organizing

8 moving tips that you need to know

May 1, 2013 | posted by Jaima @ Ring Around the Rosies | 1 Comment

It seems to be moving season! I don’t know if it’s just on the top of my mind and I’m noticing it more, but everywhere I look I hear, “we are moving”! My facebook is flooded with congrats and happy new seasons for many many of my friends. Several people have asked for me to share more moving tips, so that’s what I wanted to do today!

Honest to goodness, we have moved three times, and helped lots of friends move, and I think this was the most streamlined move I’ve ever experienced. I was still major stressed. We got started much later than expected, we got a truck and trailer super stuck in the yard, there was just lots of commotion. But it was still probably the easiest move I’ve seen. Here are a few things I would HIGHLY recommend if you’re moving soon.

Make a list – of all the utilities that need to be changed, addresses that need to be changed, set up mail forwarding or change of address. Our list included banks, work, services, etc. About a week prior to closing, when things are less likely to fall through, make sure you have the water and electricity taken care of. You don’t want to get to your new house and be in the dark, or without water!

Use labels – I made these (and you can download them here, too). This made unloading and unpacking such a breeze! As I packed a box, I made sure I labeled it – where it would go, and what was in it. We got to our new house Friday night around 8:30 – it was already dark, and nobody had seen our house yet. But NOBODY had to ask where anything went, because it was labeled! I didn’t have to stand at the truck and direct people. I was able unpack what needed to be unpacked right away (refrigerated food, soap, bathroom supplies, etc).

Pack ‘like things’ together - Obviously, things room by room will be, but I found bundling the clothes up in trash bags helped so much. Nothing was loose. Clothes weren’t dropped and trampled. They didn’t get dirty in the truck. This was so easy, you could grab a handful right out of the closet, take it to the truck, and then take it directly to the new closet.

Get a sitter – If you’re moving locally, get someone to watch the littles. I couldn’t have made it moving day with Elizabeth (and Jade) under my feet the whole time. Nor did I want to worry if they were inside or outside, since the doors were open and people were constantly in and out. Thankfully, my aunt kept her during the day while we packed up. I let her come home before we left, so that she could see it empty and understand a little more what was happening. We still weren’t sure if we would be staying at the new house or old house, and it was already bed time, so she went to her best friends for the night. It was her first night away from home, but I didn’t once have to worry about her. I didn’t have to stress to get her bed set up before we could sleep. I will do an entire post on how to help children handle moves.

Eat what you have – meaning, finish up the food you have on hand without going to the grocery. You may have to get creative, but the less food (particularly things from the fridge / freezer) the better! I tried to not go to the grocery the last 2 weeks we were in our old house. Of course, I had to run out a couple of times for milk and fresh fruit, but that’s about it. One night, we had these hamburger salads. I needed to use up the peppers & mushrooms and didn’t have steaks, or bread, so wala, I sautéed the veggies and then pan fried the burgers and served it on spinach. It was really really good.

Pack an overnight bag – Yep, you do NOT want to have to dig through boxes to find essentials. I left out a small suitcase that we could throw 2 changes of clothes in, toiletries from the shower, our supplements, 2 towels, and a set of sheets. I also packed a box that had soap, toilet paper, paper towels, dish towels, my cleaners, paper plates, silverware. They both stayed with me so that they wouldn’t get mixed up with everything else – it was the last things I put in the car, and the first things I got out. As soon as we walked in the house, wouldn’t you know someone needed toilet paper (and soap), and the previous owners didn’t leave anything (see this post for what I suggest you leave / do at your own house when you leave).

Expect things to be overwhelming. They will be – no matter how much preparing you do! It’s a brand new house, a new routine, new things to get use to. And a whole lot of work to make your house a home and get settled. Unless you hire someone to pack, load, unload, and unpack, things may look like this for at least a few days.

Make things ‘normal’ – as soon as possible get things taken care of that you will need for your home to function right away. For me, this was the kitchen. I had to get my kitchen unpacked and put together. I knew I would be painting in a few weeks, but I have to have order, and the kitchen is where everything happens in my home. I also got Elizabeth’s bed set up and her furniture placed and secured to the walls in her room before she went to bed her first night there. I unpacked her favorite books and toys so that she could have a little normalcy and feel secure.

