Thank you everyone for your lovely comments last post :-D Alex had his scan and unfortunately it turns out he does in fact have ureta reflux. There are little kinks in the ureta tubes to the kidneys which makes the wee flow the wrong way, which is why he had the urinary infection. He will need to be on a low dose of antibiotics for 2 years :-( Of course it could be alot worse, but this result is still extremely upsetting for me as I had wished the Dr would say "Your boy is perfectly healthy and will never need another test or drug again"...
Anyway, spending more time in the childrens ward (this time just a few hours) once again put things into perspective for Shane and I as we watched a beautiful tiny girl with muscular dystrophy play with the toys in the waiting room. Many, many babies have terrible conditions much worse than what Alex has and I am thankful that his condition isn't worse. He wont need surgery which is a HUGE relief. The antibiotics will keep his urine sterile and in 2 years the tubes will have straightened themselves out. At least he likes his medicine- it is banana flavoured :-) I am taking pro-biotics so he gets some in the breast milk, and hopefully that will be enough to prevent him getting thrush from taking antibiotics long term. I am also going to see a naturapath to find out if there's anything else I can do (the Dr's answer was "No". (Followed by a Loud Silence).
Anyway- apart from all this we are going very well! Little darling sleeps for 3 hour periods now which is a huge relief! And the night feeds are very "Get the Job (quietly) Done and Back to Sleep". I am still having trouble sometimes with the breast feeding, and it usually happens in the middle of the night (I guess because I am tired and Alex is tired and the whole thing goes pear shaped) and the vasospasms are worse at night. So now I pump a couple of bottles and we give him those at night, usually one at 3am and Shane gives him one early morning so I can sleep for a longer stretch. I usually get 5 or 6 hours sleep a night now which is bliss! It's enough to feel almost normal again and sometimes I get a little half hr nap in the afternoon. Alex still sleeps alot during the day of course.
I have begun to think about Spring Cleaning, as it's that time of year and our place hasn't been properly cleaned since Alex was born. Some things need to be done for health reasons, poor Shane gets terrible hayfever and Alex sneezes alot too. I now feel like I am ready to tackle some short bursts of cleaning (I can get ALOT done in 20 minutes- I am like Speedy Gonzales :-D) while he sleeps. He is playing with (well, looking at-) his toys more now (he's 2 months old now) so I can get some things done while he's awake too. I have decided to write up a timetable for the next few weeks, with the cleaning projects that really need to done, like the dusting. I will write up on my whiteboard in the laundry what jobs need doing, and allocate 20 mins twice a week. I find it much easier if I allocate a certain job to a particular day, for e.g. Vaccuum floors on Monday, Grocery shopping on Tuesday, Spring Cleaning (only 20 mins) on Wednesday, Cooking on Thursday etc. I was reading a post on the topic of creating a cleaning schedule on the Creative Organizing blog, here is the link. I also do a load of washing or 2, everyday. I know that sounds excessive, but we really do have that much washing!! Especially as Alex brings up a lot of milk, we are constantly changing his clothes and bibs, and then there's the cloth nappies, which we mostly use as large bibs. He also has diarrhea alot from the antibiotics :-(. We go through alot of nappies a day, so we have to use disposables as well as cloth. I'm constantly surprised how much washing there is even when I try to always have a bib on him! Do you find you have ALOT of washing with your babies or is it just me??
A friend of mine asked recently if I have any new tips on organising. I realise I haven't really written anything useful on organising/tidying for a while- it's all been about Alex hasn't it :-D Well I'm not sure about anything new on organising but I can sum up a couple of helpful tips I've been thinking about. Firstly, when de-cluttering an area like the kitchen bench, I go with the rule Like With Like, meaning keep like things together. This rule can be applied to both tidying up and organising. When tidying, I first run around grabbing all the clothes, off the floor, bed, furniture etc. I then sort out dirty clothes from the "can be worn again" clothes- I know this might sound a bit gross but I put the "can be worn again" back into the cupboard. Otherwise the house is cluttered by these items- I will wear things like jeans many, many times in an attempt to cut down on washing (mind you- I don't fit my jeans yet so it's mostly just pj's around the house ;-)) Obviously, dirty clothes go to the laundry basket.
