#1 A Goldfish’s attention span is three seconds.  What?  A Goldfish's attention span is three seconds. Say that again? {baha}

#2 Animals that lay eggs don’t have belly buttons.  Do you have an innie, or an outie?

#3 Beavers can hold their breath for 45 minutes under water. I think I can for 45 seconds...

#4 Slugs have four noses.  Think about the tissues he'd go through if he had a cold!

#5 Camels have three eyelids.  Can you say Vavavava-volume mascara?!

Happy Friday!

Hurray, Hurray, Hurray!
My pictures work!  I'm just a huge silly pants.  My computer just needed a little shut down time and is now running much better.


Now, about my grand finale.
My Pantry.  My {Pretty} Pantry.


I just need to get motivated to clean out my cupboards... Boo.
It's always something huh?


So this closet was fairly simple.  My master closet was definitely more cumbersome.  WAY more.  It was all a matter of clearing everything out and wiping down the shelves, then organizing my paraphilia into "zones".  I really didn't realize how ingenious it was until I got going and then it totally made so much sense have everything segregated.  Plus, I found out that I had a lot more room to work with.
Totally.
Awesome.
Boo Ya.


Here's before.
I know, it's not totally horrible, but it's nice to go from this:

To this:

I still need some color in there.  Must. Paint. Soon. {um, Soon-ish}.
From Top Left down:
{Zone1} Glasswear.   
{Zone2} Breakfast and snacks
{Zone3} Baking
{Zone4} Storage
{Zone5} Storage


From Top Right down:
{Zone6} Tools and appliances
{Zone7} Canned goods
{Zone8} Rice, beans, pasta
{Zone9} Plastics
{Zone10} Samee


There's some spots where I'd like to get some more shelf dividers.  I think of all that wasted "air" space that could be used up, so I may have to do an addendum to my pantry makeover...one day.   I dislike the thought of my potatoes being on the floor.   I feel they would be much happier corralled in a bin or basket...yeah, definitely a basket. 


I certainly hope I've at least inspired one person (thanks Adelina!) to make their closets the {Prettiest} ones around.  I know it's been a great motivator for me to get my closets off my checklist and let me tell ya, it feels pretty dang good.  The prettiest closet challenge is still going on through the end of the week with a GIVEAWAY so link up! 

Photo Malfunction

I'm having a heck of a time getting up my {pretty} pantry photos up and apparently the server to blogger is not cooperating with me or it's just me, and I'm being retarded.  If anyone can give me pointers about how fix a "server rejected" photo, please help :)

Pantry Organizing Tips

I am down to one closet! WHOO.  If nothing else this has been a great motivator tool for me to get to de-clutter and organize all my closets in three weeks, which normally would have taken me probably three decades.

I am on to challenge my pantry which has been cleaned and organized in the past, but has become a complete disaster.  My mom tells me, "Oh, Ashlie,  your so organized (her words, not mine) your pantry looks just great."  Oh, but mom...remember how I'm kind of a neat freak?  It cannot just be.  It must be just so.  My husband doesn't get it either.  But he also has socks in his car trunk- dirty, smelly socks mind you, that have been held hostage there for who knows how long.  Bleeh!

I remember being a  tween (is that what they're called now?)  and I would spend so much time organizing and reorganizing my bedroom.  Always moving my bed and dresser around multiple times during the year.  Then shoving all my crap onto my "sisters' side" of the room, making her look like the messy one.  (which she really was.  i just helped her :)

But of course, like any high strung crazy person, before I dive into my pantry mess I'm searching online for the prettiest pantry just for me to copy and finding out the scoop on what's what in pantry organizing tip land (if there is such a place).

