Chair as closet storage?

Notice the similarity between the stadium/camping chair and the stack 'n stax closet organizer?


This might be a really good use for our stadium chairs since (a) they are no longer allowed in our stadium and (b) we don't go anywhere anymore since having kids!

Organization in high gear!!!

We're on a roll now!!!!!!!! Here are some of the main projects we're working on. No wonder my poor garden is suffering. But I'm committed to getting our inside organized before we're stuck in the house again next winter.

(1) MUDROOM SHELVES -- ORDERED

We finally settled on the shelves for the mudroom!!!

I ordered 2 of these rubbermaid configuration closet kits to use as a full mudroom on our 8 foot wall near our entry way door.

It's was nice that it took a while to decide to go with this because when I finally went to order it, it was on sale!!!!

And even better I got free 1 day shipping!! So it will be here in time to have it set up for my birthday. It feels so good to know we're getting organized!!
And on top of that, there will be enough spare pieces left over to start organizing the shelving above our "new" (free from MSU surplus and newly painted) desks.

(2) CARPET CLEANER -- DONE

We also got a carpet cleaner. It feels so good to have cleaned our carpets and even some furniture.

We got the top rated residential model according to reviews of purchasers, the Hoover Steam Vac with Clean Surge model F5914-900.

(Consumer reports unfortunately does not have any ratings on carpet cleaners at this time. Their old reports indicated that residential models were definitely inferior to professional models, but something is better than nothing!)

And this too was on super sale!!

Even though these are "steam" vacs, no residential carpet cleaners actually use steam. And unfortunately, none of the "real" steam cleaners have extractors so you have to mop up the wetness if you use them on carpet.

I hope that when I get the top rated home steam cleaner, I can use it on the carpet, and then suck up the steam and dirt with the carpet cleaner.




PANTRY -- IN PROCESS

DRY GOODS DONE. We've got almost all of our dry goods into the Anchor Hocking Montana glass jars now! We've reorganized and added some shelves in the kitchen. It's not perfect, but I it's so much better.




REFRIGERATOR PARTIALLY DONE. I've got a couple of these Rubbermaid "slide 'n stack" baskets in the fridge now and I need a few more. I *love* them!! It's created so much more space!!

One basket holds the snack sized yogurts. Another basket holds the sandwich condiments and sandwich cheeses. I want another one for jellys, jams, cream cheese; another for dairy; and another for snacks.

CANNED GOOD HOLDERS -- Finalizing research and then need to order.


I'm still comparing Neuhome's 3 tier back-loading drop-down can rack and FIFO's front loading rotating can rack.




PRODUCE KEEPERS -- Assessing needs and conducting research.

I'm still comparing Rubbermaid's produce savers, Tupperware's Fridgesmart containers, and Progressive's produce keeper.





PULL OUT DRAWERS -- Assessing needs and conducting research.

I still need to measure kitchen cabinet items and determine a good configuration. Then I can compare storage volume and prices for the wood pull out drawers, wire sliding racks, and slide 'n stack baskets. All are available at the local big box hardware stores.

Free curriculum resources for homeschool or summer enrichment

*Links to free curriculum across various subjects here and here.

*Instructions and resources for free lapbooks.
*Free French lessons.

*Free elementary life science curriculum from Mister Q's lab.

Summer DIY projects for your outdoor living space

I got so inspired by these projects from Canadian Home Workshop!

Sailboat Sandbox


















Tree Bench











Weather-resistant "stone-look" concrete bench











Sports organizer


















Outdoor laterns made from dishwasher-steamed veneer and string lights

Free Summer Activities

Here are some great activities for family fun, especially if you need things to do over the upcoming summer break!

1. Free admission to art institutes, museums, etc. on specific days courtesy of Target all year
2. Free bowling for kids all summer long at various locations
3. Free Hogwarts summer correspondence school and activities to do from home

Please comment with your suggestions as well!!!

Ikea hack shoe rack

This idea came via the "Ikea hacker" blogs and the the "Ikea hacker" section of the "Instructables" blog. These "hackers" repurpose products from Ikea.

In this hack, Ansleybleu turned this Ikea Akurum kitchen wall cabinet into a shoe storage cabinet with a few modifications.

Here's the breakdown:

• AKURUM top cabinet to refrigerator - $41 (30" x 24" in Arliq white as shown with doors; Without doors: $17 for base frame and $10 for 2 pack of 30" x 12" shelves)
• CAPITA legs - $10 (4 pack, 4" legs)
• LANSA Handles - $6.99 (2 pack, 6" handles)
• (Other sizes and styles of cabinets, legs, handles available)

TOTALS for 7.5 linear feet of storage, plus 2.5 linear feet on top

• Option 1: Shelves with doors, handles, and legs: $57.99
• Option 2: No doors: $37.00

Still more shoe storage ideas

The never ending search for the perfect shoe storage continues...