And finally – as a bonus – you can celebrate!!! If it’s like ours, it will be a crazy, busy week! Take time to celebrate! While we were still packing up the old house, I made sure to still keep things as “normal” as possible and took lots of breaks to play outside with Elizabeth. And similarly, you need to take breaks after the move. Sit and celebrate! Enjoy your new home, chances are, you’ve worked hard to get there! Don’t let the work of getting it settled get in the way of loving it. One night, with sweat in our hair, and very tired bones, we just sat on the porch after Elizabeth was in bed and enjoyed a bottle of champagne. The mess was forgotten, and we took time to celebrate and love it!

So these are things that I do when moving… What things would you add?

Filed Under: organizing, our house

8 things to do when you move

April 25, 2013 | posted by Jaima @ Ring Around the Rosies | 6 Comments

Things are finally settling down a tiny bit. Every day, our new house feels more and more like home. I still feel like I’m chasing down Elizabeth or Jade to see where they are all day long. Going from 900 square foot to over 2,000 is slightly overwhelming at times, but I think we’re figuring it out…

Today I wanted to share with you some things you should always do when you are moving. Whether you are selling your home, or not extending your lease, there are a few things that are nice to do when you leave.

I do these things, because nobody has ever done them for me. Three times now, we’ve moved to a new home and not had a square of toilet paper in the house when we got there. The first two homes we moved to (the first was our first house, which we still own, and the second was the rental we just left) needed extensive cleaning before we could even move in… Neither time did I feel very welcometoyournewhomeish…

I did this the first time when we left our house in CT, partially because we were going to rent it out, and I wanted the new tenants to feel welcomed, and I wanted them to know that they were going to be taken care of, as long as they took care of our property (since we are 988 miles away). But, I also did this last week when we moved from our rental to our new home.

First – I bought a cheap shower liner and rings (because I took my decorative ones) for the new people. I don’t know about you, but the last thing I want to do after a busy day of packing, loading, and unloading is to have to hunt for my shower curtain before I can shower and go to bed.

Second, I left the remaining roll of toilet paper on the hanger, and an unused roll in both bathrooms. Even when we got to this house, as soon as we walked in, someone asked for toilet paper… (I’ll include this when I write my next post on organizing for a move).

Third – I also left hand soap in the bathroom. Again, you don’t want to hunt for it before eating your dinner or after using the bathroom. I had to stop helping so that I could do this when we moved here.

Fourth – I made sure any left over paint was still good and labeled it.

Fifth – I also left what was left on the roll of paper towels.

Sixth – after all the boxes and furniture are out, give each room a good cleaning. While the guys were loading the truck, I went behind them and cleared out a room at a time. I made sure the ceiling fans were dusted, the sinks/tubs were cleaned out, and the floors were vacuumed and spot treated as needed. I wanted it to look as new and move-in-ready as possible for the new folks. This includes cleaning appliances you leave behind and toilets. (and here’s some views you probably never saw of our old house before)

Seventh – I left a box of Magic Erasers with a cute printable for any of the scuffs or dings we left moving furniture out. Chances are, the new people might paint, but you never know. Don’t just throw caution to the wind because it isn’t your home anymore – think about the new people.

Eighth – Leave a gift. I forgot to take a picture, and this is totally optional, but when our tenants moved into our home in CT, we had a bottle of champagne waiting on them in the clean fridge (a few weeks later, we also sent them a nice Italian meal basket & a Visa gift card for any upkeep the house needed – again, take care of your people and they will take care of your property). I like to attach a welcome or congrats note to it!

And because I love this idea so much, I wanted to share my printables with you! I printed mine on Avery labels, but you can print them on plain cardstock and attach with a ribbon or something, just the same! The top one, I attached to a bottle of sparking wine or champagne, and the bottom one I attached to Magic Erasers. You can get yours HERE.

So tell me, what are some things you do before a move? How many times have you moved?