I found an awesome article on Better Home & Garden here.   I think I like it so much, I'll copy the idea for my own little nook.  Here's a small play by play:

• {Zone 1} Have a spot for impromptu entertaining (or a lazy night of cooking): paper plates, cups, plastic utensils, napkins.  
• {Zone 2} Baking "stuff"  You know, the flour, sugar, cake and brownie mixes.  Oooh and the chocolate chips! Mmmmmm... Always make sure they're in a easy access spot for "just a little snack".
• {Zone 3} Easy Weeknight meals.  Which for me is a can of soup or chili :)  I don't really have any one to cook for on the weeknights, so my dinners don't have to be that impressive. But BHG has a great idea of having bins and a complete meal in each bin to just grab it and make.  No real thinking required (except ahead of time)  Perfect for those zombie days where you just want food but have no idea where to start.  Awesome!
•  {Zone 4} General Food Storage.  Cream of chicken, beans, corn, and don't forget your mandarin oranges! :)
• {Zone 5} I didn't really like because I'd most likely put my zippy bags by {Zone 1} BTW it was a lunch making station, brown bags, ect.
• {Zone 6}  Quick and easy Breakfast.  Cereal, oatmeal, bagels, oh my!
• {Zone 7} Tools and appliances.  I love my breadmaker.  But.  I really don't use it as often as I'd like.  Most likely because I keep it in the garage.  I know that if I will create a {Zone 7} for it, I can make a loaf everyday.  Along with my quesadilla maker, ice cream maker, cookie dough mixer...ok.  I'm hungry. Time to go make myself a giant cookie quesadilla ice cream cone snack to gear up some energy to get in my "Zones"

*Last week to round up your Prettiest Closets and enter your blog post link to win!  Check out the info here and here.

Happy Hump Day!

Master Closet : Done!

Another dirty closet bites the dust!  BooYa! It took me 2-1/2 hours, but it was so worth it.  Will it stay this nice and neat?  Yes, until my husband gets home, but I've got pictures to prove it was CLEAN :) Just to warn you, you're going to find out that I turn 0 to neat freak by the end of this post, but I'm pretty sure you'll still {love} me.

.  

I told you yesterday that I had an idea for my existing hangers because I'm so not going to go out and buy more...  I had a bunch of mixed colors, but it actually turned out VERY nicely.  It took the majority of my time, but I love the way it looks.  I segregated them by color (of course)

{that blue hanger is meant to be there-it's my only puffy jacket so I know where to find it :}

If you can't read my "writing"... green is for work shirts and my cardis-short to long and color categorized.  Then I have my maternity stuff in a bin, our swim stuff, my shorts and capris, then a few overnight bags.  White hangers are short sleeves, dress shirts (I moved Spunky's church stuff over to my side so I could justify putting all my jackets on his side), my skirts, dress pants and dresses.

Blue hangers (as in Brrr...lame, I know) are long sleeves.

Pants, socks and under things.

Spunky's side: His shirts, short sleeve (white), long sleeve (blue), gym stuff, shorts and my sweaters in the sweater thing-y, then the jackets :)

Finally! a place for missing socks.  Also somewhere to put clothes almost literally in my face so I can see them to fix holes, buttons, ect. away from sight, but yet still visible and easy to get to.

       

If you can't tell, I probably enjoyed this a little more than you're supposed to, but it's one less thing I have to worry about until I'm ready to comb through and dejunk once more.  

I do have one more closet that I intend to organize before the week is through.  (my pantry...)

Remember to get going on your closets and show us that your Closet is Prettier than mine.  Ends on Saturday :)

Check your closet

Good Monday to you all!
I will be organizing my master closet tomorrow-well today for you (last week of the challenge you know!).  I really can't wait; especially with a few tips that I found while surfing to help me along so I thought I'd pass them onto you.

• Toss mismatched hangers (Since I'm not in the market to buy new hangers.  I'll show you Tuesday what I'll do that will save some coin, and your sanity-believe me, there won't be any {eek}wire hangers involved) 
• Remove out of season items.  I've had my sweaters in my closet all summer...and now it's fall. 
• {oooh, I like this one!} Hold yourself a fashion show.  Try everything on to make sure it still fits and place things into four piles.  Keep, Mend, Donate, Throw Away.  I know your keeping your "skinny jeans" til that one day when you'll fit in them again.  But go on, be strong-chuck 'em {or donate} and just treat yourself to a new pair that fit that sweet GB of yours.  A good rule of thumb to go by is if you haven't worn it in a year, say good-bye. (Doesn't count if your preggo :)
• If you're still on the fence about whether you should keep it or not, flag your hanger and if you haven't seen it by the end of the season, you know your answer :)
• As you try on in your one woman fashion show, take note of what looks good on you and what flatters your style for your next shopping trip.  It's only fair if you replace what you take out right?
• Fold your sweaters, hangers don't do them any good stretching them out.
• Organize according to your style. I personally like short sleeve to long sleeve then sort by color.  You can also sort by outfit, style, or whatever.
• Use storage containers that work and use ones that you like.
• Labels can be your friends.  It can also aid in making sure all your hard work stays in place where it should be.
• Utilize your space using walls, backs of doors.  Create space where you can.
• Hang or place items where you most use them at eye level.  There's no sense in busting your back everyday to reach up high for your favorite________{insert favorite item here}.

