Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful. – William Morris

I’ve moved about 35 times since I was born. Probably more than that, but, while compiling my list, I lost count around 1995 (I was able to pick my count up again around 1997. So… there’s that…)

Moving is a big pain in the butt, and the less you have, the easier it is to do. Moving frequently provided a constant excuse to sift and toss stuff that had accumulated since the last move.

Until I had children. Then it became harder. And harder.

It is near impossible for a new mother to fathom ridding a storage container of even one horribly blurry photo, congratulatory card, or itty bitty unused newborn diaper.

It would have been easier to rewire my house.

Despite my best efforts to avoid ever being featured on an episode of “Hoarders”, when we moved to Alabama to join Randy, there was much tossing.

Interestingly enough, I had thought I was all packed for the move. When the kids and I had moved to my parent’s I’d kept everything boxed and packed, except necessities, since the stay was (supposed to be) temporary. All I thought we had to do was load it onto a truck.

But once I tried to view the things moved into our home, it became apparent that, even if all of it did fit, it wasn’t necessarily needed. We didn’t need two blenders, or three can openers, or sheets for mattress sizes we didn’t own. So we went through every packed box, tossing and combining contents.

In the end, we probably tossed (either in the recycle/trash or to donations) a third of what had been packed.

Of all of that “stuff”, the only thing I have missed was an art portfolio that was accidentally thrown away *slight stifled sob* – but even that gave me an excuse to create new art. Other than that? I couldn’t tell you a single thing that was thrown out, and neither could the children.

I’m not just talking about getting rid of clutter. I’m talking about going beyond that. If it doesn’t add beauty or usefulness to your home, take a really good look at it and consider if it’s worth keeping/dusting/cleaning/washing etc.

My point is not that ‘stuff’ is bad, but rather our relationship with it can be. It weighs us down.

It was freeing to leave so much of what I had thought was important in a trash bin.

Some (very basic) Steps for Getting Rid of Things

There are thousands of fabulously written articles by honest-to-goodness organizers on the internet, and I encourage you to do a search on them, and try their suggestions. What follows are just some of the things that have worked for me.

Assess: Does it bring beauty and pleasure to your home? Does it make a regular task more simple? If not, toss it. Our small home has made us live more purposefully. We have to think about the things we own and why we own them.

Start small: a room in your home, a corner of that room, a drawer. Break it down to as small as necessary to remove the feeling of being overwhelmed by it.

Time yourself: set the timer for 15 minutes and go through a spot in your home.

Sort: Keep, Trash/Recycle, Donate. Quickly place things into one of the piles. Don’t hold on to any one object too long before deciding which pile to place it in. Go with your first reaction. Add a ‘Maybe’ pile if it’s a struggle but then go back through the piles once more, quickly. Box up anything left in the “Maybe” pile, and give yourself 3 months before revisiting the box and either tossing or keeping.

One in, one out: Every time you purchase a new book, an old one needs to go away (donate, give to a friend, sell)

Make it a regular task: Because we live in a small home, any clutter is quickly felt. While this makes it easier for me to stay inspired to stick with it, it’s still something I have to set aside time for, nearly weekly, just to stay on top of it. Whether it’s my computer desktop, the floor around my desk, the children’s bookshelf, the kitchen counter, there is always some place in the home that needs de-cluttering attention.

What are your decluttering tips? What are you holding onto, physically or emotionally, that you need to toss?

We live in a small home, which means that, with six bodies inhabiting it, personal space is at a premium.

Creating personal space for the children was a top priority for me. But there were several things to consider first.

• Funds are limited right now (and there is no equity in an underwater mortgage), so every decision has to be carefully weighed.

• Not only is our home small, but it has a difficult layout, and some really weird interior lines.

The first year we were together, we spent a lot of time observing how we used the space. We hated the thought of jumping into building/fixing/improving something, only to realize it was a waste and that no one used or even cared about the change.

So, during that time, we compiled many ideas. Not only were these ideas necessary for creating personal space, but also to help with organization.

A pretty basic one was hooks for everyone in the bathroom (towels) and by the front door (coats and backpacks).

Those hooks? Invaluable. Not much of a personal-space-maker, but a real sanity saver for me.

Our search led us to many wonderful ideas, but we still had to tweak and adapt many to fit our own space.

One of the best ideas we came across was this:

Shelving for the bunk beds made from vinyl gutters. Seriously. (instructions follow)

How awesome are they?!?

Randy came across the idea at some point, and tucked it away in his mind. I was super excited to see how they’d turn out, and I could not have been more pleased with how they looked when they were hung up.

Because they are vinyl (and cheap), we were totally ok with them decorating and personalizing them anyway they wanted, to make them their own. Stickers, markers, whatever.

“My Little Pony” becomes ‘so yesterday’? No problem – remove the stickers the old fashioned ‘peel and scrape’ way, or just run to the hardware store and purchase another couple of feet of gutter.

What do I love about these shelves?

1) Since the shelves hang right over their beds, they couldn’t stick out too far. These stick out just enough to hold a tissue box, but not over the bed where you’d knock it or kick it during the night.

