Organizing On a Very Small Budget

Organization is hot right now! It's a topic on TV, social media, magazines, and has made it's way onto many New Year Resolution checklists! But let's face it, with high numbers of Americans struggling financially, who has money for expensive Organizational items? Small storage bins can run as much as $2 each, and an average dresser can fit up to 4 in each drawer!

     I have great news; If you can buy food, you can Organize! When organizing on a budget, look no further then your local Supermarket! Many foods come in containers that can be re-purposed as organizers. When you're shopping consider the packaging your food comes in, and imagine it organizing your home. One of my favorite reusable containers are Salad clamshells. They are durable, and can be used with or without the lid to hold many items.

 

(A paper towel in the clamshell may help keep the lettuce from becoming moist and rotting. [Above]) Wash the clamshell by hand (they will melt in the dishwasher), dry and start using right away! These containers make great drawer organizers for adults and children. They're a great way to keep items like socks, underwear, and pajamas separated and easy to find. (Below) Find the food/clamshell that fits your dresser drawer space and organize away!

 

You can get smaller storage containers from every day food items like Jelly. The containers can be used for small items including personal/beauty products, office supplies, and can even hold your change. Use them to organize cupboards, your workbench, or desk. Jars come in many sizes and finding the right food product/organizing container begins in the supermarket aisle. 

(It's important to keep glass containers like these our of little hands' reach.)

 When we're finished with our favorite Jelly, the label gets removed and it takes a trip through the dish washer. I store my hair ties and bobby pins in a jar, making them easy to access when needed. (Left)

Here canning jars make presentable and functional storage for coffee sweeteners. The jars are so attractive that they stay out for all eyes to see next to our coffee pot. (Right)

 Finding containers to fit your storage needs is easy, once you know where to look!  So next time you hit the grocery store, think not only about your diet, but also about how your food packaging can help organize your home.

The Breast Milk Baby

 With the flood of toys available to children, how do we as parents know which products to choose? I have spent many hours in aisles, researching online, and reading product reviews searching for the best toys. As a Mom, I want toys that are educational, fun to play with, good quality, and socially responsible.Which is why I was thrilled to find The Breast Milk Baby!
     As a breastfeeding Mom, when I first heard about The Breast Milk Baby I was excited!  The value of a doll that mimics breastfeeding, an activity that nursing Moms participate in throughout the day, is unmeasurable. As an Occupational Therapist I can see the value of this doll not only for play, but also as an educational tool to nursing Moms, their support circle, and Moms who plan on nursing.
While pregnant with my first son, I often wondered how I would breastfeed him; What it would look like, how I would hold him, and if I would be good at it. The Breast Milk Baby could have helped me achieve confidence in these areas. He/She can be used to help teach nursing positions, and with realistic cries and mouth movements, could have given me an idea of what nursing my son would be like. The doll comes with a halter that has two flower petals, when he/she starts to cry placing the mouth by the petals  stops the doll's crying and triggers a nursing pattern including suckling noise and mouth movement. He/she can then be placed over your shoulder for burping! Amazing! Watch Video here.
    With a very long and well researched list of the benefits of breastfeeding  for both infants and Moms, I was shocked to see negative feedback in the United States about The Breast Milk Baby. One example can be found here. I believe that a lack of education and personal experience with the wonderful nurturing act of breastfeeding has lead some to think this way, however I'm very lucky to have found myself surrounded with fantastic breastfeeding Moms from organizations like the La Leche League, a breast feeding support and educational group that may very well have a local chapter near you!
      "The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months of age and continued breastfeeding for at least 2 years, along with the timely introduction of adequate amounts of complementary foods..."(1). With such strong support for breastfeeding, it's no wonder The Breast Milk Baby received the Dr. Toy Best of Year Award! After reviewing this wonderful product, I'm convinced that once you see this doll, it's impossible to do anything except embrace him/her. He/she would make a perfect gift for your child, tool for education, and wonderful addition to Hospitals and Birth centers. The Breast Milk Baby is very accessible for purchase, and is carried by retailers such as Amazon.com.
     I thought I would introduce The Breast Milk Baby to friends and family to get their reactions. He has been a big hit! One Mom said "My daughter has already been breastfeeding her dolls for years" (S.H., 2013).  Another Mom said "This doll is great, I would love to have one for my daughter to help get ready for the birth of her sister!" (C.K., 2013). My sons love Jeremiah, and although they don't breast feed him, they quickly incorporated him into their play group and my toddler intuitively placed him over his shoulder for comfort when he began to cry.
     Occupational Therapy, a profession which practices under a document known as the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process  , helps individuals in every aspect of their daily lives. All of the Areas of Occupations highlighted in the Framework can be seen in the Occupation of breastfeeding, both for the Mother and many also for the nursing infant or child. Not only does breastfeeding impact daily activities for the Mother and nursing infant or child, but also for the circle of supporters that may include spouse, Grandparents, friends, and other siblings. Learn more about Occupational Therapy from our professions' organization, the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The AOTA provides a place for Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants, consumers, and other persons to gather, and to learn. AOTA also hosts an Annual Conference that functions as the hub for new research and networking for practitioners.
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Schick Grand Prize Visit With Jill Pollack

