Make this House a Home: Boys' Edition
A couple of weeks ago, I gave you 5 tips to protect your mental health. One of my favorite tips was controlling your environment. I have really grown to loathe clutter. It is so hard to relax when there is stuff everywhere! We have been in this house 24/7 for the past year, and it shows. I’ve worked to separate play spaces from workspaces, but I still felt as if the walls were closing in. I couldn't stand it any longer. In January 2021, I kicked off Project: ‘Make this House a Home.’ Organization is the name of the game, and EVERY room in the house has to win!
Started with the boys’ areas
I figured if I could get the boys’ stuff together, they would stay out of my areas. The mission was clear! Organize the bathroom so they wouldn’t have to put lotion on in my bathroom. Organize the playroom so their legos wouldn’t have to be in my living room. Organize their bedrooms so they would want to hang out in their rooms instead of our room after a bath.
Disaster area number 1 - their bathroom!
They never knew where anything was, and it was counterproductive to their morning independence. Storage space was not an issue; they have plenty of space in the drawers and under the sink. The problem was that I started to pull out things from underneath the sink and found old diaper cream and pacifiers… my baby is 4 years old (embarrassing!!) I also found a jar of VapoRub that was older than RX. VapoRub doesn’t go bad, right?? Anyway, after filling a trash bag, I painted, cleaned, organized, hung a new shower curtain and shelf and... VOILA! Everyday essentials are in one drawer. So there is no need for all of their toiletries to be all over the bathroom... Right?? RIGHT!
I showed this before and after in another blog, but it's just so satisfying.
Disaster area #2 - the playroom!
I took the same concept to the playroom. Everything needed a place. The boys hate when I say, ‘it’s time to clean the playroom to Mommy’s standards.’ Mommy’s standard means EVERYTHING (and I mean everything) gets dumped in the middle of the floor. Then toys are put back where they are supposed to go. If it doesn’t have a home, and it’s still in the middle of the floor when done, it goes in the trash. We were all tired of this cycle. I was especially annoyed every time one asked for a particular hot wheel that we eventually found in the dinosaur bin. It was time to end this never-ending cycle… It was time for labels. I went crazy on my Cricut, and before I knew it, every drawer and box had a name. RX walked in and said, this is great (he is my type A child). DL is learning to read, and the labels are perfect practice. Again, no need for legos to be all over the floor and in my living room… Right? RIGHT!
Disaster area #3 - their bedrooms!
When the boys were with their grandparents last week, I tackled their rooms. We have been in this house for 7 years, and they have never properly used their closets. They were just storage areas for my wedding dress, old baby toys, and hand-me-down clothes. Meanwhile, dirty laundry was always all over the floor, and their drawers were beginning to overflow. Since I’m pushing independence, it was time to move the laundry basket to the closet and put everything in DL’s reach (his dresser drawers are super heavy). I spent all week (Hubby helped in the evening) painting, building, rearranging, donating, cleaning, and organizing. I was completely exhausted, but the result was magical! The boys said, ‘wow, we get to sleep in these rooms!’ I thought it was wonderful that they thought they were totally new rooms. I told them, not only do they get to sleep in these rooms, but they can now easily keep them organized and clean. No need for dirty laundry to be on the floor when the hamper is in the closet… Right? RIGHT!
I had wonderful AFTER videos, but can’t upload them here. Here was the semi-AFTER pictures. I’ll never get it to look as good as it did Day 1! LOL
AFTER: DL’s room
AFTER: RX’s room
What’s next?
This is the approach I plan to take with the rest of the house. Our house is beautifully lived in, but it’s time that it’s more functional. I think our bedroom/bathroom will be next (but that’s a complete redo). Remember, my goal for this project is to feel completely comfortable in my home. Nothing should give you anxiety in your own space. Clear out and clear down. It doesn’t have to be fancy or overdone. Just make your space your favorite place. With that said…
Grace, Space, and Love...