2) Crazy sleeper, and you happen to kick the shelf? No problem: the depth of the gutter keeps things from falling off onto the bed.

3) Bonk your head on it? No sharp edges.

4) The amount of things they can keep by their beds is huge (used tissues, marbles, race cars…), so we have them clean them out every Saturday. This prevents potential hoarding issues ;)

Since I took these photos, we’ve hung a magnetic strip of metal (cut edges sanded), with some cool magnets, above the shelves so that they can hang artwork, photos, etc by their beds as well.

The 6 year old is pretty eclectic with his choices, as you can see:

I’m not sure what the metal strip is called (‘metal strip’? lol), but you can see it a bit better below. I like it because it already had holes in it for securing to the wall.

Want to make your own vinyl gutter bookshelves?

Materials:

• vinyl rain gutter (any length; honestly, we purchased them without knowing how long we wanted each shelf to be. We decided on 3′ each)
• left and right end caps for each
• 2 brackets for each (more, if you are creating a longer shelf)
• hacksaw

1. Cut your gutter to predetermined length with the hacksaw.
2. Put end caps over the cut edges on the ends.
3. Snap on brackets and then slide them into position, according to where your walls studs are.
4. Mark the position of the studs on the wall.
5. Screw shelves to the wall.

Your turn: In what ways have you been able to create personal space for your children in your home?

One of my favorite books growing up was Little House in the Big Woods. I loved the images that my mind’s eye visualized of the Ingalls’ sweet small home.

From the comfort of my own bed and bedroom, it was easy to romanticize the idea of everyone in a one room home, baking and cooking over the fire in the huge fireplace, and later bundled under layers of blankets in the dead of winter to stay warm.

Laura made it sound so sweet and wonderful. I don’t recall a single argument or shouting match being mentioned.

I would love to know Ma and Pa’s secret for keeping the peace.

Small spaces can be difficult and bring out issues that may not otherwise occur in a larger space.

The fact is, by today’s standards, we live in the same sort of space.

Oh, we may be spoiled by our HVAC, indoor plumbing and other modern conveniences, but our living space is quite similar in size to the Ingalls.

Last year I wrote a post briefly addressing our living situation. At that time, I had planned on writing a series addressing some of how we make our small space work, but if I’m honest, I got caught up in a touch of embarrassment and fear.

We live in a two bedroom home, with 4 children.

Wait! Isn’t this blog called “Living the Life Fantastic”?! What’s so freaking fantastic about that??

We have no choice at this point. Randy purchased the home to flip, right before the housing market crashed and before he knew he’d have a family. We are underwater in this housing market. (Ironically, the house was 3 [very tiny] bedrooms, and he converted it to 2 shortly before we met)

We plan on making interior changes and building on in the near future, but for now, this is what we have.

Some days it’s difficult. Most days, it’s an amazing blessing.

Our children have bonded in such a way that I had thought I could only wish for. They are ‘besties’, and I firmly believe that this sharing of space has taught them more about sharing and respect than I ever could have, left to my own devices, in any other situation.

I am grateful for this time.

And with so many wishing they had a home at all, I am unbelievably grateful for this tiny space we inhabit.

Over the next few weeks, I will be (finally) writing that series on how we make our small space work. I’d love to hear your own ‘small space’ ideas.

Tonight was not a good night around the dinner table.

Our children used to be great eaters. Put something in front of them, and they’d eat it. No coercing, encouraging or bribing necessary.

Now? Not so much.

I don’t know if it’s quirks they pick up from their little friends at school. A change in their tastebuds.

Or aliens have taken over their bodies.

Regardless, it’s become a touch maddening. Suddenly, everything on their plates is suspect. No one wants to try, or even revisit, anything. And of course, if one pulls back, the others soon follow.

Tonight = tipping point.

Randy and I sat around the table after the kids were in bed trying to decide what to do. We are throwing away too much food for our liking. Wasting too much. It goes against so much of what we are trying to teach the kids, on many levels.

And I despise battles over food. I refuse to do it.

So for now, it will be (*cough*’healthy’*cough*) PB&J entrees for all.

I didn’t want to ever be that parent. But apparently, it’s all part of this crazy fantastic life.

When this landed in my inbox, I couldn’t wait to open it and read it through.

I have long respected Godin’s thoughts and insights on marketing and the ‘connection economy’. He has such a way of looking at and explaining things that makes you think “Of course! [and insert facepalm]”

To be able to read his thoughts on education in his 30,000 word manifesto on the question “What is school for?” is just fabulous.

I hope you will read it, share it, translate it (if you can), debate it. Just get involved in the discussion.

Now is not the time to sit on the sidelines and wait for someone else to figure it out.

Let me start this post by admitting that I have written and rewritten, tweaked, hacked, chopped, and edited this post on no less than 100 separate occasions, since I originally started writing it in September, 2011.

(yes, September)

If I know just one thing, it is this: giftedness is not an easy topic to discuss; there are too many conceptions, misconceptions and opinions.

