Laundry, Organized

We're pressing on with our new year's resolution

to be more organized.

The focus is on making the house

feel roomy to potential buyers,

despite its modest 1700 square footage.

One of the things I was most grateful for when I became a homeowner was having my own laundry room.

Having lived in apartments during my young

adulthood, a trip to the laundry room

seemed like such a waste of time.

It's so wonderful to be able to throw a load

into the machine and get something else done.

A laundry room is a great project to do

if you're not sure where to start.

It's small and manageable.

It may even motivate you to work on other parts of the house!

Before

We put this cabinet up when we moved in.  The existing

wire shelving was replaced by Big K.  He can't stand the stuff.

Contained here were cleaning supplies,

paper and plastic bags,

shoe polishing supplies and bleach used for the washer.

After

I simply moved the cleaning supplies to the left,

as they required more space.

The rarely used stuff is on the right.

Sometimes you just need to step back and rethink the practical things.

I also stashed a small sewing kit on the upper left shelf,

next to big K's shoe polish.

I donated most of the bags to the farmer

we buy some of our produce from.

She is always in need of bags for her customers

who forget to bring their own.

A few strong ones were saved, in case I need them for taking purged items to the local charity.

Before

We have a storage rack next to the machines

for extra supplies.

We stock up for hurricane season every year,

so this is a great out-of-the-way place to station them.

It had gotten a little out of hand as of late.

After

The top section houses the backpack I use every day

(I don't do purses)

and drinks...

After

while the bottom holds our grocery bags, so they are right by the garage when Saturday's grocery shopping comes along.

Yard shoes keep dirt outside.

I'm lovin' all the space left over.

Before

The machines we bought came with optional drawers.

I never turn down extra storage!

This just needed some cleaning up

to think about what was really needed to be kept here.

After

It's nice to have some tubs available for soaking things or

other types of heavy-duty cleaning around the house. 

This drawer holds two such tubs and

we keep our small A/C filters here too.

Wish I could use those clothespins,

but our HOA doesn't allow clotheslines. 

UGH!

After

Our washing detergent rests here (see the bags on the left?)

and several rolls of paper towels fit on the other side.

(Looks like I better put those on our list.)

I also keep a lingerie bag here for delicates.

These drawers are somewhat adjustable,

so they can be changed should the need arise.

There is a wall hanger for our mop,

feather duster and dustpan.

I plan on purchasing an over-the-door bracket to

hang our stepstool, which is usually found next to the washer.

Getting things off the floor is one of the most helpful things.

It just makes everything look like it has a place.

It's coming together. 

The feeling I get from having things organized

is one of peace and deep satisfaction. 

It keeps me focused on

being grateful for all I have by taking care

of what I have been blessed with.

It's the intention I plan to pass on...

 

Got Heat? No Problem!

I picked up these beauties at the recent

Spring Obsession last month.

What a wonderful idea that turned out to be!

These Florida-friendly plants are thriving in the heat.

With minimal watering and almost full-day sun,

they have already grown three times

the size they were when I bought them a few weeks back.

These will most likely get divided once they stop blooming.

I would love to pair them with something

in the purple or blue family.

Maybe salvia?

The tall spikes of bright yellow blooms

pour out of thick tufts of green foliage.

I'd call them spires of sunshine.

http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/giam/plants_and_grasses/flowering_plants/bulbine.html

"Characteristics

Bulbine has become a popular plant in Florida because it is drought tolerant, grows well in poor soils, and blooms repeatedly with cheerful flowers that are yellow or orange, depending on the variety. It is suited for gardens in USDA Zones 9-11 and is hardy to the low 20s.

It makes a great ground cover since each plant will grow over time to form a clump that can reach up to four feet wide. This clumping habit also makes bulbine
a great passalong plant.

The succulent, grass-like foliage grows to about a foot tall, while the flower stalks typically reach two feet, dancing above the leaves throughout the summer months."

http://floridafriendlyplants.com/Blog/post/2009/07/31/Bulbine-Popularity-Soars.aspx

The foliage alone is amazing.

It reminds me of green pasta.

Maybe it's the Italian in me.

How sweet are those flowers?

