Dorm Life!

DORM LIFE.....Ok I finally downloaded Alexa's dorm pics.  I took them all with my iPhone so bear with me...we didn't have room for the BIG camera after loading the truck up, trust me.  Thought I'd share some ideas for anyone planning their own teen's dorms in the future. 

We were lucky that during orientation this summer, Alexa's Green Scholars mentor took us on a tour of the apartment style dorm she'd be living in. It gave me a chance to measure drawers, closet space and under bed space to make a plan.

Here are a few pics of our SUV all packed up...it was like a Tetris puzzle fitting everything lemme tell ya LOL.  Good thing Riley stayed with my parents because we had NO room for him and barely room for Alexa in the backseat hahaha!

And this Alexa's half-hearted wave the morning we left.  She was a bit sniffly & crying saying goodbye to her house, room and cat.  Hard stuff!

And here is her final room pic.  The only thing missing from picture is a long, aqua body pillow I got her for the backside of the bed so it could be couch-like when friends are sitting on it.  That's why the pictures are a bit higher so people won't knock into them.  I hung a curtain I got from Target with 2 large 3M hooks and 2 clear shower rings...yup McGyver style and it worked perfectly.  Adds a nice touch to the plain window.

Her bedding is from Pottery Barn Teen and we used white, navy & aqua colors...her fave...to decorate with.  The navy ottoman (Target) under bed holds extra blankets and is how she gets up on the bed. She has a tempurpedic mattress cover on top of her mattress as well to make it more comfy since those mattresses are plastic covered..yuk!  Her bins hold winter clothes, snacks and extra cosmetics.  A black trunk holds anything that needs to be locked up and her printer sits on top of it.  We got that 6-outlet-surge-protector plug for next to her bed for all the electronics.
The peel-n-stick frames are by Jonathan Adler...Alexa hadn't filled them all in yet as she's waiting for me to print some pics for her LOL. But they are on Amazon in sets too.

We scooted her desk & dresser together to make one large space against the wall. Then I had bought a white shoe shelf to put on top of dresser to give her more space..only $12 and much sturdier than most desk-risers.  She's keeping her school books/binders on the bottom now.  Posters were from Amazon..I got her a few that she can change around when the mood strikes. The 3M poster strips are awesome to use too. To the far right are a larger set of drawer bins that hold undies, socks and such and on top is a smaller set of drawers that hold hair-bands, nail products, etc...we kept the larger dresser drawers for clothing.  The blue cone-thing is a small fan we got for her room from Target and her iPod dock sits there too.

The cute ? lamp is from Target too.  Then she has the monogrammed tray I made her (see here for tray diy) and some of her fave pics.  The bird-jewelry tree is from Amazon.  She couldn't have any metal or clip on lamps due to being fire hazards so we got her this cute lamp from Target as well.  The trifold mirror all the way to the left was a gift from my parents for Christmas (from Pottery Barn Teen too)...she uses it to put her makeup on.  The desk is a multi-functional space LOL.

This is a picture collage I made her to take to school.  You may remember THESE from Valentine's Day I made too.  This one is special for her because I added words that meant something to her...there are names of our favorite beaches, vacation places, things she hopes to study & see...a piece of personal art for her room. The frames are from Michaels that I love..usually on sale for buy one get one free!  I always meant to do a post and I promise I still will...but until then you can make your own at Tagxedo..you can even upload clip art shapes of your own.

Wall Pops 24-Inch by 36-Inch Peel and Stick Dry Erase Message Board Decal

Since she can't have anything nailed or pinned to walls we bought A LOT of 3M command strip items including these cute white paper clips.  The large white board is peel-off vinyl and came from Amazon. Great place for her to write her to-do list and such. We decorated it before we left but I forgot to snap a pic.  A desk organizer holds her school stuff, the little 3-drawers hold her makeup inside and on top.

I also got her a cute Lily Pulitzer agenda because she loves using them and helps keep her organized.  The desk drawers hold other school supplies and extra light bulbs, batteries and such.

Quirky Pivot Power 6 Outlet Flexible Surge Protector Power Strip 

This is a great surge-protector I ordered from Amazon (Bed Bath & Beyond has them too).  It twists around things and is great for all those items that have large chargers. We fit it around her desk shelf and left a few open for all those other things that need charging.  Any extension cords had to have an on/off switch or they would not be allowed.

Bed Post Shelf  

We also got her this handy dandy bunk bed shelf for her alarm and other essentials that must be within reach. The lil clip-on LED light is for reading in bed.  The shelves come in different sizes but I knew Alexa would have her bed against the wall so this was the only one that would fit well.

Gearbox Bedside Caddy
We also got her this little bedside caddy to hold her kindle and other reading materials. It tucks in nicely under her bedspread. A little note though...because her mattress is very light we had to buy mini clamps to clamp it to the underside of the bunk...just FYI. That way it stays in place.