Filed Under: organizing

how to stay organized during a move

March 28, 2013 | posted by Jaima @ Ring Around the Rosies | 2 Comments

Moving in and of itself can be stressful. At least for me. Throw in three big conference trips to three different states and your husband going away with the Army for 3-5 weeks all while trying to close on a house and move, and things just get chaotic

I don’t know of anyone who just enjoys moving. Sure, it is exciting and we are superduper ready for the next chapter in our lives, and thankful for the opportunity to move, but the moving part is just no fun. This will be our third big move. A lot of people don’t know this, but I was only 19 when we bought our first house. I’ve always been a go big or go home kind of gal – one to not just think about how awesome something might be, but to do it. People thought we were nuts. Only a select handful of people thought we might possibly make it. Eight years later, we still in fact own that house, and our relationship is better than ever. Then, after the accident, we moved back to Tennessee (and when I say we, I really mean Andrew – I was very pregnant and he made trips back and forth to Connecticut twice a month to pack and move stuff). And now, we are leaving our temporary home that we have been blessed to have, and our moving into our dream home.

Okay, if you have been here for a little while, you are well aware of my OCD tendencies. I am slightly giddy to share you my newest creation, birthed by my OCD. But first, I want to share with you how to make the whole process of moving a little easier and a lot less stressful.

One way I have found to streamline all of the boxes, is to print labels. I designed labels for every room / location in our new house – they are all different colors and include enough space below the color/name to write what’s in the boxes. This way it is much easier to direct your helpers where to put stuff. I don’t want to have to stand there with our helpers unloading the truck and tell them where to take things – this way they can see for themselves. Also, it is much easier to prioritize what to unpack and helps you find those lost things. And, because I love my readers, I am offering you all the labels I made for free! You can download them all right here. Then, you can change the names to fit your rooms, and simply print on Avery’s 8163 labels.

Here’s an example of the rooms I used.

Before you consider packing though, or even moving really, go through everything you have. Start with one room, or one section of a room and focus on just that one space for the time. I am a big time purger. I feel like I spent the last two years (since we’ve lived in this house) purging things. And yet I’ve already collected 4 big bags of stuff to donate. Everything in my home has to have a purpose, or a real sentimental value. If I don’t love it, if it doesn’t serve our space, if I haven’t used it in a while – it’s GONE! If you’re just beginning to go through things, either as part of your spring cleaning, moving, or just because, start with 3 boxes/bags. 1 to trash, 1 to donate, and 1 to keep. You can also include a box to sell, if you want to take the time to do that (I love getting paid for my junk). And then, immediately do something with the boxes when you’re done. Either put the keep stuff away, or pack it up ‘til you need it. Take the trash out, and take the donation box to your car for when you go by a place to drop it.

When you are boxing up stuff to keep, keep it labeled. You can see here, I’ve already started packing up stuff we won’t need for the next few weeks.

If you really want to make it easier for your friends or hired help during the move, you can keep the boxes also separated by room. I also circle an “F” on the labels when the box is fragile!

And there you go… I hope this helps you have a more organized, balance move. Someone on facebook commented that this is also a great idea for teachers who have to pack up there rooms every summer. You can label the boxes by center, subject, or area of the classroom. (have I mentioned how much I love the RATR facebook community and being able to chat with y’all there?)

You can download your own labels right here. Then, you can change the names to fit your rooms, and simply print on Avery’s 8163 labels.

And please go ahead and follow along on facebook and instagram to see how I handle the move (be it gracefully or not)

SHOP HERE

Filed Under: balance, Home Making, organizing, our house

my home “office”–where the magic happens

March 6, 2013 | posted by Jaima @ Ring Around the Rosies | 6 Comments

If you’re wondering why office is in quotations… then check out this post. Last year, we turned an old beat up camper into my home office. And it has worked out perfectly. It is my little get-a-way sometimes. I really love that it’s not actually inside the home where I am constantly reminded of the piles of laundry and the projects that need to be done around here. Having an outside office forces me to walk out the door and into my “work environment” so that I can focus solely on work.

So here is where we started… you can see all the before pictures in the original post. It was disgusting. But it was free, so with a couple hundred bucks and a lot of elbow grease, it is now an awesome little room!

