A few years ago I turned a small under the stairs closet into a pantry and storage for small appliances. It has been organized, cluttered, decluttered and re-cluttered so many times I've lost count. Here is what I did to attempt to get a true handle on the mess. 

​Organization Supplies:
• Large durable bins for food categories
• Labels if desired (as of this video, I’m still working on mines)
• food!

Directions:
• To save space, empty food items from their original boxes into bins.
• I put heavier items on the bottom shelf.
• The bins at eye level are things we use more often or would be looking for.
• Items we use more often are closer to the door. That way they are easier access on a daily basis.
• An over the door hanger was added to the door. Snacks are easy to access. Snacks the kids want are at their level.
• These oversized bins allow for more food items to be stacked upwards. So it takes up less space on a shelf. Which creates a neater look even though it’s the same amount of food in the pantry.

9 years ago we sold our first home. It was a cute brand new townhome. The house was perfect for a newlywed couple. 5 years ago we bought our dream home. Not really our dream home as in super gorgeous, but a nice home with lots of potential. It had a nice layout for future kids. A nice backyard to have guests and play in. It had nice bones. It was also the ugliest house on the block. 

When we pulled up to the house, I remember thinking, "no, nope, this can't be right. Why is that bush like that?? I'd never. We don't have to get out of the car." The house looked scary from the outside. We went inside, I closed the door behind me and was amazed. The first thing I saw was the lake in the backyard.  Then I noticed the high ceilings. THEN I noticed the holes in the floors, 1,000 nail holes in the walls that had been patched with plumbing caulk, dead lizards, a shut in smell and lots of dust. 

At first glance, the house said run. As I walked through the house, I realized it was what I wanted. Just in rougher conditions than I pictured. But, I could see what there could be. Cutting down that bush, new grass, flowers out front. Inside a good deep cleaning, new paint, fix the floors, clean several times more. One day a new kitchen and new bathrooms. A house is a long term investment. It isn't always the 8 week full renovation we all see on tv. 

Everyone thought we were crazy to buy the house. It was a 15 year old house that needed work. Likkkeee, who would want to live there? Us. And several others who put offers on teh home. Truthfully, a house is more than what you see at the moment. You have to be able to purchase a home for the things you can not change. I can change a bathroom, maybe not this moment, but one day. I can NEVER add a lakeview to a property. If you are buying a home, buy it for your needs. Go to hardware stores and price the items you would like to change in a house. Light fixtures, new paint, fencing, cabinets,...create a budget of how much you would be willing to spend on those items when the time comes.

In 5 years we have had things break, replaced a tub and the tile around it, replaced a broken garbage disposal, and renovated the kitchen. Smaller projects have been painting, replacing a broken doorbell, outside light fixtures and create outdoor living spaces. There are still projects I want to do over the coming years. They will get done, but it is going to take time because I don't want to replace it with just anything. 

​Lastly, It is okay to save for what you really want. Remember who has to live there and who is paying the bills. Do not design your house because the next buyer may want. No! Design your home for you. No matter what you put into that house, the next buyer is going to come in a take it out. Over time, everything comes in and out of style. Get what YOU want. Everything doesn't have to be perfect the moment you walk in. Over time it will get there.  

​The more changes we've made to the home, inside and out, the happier we are with our purchase. 

However, you can also have a family room that is cozy and full of toys to play with. The catch is a room has to have some sort of division. If it is one large open space, then you are kind of stuck. ​

When it comes to our home, we have both traditional and contemporary styles.  Our foyer, living room, dining rooms are traditional. However, the family room and kitchen are less formal. It is a mixture of modern farmhouse and contemporary. I love wood accents in the kitchen, however, I also love my shiny quartz and copper cabinet pulls. As I get decor for our home, I try to think, what is the purpose of this? When will I be able to use it, can I store it? Is it going to be safe from my kids???

Over the past 4 years, I have changed out our spaces enough to drive my husband crazy. He's actually asked me, "why do you keep changing stuff??" As any good wife knows, he'll live *smirks*.  My style has changed and what I can afford has changed. Having that, "really nice vase with crystal beading..." dream has come true. I had to save up for them, but when I finally found, "the piece," I knew I had to have it. 

Please enjoy a few pictures of our spaces over the years. Our style has grow up a bit along with our children. 

In every mom's life there is a point where household have piled up. Laundry, dishes, dusting, picking up 1,000 toys off the floor AGAIN...it happens. When we don't feel like cooking, we go out to eat. Why don't we do that with some of our household chores? ​

I've hired help a few times, move out cleaning, move in cleaning and most recently just before the holidays and after. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I should have hired someone to help me clean just before she arrived. It was a rough last month before she was born. My 18 month old got sick with an ear infection just a few weeks before she arrived. After two Urgent Care visits, he ended up needing to see an ENT. At the same time, I was still working my full time job and tutoring some evenings. I did not get to all of my cleaning before she arrived. Life still went on and everyone was fine. However, looking back, it is something I wished I'd done to make me feel better in the moment. 