Revisiting our Priorities:
(1) Visually appealing (we have to stare at these from the dining room table)
(2) Maximizes space (allows 3 pairs of men's shoes per row)
(3) Sturdy (Waterproof, rustproof, easy to clean, not wobbly)
(4) Cost effective (less than $2/linear foot)
(5) Allows for storage above for coats, keys, etc.

3 Tier Mesh Shoe rack ($39.99 for three 25" shelves)




4 Tier Wire Rack ($19.99 for four 25" shelves)

Stackable storage closet shelf ($9.99 for one 18" shelf)

Stackable Chrome Rack ($29.99 for two 30" shelves)

Stackable Wire Shelf ($8.99 for one 24" shelf)

Shoe drawer ($6.99 for one 12 7/8" L x 8 7/8" W x 6" H container) by Sterilite

6 quart storage tote ($19.99 for twelve 13 1/2”L x 8 1/4”W x 4 3/4”H that tapers approx. 1" down from top to bottom) by Sterilite

Cool tool for designing shelving spaces

For quite a while now we've been trying to configure a "mud room" that is in our dining room. Gotta love those 70's ranches with no entry rooms!

I've used several online tools to configure closet spaces. Most have been clunky, limited, and not flexible enough to deal with open wall spaces.

But I've really liked using the "Interactive Closet Designer" for Rubbermaid's "Configuration Series." (It does have a couple of quirks with the vertical spacing though.)

And I've liked this product the best for our particular application. Based on reviews, the "Configuration Series" seems more sturdy, more adjustable, and is easier to install than their "Selectives" series.

This is an example of one of the configurations we were considering for our "mud room" (basically a wall in the dining room next to the entry door). It allows for ample shoe storage, a place for in season coats, and a few backpacks, sports bags, and briefcases.

"Post-Harvest" Storage Guidlines

I didn't even know that there was an academic field devoting to storing my fruits and vegetables!

How cool is that for a blend of science and practical life?!!

And it's good news since many folks are trying to grow more produce at home for taste, health, and money savings.

Refrigerator vs. Countertop? Here's the answer from UC Davis' Post-harvest Technology and Research Center and the Home Orchard project.

Storing nuts, flowers, fruits, vegetables? Here's an *insanely detailed* database of how to store them all from the Sydney Postharvest Laboratory. Look up produce by specific type and level of ripeness and you'll get several pages of information about how to store it. Very cool!!

Which produce can be (or not be) stored together, and what should I eat first after bringing groceries home? Here's a set of guidelines from vegetarian times.

Based on these separate sources I'm going to have to do a cluster analysis based on storage type (fridge vs. counter) X ethylene producing (yes vs. no) X ethylene sensitivity (yes vs. no) X ripeness level. I'll get post details of this!

*UPDATE* Here is the link to compatible fruit and vegetable storage groups!!

In the meantime, here are a couple of nifty ways to store produce in and out of the refrigerator:

Out of the refrigerator....

Slide out vegetable bin



In the refrigerator.....

**Disclaimer -- These are plastic. I've been trying to rid our kitchen of plastic. But I figure the health benefits of eating more produce and vegetables will offset potential risks of the plastic at this point in time.

Produce Keepers from Tupperware



(BPA-free!) Produce Keepers from Progressive




Produce Keepers from Rubbermaid





Lemon-saver

Stack the snacks.

Stackable Packet Bins. Here are some more stacking products to help organize the pantry. I *love* how you can access anything without disturbing the other bins!! What a great idea!

Still in search of efficient shoe storage...It's the Goldilocks problem

True confessions. We still haven't solved the shoe (and lack of coat closet) problem that I wrote about this past winter.

And now with summer it is much easier to ignore the problem...bare feet, flip flops, and the lack of winter apparel don't really need too much space at this time of year.



But this year I'm determined to tackle this problem before summer ends!!!

What is stopping us? It's probably the fact that we need a custom solution;

• The "mud room" is also the "dining room" so we don't want to eat inside a closet of dirty boots and coats hanging in view.
• The space is small and oddly shaped with 6 openings in the room.
• And being an Asian family, we keep all our shoes at the front door which is also extremely practical.
• To get the storage we need we have to optimize every single inch. Too many pre-fab shoe storage options waste space and are inefficient.
• Each shoe, boot, backpack, sports bag, coat, and roller skate needs a cubby that is designed for just it's size....not too big, not too small.