Now, for the after pictures of the inside…

When you first walk in, this is what you see

Up until about a month ago, it looked like this… and then my amazing hubby surprised me with a new flat screen and wireless accessories to replace the 3 monitors I had and all those messy wires and speakers. (He rocks, huh?)

to the right of the door, is my make shift bookshelf. It and the desk are both part of Elizabeth’s Pottery Barn bedroom set, and the bookshelf is technically suppose to hang on the wall (the side against the wall has a beveled edge), but I’m all about making due.

Since this space also doubles as our guest bedroom, I wanted to add a mirror and some welcoming accessories. The mirror came from a local thrift store. It was gold, but after a little spray paint I love it so much more. The picture frame came from Charming Charlies and the flowers were clipped off my bush (these were actually taken last summer).

to the left of the door, and if you’re sitting at my desk, this is the view:

This is a futon that pulls out into a full size bed. It is actually pretty comfy. We added a humungous memory foam mattress pad, and no bed is complete without a nice down comforter. There is room under the bed for storage or small suitcases as well. And I left 2 of the baskets on my bookshelf empty for guests.

I know my colors don’t all mesh very well together. The blue baskets on the shelf are too blue instead of a turquoise for the quilt and “YAY” banner (from one of my favorite etsy shops), but for now, they work. Truth be told, they won’t have to work for much longer, and I’m dying to tell you why, but I can’t just yet…

To give you perspective of how small this space is, here’s Bean visiting… you can see where the doorway, the shelf, and part of my desk chair is in this photo

Can you believe it once looked like this though? Skeevy… (yes, that’s the same corner, looking in from the door).

Having a dedicated home office is one of the most important parts of working from home. Before hand, I was working from the kitchen table, or couch, and let’s be honest… it is not very effective. There are too many distractions in our homes and to be successful we need to FOCUS! Or at least I do.

So what do you think? Do you have a creative home office you can share with us? Feel free to leave a link below or post a picture on our facebook page to see and be inspired!

Filed Under: Home Making, organizing, our house, wahm

How to organize your finances

March 1, 2013 | posted by Jaima @ Ring Around the Rosies | 2 Comments

Today I’m wrapping up my monthly series on the TOP FOUR, MOST IMPORTANT AREAS OF ORGANIZATION. So far, I’ve covered how to organize your mind, how to organize your schedule and how to organize your food. This next topic is probably not one of the most exciting, but it is definitely one of the most important: HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR FINANCES. Before I dive into the nitty-gritty details of how the hubs and I took control of our finances, let me share my strategy for staying on top of the paperwork that floods into my home (which includes bills, of course). The system I use for keeping control of our incoming mail is pretty simple. I have a mail center that I use to sort everything as soon as it comes in the door.

If it’s junk mail, it goes straight into the recycle bin or shredder. If it’s something I want to look at later, but is not vitally important, such as a magazine or catalog, it goes in the "In" slot temporarily.

If it is something that needs attention (such as a bill or important document), it goes in the "Attn." slot. AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK, I take time to deal with all the items in the "Attn." slot. This prevents me from paying bills late, forgetting to turn in important paperwork on time, etc. The last slot, "Out," is for items that need mailed or sent to work with the hubs or to school with Tiny.