This is her closet & door heading out to hall way (that's James getting in my picture hmmppffft lol).
We made it Alexa's dressing area and hung a bunch of 3M hooks for her necklaces, jewelry organizer and hat.  Her closet door also got 2 hooks for her towel-wrap and her purses. On the backside of her door is a full length over the door mirror as well.

In her closet we hung an over-the-door shoe hanger for shoes, belts, umbrella, tights, and other essentials. Obviously its not filled totally up yet but she forgot 4 prs of shoes which I had to ship to her.  Her boots are lined up in bottom of closet.

We bought her space-saving velvet hangers which make a HUGE difference in your closet. Definitely worth the $$ for the amount of space they save.
** We also got her 2 stick-on lights for the closet because its pretty dark in there--that way she can see easily for everything in the evening or early morning **

I hung 2 large 3M hooks on either side of her closet...one holds her laundry bag the and the other holds larger totes.  She has floor space for her boots and an almost empty bin for anything she might need to add or need room for. Her bookbag sits on top.  The robe hanging is actually mine..I've had it since I was pregnant with Alexa and she took it a few years ago...she loves it so I let her have it LOL.

At the top of her closet are a bin of laundry supplies including the cards and things I made for her last fall (See HERE).  A bottle of Febreze...cuz well it is college and you just never know LOL!  I got her Tide pods so she could grab a couple, add them to the bin and take down to the laundry room w/o having to carry a huge jug of detergent. Their laundry room is on first floor, has vending and tables for studying and HEY the machines TEXT YOU WHEN THEY ARE 5 MINS FROM BEING FINISHED and stay locked.  Now that's pretty cool!
The chevron bin holds her workout clothes for the gym so she can easily access them.
In all her bins and drawers that held clothes I added lil soaps to each...helps them smell nice and keeps bugs away..just a wee tip. Save the ones from hotels since they are perfect size.

Her apartment is 4 bedroom/2 bath style with wings...so her and her roomie are on one side of the kitchen/living room with a door and the other two are on the other side.  So the sink sits out at end of their hall and then the shower/toilet are behind a door.  We got Alexa these 2 drawer bins for her towels and cosmetics.  Her roomie went and got the same one so it was streamlined and neat...a trashcan sits in between. They are on wheels so they pull out and we loaded toilet paper at the very back of vanity so it was out of the way but accessible when they needed it.   I had Alexa's towels monogrammed in navy (from Pottery Barn Teen) and we got her this cool hot-tool hanging organizer.  It holds her hair dryer and curling wand easily and out of the way.
I'm making her a fancy acrylic tray for the things on top of the sink...shhh don't tell...will have that up on blog soon too.

The bathroom is tiny but big enough for them...however it was HARD to get a good picture LOL.
I got them a shower curtain from Pottery Barn Teen and the shower organizer.  On either side of the toilet we have bins with cleaning supplies, a plunger (cuz ya know) and a place for a few rolls of toilet paper and air freshner.

I didn't get a picture of the kitchen after we decorated...I totally forgot.  But they have a new, white microwave now and we added kitchen towels and a utensil holder for them. And some fun magnets on the fridge to add some color.  In the fridge we got Alexa 2 clear fridge bins to hold her food.  Each girl got a cabinet for their dishes and food storage.

This is one side of the living room...the other has a table & chairs and a couch.  Alexa's roommate's mom put up curtains on the window for some color and the girls have since added some art/posters to the walls.

Always a Daddy's girl!

So she's pretty set...I think the best thing about organizing is knowing who you are doing it for. For Alexa (a teen haha) I had to make it easily accessible so it would be used...and in a small space you gotta work with every inch.  I was happy that with what we did she had lots of room to grow including a rolling bin on backside of bed (you can't see it) that is still empty...so she can add more clothes that I seem to be sending down LOL!  Anyway she's set and she loves her room, so my work is done!

Ok I'm off to boo-hoo some more!  Will be back with some more posts really soon I promise!

Save Food?

Do You Save Food?  Repackage Food? Freeze Food?

I'm talking about a Food Saver of course...LOL!  I use a Food Saver each week to package up foods and such for my freezer.  They really do work well if you haven't tried one!  They keep it fresh so much longer and usually nice and neat so its easy to stack inmy freezer.

Funny story for you...yes I have lots of stories...lucky you eh?

Around 13 years ago my husband and I vacationed in Key West when the kids were very small.  We are night owls of course...great for the Keys huh LOL...anywho we had the tv on late one evening in our room.  For whatever reason an infommercial was on the tv and it was showing off the food saver.  We were both intrigued that we ordered one and it arrived at our house while we were gone.  Ta-Da!  Boy we KNOW how to live it up while we are on vacation...I know you are thinking that right? Haha!  And that was the very first Food Saver version....I have since upgraded to a bit nicer one that's easier to use. But I use it A LOT... I LOVE IT!