For more awesome tips check out this web site.  Good luck and happy cleaning!  

Fruity Fact Friday

• Happy Friday! Most lipsticks contain fish scales
• No two corn flakes look the same   
  Lemons contain more sugar than strawberries
  8% of people have an extra rib
• 
  
  85% of plant life is found in the ocean
  

Another {small} Closet Down

It's been a slow-go week for my closets.  Like all of you, I've blinked and my whole week has past by so quickly.  I've got plenty of closets in my house left, so it looks like I'd better get-a-goin' before our Closet Challenge ends next week!

 I did do my front entry-ish/coat/vacuum closet.  I'm kicking myself because I accidently deleted my before picture on my phone...awesome, I know.

It really wasn't that bad, I just had a mountain of games sitting on the floor getting in the way of my vacuum and a ton of office stuff up at the top.  Not to mention the mismatched coat hangers and wire hangers {which I got rid of-they absolutely drive me up the wall.  Why? I dunno?} I would eventually like to turn it in to a hideaway office, when I can afford a nice wireless printer and paint.  Oh what glorious things you can do with paint.  But I will be so happy when I can hide all my stuff and get rid of all this:

And then do this.

To my printer.

For reals people!

Anyways...  

That darn red bucket (I don't know where to put that sucker...) is on the floor until I find another spot for it-this is home #2. 

I went through the coats and jackets and put some in the donate pile and the rest will go-somewhere..?  Maybe in a box in the garage.. 

Don't get me started on my garage, uggggh!

The green basket is for hats, scarves, and gloves.  They are all clean thanks to my homemade laundry soap! YAY!  Then I have my green bucket with all my cleaning supplies which will be perfect storage for now.

You ladies better get going because as you may recall there will be a GIVEAWAY PRIZE.  I didn't forget that there is more to winning the prize, so I'll tell you...

• Everybody gets our button{whoo!}
• A Tute-Sweet Tuesday feature on your winning PRETTIEST CLOSET and a spot light on your blog
• Bragging Rights on your blog, which we know are very important

AND

• Three full months of sponsorship on our blog for F-R-E-E ($25 value)

Sound awesome, or what?!

SO get your GBs in gear and start making those closets sparkle with pizazz!  We want to see them so make a post and link them here  (Just one post per closet entry, please. Before and After).  

Ladies, and/or gentlemen, so far there is only one entry.  

One.

Uno.

1.

From the bottom of our {trulie-scrumptious} hearts we say **THANK YOU** to Home Maid Simple for her fabulo-so linen closet!  Check it out here. She even did it while not feeling 100%, so I know you can do it!

Good luck! And happy Thursday!

Drop your pants here...

I organized my laundry closet, but I didn't clean it.  I really would have taken a picture of it, but I didn't want to make your stomach roll.  That's how "clean" it was.  This is what I found lurking behind my washer and dryer:

• a flood light
• 4 hangers
• a sheet of household tips that I've never used in 4-1/2 years of living here
• a toilet paper roll
• .14 cents
• 4 socks-1 complete pair, whoo!
• a cap to...?
• a washcloth, clean or dirty-I'll never know
• 3 screws to...?
• 2 pairs of ear plugs
• miscellaneous wrappers
• a plethora of dryer sheets
• one missing milker pad that I've been searching for for months.

Nice... 

So today, I went out and got some Borax, Fels Naptha, and Washing Soda-all under $8.  I've seen a many blogs boast about making your own laundry detergent.  I'm usually a liquid detergent kind of gal, but the dry ingredients were simple and few-there's only three. AND I have the perfect container for it.  Here's what you do!