The magnetic white board beside my mail slot serves as a great tool for displaying my monthly calendar, writing down urgent tasks for our family, and hanging reminders about important upcoming events. Sorting the mail right away and taking care of my "Attn." items weekly is the cornerstone of my simple system. My day planner is another vital tool that helps keep my life in order. With regard to incoming bills, our family has set up most of our bills to be paid automatically out of our checking account. This dramatically cuts down on the amount of bills we get in the mail. Money management Of course, my system of organizing a mail center and setting up automatic bill payments works well unless you are in a "more month at the end of the money" situation. What if you have to constantly stagger bill payments to avoid overdrawing your accounts? What if you’re "robbing Peter to pay Paul" and using credit cards or money designated for other needs just to get through the weeks or months? It’s no secret that juggling bills and worrying about whether or not you’ll have enough to make it until payday is a frustrating, anxiety-inducing way to live. While I don’t have any magic beans or get-out-of-debt-free cards to give away here, I can share with you the financial strategy that has worked for our family and how we’ve managed to become completely debt free (except the house), be generous to others and put a good chunk into savings and retirement accounts. Our story When my husband and I got married nearly 13 years ago, we were broke as a joke, with nothing in savings and carrying (together) about $35,000 in school loans, about $6,000 in credit card debt and a $6,000 car loan. Of course, we could have accrued a ton more in school and auto loans, but we applied for scholarships and worked odd jobs to keep the amounts lower. At the time we married, I think together we were earning a little more than $20,000 a year total. Any extra money we had left over after the tuna and Ramen noodles went to pay down debt. To save money, I hand-sewed curtains from scrap fabric for our $275/month apartment and we either thrifted or bought on extreme clearance EVERYTHING we needed for our new life together. No big-screen TVs, expensive gaming systems or designer sheets and towels for us. Then we prayed hard. We prayed that God would help us pay off our debt as quickly as possible and we prayed that we would be smart with our money so we could be more generous. And we tithed, meaning we gave a tenth of all our earnings back to God (mostly in the form of church offerings). Slowly, the debt whittled down and the earnings increased. Within two years of getting married, God called us both into the Air Force full-time and we were able to take advantage of the military’s college loan repayment program, which allowed us to pay off $15,000 of loans in one fell swoop. Nice! Then we took advantage of the military’s tuition assistance program to get our master’s degrees without taking out a single loan. Double nice! This put us on the right track to exponentially increase our future earning potential. When we left the military, our total debt consisted of one car loan and a mortgage. Later, we attended Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University, which solidified our "live debt free" philosophy and motivated us even more to get and stay out of debt. We finished paying off our vehicles and are now left with only the mortgage on our home, which we are working to pay down, too. Although we don’t have a lot of disposable income right now (since we are surviving on basically one income), our quality of life is good. Our financial philosophy consists of three major pillars (in order of importance): 1. Give. No matter how much or how little we make, we give at least a tenth back to God, the giver of all things! I truly believe this is the main reason we have never had to worry about our needs being supplied.

Proverbs 11:24-25 There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered. Malachi 3:10 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.

2. Save. We followed Dave’s plan and have created an emergency fund. We have at least three-six months of living expenses in our savings account. And we actively fund retirement accounts. Having this little cushion really helps us sleep well at night knowing we can handle financial emergencies that may arise. We also carry health and term life insurance (which are affordable because I am a member of the Air National Guard). 3. Spend. Whatever money is left over after the giving and the saving is used to fund our lives. I use coupons for almost everything (yep, I’m one of those weirdos in the store with the big coupon binder), and I’m always on the lookout for great deals on products and services. And if you follow my blog, you know I DIY pretty much everything to save money on labor costs. I’m also not afraid of thrift stores, yard sales and auctions. Shopping this way allows our family to enjoy nice things and still stay within our budget. I realize our story is unique and we have certainly had our share of help along the way (from God and the military). But the honest-to-goodness truth is that we have had to make some serious sacrifices to get where we are today. There are no short-cuts, no get-rich-quick methods. But it has been worth the journey. Forget Mastercard: The peace and freedom that comes from having your finances under control is what is priceless! Below are some great resources to help you on your own journey to financial freedom:

Thanks so much, Jaima, for letting me stop by!

Susan, Living Rich on Less Founder

Filed Under: contributors, organizing, susan

organizing puzzles

February 16, 2013 | posted by Jaima @ Ring Around the Rosies | 7 Comments

Elizabeth got several puzzles for Christmas, and she LOVES them. The boxes were always out, and the pieces were always scattered about the floor. And since then, the boxes have long been demolished. So, I needed to find something (for my sanity) to organize the pieces by puzzle again.

I bought several of these wire baskets at the Dollar Tree for her birthday party in July, and man, I wish I had bought every one they had, because I’ve used them for so many things since then.

I grabbed an empty one and a couple of ziplock bags. Then, I managed to find a picture of the puzzle from the broken boxes and cut it out.

