Pinterest Inspiration: Rain Gutter Shelves

I had seen the awesome rain gutter shelves on Pinterest for awhile now. There are several great tutorials including this fun one:
http://www.fairlyfabulousblog.com/2012/01/rain-gutter-book-shelf-tutorial.html

The only thing I did different was I had Home Depot cut the gutters for me. At first they were hesitant until they realized I meant the vinyl gutters, not the metal ones. The gutters come in ten foot sections, so I had them cut them in half since I was using a fairly large wall space (where a bookshelf had formerly stood).

I had to run BACK to home depot to get the brackets because I didn't remember to get them the first time, I am the most un-handy person ever, despite my crafty skills, so I wasn't thinking of how to actually get the gutters ON the wall. Hey, I can only be so many shades of perfect at once...

This is also a two person job because one person needs to find level and hold the gutters while another screws the brackets in. Maybe you can do it alone...I'm not that awesome.

Anyhoo, we got it going, and thankfully the gutters slide while the brackets are up because I didn't factor in our hall door when I put them up, so we slid the gutters down a tad so the door would open fully. Again..not a handy lady...

But it's DONE! It frees up floor space, and is very visually open. The books are facing out so children can see choices, and it's much easier to change up the book selection for seasons, themes, etc. My kids still don't read as much as I'd like them to, but this encourages them to just grab a book whenever. I'd like to make a cozy spot on the floor that folds up so they can just grab a book and settle down.

I have one more gutter and I'd like to put it in the boys room to hold books for nighttime reading, but haven't decided if that's what I want to do. I think they'd also be great cut into smaller pieces for bathroom storage, craft room storage, garage storage and more!

I still have to say, Pinterest makes my life so much easier!!
~~amy

My Journey Into Minimalism--Part One

I have recently returned from a week long church trip that involved my family spending the week in a cabin. This is as close to nature and camping as I like to get, with a full bathroom, kitchen and air conditioning. I dislike bugs very much, I learned.

I also learned I dislike the CLUTTER in my home. The minimalism of the cabin and the lack of television left me to reflect on what things I could change in my own home. We're a small family, hubs, myself, and two boys, yet SOMEHOW we've created this house full of CRAP. Much of it was given to us by my mother in law who buys the boys presents a lot. She's not spendy, she can bleed a dollar from a dime, so she gets great deals, but STILL! There are only so many toys a child can play with.

I admit I'm a former shop-a-holic. Growing up poor, once I graduated college and had a real income, I had to teach myself I didn't really need everything I wanted! My husband is a penny pincher like his mom so he balances me out and has taught me a lot.

Generally as a family we don't purchase much of anything new. Clothes shopping is maybe only twice a year. Furniture is only when it's so worn out you might injure yourself on it. Both our televisions were given to us, and we're not the huge plasma screen kind of people anyways. 

My one indulgence is my fabric and supplies. But even those I buy on sale. Of course I buy TOO MANY but still.

So here we have, a husband who never buys anything, a wife who buys too many supplies and then has too much inventory for her shops and has to STORE it somewhere, and two kids who get WAY too many gifts. Shove us all into a 3 bedroom house that should be plenty big.

Alas, it is not.

So, after a week of seeing how possible is it was to live with less stuff, I come home with a mission. As I unpacked from the trip I would also PURGE. And I mean REALLY purge. Not that half assed purge I do when I destash my fabric. (Alarmingly, the fabric you see in my Destash Shop is merely the tip of the iceberg.)

I started in the kitchen and worked my way around the house. Virtually everything is done except the sewing/work corner of the kitchen and the garage. Those two parts may require massive amounts of vodka to complete. Much got thrown away, and even MORE is in a pile to giveaway or sell.

I managed to fit all my inventory and supplies IN closets instead of in boxes behind my sofa. Now in its place is an enormous pile of toys/baby items to take to our local Once Upon a Child. Whatever doesn't sell, will get gifted to freecycle, freeuse and craigslist.

Seriously...it's bad.

Everything in that pic is going except the brown toybox way yonder by the window.

Then there are the clothes.

That is one tote, one laundry basket and three bags of clothing just in boys size 3 mos-18 mos!

I didn't even take a pic of all the stuff by the front door that is hopefully soon going to be on freeuse.org!

Once the purging is complete I will take pics of my nice, clean pretty house.

This could take awhile.............

~amy