Mix 2 parts washing soda-I started with to cups (--not baking soda--helps fight stains and allows the detergent to foam making your clothes clean without any residue)

2 parts Borax (a laundry booster.  It leaves your clothes cleaner and brighter.)

1 Part Fels-Natha-grated. (heavy duty bar soap that is a nifty stain fighter and pre-treater)

 I've seen some grate it like cheese and the stick it in the food processor to grate it even finer, but I figured the grater is good enough for me.

Do a little shakin' and done!

5 minutes tops :)

I've seen that some pour in 2-4 tbps per load, but I would assume that it depends on the load.

My method as follows:

2-Small Load

3- Medium Load

4-Large Load.

Now, not only do I have a clean little closet, but a cheaper and easier alternative to laundry detergent that will last a lot longer than the usual stuff. 

Can't wait to try it!

Hot Diggity Dog!

Just getting through three closets has made me feel like a million bucks.  It's like I won the lotto! .{hmmm.}  Ok, not that great, but there's something about the word "organized" that makes me so happy I want to do a little dance!  My husband has seen it and he thinks I'm a tad wack-o to be that happy over neat shelves.  Eh, it's his fault he married a wack-o.  :)


I took out my big bulky blankets out of my guest bathroom and put in them in my laundry room.  Genius?  Um, yeah!  I just wish I had thought of it sooner.  (Not so genius).  It's perfect to have tucked away and easier to get to when I want to snuggle on the couch.
I put my paper towels in the guest bath and all the TP in the master bath (since we use it more) and I have clean towels all around.  Lovely :)
Put my flashlight in there just in case the power ever goes out so I know (and remember) where it is-along with our "travel stuff": an airplane pillow and a dog blanket...so handy, I know. 

Now, I now you all are busy and actually have a life, but lets just keep the ball rolling on these, shall we?  I think it's grand to get just one closet done.  So since I can change the rules all I want, ignore the "linen closet" week and we'll just have three weeks of organized and pretty closets to link up here and have one big prize at the end and three winners for different categories?  


Starting Monday, though, I'll have another lovely closet to be organized so watch out.  (to have all my closets cleaned out by the end of September-simply heaven!! WHOO!)  Also I will announce the remainder of our special giveaway:)  


Have a super great weekend!

Fruity Fact Friday

Warning:

 This Fridays' Fruity Facts might make your head spin with scientific-ical space facts :}

I've always considered myself a nerd, if you will.  I like history, English, books and I like science.

{not to mention Star Wars!}

I've always been infatuated with the night sky and it's many wondrous stars and galaxies.  

I remember when I was in 6th grade, talking about the universe with my dad, he told me that there are more stars and planets than there are grains of sand upon the earth. 

Since then I've been hooked. 

So for all of you science nerds...

This is for YOU!

• A pulsar is a small star made up of neutrons to densely packed together that if one the size of a silver dollar landed on Earth, it would weigh approximately 100 million tons.

• As late as 1820, the universe was thought by European scientists to be 6,000 years old. It is now thought to be about 13,700,000,000 years old.

• A "light year" is a measure of distance, not time. It is defined as the distance light travels in one year. Light moves at a velocity of about 300,000 kilometres each second, so in one year, it travels about 9,500,000,000,000 kilometres.

• The matter in the universe is so thinly dispersed that the universe can be compared with a building twenty miles long, twenty miles wide, and twenty miles high, containing only a single grain of sand.

• The Milky Way has a radius of about 50,000 light years.

• Physicists believe that our universe does not have three dimensions or four dimensions, but eleven dimensions (ten of space and one of time). We do not observe the extra spatial dimensions because they are curled tightly around each other.

• If space is infinite, there is nothing on the other side. If space is finite because it has been bent around upon itself because of gravity, then again there is nothing on the other side of it because there is no seam. It looks like the surface of a smooth ball which represents a piece of flat paper bent upon itself.

• There are an estimated 50 thousand million galaxies in the universe, with the typical galaxy containing 50 thousand million to 100 thousand million stars. It is estimated that there are 10²² stars in total in the universe. 

• Most of the elements found in the human body originated in stars; we are literally made of stardust

My Closet is Prettier Than Yours...

You still up for the challenge?!