Then just sort the pieces, throw in the picture, and rejoice before they’re all dumped out and mixed together again!

I have been on an organizing binge lately. Last year, I focused on getting rid of everything, and now that the house is almost completely cleared out, and the balance seems so much better, I’m trying to make things flow a little better with organizing! Truth be told, I have always been way OCD and organized, so be prepared for much more!

In the meantime check out these posts I think you’ll like:

Creating Balance in your Home and Day to Day Life

Our Family Room Tour

The Most Amazing Enchilada Recipe

Filed Under: Home Making, organizing, our house

Organizing your food

January 25, 2013 | posted by Jaima @ Ring Around the Rosies | Leave a Comment

Susan is back for more organizing strategies! I love this post! You can see all of her posts right here!

Hey, it’s Susan from Living Rich on Less and I’m back with more organizing strategies. Hopefully y’all have been following my series on the TOP FOUR, MOST IMPORTANT AREAS OF ORGANIZATION. So far, I’ve covered how to organize your mind and how to organize your schedule. Today I want to focus on HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR FOOD. I consider food to be one of my top four, most important areas of organization for several reasons:

It fuels our bodies and gives us the energy we need to accomplish everything that needs to be done throughout the day.
It "eats up" a huge chunk of our monthly budget.
It brings people together to create memories.

I was never really good at meal planning or budgeting until it became necessary over the past year. Our family’s income got slashed dramatically and we were also starting to experience some ill health effects as a result of years of poor eating habits. As much as I hate to admit it, I’m not 20 anymore; my old diet of takeout, wild cherry Pepsi and Little Debbie snack cakes just isn’t cutting it anymore.

So I recently got serious about making healthier, more budget-friendly food choices for my family. This is what works for us: 1. Make a weekly meal plan. One day each week, I plan my meals for the upcoming week and I write the entrees on my little refrigerator chalkboard.

2. Keep a running grocery list. My grocery list is based completely on my weekly meal plan. I scour my pantry and fridge and jot down any ingredients I will need to complete my meals. I keep a blank list on the fridge, so that when we run out of something, I can quickly write it down on the list. I cannot stress enough how much this little categorized list comes in handy.

To download a free copy, click here. 3. Alphabetize your pantry. OK, before you decide I’ve gone completely off the OCD deep end, hear me out … Because I (loosely) alphabetize my pantry, like items get stored together and I can always very quickly scan an area to see if I’m out of a particular staple. No digging in the back looking for that one can of kidney beans. I know exactly where everything is and when I’ve run out of it. Once you get a system like this in place, it is actually very easy to maintain.

4. Limit your inventory. I am not one of those people who loves going to the supermarket. I pretty much loathe it, actually. So I go as infrequently as possible, which helps our budget and keeps the food volume under control. Also, because I alphabetize and organize my pantry well, I don’t have the problem of storing 10 boxes of cereal or 20 cans of chili. I also keep certain items in labeled plastic containers and I only allow containers to be refilled when they are approaching empty.

When it comes to our freezer space, I just try to keep like things together in compartmentalized areas. This seems to be really helpful. 5. Keep it simple and cut yourself some slack. With today’s busy lifestyles, meal planning and grocery shopping is tough to squeeze into anyone’s schedule. My meal planning usually takes about 10-15 minutes max each week. And I always try to make a bit extra of each recipe, so I can pack the leftovers in lunches or have the meal again for dinner on the days I’m too exhausted to cook. Hopefully, you can make your mealtimes a little easier by incorporating at least a few of these tips. Next month, I’ll be wrapping up this series by taking a look at HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR FINANCES. Happy cooking!

Great post, right?!? I realize not everyone (like myself) has a designated pantry, but you just need a space that works for you! Be creative!

Filed Under: contributors, organizing, susan

our family room

January 10, 2013 | posted by Jaima @ Ring Around the Rosies | 4 Comments

So many bloggers put up pictures of their immaculate houses. Everything is perfect, clean, and accessorized. And that is fabulous, and one day, our dream house will be too. But, I want to share with you that it isn’t all about the house you live in! You can make a home out of anyplace without feeling like it’s not Pinterest worthy.

