Bedroom Makeover Before and After

This is my youngest son J's room.  He gets the privilege of sleeping in the old, maid's quarters (yes, my home came with a maid's quarters and a servant's staircase and yet, sadly no maid).  I wish that I had gotten better before photos of J's room because it was a disaster area.  I honestly thought about calling in the National Guard it was that bad!  Okay, maybe not that bad but still it was bad enough that I didn't want to take any before photos until after J cleaned his room a little.  He decided to it was easier to just empty it while I wasn't looking and so I missed my before shots.

When we first bought this house this was not even a bedroom any more.  We ripped out a wall of cupboards along the wall above, fixed the plaster and then painted over the wallpaper in order to give J a bedroom.  The cupboards were great when the boys were little and they used this room as a playroom but it didn't take long before they were clamouring for their own rooms.

The problem was, the plaster was still weak in spots.

I little bit of horse play and a hole started under the wallpaper that continued to grow.  You can also see in this photo where the old electrical outlet was.  There were 2 of them a good 3 feet up the wall.  It made it very obvious that there were things plugged in.

It's quite a small room.  Apparently, maids did not require a lot of room.  They also did not require heat because there is no vent in this room.  We have central air but it doesn't reach J's room if his door is closed.  Hence, the air conditioner in the window.

J is 18 years old and is studying to become a chef.  J also has ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) so I wanted to give him a room that not only felt grown up but was also organized in such a way that it would work with his ADD and not against it.

This is what the room looked like during!  I could not wait for this part to be over!

And now the after!

This photos shows the actual colours the best.

I converted an old dresser that we picked up at an auction sale for $30 into an entertainment centre for him (more on that in my next blog post).  By the way, that is Jax laying on the bed.  He felt the need to get into a lot of the pictures.

There's an nice chair in there now (we bought it off of Kijiji really cheap) for when his friends drop by and we managed to get a little bit of art on the walls, although J will have to choose some more.

This is funny because J is quite skinny!

We had a drywaller come in and fix the holes in the plaster and then he simply drywalled over everything with 1/4 inch drywall.  Once the mudding and sanding were done it was time to paint.  J chose Para paint #P5221-24 (Snappy Dresser) for the walls and Para paint #P5221-41 (Film Festival) for the ceiling (light grey and medium grey - it doesn't always show well in the photos).  I chose to do the entertainment centre the same colour as the walls because the room is so small.  I wanted it to blend in more than stand out.

We also opted to not do a headboard for J.  The last one had an extra ledge at the top that dug a hole into the plaster.  We thought about doing a cushioned headboard along the length of the bed (the side that faces the TV) but changed our minds when it would mean putting more holes in the new drywall.  We decided that a bunch of pillows would do the job just as well.

Check back on Wednesday and I will show you the before and after for the entertainment centre and what J had before.  On Friday I will show you the various organizing systems that I put in place to help J with his ADD and help keep his room more organized.  I'll also show you the before and after for his closet.

Are You Ready For Cold & Flu Season?

If you woke up in the middle of the night tonight with cold and flu symptoms would you have everything you needed to take care of yourself?  According to the Centers for Disease Control there are over 1 billion cases of the common cold in the United States each year.  With those kinds of odds chances are good that you will contract a cold sometime this year.  While there is a lot of information out there on how to lessen your chances of getting a cold (washing your hands), sometimes it sneaks up on you.

Check your medicine cabinet to see if you have all the items you need to combat a cold or flu so that you don't have to run out to the drug store while you are sick or have to wait for someone to run out and get the items for you. 

Some of the things that you may want to stock up on are:

- tissues (perhaps even the ones coated with lotion)
- pain relievers (acetaminophen, ibuprofen)
- anti-nausea (Gravol)
- cold medications (night time and day time)
- Vick's vapour rub
- a bottle of ginger ale or some other juice
- a couple of cans of chicken noodle soup

By having these things already in the house you lessen the chance of spreading your cold to others.  Besides we all know, when you go to the drug store looking sick and dishevelled, that is when you run into an old boyfriend or pretty much anyone whom you wouldn't want to catch you that way.

Here is a home remedy that helps get my household through the cold and flu season.  It is a soup that tastes fabulous but is so potent that you can almost feel it coursing through your veins!

Cream Of Garlic Soup

Ingredients:

2 large heads of garlic, chopped (yes, that's heads of garlic not cloves!)

1 large sweet onion, chopped
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. thyme
4 cups of chicken stock
1 cup of whole milk
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup of whole milk

In a large pan, saute the garlic and onions in the olive oil and butter on low heat until golden brown.  You must make sure the heat is on low because the garlic will go bitter if it burns.  You can roast the garlic in the oven (cut off the tops, drizzle with olive oil and bake in a 350 oven until soft and golden and then squeeze it into the caramelized onions) and just caramelize the onions in the pan if you are afraid of burning the garlic.  Add the chicken stock and thyme and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Transfer the soup, in batches, to the blender and puree until smooth.  Put the soup back in the pot on the stove and add in the milk.  Bring it back up to a simmer.  Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch and the last 1/4 cup of milk.  Stir into the hot soup and stir until thickened.  Serve hot.

