Small Space Organizational Challenge Completed!

I've been working on two projects for Laura who writes at I'm An Organizing Junkie. This challenge was a month long. I chose to tackle my kitchen closet and the basement. This post in about the closet. When I complete the post about the basement later today, it'll be here.

So, Laura's asked us to answer the following questions in our finale:

1. What was the hardest part of the challenge for you and were you able to overcome it?
Well, honestly? For this one it was finding the time when the kids wouldn't be "helping". This closet contains a lot of cleaners and "kem-cals" as Flicka would say. I had the baskets. I had the labeler. It was just a matter of DOING it! LOL

2. Tell us what kind of changes/habits you have put into place in order for your area/room to maintain its new order? The biggest thing for this closet was instituting the "like with like" concept. Once I sorted everything, the mess immediately "looked" smaller. So, the trick will be to keep that up. I haven't thought ahead to what to do if something new comes in but doesn't fit the current categories of "plastic/tin foil", "light bulbs", "cleaning supplies", and "misc. supplies".

3. What did you do with the "stuff" you were able to purge out of your newly organized space?
For the most part, it was thrown out. This space has a kid-proof doorknob so often when toys are taken from the kiddos for a time out, this is where they end up. So, there were a few toys that needed to be "relocated" back to their rooms.

4. What was the biggest lesson you learned from this experience?
LOL - to quit just throwing stuff in here without thinking about where it goes because I don't have to "see" it. The biggest motivator for doing this closet is that it has our attic access door in the ceiling of it. So, I also needed a quick, easy way to move all this stuff when Da Hubby needed up there. Containerizing solved this problem perfectly!

5. Now that you have completed the PROCESS, do you think having and keeping your space organized will make a difference in your life?
I think it will maintain some marital bliss when Da Hubby can easily and quickly do what he needs to without me having to stop what I'm doing, clean off the kitchen table, and empty the closet every time he needs in the attic! My ability to unload the closet quickly means less time for him to get distracted and doing something else! *wink*

Now the unveiling! I actually have several pics: a before series, an after when I did it 2 weeks ago, and a today!

The before: the closet half empty and the other-half pile on the kitchen table:



The "first" after that day:



This morning:

WFMW: the Birthday Edition

Well, again...this tip may not be the most exciting but it certainly works for me.

Remembering birthday cards was never much of a big deal...until I got married. And, until I married someone who is one of six! LOL And, most of those six have multiple children! Yikes! What's former only child to do when faced with 6-12 birthday and anniversary cards each month? Buy them all at once!

On the 25th of each month, my Palm pops up a little reminder to go buy cards. I buy all of them then. And, then they get placed in our bill folder...ya know, one of those things with 31 slots where you file your bills by what day they're due. But, I file them 5 days before the actual day. So, as I write out bills each week, the appropriate celebratory cards get filled out and prepped while the stamps and return address labels are already out!

As an adult with multiple relatives and a bad case of ADD...this definitely works for me! So, go to Shannon's site today and see what other birthday ideas everyone has. GO! Do it now! *wink*

Purse Meme

(Updated: Da Hubby pointed out to me that too much of our personal info was showing up on some of these pics so I re-posted with some altered pics.)

I was tagged by that nosy friendly *wink* GiBee over at Kisses of Sunshine for the "purse meme" that's been going around the mommy blogs. I'm afraid she'll be very disappointed! LOL She picked a incurable tomboy with a very boring bag!

This is as transparent as it gets - I hate shopping so much plus I can't EVER seem to find a purse I like. As a result, every purse I've had in the last seven years, Da Hubby picked out! LOL And, this one is no exception. Knowing from experience how hard I am on clothes, shoes, jewelry, purses, etc., he chose one of these for a Christmas present in (I think) 2004. I've used it for 2 1/2 years and it barely shows any wear! LOL How's THAT for an endorsement! *wink*


So, here is mine. It's actually bigger than I need but that extra space comes in handy with the miscellaneous baby/toddler stuff that inevitably ends up in there as we travel.

In the main pocket is my wallet, checkbook (with a Duluth Pack checkbook cover provided by Da Hubby as well), my Palm, my cell (which is our home phone), a brush, a pack of floss and appointment card from my dentist appointment yesterday and the summer camp schedule from our local kids' science museum.















In the zipper pouch is a melange of hand creams, eye glass cleaner, hand sanitizer, lip balm, extra keys for Da Hubby's vehicle.















And, finally in the outer pocket is a Walgreen's receipt and coupon and the receipt/paperwork for Flicka's YMCA swim lessons.













