New York Renovator » organization

Simplify, Simplify, Simplify

Mrs. Mecomber — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 00:50:20 +0000

Wellll…. I still haven’t gotten “a round tuit” with some of the leftover projects after the renovation. Honestly, I have been having a bit of a hard time adjusting to the new kitchen. The dining room isn’t much of a big deal– I designed it to have the same colors and etc as the old one– but the kitchen is a shock. It is SO different. I have found it rather hard to adjust. I’m kind of ashamed. It’s totally, totally new, and I was so used to banging around in the old one. Now I have to be careful what I do on the counters– NO knifes! NO food stains! NO standing water! And the floors– are the planks staying together OK? Hey, you with the muddy shoes! And it goes on and on. I’m still walking on eggshells. The new room is a bit of a shock. I wanted it SO much, and now that it’s here, I’m stunned that it’s actually here. It’s like moving into a new house without going anywhere. I must be getting old or something…

Anyway, I still haven’t built my bench for the shoe area, nor have I constructed shelves for the phone area. Both areas are in the kitchen, so the half-completed construction looks out of place with the finished sections of the kitchen. The phone area is important right now. It’s the “dumping” area for my husband’s work paraphernalia. It’s important that he has everything neat and organized, so that he doesn’t forget anything when he goes to work. And I dislike the mess of it all, too.

I have been on a bit of a hunt for ways to organize the area. One thing I can do is make a small charging station for all the cell phones and mp3 players. I saw this at Buy.com and love it! It’s the SDI Technologies iB967B Charging Cradle, very affordable at $25 with shipping. It keeps all the electronic doodads in ONE location, charging them while they sit. I could hug the guy who invented this thing! Charging stations come in a billion shapes and styles, but this is nice to me because it’s so simple.

This is a great time to get anything. Buy.com has a ton of stuff on sale right now. They are gearing up for the Black Friday sale… but their prices are usually so low anyway. The customer service and speedy shipping just amazes me– I bought some software on their last sale, and the package arrived– priority shipping– in TWO days. And the shipping was free!

So I’m slowly, very very slowly, trying to chip away at all the leftover projects around here. Buy.com is a big help.

Simplify, Simplify, Simplify

Original eloquence at New York Renovator.com. This content is copyrighted, so no stealing! Don't make me angry, you don't want to see me when I'm angry!

The Mudroom Problem

Mrs. Mecomber — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 19:05:58 +0000

Now that we are in the dregs of autumn, I see how desperately we need a mudroom. I realize that not all of you are from the Northeast– a mudroom is a vestibule or back room where you dump your coats and shoes and other outdoor items (such as umbrellas) before entering the main house. With six of us, plus two dogs and three cats, there’s a LOT of mud. :S I’ve never really had a mudroom here.

Our "mudroom" is just a small corner by the laundry room. I am ALWAYS cleaning it up.

I did not want to use up precious space in the kitchen to make one, either. I figure I will eventually rebuild the decaying back stoop into a small mudroom, next year, hopefully. It will be unheated, but it’s better than nothing. The space is very small, only about 5 feet by 5 feet, so storage will be premium real estate. I’m currently looking at our habits, and looking into our needs, so that when the time comes to build the thing, I’ll know what to do.

One very good idea for a mudroom is lockers. Yes, those old school lockers. They are perfect for storing tons of stuff: gloves, hats, coats, umbrellas, sports gear, maps, everything! What a phenomenal idea! It’s difficult to find lockers locally (WalMart does not sell them!) unless you know that some school is selling them or giving them away. And how often does that happen? I did find an online retailer that has lockers for sale. They have a nice selection. Besides the typical metal vented lockers (that I would find rather tacky in a residence), they have some very elegant wood ones, and some cool-looking European-style kinds. The prices aren’t too bad (typical furniture pricing for the wood lockers), but the selection is outstanding and the store allows you to buy large units or single lockers. So it’s a nice choice.

Coat hangers are another necessity. I can’t believe how many coats we have “hanging” around! For everyone, there is at least a spring/fall jacket, a nice winter coat, and a work winter coat. Plus we girls have sweaters and etc. That’s quite a number of coats. :S I need to find some way to organize things better. Because right now, my small hooks in the kitchen are buried with coats.

Anyway, organization and storage is a MUST for the mudroom. I’ll be doing some research over the winter, and by spring I’ll see what I’ve got (just in time for the mud season).

The Mudroom Problem

Original eloquence at New York Renovator.com. This content is copyrighted, so no stealing! Don't make me angry, you don't want to see me when I'm angry!

Quick Tip: Coool Your Jets

Mrs. Mecomber — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 18:32:59 +0000

I have noticed that a lot of moms have laptops. I visit blogs, and invariably the blogger describes her latest experience (usually a repair) with her laptop. I was blessed with my first laptop four years ago. Wow, was it great! It was perfect for when my back went out (herniated disk) and I was bedridden for a few weeks. I could still stay in touch. I even Instant Messaged my kids, downstairs, when I needed them. It is a little HP laptop, and the biggest problem I had with the machine is that it got so hot. Sometimes it would overheat so badly that the laptop would “freeze” (funny, huh?) or crash.

A few years ago, someone invented these little laptop stands that elevated the laptop. It allowed for the freer movement of air, thus enabling the laptop fans to circulate more efficiently, and keep the inner temperatures cooler. However, when I saw the latest prices (and they have come down), they were “on sale” for $25. $25 is a LOT of money! Especially when you have all these other little accessories to get for the laptop as well.

Well, I was browsing the housewares section at my local department store, and discovered a kitchen sink grid. It’s plastic. I’m not quite sure what it’s used for in the kitchen; perhaps as a liner for the bottom of the sink?

Anyway, it is the same size as my HP laptop. It looked perfect. I bought it ($2) and it works perfectly as a little stand for the laptop!

Moreover, they also make fancy stands with cooling fans built in them. But why pay $40 to $50 for one of these? Just buy a small portable fan (for $5 to $10), and have it blow quietly at the intake area of your laptop! It works!

Quick Tip: Coool Your Jets

Original eloquence at New York Renovator.com. This content is copyrighted, so no stealing! Don't make me angry, you don't want to see me when I'm angry!