Wednesday 29 March 2017

Our New 'Chore' Chart...

Previously I would give the kids a couple of jobs, or ask them to do certain things on that day or when needed, honestly I got tired of always having to ask for things to be done so I put together a 'chore' chart, I generally don't like the word chore, hence it is 'Our Contribution for the week'.  I have tried numerous 'chore' charts over the years, none really worked for me or it just fizzled out after a week or two.  However this new system, I am loving and it is working!  Eva (8) loves it, more so than they older kids, but there is no nagging or having to tell the kids daily what to do, everyone knows what is their role is and it's getting done, everyday, so that's a massive win in my book. 
 
My beautiful kiddies are 15, 14 and 8 years old and quite capable of contributing a whole lot more than what they actually have done in the past.  I do not give my kids pocket money or pay them to anything around our home, my personal view is that we all live in our home together and we should all take responsibility and work together as a team to keep our home clean and tidy.  For me it is also about teaching my kids about responsibility, team work and so much more, at the end of the day I want to know that in the future I am sending out into the world,  young adults who know how to look after themselves, their home and belongings, and at the very least know how to work a washing machine and iron a shirt!
 
I include myself on the chart not just the kids, I feel it's important for my kiddies to see us as a team, and know that I'm not asking them to do something I wouldn't do/offloading the tasks I don't like doing.  The best part is that it really doesn't take much time to power through the tasks and if we're doing them together and at the same time, there is a sense of accomplishment for everyone of a job well done.
 
Pop some music on, set a timer, which works a treat because 10 or 15minutes doesn't seem like a big ask, even for kids and you'd be amazed at how much gets done in that time, especially if it's a daily effort from everyone and at the end of that time, the house is clean and we've managed to accomplish in that time what would have taken me an hour or more to do on my own.
 
I have the chart laminated on the fridge and daily we tick off the tasks we've completed, Eva loves this and can't wait to tick her completed tasks off! That evening I will wipe off any 'ticks' for the daily tasks completed ready for the next morning, after everyone has had a quick look to make sure they've accomplished what should have been done that day.  I have made up 3 weekly charts which are rotated (3 as Eva won't be doing the laundry & patio zone) and I switch them out weekly on a Sunday night.
 
Most importantly define what clean means to you and your family, and do what works and feels right for your family, obviously age will come into it but the tasks can be age appropriate, it's about including everyone in your family, working as a team and helping you out in the process...many hands make light work!
 

The Chart...

 
 

The basics...

  • I have broken our home down into zones
  • Each person is responsible for that zone/s for the full week, it basically involves doing whatever is needed to keep the zone tidy and orderly
  • A nightly kitchen task is rotated throughout the week, however we all help tidy up after dinner, and will rinse and put our own dishes in the dishwasher.  The person who is responsible for the kitchen that night will wash any big dishes, wipe down benches & stove, take rubbish out etc.
  • I take care of the kitchen clean up in the morning
  • Each week on a Monday the chart will be changed up and each person will have new zone, the only exception is Eva who will be excluded from the 'Laundry & Patio' as Miss 8 isn't quite up to the task of handling the laundry
  • There is some flexibility in regards to the tasks listed, it's more about having one person responsible for that zone for the full week, checking in on their zone morning and night and making their own decisions around what needs doing that day, but ultimately they understand how that zone should look and they are responsible for making sure things look tidy and clean
  • The reason behind having a zone allocated for a full week was so they could take full ownership for that zone and understand what goes into keep a zone clean, day in and day out. It also means they are a little more thoughtful when it comes to leaving a mess and not cleaning up after themselves
  • On the weekend we go a little deeper, that's when they are responsible for the dusting, vacuuming etc.  On the week days I will run around with vacuum or mop as a part of my evening routine
  • If I walk through a 'zone' at any time and it needs to be straightened, the person responsible is the person who's asked to take care of it
 
I will keep you updated in the coming months as to how it is working out and if I've made any changes along away, but so far so good! 
 
If anyone has any questions or would like a soft copy of the chart (I have just made the chart in Word) please feel free to leave a comment with your email address or head over to Instagram or Facebook and comment or PM me with your email address or you can email me directly at Organising me and mine.
 
