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Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Got Clutter?

Wendy over at The Shabby Nest is having a Taming Kid Clutter party, since clutter is definitely my forte (not necessarily the taming part) I thought it would be fun to play along. I am the lucky mom of 4 very lively offspring. They are messy and they have oodles of kid stuff, so clutter is an all too real part of our life. For me the idea of truly conquering our kid clutter is akin to believing in the tooth fairy, but I have found a few ways to help tame the clutter beast.

FAMILY ROOM: Our main floor family room is right off of our kitchen, so we spend a lot of time in this space. As much as I would like for it to be free of kid stuff, it's not gonna happen. The solution: a coffee and 2 end tables with drawers. Affordable ones, so we don't freak out when the inevitable scratches occur.

Most of the time the contents of these drawers (2 more on the other side) are on the floor. Thanks to my one year old. But it is a quick clean up, and I can keep an eye on her while I am cooking.


Both end table drawers contain books. We read every day so it is important to keep a few handy.
PLAY ROOM: We actually do have a play area downstairs. My favorite storage item in this room is Big Red (originally posted about here). It was a hand-me-down eyesore, but now it is a real work horse.

It can hold all sorts of kid stuff, from games,

to Littlest People.

LAUNDRY/MUDROOM: This room has been a major problem area for clutter. It's the dumping ground where shoes, coats & backpacks are discarded as soon as we walk in the door. There is a coat closet in this space, but most of our kids are too small to reach the hangers so their coats would end up in a pile on the countertop, or on the floor. Our solution was a wall of hooks.

It has made a huge difference, and was a piece of cake to make: wide molding & trim, spray paint & heavy duty iron hooks.

BATHROOM: The downstairs bathroom is equipped with a black armoire to help store beach towels, bath toys, hair things and anything else that you would find in a kids bathroom.

BEDROOMS: My kids are obsessed with all things miniature.

I made my boys denim quilts with pocket borders to store their tiny treasures.

Perfect for rocks, coins and even Mater.

I posted about this changing table not so long ago. It's another piece of old furniture we refinished.
I love keeping all of the diapering gear out of sight.

Now my six year old daughter is the queen of clutter at our house. She's a pack-rat supreme who loves keeping her goods in close proximity. Nesting boxes come in handy for storing some of her loot.
As well as her nightstand (another refurbished piece), which doubles as a toy box.
And I am all over using the under the bed storage space. All of my kids have tubs that slide under their beds. There are tubs everywhere in our house.


There you have it. Are we clutter free? Not even close. But I try. OK, somedays I try. Other days we just look the other way and play.

24 comments:

Pretty Organizer said...

I'm coveting your mud room. We don't even have mud in AZ... and I need your mudroom. I've never seen a wall with so many hooks! Oh the possibilities.. We have 6 kids and I dream of walls full of hooks and cubbies and message boards.

Love the pocket beadspread. My 6 year old would dig that. I'm afraid of what we'd find in them!

Great Post!

Becki said...

You are definitely in control of your clutter and I am totally jealous! I really love the denim quilt with pockets. What a fantastic idea. I would like to put a link to your post on my blog if you wouldn't mind? Becki

Amy said...

I LOVE the denim quilt with the pockets!! I am going to get some hooks to put in my mud/laundry room!

Jenny@ L.O.T.s of Love said...

Awesome job! You really have some unique ideas! Love the jean pockets!

Unknown said...

You have some great ideas. My favorite is definitely the denim bedspread with pockets!

Great job!

Elizabeth @ things with feathers said...

I'm having hook envy! I popped over from Shabby Nest, and am so glad I did. I only have one little guy, a hubby and a dog, but it's amazing how the clutter grows. Definitely going to show your mudroom idea to my husband.

RN and OSHP said...

Love the desk changing table! You have some great ideas and your house looks great with all your well controlled clutter :)

The Masked Mommy said...

The changing table... a~dor~a~ble!!! and the quilt with the pockets, such a great idea! I'll have to come back here again ;-) great ideas!

Wendy said...

Your ideas are fabulous! I love the idea of the nesting boxes because my 8-year-old is a pack rat! These would really help! (Oh, and I have a very similar black armoire to the one in your bathroom!) Thanks for linking to the party!

frillsfluffandtrucks said...

Your wall of hooks is great--I'm trying to think of where I can utilize that idea.

~ Sarah

Anonymous said...

Oh you are so organised! I have heaps... I even know what is in some of the heaps...at least I did at one time...or thought I did. LOL

There is something wonderful about little pockets and drawers. (Even as a grown up I love merchant chests.) The denim quilt is so perfect with the little pockets.

It's good that you were able to makeover some furniture too.

Unknown said...

Love the hooks in your mudroom, and the denim coverlets, awesome!

Jess @ Just a Blink said...

Your storage is so pretty!

Serendipity said...

I love the hooks on the molding...and the pocket bedspread is fabulous!

Jennifer said...

Your mudroom looks great! I wish I had a mudroom. I'm very impressed with the boys' room, too!

The Golf Widow said...

I want a mud room too! Love the hooks and the denim bedspread is too cute! Great blog!

Michelle- A look at our lovely life said...

I have to say-- of the entire linky party this is my FAVORITE so far. you have done such a great job with the refurbished furniture (and the bedspreads are brilliant). I love it. I will be saving lots of these ideas.

Beth at Aunties said...

I too love your son's levi quilts and with their treasure pockets!
My sons would keep live grasshoppers in theirs in the summer time, I am afraid!
The nesting boxes are also some of my favorites. A girl has to have her own hiding places from her brothers.
But it is the hooks and the molding I really adore. You are a very talented mom.:-)
I love all your amazing ideas. Do you hire out?


♥♥♥

Des said...

I'm so glad you're back!!! Great post. That levi quilt is the best!!!!

Brenda said...

Your blog is wonderful! I love the denim comforter with pockets!
What a great idea! I saved so many denim jeans just for the pockets! I had a big bag full of wranglers! When we moved, I got rid of a lot of stuff and that is one thing I wished I would have held on to! I was hoping to do a quilt with pockets! I will admire yours and start another bag collection! It doesn't take long with four sons! Thanks for the inspiration! I still love your fabric in your drawer!
Have a great day! Thanks for stopping by! :)

Astrid in Bristling Acres said...

You've got lots of lovely toy storage units! I am so in love with that red cabinet! Lots of great ideas...I really need to get some moulding and make that coat hook rack (actually, I'd use it for dress up clothes and art smocks).

Jamie said...

I like you ideas, especially the quilt on the bed. You did a great job!

Teresa said...

What a great looking denim quilt! Such a good idea for a little boy to store his tiny wares in. I have a grandson that I was going to make a double sided and trim knotted fleece blanket for. He likes the Minnesota Vikings so that was what I was going to get. I think he would much prefer to have little treasure pockets to store his trinkets and treasures in. If you don't mind me asking, did you use any batting, and what did you do for the reverse side?

Lovely blog by the way.

Heidi said...

I absolutely love the bedspreads! I have girls. You wouldn't expect them to have rocks--but they do! I'd much rather find them in those pockets than in my clothes dryer! (What is that horrible noise?!)