I actually had the intense drive to clean out both my linen closets in two days!  Whoo Hoo!

It only really took me about a half an hour to do each, but that's how much time I had between working full time (only this week~thank goodness!), young women's and a very cranky no nap baby 

(both days :P)

Here's my "master" sans paint....who paints their whole house after move in and doesn't paint the master bath...

Apparently we do : /

So white.

But once we decide on a color I would {love} to accent my closets (both linen and clothes closet} with with a coordinating color-just the walls...don't you think?

But for now, my mismatched towels that I finally got around to washing will have to provide the pops of color...

Guest Bath.

SOOOO nice to have finished!  I cleared out a lot of things that I didn't use or need and cleared out a ton of space.  I don't think I like my cleaning products on that fourth shelf, but until I get another closet cleaned out that's where they'll be.

Saturday I'll show you what I did with my laundry room closet.  SO pretty!  

You think yours are prettier?  

We'll just have to see about that.  Link them up and the prettiest once gets a prize!!

Details here

My Closet is Prettier Than Yours...

You do pintrest right?

Roz and I {she got me started} have been "pinning" for what, a couple months now?  but I just recently found myself getting the "bug" and I am in {love}.

What a concept for an online corkboard, if you will, to post all and anything that you love.  

Just by sticking a pin in it ;)

Aren't these just lovely?!

Well my "point" being is my fascination has lately been turned into an obsession for me.  I've been looking at all these neat and fabulous pictures and I want, no! I need my little casa organized.

Like, NOW!!

I was thinking tho... "it's September, Ash.  Spring cleaning was like so 6 months ago. " 

But apparently my baby nesting is kicking in 9 months too late, so heck with it. 

BUT...

what I thought would make it fun was get you all involved....

So,

I'm dubbing September Organizing Closets Month.  

It's official-look it up.

 er, don't really.  I just wanted to sound cool.

I want to extend to you a contest, nay, a challenge to you {trulie} scrumptious readers.

***BUT***

Only if you think you're up to it.

Do I have your attention yet?

BAAHAHA!

Here is the scoopidy-doo:

*To "enter"  you must write a blog post of your closets "before" and link it up to this post on our blog.  Each week we will have a different kind of closet for you to transform.  3 more weeks left of September, so 3 weeks of closet organizing...fun-ness.

This week being your linen closets.

(you know, where you keep your towel, sheets, and table cloths...ect?)

So to enter myself into this contest:  

Here are my contending linen closets.

Behold the BEFORE:

Bathroom #1

Master Bathroom.  In it: Beach Towels, usually Regular Towels, Sheets, Pillowcases, One tablecloth (the only one I own), Extra Shampoo, Razors, Contacts, Shave Cream, ect. Scale, and Travel Cases.

And bathroom #2

Guest Bathroom:  Consisting of Blankets, Baby Towels/Stuff, Samee "Stuff", Rags, Wash Cloths Humidifier, Air Purifier, Plunger, Heating Pad, and Travel Pillow.

 (Note to self: Must wash some towels for Bathroom #1 :/ {embarrassing})

*You have to use what you already have.  No spending mula. This will allow your creative juices to flow to come up with the neatest, most organized,  and even- the prettiest closet in the land, with what you have on hand.  Gosh!  I'm such a poet, and didn't even know it! :}

And what do you get for participating?

A super dooper Button to display on your blog

and a chance to enter the grand finale give-o-giveaway....

What is it you may ask?

I'm not telling.

Until week two.

But I can tell ya it's pretty stellar... promise!

Saturdays will be the last day to submit your closets for the week. So this Saturday, the 17th is the last day to enter your linen closets. 

At the end of the each week a WINNER (for that category) will be announced the following Monday and be given a month free of {trulie}scrumptious ad space to be featured on our Sponsor wall.

After 3 weeks, all the "before and after" blog links will be entered into our stellar giveaway and a winner will be determined and announced on October 3rd, and the winners' entries will be featured for our Tute Sweet Tuesday on October 4th to show off the Most Prettiest Closet, entitled with full bragging rights and an accompanied button. 

But everyone will have a chance to grab a button for this challenge, because everyone is a winner in my eyes :D

Best of luck to have a Closet Prettier than mine...