Decorating: Hanging Wall Art – Part 2 of 3

September 30, 2013 by Tracy

Having rented an apartment and townhouse for six years and looking at white walls, I was ready to decorate when we purchased our home almost 10 years ago. Since we were having our home built, I had a good 6 months to play with paint swatches and textures, and I did.

By the time we moved in, I had the colors chosen. Paul spent the first 2 years scraping popcorn from the ceilings and painting each room of our home. The result was a colorful home without any white walls. 😉

Content with our color choices, I am still careful not to damage the walls or add unnecessary marks or holes. In the first part of this hanging wall art series, I explained how I experiment with the wall art to find my favorite arrangement. Moving on to part two, I sketch the wall art arrangement.

Step Two: Sketch the Wall Art Arrangement

With my wall art arranged on the floor, I take a large sheet of paper. I use a small easel pad that I received as a sample from Post It. This paper is peel ‘n stick which makes it nice to stick to the wall.

Taking the paper, I transfer the wall art onto the paper in the same arrangement. Using a pencil, I trace each item. Before removing the wall art, I poke a small hole in the paper where the nail or screw should go for easy alignment.

Removing the wall art from the paper, I have a complete sketch of the wall art arrangement. With the peel ‘n stick property of the paper, I just put up the paper and adjust on the wall until I find the perfect spot. I then stabilize the page with masking tape.

Similar to how I experiment, I leave the paper on the wall for a few days. I check to see if I will bump my head or knock anything off the wall. In this arrangement, the bottom item I am hanging is a magnet bar with clips. This piece will hold items in place which I will need to easily reach from my desk without accidentally knocking them when filing paperwork or functioning at my desk.

As this wall art serves both a decoration and a utility function, I needed to try out the arrangement before hanging it up permanently. That magnetic bar is heavy and the screws are big, so I wanted to be sure we did this arrangement correctly the first time.

After a few days, I realized that my arrangement was too high, so I readjusted my arrangement with less width and more height to meet my needs. Having the sketch on the wall helped me identify the distance before putting it on the wall and having to readjust and hide previous holes in the wall.

In using time wisely, I took my time about hanging this wall art arrangement. I experimented before sketching the arrangement on paper to display. Then I adjusted the paper as needed until I found the right height and arrangement that worked for me.

The last installment of this 3-part series will reveal the final results along with tips for hanging the wall art arrangement. As you decorate, finding the best arrangement is possible with a little patience, creativity, and planning. Happy decorating!

Question: Do you sketch your wall art arrangements before hanging them?

Decorating: Hanging Wall Art – Part 3 of 3

October 7, 2013 by Tracy

Getting wall art from the box to the wall is a process for me. I tend to take my time and get it right. Once in place, items stay for years.

Our living room wall arrangements have seen one change in six years. That change was swapping our large mirror for a flat panel television. The pictures, frames, and decorations have remained the same.

Since I do not change my mind often, I do not just slap items on the wall. I take my time – as you have learned through this short series.

In part one, I experimented with my wall art, and in part two, I sketched my wall art. Now, it is time to hang my wall art.

Step Three: Hang the Wall Art Arrangement

After working at my desk with the sketch of my wall art arrangement hung on the wall, I wait until I know that this arrangement will work. Then, I ask for help because it lands on my husband’s “honey-do” list.

When he is available, he gathers his tools: stud finder, charged drill, and hardware. Placing all the items that need to be hung on my desk, he gets to work hanging the wall art in place:

1. Checks Wall Placement

He uses the stud finder to determine where the main posts are in the wall before he drills holes.

2. Gets Hardware

For this arrangement, the shelf and the magnetic board came with hardware. Paul retrieved 4 more screws for the block prints.

3. Drills Holes

Using the poked holes in the paper, Paul drills holes into the wall and removes the screws. He does this for each hole marked on the paper.

4. Removes Paper

With the paper removed, the wall reveals the holes where the screws need to go.

5. Adds Hardware

Learning from a contractor, who repaired our bedroom closet when the wiring shelving fell off the wall, Paul uses wall anchors to stabilize the wall art. He places the wall anchor into the hole. Then he screws in the hardware for a firm fit.

