~A Bitter Swallow~

  Today was a rather productive day, if I do say so myself.   I finally found a table (for FREE on Craigslist- can't beat that!) to use as a crafting table.  We also found a really nice desk to use as a sewing table for cheap at the Goodwill.  So, the room that has been storing all the random stuff since we moved in got cleared out.  When I looked at it, I realized it really needed a good vacuuming and shampooing.  Since I cannot afford the carpet shampoo for the shampooer, I went online looking for homemade cleaners to use instead.  Almost every site I looked at suggested a mixture of white distilled vinegar and water.  So, that's what I did.  I couldn't believe how well it worked! 

  So, my crafting room and living room got a shampooing.  Then, we went over to a friend's house to help her clear out a back bedroom that was FULL of stuff her landlords had left.  Well, we got there late, so weren't much help for that, but got to do a little bit, and then stuck around for some birthday cake!     They gave us an old entertainment center they had recently replaced, so we brought that home .  When they brought the entertainment center here, Boyfriend talked them into helping him move the crafting table (which is really heavy) into the crafting area. 

  When we got home from their house, we set up the entertainment center. The end table the tv had been sitting on was moved into the craft room to house my daughter's new convection oven that we got her for her polymer clays.   Then the bookshelf that was holding all the dvds and video games got switched out with a smaller one, since the games fit in the entertainment center.  The bigger bookcase got moved into the crafting room, and I got to put out all my crafting books, as well as some other random books and now I have more room to unpack more books!   Tomorrow, once the battery for the drill is charged, we will hang a shelf for the craft room, and maybe switch around the table and booths in the kitchen.

 I'm excited to be finally feeling like we are getting settled in, set up, and making the house our own.  I am super excited, though, to have a place set up specifically for crafting.  We have a huge table where we can both really spread out our stuff, and not interfere with each other's space!  I have an area set up specifically for sewing, so no more excuses.  I HAVE to learn how to use that thing, and then actually use it!  I think my daughter will use it, too.  

I'm hoping that this year turns out to be more creatively productive then last year was.

There's nothing like rearranging your house to give you a sense of fresh accomplishment. It has its little way of giving you the feeling that you've done something to better your lifestyle.

Today, we did a few arrangements. We swapped out coffee tables. We had a regular, table with legs in the living room which Dustin uses as a desk for his two monitors. We switched it out with the other one we had in the game room , which had a bunch of storage underneath, not to mention gives more tabletop space. Now, all of the random stuff that accumulates around that area can be neatly stored underneath and out of sight.

We also gave the kids' desk area some more storage. We had one of those tall, skinnyish plastic drawer units in the kitchen, and it really wasn't being used as I had hoped. (My fault, since we decided to go ahead with putting in shelves instead.) So I pulled it out and placed it next to the kids' desk. Now, they have a drawer for their pens, pencils, and scholastic materials (think compass, calculator, etc). They have a drawer for their play dough. One for their scholastic workbooks. One for paper. And they each have a drawer of their own for any of their randomness that hangs around there (mainly, my son's Lego stuff, and my daughter's books and trinkets).

Then for my desk. I took off a small shelf that had wasted, unused space below it, that my monitor sat on. Then I moved the shelves over to the wall side of my desk, and my monitor so that it sits directly in front of me. This way, I don't have to turn my head to look at my monitor. It's much nicer on my neck in the long run. Plus, now my desk is all dusted, rearranged, and sharper looking, I think.

I feel accomplished now. I have a flank of corned beef thawed in the kitchen that I am about to go throw into my new crock pot for dinner. I need to go check out whether or not my Wii will play dvds, and if not, see about hooking up the old dvd player to it (I really need something new to work out to. The Wii Fit is just boring now, so that I don't have motivation to go do it). Then, after finishing up with the laundry, I will be nice and content with my day's work. I might even go try and mess around in the garden if the weather holds up some more. Gods and Goddesses alike all know that I could use the Sunshine!