Master Bedroom Organization Ideas
All too often our master bedroom becomes the “dumping ground” when company comes. We do a quick sweep of the house and anything we don’t know what else to do with ends up there. We close the door and forget about it. Then we don’t know what else to do with the stuff. It stays, and the pile accumulates more things until eventually you feel as if it has taken over the room.
Start your project by sorting out these homeless items based on where they should really belong, and once you have them organized in boxes at least get them to their proper rooms. Worry about putting them away later; at least they’re out of the bedroom.
There never seems to be enough closet space in the master bedroom. It is a good idea to check out the new storage units that help maximize what space you do have. There are even services that help you to design a closet storage system, but with a little time and research, it can be done on your own.
Sort out your clothes by season first, and decide where to store the out of season clothes. Under the bed storage boxes work great for them.
As you go through the clothes, decide if there are things that don’t fit and decide if you really need to keep them, or have a garage sale or just donate them. If you have clothes that still fit but haven’t been worn in over a year, really think about whether or not you ever will wear them again. This process will free up a lot of closet space.
Another trouble spot is the top of dressers. We tend to just leave things for later and find that later never comes. If you’ve already gotten rid of the things that don’t belong in the bedroom, there shouldn’t be much left there that needs sorting but you will want to develop an organizational system to keep things neat from here on out.
In order to stay ahead of the clutter that gathers on top of the dresser, decide what needs to be there, and how to organize it. Baskets work well to hold lotions and incidentals. They also help break up the flat surfaces that tend to collect other things. Use some simple plastic boxes in your top drawers to keep track of the little items that often end up rolling around with your socks.
Your bedroom is a haven. You’ll find that you get better rest and a brighter start to each day when your environment is neat and orderly.
On The Road Again
By Paula Schmitt, The All Sports Mom
Listen to Paula Read her Column Here
We recently returned from Florida where we attended my grandmother’s funeral. We will truly miss my grandmother – she was one terrific lady and the sweetest thing on this earth.
We were away for six days. We drove from the state of Vermont to the state of Florida in a GMC Yukon – two straight days and nights there and two straight days and nights back, while visiting family in Florida for a total of two days. Only our three younger kids went along on the trip, leaving our two older sons home alone – are we nuts?!
Most people think I am crazy to begin with, driving, and not flying to Florida. I disagree. I enjoy being couped up with a 14, 11 and 4 year old for hours on end in a vehicle singing Old McDonald Had A Farm and listening to LOUD rock music that gets your head spinning – why wouldn’t I?
Heck, just think of all the wonderful reading one can accomplish (which I did) from the millions of billboards along the way. There were a few doozey’s too, especially for my two younger sons to chuckle about that read, “We Bare All” Exit 49 and “Ultimate Massage” Exit 20, oh, and let’s not forget the sensational billboards for Hooters with their eye-catching, half-dressed Bimbos. I think you get my drift.
Then we had bathroom and chow breaks every few hours. So when the time came to get back in the car and strap in, my four year old daughter decided that she was going to walk. My sons were grand with that decision and voted, YES without hesitation.
The embarrassment came from what we were driving – a filthy, mud and salt covered northern SUV. The further south we drove with clear blue skies and the sun shining brightly, we quickly began our search for a drive through car wash, which happened in the beautiful state of Virginia. The kids don’t mind. As a matter of fact, they love this. This is, by far, their biggest excitement of the entire trip. After three minutes of a scrub-a-dub-dub, we were all pretty and sparkly clean again and on our way.
So, now we are home again (Thank God) and back to our normal routine…and out of that car, which, by the way, is once again a filthy, mud and salt covered northern SUV.
Holidays for Moms
What are the holidays like for a Mom of five? 🙂
“What Would The Holidays Be Without The Boys?”
© 2005 Paula J. Schmitt, All Rights Reserved.
I just love the holidays. There is something magical about this time when you have little boys. I don’t know what it is. Could it be the pitter patter of my angel’s footsteps (more like the sound of a buffalo stampede, but ok)? Could it be the way my boys’ eyes twinkle and their loving smiles (this usually only occurs when they want something, but no biggie)? Or could it be the way they say, “I Love You, Mommy” that just sets my heart a flutter?
I couldn’t imagine the holidays without my boys. Take for example the month of February when, ahhhh, love is in the air. The Valentine cards we fill out for friends at school – Mooommmmmmyyy, do I haaaaaaave to do this again this year? The sweet chocolates, my personal favorite -oh, you say you are missing some pieces from your Whitman’s sampler? Well, uh, I have no idea which one of your brothers would have taken them.