In addition to everything I've researched already, here are some additional options we're considering.


Adjustable Shoe Cubbies. These seemed like a good idea since they are customizable. But some reviewers have complained they are too small and too difficult to assemble. The 6" x 6" openings are probably too small for even one men's shoe. Bummer.




Shoe and Boot Pods. These "pods" act like drawers so you can pull one out container without disturbing the rests. They are designed for shoes and boots, although they have to lay on their side to fit. The #4 boot size pod would allow adult size shoes to sit side by side.




Sterilite Clearview Storage Drawer. We have these around the house for organizing office supplies, but I'm thinking now that these might be just the right size to stack in the most efficient manner. There are different sizes to accomodate different shoes, boots, and accesories. But I'm not sure how many you could stack before the weight is too much.

Create a fantasy wonderland with these cookbooks

Check out these scrumptious Barbara Berry cookbooks!

We got the fairy cookbook from the library. My daughter, son, and I were immediately ready to have party after we saw the pictures.

Farmers Market at Benjamin Davis

South Lansing Community Development Association will be sponsoring a farmer's market on Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 6 through September 26, 2009 at Benjamin Davis Park.

If you are interested in selling your items on any particular day or for the entire season, please contact Catie at catie@southlansing.org to get the application forms.

Vendors need to be licensed when they sell prepared food, so anything cut or cooked would need to be done in a licensed facility. A great resource for regulations is the MIFMA website: http://www.farmersmarkets.msu.edu/

Make your own Rain barrel - or buy one May 16th

I'm jealous of the amazing resources available to the residents of Gaithersburg and Rockville, Maryland, through this organization that helps residents harvest their rainwater, build native habitats through their landscaping, and work together as a community toward eco-goals.

One thing they offer is a "make it and take it" day to help folks build their own rain barrels. Here are the instructions if you want to try it yourself.

If you are in the Ingham-Clinton-Eaton areas, you can get a great deal on a rain barrel purchase, Saturday, May 16, 2009 - 9 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Skip the boring lattice!

Perusing some lovely garden magazines from the library I ran across an add for these unique lattice designs. It got my creative juices flowing.

They have fences, gates, borders, trellises, etc. I think I'm really inspired to use several freeform trellises for some boring spots along the garage-side garden.

These are some of my favorite designs: Prairie, Chinois, Modernist. Imagine the possibilities...

Repurposing books as boutique purses

I heard the NPR interview with Caitlin Phillips, the creative genious behind these purses, and had to check it out online!

Her "Rebound Designs" store offers lots of creative designs for purchase.

There are also some DIY instructions for making these purses. Enjoy!

Go to MIT for free

Okay, you don't get a degree but you can get the education.


Check out MIT's online classes through their open coursework project.

As a homeschooling mom I wish we had access to this kind of material for K-12 curriculum too.

But this is the coursework I'm salivating over!!

And it is official, my undergrad psychology professor, Duane Kauffman was right and I was wrong.

He tried to explain the importance of neuroscience to the field of psychology and I thought it was just to "sciency" at the time.

I avoided it like the plague during graduate school thinking I was more interested in the "touchy-feely" side of pyschology.

Well, yeah, I'm still interested in the practical, outreach side of psychology, and happen to like being around people more than lab samples. But I'm all geeked up on the science of psychology and totally fascinated by brain science.

Dear Duane, thanks for being ahead of the curve and getting us to at least take advanced cognitive science classwork at GC! Enjoy your retirement!

Asperger Syndrome Tied to Low Cortisol Levels

This is an interesting bit of research looking at biological differences in these children on the Autism Spectrum.

Asperger Syndrome Tied to Low Cortisol Levels: Finding could steer caregivers away from situations that would add to anxiety

It's interesting that the researchers suggest environmental modification strategies to deal with the biological basis of the apparent hormonal deficit.

I'm not sure this is really useful science, at least as presented in this artcle.

As parents of sensory challenged kids, we already rely on environmental modications to get through the day. Avoid this....Alter that...Only do this... It's exhausting.

I want more treatments focused on addressing the underlying neurobiology that seems to be the problem.

Fidgeting is good!

Kids with ADHD May Learn Better by Fidgeting By John Cloud Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2009

I had to laugh when I read this article in the current issue of TIME magazine, because occupational therapists , well-informed teachers, and parents of sensory-challenged kids know this already!

So if you are looking for some good fidgeting devices, check this small sampling from office playground's huge selection of stress-busters and fidgets: