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to this category, but feel free to enjoy reading
through our past Room Redo posts!
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4/6/2020 0 Comments dazzling drawers 101 A few weeks ago, we discussed how to clean out cabinets. Today, we’re going to talk about how to keep drawers sparkling and (hopefully!) clutter-free! What you will need:
What’s the problem? First, let’s talk about why drawers are messy. Usually, when my desk drawer ends up with papers exploding out of it, it’s because I don’t have anywhere else for those items. Because of that, we can’t just declutter the drawer once. We need to create space for those miscellaneous objects to keep the clutter from coming back. How do we do that? Well, let’s start by actually cleaning out the drawer. Take everything out and sort through it. We’ll be using a similar process to the one we used in cleaning out a cupboard. For the full instructions, make sure to pop on over and read that post! Here are the basics of this method. With each step, I'll also be showing you how I accomplished that with my own desk. This is my before:  1. Take everything out.  2. Sort into piles for trash, keep, and donate. Then, sort the “keep” items into like categories. 3. Wipe out the drawer And here's my after!  Now, let’s figure out what kinds of items we need to find space for. Maybe in your desk, you have lots of notes from friends, finished test papers, or in-progress crafts. Perhaps, there are hordes of loose pens, pencils, and paper clips floating about! Let’s corral all of this mess with some handy organization tools. This is the best part! Are you ready?
Ok, here are my favorite organizational tools for drawers:
If you’ve got lots of loose pens and small items, grab pen trays. If you have souvenirs and in-progress crafts, reach for the lidded containers. Then…. This is important, girls: Label it! Seriously, if you put a label on the container, there’s no question a few months down the road on what is supposed to go in there. It’s just like the phrase says: A place for everything, and everything in its place. After all, if you don’t give it a place, it’ll just end up floating around your desk and becoming clutter. Don't let that happen! :) I hope you had fun organizing today! For more tips on keeping your room spotless, check out B's post from last week! With love, A
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3/30/2020 2 Comments Have a Cleaning Dance party I know that cleaning is not fun. I do not like to clean. I love how everything looks after it’s all sparkly and organized, but getting to that point is not always fun. But what if it was? What if every time you cleaned you got to have a little party? Get your party pants on, because this is what I am going to show how to do!
Supplies you need: * Anything that plays music * Feather duster * Vacuum * Dust rag * Timer 1. Pick a cleaning job to do. Gather you supplies and put on your favorite music. 2. If you are using a feather duster, pretend it is a microphone and sing along to you music. Don’t forget to dance while doing so. 3. If you are using a vacuum, put on you best ballroom music, pop in some earbuds for the best sound, and gracefully dance with your dance partner (vacuum) and wow the crowd. 4. If you are using a dust rag, dust in a sweeping, circular motion and pretend you are a DJ. Play those records! Note: if you do not know what a record is, consult your parents or grandparents. They used to use them. 5. If you are cleaning out a cupboard (see A’s awesome post about that) closet, bookshelf, etc. set your timer for five minutes and see how much you can thoroughly clean before the buzzer goes off. Have fun partying! -B Welcome back, girls! Today we are going to talk about how to clean out and reorganize cupboards, drawers, and just about anything in only five simple steps. I hope that you find my tutorial fun and helpful! This was my sewing cupboard a few weeks ago. Need I say anything? Obviously, it needed a MAJOR makeover, and I decided to use this 5-step process with it. The result is much more satisfying!!  Step 1: Begin by taking everything out of your space and laying it on the nearest table or floor. It doesn’t need to look neat or organized yet, so just get it all out. Step 2: Start organizing everything into piles. For my sewing cupboard, I nearly re-folded my fabric and arranged it into these piles: (1) get rid of, (2) remnants basket, (3) cutesy fabric, (4), home decor/holiday fabric, and (5) fleece/felt. I also did this with my patterns and other supplies. As you go, make sure to see what you don’t use anymore and can get rid of (and then actually get rid of it). Step 3: Now, wipe off the shelves of your cupboard. Do some actual cleaning and remove dust and dirt from your space before putting everything back in. Step 4: Now is the fun part - you get to arrange everything just the way you want it! As you plan to put everything back in, consider how you can make it more organized. For example, I chose to store my sorted fabric in clear plastic containers, and also to add a drawer unit for my thread, patterns, and other supplies. This ensures that I have a place for everything, and that supplies don’t just get thrown back in the cupboard after a crafting session. Don’t be afraid to experiment and to use baskets/containers/bags in your organizing - they can be very helpful tools. Step 5: This is by far the easiest step - stand back and enjoy your work!! I am very happy with my improved sewing cupboard, and I hope that you are satisfied with your new and improved space!  Happy organizing!
