Moving Challenge #5

Attack Something Scary!

Can you hear the scary movie themed music?

 

That one little scary cabinet, drawer or closet is going to get scarier the longer you wait. It's time to tackle it--for at least 15 minutes. This place for me was under the kid's bathroom sinks. I had been putting it off the entire time we lived here! (This house has so many nooks and crannies that it took me lots of time to reach them all--and this was the last one inside the house.) Everything else had been done at least once, but that was the black hole. Only a few rarely used things, like the humitifier, were stored there. As is typical, if I had known how easy it would be, I'd have done it long ago!

It was so dark and dirty that I was scared of what I'd find. It ended up just being a bunch of dirt, a few stains and two sunflower seed shells. It didn't even take scrubbing!! Why oh why did I wait so long???

 This is after I gave it a light scrub down--easy peasy! Then to cover up the stains I just laid some paper down. Then I just put the same stuff back in and added the stool and baby bathtub. I wouldn't have trusted them in this area before.

 This was the other side. It was just as bad and just as easy to clean up. And here are both sides together. This seriously took me 15 minutes!

So, what scary little nook or corner have you been putting off?

First Day of School 2012

It's that time of year again--Back to School time! While most mommies are breathing a sigh of relief in their time schedule, mine just got busier. But along with busier comes tons of fun.

We started off our week shopping for a few new things, because after all new things are fun to explore. While researching what curriculum choices we would make this year, one thing kept popping it's head out at me--my children were begging to learn about the body. Book after book was pointed out and argued for why it should be in this next year's school drawers. Cookbooks, anatomy coloring books, body puzzles, coming of age starter books like The American Girl's The Care and Keeping of You, and even things like survival skill books were favorite picks for this year.

It's always ultimately my choice what curriculum to use, but when I see a theme in what they're begging to learn, I don't ignore it. They wanted to learn about the body. So, the focus this year will be just that--anatomy, health, and cooking lessons.

The kid's were literally jumping up and down when I surprised them with an anatomy doll puzzle and a Science Chef book of recipes and experiments!! I was going to wait until everything was all organized into the drawers, but they were hopping with anticipation. We had to start NOW!! It was so much fun.

They unpackaged the anatomy doll and kept busy on it until they figured it out, all the while arguing about which part was what. It made me smile. Then we continued some of the workbooks we hadn't finished before summer break and watched some tutes on YouTube about how to chop an onion. Then of course, we had to use up all of Mama's onions in one fell swoop trying it out. The first day was a blast!

Linking Up to these fabulous blogs:

Making Space Mondays, Linky Party #13

This Saturday was time to tackle some big projects in the backyard. I wish I had before and afters, but I was holding a sleeping baby, so that was the last thing on my mind. Here are some pics of Josh and his brother Seth working on some much needed lawn work.

 

 

Great Job guys!! That saved us some serious money.

So, what have y'all been working on this week?

Moving Challenge #4

Stuffed Toys, Pillows, and Bulky Blankets

As I get nearer putting our house on the market, it starts becoming clear what is making the most mess in our home--stuffed toys and pillows! They are big and easy to throw around. They are dragged here and there, they are pulled into each corner that makes a cool tent, and 10 minutes after making the beds they're back on the floor again.

They needed to be put up like yesterday!

So, that's the next challenge:

Gather all but one stuffed toy for each child, all decorative pillows and blankets, and any other plush items that aren't needed on a daily basis. I just bagged mine all up in big recycle bags, ready to throw in the trunk of a car or moving van on the big day. If you're worried about water or bugs, I would double bag them before putting them away in whatever space you have to store your packed things.

Moving Challenge #3



 

 

 

For our 3rd moving challenge, let's find an already full tub in the garage, attic or basement and clean it out. I found this almost full tub of art supplies. I'd been wondering where I put a lot of this stuff! So, first I took out everything and scattered it on a table.

 If your tub has been stored in a garage or other dark, semi forgotten place like mine, it will need a little scrub down to get rid of that dust and any spider webs, etc. before filling it back up.

