getting things organized

or maybe it's just a little bit less of a mess, or perhaps a different kind of mess. Having the husband home for a few days over the last week has meant that we've been able to take giant strides towards getting our work space organized.

So far this week we have:
Purchased our new storage and work tables
Cleaned off the old work surface and emptied out the old storage
Assembled our new tables and storage
Things are starting to find permanent homes
Things are finding temporary homes
Decisions about which things are going into the garage and which can be kept out are being made
Shelves that we've had in storage since our move have been hung

It's not exactly as we want it, there are still things that need homes and for the most part it still looks pretty messy. But, BUT it's starting to come together and I can see in my minds eye how it could be once it's finished. Ideally what I want is for my studio space to be inspiring to me. Otherwise as a space it just won't work.

A Thousand Words

Snuggling on the couch after opening our x-mas eve gifts

Clearing things out

We were up and out late last night so today is going to be a take it easy day. It's snowing so the Peanut will want to go outside at some point and I'll be headed out to exchange one of my gifts from the husband for something that will fit me and get those slippers that I didn't get around to picking up yesterday.

Yesterday we got a step closer to a streamlined working space. I emptied out the armoire that we've used for the last ten years to store my art supplies, sketchbooks and photo equipment. It's an Ikea product, but we customized it by adding a few extra shelves.

The next step is to get it out of the house. I'll be taking some pictures of it so that we can post it on craigslist this week. Well, that and a few other items that we just don't have the space for.

That's what we're working on today, what do you have going on?

I need slippers

Something I can just slip on my feet without having to bend down and reach my feet. I'm planning on sneaking out of the house today to pick some up.

Yesterday I cleared off the plastic folding table that has been my work table for a year now. The husband and I went on a little after holiday shopping spree and picked up some stainless steel tables, a new storage shelf and one or two other things from Ikea.

A part of me wishes that I had the time and the resources to source second hand stuff to furnish my work space with. But I don't and I usually end up succumbing to the call of the Ikea catalogue. What we have tight now are the bare bones of what we would ultimately like to have the space look like, perhaps I'll keep my eyes peeled for some of those surprise vintage/ second hand finds to add to the space. It's half assembled and there are boxes, and stacks of supplies everywhere. By the end of the week I'm hoping that it will be set up and all the extraneous furniture will be out.

After that it'll be all about keeping it organized so that I'm not moving into the kitchen to do some painting.

What reorganizing project are you working on for the new year?

new new new

Today we're taking the first step toward building a better workspace for both the husband and myself.

We'll be emptying out the Ikea armoire that we've been lugging around for the last ten years, cleaning off the work table that is currently over flowing with all manner of art materials and organizing the space directly behind our couch. All to make room for two new work tables that will give us more working space, new storage that will make better use of the space that we have and did I mention that we're going to have better workspace?

After it's over

spending the holidays with just your immediate family has some pluses:

• no need to go rushing off to see every single last member on either side of the family
• a leisurely day doing a little of this and a little of that
• no packing up gifts
• no upset Peanut who doesn't want to leave where she's at each time we have to go

and then there are the negatives

• it feels a little lonely not to have other family around
• not getting to see the reactions to the gifts we've thoughtfully chosen for our loved ones
• no access to Grandma's butter tarts (not that I'm allowed them anyway)
• missing out on the excitement of all the nephews who are still young enough to be super excited for the holidays

We're hoping that next year we'll be able to make the trip to be with family or that some family will be able to make the trip to be with us.

This was our last holiday season as a family of three and we tried to make it a special one for the Peanut. In just one month her whole world is going to change. She's going to have to share the space that is the center of our universe and come to terms with a new role as a big sister. My goal for the short four weeks ahead of us is to spend some extra special time with her and at the same time talk with her as much as possible about how things are going to change (schedules, sharing Momma and Daddy) and how things are going to stay the same (how much we love her, how she'll still get special Peanut only time).

On the one hand I'm very excited about getting the Bean out and meeting her. On the other hand I'm a little sad for the Peanut because she's been the one and only for four and a half years. That's a big change for anyone let alone a little girl. I'm not worried about the whole not having enough love to share between them thing. I've had enough experience with how much love for the Peanut explodes from me to know that there's no danger there.

For those of you who have more than one little, how did you get your oldest ready for that transition?

Happy Holidays

It's down to one more sleep. Tonight we'll feast on finger foods, open up X-mas Eve gifts and tuck the Peanut into bed with a story, a song and a snuggle.

We're on our own again for the holidays this year so we'll be opening our gifts and skyping our parents so that they can see the joy and excitement that the Peanut will be beaming out and then we're going to enjoy a quiet day before getting ready for the new year.

I know that a lot of you will be with family over the next few days so I'm wishing you all a wonderful weekend whether you are celebrating or taking advantage of the long weekend.