See, told ya' it would be boring! *wink* You should see our diaper bag...I got tired of carrying everything but the kitchen sink and finally transferred into a smaller bag - my old college backpack! We're nothing if not frugal around here! LOL

So, to share the fun, I'm tagging Lisa, Christina, and JMom.

Touched a Little Bit of Heaven

As I posted Thursday, we had revival/renewal services for several nights this weekend. Still running through my mind and I can't put it into an organized form quite yet. I don't know where to begin...

Random thoughts...

I'm awed and still in tears to see the transforming power of the love of Christ as a young man whose parents have requested prayer for his salvation week after week after week came to Christ this weekend.

I was brought to my hands and knees by the heaviness of God's presence during worship.

I'm finally beginning to grasp what "restoration" really means.

I saw a man struggling with depression and other problems declare the devil can't have him and come back to Christ.

I saw a man "drunk in the Spirit" and it was amazing.

I got a peek at what heaven filled with "forever praise" may be like. Like the song "I Can Only Imagine" from Mercy Me - "I can only imagine when all I will do is forever, forever worship You." We were nearly there each night.

Da Hubby and I felt like we had run a marathon each and every night from sheer mental, spiritual, and physical exhaustion. However, I was prayed over last night and find myself pain-free this morning! Praise God!

I watched my sweet, sweet baby girl dance with the joy of the Lord with the "grown ups" during worship.

I heard several testimonies of incredible odds beaten, miracles granted, lives transformed all due to God's love, mercy, and grace.

We worshipped Friday night with our Spanish-speaking sister church...with their worship team...in Spanish (which no one in my church family knows to my knowledge) and yet felt unified in Christ. It was cool, cool, COOL!

We heard four encouraging, prophetic, instructional, anointed messages from a man of God that takes my breath away. He's on a WHOLE 'nother level of spiritual maturity that I can't even grasp yet.

I had it reinforced that I am valuable, tender, and dear in Christ's eyes and I have a ministry to "birth" in Him, in His time.

I was encouraged to remember to step boldly out for Christ. Sanctify myself - set apart for Him and from the world. Accept no less. Confidence in Him in NOT arrogance, we were told. It is JOYOUS FREEDOM! This helped with the struggle that Debbie and I discussed in the comments of a post I had here.

It was the first time I was "part" of this type of church service and not watching from the sidelines as an observer, critic, or student. The last time this speaker was with us, I was seven months pregnant with Pojke. We had been at this church home for over two years at that point. I still had so many questions, concerns, etc. with my "new" Pentecostal lifestyle *wink* But, my ability to take the leap of faith, jump in, and join my church family in their joy, enthusiasm, and love of the Lord was really culminated in these services.

I now know what being filled with the Holy Spirit *feels* like. While I have not joined my church family in speaking in tongues, there was an amazing moment between me and God Friday night while the evangelist prayed for me. I literally felt like - as I was looking up, God was pouring into me so many new things and I could feel it filling from my toes up to my head.

Finally, last night, the evangelist stopped to talk to me during our after-service fellowship time. He said Da Hubby had told him about my blogging. And, he told me that he felt that it was an anointed thing I was doing and something I needed to continue. So, I guess y'all are stuck with me for a while! *wink*

I have so much else to share about this weekend on top of other things I had in mind to write about. I'm hoping to get it all down before I "lose" it!

Basking in the glory of it all today...PRAISE HIM!

And, Not To Be Outdone by His Sister...

Can you believe this little warrior is on meds for an ear infection AND in the last 24 hrs got his SEVENTH tooth in under two months ?

Raising Up Christian Bloggers,...I mean, Daughters! *wink*

Does this say it all?! LOL I actually was typing into Blogger at the time!

Finally, Flattery From a Finicky Flicka! *wink*

Flicka woke up with a single eruption of the "pukies" this morning. Momma's detective skills kicked in: thoughts of my own nausea last night so bad I couldn't eat dinner, what did she and I eat yesterday together? Hmmm...the only thing? McDonald's for lunch *ugh* Food poisoning from ANOTHER fast food place *sigh* Another reason to give up fast food! LOL

Anyway, after a half bottle of Gatorade and several Popsicles stayed down, we chalked it up to bad food instead of a virus. She insisted she was s.t.a.r.v.i.n.g as I made a non-bland lunch for Pojke. So, instead I made them both Kraft mac and cheese. As usual, she wanted to help so we went through our routine of pouring noodles and an occasional stir with supervision. But, as I mix the cheese powder, butter, and milk, Flicka can barely contain herself, jumping up and down on her stool. She leans over to me and says....

"I love you, Mommy. You are the best cooker!"

I'll try not to remember that it all came from a box and she's really s.t.a.r.v.i.n.g! LOL