The morning of the "makeover" at 9AM there was a knock on my door....and it was Jill Pollack!! Very exciting. Shortly after 3 girls from Schick Intuition arrived, along with 2 guys manning a production crew with all sorts of equipment. Also, 2 really nice guys who drove the Limo and Cadillac Escalade (no we didn't get to go riding around in them celebrating afterwards, not sure you could put 2 baby seats in there?). The crew was here from 9 AM until 7:30 PM! What a day, I was ready to fall over! (They were nice enough to let me take some photos of my experience for  my blog!) (This is a photo of Jill's driver Ray [wonderful guy] coming back with the group Starbucks order, coffee as you can imagine is a very important part of this production!)















After the Starbucks was distributed, the day started off with multiple takes of Jill entering through the front door.
This is me looking through the front door waiting for my cue to open it for Jill. I can't remember how many times we did this, but it was a lot! We took it from 2 different angles.
      So, after everyone left, and the commotion came to a screeching halt, I sat up for a long time processing the visit. I spent several weeks up late stressed out from the experience. I think in my mind when I heard "makeover" I thought my house was going to be filled with people helping my organize my home. After it was all over, I felt used and or violated. I realized that I had been the subject of a video about organizing, and not the subject of a "makeover". You can Watch the Video Here. Although Jill's tips were helpful, most of the day was dominated by filming.
    So, it came out and the video wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I felt as though they were trying to peg me as a horribly messy person by staging the rooms in my home to look messy for "before" and "after" shots (Camera guys "staging" my living room and taping it on right). I also feared my really old fridge's condition was going to be a highlight! Remarkably, the thing that stood out the most about the video was Jill saying wine glasses and formula. I thought SOB!!
      Let me explain. I had taken out formula samples, and a giant container of wine and glasses I bought for a party, that I couldn't bring myself to throw away, to get the nudge to toss them. I am a HUGE Breastfeeding advocate. My son hasn't had a drop of formula. We even spent time organizing my frozen breast milk in the freezer during the taping, and I had to take breaks to nurse my little guy (4 m/o at taping). What made it into the film??? Formula. SOB.
     As it would turn out I have been thankful to have the formula around, my senior German Shepherd has really benefited from it, I have been giving it to her to supplement her diet and help with the aging process.

So how did my home go from what you see in the "before" to what you see in the "after" shots?
    The "after" shots aren't a true representation of what the house looked like after "organization". We have tons of toys in our play area. If my kids are happy having toys in every room, I'm happy. For the "after" shot we removed most of the toys from the room, and big items like the baby swing and bouncy seat, then put it back after taping was done. (Staging the living room to look "played in" on left)
 The toy organizer Jill brought has been great for all the little toys we have, You can find a similar item here on Amazon.. The big Fisher Price barns you see in the "before" shots all come with little animals. We keep all the little animals in one bin, and the large barns back into the large grey bin you see in the "before" shot or on the floor. Let's face it, if you have kids, chances are your home is dominated by toys because the primary Occupation of kids is.......Play!!! (One of the camera crew and a Schick Intuition staff member assembling the toy organizer Right) (Discussing how to tape the living room for the "after" shot below left)
  