You see, so many of you have asked for a home tour, and I’ve put it off forever because our house is nothing special. Well, that’s not true – the house itself is not special, but the home we have created it to be is special. It is special because it’s the home we brought our daughter home to. It’s been our safe-haven when we really didn’t know where else to go after the accident. My aunt and uncle rent it to us, and for that we are eternally grateful since we still have our house in Connecticut as well.

This has made a great home for us. I’m not going to lie, I complain about it a LOT. Which then makes me feel guilty because I know there are lots of people out there who have NO place to call home.

For now, the 980 square foot home works. There are lots of little quirks that I’d like to fix, and a lot of redecorating I would like to do, but those things haven’t fit in with our “paying off ALL of our debt” lifestyle. Plus, we both realize it’s just a temporary home.

Living in only 980 square feet, you have to get creative, and you have to be very intentional with what you have in your home.

This room was built on in the 80s sometime, so it’s a step down from our dining room. Before moving in, we painted everything. The back wall (to the left of the fireplace) use to have a huge mural of a lake. I’m not kidding. And green carpet. The ceilings are pretty low throughout our whole house (like maybe 8’). There are still things I would love to do in here. We really need to raise the curtain rod, and I would love new curtains, new rug, and new accessories. I’m over the red BIG TIME. Andrew had the rug and couch when he was on Active Duty, and we’ve just kept it and brought in things that matched. But I’m over it. Our carpet also needs to be restretched – Andrew says I vacuum too much (sometimes twice a day), but I think it was just a poor installation job. Those lines drive me BONKERS.

(And don’t mind the pretty pink potty – we’re in the throws of potty training)

This fireplace is electric and I LOVE it. We bought it for our home in CT and just love it. It makes the home feel so much cozier.

Andrew plays the piano, which I love. He plays late at night when Elizabeth is in bed, and I just love hearing it through the house.

You can see our gallery wall in more detail here. I like things simple and clean, so I don’t like all kinds of knicknacks and clutter all around. On top of the piano is a basket for storing remotes, a Scentsy warmer that I adore, and our daily devotionals.

Love having the basket there. We (almost) always know where the remote is this way, and it hides the extra XBox controllers. Little to no effort is involved with tidying up, or putting your game stuff away like this.

I love how this Scentsy warmer reflects hearts onto the wall at night. We don’t have lamps for the room (they’re on the list too), but this puts off the perfect cozy glow. I had never bought Scentsy before, but it made the holidays smell like home, and now I’m loving the clean springy scent of coconut lime! I tried to cheat and buy a different scent pack at walmart – FAIL! The smell only lasted 1 day, and who knows what’s in theirs. I cut mine on at night as a nightlight and don’t need to use it during the day. You know I hate plug-ins and aerosol sprays and how toxic they are for your babies air. Scentsy claims to not use phthalates.

We honestly do not watch much tv. We do not have cable or satellite or anything like that. Just a few local channels. We do have Netflix that we occasionally will watch at night. Andrew use to play XBox a lot, but we have both become more conscious of where we spend our time and mind.

We store his games in this basket so that they’re all out of site. I store a couple of Elizabeth’s movies and my workout dvds in the center. She became obsessed with Rio after seeing it at her cousins. She loves Veggie Tales and Mickey Mouse, too. Those and Nemo in the truck, are about the only things she’s ever really seen or knows of. She has no clue who Dora, Spongebob, or those other mind pollutants are.

My hand weights stay beside the tv, because that’s where I work out in the morning. I like these because they stack.

Elizabeth’s art easel is in here too, because she uses it ALL the time. And her basket of puzzles and small toys are between the couch and piano too.

So there you go. Our uncluttered, simple family room. Tell me, what is your design style?!

Filed Under: Home Making, organizing, our house

goals, life, and balance

January 7, 2013 | posted by Jaima @ Ring Around the Rosies | 1 Comment

It’s the first Monday, and first full week of 2013! How are you doing on your resolutions so far? Chances are, if you’re like most Americans, you’ve already slipped a time or maybe given up all together. That’s why I gave up resolutions a long time ago. Now, instead of resolutions, I set goals. But the most important part of setting a goal is establishing tasks you are willing and able to do to meet those goals! And the second most important part is writing it down on the calendar, along with the tasks you need to do along the way to meet it. My business coach is famous for saying nothing becomes dynamic until it becomes specific! Don’t just say, I want to get healthier this year. Say, I WILL _____________, _______________, and _____________ so that I can become healthier this year.