Next I tackle paper, and sort into piles- rubbish, things to be read, bills, etc- usually bills go straight into my 3 tier paper organiser but lately the little buggars end up on the coffee table or kitchen bench etc. After clothing and paper has all been put away or dealt with, I will grab all the bathroom items, for eg. moisturiser, hair ties, lip blam etc that finds its way to the rest of the house. On I go in this way- just tackling one "type" of thing at a time. Have you tried this system when you tidy up? I find it helps me stay focused, as otherwise I may walk randomly around the place unsure of what I am picking up next.
"Like With Like"- I always use this rule with organising. Basically, keep like items together, and when relevant, keep them in some sort of container and label it. It can be that simple! For eg, if you want to tidy up the bathroom cupboard, sort everthing into piles- hair things, skin creams, first aid supplies, soaps, teeth cleaning items etc. Next source suitable containers, I recently got some small white plastic baskets at Woolworths, and they were only about $9 for 4! (Photos to come, another day- camera battery is flat :-)) I never spend alot on these sorts of containers. Remember to use plastic ones in the bathroom as cane or material will get mouldy. Next you can either label the containers once you've filled them with the individual piles "Hair Things" or you may not have to if it is obvious to you and your family what is in them. Aahh containers- I do feel better when things are snuggled neatly in them.
Speaking of snuggle- Bubba is waking so I better get going- please share with me if you are doing some organising lately, and if you use the "Like with Like" rule- and what containers are you using??
Xxo Sarndra
Showing posts with label de-clutter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label de-clutter. Show all posts
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Space and Time
When you have an area that is over-crowded and messy- and you just can't get it organised- it's time to move some of the contents out. Whether it be a cupboard, a drawer, the kitchen, the garage- the same rule applies. If it's too crowded, something has to go. Now it's up to you to decide if you want to donate the 'things that have to go', give them to a friend, or store them somewhere else in the house. The third choice here is a little risky- do you have another area in the house or garage that you can store extra items in?
Basically, when I am organising one of my own cupboards that is too full, I go through item by item deciding if I really want that item or if it can go. Sometimes it can feel really liberating letting certain things go. Especially if it's going to a good home. For example, in the kitchen, extra toasters and kettles will always find a welcome home with a young person moving into their first flat. Or extra linen/blankets are always wanted in charity shops, especially in this bizarre time of natural disasters all over the world. It's a good feeling to know that at the same time as de-cluttering your home, you are also helping someone in need.
Back to the third option- should the item be stored somewhere else in the home? Do you have a top shelf up high somewhere not being used? I like to think of cupboards as a giant jigsaw puzzle. It's amazing how much can be stored somewhere, when items are placed exactly in the right way. It really helps having the right equipment too- cardboard boxes stacked can store a lot more in a space than merely having the items there on their own. Square or rectangle things fit better than free-flowing forms, usually.
Obviously for this option to be successful, you need to look at the items and decide which ones you use and need on a regular basis, and which you rarely or never use at all. I always only keep things I actually use, within arms reach. For example in my kitchen, I only have a couple of pots and pans in a deep drawer. I know that I only use these particular pots and pans daily. We do have other ones, but those are kept in the corner drawer that's harder to get to. It's a decent area of space down there, and perfect to store those items I rarely use. Perhaps I would need them once or twice a month. I know where they are, and it's not too difficult getting down there to reach them on the odd occasion.
This same rule applies all over the house. In my bathroom, I only keep a few make-up items that I use daily or weekly- one mascara, one face powder, one brown eye liner, one pink rouge, a few lip sticks and eye shadows. There's no need for me to over-crowd this one drawer with makeup I don't use regularly. But I don't want to throw the other makeup away. So I have a shoe-box of extras that I store in the spare bedroom (Peanut's bedroom-) in the cupboard. The box is labelled 'make-up'. I know it's there, for the odd occasion where I might feel like wearing blue eye shadow (!).
