A mini spring declutter - store, sell, donate or recycle

While I have that spring has spring feeling I am going to do a spot of decluttering.
I like to do little declutters during the year to tidy those dumping grounds that accumulate stuff every few months.  If you don't leave it to long they don't get to big to tackle.

This is just a small declutter to make space for a spring season freshen up, my aim is to declutter and tidy ten things:

• Recycle the jam jars I have been saving for a spot of jam making which hasn't happened in 18 months.
• Sort through the bottom pantry drawers, whose contents have not been touched since we moved in, and store, donate or sell.
• Throw away all single socks!!
• Move winter coats from the entrance hall cupboard to bedroom cupboards.
• Sort the children's summer's shoes from last year and throw away, store or donate.
• Sort out my desk drawers: cull the business cards gathered over the past year, put the sunnies at the front of the draw again, tidy the stationary and buy new pens.
• Ruthlessly cull the magazine and catalogue pile teetering half hidden behind the couch.
• Bin all the mostly used wintery scented candles dotted around the house.
• Move the medicine bottles that seem to have taken up residence in the kitchen drawer back to the bathroom medicine cabinet.  Throw away any items past their sell by date first!
• Turn out the over stuffed dress up box and bin anything broken or too small.

Each task won't take to long to do so I can stay motivated and actually get them all done!   Once I have these under my belt I can tackle our wardrobes, but that is a post for another day!

That's the desk drawers sorted.  I made rough dividers from some left over thick card - not the prettiest but they do the trick.  One down nine to go!

Spring refresh for your home

The change of seasons always makes me want to change things up a bit around the home.  Spring has arrived early this year and this gorgeous weather is getting me thinking of ways to freshen up our home for the summer season ahead.  Sometimes just making a few little changes gives your home a whole new energy.

Photo courtesy of TheHome
I would like to refresh some old faithfuls, and I would love to add a touch of this seasons zesty yellow, tangerine or pinks.  I am going to be keeping my eye on the daily sales at The Home, designer finds without the big price tags, and this is what I will be shopping for.

• New bath towels - white and thirsty please
• Murchison Hume hand soaps and household cleaners - doing a big spring clean is much more fun with beautifully scented and packaged products.  White grapefruit is my personal fave.
• 1200 thread count pure cotton pillow cases 
• A few colourful pillows for Miss E's bedroom and a new quilt cover to take her from little girl to tween.  I love the Prue Trollope ones in The Home's spring look above but will need Miss E's approval first.
• Recover the badly worn wing back rocking chair in Miss J's room.  I am loving the Pluto chair by Andrew Martin (above).  I will be keeping an eye out for that sale on The Home because I priced up recovering my chair and it is expensive.
• A few new vases - no matter how many I have I never seem to have just the right shape.  I will be looking out for something slightly geometric in shape this year.
• New beach towels - stripey and French inspired 

Its worth popping into The Home to see what is on sale this week, or better yet subscribe and let them send you an email.  Its always great to snag a bargain!

This is not a sponsored post and all opinions are as usual entirely my own.

kitchen clean up and recipe collection.

I am having one of those clear out days that usually means I am about to get a cold.  I don't know why, my body seems to go into clean over drive just before I get sick.  Well at least the house gets a tidy.  I have been sorting through the pantry and getting rid of everything that is stale and past its sell date.  There is a satisfying row of clean glass storage jars as proof that something has been achieved.

I have also been inspired by the Monday Morning Cooking Club demo to get my recipes in order.  Earlier this year I made a family kitchen note book with Blurb, its been a huge success and we have added quite a few new family favourites for the year.  Now I am going to copy all the recipes scribbles that I had been storing in a rather sticky plastic folder, sticky because it had stock spilled on it one evening as I looked for a recipe.  I have been rediscovering some old favourites like: Norma Flannagan's baked lemon pudding, Laura's famous baklava, Heather's fabulous creme brulee, and my granny's pecan nut ball biscuits.  Watch this space you may see some of them featured right here.

We picked our first olive harvest and are finally getting to use our lovely ceramic olive jar from Bendigo Pottery that we were given several years ago.  I have never pickled olives before, we will see how it goes.   
So as usual its busy busy busy at our house, hope you are happy and busy too, have a lovely weekend.

don't you love...a spring clean

Don't laugh, but part of my new years clean up has been reorganising my Pinterest boards.  I have been busy pinning for UrbanBaby (and I think they look great) but mine were looking a little sad and out of date.  Some boards had ideas I no longer need or am tired of, some were inspiration for our build which I want to keep but am not adding to much anymore, and ofcourse the Christmas boards can be put away for another year.  I wanted boards that suit my current goals for house, home and blog.  An inspiration spring clean was just what I needed to make me focus on the projects I want to get underway in this new year.

Storage Storage Storage -  A place for everything and everything in its place

I talked about 2013 being our year to edit, and part of editing is storage.  A place for everything and everything in its place as the old saying goes.  

Top of the list is sorting out the playroom.  I was feeling overwhelmed by the toys before Christmas, now the storage I have is quite simply bursting at the seams.  

I want the toys to be hidden from view when packed away, but easy to get at.  And I would like an open shelf where we can display pretty toys, art and books.  

Riikka Kantinkoski at Weekday Carnival has organised her playroom so well (all images above).  I have lots of these Ikea white boxes in the pantry but I never thought about them for toys.  And that amazing white cupboard - they made it out of different sized Ikea kitchen cabinets.  Super creative.

Next on the list is the garage.  We have made a start but we still need to get a lot of things off the floor.  Easier said than done, yesterday I went out there, looked around, and walked back into the house in defeat.  Not sure where to start.

Finally, the garden shed.  We need to move the potting bench and all the garden equipment out of the garage and into the shed.  But we need a strong friend to pop by and help since I am ten pound weakling.  I am looking forward to that one, its been in my head for months.

Entertaining more

So many lovely ideas on my entertaining board that I want to try.  Lots of little styling tips to make things pretty, like these gorgeous tins with individual drinks and cutlery.  If I do it once they can be reused every time we have an informal get together.  First on my list is going to be courtyard movie nights, the weather has been perfect for sitting outdoors the past few weeks.  Have popcorn, will pop, and lots of other great movie ideas here too.  
(Images from left: fridge tins from a pretty cool life, cutlery tins via Patchwork Harmony, bucket & hose from Martha Stewart

Let me know what projects you are planning, and I will give you updates on mine as they come along. Lets hope that this time next year they are not still on my list.

Don't you love.....getting organised

I spent the whole day sorting the girls wardrobes, yes I know it sounds boring, but I enjoyed it.  When the seasons change I enjoy having a big tidy, unpacking the cupboards, sorting out what no longer fits, what will be put away, what will be passed on, what is simply worn out.

I have a little trick to keep it all tidy:  

1.  Sort clothes that will be kept by age.

2.  Fold neatly and stack into bundle.

3.  Use string to tie bundle securely.

4.  Write appropriate age or size onto label. 

5.  Tie label onto parcel with ends of string.

If I was really Martha Stewart I would have some gorgeous home made labels like these, just waiting for this very moment.  But since I am not I use the left over Christmas gift tags.

Its a satisfying task to complete. 

Tomorrow I am going to tackle the garage and see if I can unpack the last remaining boxes from our move six months ago.

Scissor string & spool set by Father Rabbit

Scalloped tags via LD Craft Supplies

Colourful tags via Little Paper Farmhouse