If it's been a long time since you've sorted through your tub, most of it can probably go. I just kept the things I had been looking for and tools that would be expensive to replace.

Whatever's left can be placed neatly back in the tub. But...don't pack it back in the garage just yet! You've just made a "vacuum" to suck up all the like items in your home that can fit in the bin. I looked through all the places in my home I suspected might have art supplies, decluttered them as well and added all the keep items to the bin. Now all of my art supplies are packed and ready to move!

 

 

Almost all of these challenges are "rinse and repeat". So, grab another tub if you have the time or energy left. If not, repeat another day or try again with another challenge.



Moving Challenge #2

Don't make the mistake of making the kitchen your very last area to tackle! It may need to be the last of the boxes packed, but if you begin with the end in mind, you'll have a lot less to pack last minute.

1. Find two tubs and empty out a few drawers into them. If you have used an item within the last couple of days you can just put it back into the drawer. When you need something, use it and then when it's clean again put it back in the drawer where it goes. Every time you have a bag of thrift store goods ready to go, rummage through and get rid of anything you have accepted is never/rarely used and you're ready to let it go. As the bin gets empty, fill it back up with different drawers in the kitchen.

2. Look through your food stash and pull out things that you DON'T use often and fill up the second bin with those items. Rummage through it daily and see what you can use up--less waste and less weight while moving. Throw out anything that's left right before you move your food to the new house. 

 I had this lemonade up in the pantry still sealed for months. Now we make it all the time because I can see it. I use the boxed broth all the time, but I have too many for moving them, so I'd rather just use them up so I add them to the tub as well.

Look at the huge mess! That's only 3 drawers worth. Abby saw this and immediately rescued her cookie cutters, lol. There are some things in there I didn't even remember having. Wow!

Keep these tubs going until the move and you'll have much less kitchen mess to move at the end!

That's it for one challenge! Now kick your feet up for a show and then get back up off your, um...seat. (Okay, so my show today was Clean House...can you tell?)

Moving Challenge #1

Sometimes during a move you tunnel through a huge amount of tasks like it's nothing and then WHAM...what to do next. It's like everything comes to a hault and goes turtle slow. When everything slows to a crawl and you just want to get one small task done at a time, you can choose a moving challenge to get you back on the move.

Here's Moving Challenge #1:
(These in no way need to be in order. If you feel stuck, try one of the other challenges.)

Reduce your laundry down by bagging the excess.

One of the first things I do in a move is reduce my work load by reducing the amount of laundry I have to wash. My daughter LOVES her clothes and having lots of choices, so we don't get rid of them...we just pack them away until we move.

1. Make sure you have 7 pairs of everyday pants, 3 pairs of shorts (or 10 bottoms all together--depending on the season currently and the one coming up), 10 tops to match (with at least 3 of them being for season highs/lows), 3 dresses, 7 socks, 12 underware, and 3 pair of shoes. Put these aside so you know these are to be kept out.

2. Chose one person to focus on and start some laundry. As it gets done, hang them or fold them as normal and sort them into long sleeve and short sleeve, pants, dresses, etc. If you or your child see things that should go, bag them up. Keep out the favorites in the numbers above or what you know you need.

3. When the stacks of extras get large enough "pack" them. I pack hanging clothes by cutting a small "v" in the top of a recycle bag and pulling them over the hangers. This fences them off as unexcessable and yet if it changes seasons before you move it's not like you're digging through boxes.

...and I pack the excess socks/undies/pjs in a sports bag or small suitcase for the same reason.

That's it for one challenge. This one is a "rinse and repeat" kind of challenge, so come back to it for each family member.

This is a simple but time consuming challenge, so you deserve a pat on the back for each time you finish!

Happy Moving! -Tabitha

Not Just Boxes



When I think about moving, the first thing that pops into my mind is boxes-and for good reason. But...don't assume that boxes are the only way to pack for a move. To save money and space, use what you already have on hand to pack up your stuff.

 

 



Boxes:

Obviously, some things will need boxes. See this post for where I get mine.