6. Hangs Wall Art

With the hardware in place, Paul hangs each wall art item for a perfect placement.

In using time wisely, I take a few minutes each day for a week or two to plan this project. When I need the help, Paul can accomplish this task efficiently and without needing someone to “see” if the art work is level or off-center. Though it takes more time to plan than just sticking it up on the wall, I am very happy with the result and will admire this wall art arrangement often.

As you decorate your home and hang items on the wall, planning ahead will save you from rearranging or finding that one item is higher than another when installed. You might need to wait a few days, but the wait will be worth it once you see your vision on the wall. Happy decorating!

Question: What are your hanging wall art tips?

Organizing: Art Supplies

October 14, 2013 by Tracy

My 6-year-old jumps from craft to craft. My mom was so helpful this summer with project ideas to keep her interested and busy.

Though I enjoy some crafts, Miss 6 enjoys all things creative. Thankfully, our dollar store carries a large number of diverse crafts that kept her busy.

She painted by number, created sticker mosaics, worked with beads, painted magnets, and colored velvet.

With partial projects done and leftover supplies for additional crafts, our art supplies were overflowing from their designated container.

When that happens, it is time to organize or re-organize. This project took less than half an hour and was worth the investment of time.

Remove all Items

The first step was to remove all the items from the craft box and gather any miscellaneous items that would not fit within the box.

Purge Items

I then tossed trash, removed extra packaging, and removed old or unusable items from the supplies.

Sort the Items

With my table full of paint, stickers, and markers, I began sorting like items together. I chose to sort by project (e.g., paint, markers, stickers, etc.).

Consolidate the Items

We had lots of stickers leftover from projects. I tossed the packaging and put all the extra pieces in a sandwich-size baggie which saved space. I repackaged similar items to make accessing them easier.

Organize the Items

Putting the items back into the space, I put like items together and used containers to compartmentalize different projects. I had a large box that held ready-to-do crafts.

Return Box to Shelf

With all the items organized and put back into the space, I had filled the container without an overflow.

During this fall as the rain and cooler temperatures drive us inside, I am prepared to give Miss 6 craft projects to promote her creativity and need for expression. Part of the fun is discovering new projects to do with the available supplies.

As seasons and interests change, I am always finding something new to organize or re-organize. Keeping up with the changes as they occur allows me to nip these projects when they are small. If I let the situation continue, then I will need to invest lots of time to get the project organized.

In using time wisely, I try to organize at least one box, shelf, drawer, cabinet, or closet each week. For me, there is always something we have outgrown or can better use, so I love the challenge. Having this art supply project complete just makes me smile. Happy organizing!

Question: What is a current area that your family has outgrown that needs organization?

Cleaning: Oh, I Wonder What That Was?

October 21, 2013 by Tracy

For the most part, we clean up as we go around our house. If we see a mess, then we will stop to clean it. However, there are messes that we don’t see until something else gets moved. At that time, I might let out an, “Oh, I wonder what that was?”

One such moment occurred before I went grocery shopping. While the refrigerator was bare, I noticed a thin layer of a substance on one of our shelves. Upon further investigation, I found the mess sticky and pale in color. Ick!

Not sure how long that mess had been there, I decided to just clean the refrigerator. I find it easier to clean when the contents are minimal, so I wanted to complete this project before going to the store. My process was as follows:

1. Fill a bowl full of warm soapy water

I use a large plastic bowl and a few drops of liquid dishwashing detergent. This bowl remains in the sink, so I can go back and forth to clean each shelf.

2. Take out the items on the top shelf

As I put each item from the top shelf onto the counter, I wipe down each item. This is because I don’t want any residue on these items to dirty my clean shelf. (Visions come flooding back of spending time cleaning only to find more mess than when I started from the smudged jug of milk back on the shelf. Yep, it happened.)

3. Wipe down the shelf and the surrounding area

In addition to wiping down the shelf with warm soapy water, I also clean the walls and the rear of the refrigerator while the space is clear.

4. Continue cleaning shelf by shelf

If the shelf is removable, then I take it out and clean the track as well. I’m amazed at what appears to be clean can be so dirty and sticky when the shelf is lifted.