I finally determined that I’m never going to get this intro ‘just perfect’, and frankly, it’s been holding me back from so much that I want to write about this very topic (as well as the relaunch of the new layout and design), so I’m just going to close my eyes… hold my breath… and JUMP!

*peeking through squinted eyes to see if anyone is reaching out to hold my hand*

Since last spring, Randy and I have been on a journey of sorts, navigating our way through countless books, websites, articles and conferences to better and fully understand “giftedness” and all of its meaning.

In many ways, it can be a confusing and lonely journey.

A beautiful, chaotic, fun, intriguing, curious, lovely journey.

Without a map.

The more we’ve read and come to understand about our gifted children, the more we’ve come to realize that, despite the fact there is so much need for support, for a million and one different reasons, there isn’t much.

So often, what we were reading essentially concluded with “We know it can be difficult and challenging. Just love ‘em. [long pause...] Good luck!”

Not much help when dealing with four children (and two adults… *hi!*) who all have emotional intensities.

So that is why we are starting this section on our site. We can’t document our lives and ignore how giftedness factors into it. It affects every moment of our day: from what we eat, to what clothes are worn, to how we end the day.

Our purpose in starting this section of our site is: 1) to be a resource and support for parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, teachers and friends, of gifted children, and any parent who is advocating for their special needs child and 2) to share our journey along this path.

We will eventually expand this section of our site to include a forum, various resources, tips and professional advice. The support community built around it will be named “The Hive” (I will explain why in another post. I promise!)

It’s gonna be cool. And we want you to join in and lend your thoughts and ideas.

We absolutely and wholly love, adore and cherish our gifted children, despite any frustrations and challenges, and we know that you feel the same way about your own precocious children. We’re so excited about this journey and seeing where it takes us.

We hope you find comfort and answers along the way as well.

February 15, 2010 is the date that, after thousands of emails, texts, tweets, DM’s, photos and countless hours on the phone,  Randy and I finally got to meet face-to-face.

Last year, I wrote about it, using only texts and photos from that very day. I still think it’s the very best way to capture that day, so I’m simply linking to that recap. It’s a moment I would never be able to sum up adequately with words, so I’d rather not even try…

What a life changer that day was.

Given that I am a self-proclaimed, recovering sugar addict (my doctor once told me that I was *blush*) I expected incorporating more and more fresh foods into our diet would be painful.

Thanks to the internet and our own creativity, it’s been a lot more simple than I would have thought.

But one of the habits we have had a difficult time letting go of has been popcorn. Of the microwave variety. *winces* And the more we realize how bad it is for us, the more we’ve determined to find some alternatives (eg: popping it in a pan).

So when I came across a recipe for Cauliflower ‘Popcorn’ in our local Birmingham Parents magazine, and read about how kids were gobbling it up, I decided to give it a whirl.

Granted, it took a bit longer than popping a bag into the microwave, but the process of making it was satisfying and it really is delicious.

To make your own, just follow these five simple steps:

The above photo says it all: two years ago tonight, I tweeted “I need chocolate stat.”

And fortunately, Randy replied.

“What kind?”

And the rest, as the cliche goes, is history.

We ended up talking on the phone (after I was convinced he was neither a 16 year old boy in his mama’s basement nor an 80 year old man looking for a ‘cute thang’…) until I had to get ready for work the next morning.

And from that point we were connected via text, emails, DMs, phone, Twitter, Foursquare…

And my world hasn’t been the same since.

The countdown is on, and SOPA is expected to pass through the Senate on January 24th. (*UPDATE 1/19/2012 : Key Supporters of the bill have backed down after Wednesday’s protest)

Tomorrow, January 18th, 2012, many of the most popular sites on the internet will be taking part in a ‘blackout’ of their sites to protest this bill.

While none of our sites are equal to Mozilla (Firefox), WordPress.org or Wikipedia‘s traffic (<<< those links will take you to posts on their stance on this bill), we are taking part, to show our disapproval of this bill in its current state.

Our own sites will be blacked-out.

While we sympathize with those who have their work stolen from piracy sites online, this bill is not a good compromise.

It will change the internet as you know it.

Please educate yourself on this topic (in addition to the links above):

Stop American Censorship
Strike Against SOPA
WIRED.com – Black out your site the Google friendly way
SOPA Blackout rebuffed by bill authors (*duh…)
and on…
and on…
and on…
and at this point of my list [not trying to be rude] but, I say, just do your own Google search on SOPA Blackout (see how there are currently more than 2600 (!!) news stories on this?)… There is so much info out there…

And if you are so inclined, please add these plugins to your WordPress sites:

SOPA Strike (you will see out black-out tomorrow, January 18th, 2012)
Stop SOPA Ribbon (you can see this in the upper right-side of this site)

On that note — all of our sites will be on ‘blackout’ tomorrow.

Educate yourself.

(*this post is being cross-posted on all of our sites: Archer Creative, Living The Life Fantastic, Karla Archer )

as always — please feel free to include your own links on this issue…