Modern Parents Messy Kids

The best ideas on how to raise engaged kids, organize your life, and create a stylish home.

Why You Should Make the Dining Room an Art Room

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I finally did it - I got rid of the old green couch (which was essentially a glorified dog bed) in our play room and replaced it with the mother of all tables and some clever storage benches.  Thus creating the play/art/entertaining room I've been pining for in my head for months, nay YEARS now! I'm pretty darn excited to share it as part of Project Organize Your ENTIRE Life month - can you tell? Let me tell you, it was no small feat convincing my hubby to let me chuck that couch.  It was the … [Read more...]

POYEL: Organizing the Garage

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Most people associate garage organization with spring cleaning. It's true that prepping your garage storage for the spring and summer to come is a must, but what about setting it up for success after the summer season has ended?   Sure, the sports equipment may not get the use it did in the warmer months, but a lot of extras are stored in our garage for use throughout the year: oversized cookware for holiday dinners, bulk light bulbs, and even various cards and invitations I use for … [Read more...]

POYEL: Untangling Your Little One’s Hair Accessories

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I'm not embarrassed, actually slightly embarrassed, to show you the inside of a messy drawer in my house.  This type-A loves to organize, yet somehow my daughter's hair accessories have slipped through the cracks.  There's a lot.  Getting out the door to school in the morning is hard, so having our hair accessories easily accessible is just one more thing that will make my life easier. … [Read more...]

12 Fail-Proof Steps to Playroom Perfection

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Remember when I teamed up with Jen of the infamous I Heart Organizing for that fabulous FLOR giveaway? And how she used her rug to complete her equally fabulous playroom?  Well... I begged, pleaded and cajoled until finally she agreed to come back and spill all her organizational secrets with us today as part of Project Organize Your ENTIRE Life.  Enjoy! Our playroom is one of our favorite rooms in the house, because it is by far the most used and loved room. It has been set up and designed … [Read more...]

POYEL: Organizing Your Paper Piles

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In a few days, we're once again sending the kids to the grandparents and embarking on a decluttering weekend.  If you're a regular here, you know we like to do this 3-4 times a year.  Along with giving our little ones quality bonding time with some of their favorite people, it gives the hubs and I the chance to tackle a few projects on our to-do list.   I haven't finalized the list of all I hope to accomplish yet, but I know for sure a new system for dealing with our ever-growing paper … [Read more...]

Easy Entertaining Idea: Pretty Fridge Storage

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Summer is coming to a close but, for many, entertaining season lasts far beyond backyard barbecues and patio margaritas. While we don't host dinner parties regularly, my husband and I do like to invite friends and coworkers over for a casual drink and some snacks on a whim. When we host an impromptu get together, I find myself buzzing around the kitchen trying to make the hodgepodge of items in our fridge into something presentable. This usually means taking out my dips du jour from the fridge … [Read more...]

Taming the Chaos: Play Room Edition

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Last week I promised I'd be back with the "gory details" of our recent re-organization weekend and today I'm delivering the first installment.  A number of you have asked for more posts on storage and organization, particularly pertaining to toys.  Just for you, I'm going out of my comfort zone a bit here and exposing what is decidedly one of the less stylish spots in my house in order to share what's been working for our family.   Before we get started, I just want to point out that I do … [Read more...]

DIY Creativity Center (Toddler-Friendly & Baby-Proof)

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All it took was one little trip to IKEA and the creativity center that I've been visualizing for months now is finally a reality.  I was pleasantly surprised to find the main components came to a pre-tax total of only $70.       It's been up for two days and so far C has spent over an hour each morning parked here.  The best part is, it's always his idea - all the pretty materials on display seem to beckon to him (just as I hoped they would).     This is … [Read more...]