5. Remove drawers

Each drawer is removed, emptied, and wiped clean. I also wipe down the track to remove any crumbs or unwanted substances. As I remove the bottom drawer, I am always amazed at the crumbs collected on the floor of our refrigerator. Yuck!

6. Clean the shelves on the door

If I have time, I also like to remove the items in each compartment on the door. Surprisingly, these areas stay clean. Wiping them down is quick and easy.

7. Pop off and dust the vent

The last item I like to clean is the vent located on the bottom of our refrigerator. On our side-by-side unit, I must open both the refrigerator and the freezer doors to pop off the vent. This bar gets dirty as it collects dust both on the inside and outside. I also dust off the hoses and other parts hidden behind the vent.

Keeping the vent clean keeps our refrigerator operating more efficiently. Without working harder to ventilate the air, the refrigerator circulates the air and keeps our food cool. I really need to clean this vent more often.

Though cleaning the refrigerator is not the highlight of my day, I like to have the project done. By cleaning as we go, this particular cleaning took less than an hour. Now, I did not clean the freezer, but the refrigerator was done.

In using time wisely, I find cleaning when our food supply in the refrigerator is low results in the best use of my time. Taking out lots of containers and items eats up my time. So, with a small amount of items to remove, I can complete the process in less time. Hope your cleaning projects are coming along.

I am enjoying the smell of our pumpkin candle as I finished a top to bottom cleaning of our living room. I am off to work on our dining room. One step at a time and one project at time is how I roll. Hopefully, I won’t find more messes that have me saying, “Oh, I wonder what that was?” Happy cleaning!

Question: What current cleaning project is on your to-do list?

Organizing: Consolidating to Save Space

October 28, 2013 by Tracy

Entering a different phase of our family life, I am adjusting to my children’s growing independence. They are becoming more dependable and taking on more responsibilities. With their new ventures, I am adjusting to the growing pains.

One such pain is my pantry. Feeling like I just organized my pantry, I was a bit disheartened when I found empty boxes, items on shelf 3 that should be on shelf 4, and 2 opened boxes of the same cereal.

Though I really want to fuss as I spend my time organizing the pantry and I saw my efforts fleeting, I was glad I was alone in the kitchen.

Yes, alone in the kitchen without someone at my feet. Actually, I was alone in the house as Miss 3 was spending the day with her Grandparents while the older two were at school.

Realizing that the reason for the added inconvenience was a good thing, I calmed down. Wanting to have responsible children does not come without side effects.

If I need to organize my pantry more often because my children forget or just put an item where they think it goes, then that is a small price to pay for the amount of responsible practice they are getting.

In working through my pantry, I found that this organizing session needed consolidating to save space.

Consolidating Multiple Opened Packages

As I emptied and organized my pantry shelf by shelf, I found the following items having multiple opened packages:

2 boxes of oatmeal packages
2 boxes of pop tarts
2 boxes cracker snacks
2 bags of sour cream and onion chips
2 bags of chocolate chips
2 boxes of Rice Krispies

In addition to the multiples, I found two empty boxes that held granola bars and cracker packs which I removed. Then I consolidated the multiple opened items into one package each. Adding those empty packages to the trash, I freed up quite a bit of space.

Consolidating Snacks

With my children eating 2 to 3 snacks a day, I keep an assortment of fruits, vegetables, yogurt, crackers, and granola bars available.

As the boxes are opened and the items begin to disappear, I find stray packages of snacks throughout the pantry.

To save space and keep all the items together, I consolidate the miscellaneous snacks into one large Ziploc bag. This is the bag I take on field trips, outings, and errand runs.

Since I never know how long we might end up waiting or if someone forgets a snack, we have sustenance and extras to share.

As I adjust to this new and exciting phase of our family, I am learning more patience as processes I have practiced for years are getting invaded. I am happy to share this space to help my children learn, but I will need to watch it more carefully.

With little reminders and upkeep, I can use the contents of our pantry to teach my children how to develop their growing independence. Working with them will take time, but the investment will be worth the time and energy. Happy teaching through organizing!

Question: How are you teaching when your system gets disrupted?

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