What to pack in boxes:

Sturdy sqaure-ish stuff, like books, notebooks, paper, and small things already contained in a small box or container.

Bulky, off shaped decor that isn't breakable or can be protected from breaks easily.

Small, odd shaped items that fit in between these things to fill the box.

 

 

 

Blankets and Sheets:

You don't need to go straight out and buy paper to wrap you breakables in. Use your extra blankets, sheets, pillow cases, old wrapping paper, excess towels, table cloths, napkins, and whatever other things you can find around the house. You can get rid of them when you're unpacking if they're clutter or throw them in a basket to be washed if you want to keep them.

 

 

Dressers and Furniture Drawers:

I know that this dresser is going to Abby's room in the new house, so it made sense to pack some of her things inside the drawers instead of boxes. It's far less likely for things to break if they're contained in solid sided drawers. Just make sure the things you're packing in them aren't very heavy and that they won't fly out when the guys are carrying each drawer to the moving truck.

 

Tubs and Containers with Lids:

 

These are probably the sturdiest "boxes" you have. If you have extras or can borrow some, they are wonderful for packing glass and breakables that you're worried about crushing. They are also good for the lighter things you'll pack, like off-season clothing and art supplies that shouldn't be crunched but are still light. Have you ever put a heavy box on top of one that was loaded with sheets? After a few days, the whole stack of boxes starts leaning and can fall. It's wise to pack the heaviest on the bottom and lighter boxes on top, but if you have tubs it's even easier. 

Suitcases, Duffles, and Backpacks:

These are meant to hold stuff, so don't forget about using them to pack. They are great for extra shoes, bathroom goods, off season clothing, and extra things that you think you may need to use before the big day but you hope not. Keep these in easy reach for if weather changes early or a special party occurs where you need the pink stockings you put away. Same goes with medicine or extra toothpaste. You probably won't need it in the next 3-4 months, but if you do, it's great to know it's packed in a convenient place that doesn't require cutting the box open.

 



 

Recycle bags:

 

These are wonderful for clothes, stuffed animals, and bulky pillows and quilts. The clothes just hang right back up and transfer straight into the new closet. Pillows take up a huge amount of space and in my home would require quite a number of boxes. Just make sure that you can distinguish between the bags you use for packing and those you use for trash. I use see-through to prevent any accidental tossing of our good stuff. 

 While I love boxes, they can be expensive (I got mine free) and they aren't always the best option. If you're moving, try some of these packing ideas to save money and space.



So Simple Sausage and Tatoes

I see so many tempting recipes on-line when I browse through Pinterest. It just amazes me how many talented cooks their are out there coming up with this stuff. Here's the thing, though: You don't have to be an amazing cook to feed your family! It's creative and fun to discover and cook new recipes, but it's not necessary for daily cooking.

I'd like to share with you an average day meal I used to cook when my children were littles. We were livin' on scraps, if you know what I mean. Actually, we were just fine, but only because we had no debt. We still had to be careful, though, as a family of four making it on less than $30K a year. I think we cooked this about once a week or so.

Sausage and Tatoes (that's what my little one's called potatoes)
Needed Tools:

Skillet
Spoon
Large and Small Knifes and Cutting board
Potatoe Scrubber (a simple nail scrubber will do the job)

Needed Food Items:
Any Dinner Sausage you like
Any Potatoes you like (about 6 for a family of 4)
Red Onion
Bell Pepper or Broccolli (any tough green veggie will do fine)
Olive Oil
Parsley
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
(opt. Barbeque Sauce or favorite Stir-fry Sauce)

To Make:(I never measure when stove top cooking--sorry. It really depends on your taste and dietary needs. You can have less oil if you're dieting, or more veggies if you need more nutrients, etc.)

