Sew a fine Seam

This is what Middle and Little Sisters' room has looked like for the past month. Or more. I've completely lost track of when it was cleaned up last. Every time I look in there thinking I will clean it up I get this sinking feeling and head back down the stairs and put it out of my mind.

Can you believe I'm really sharing these photos with you? I've lost my mind I tell ya.

First you make the bed so you have a clear space to put the piles of 'stuff'.

Photographing the marker marks on the bedspread is optional. The girls say they had a little help from a certain little friend of theirs!

After about an hour you have some clear spaces, a huge pile of trash, a pile of dirty laundry, and piles of sorted stuff.

The other side of the room still looks like this.

And this. The stuff was piled so deep over here I needed a backhoe.

This tub used to hold all their American Girl stuff. Now it is in the trash can.

I decided getting the backhoe up the stairs was more work than it was worth so I pitched and piled my way through.

By lunch time I had it looking like this...

With this pile of American girl stuff...

...and this large box full of American Girl stuff.

And this closet still needing cleaned out.

After lunch, a break, some school work, an orthodontist appointment for The Teenager, and a trip to the library, I cleaned out that closet. With The Teenager's help we switched out her dresser and the one from this room. Middle Sister and Little Sister helped with the organizing, and putting away of all the mess in the closet. The photo above is what their room looked like when they went to bed.

American Girl stuff found homes in some of these tubs. The Polly's and some of the Playmobile were shipped to the cellar.

New curtain is a must. Also a longer cord on the chandi.

This is inside the closet. I have plans for this space to make it more user friendly but for now it works.

I have BIG plans for the whole room. There is marker, crayon, pen, pencil, stars, stickers, you name it all over the walls. We moved The Teenager into this room from our bedroom when she was 18 months old. She is now 13. She shared this room with Middle Sister and then they all 3 shared this room for awhile till we got the 3rd bedroom finished. Now this room is in dire need of a fresh coat of paint, new curtain, and hardwood. My but it is hard to move furniture around on carpet! Reason #3587 why I love my hardwood!!

A big thank you for today goes to my Mom. She has agreed to come over once a week to oversee the school day while I concentrate on something else. I never would have even started this room cleaning today if it hadn't been for that. Thanks Mom, you are the best!!

Labels: american girl, bedroom, cleaning, closet, curtains, desk, dresser, Little Sister, locker, markers, mess, middle sister, paint, playmobile, quilt, the teenager

Remember playing 'musical chairs' as a child? There are enough chairs for all but one person. When the music stops everyone dashes for a seat. The one left standing is 'out'.

Well, I've been playing 'musical furniture lately'.

Moving things around, trying it here... nah, it needs to go there...

this will sit here till this other project is done, then it can go over there...

That sort of thing. Anyone know what I'm talking about??

This desk finally moved out of the living room a few months ago and now resides in Big Sister's closet. She loves having it there. And I still need to take pictures of it where it is now. I'm waiting on the closet to be neat and tidy. So don't hold your breathe on seeing those pics anytime in this decade. Big Sister is 12. And a half. I knew you would understand!!

This dresser also went with Big Sister to her new room - from the dining room.

This dresser (which is a favorite of mine) took the place of the one in the dining room. This one had been in the bathroom.

This took the spot in the bathroom.

It had been my dresser.

I have been without a dresser for awhile.

Till now.

More on that in a little.

This is the furniture that was the 'last one standing' in this game of 'musical furniture'.

It was 'out'!

Couch and Love Seat had to leave the game. They now reside at the home of a friend who needed some more furniture. And I'm sure they are enjoying themselves there immensely!

You see, we acquired a piece of furniture that is truly musical!

This old upright piano! We are all so thrilled with it.

And that is a story in itself for another day, another time, another post!

Because we sent the Couch and Love Seat packing we needed something to sit on.

Enter this lovely piece. Lovely is said tongue-in-cheek.

Really I do love the shape and size of this thing and it is pretty comfy:)

It's covered with quilts right now that always need repositioned.

The plan is to reupholster it.

And eventually sell it and get what we REALLY want.

So. Game ended for awhile but if you were following closely you will remember that I am now w/out a dresser. And it's been a few months. Not ideal but I just closed my eyes to the fact that I had stacks of clothes on the floor beside my bed.

We had a dresser stored in the basement that matched the table above. Travis uses this little table as a night stand. Plan was to paint the dresser to match and I would use it.

But... when we pulled it out of the basement it was rather moldy inside. So it went to the curb to await the trash truck. Guess it got left standing too!

The other night in the middle of the night I had a brainstorm.

Also in the basement was a bookshelf that had played it's own game of 'musical furniture'.

I had been thinking I would get rid of it since I didn't have anywhere to put it anymore. That's before I thought outside the box and considered it more than just a bookshelf. And I needed a dresser remember?

So this dresser above, is now sitting in my bedroom ready to get my clothes off the floor.

And in the dining room, where this had been is ....

...This!!!!

We pulled that bookshelf out of the basement where it was languishing, cleaned off the spiders and webs and dust, and then - I pulled the back off. The back was several thin layers of veneer which had not stayed very flat. And I like it so much better without the back anyway. Takes away the 'bookshelf' look and gives it a more 'open shelving' look. And I'm loving having my stuff easily accessible and on display. I haven't been this excited about a redo for a long time. I just love the game of 'musical furniture'! When it turns out this great anyway:)