Keeping the dining room table outfitted with placemats, chargers and even full place settings was something I use to do. However, with two little kids it just seemed like a problem waiting to happen.

Our formal dining room table has a center piece and a table runner. I don't have to dust each plate, charger, move everything to dust the table...the list goes on. 

In the kitchen, we had a custom quartz table top created for our old table. Now, I don't have to use placemats. Again, it has made cleaning after meals simpler. After collecting the dishes from the table, I simply have to wipe down the table. 

Maybe one day I'll go back to fancy mats and chargers for daily use. The dining room doesn't look as fancy on a regular basis. Special occasions I pull out decorations.  But for now, it's about what makes my life easier. 

Having a nicer table and fancier decorations make the two spaces feel complete.  It give it a nice look even with the tables themselves lacking the extras. ​

 The table still wonderful. It is one of the best investments I made in the space. The overall cost of the table was that of a table its size. However, the new table would have had a stone that doesn't match our countertops. The table has been used and abuse. Toy cars have rolled on it. Toys thrown down on it. Kids have gotten paint on it. Christmas cookies have been rolled out on it. Clean up is a breeze. No water stains, no paint stains, no need to grab 50 towels to put under kids' art projects. and no scratches. Lastly, I do not need placemats because everything can be placed directly on the table! 

When it came to a new kitchen table, I wanted one that was durable. Something the kids are able to do art projects, homework, spill liquids, spill spaghetti sauce on, mix food on and it's okay. Our previous table was wood. With all the mats. putting down towels, and wiping up spills it was a nightmare. As soon as someone would spill something, I was jumping up trying to clean it. Fussing at kids to, "be careful, look what you're doing." We still ended up with a spot on the table from a cup. We still don't know where the spot came from. 

During the kitchen reno, I looked for a quartz table and couldn't find one I liked, was the right size or that would match the kitchen.  We used Thumbtack.com to find our contractors.  When the men came to measure for new countertops, I asked if there was a way to have a table top made. He said they do it all the time. I could keep the table I already had and he could fit a top over it. I was able to get the table top extended to create the size I was looking for. It's a perfect fit. It works for us on a daily basis, but it also works for guests. The quartz is extremely thick, thus is it extremely heavy. I would like to get casters added to the legs so I can roll it in the room. 

Lastly, I needed a little more color that was playful. Something that can be easily changed. Turquoise canisters for the counters and colorful dish towels for a few of the handles.  Lastly, I needed some new pots. So, I selected ones that were colorful as well. In the end everything came together. 

1. They say bathrooms and kitchens sell homes. Well, in the case of our home, that wasn't the case. We fell in love with the open living room and the backyard. We fell in love with the potential of what the home could be. Because baby, that kitchen was odd. Not to sound mean, but the layout had to be designed by a man without kids. Then another man had to agree, "yea, that great,' because no mama would have agreed to it.

I would look around the kitchen trying to figure it out. What did I need. What would make life easier. Then, I had a child. Then 18 months later, I had another child. THEN a pandemic hit and I was stuck in the house with 2 under two and a husband all day. The small kitchen's issues were amplified. It seemed like I cooked all day everyday. Someone needed something. Toddler breakfast, adult breakfast, snack, lunch, baby foods, dinner...late night snack...all day. Cleaning after art projects. The kitchen really became the center of our home. Thanksgiving came. I constantly worried a pot handle would be knocked and hot food would land on a child running or walking by. A baby with a walker rolled into my foot while I was at the stove. It made me stop and look at how I could adjust the layout to make it safer for small children. No matter who lived in the home, if they had a small child, this would be an issue. Also, it was just annoying to have to step aside to let someone pass by.

Then I got the opportunity of a lifetime. I was able to finally renovate my kitchen. Armed with a tape measure, the Internet, and my creativity, I got to work. My contractor was amazing. He took my plans and made them work. From moving an AC vent to running new electrical, he made it happen. I was able to move the stove from the walk way, added extra cabinets for storage, add a double oven, warming drawer and for the cherry on top, a pot filler.

After everything started going in, I realized I needed new accessories. However, there was on accessory I could not find in a store, a kitchen table. Our space has an odd shape, the little breakfast nook wasn't really designed with a large family in mind. It was probably an after thought. The men who did our counters were able to make me a custom table top. I didn't have to buy a base, they fitted the top to fit around the small table I already had. 

Bottom line, find a contractor you can trust and listens to you. One who knows how to get things done and has people who know what they are doing. The quality of materials, the care into following plans and creativity are what make a dream kitchen come true. ​

For teacher's appreciation, I created these flowers for the kids' teachers. 
-Small Dollar Tree candle holders (yes, candle)
- 4 bouquets of flowers
       -1 filler flower in 2 different colors
      - 1 focal flower
      - Keep some leaves for greenery and stems to use to hold To:/From: Card
1. Fill holder with water. 
2. Cut flowers taller than vase so they hang to the sides. Flowers should not stand upright. 
3. Add filler flowers first 
4. Add focal flower(s). 
​5. Add green stem. 
6. Tape To:/From: card to stem