Scrub Potatoes and dice in small cubes (if you get the cubes too big it will take forever to cook)

Throw the Potatoes in the skillet on Med-High (stove top)

Add Olive Oil and Parsley (if you're dieting, you can make it with less oil, but in that case keep a cup of water handy so that the food won't burn to the bottom of the skillet)

Stir until everything is lightly coated with the olive oil

Cut Onion in large chunks and throw in with the Potatoes

Cut Bell Pepper and/or Broccolli in large Chunks and throw it in

Keep stirring as you go

Cut the Sausage in bite-size chunks and add to the mix

Add in some Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper to taste

(optional: You can also add in Barbeque Sauce or your favorite Stir-fry Sauce for extra flavor, but if you do, you don't need as much oil)

It will be done when the potatoes have no resistance to a fork and the sausage appears bloated.

[Now that I'm a little more experienced with cooking, I would put the onions and olive oil in first and wait until the onions were soft before adding the potatoes. I would also add in a clove of garlic, crushed and chopped at the same time. This will flavor the oil and add a lot to this dish.]

Making Space Mondays, Link party #12



I've been working on my home-school yearbook lately and I'm just enjoying myself so much that I wanted to share some of my homeschooling pictures with you. I used to write a home-schooling blog back before this one but I quit because everyone seemed to have an opinion and it was just too much stress--and too personal, for me. But...sometimes when I'm writing on this blog, I get so bogged down in house stuff that I forget to show the home in it all!

So, I wanted to take a moment and show you our little home-schooling family. I hope you enjoy this glimpse into our home and maybe, just maybe, I'll start adding in a glimpse on a more frequent basis.

We've been home-schooling our children from the get go. We're what some people refer to as Second Generation Homeschoolers. My husband was home-schooled from 5th grade on and graduated a home-schooler. I was home-schooled from 4th through 6th, so I just got a glimpse and then went back into public school. So, you see, we've experienced home-schooling from both sides, as students and then as teachers--second gen. We wouldn't have it any other way--this is a life-style for us!



Abby and Abram play with little Joshua while Mama cooks breakfast some mornings.

Nearly every school morning, Aunt Leah joins us for our school day. Just in time for dishes! (Actually, she's a wonderful helper who usually volunteers for chores.) They all work as a team to get the kitchen tidied up.

In the evenings, Daddy always takes out some time with the kiddoes. Little Joshua started waving his hand and making noises at the airplane, so as any good daddy would, he took him for a plane ride. Don't worry guys, Daddy's got a private license to fly. This became a nightly ritual for a while after that ride, as Joshua would repeatedly grunt and kick his legs to get daddy back over to the plane.

My sturn, I mean business face.



Chai Tea is a special treat at our house and they love making themselves some when they can.

Table work takes a big chunk of our day, but we enjoy doing it together.



This day for Social Studies, we reread one of their old favorites, "The Story of Ping", a book about the Yangtze River. It went well with their day's history lesson. 

While the painters were painting our house a few months ago, our school days were moved to Marmi's house, where we learned to make our own butter.

I hope you enjoyed the little detour. I know I did!

Today, let's get a little creative for our link party. If you want to post the projects and spaces, than post away--but if you would like to take a little detour as well, than post a link relating to who you are as a family. Happy Linking!!

Gentle Decluttering With Children

I have to admit, I have not been gentle at times with this. I have an amazing daughter who happens to be my little artist. She also happens to be my number 1 helper and can accomplish some pretty amazing stuff (like doing laundry from start to finish with no help--although she appreciates the help). But...there is one thing about artsy children...they are A BIG MESS!!!

Future episodes of Hoarders with Abby as the feature flash through my brain sometimes when I walk past her room. That isn't a joke. Stop laughing.

First I tried getting rid of it for her, which worked great from age 2 to 6. Then she grew an opinion. My children are very much free-thinkers! I can see my parents cringing right now. Free-thinker can equal a lot of talking back. (Working on it Mom). Then I tried doing it for her. Simple, but frustrating when it goes right back to huge mess in two days. Next I tried taking a whole day or two, sitting in her room making her do it all with just instruction. This was my longest experiment in how to declutter/organize her room. It usually ended the day in a ball of tears and frustration with both of us feeling guilty and overwhelmed. These were among my not-so-proud moments.

Then I found it! LAAAAA. We've been doing this for a month now with slow, steady progress. And it's not overwhelming her. And it's really improving. And her room's looking better.

