Tuesday Tips

Is it spring?!?! 

I am on this crazy "spring" cleaning trip!  Except it's January... but, my house is well overdue for a good spring cleaning.

I just cleaned out my sock drawer - got rid of the scratchy, icky sports socks that I never wear.  Why did I keep them for so long? 

I've cleaned out the kids' toys, part of the garage, my pantry, my kitchen cabinets, organized my Christmas stuff, and still working on my work room...

I'll share a few tips with you from all that cleaning.

So, my kids' bookshelves were overflowing, and I got this great idea... (props to you if you've already been doing this, but poo on you for not sharing!)  I store all of my kids Christmas/winter books with all of my Christmas decorations.  When I pull out my Christmas decorations, I get out all of those books, when I put my decorations away I put away all my Christmas decorations (except I leave all the winter themed ones out a little longer).  BUT, I realized I should be doing this with all of their holiday books!!!  Why didn't I think of this sooner???  So, I went through all of their book shelves and pulled out the holiday ones.  I stored all of the holiday books in their respective holiday rubbermaid tote in the garage!  Great solution for their overstuffed shelves, and then their books are like new when that holiday comes around!!!  Ready... now, break!  Go do your own!  :)

My next tip, I've been wanting to do for a while.  When I was putting up my Christmas decorations, I finally did it.  I took a picture of all of my Christmas Tree Ornaments.  I'm going to print them up (Shutterfly/Snapfish prints for one cent...) and write on the back what is special about that ornament/when we got it/who gave it to us/etc.  

I especially wanted to do this because we give our kids ornaments every year that has to do with something they were into/did/etc. the past year.  I wanted them to know why I picked out a specific ornament for them. 

Here are a few of the new ornaments from our travels this past year...

Jamaica with John!!

Family reunion in Maryland

Sisters Trip to Charleston, SC