Hoping everyone enjoys the rest of the week! Xx
 



Sunday 28 February 2016

This weeks finds...Aldi Special Buys

This week's finds come courtesy of Aldi's special buys (click on the link to go directly to the special buys) for this coming Wednesday, 2 March 2016.  There are some seriously cute finds this week, if you've been thinking a little kid's room makeover this will have you well on your way to a cute room and best of all you can do it on a small budget! I love the mix and match choices and there are some great buys for both boys and girls, I am in love with the Vintage Metal Bed for $99.95 and I have my eye on the Pink and White rug...so sweet!  I thought I'd have a little play with some of the sweet buys and here are some of my favourites...

White Vintage Metal Bed frame -$99.95
Floor Cushion 65cm x 65cm - $24.99
Woven Cotton Rug 1m x 1.5m - $34.99
White Alarm Clock - $8.99
Pink Kid's Storage Box - $6.99

Pink Vintage Metal Bed frame -$99.95
Bunting Flags 5.95m - $12.99
Woven Cotton Rug 1m x 1.5m - $34.99
Floor Cushion 65cm x 65cm - $24.99
Pink Kid's Storage Box - $6.99
White Vintage Metal Bed frame -$99.95
Mint Kid's Storage Box - $6.99
Woven Cotton Rug 1m x 1.5m - $34.99
Floor Cushion 65cm x 65cm - $24.99
Bunting Flags 5.95m - $12.99

White Vintage Metal Bed frame -$99.95
Pink Kid's Storage Box - $6.99
Woven Cotton Rug 1m x 1.5m - $34.99
Pink Alarm Clock - $8.99
Floor Cushion 65cm x 65cm - $24.99

Blue Vintage Metal Bed frame -$99.95
Blue Kid's Storage Box - $6.99
Woven Cotton Rug 1m x 1.5m - $34.99
Floor Cushion 65cm x 65cm - $24.99
Bunting Flags 5.95m - $12.99

White Vintage Metal Bed frame -$99.95
Blue Kid's Storage Box - $6.99
Woven Cotton Rug 1m x 1.5m - $34.99
Floor Cushion 65cm x 65cm - $24.99
Bunting Flags 5.95m - $12.99

Blue Vintage Metal Bed frame -$99.95
Blue Kid's Storage Box - $6.99
Woven Cotton Rug 1m x 1.5m - $34.99
Floor Cushion 65cm x 65cm - $24.99
Bunting Flags 5.95m - $12.99


Hope you've all had a wonderful and happy weekend and wishing you all fabulous week! xx

Monday 8 February 2016

A little under the kitchen sink organising...

I am slowly working my way through all the cupboards in my home and giving them a little love, some are functioning perfectly, others not so much.  Under my kitchen sink honestly wasn't that bad, however I found that most of cleaning products I had stored under there weren't been used at all, and were taking up precious space. 

When I start any organising project, I like to pull everything out of the space, it's the best way to see exactly what you have and I find a blank canvas always helps you envision what the space could look like.

After I pulled everything out, I decided what was going back in.  From there I made a list of what I needed, and did a little online browsing; I find this saves me time because I find the products I want online (Kmart is always my starting point, their website is user friendly and honestly they have everything you could possibly need to organise a home!) I like to take a screen shot of the item and then I pop all the pictures into a folder on my phone for that project, this also helps as there is nothing worse than trying to describe an item to a sales assistant, when you can't find it and they have no idea what your talking about!  

By doing a little preparation first, I can also get measurements (9 times out of 10) which is handy if there is space issues, then I can measure out the space and make sure everything is going to fit.  There is nothing worse than coming home with a container that you thought would fit perfectly and it doesn't.  By the time I head off to the shops, I have a detailed list,  I know how much an item costs, if it will fit in my budget and I have a good visual in my head of how it's going to work in the space, best of all I'm not spending hours in store...this mama doesn't do well in crowds or busy stores! 

On to the details, I have tried to link all the products where possible...
I started the project by adding some stripes to the back wall using grey duct tape, I figured if I didn't like it I could just pull the tape off!  I took the tape over the joins and then used a stanley knife to ensure a nice clean line.

Such an easy way to add a little fun inside your cabinets!

 I used the large pantry storage shelf from Kmart to take advantage of the height, and these cute Kmart small white storage containers fit under the shelf perfectly!

I used four of the small storage containers in total.  To label everything I made my own labels using Microsoft word, printed, laminated and cut them out.  I attached them to the containers with some heavy duty double-sided tape...so easy!