So, I wanted to share with you all what we've been doing.

1. I fill a small container with her random stuff, starting with the floor, and have her carry it to a cleared off space that we can work free of stressors.

2. We spread the stuff out on the surface where it's in plain view and easy to see everything there. I stop her from looking through it just yet.

3. Next, I tell her a little disaster related story that starts something like this: "Oh my goodness, Abby! I just heard on the news that a flood is going to happen TODAY!! (She smiles and rolls her eyes). We've got to get out-of-town NOW and we only have a little trunk to carry everything that's precious to us. Out of just the things on the table, what would you quickly grab to save?"

4. I let her scramble to pretend save a few items. This takes longer then it should, so I remind her that we have to hurry-the flood is not going to wait for us.

5. We put these items aside and I continue the story. "We've escaped and we're all okay-thank goodness. But...(dramatically) we come back to find that everything we own is destroyed. (Sigh) It's just stuff, but there are a few things you're really disappointed that they got ruined. What are these things?"

6. I let her scavenge through her "drowned" items. (She talks to herself out loud while she circles the table). We put these items with the others in a separate place.

7. Now, there are the left-over things still on the table and she's a little worried. She knows I'm about to ask her to get rid of them. "What if there's a Barbie shoe in there or a card from Grandma that I forgot about cause I can't see it?" So, I reassure her that you will see everything as it goes--but quickly. I set up a small trash bag at the end of the table and instruct her to quickly swipe each separate thing into the trash. If she sees something that is really important, she can rescue it. I open all paper and envelopes, etc, to make sure they are all very visible and herd them close to her as she goes. This takes meer seconds. We go super fast and there's a bag full of trash when we're done.

8. She throws away her trash, carrying to the garbage herself as I tell her how proud I am of how much she got rid of. "Wow, Abby! Look at all that trash. You really got rid of a lot. That's good."

9. Now we have the good stuff left. We take a little time to really put things away in their homes. If they don't have one, I instruct her where a good for-now home will be until we can organize things a little better. Papers are put aside for the next step.

10. I give her some files and labels to file each and every paper left. If it's important to her, I tell her, then it must have a home. She loves her new files, by the way. I gave her a file cabinet, hanging files, and folders with labels. (Some children need a very small file, but this child is my artsy girl and needs a full two drawer file cabinet that doubles as her night stand).

Well, that's it. We put that all away and we were done. Period. We didn't go back and do more in her room. Nope. Her room was still a mess and we left it that way. Every day she has a chore that says Tidy Bedroom. When her room is this bad, that just means pick up 50 items and put them away. Now, however, a few weeks later, that means for her to return her room to the way it was the last time we did a decluttering. It's not perfect, by any means. But it's better!

Before Buying An Old House

This is a copy of the page from my blog Debt Free Decorating (which is now closed):

Don't buy an old house if...