     Our dining room table comes up next in the video. Maybe you were wondering where all the stuff from the Kitchen went. Items that we took out of the cupboards and off counter tops made it to the table,  it's really really cluttered for the video (more then usual).
      The "studio contraption" Jill brought has been great for art supplies, mail, receipts, paper. I also use the dining room table as an office (I am writing this here now) so I can watch the kids, and get some work done. Find it here on Amazon I have seen the price go up steadily, it was around $60, is now at $100, so watch for price fluctuations to get the best deal. The drawers occasionally fall off track, but go right back on and it's a small flaw to deal with for functionality.
    So where did all my "stuff" go from the dining room table? Honestly, it's all downstairs in our home, waiting to be dealt with. Don't feel bad if you're a little cluttered too, there was no magic here. Bottom line is, I have to get rid of tons of stuff. (My husband comforting Roman [right] and one of the really nice camera guys - who worked nonstop and had a long trip to and from our home, even helped with the dishes)

    How did we get all our "stuff?" Before moving back home to PA while pregnant with my first son, we lived in a home with at least double the kitchen space, cabinets, and a big island with storage above and underneath.  We have taken all of those items, put them into this smaller kitchen, and added 2 babies and all the things they need.
   What was my takeaway from the experience? Several of Jill's tips didn't make it into the video, but here is my version of them.


1. Throw out lots of stuff.
2. Put everything into containers.(plastic bins, jars, etc.)
3. Group items together by use, and not by type (things to bake with, things to make coffee with)
4. If you use it frequently, put it out where it's easy to get to.
5.You can get lots done if someone watches your toddler for the day!
     Would I repeat the experience? I have to say, that given another day when my husband, and sons are home I would choose to go to an amusement park, or hang out in our pajamas watching movies. Family is the most important thing to me, but should you have the opportunity to have help from Jill Pollack with organizing your home (I think she is for hire!), do it, absolutely but perhaps without the whole production.

 

Melissa & Doug Terrific Twenty List and Trunki Giveaway

Melissa & Doug Terrific Twenty List & Trunki Giveaway

     It's the Perfect time of year for a Giveaway! You can imagine my excitement when I received an e-mail that the famous toy company Melissa & Doug! For 20 days in November they are giving away items from their Teriffic 20 list! What a teriffic list it is! 

     As the Mom of 2 small boys, I am excited about every item on the list! Our house is full of Melissa and Doug toys, and if you have had the opportunity to use some of their products, then I don't have to tell you about the quality and imaginative nature of each and every piece.

If you're not familiar with the Melissa and Doug company THIS LIST is a great place to start. It features 20 toys selected to bring a smile to everyone's face (I will admit to loving the toys as much as my kids do!).  You can enter to win Every day right here on their facebook page for 20 days starting November 6th. 
     One of my favorites from the top 20 List is the Trunki. The Trunki comes in many colors and is the perfect case to take along toys on trips, to Grandma's, pretend play and to take around in your home. It features 4 wheels turning it into a fun ride-on toy for your little ones! What a fantastic imaginative creation by Melissa & Doug! Enter Here to win a Trunki of your own! Winner will be selected at the close of the entry period on November 30th and contacted by e-mail. Winner will receive a Trunki of their choice from Melissa & Doug! Contact information will be provided to the toy company for shipment of your beautiful new Trunki! I can be contacted at Jelba03@gmail.com

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Momma Teether Review

Momma Tether Review

(Product by Lansinoh)

      As the Mom of 2 small children, we have gone through our share of teethers so I was skeptical. To my plesant surprise, the Momma teether is unlike others we have tried and seems to be a favorite for my sons.

     Meet Gino, (right) he's the chick. The Momma teether comes in 3 characters; Gino, Jack, and Fred. Gino, pictured here is "the chick" yellow. Jack "the seal" blue. Fred "the penguin" black/grey. I have found all of these for sale on Amazon.com and many other websites. Lansinoh reports that the Momma teether will be available in Target stores soon!

     As you can see, Gino is a nice size teether. In addition to his size and attractive coloring, he's multitextural and multimaterial. The teether is made up of both softer material for the round portion and harder material for the head. In addition, there are 2 what I call arms on the device which can be used to target specific areas on the gums to massage. This is one of my son's favorite features, I frequently find him gumming the "arms" of the teether.
          There is an apparent front and back of the device as the face appears on the "front" with the raised circles, and the head back is blank with the raised lines on the circular part. I find my son smiling at the face and keeping it turned outwards.
     The face/head potion is an attractive feature which my son primarily uses it to brace the device and prevent it from slipping in his hand or mouth. The round/teething portion sports circular and lined raised designs on a smooth surface and is water filled.The water allows for the teether to be used as a cooling device for sore gums, once placed into the refridgerator until the desired temperature is reached.
     I typically use this teether with a binky clip, or toy holder so taking it in the car, stroller, and out shopping is easy and we avoid dropping it onto the floor.