Get it? Big difference.

This blog is all about helping you create a healthier, more balanced home for yourself and your family. Over the past three years, as my life was completely flipped upside down (and dare I say backwards) I knew I needed to do things differently. My word for 2011 was SIMPLIFY. Last year it was BALANCE. This year, it is INTENTIONAL. In 2011, I had no idea I’d be where I am today, but isn’t it ironic that those words kind of all lead into each other?

Before you can create balance, you have to simplify. And after you’ve created balance, it’s time to become more intentional. And so that is what I will continue to share with you this year. From more tips to simplify your life, to my favorite organizing tricks, and all the ways I continue to make our home and lives healthier each day.

Every week, I will be sharing with my newsletter subscribers a task of the week. Some weeks (like this week) will include a free printable to help! Some weeks may include a super simple family recipe to create more time in your evenings. Whatever it is – I know you do not want to miss it.

Subscribe now so that you’ll receive this week’s free printable and more information on my super easy to follow cleaning routine!

I am SO excited about this year and ready for the first full week of 2013, how about you?!?

Filed Under: balance, cleaning, organizing

organizing your time

January 3, 2013 | posted by Jaima @ Ring Around the Rosies | Leave a Comment

Last month, I kicked off a series on my TOP FOUR, MOST IMPORTANT AREAS OF ORGANIZATION with a focus on how to organize your mind. This month, I want to share my strategies on how to ORGANIZE YOUR SCHEDULE. I once attended a seminar where the speaker said, "There is no such thing as time management … we all have the same number of minutes in a day; we cannot add more or change how fast or slow they go. We can only manage ourselves so we use these minutes to their fullest potential …"

After years (OK, decades) of mismanaging my own time, swinging between bouts of frenzied work and excuse-laden procrastination, I finally came to the realization that the only way I could experience a more enjoyable and lower-stress life was to exercise some "self management" regarding my daily schedule. So I implemented the following measures … 1. I faithfully use a planner to record important dates, events and projects. I prefer to use a planner that offers an entire "month at a glance," but I have also used the "week at a glance" ones too. My planner helps me remember birthdays, appointments, etc. and also keeps me from committing to too much.

2. I create a daily to-do list and number my tasks, forcing myself to accomplish the most important ones first. This helps me with my tendency to procrastinate on undesirable projects. I love Brian Tracy’s bestselling book “Eat that Frog.” Tracy’s book title is based on Mark Twain’s famous quote, “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” The idea is that, each morning, we should first complete the task that we are most likely to procrastinate on – often the most difficult, time-consuming and most important one on our to-do list. As a result of forcing ourselves to "eat that frog" right away, the rest of our day goes much more smoothly. 3. I have some tricks up my sleeve.

I get up before my kids each morning. I admit this through gritted teeth because I have always believed that getting up early was a form of torture. But there is just no way around this. When I start my day the BK (before kids) way, I have time to ease into the morning, often crossing off my most important task(s) before the insanity has a chance to strike.
I am realistic about what I can accomplish. I am human and I get tired. I can only do so much. So if I overload my schedule (usually because I’ve procrastinated the day before), I’m left feeling defeated, overwhelmed and weary by the end of the day.
I schedule appointments for early in the day. This is a tried-and-true trick for avoiding delays that often happen at doctor’s offices, etc.
I schedule errands based on geographical location so I save time and gas money by avoiding extra trips to town.
I keep a blank grocery list on the fridge and jot down needs as they arise. This helps me avoid too many trips to the supermarket. (For a free copy of my list, click here.)

I hope you can implement a few of these strategies for managing your schedule. Next month, we’ll be looking at … HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR FOOD. For more organizing and home and life improvement tips, be sure to visit my website at livingrichonless.com. Or connect with me on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.