 In the containers...the 1st container has tea-towels, the 2nd has dish cloths I like to have a few as I also use them to mop up any spills and then pop it in the wash, I also wash my dish cloth each day and just pop it in with a load of washing, so easy and I haven't purchased a Chux in years, the 3rd has cleaning products I use in the kitchen and the 4th has a scrubbing brush and bamboo cloth that I use with the cleaning products. (I use to use bamboo cloths as my dish cloths, they are amazing! I had previously purchased them at Coles but I haven't seen them for almost a year now...so if anyone knows where I can purchase them please let me know!) 

I used this container from Kmart to keep plastic bags and this container to keep all my bottle and scrubbing brushes etc.

I just tie up any grocery bags and they get popped in here.

I keep my dishwasher tablets in a glass jar that was a coffee jar in a previous life, it works perfectly as airtight storage for the dishwasher tablets.

I used this spice rack from Kmart and it works a treat for storing those items I use regularly. Those cute green scrubbers and soap dispenser brush are also from Kmart. 

I secured the spice rack with these little stick on hooks I also picked up from Kmart for $2 as I didn't want to drill any holes the doors.

On the other door I have a paper towel holder for quick and easy access, I picked up for $2 from a dollar store, which also fastens to the door with a double-sided tape.

The final result, after living with the newly organised cupboard for a week or so now, I can say it functions wonderfully and I love it! Nothing like another organised space to keep you motivated!

Hopefully there are some helpful little tips or trips you can put to use in your home!  Wishing you all a wonderful and happy week! xx







Sunday 31 January 2016

A little pantry organising...

I am a pretty organised person, but I have found of late some of the systems I put in place when we first moved in (almost two years ago) just aren't doing what they should be.  I wish I had I taken before pictures but I just didn't think about it at all, I really need to get into blogger mode and photograph everything! Basically, I had too much in my pantry, I had baskets on the top shelf which stored pantry overflow, this didn't work for me as it was too heavy to pull down and I couldn't just have a quick peek to see what was in there, I'd have to get the stool and get up there.  I also had more items stored in baskets and containers and again I couldn't see with a quick glace what was in there.  I have a weird little corner and had items pushed in there and up the back in jars etc. (labelled, but labelled does no good if you can't see it!) none of it was user friendly...basically it just wasn't working.

So after doing a little grocery shopping and going to put away my groceries I started pulling things out and then realised I had 2 x 2kg bags of sugar and guess what...yep I had just purchased another 2kg bag, I thought I was losing my mind, swearing I had bought sugar not so long ago and knowing we really don't use sugar except for baking?!  I often have the big kids put groceries away, which translates to shove everything in back and in those horrible corners and put the pretty containers in front so mum thinks we did a great job! Ha!  With the kiddies off to school, I got stuck in!

I apologise in advance for the quality of the photos, this mama really needs to invest in a camera! All my photos are taken on my iPhone so are a little grainy.

Here is the end result...


The details...


On the top shelf of the pantry I have all my glass jars which store flours, pastas, rice etc. they are all labelled and I can see exactly what I have.  Behind these I have stored any extra glass jars.

On the second shelf I have my canned items, spices, sauces etc. basically 'cooking' items.  I have oils, vinegar, salt and pepper and some spices stored on a lazy Susan.  It saves room and means I can easily access items I use everyday for cooking. The rest of the items are stored on a 3-tier shelf I picked up from Kmart, and I can see exactly what I have.  I have nothing stored in those 'corners' of the cupboard which are on the right of the picture, now what I see is what we have.

On the third shelf I have our cereals which are in containers from Kmart, I have used Kmart blackboard labels to label the cereals (and the glass jars on the top shelf).  I have porridge (quick oats) in the white container, and have used Kmart kraft tags and string to make labels.  Above the porridge, is a Tupperware container which holds whatever snack I baked that week for the kids, at the moment it is muesli bars, they are easy to access when I am making lunches.  Off to the side and slightly into that 'corner' I have another lazy Susan which has spreads on, it's perfect for that awkward spot and whilst you can only see one jar, with a spin you can easily access all the spreads, I have nutella, peanut butter, honey, vegemite etc. all on here.

