31 Tips to a Less Messy Cottage- Day 8 Be Thankful

It is that time of year again!  I think we should have an "Attitude of Gratitude"

Even so I would do this post because I am learning that the more grateful I am for my home and what I have.....the more I want to take good care of it!

There are so many days where I think to myself one of the following:
   -The toys would be more organized if I just had the right size container for them.
   -If I had a better vacuum my floors would be cleaner.......or I can't wait until we rip out the carpet so I can have nicer looking floors.
   -This room will look so much better when I finish this project.....and the next!
   -I wish my house wasn't so small then it would be easier to keep clean.
   -I hate laundry.....I want to throw all of our clothes in the garbage then I won't have to worry about it.
   -I would feel happier if I got up earlier to clean my house spotless before the kids get up.
   -If only my children would learn to put their stuff away and not throw it all over the place.
 
These are only a few.  My goal over the last couple of months has been to be more grateful for what I have.

I find myself being grateful for even the sometimes late hours my husband works......because there have been a couple of times where he had nowhere to be but home and no employer to work for.

I find joy in some of the messes my children make because of the laughter they make while doing it!
And sometimes I watch in glee as they learn a new skill.

"I" cleaning his room.  I think he vacuums better than most!  He uses the crevice attachment and everything!

I am more grateful for my laundry because my family and I have clothing to wear in abundance thanks to family.

We have much more laundry than this and I don't need to tell you if it's clean or dirty :)

I am "sometimes"  grateful for dishes because it means we have food to eat and dishes to eat off of.

Glad I got rid of half of my dishes or my kitchen might look like this.

I am grateful for our small, old home because it means that we have a roof over our heads.

Not our house.

I am grateful for things that need fixing because it means we can learn a new skill and my husband and I can work together while doing it.

Can't wait to learn to make these beautiful...and cottage like.

When I am grateful for my surroundings I find myself cleaning without feeling like it is such a burden. I feel the importance for my role and grateful for being able to stay at home with my children and make our house a home!
When we are grateful for our homes and our things we take better care of them.


Happy Early Thanksgiving!

What things are you grateful for?

Slackin' and 31 Tips to a Less Messy Cottage- Tip 7

This wreath was brown and plain so I took three colors of my trusty spray paint and did a color fade effect for fun!  I love how it turned out!
I used ivory, Blue Ocean Breeze, and Bahama Sea from Krylon.

So far I have a couple of ancestor photos painted jade and some screens from a room divider against the wall!
Curtains next!

I have had this sewing cabinet for years and kept it the same sage color until now.  The other day I got out my turquoise paint and brightened it up.  Now it looks like a new table!

I began the 31 Days to a Less Messy Cottage to realize that it is pretty hard to do on top of my home improvement projects and work.

So.....I am thinking this will be 31 Tips to a Less Messy Cottage so that I don't feel obligated every single day to have something new.  I want to show you what I have been working on.....

The Front Room Project is coming to a close
     Who knows if it will ever really feel finished, but have an  OCDD (obsessive compulsive decorator disorder.)

Beloved "mudroom" makeover with a table made bench!
Those pillows are black and white hounds tooth!  The picture doesn't do them justice!

I repainted because I felt the room was too gloomy.  I wish I had taken a better "before" picture of the coppery brown walls.  They were great when we moved in but started to wear on me after I also painted the adjoining kitchen dark too!

      Just think drab copper penny and that is the color of my front room before my gradual transformation.

I added a basket for shoes, food storage cans (which will have numbers on them soon.) for hats and gloves.  I also made a picture fram bulletin board out of my stash of junk.  Now my kids can put their notes from their teachers on there.  They are being trained still.
Those wall racks are Kroken from Ikea.  $4.99 each with hooks $5.00 for a five-pack.
By the way...you have to buy your own hardware to hang them up!

That bench was a table that was too small for anything.

Normally I just think all utilitarian stuff is ugly.  Well, these backpacks are still really cute hung up in the "nice room".

I like our little nook.  Now if I can just keep my family trained to use the "mudroom" that would be just amazing

The color now is a cheerful, golden mustard with some neutrals mixed in with blue-greens and turquoise
I am loving it!!

Our Entry Table

Sorry for the lack of good photos.  Using photobooth until I get a cord for my camera!

CThe last two days I have also been starting to de-clutter my kitchen as well.  It is a long, narrow kitchen so the more decluttering the better.  Some of you will think I'm nuts but I got rid of my microwave to give me some more counter space......don't think the hubby will like that one.
      In the long run he will thank me ;)

So Todays Tip is to clean off your counter tops and breathe!

The last week has been hectic with wrapping up a clients project so......I couldn't see the counters in my kitchen.  The last two days I have been trying to do ALL of my dishes.

I've noticed that I have had more dishes than I've ever had.  I think it is due to the fact that I bought some extra dishes and pots.

    My poor kitchen can't handle it so.....there will have to be a purging of some older dishes and pots to make everything fit.  Then when I need to cook dinner I will have to use the dishes we have (or use paper plates...lol)   and pots forcing me to keep up on the dishes.  It will be a blessing in disquise.

What do you do to cut down on dishes?

How many of you find that using a crock pot helps with the dish load?

I met someone a few years back who only wanted to mess up her kitchen once a day. (I think all her kids were in school!)
So when she got up in the morning she would make her dinner meal or stick it in the crock pot.
I think it was this same person who had five children and never went over $250 per month.

There is also another blogger who makes meals ahead of time and she has a great e-book for like only $10 or so.  She has some great ideas...and no I am not getting paid to promote her.  I just think she is cool.
www.thegroceryshrink.com

I would love to hear about any other ideas you may have!