I realise this may be very different in your situation. Shane and I don't have a lot of possessions- I guess in a way we are minimalists. I am always trying to simplify our life and I do this by ensuring I don't collect too many 'things' along the way. I try to live by the 'one in, one out' rule, with things such as shoes. When I occasionally buy a new pair of shoes, I know it's time to let go of an old pair I no longer wear. Especially as the area where I store my shoes is limited. Limited space = limited items that can live there.
Go through your house and garage slowly and take a good look around. In the garage, look up. Can you (or a Mr-) attach beams or poles along the ceiling and store long items such as ski's or bicycles rarely being used, up there? Can you put hooks on the wall to hang things from, or place a shelf extender on top of a bookcase? Usually it doesn't take long to find extra 'space' somewhere around the home. Just make sure if you do use cardboard boxes, to write on the front what you've placed in there. I always do this, either with a printed label or a thick black marker pen because I have a terrible memory. A few days afterwards I will have no idea what I put in that box up there on the top shelf.
It does take time to do this kind of work. Don't take on too much at one time- a little bit done here and there around the house will slowly but surely get your goals achieved. One drawer one weekend, or do the garage in your holidays taken off work. I always make sure to finish one job before tackling the next, otherwise things get messy and too overwhelming; and it can make you want to give up and sit down with a bottle or two of wine (in my case, in the pre-Peanut days!). Stay focused, keep that one job in mind, get it finished and reward yourself. Have a few days break before attempting the next task. There's no hurry.
Basically, when I am organising one of my own cupboards that is too full, I go through item by item deciding if I really want that item or if it can go. Sometimes it can feel really liberating letting certain things go. Especially if it's going to a good home. For example, in the kitchen, extra toasters and kettles will always find a welcome home with a young person moving into their first flat. Or extra linen/blankets are always wanted in charity shops, especially in this bizarre time of natural disasters all over the world. It's a good feeling to know that at the same time as de-cluttering your home, you are also helping someone in need.
Back to the third option- should the item be stored somewhere else in the home? Do you have a top shelf up high somewhere not being used? I like to think of cupboards as a giant jigsaw puzzle. It's amazing how much can be stored somewhere, when items are placed exactly in the right way. It really helps having the right equipment too- cardboard boxes stacked can store a lot more in a space than merely having the items there on their own. Square or rectangle things fit better than free-flowing forms, usually.
Obviously for this option to be successful, you need to look at the items and decide which ones you use and need on a regular basis, and which you rarely or never use at all. I always only keep things I actually use, within arms reach. For example in my kitchen, I only have a couple of pots and pans in a deep drawer. I know that I only use these particular pots and pans daily. We do have other ones, but those are kept in the corner drawer that's harder to get to. It's a decent area of space down there, and perfect to store those items I rarely use. Perhaps I would need them once or twice a month. I know where they are, and it's not too difficult getting down there to reach them on the odd occasion.
This same rule applies all over the house. In my bathroom, I only keep a few make-up items that I use daily or weekly- one mascara, one face powder, one brown eye liner, one pink rouge, a few lip sticks and eye shadows. There's no need for me to over-crowd this one drawer with makeup I don't use regularly. But I don't want to throw the other makeup away. So I have a shoe-box of extras that I store in the spare bedroom (Peanut's bedroom-) in the cupboard. The box is labelled 'make-up'. I know it's there, for the odd occasion where I might feel like wearing blue eye shadow (!).
 |
| Extra makeup shoe box |
I realise this may be very different in your situation. Shane and I don't have a lot of possessions- I guess in a way we are minimalists. I am always trying to simplify our life and I do this by ensuring I don't collect too many 'things' along the way. I try to live by the 'one in, one out' rule, with things such as shoes. When I occasionally buy a new pair of shoes, I know it's time to let go of an old pair I no longer wear. Especially as the area where I store my shoes is limited. Limited space = limited items that can live there.