On the fourth shelf I used only container, and I know I can't 'see' what's in there but I put in these containers things I don't really need to see...I have one big container which stores the kid's lunchbox snacks i.e. packets of ricewheels, vegechips etc. I will also package my own little bags of snacks, i.e. trail mix, nuts etc. it nice and easy to pull out when I'm making lunches and the kids just pick an item and it slides easily back into it's little spot.  Above that I have an empty container, I think it's important when organising to remember there will times when you have more food or items than you do at this very moment so it's always good to have empty container or space in your pantry.  In the next big container I have all my baking and cake decorating items, I love having this all together (this is one of the things I have had in place for a long time and love), when I am baking I just pull one container out and I have everything I need on the bench.  I have my food colouring, food gels, baking soda, bicarb soda etc, essences, sprinkles, piping bags and tips all in here.  In the two smaller containers above I have all my different sized and patterned cupcake liners.  In the last big container I have some boxes of cake mix for those super lazy days or the days when the kids ask me to whip up cupcakes with 2hrs notice! Always handy to have on hand.

On the bottom of the pantry I have two big open baskets, in the first one I have the kid's lunch bags and spare drink bottles, I have spares on hand for those super-hot days and days that they play sport.  After school the kids empty the containers into the sink and put the lunch bags straight into these, that way I know exactly where they are when I pack their lunches that night, and they are not cluttering up my bench.  The second basket has what I guess is pantry overflow; it has any extra unopened pasta or rice packets, noodles and chips.

It feels so good to have the pantry organised!  At the end of the day I believe that any space needs to be organised in a way that is going to function best for you, your family and your needs. 

Having 'organised' my pantry and home when we first moved in, and living in our home now for a while, I now know what works and what doesn't.  I am slowly working my way through the home to organise those spots that just aren't working, I find after living in a space for a while it's always clearer what you need.

If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below or head over to my Instagram account and I'll be more than happy to answer any questions or help where I can!

Hope you have all had an amazing weekend, and the week ahead is a fabulous one! xx

Monday 27 July 2015

Our Afternoon & Evening Routine...


Hello lovelies, I hope you are all having a wonderful week so far!  Continuing on from Thursday's post ‘Our Morning Routine’ today I am sharing what an afternoon and evening in our home looks like.

4pm  My oldest two arrive home from school
I don’t give the kids a lot to do during the week, for me their main priority is their school work.  However, they still contribute to the running of the household with little jobs that really help me out

  • Empty school bags and leave any school notes on the kitchen bench
  • Afternoon snack
  • Bring washing in
  • Feed Bella
  • Shower and put uniforms in the wash
  • Homework and ½ and hour of reading

5.30pm to 6pm I pick up my youngest from my parent’s house
When we arrive home
  • I make a start on dinner
  • My youngest will unpack her bag and put any school notes on the kitchen bench
  • My youngest has a shower and puts her uniform in the wash
 
6 to 6.30pm Dinner is served
Time is dependent on when we got home, but I like to have dinner served by 6.30pm at the latest and will never cook anything during the week that will take me longer than half an hour to prepare and cook.


7pm Clean up time
After dinner the kids will help clear the table and rinse their plate, I stack the dishwasher and wipe down the benches etc.  I clean while I’m cooking so that after dinner there isn’t a massive mess to clean up. 

  • Clear kitchen and stack dishwasher
  • Kids are generally watching TV or reading

 7.30pm Bedtime for my youngest
  • I will lay with her and read a book or we just cuddle and chat for a bit until she falls asleep, she’s usually fast asleep in 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Once she is asleep I jump in the shower
  • I collect any other laundry and put a load of washing on, setting the timer so the load finishes around 7am the next morning
  • I will sit and watch TV or talk to the older kids for a while until they head to bed
 
8pm to 8.30pm Older kiddies head to bed
My two older kids are good with bedtimes, basically it’s bedtime at 8.30pm but if they’re tired they’ll head to bed earlier.

Once everyone is asleep I will prepare as much as I can for the next day and do a quick tidy
  • Make school lunches
  • Fold washing that my older kids brought in earlier and put it away
  • Clean up any mess from making lunches and turn dishwasher on
  • Iron uniforms and pick work clothes for the following day
  • Sign any school notes, and read any school notes left on the kitchen bench
  • I do a quick pick-up of any mess, 10 minutes tops
  • Quick vacuum of the kitchen and main living areas (this takes me about 5minutes)
 
9.00pm  Me time
This is my time so to speak, I usually turn the TV on to watch something I’ve recorded from earlier in the week and turn my laptop on and do some studying or work on an assignment, it’s nothing too exciting but it’s quiet and peaceful and gives me to relax and unwind or get some studying done without eating into time with the kids.
 
