An Organised Aussie

Neat & Tidy Challenges

01/05/2013 14:50

Hey!
Its been so long since I wrote a blog! I've been naughty! Well anyway a year has past and its been full on. I wont bother trying to catch up on my blog so I'll just start a new.
OK... so I found this fantastic person who runs Beautifully Organised and she is running a Neat & Tidy Challenge year..... Now for anyone who doesn't know what it is, (like me), its where each month is dedicated to a space in your house and your given a checklist to declutter and organise. I have been in my house for 12mths and always seem to put things off or find myself busy and always putting organising at the bottom of my priority list which has left my house in kaos as if we had just moved in yesterday lol. These challenges have given me due dates to have it done so I can go in the competition. Who ever has the most inspiring space wins a prize for that month.
So. I started. OMG!!!! I never realised how disgustingly unorganised I was living. When I looked at my before and after photos I was reeling in shock! You know those moments that you think your normal and then all of a sudden..... BAM!!!! You realise your one of those hoarders on TV. Then I had to post my pics on Instagram to be in the running!!! Total humiliation! and there were moments when I was almost chickened out cause I wanted to keep up the social mask/fasarde that we were normal but I really don't like fake so..... against all instincts ..... I have completed and publicly posted 3 challenges and it's been a really amazing journey.
Fist was the Kitchen.
I hadn't done a challenge and didn't really know what I should do so I just had a stab in the dark at it. Now, after doing more challenges I can definitely see that I could have done more with some ideas but it was my first time and I was just happy to find progress happening in my house.
Here is Before............Now don't laugh!!!
 

OMG
and now After
BIG BIG BIG DIFFERENCE
 
 Ok. So I did a massive clean out. I even got most of the kitchen bench items (mixer etc) away.
So after the clean and tidy I have now made the fridge a freezone (nothing gets magnetted to the front of the fridge anymore), removed a lot of unnecessary hanging items near stove that were just collecting dust, put all tea and coffee items hidden in cupboard on bench & removed all hidden junk above the fridge and placed decorative items.
Made the hutch into my cake area (this houses my cupcake baker, books, ipad stand & mix master which isn't in the photo dam it)

And stuck push led lights ($5 ea at IKEA) under cabinets along with a magnetic knife block :)

Just doing this tidy, clean and reorganise was enough of a boost for me to attempt the pantry.
Pantry Before ..... does anyone else have a pantry that looks mess all the time like mine?
Pet peeves about my pantry - 1. KIDS!!!! They are always opening packets and leaving empty containers or plastic on shelves or thrown on floor which just gets kicked underneath. 2. Not nearly enough space (so I thought) 3. I can never ever ever ever ever ever find what I want...... EVER! 4. cause we cant find what we are after it gets put on the shopping list. Then when we unpack the groceries we have like 10 spares!!! Drives me crazy!!!! 5. Plastic bags!!! Love to reuse them but they are just everywhere and there's no space to hang a bag storer.
Pantry After
 
Believe it or not I found space! All spares, like rices, pastas, water, kids cereals etc have been placed in these boxes.... underneath on the floor!!!!! No more room for kids to kick rubbish! I have been able to fit 5 of these massive tubs underneath and they fit perfectly. I (when I say I, I mean,,,, hubby lol) attached caster wheels to the bottom and added labels. They just glid out and in with ease, freeing up shelf space. I had no idea how much I would love these!
 
Now we are a big potato, onion and garlic family and I cant stand putting them in plastic containers to sweat nor can I stand metal holders as they put rubbish everywhere. These bamboo bowls from kmart were perfect!
 
 OK... NOW THIS IS MY ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE THAT EVERYONE WILL ENJOY!!! I'll do a blog latter showing how to do this if I get a request, but you simply get an empty container (I took the label off my Dettol wipes containers), and if you lay out and roll your plastic bags a certain way, they will pull out perfectly like a wipe!! Pull out one and the next one tabs out the top!!!

 
 I have found that the hubby and kids aren't making messes in the pantry for me now I have boxes. Don't forget to add labels to help you find everything.

 
So after my first challenge spurred me on I became some maniac that my children and hubby tried to hide from. LOL. They always cringe at the word ikea or some other store that I frequent often because it means that they have to listen to this absolutely fabulous story about my unbelievable ideas and the sale I discovered it at ...... then..... they have to help me put it together LOL.
So like, any maniac mother on mission would do - I opened up a Pintrest account and got cracking on the next challenge.......... BATHROOM!!!! My favourite room in the house.
 
Even though its my favourite room, it always seems to be hard to find anything lol
Bathroom Before,

WOW (snicker snicker) I'm mortified that when we moved in I basically just threw everything in there lol
 
 
Bathroom After,
Big Big Big difference. This was when I had that awkward moment to myself when I realised I should be one of those hoarders on TV lol
 
Ok So this would have to be my absolute favourite! My poor husband who hates doing any DIY for my cause I'm such a perfection whiny freak was dragged in kicking and screaming to help me do this lol (and there was lots of swearing from him too cause he knocked the shelve down while he was laying under it and a gajizzling things of crap went EVERYWHERE!)
I wanted to be able to use my hair utensils easily without having to fidget with them worrying about burning the bench or waiting for them to cool before putting away and I wanted them to live where they were used and thought of this. They are just metal rings which usually hold your toothbrushes and cups etc with some hooks to wrap the cords on. So simply but has been a MASSIVE impact
 
This acrylic organiser was a steal from www.dealsdirect.com.au and is perfect. All my usual everyday/weekly products are here, easy to see and stored almost dust free. Leaving plenty of draw space for hair accessories :)
 
YAY for hair accessories!
 
Got really fed up with the bottles on the floor and always having to move them when I clean the shower so this dispenser from bunnings has come in real handy
 
Well ..... There you have it people..... I have aired my dirty laundry..... or my clutter living I should say lol. All these little simple ideas and things have made such a difference to my life and my family. Because there's no more tidying up. Everything is so close at hand and easy to find it just goes back where it came after use. All these little things have given me more time to myself and a space to relax. Not to mention my little princess can raid and find my hair and makeup stuff more easily and quicker. She can get in and out now before getting caught and in trouble LOL
 
Love always,
Bell xoxoxo

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