Do you have some favourite home remedies for colds or the flu?

12 Ways To Be More Productive

Don't you sometimes wish that there were 30 hours in a day so that you can get it all done?  Unfortunately, we all have the same 24 hours and, when we are overwhelmed with the never-ending to-do list, it is easy to become distracted and procrastinate (I'm looking at you Facebook).  Here are 12 ways that you can work smarter, not harder and be more productive.

1. Get enough sleep.  Scientists recommend 7-9 hours of sleep each night for peak productivity during the day.  When you are tired it is much harder to concentrate and much easier to procrastinate. 

2. Make a daily to-do list.  Stay away from huge to-do lists.  They are overwhelming and can cause more stress.  Instead, create a list of realistic jobs that you can tackle in one day.  Break bigger jobs into smaller tasks like writing one page instead of a whole thesis.  These small things will soon add up.

3. Be sure to do your MITs.  MITs are your Most Important Tasks.  These are the things that absolutely must be done.  Either put them at the top of your list or highlight them in some way so that those things get done.

4. Eat the frog first.  Do the task you are least looking forward to doing first to get it out of the way.  You can read more on this here.

5. Make a to-don't list.  Some bad habits can be real time wasters (Pinterest for instance).  Make a list of your time wasters and either vow not to do them until your to-do list is done or set a timer and limit your amount of time on them.  I use my oven timer because I have to physically get up to shut it off.

6. Stay away from the inbox.  Checking your email several times a day can be a huge time waster.  Schedule one or two times a day to check your emails and respond accordingly.

7.  Get your inbox to zero.   Respond, draft, file or delete all your emails each time you open your inbox.  I use the 2-minute rule.  If an email can be responded to in 2 minutes or less then it is done right away.  If not, it is filed in my "To Respond" file which is always emptied by the end of the day.

8. Don't multitask.  Our brains simply are not designed to function that way.  Set a timer and work on a single task for that amount of time.  Research has shown that multitasking can cut productivity in half.

9. Track your time.  For one day track how much time you spend responding to emails, on the phone, on social media, etc.  You may be surprised at how much time you actually spend reading updates about what your friends ate for dinner on Facebook!

10. De-clutter.  The average person spends almost 25 minutes a day searching for lost items.  By getting rid of all your unused and unwanted items you will have places to keep everything left over and gain those 25 minutes back.

11. Look back.  Each week take a look back at how your week went.  Is there anything you could do to tweak your schedule to make things run more smoothly?

12. Take a break.  Taking a break a few times a day will help you recharge.  Getting in a little me-time will help bring balance to an otherwise hectic day.

Baby Animal Photos Can Make You More Productive!

Our Petey

I have fantastic news for all my readers!  Did you know that looking at puppy and kitten pictures can actually improve your productivity?!  Researchers at Hiroshima University recently conducted a study in which they showed university students photos of puppies and kittens and then had them perform a task, kind of like the game Operation.  They also had to perform the same task after viewing photos of adult animals and after viewing photos of pleasant food.  By far, the students performed much better after viewing the baby animal photos than any of the other photos.

According to The Washington Post, researchers believe that, because we tend to talk to puppies and kittens in a slower voice, that behavior may transfer to the task being performed. 

"Caring for babies (nurturance) not only involves tender treatments but also requires careful attention to the targets’ physical and mental states as well as vigilance against possible threats to the targets. If viewing cute things makes the viewer more attentive, the performance of a non-motor perceptual task would also be improved."

And since your productivity is so important to me, I spent hours scanning the web and my own archives to bring you plenty more baby animal photos to keep you on track during your busy day.  Enjoy!

Spanky, Rascal, Tiny, Buddy and Petey

Me petting a baby deer this past spring

 

Tiny

This post is dedicated to my wonderful Mr. P who rescued five 6-week old kittens this week that were left in a plastic bag in a ditch on the side of the road.  Because of him they are all at our local shelter, warm and dry and with food in their little bellies.  The shelter had refused them at first because they said they were full, but changed their minds when he made a very generous donation for their care.  I am married to a really great guy!

ArtKive

Photo Credit

A couple of weeks ago my friend Linda sent me an email about a new app for iPhone and iTouch that will help parents keep control of their children's artwork.  The app is called ArtKive and is free for a limited time to iOS users.  They are working on an app for Android users and you can leave your name with them for an email when the Android app is ready.

Essentially, you create an account with the names and grades of your children, take a picture of the artwork, tag your children in the photo and then share the picture with family or friends or have ArtKive turn it into a book or another great product.