Come March we wear our green for St. Patty’s Day. This is requisite as the boys are part Irish from their daddy’s side of the family. While green is not my best color, I love to become Irish myself on this day as I magically turn into the Julia Childs of my own kitchen. The children follow their noses to the delicious aroma and rush to see what Mommy is preparing for their supper. My youngest takes one look at the half cooked corn beef brisket and announces, “I’m going to McDonald’s for dinner tonight. I hear they have green Chicken Nuggets.” That’s when my middle son begins checking out the cabbage and poking it with a fork, “I’m going with you.”
Then spring is in the air and Easter arrives. Such a lovely season! It’s time for that big, old, floppy bunny to come fill our baskets with goodies and my house with that damned plastic grass that still shows up in October. I remember when my oldest son began to ask questions about the big, old floppy bunny. “Mommy, how does the Easter bunny know which candy I like?” Ahem. “Well, it’s like this my darling. The Easter bunny is a very smart bunny … he thinks just like your Mommy.” Enough said.
In the summertime, we all look forward to the very colorful (and very loud) 4th of July celebration. This is a fabulous time of year to be outside with the family as long as you don’t mind the bugs and intense sweating that attracts them. We love to be patriotic, play with sparklers and have a barbecue, although I usually spend most of my time hoping the boys don’t burn themselves and that my husband doesn’t burn the chicken – both Independence Day traditions in our home.
Summer passes in a haze of sweat and mosquito bites and soon we are all looking forward to the creepy holiday. Halloweeeeennn. My guys love being scary (what’s new?). We’ve had everything from Aladdin to the Grim Reaper. Typical with boys and men, even pumpkin carving turns into a sporting event. Whose jack o’lantern is the most ghoulish? Who can scoop the guts out and break last year’s speed record? Who can spit a pumpkin seed the farthest? Personally, my favorite part of this holiday is the trick or treating. Not so much the hours of door to door begging, but the part when the night’s over and we are back in our safe and cozy home. “OK everyone; let’s see what goodies you scored this year!” It’s not philanthropy that motivates my actions. It’s a ###### junkie mentality – I’m addicted to sugar and there is only one fix I’m interested in, a pile of miniature candy bars. Unfortunately, my boys are all addicts too and we immediately turn into a pile of grasping, desperate, slobbering junkies as we mud wrestle for the last Tootsie Roll.
Late in the fall we celebrate Turkey Day (Gobble Gobble). I spend my entire day wearing an apron, slaving away in the kitchen, only to have my boy’s nit pick their way through the meal. “What’s the green stuff, Moooommmmy? You know I don’t like green.” (Your face will soon be turning green after I get my hands around your neck!)
Then there is the wonderful aroma around the dinner table. No, not Mr. Turkey and not even the squishy squash. I’m talking smells from the male gender as they all begin to “express” their enjoyment of the meal. Oh, now that one was silent but deadly, PLEASE! Pppppfffffffttttttt. Do we REALLY need to do that right now, it’s Thanksgiving?!? (I tell you, it’s more than just looks in how they take after their farther – er, I mean father.) Don’t even look under the table. After the meal, there is more food on the floor than there was on the plates. Well, except for the pies. (Hey, save some for me).
Jingle bells, jingle bells … ahhh, the Christmas spirit. I think this is my boys’ favorite holiday of the year. I know it’s mine. Everyone is so peaceful (and broke). All the lights and decorations are just glistening (as will be my eyes at the electric bill). The snow is so white and beautiful (flu season, back to the doctor, AGAIN!).
The joy of giving has got to be the best feeling at this time of year and I try to instill this in my boys. “Oh, honey, you SHOULDN’T have!” (Really, you shouldn’t have. Didn’t I get one of these spatula sets last Christmas?) The wrapping paper EVERYWHERE. (I was up till midnight wrapping all these gifts! @##@%$&%%#@). Baking and icing the cookies. “Mommy, try not to burn the bottom of all the cookies again this year, OOOOOKKKKKK?” Smile. Just keep smiling.
The last special holiday we celebrate as a family is New Year’s Eve. The snacks, the noise, the New Year’s toast, the noise, being together to bring in the New Year, the noise, noise, noise. My guys are a natural at ringing in the New Year. (And afterwards, my ears are ringing for days).
OK, OK. What I really want to say here is this: “Thank you God for blessing me, over the holidays and every day, with my healthy, active, loving and adorable BOYS.”
“You are holding a special place in heaven for me, right?”
The All Sports Mom
“Sideline Survival Strategies from an MVP (Mom with Vast Patience)”
By Paula Schmitt, The All Sports Mom
Author of Living In A Locker Room: A Mom’s Tale Of Survival In A Houseful Of Boys (2005)
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