Love, A 3/16/2020 0 Comments Spring cleaning: your dresserI would not consider myself to be “fashion crazy” but I do like cute clothes. Unfortunately, it can get kind of hard to see my stuff when my dresser gets messy. If you have that problem too, do not despair! I am here to help. Just roll up those sleeves and get cleaning! 1. Take out everything and sort it into three piles: keep, donate/sell and pitch. Determine what goes in which pile by asking yourself the following questions about each item: Does it fit? Is there holes? Is it worn out? Do I wear it often?  2. For your “donate/sell” pile, take everything to donate to a local charity and try hosting a garage sale to sell the rest. For your “pitch” pile, throw it away. For your “keep” pile, continue reading to find out how to organize it.
3. Lay out all your “keep” clothes. Sort out what you want to go together. Keep like items together. For instance, have one drawer for pants, another for underclothes and socks, and another for pajamas. After you have your drawer categories picked out you may want to organize your stacks in each drawer. In the pant drawer you could have a stack for jeans, another for leggings, and yet another for slacks. 4. Dust your dresser. Dust inside the drawers and on the countertop. 5. Fold everything nicely and put all your clothes in your drawers. 6. To finish, clean everything off the top of your dresser. You will be surprised by how good it looks! Good job! You just did something you can be proud of. -B 3/9/2020 0 Comments it's Desk day! Today, we are going to talk about desks! Having a comfortable, well-lit, and nicely organized workspace can be the key to getting a lot of things done without becoming overly frustrated and stressed. :) In this post, we are going to talk about all three of these topics: Comfort and posture, lighting, and organization! Choosing a Comfortable Chair If your desk chair is uncomfortable, are you going to want to sit in it? No! That’s why choosing a chair for your desk is so important. Not only is a good chair comfortable, but it also has the proper support for your neck and back, so that you do not strain them. Read on for some useful tips to keep in mind when browsing! When chair-shopping:
Also, consider these questions. Is there any benefit in having a desk chair that spins? Would you like a chair that is height-adjustable? Figuring out exactly what you want before you go shopping will help you to find exactly the right chair for you.  Lighting
In the past, we have talked about how to have great lighting in your bedroom. Lighting is even more important for your desk area, because if you don’t have the proper lighting in your workspace, it can strain your eyes and also make it more difficult to stay awake and concentrate. If your desk is in a darker corner, or if you work more often at night, then you might consider getting a small desk lamp. You could also purchase a floor lamp that will stand beside your desk and light up the whole area. Organization & Supplies Having a desk area that is well-equipped, stocked, and organized can make it much easier and more fun to start on your projects. Below are some supplies that I have found useful for helping me to stay organized. Supplies to consider:
I hope that you have fun customizing your desk area to be just right for you! Love, A 3/2/2020 0 Comments Bedroom do's and don't's Do’s:
* Do follow A’s tips for lighting. She had a great post on lights a few weeks ago. * Do decorate with your favorite knickknacks, but keep counters mostly clean. * Do choose one or two main colors for your room as well as one or two accent colors. Check out my previous post on colors. * Do make your bed every morning. It will get you in a habit and make it easier to remember to do. * Do throw away all trash immediately. Consider getting a small decorative trash can for your room Don’ts: * Don’t over stuff drawers, closets, shelfs, etc. * Don’t forget to put away laundry. Try to put it all away as soon as it is clean. * Don’t shove things under your bed. Get some short plastic totes to slide under your bed to keep those random items in. * Don’t bring something in to your room if you are not going to put it away. A common cause of dirty rooms is when people (myself included) bring random things in their rooms, set them down, and forget all about them. I hope these tips were helpful. Have fun! -B Ordinarily, I would always say to follow the instructions, but today I am going to show you how to incorrectly use your supplies to make the best room decor and storage ever! Be sure to roll up your sleeves and get parents permission before attempting any of these. Note: never try using any electric items in any way they were not intended. Supplies you need: * Nail polish * Shoe organizer (hanging type) * Drawstring bags * Cardboard * Cookie tins * Tape * Paper * Pens, crayons, markers, etc. 1. Nail polish Its pretty on nails but have you imagined it on other things? Try adding stripes to a jar or on a mirror frame. Do you need a picture on your wall? Paint a unique portrait out of nail polish that is sure to please! 2. Shoe organizer Everyone has one thing in their room that they can’t find a spot for. Problem solved! Hang your organizer on the back of a door and fill the compartments with whatever you want to. To keep the compartments from getting messy, put little signs in the front of each pouch telling what belongs there. 3. Drawstring bags It’s time to tell my secret. I have a pile of drawstring bags in the bottom of my closet. It is a big, ugly and growing pile that I have to do something about! Now I have the solution to my drawstrings and to yours too. Use your bags as designated cubbies for different items. Create a bag for your bracelet making supplies and another bag for your bottle cap collection. Make cute signs for each bag and secure them with tape. 4. Cardboard Time to scrap all cardboard boxes and put them to work. Divide drawer space into little compartments by adding cardboard walls. You could even cutesy it up my wrapping the walls in scrapbook or wrapping paper. 