, but also create an environment that actually gives them a leg up? How do apartment dwellers make their spaces work for them and not go bankrupt doing it?
Well, that's what I'm hoping to find out, and I'll be tracking it here. With the help of my enviably organized friend, Laura, and any other resources I can find that we can afford, I'm hoping to transform our apartment into a home and a sanctuary -- a space that works for us, not against us.
I'd love your thoughts, comments, and insights as we work, as well as to hear about living space problems you might have. Let's see what this thing becomes!
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