Go through your house and garage slowly and take a good look around. In the garage, look up. Can you (or a Mr-) attach beams or poles along the ceiling and store long items such as ski's or bicycles rarely being used, up there? Can you put hooks on the wall to hang things from, or place a shelf extender on top of a bookcase? Usually it doesn't take long to find extra 'space' somewhere around the home. Just make sure if you do use cardboard boxes, to write on the front what you've placed in there. I always do this, either with a printed label or a thick black marker pen because I have a terrible memory. A few days afterwards I will have no idea what I put in that box up there on the top shelf.
It does take time to do this kind of work. Don't take on too much at one time- a little bit done here and there around the house will slowly but surely get your goals achieved. One drawer one weekend, or do the garage in your holidays taken off work. I always make sure to finish one job before tackling the next, otherwise things get messy and too overwhelming; and it can make you want to give up and sit down with a bottle or two of wine (in my case, in the pre-Peanut days!). Stay focused, keep that one job in mind, get it finished and reward yourself. Have a few days break before attempting the next task. There's no hurry.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Computer Organising
I've had such a lovely time today reading through everybody's comments- thank you so much. It means alot to me to get such friendly feedback.
I received alot of comments today, which as I'm sure other Bloggers are aware come through my email inbox, as well as on the blog. This reminded me to do one of my home organising jobs- organising in the computer. I like to keep on track with emails, sorting them into folders, so my inbox doesn't get too full.
I delete the emails I know I won't need again, immediately after reading them. Then every now and then I sort the others into folders- Family, Friends, Blog, Bills, Birth & Baby, Receipts, Organising, and so on. I have quite a few folders, and I can always add a new one if an email I need to keep doesn't belong in any folders I already have.
Another task I like to keep up with is de-cluttering my desktop. I often save documents there so they are easy to find (lazy, I know!!). So every few months I need to delete unwanted icons on the desktop, so I can clearly find only the ones I actually need there. I like my desktop to only have a few things on it, as I usually have a beautiful photo in the background, and I want to be able to see as much of the photo as possible :-)
I am really bad at one major job on the computer- organising photos. I use Picasa 3, but I have never taken the time to learn how to use it properly. I would love to learn how to correctly group photos in folders and albums, one day... one day. In this world of digital photography they sooooo quickly build up, into thousands and thousands. A great piece of advise I was given recently, was to delete the unwanted or 'bad' photos, and in the case where you have several of the same thing, choose the best and delete the rest. Such a good idea- back in the day of film I would only take 1 photo of something, not 10! So I need to work on this.
I will be putting 'photo organisation' on my To-Do list. How do you organise in your computer? Sorry no pic today- I think a photo of my computer would be way too boring :-)
I received alot of comments today, which as I'm sure other Bloggers are aware come through my email inbox, as well as on the blog. This reminded me to do one of my home organising jobs- organising in the computer. I like to keep on track with emails, sorting them into folders, so my inbox doesn't get too full.
I delete the emails I know I won't need again, immediately after reading them. Then every now and then I sort the others into folders- Family, Friends, Blog, Bills, Birth & Baby, Receipts, Organising, and so on. I have quite a few folders, and I can always add a new one if an email I need to keep doesn't belong in any folders I already have.
Another task I like to keep up with is de-cluttering my desktop. I often save documents there so they are easy to find (lazy, I know!!). So every few months I need to delete unwanted icons on the desktop, so I can clearly find only the ones I actually need there. I like my desktop to only have a few things on it, as I usually have a beautiful photo in the background, and I want to be able to see as much of the photo as possible :-)
I am really bad at one major job on the computer- organising photos. I use Picasa 3, but I have never taken the time to learn how to use it properly. I would love to learn how to correctly group photos in folders and albums, one day... one day. In this world of digital photography they sooooo quickly build up, into thousands and thousands. A great piece of advise I was given recently, was to delete the unwanted or 'bad' photos, and in the case where you have several of the same thing, choose the best and delete the rest. Such a good idea- back in the day of film I would only take 1 photo of something, not 10! So I need to work on this.
I will be putting 'photo organisation' on my To-Do list. How do you organise in your computer? Sorry no pic today- I think a photo of my computer would be way too boring :-)
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