We presently only water twice per week,

so I've been checking on these

to see if they needed any supplemental water.

Nope.

When everything else in the garden is sweltering,

these glorious wonders of nature

just keep on blooming and growing.

I'll be looking for more of these at an upcoming garden event.

Next to natives, Florida-friendly is the way to go.

They leave a gardener feeling very satisfied.

Congo Bars (sort of)

When I was a kid, there was one aunt who

used to make these delicious, super-sweet cookie bars.

She called them congo bars.

They were a kid's dream.

Tons of sugar, chocolate, just a chewy delight!

These are a somewhat healthier version of those bars.

They have no sugar, but are just sweet enough.

What I love about these, is that you put them in the oven

and forget about them for 20 minutes or so.

They get even better after refrigeration,

don't ask me why.

Easier than cookies, but just as scrumptious!

Congo Bars

1 1/3 sticks butter

1 C sucanat

2 eggs

1/4 C rice milk

2 t vanilla

1 3/4 C flour

2 1/2 t baking powder

1 t salt

2 handfuls Sunspire chips

1 handful walnuts or pecans

Cream butter with eggs, milk, vanilla and sucanat.  Set aside.

Place dry ingredients in medium mixing bowl. 

Whisk to aerate.

Add wet to dry and then add chips and nuts.

Spread in an oiled 9 X 13" pan.

Bake at 350 degrees 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Wishing those of you who celebrate this day

a Happy Easter!

File Folder Games

One thing I've figured out over the years as a tutor

is if you make learning fun,

kids will soar in their growth.

These file folder games have been used

many times across many ability levels.

Most of "my" kids have special needs,

but they each need support in a different way.

Comprehension, decoding skills, dyslexia, inference,

writing elements and math phobia

are some of the areas these games help with.

They are a big hit with all of my students.

They require very little effort and few materials.

I use cardstock that I have around the house

for scrapbooking or card making.

You can also use actual file folders

found in any office supply store.

This game helps kids with basic story elements

as well as with distinguishing different types of nouns.

The front cover shows the name of the game

and the skill that is being practiced.

The back cover houses the materials needed

to complete the project.

Double-sided tape holds the baggie onto the back.

Velcro keeps everything in place.

It's not necessary most of the time,

but some kids

(especially kids with autism and/or sensory issues)

benefit from the added

 kinesthetic factor.

This can also help hone fine motor skills.

This particular contraction game allows

the creator to include extra examples

for those students who may need more practice.

Let students come up with new examples.

Math skills can be reinforced through these games as well.

This one would be great for a unit study on marine life.

Directions can be placed opposite the game board,

so that students may work independently, if desired.

Sometimes the directions are on the front...

and both the materials and answer key are on the back.

Kids use the honor system and can practice on their own.

This clock game not only reviews time skills,

but adds reading practice, as the answers are given

both with numbers and words.

Here's one I came up with on my own.

One of my students had difficulty

with the concept of the main idea of the story.

A visual cue was in order.

The directions are displayed on the inside cover.

This game allows for a bit more creativity,

as students are encouraged to use their imaginations

to create a story based on the pictures provided.

Pictures are gathered from magazines or newspapers

and a few phrases are developed to match each photo.

This game can be remade over and over

with new pictures and text.

Again, this one would be great for a themed unit.

What I like about this game is that it is great

for kids who need help with inference.

You can customize this game to the child's current level

and then make it increasingly more challenging

as skills are acquired.

Sometimes you can find gameboards

complete with spinners that are easy to make. 

This game is an introduction to shapes,

but it could be altered in a myriad of ways

depending on subject, area of interest and ability level.

There are many games available to practice grammar skills

like homophones, synonyms, and helping verbs.

This type of game doesn't require a folder,

so I simply place the materials in a baggie

and put a label on it for easy reference.

Most of these games are easy enough to create with

whatever materials you may have at home.

Below is a wonderful resource that I use all the time

to create new games or get inspired.

There are others, but this one is free!

Check it out!

http://www.filefolderfun.com/

Hope you have some little someone

with whom to share a love of learning!

“I never let my schooling interfere with my education.”

Mark Twain