Category Archives: Our House

Why I do not think my kitchen is small.

A couple years ago if you had asked me about my kitchen I would have said it was very small.

Tiny even.

I was trying to find some way to expand it.

Any way really.

Maybe I could move the washer and dryer out to the garage and then expand it that way, knock a wall out here, bump a wall out there.

Anything to get more space that I so desperately needed (I thought).

Then last year I stumbled upon this blog post.

In it Katie talks about their 480 sq ft apartment in Germany and her renovated 36 sq ft kitchen.

36 sq ft.

Wow.

She is big on simplifying and gave me a little push to start looking around at what I really needed.

I then stumbled upon the Tiny House movement.

Never heard of it?

Check out tinyhouseblog.com

If you want to see my favorites you can check them out on my Pinterest board.

Some of these houses are only around 100 sq ft!

My 900+ sq ft house started feeling really big.

Huge even.

Up until last year I thought I needed a bigger house.

I dreamed of a bigger house.

Now I see a bigger house and think, “wait, who is going to clean it?”

I do not like to clean at all.

Now I ask myself, “how much space do I really need?” and “do I really need that new gadget for the kitchen when something I already have does the job?”

30 Day project, Day 8

Tiny houses are not for everyone.

But they have made me appreciate what I have a lot more.

So instead of knocking down a wall in a desperate search for more space, I think I will just stick to painting.

Instead of looking for room for that new gadget, I will just use what I have.

My kitchen is big enough to do everything I want to do and more.

How much space do you really use?

He made me an entertainment center!

Before

After we bought my baby a new tv the old entertainment center was not cutting it.

Especially since the tv was resting on it!

He mounted it to the wall and designed an entertainment center around it!

First piece!

After!

Have I mentioned how much I love that my husband designs and builds me anything I want?

Because it is awesome!

I have been reading a lot about minimalism and tiny house living.

It has really helped me to see what is important to me and what is just taking up space.

I decided to fill most of the shelves with things that mean a lot to me or I like a lot.

I have been collecting old books since I was a teenager.

I love the history wrapped around an old book.

I have been given many as gifts from people I love.

So many memories in these beautiful books.

I put gifts from my families travels on these shelves as well.

All of my siblings and I went on missions trips as teenagers.

They were nice enough to bring back gifts for each of us.

Each little gift makes me think of the sibling that gave it to me.

My Grandma gave me the teapot.

One of the books under the tea cup is very special to me.

My Grandma’s childhood bible.

It has been hiding on a bookshelf not standing apart at all until now.

Of course I collect old cameras!

I love my new space but most of all I love seeing things that are meaningful to me having a place of honor in my house!

I have to admit I was shocked at how little I had that meant enough to me to make it to those shelves!

If you do not love it, find it useful, or find it beautiful, get rid of it!

I am working on it!

Around my school room/Library/Craft space

I like to use a space to it’s fullest!

So I call the room we are currently doing school in a lot of things.

I do not know if I should be glad or worried that the boys always know what I am talking about…

I made some small changes over the weekend to our room.

I made a top for the table to give us some more elbow room and stop things from dropping in between the slats.

This is what it used to look like.

It looks totally different, right!

I bet you did not even know it was the same room!

Sorry for the sarcasm.

I had to.

My poor husband came in the door Friday night after working late and was attacked with requests to cut a table top and throw in a desk while he was at it.

I decided I need a bigger work area for big projects without loosing too much space.

So I thought the shelf up.

I learned it is not easy to tell someone else to build something for you that you only have in your head…

Sorry BABY!!!!

It works great!

I of course decided to spend all weekend rearranging the room!

He tried to not laugh at me.

I decided to hang up more of my crafts stuff so I would actually use it!

Out of sight out of mind…

I have had those fall stickers for way too many years.

Time to use them or get rid of them!

I decided to make our schedule pretty.

I had it written on a notebook that I kept loosing before!

It is still currently lost and I was too lazy to look for it so I printed up one.

Do not ask me how that is less work.

The globe has nothing to do with teaching my children.

I just always envisioned my library having a globe.

I let them look at it once in a while…

If they do not breath on it.

I like to have a lot of easy chapter books where my oldest can reach them!

Sorry about the blurry picture!

I am too lazy to fix it now.

Our stack of library books that I am hoping to get through this month and the Alphabet rocks my friend made me.

Where I keep our curriculum we use daily.

We are learning about explorers this month so I thought I would put out my compasses and sextant!

The boys are not the only one’s with toys…