Friday, April 26, 2013

Game plan: Tackling the garage

So life has been a little crazy - we have a new baby! Benjamin was born February 7th and we couldn't be happier. He is the perfect additon to our family! We also have a new puppy. Yes, we are totally crazy! LOL

Now that we've been a family of 4 for a few months, things are starting to get a little easier. Things are still crazy busy and we are tired most of the time (Benji still eats every 3 hours most nights), but it's settled some. And I've been itching to start some house projects. Like I said in my home goals post, we want to get some stuff done this year, but we are being realistic about it. Not only do we not have a lot of time, but money is also a little tight this year with hospital bills rolling in. So, I'm just going to concentrate on one room/area at a time and do what I can to make it work for us using free or low cost items. Our house is decorated for the most part, and I keep it tidy, but what it isn't is organized. And, you can organize on a budget. So that's my goal: total home organization.

Right now, the area that is bothering me the most is the garage. It has always been a dumping ground and right now it's a diaster area. But, I have a list of ideas that we can incooperate to get it manageable. A long term goal is to get a storage building for our lawn care items and outdoor toys- maybe later in the year. But for now I know we can get it looking and working better. Here's my to-do list:

1.      Move storage items to papaw and mamaw’s attic (We are very thankful to have a huge area to store items for free at my grandparent's house)
2.      Clean out garage- tossing trash and bringing house items in
3.      Transfer leftover paint to smaller containers
4.      Install hooks to store items on the wall: power tools, bike, weed eater, etc.
5.      Paint the door and add vinyl saying
6.      Clean the floor really well
7.      Create “mudroom” area
a.      Paint strips on the wall to match door
b.      Mirror
c.       Shelf for keys, wallet, piggy bank, etc.
d.      Hooks for jackets, backpack, diaper bag, etc.
e.       Shoe storage
8.      Cover/paint steps
9.      Welcome mat at steps
10.  Install cat door and create pet area
a.      Storage containers for both foods and litter
b.      Move litter box and food bowls out
c.       Crate
I'm hoping to get a little start this weekend! Before pictures to come, but I'm warning you - it's bad!