By storing your children's artwork in a digital format, you can release the actual picture without as much guilt.  We simply cannot keep every bit of art that our children produce.  ArtKive allows us to keep and digital copy and it shows what grade your child was in when they created their masterpiece.

One of the great things about ArtKive is that you don't have to use it just for children's artwork.  You could use it to save and share photos of your own art or craft.  My friend Linda uses it to store photos of the various knitting projects that she has done.  Another great use would be to take photos of a lot of the sentimental items in your home that need to be decluttered.  You could then have a book made of all those items.  It would bring back the cherished memories while allowing you to let the actual items go.

Check out ArtKive at the link above or it can be found at the Apple App Store under Productivity - Free.

Can you think of any other way that ArtKive could be used?

20 More Organizing Jobs That Take 5 Minutes Or Less

Last May I did a post called 20 Organizing Jobs That Take 5 Minutes Or Less.  If you missed that one go ahead and check it out.  Now I've come up with 20 more!

These are simple, little things that you can do that take such a short amount of time and yet make you feel as though you've accomplished a lot.  When your to-do list starts to feel overwhelming try doing one or two of these to help make you feel more motivated to continue.

1. Start a donation box or bag.  Pick one spot in the house where you will store the things that you are decluttering from your home until you have an opportunity to drop it off.  If you choose to use a bag, choose a clear one and not a garbage bag otherwise your donations could end up in the trash.
2. Check your spice cupboard for any old herbs and spices that need to be tossed.  One year is the longest that you should keep a spice.  After that it starts to lose flavour.
3. Place a small dish or basket near the back door to hold your keys.  Get into the habit of always placing your key there when you come in the door and you will never lose your keys again!
4. Clear off the coffee table in your living room.
5. Place extra batteries for your TV remote in the same room as your TV. (Why do we press harder on the buttons of the remote when the batteries are dying?)
6. Check the expiration dates on the salad dressings in your fridge.
7. Sew on a missing button.
8. Check to see if you have extra ink for your printer and, if not, add it to your shopping list.
9. Declutter the outside of your fridge.  Here's my post about What's ON Your Refrigerator?
10. Go through one photo folder on your computer and delete any blurry ones or duplicates.
11. Check the expiration dates in your medicine cabinet.
12. Change or empty the vacuum cleaner bag.  Place some baking soda in the new bag to keep it smelling fresh.
13. Place some paper towels and your favourite cleaner under every sink in the house.
14. Place a dish or jar near the washing machine to place change emptied from pockets.
15. Check your first aid kit to see if you need any supplies and add them to your shopping list.
16. If you or someone in your family came down with a cold tomorrow would you have everything you need?  If not, add cold and flu supplies to your shopping list.
17. Remove 3 items from your closet that don't make you feel fabulous.
18. Throw away any old underwear.  You deserve undies with no holes!
19. Make a commitment to finally throw away all those socks with no mates that have been sitting in the bottom of the laundry basket for months (this one is for me).
20. Gather together one sheet set in the linen closet and place it all together inside the matching pillowcase.

Don't try doing all of these things at once.  Just do one or two whenever you feel that you are stuck and not making any headway.  Even marking something small off your list can be very empowering!

Can you come up with any other 5 minute or less organizing ideas?

Easy Halloween Wreath

I wanted to show you the Halloween wreath that I made for my front door.  It looks pretty plain and basic, right?  Well, check it out up close!

And even closer!

I got the idea from a Martha Stewart magazine two years ago, however, she used snakes.  I used to see packages of snakes all the time at the dollar store and ever since I saw her wreath I have not been able to find snakes anywhere.  Last week I was looking for snakes at Walmart when I found packages of spiders.  I figured, why not!  So I bought a cheap $5 grapevine wreath and a couple of packages of spiders.

I had the black spray paint in the basement so I didn't even have to buy that.  Now I want you to know that I am not crafty at all!  I want to be crafty and I admire women who seem to find the time to put together fabulous creations using a little imagination and an incredible amount of talent.  It's not that I can't do some things; I can knit and quilt but I never have the patience to finish a project.  I believe I come by that honestly though.  My mother is still working on that baby sweater for my now 21 year old son.  Maybe someday Mom!

Anyway, I digress.  I hot glued spiders all over the wreath.  I started by placing the big ones and then moved down to the medium ones and filled in all the spaces with the tiny ones.

I then spray painted the whole thing black.

One thing that I noticed when gluing on all the spiders was that I was making a huge mess with all the strings of hot glue.  Then it hit me that they look just like spider webs.  So, after the paint dried, I got out the hot glue gun again and, using a toothpick, I made hot glue spider webs all over the wreath (they were hard to catch in a photograph).

The whole project took very little time and, even better, very little money!

I think it looks lovely hanging on the front door.

Are you crafty?  Have you made any Halloween decorations?