So, how does it all fit?

After my last post of touring my home, you may be wondering, "So, how does it all fit?" After living in a motorhome for over two years, then moving to a 2 bedroom, Patrick and I have learned a few tricks that helps us space wise, so I thought I'd share!

One thing we had to figure out what to do with is all of our boxes. It takes a bunch during our moves! My hubby can be very orderly and likes things that fit together very well. We invested in Uhaul boxes a few moves ago and they have been very sturdy and fit together perfect! But at the price we paid, we weren't throwing them away! So, where do you keep over 50 boxes?

We flatten them and put them under everyone's mattress. They are out of the way, and they give you more support for your mattress.

I love everything in a bin, basket, rubbermaid....a place for everything if possible. We have army guy baskets, craft bins, Sunday school material rubbermaids, and game bins. It works great and I like grabbing a bin and know what's in it. When we realized we were going to be doing bunk beds, we bought all of our kiddos a long rubbermaid that fits under their beds. They are pretty inexpensive, but it's a perfect place for each of them to have their own bin to fill. Once it's full....they've got to decide what they really want, and what needs to go. They all have different memories in there, art supplies, journals, future car models to build, beading supplies....lots and lots of stuff! When we told our kiddos we were moving to a smaller place, it helped them when we told them they will have places for their "stuff." But, it also helped them (and me) when we showed them where they would be putting their things. This helped them make some eliminations.

Our latest way to save on space has been simply marvelous! Patrick had the idea of buying large binders for our DVD's and CD's. Those plastic cases can take up a lot of space. You can buy them at an office supply store, but we bought ours on Ebay. We love to watch a good movie together, and I just about always have a CD playing to match what we are doing (quiet piano during school, some good upbeat Spirit-lifting music to wake us up and start our day right, or Anne of Green Gables when I want to reminesce) So.....needless to say we have a lot of those silver circles around! This solution worked perfect!

But, the biggest thing that Patrick and I have done to make all of our stuff fit, without a bunch of clutter, is to downsize a bunch! We went through our things and decided if we've lived without it for a year (or even a few months!) then we really can do without it. We did keep some of our memorabilia, but we had to be careful with this too. I'm the type of person that would love to keep every small thing that my children ever colored, painted, or touched. But, it's just not possible. For me, I need clutter free (somewhat), and I had to keep in focus that everything we shipped cost a lot of money!

I love our home, I love my stuff....but most of all I love the people in it! God has been so good to me!