• ...you want to save a lot of money. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...yeah, that's not going to happen. We bought our home for around 50K under market value, so we're doing fine, but we never thought the upkeep would be so frequent. If I had wanted a new house (which I didn't), we could've paid 50K more and been about even! This was an eye-opener for me. We do 90% of the work with our own hands and it still costs us a lot in repairs and maintenance. My hope is that this will eventually slow down and we can get a little ahead. But...not holding my breath.
• ...you want your house to look like everyone elses. Old houses have a TON of character, but some people don't really want that. If you want the Great Room of modern homes and the walk in closets, then carefully consider the costs that would be added to change the house. You could potentially buy a new one for close to the same as remodeling and sometimes less.
• ...you have tons of clothes. Closets are quite a bit smaller and sometimes non-existent in older homes. We scored big time in this house, at least in the kid's rooms; they are huge and have built-in dressers. My closet, however, is tiny. I'm talking one 4ft. rod and one shelf right above it. If you're not willing to pare down your wardrobe dramatically, than make sure the house has additional storage that you can designate for off-season clothes, etc.
• ...you are afraid of little critters. We've lived here for two years and have experienced and dealt with mice, rats, possums, water bugs (huge roaches), and raccoons. (This is the kind of unexpected cost that you can plan for).
• ...you already own small/large furniture. Houses, rooms, and patios were not the same 'normal' as today. Some are extremely small and some are surprisingly large. I went from an 1100 sq ft. townhouse where the queen size bed looked squeezed in to a 3ooo sq ft. house that has a master bedroom to die for. But now the bed looks tiny and off in the room. Luckily, almost all of are furniture was hand-me-down, so we lost nothing on the furniture that we donated. Also, since we knew the previous owner, some furniture was left and filled in a lot of the spaces that would have been empty.
• ...you are sensitive to temperature. We have two air conditioners (expensive, yes), and if we turn it up enough to be completely comfy, our bill would eat us in one swift gulp. Same in the winter. When I stand at my kitchen sink I can feel a cold draft coming in. Same goes for all three glass doors, the back door, the master bathroom, and the breakfast room windows--just to name the most obvious. I may be weird, but I've sorta fallen in love with this house quirk. I love having to snuggle up under layers of blankets, walk around in toasty slippers, and savor a steaming cup of coffee. However, I don't like having to put winter hats on the kids indoors. We live in Houston, so this only happens for a couple of weeks a year.
• ...you hate cleaning. I mean, I enjoy cleaning when I'm in the mood, but this is insane! I have lived here for two years and STILL haven't cleaned every nook and cranny. And why is it that old houses seem to collect dust like a magnet picks up paperclips?

[Update: As much charm as this old house has, we actually decided that we had changed. We used to be the kind of people who had the time and energy to put into an old home, and now we're not. Josh works too many hours, my children are getting to harder grades in homeschooling, and on top of all that we now have a baby. Our lives changed, and the charm of a new house just didn't have the same pull as the ease of a new house anymore.]

How I Decorate Without Debt

This is a copy of my original post from my blog Debt Free Decorating:

My Dining Room

We were blessed to find Dave Ramsey back when we first got married and had only a car and a few small credit cards to pay off. We haven't been perfect in staying out of debt (car wreck put us back $2500 in debt), but we've lived pretty much debt free for most of our 11 years together. For me, I don't think of decorating free of debt as anything unusual, but I know that isn't the case for everyone. I'm not all DIY, I'm really not a crafty person or a garage-sale junky, either. I just refuse to go into debt unless it's life or limb. This is how I stay debt-free while decorating our home:

