Putting Fall in Order

We still are enjoying beautiful, sunny weather and the leaves have not fallen quite yet... but you can tell fall is in the air.  The apples are starting to drop from our trees, the mornings are crisp with condensation, and the days are definitely shorter.

I can't tell you what came over me this fall, but as soon as summer hit an end, I was overcome with an urge to organize.  I am not talking about a delayed spring cleaning... I mean a full-on, nesting, drive to clear through all the clutter and put everything into order once and for all!  Of course, with busy/messy/needy twin toddlers, this is NOT an easy task.  Still, I have been taking every spare moment and ounce of energy to go through the corners and closets and minimize things down.

I thought you may like to see what I've been up to.

Of course, the main problem faced in a house of toddlers is the toys.  We recently revamped the boys room to make more space for play (and therefore, less toys in the main living area).  I've minimized the toys that are out on display and am trying to make sure everything has a place.

I'd love to use more of a toy rotation but, honestly, that is just a little too much work for me.  I don't have time to sort through and pull out new toys each week.  We don't play with everything every day so there is always something new to grab.

In the boys room, we also finally put in the rug we bought for them to add some more colour.  They also recently got their first real pillows and duvets.  I think it's pretty cute.

As I am always, always, always going through clothes, I worked on creating a bit more of a system for clothes storage.  I probably have kept WAY too many baby clothes, but I just can't part with them yet.  So right now most of their closet is boxes of infant clothes.  In the top, though, I have two bins of clothes that will be donated or consigned.  I just covered old diaper boxes with wrapping paper to make them look pretty.  They are organized by season (fall/winter and spring/summer).  I forgot to take a photo of their closet, and now they're in bed for the night, so a picture of the boxes will suffice.

Next I did a bit of rearranging in the living room.  We moved the boys' table by the window and it's so nice for them to sit and look outside.

We moved out shag carpet upstairs (leaving no carpet in the TV room) so I just have to try to keep the boys from having too much food in here (good luck, right?).

Downstairs I've been working to make the laundry room a functional storage/useable space.  I hate just seeing random things on open shelves so I covered some more boxes for keeping extra kitchen supplies we do not use too often (canning supplies, roaster, punch bowl, etc.).

 We also brought in a small shelf to keep extra pantry supplies in (hello Costco).  I have an extra shoe rack for boots/muddy gear and a box of winter stuff (hats, scarves) all ready to go.  This area looks a bit cluttered but it is functional.

I like the clean, tidy spaces much more than the clutter.

I also cleaned out our under stair storage.  It's mainly full of old boxes in case we ever move, and luggage.  I put our small bookshelves to store a few more things and I have my sewing/crafting supplies in there at the moment.  I brought in some totes but don't have a use for them yet.  I'd like to try to declutter more and put things down in those boxes for a year to see if I really need/use them or not.  After a year, if I haven't gone through them, I can donate them.

And there you have it... Through the house in a storm of cleaning.