HOWEVER I see they have this one below...its black & stainless steel...matches my kitchen..do I need it? NO!  Do I want it? YES! Am I gonna buy it...perhaps...but not right now ;)

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This is my 2nd Food Saver machine...its about 6-7 years old I believe and it still works like a charm.  I buy the rolls to make bags myself...not sure if they still sell pre-made bags or not but I found it was just as easy (and cheaper) to buy the rolls and do it meself.  The rolls come in different sizes and widths so I have a few of each.  Some Costco and Sam's stores carry the machine and supplies so you can check there too...Target and Walmart may too.

I am blessed with a ton of cabinets in my kitchen...when I move I will be a spoiled brat about getting another kitchen with the same amount...just sayin' LOL..I have A LOT of kitchen stuffs.  Our very first house had scant kitchen space and everything was stacked, piled and in other places...drove me NUTTERS so I definitely appreciate this kitchen!  My kitchen island has drawers and cabinets on each side which is nice.  These are on the front side of my island that faces out into the kitchen and are a bit more shallow.  So I store my Food Saver machine and rolls of plasitc in this one along with my cookie cutters, knife sharpeners and extra pans I don't use often.  Easy to access as I don't leave mine out on the counter...I HATE clutter on my counters so I'm very picky about what gets to be out!

I buy flank steak from Costco (these are folded up in the package so they are twice the size they look) because they are cheaper and in packs of two.  But I usually only need one to cook up at a time...so out comes the Food Saver.  

First you have to make yourself a bag to use.  I pick a width that will work best and cut a length of it that will fit...make sure to leave extra room on each side...trust me on the EXTRA ok?

Then you place one end of the plastic into the Food Saver.  Making sure the edge is over the SEALER...that's what will seal the plastic together.

On my version I just hold it down for a sec and select INSTANT SEAL. When the motor slows down I hit the release button and open it up.

Make sure you examine the seal to make sure it goes clean across with NO breaks..otherwise you will have a leaky mess on your hands ok?  Now put your meat in the bag and turn around and seal the other side.  The Food Saver will suck out all the air and seal it tight.  I don't have to hold my machine's top down but for a second and then it does it automatically (on the old one you had to hold it down the entire time...ugh). 

When its done make sure its sealed tightly and correctly...you will recognize how that should be trust me.  If it hasn't cut the end off and try again...hence the WARNING at the top to cut the bag with extra on the sides LOL!  I keep a Sharpie Pen in the cupboard with my machine so I don't forget to date each package...that way I always know.  My brain groweth oldeth so I cannot count on my memory much anymore ahahahaha!

What I Food Save:

Now there are some containers and other contraptions that you can get but I never used them, but you may!

-meats & chicken

 -seafood

-veggies & fruits

-cheese

-rice

-soups 

(I freeze the soup in a ziploc gallon-sized bag first then seal it in a Food Saver Bag otherwise the machine will suck it right out when its liquid)

-anything from the frozen aisle that I may not use right away

Snack Time!!

 Snack Drawers

Just a quick, short post for you today....this project below KICKED off a much larger project in my kitchen that I promise to share later this week with you.  I gotta edit a bunch of pictures for it first!

I have always kept a large snack drawer in the kitchen for the kids.  Most of their friends know where the "drawer" is and come right in and take a looksie and a grabsie.  And when the teens need to pack a lunch or grab a snack they can get something pretty easily from here.  We have a collection of Luna bars, granola bars, cookies, crackers and snack packs.  

 The BEFORE "Snack Drawer"...aka...MESS!

(Note: the Milano cookies are MINE...I have 1 a day as my sweet treat)

But after this past "Hellacious" school year (I had a freshman & junior in high school...the 2 hardest years in high school...yeah both at the SAME time, oy vey lol) the drawer kinda got out of control.  I wasn't sure what was good and what wasn't!

So that meant a nice PARING down of the goodies and more BINS 

to reorganize the drawer into this:

 

TA-DAAAAA!!!!!

So all it took was 3 bins ( 97 cents each at Walmart) and 2 storage canisters ($2 each)...I actually got 5 canisters for future storage issues LOL!  I like to be prepared...I WAS a girl scout ya know ;)

All the granola & snack bars got sorted into a bin, the cookies into another, and the crackers & snack packs into the third bin.  Nothing fancy or complicated...no labels...everything is easily seen and able to be grabbed quickly.   I slipped some micro-wave popcorn in between the bins...I have a large box out in the garage on my "Costco Pantry Shelves" and I just pull a few to put in the drawer every time they are used.

Total Price for Snack Drawer:  $7....not bad at all!

Our Oreo Canisters!

I love these snack sized canisters...great for crackers, chips, cookies, etc!  I put the Oreos in them to stay fresh because NO ONE ever replaces the cookies in the package like they should and they just go stale.  I figure the teens can handle this system right????

Well time will tell....I am happy with it now and I think its pretty easy to keep up!

I'm working thru the kitchen slowly but surely......

What are your TROUBLE AREAS in the kitchen???