Outdoor Toy Storage {Thoughtful Thursday}

We've tried lots of different things to hold the kids toys. Laundry baskets. Shelf made from old drawers. And the most recent attempt, an old bakers rack that was left in our shed by the former owner we were using for tools.

Baker's Rack to Outdoor Toy Storage BEFORE and AFTER

After wiping it down I used my favorite kind of paint for furniture {or just about anything}: Spray Paint. After getting the entire thing coated with the blue, I used some cardboard and tape to block off the wooden top and sprayed it with black chalkboard paint then added simple white knobs I had in my pile of "leftover" parts from projects.

I pulled it up on the deck and added toys. We'll see how long this lasts and if it makes the kids wanna put their things away any more than the other tries.

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Hospitality Set {Making Hospitality THAT Much Easier}

Some of us LOVE having people into our home and others...not so much.

Whether you do or don't like it, many of us just don't do it. I think most of the time we aren't hospitable for one or more of the following reasons.

  1. We don't feel like our house is big, clean, nice, host-able {for whatever reason} enough.
  2. We are too busy and aren't home enough to have others over.
  3. We feel like its going to be a lot of work that we don't have the energy for.

Ready-Made Hospitality Set makes being hospitable easy, fast, and natural

I can't solve all these issues but I have found something that helps with a little of all of them. Creating a hospitality set will allow you to

  1. have a set of dishes clean for just the occasion
  2. to grab fast when last-minute hospitality opportunities arise
  3. and it's ready with little to no effort.

This is how I created my hospitality set {based on my most common hospitality needs}:

  • purchased 16 bowls and 16 plates at the Dollar tree for $1 for a set of 4,
  • silverware from a local open-to-the-public restaurant store
  • used containers also from the Dollar tree to store them in. hospitable

This set stays under the counter in these containers and are ONLY used for sudden {and main large} hospitality. This keeps me from freaking out about not having enough dishes clean to feed everyone, it's so easy to get ready, my kids can snatch these items and lay them out, and I don't feel overwhelmed cleaning up afterwards because these are dishwasher save but the kids also think its fun to hand-wash them and I'm not scared to let them.

Using the Dollar Tree to create your own Hospitality Set is cheap and Dry-Erasable

***Another really cool thing about this set that I just realized, they're Dry-Erasable! Marking friends and family's drinks/plates/bowls are easily marked. Very important right now during flu season! ***

 We also have a mini-fridge to set up a drink/snack station this summer for neighborhood friends! What common hospitality needs do you have that might need to be considered for a set you're building?

 

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Homemade Hibachi-like Fried Rice/Scrambled Eggs and Chicken

I went on a date-night with my hubs to Fugis Hibachi Gill and Steakhouse. I'd never been there before and it was num num nummy! I don't usually like to pay for food unless I know I'm going to love it. I'm just frugal like that and don't want to waste money. But I went out on a ledge and ordered something I'd never tried before.Homemade Hibachi-like Fried RiceScrambled Eggs and Chicken

If you've ever been to one of those places you probably know they give you HUGE portions. I didn't know that or I would have shared with hubs. Since I didn't I ended up with an amazing box of leftovers I couldn't stop eating on until my tummy hurt.

When it was gone I wanted so badly to try and make it but just like I don't like ordering things unless I know I'd like it, I don't like to try new recipes unless I know it won't be a terrible waste. This week. I finally attempted it.

It was oh so yummy and I'm totally gonna be making it for our entire family to try. 😀 Here's what I did in case you wanna try it too::

Homemade Hibachi-like Fried RiceScrambled Eggs and Chicken Recipe

Ingredients {based on the 1 portion I made}:

  • eggs 2 large
  • green peppers ~3 Tbs diced small
  • carrots ~3 Tbs diced small
  • white rice 1.5 cups cooked
  • margarine ~1/8 cup
  • onion powder ~ 1/4 tsp
  • chicken 1/4 cup cooked
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • soy sauce to taste

Directions:

  1. scramble eggs {I've learned I really like using a Tbs of butter rather than milk}
  2. mix in white rice, peppers, carrots, onion powder, and salt and pepper until well mixed
  3. add butter and "fry" everything together until heated to your liking
  4. serve hot and add soy sauce to your liking

 

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Room-By-Room Decluttering Ideas

I know finding a place to start is part of the problem in decluttering a home. Here is a list of things I've decluttered organized by room. Most of these things will take ~15 minutes to get in order.