• Patience! This is a HUGE part of how I stay debt free. My first big decorating project was about 5 years after we married when we got a huge tax refund and bought our bedroom furniture with it. My favorite side tables came from waiting. I wanted a set of small round pedestal tables, but the ones at the Amish store were close to $600 and the one's I could afford for $150 looked cheap. I found my real oak ones for $40 each at a resale shop not far from my house. How does this stuff happen to people like me?? Because people like me WAIT. I can't over-emphasize the importance of waiting!
• Prayer really works. When we were still in our townhome, I really wanted to start inviting people over for dinner, but we had this really tiny table that sat 4 if you could keep your hands in your lap. I was aching to be hospitable...but how? I prayed and asked God how I was supposed to be hospitable and open my home to others with such a small table. I asked, if it were His will for me to use my dining room to invite others over, that He provide me with a bigger table. It was answered the same week. The table that sits in my current breakfast room was given to us without ever letting it be known that I needed one. A lady my husband grew up with, who had never even been in our home to see that we needed one, asked Josh's mother if she knew anyone who needed a table. Wow. God really does answer and in some amazing ways. We also got this house after years of praying for one in a really unusual way. Read about it here. We paid close to $60,000 under market value and helped a friend out at the same time.
• Seek and ye shall find. The best things I own have rarely been things I went out to buy, with the exception of my leather couches and my Pier One $50 pillow (that was so overpriced but I just had to have it--thanks Santa). Most of what I find I just have an idea of what I'm looking for. Say, for example my living room, I go out searching for things that feel cabin. I have always wanted a place that made me feel like I was in a cabin in the mountains. So, when I go places, whether the thrift store or an estate sale or Target, I keep my eye open for things that remind me of what a cabin would feel like. This chair is a perfect example, bought for $20 at a thrift store and decorated with a $2 fabulous hand-made treasure I also found at the thrift store. (I can't believe the things people are willing to part with sometimes)!
• Paint. Seriously...the cheapest way to make a room look finished is to paint. You don't have to save for long to have enough to paint a room, and you can buy a little here and a little there (except the actual paint). Buy a good roller or two one paycheck, several plastic liners the next, etc. and store them in a plastic tub. When you're good and ready to paint, go buy the best paint you can afford and it still won't cost all that much if you have everything else on hand.
• Decorate very small areas at a time. Think the top of your fridge or a shelf. Decorate just one side table or the top of a dresser, but think longer term then just right now. What do you want a room to feel like? Keep that in mind so it doesn't look miss-matched later.
• Don't hire a decorator unless you truly have the money on hand and nothing better to do with it. I'll probably get a lot of scolding for this one, but when we live in a country where people are drowning in debt, I just can't imagine paying someone to do what you can do yourself. (There are exceptions to this, and I personally know people who fit in that category, so don't get too offended).
• Educate yourself and allow for Evolvement. Buy yourself one or two home-decorating magazines and search specific topics online. Don't forget to search under images, too. Pictures, in decorating, can be just as educational as words. I also subscribe to my favorite catalogs, like Ikea and Pottery Barn to get ideas (sometimes catalogs can be viewed on-line, so if you're never planning to buy from them, opt for this route). Remember, these places are not there to print tons of pages just so you don't have to buy anything from them. Occasionally, very occasionally, splurge on something you just can't live without. One or two new things that cost you more than $1 at the thrift store will make the cheap things look more substantial. Just don't go into debt for these luxuries!! Save for them.
• Buy your big things with tax money, bonus money, or let people who are going to give you presents anyway (like your hubby) know what you're dreaming of. Speak up about what you want. You would be surprised how many times I hear about people getting exactly what they needed from someone they knew who was getting rid of it anyway. One year we got recliners this way.
• Rethink what decorating means. Some of the best things you can do to make your home look better don't cost anything at all. Getting rid of unwanted things, cleaning your toilet, making your bed and just tidying up are great ways to decorate. The best managed homes with very little decor look much better then the homes where people buy all the "right" stuff and overstock their homes with junk.
• Don't shop until you're ready to find. Sometimes this one is hard, but try. If you already have what you need for one project, don't start on another until you complete the one you have. If you can declutter or clean up a space to make it look better, you may not be ready to buy for that room yet (unless it's just a few things to motivate, maybe). Don't go buy a bunch of supplies to refinish a dresser if it's nowhere in your near future. Sometimes you can overestimate how much you can finish in a set amount of time and you wouldn't have even needed that stuff until a month or two later. Don't buy storage containers until you know what's going in them. They could end up being clutter, as well as a waste of money.
• Don't buy what you won't do. I'm not a crafty person, so this one's a big one for me. For me it would be cheaper to just go ahead and buy a decorative pillow from Ross for $20 than to buy a pillow I don't really like with project stuff to make it better for $10. Eventually, the $10 will turn into clutter and a bad feeling of failure, and I will then go buy the $20 pillow anyway. If you know you won't do it, save yourself the money and buy the one you really want when you have the money.

Making Space Mondays, Linky Party #11

Just a quick peek at some of the decisions we've made concerning the new house. Here's a picture of the corner lot we chose:

And here's the kind of granite we decided on. You may not see it well in this picture, but there's some green in there. I love it!

The picture below are some of the choices we made--a darker carpet, gray floor tiles in the kitchen, Maple cabinets and the granite above. The other tile we decided against. I couldn't find a tile I truly liked for the backsplash so we just had them leave it out and we'll put our own up when we get the chance.

So...how do you like it? I can't wait! But, truly I'm getting a little nervous. The house is about to start being built and our home isn't even finished to put on the market. It looks like I'll be way busy for awhile.