Organized Kitchen

When I saw that Toni @ A Bowl Full of Lemons was doing "14 weeks to an organized home"I thought, 

"I can do this". 

Yep!! I'm laughing too but I'm sure as heck going to try. I figured it would be easy seeing how I just moved AGAIN the end of May. And, most of my things are in a storage unit!

For the most part my house is always pretty organized so I was hoping that this challenge would give me the incentive to organize the areas that are not. So, needless to say I was ecstatic to see that the Kitchen was the first place we are organizing. 

Why? Cause mine already is...woo hoo!!!

A real quick history before we get to the good stuff..."The Pics"!

In the last 3 yrs we down sized from a 2400 sq ft house to a 2600 sq ft town home to a 1200 sq ft condo to a 2800 sq ft town home to a 1400 sq ft house to our current home and it might be a 1,000 sq ft. Did this make you dizzy cause it does me to see that we moved that many times in the last 3 yrs. This last move is only for 1 yr and we are hoping to buy a house next year (this is another blog for another day)

With our current downsize I have a lot of my things in storage. So, if it didn't fit it went to storage or goodwill. One thing I can not stand is clutter. Especially on my counters and in my cabinets. Since I don't have a lot of counter space my racks from IKEA came in handy for some of my most used spices and my fancy (never use) coffee/tea cups.

I will not bore you by showing you every cabinet in my kitchen but you will get the idea of how I organize. It really is nothing fancy. I keep things I need at an arms reach and everything has it's own place. Including the cute dividers I use in the junk drawer.

***NOTE: I DID NOT LINE THESE SHELVES WITH THE HIDEOUS PLAID PAPER!!!

My IKEA cabinet came in handy for my dishes. With being in a small house I don't have a lot of space and I needed the space for food and my bigger appliances. 

Here are some pics of the house before we moved in, and some after pics of what it looks like now!!

This is the kitchen if you enter from my side door...

And, the kitchen standing on the other end...

So, see it's not much and a bit small for me but I make it work.

I hope you enjoyed my kitchen tour of my "Cabin in the woods" (as I call my home)

What are you organizing???

30 Days of "Thanks" Challenge: Day 7 & 8

 

Today I am "Thankful" for Advil and Heating Pad

I've been under the weather with migraines and a bad back...Hopefully I will be back to normal tomorrow!!

Until then I am thankful for Advil (and some stronger meds) and my heating pad as I'm laid up in bed trying to relax and get myself back to normal...

WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR TODAY?

30 Days of "Thanks" Challenge: Day 6

Today I am "Thankful" for My Parents...

It's not what they gave me...it's not where they took me...it is what they taught me...

Even though growing up I didn't think I was taught anything...mean parents...never let me have or do anything...

Those where my famous words growing up!!

Now that I look back I was nothing but selfish...It just took me growing up and being a parent to realize it...The whole time they were teaching me to be respectful...honest...caring and unselfish...That there is more to life then material things...

It just took alot of life's ups and downs for me to figure it all out and I am still learning...

As a parent of grown kids I instilled alot of those values in them...YEP!! I'm sure they were cussing me out as well...LOL

I never really thanked my parents for being the wonderful parents they are...They taught me so much in life and I wouldn't be the person I am today if it wasn't for them...they must be doing something right in life they will be married for 47 yrs....

Thanks Mom & Dad

WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR TODAY???

30 Days of "Thanks" Challenge: Day 5

OK...I missed yesterday so I will post 2 today to make up for it...I was busy with a yardsale yesterday that didn't go as good as I would have likeD...But, that's another post for another day...



Today I am "Thankful" for My Sense of Hearing!!!

Sometimes we take things for granted and I think our hearing is one of them...You never really quite think about it as being a blessing...I was sitting here this morning in my recliner and enjoying the quietness of the house...When all of a sudden I heard the trickling of the rain outside...

As I sat hear listening to the rain fall I started to think about all the other things I am blessed to hear...

The voices and laughter of my family...

We all love when it's quiet...I know I do...But, the thought of not hearing the daily things we take for granted would be so devastating...especially since we have been blessed with hearing...

Another thing I listen to is MUSIC...

{source}

Not sure what I would do with out that one...I can listen to anything that reflects my mood and it can also be calming...The harmonious sound of music can be heard in so many ways...whether it's the radio...concert or a child humming a tune...

I am "Thankful" I can hear the different sounds of life everyday!!

WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR TODAY???

30 Days of "Thanks" Challenge: Day 4



Today I am "Thankful" for my sense of sight!!!

I get to see the colors of life...

Beautiful flowers that make me smile...They bring so much joy in the spring...

The color of the ocean in the summer...

{source}

My favorite time of year is the "Fall"...When we go for a drive through the mountains and seeing all the leaves change colors is such a beautiful site...

{Grandfather Mountain, NC}

And even though I'm not a fan of the cold winter...the fresh snowfalls can be so beautiful...

{source}

There is so much to see in this beautiful world of ours and I feel so blessed to be able to see and enjoy as much of is as I can...

"Life is a great big canvas; throw all the paint on it you can"

WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR TODAY???

30 Days of "Thanks" Challenge: Day 3



Today I am "Thankful" for "My Laptop"

What would we do without our computers???

(yahoo image)

HAHA!!! I don't think so...

With all the blogging, decorating, art, networking I do...I would be...

(yahoo image)

With my laptop I have the flexibility to move about the house and take it with me wherever I go if I need it...It is great to keep in touch with friends and family that live far away...Oh and the picture sharing I do

 (darn pinterest)

Without my laptop I would not have met all my virtual friends...LOL

(yahoo image)

It really does make one's life so much easier for so many reasons!!

So again I will say I am Thankful for my Laptop :-)

(yahoo image)

WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR???

30 Days of "Thanks" Challenge: Day 2

 Today I am "Thankful" for "FRIENDS"... Without my friends I'm not sure that I would be able to do the things I do and yet keep my sanity...It's good to have them when you are having bad days and good days...They understand me and don't judge me!! The love and support I get from them is sometimes overwhelming...I am truly blessed to have them in my life.. 

Carrie -Me- Kara

Another dear friend I have also blogs...Roberta over at Love Shack Living ...We have been threw so much together and have so much in common that sometimes I don't know what I would do without her...I love having a fellow blogger as a friend...she really keeps me inspired!!!

(Wish I saw her more)

Real friends don't judge you...make you feel bad about yourself...or compete with you...they support you...give you joy and show you that you can trust them fully!!!

I have also met (well virtually) some friends and fellow blogger's...You all have a special place in my heart too ;-)

"Thanks for Being my FRIENDS"

WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR TODAY?

 

30 Days of "Thanks" Challenge!!

I can't believe it's November already...Where did the time go???

For the next 30 days I'm going to give you all the reasons I'm "Thankful"...

Please join in the challenge!!

 Today I am Thankful for my Family!!  

I do not have a huge house...a brand-new car or lots of money...What I do have is an amazing family and memories that will last forever!!!!

WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR???

I HEART faces..

I HEART faces <3...



I know I said I wasn't going to do challenges but I just couldn't help myself..."I heart faces" is having a photo challenge and it's "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes"...A photo challenge with "NO" faces..so what the heck...Let's do this!!!

This is one of my favorite photos and I thought it would be great for the photo challenge...

WHAT DO YOU THINK???