5. Cookie tins You know those cute tins that your neighbors give cookies in? Break out all your craft supplies and make them as cute as you can. Wrap them in paper and add marker and glitter pen designs. When you are done, fill them with your knickknacks and display them on shelfs and counters. Good job! -B 2/15/2020 0 Comments Maximizing music So far, our Room Redos series has covered topics ranging from storing books to using color in your bedroom. Today, we are going to talk about how music and sound can affect the mood of your bedroom. Ocean Sounds/White Noise First of all, let’s talk about ocean sounds. Playing recordings of ocean waves in your bedroom can help you to relax and unwind. Some girls like to listen to ocean sounds when they study, because the gentle sounds can help block out distractions like traffic or younger siblings.  Uplifting Music Instead of ocean sounds, you could try listening to uplifting music when your mood needs a boost. I am fond of Christian worship songs from Hillsong, Elevation Worship, and Lauren Daigle. Their songs have joyful, repetitive, and easy-to-sing lyrics that glorify God (but still make sure to get your parents' permission before listening). Soo .... What does music have to do with my bedroom? I’m glad you asked! Music can trigger powerful emotions, and it can have the ability to both calm and energize you. When you play music or ocean sounds in your bedroom, they can give your room a whole different mood. Sometimes turning on some fun tunes can be all that you need to refresh your bedroom and your perspective!  How do I get music to play in my bedroom?
Some different options for getting music into your bedroom include listening to it on phones, tablets, and mobile devices. Music can be played through a traditional stereo, and can be listened to through bluetooth speakers and headphones. (Note: Be cautious of the volume when you play music through headphones. Too loud of music can be harmful to your ears). Thank you for reading! I hope that you found helpful information and advice through this post! I love listening to music and ocean sounds in my bedroom, and I hope that you will too. With love, A Final note: Rules about music can vary by family, so make sure to talk to your parents and get their approval before listening to music or using online music services. 2/10/2020 0 Comments spring spacesGet your room ready for spring with this easy formula for a room refresh! Learn how to declutter and deep clean your space, and find handy tips to breathe new life into your bedroom. 1. Declutter. Set yourself up for success by starting with a fresh canvas. Starting on one wall of your room, work your way around your room methodically as you get rid of things you no longer need. Make sure to sort out: socks and earrings without matches, pens/pencils that do not work, old nail polish and lotions, and scrap pieces of paper.  2. Clean.
Bring out the vacuum and the dust rag and go for it! Dust all of the hard surfaces in your room, including wiping down the tops of baseboards, if you have them. Make sure to shake out your comforter and any curtains (or wash them, if they are washable). Then, vacuum out your room (including underneath your bed and desk and the floor of your closet). Finally, clean the windows and mirrors for a shining, dust-free room. 3. Refresh Now that your room has been decluttered and cleaned, it’s time to freshen it up. I like to use an essential oil diffuser with orange oil to give my room a sweet, spring scent. Or, if it is warm where you live, open a window for a few hours and let the breeze fill up your room. Plants can help to purify the air, and their green color is also relaxing. With your parent’s approval, bring some potted plants or flowers into your room this month. Enjoy getting your room ready for spring! With love, A 2/2/2020 0 Comments furniture fun I’m sure you have furniture in your bedroom. We all do. Every bedroom has a bed, and most have a dresser or drawer unit. If you have read our previous Room Redos (if you haven’t, I highly advise doing so) you already know what colors to paint your furniture with and how to give your space proper lighting, but another major key in making your room spacious is the actual layout of your things. Keep reading to get some great tips, but remember, you know your room best so use what works for your room.
Note: Leave all windows and doors unblocked by furniture. Beds: Your bed should be the “main attraction” in your room. By that, I mean that your bed should be a sort of centerpiece. It’s the most important part of your BEDroom. Try putting it in a corner, under a window or against a wall. Find what looks best before you continue. Dressers: Now that your bed is in place, let’s move on to another large piece. The best places to put them are in corners. Keep them with the back against a wall and a side pushed against another wall. I don’t recommend putting dressers in the center of walls. How to tell the difference between dressers and drawers: Each person may have a different definition of dressers and drawers but I consider anything higher than 3 feet a dresser and anything shorter drawers (or cabinets). Drawers: I saved these for now because they are still large but much more workable than dressers or beds. Try putting them in the center of that bare wall or even under a window. Have fun! -B P. S. Comment below to tell us how you how you arrange your room. |