10.30pm to Midnight Bedtime
I know that’s a bit of range…if I’m just watching TV generally I’ll head to bed around 10.30pm but if I am working on an assignment it might be closer to midnight!

So that is pretty much a normal afternoon and evening in our home, on Mondays Eva has ballet so I finish work early and will pick her up at 3.30pm to take her home and get changed before ballet at 4.25pm but we are still home at around 5.30pm.  I would love to hear what your routines look like…I love reading your comments and would love to hear from you.

I hope you all have a wonderful and happy day xx

 

 

 

Thursday 23 July 2015

Our Morning Routine...


I love reading and hearing about how other people run their homes, their routines and how they manage to keep on top of things and let's be honest I'm a little nosey and love a little glimpse into other people's homes and everyday lives.  I love a 'routines' post for ideas and inspiration and thought I would share what a typical morning in our home looks like.  I work full-time as a Financial Planner, however on Wednesdays I typically work from home, this is when I aim to get all my admin and paperwork done for the week.  So Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday this is what a morning looks like in our home...
 
5am Wake up time
I like to wake before the kids, this gives me an hour of ‘me’ time in the mornings.  I always head out and start my coffee (I would seriously be lost without my Nespresso!) while I’m waiting for my coffee I make my bed.  Coffee in hand I check my work and personal emails, and the calendar (I use my outlook calendar on my phone which is synced to my work calendar also).  I go through my to-do list and add or remove anything I need to do for the day.
 
6am I wake my older kiddies
During this time they 
  • Make their beds
  • Have breakfast (they rinse and put their dishes straight into the dishwasher)
  • Get ready for school (uniforms on, teeth, hair, pack bags etc.)
  • I empty the dish washer while they’re having breakfast, it is also general chit chat time and an opportunity to see what they’ve got on for today and how they’re feeling
  • I start getting ready for work, it usually takes me about half an hour to do my makeup and hair
 
6.45am My youngest usually wakes (or I'll wake her) 
We lay in her bed for about 10mins and get I lots of hugs and kisses and we both talk about how we’d much rather just stay in bed all day!  Once I've managed to coax her out of bed
  • Breakfast time (I make breakfast for her)
  • Get ready for school (washes her face, brushes her teeth, uniform and shoes on and packs her bag)
  • I will do her hair and then she usually hangs out on the couch, draws or reads a book
  • I make her bed in the mornings
  • I get dressed for work
  • Hang out the washing (each night I put a load on and set the machine to finish its wash at 7am)
 
7.15am The older kiddies head off to school
  • I do a quick last minute pickup if needed
  • Pack the car (school bag, work bags etc.)
 
7.30am We leave home
I drop off my youngest at parent’s house, I am very blessed that my parents take her to school and pick her up from school and that she hangs out with them in the afternoons until I finish work.  After the morning drop off, I head to work from my parents at around 7.45am and am in the office anywhere between 8am – 8.30am depending where I am based for the day.
 
That is pretty much us day in day out.  Tomorrow, I will post our afternoon/evening routines.  In the coming weeks I thought I would continue breaking down, in a little more detail what I do to keep our home running as smoothly as possible.  Hopefully there might be something you can take away to help you or even better maybe there is something you do that you could share…I love reading your comments and would love for you to share what your morning routine looks like!
 
I hope you all have a wonderful and happy day xx

Tuesday 19 May 2015

Bedroom love...

I have finally gotten around to finishing this bedroom for my gorgeous girl, and I love how much my sweet girl loves her bedroom!

I received so much love on Instagram for this room, and have had questions around where items are from...so I thought I would do a little round up of some of the lovely items, that turned a room into a gorgeous bedroom for my little girl.  I hope you love as much as we do!
Wall decals are from Sticker Worx I purchased mine via eBay
Bed and Chest of draws are from Fantastic Furniture
Easter Egg Garland (on mirror) is from Woolworths

Bedside Draw/Side table I purchased sometime ago, but similar one is available here at Kmart
Heart Fairy Lights (wrapped around bedhead) are from Kmart

 Aqua Dipped Stool, Faux Fur Rug, Bedspread, Cushions (Sun and Rain Cloud), Heart light and Artwork all from Kmart
Letter 'E' from Typo
Pink Polka Dot Cushion from Pillow Talk
 
If I have missed anything or you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you! xx