   Instructions from the packaging are pictured here (left). I recycled both the plastic clamshell and the paper from the packaging and didn't get any complaints from our recycle guys (so I guess it's okay here for our recycle department.) States and municipalities may vary. For other information visit the company website .

 We received this product free by mail from Dropgifts, an application on facebook. https://www.facebook.com/DropGifts?ref=ts&fref=ts
  Information on this blog is my opinion and should not be used for anything other then that. 

Presents!!!

 So today was a bust. Ever wake up in the morning with a long list of things to get done, and find yourself sandwiched between 2 cranky babies all day? Yep, happened to me, true story. When I became a Mom, I quickly learned that I am not in control...not even a little, and sometimes you just have to let go and do what's best for the kids. So in my -disappointment with progress today- mood, I heard a noise....what's that? A big truck??? Yes!! With a very exciting delivery for me from Amazon! (Has to be from Jill Pollack and Schick Intuition!) What a fantastic pick me up! (I have some pictures, ever notice when you're excited to upload pictures your camera takes extra long? Happened to me, true story.)

So this was the first package!! It includes a Magic Holder, for mops and brooms, swiffer, etc. I'm not sure if I should use these things, or wait for the crew to arrive on Friday and show me a good way to use them? I do have a broom, 2 swiffers, but can't recall what I did with the mop....Turns out, if you wet a towel, it makes a great swiffer mop. Plus you can rinse and ring it out. I actually think it cleans the floor better then a traditional mop?



Second package had this inside. It's a can organizer, I did find a photo of it on Amazon, it makes much more sense when you see the picture:http://www.amazon.com/Organize-It-All-Can-Rack/dp/B000KKIP3Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348715488&sr=8-1&keywords=can+organizer
 Looks like I may need to contact NASA to help assemble this one! Note the instruction sheet it came with....I love when the kids toys come with instructions like this, I bet whom ever types them up has a good laugh!! Pretty sure this device can't help out with the baby food cupboard?
 **There is also a utensil holder, once I fish it out from behind the sofa (my toddler was helping), I'll make sure to take a photo of that one too**

     Okay okay okay, so I know what you're thinking about the baby food cupboard...but keep in mind that I got most of the pouches for free, and great deals on the other baby food. Without the free deal, these puppies are too expensive to keep in our snack arsenal, so they're a must-have! Plus, they're healthy, organic, and fast!


....Less then 48 hours to go!!!

  

Areas that Need Organization

     Okay, so to be honest, I still haven't tossed/recycled any Sippy Cups. Today, I will bite the bullet -so to speak- (even though I don't understand that phrase, maybe I have to belong to the NRA?). Here are some other areas that are in dire need of organization. Today I will tackle the pots and pans cupboard and dining room table.

     The major issue with the dining room table is that I need this space for SO many different things. It needs to function as a place to; 1. Eat ( of course), 2. Cut and find coupons. 3. Fold laundry 4. Manage bills and open mail. 5. Use the computer (like I'm doing now!). It's my office/dinner/laundry station desk....Oh, and the baby's bouncy seat is usually right in the middle so he can be a part of dinner too!
   A few months ago we had our home robbed. Aside from money we were saving to have a wedding and remodel the house and my kids savings, jewelry, and my Great Grandmother's coins, they took a dining room chair (I'm assuming that's how they exited past our old but loyal German Shepherd). While the kids are young, it's a convenient place for the high chair right? Maybe they knew something I didn't?
    After I called the Police, I looked around and thought, how the hell did they find anything in here? Luckily, I still had my laptop left!

    The kitchen cupboards are another story. We lived in beautiful, sunny, palm tree Florida for just over a year. In our one level - open floor plan- home we had tons of cupboard space! We have now taken those items, and stuffed them into our much smaller kitchen. It's about 1/2 of the size. I opened up the pots/pans cupboard to make eggs and....Avalanche!!! Unfortunately, there are still more pots and pants that need to fit....

    The bathroom cupboard was a major project yesterday...I'm not going to bragggg, but I think I'll get a gold star when this one is finished! I'm not going to show you the after just yet!! But let's just say it involves Mason jars, 2 empty beneful dog food containers, and lots, I mean lots of recycling old bottles! More to come later today...I'm getting the hang of the Blogger thing right?