Details PRINTABLE Winter Decluttering Checklist Available on asJulesisgoing.com

CLICK FOR A PRINTABLE WINTER DECLUTTERING CHECK LIST 😀

Living Room

  • Decor/Pictures
  • Books
  • Photo Albums
  • Movies
  • Video Games
  • Electronics
  • Throw Pillows/Blankets
  • Coat Rack
  • Shoe Basket
  • Coffee/End Tables

Dinning Room

  • Decor/Pictures
  • Dinning Table
  • Table Clothes/Place Mats

Kitchen

  • Decor/Pictures
  • Counters
  • Top of Cabinets
  • Cabinets:
    Dishes
    Serving Dishes
    Bakeware
    Pots
    Pans
  • Drawers:
    Silverware
    Serving Utensils
    Cookie Cutters
  • Pantry
  • Medicine Cabinet

Laundry Room

  • Laundry Soaps
  • Cleaning Supplies
  • Paper Goods
  • Cleaning Tools

Bedrooms

  • Decor/Pictures
  • Night Stands
  • Dressers
  • Closets: clothes, bags/purses, hats, scarves, shoes
  • Bedding

Bathrooms

  • Decor
  • Bathtub/Shower Stall:
    Toys
    Toiletries
  • Drawers:
    toiletries
    washclothsmakeup
    hair accessories/tools
  • Cabinets:
    towels
    toiletries
    clean supplies

Play/School Room

  • Decor/Pictures
  • Toys
  • Games
  • Books
  • Curriculum
  • Craft Supplies

I'm excited to say that nearly 90% of my list has already been checked off! ...the GARAGE. Let's just use the "its too cold outside" excuse and pretend the attic and tiny shed in the backyard don't exist. 😐

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Decluttering Kids’ Books with a Win Win Win

One of the places I've delaying in the Decluttering-My-Home-thing has been the kid's bookshelves.

Decluttering Kids' Books with a Win Win Win

Sadly, this isn't because I'm a book-lover. I was a little sentimental about who/where they came from but it is mainly because I'm not a reader. I didn't read a lot as a child but I want my kids' to love reading. I know you can learn anything if you're a good reader. I was scared that since I don't really like reading, I'd just chunk everything and be THAT terrible homeschool mom who had no books for her children to read. I mean really, what would people think if they came over and I had no books?! lol but really!

I finally hit it hard last night. As soon as the kids were in bed, I finished picking up and then had my hubs drag ALL their books into the living room from the play/school room where I strung them everywhere while we/he watched a TV show.

I was nervous.

I made piles. Then I reorganized the piles. Then I doubted my piles. Books from HIPPY {that must mean they're good, right?}. Books that damaged. Books I recognized from seeing in the school library as a child. Random. Donate. Trash. I'm not sure.

Ya see what I'm saying, I'm okay at organized but reluctant to declutter. Everything has a purpose, someone one would use it, I might be able to make $2 off of it. Ugg

I finally confessed my fear of getting rid of books to my hubs and then dumped my pile of random books next to him to help me make finally decisions about.

We cleared out a giant tub-full of books. Some I could have possibly sold at the Duck Duck Goose Consignment Event but I just decided that if they made it into the tub from whatever reason, I wasn't going to look at them again.  I'm not sure how shaddy this was but I just left the 'donate' and 'trash' pile all together in the tub. I ask my hubs to take the tub to the garage for now so 'the kids' would dig stuff back out of it.

Today we picked back up our attempt at weekly library trips. As I walked out I grabbed that tub. The stupid thing is clear. That's Not Helpful.

I didn't look. I just put it in the front seat and after double checking with the librarian, I brought in the tub and left it with her. Tub and All. I couldn't take the chance of watching her sort through them. Guilt. Regret. Embarrassment.

When I got home, I was hoping the kids didn't really notice me running back into the library with their books. But apparently that's hard to miss. They announced at lunch, "Daddy, we took our books to the library! Now we can rent them any time we want."

Hmm That had never occurred to me. I mean. I'm a genius. I convinced my children it was okay to declutter/get rid of books by taking them to the local library because now someone Else has to store them, we can check them out any time we want, AND other can use them as well! 😀

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