At 22 weeks pregnant we are now well in to the second trimester, and making the most of the extra energy to get ourselves organised for when baby comes. When I get massively pregnant, and then when baby comes, it is not going to be so easy to get the bigger jobs done so we really want to do as much as we can now. I am joining in with the lovely Claire over at Clarina’s Contemplations linky #GetGoodSummer, where you set 5 goals to achieve over the next 10 weeks. You can read more about my goals here.
We are 1 week in and I think we are doing pretty well so far! Goal 1 – Get the Baby Room cleared out, is almost ticked off. Thanks to a really good sort out and declutter, and huge thanks to my little bro who helped hubby carry the big old furniture out of there and into the garage, we have gone from this: 
to this: 
There is still a few things that we need to throw/find homes for and then the only things in there will be Monkey’s baby furniture, which will become new baby’s furniture :). We are also selling our old (but in great condition) bedroom furniture on ebay, if you fancy a looky :).
Goal 2 is all about decorating the baby room and I have called the plasterer who has done work for us in the past to come and give us a quote for the ceiling, and that needs to be sorted before we do anything else in there really.
Goal 3, my flat lease – haven’t touched this one yet!
Goal 4 is all about seeing friends and family and we have made quite a few plans for this now and next weekend we headed to south London where we are visiting my Aunt for the weekend, but also dropping in to see some very good friends and meet their new baby girl on the way. I am really looking forward to that!!
But really, Goal 5 is where it has been at this week. Getting Organised! I know it was a bit of a vague goal, and almost a bit of a cheat, but I am happy to say we have made some fab progress here, with the kitchen cupboard reorganise being the biggy. I’m afraid I didn’t get too many before pics, but if I say these two were actually the tidiest of our kitchen cupboards you may get an idea of how hodge podge things had become!
So we have had a bit of a clear out, and thrown anything out of date away. I even through away some noodles that went out of date in 2010 – we moved here in 2012, why the heck did they ever come with us?? Bonkers! Anyway throwing things away cleared a lot of space, but also just reorganising helped. We know that when baby comes there will be other paraphernalia that will need to be housed in the kitchen cupboards so need to make sure there is space for the microwave steriliser, bottles, pump, weaning pots etc etc. So here are some after shots of our cupboards!
We also have an area behind our kitchen door which used to be the old hot air vent heating system and is now a sort of open cupboard with a tumble dryer in and shelves above/ It has also been a complete tip of a dumping ground! Really gutted I didn’t get a before shot of this, but it was high on my list of areas to organise because I wanted this are to be a new home for bags.
We previously had a combination of bags (plastic bags, sturdy shopping bags etc.) in one of the top sections of our kitchen cupboards. We love our Ikea cupboards because they go right to ceiling level – BUT at 5’7″ I haven’t a hope in hell’s chance of reaching the top shelf without climbing up our step-stool – so not a great place to put things you want to reach in a hurry (like when you are rushing out of the door). The result is that area was a tip too and really irritating so I wanted to find a new home for bags.
Another area of the house I really wanted to organise is the conservatory. The conservatory is where we do messy play, crafting, play-doh etc. as we can shut the doors and not let any of that stuff invade the house. But it is quite often a tip and there is bits of play-doh, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, paper, stickers, etc littered all over the place. I have tried to keep it organised but we just had an old Ikea set of drawers and a couple of baskets in there, and things just got dumped in there and it was such mess. We needed a better solution.
. 
After driving round lots of the local shops on Saturday and finding nothing that solved ANY of these organisation problems we decided a trip to Ikea was in order, and with the next few weekends being booked up, it was Sunday, or not for another Month. When I get an idea into my head I like to act on it immediately so off we went. Our nearest Ikea is Milton Keynes at about an hour away (or 45 mins on a good day) so first thing Sunday, we were Ikea bound.
I love Ikea, it is just so useful and I regularly moan there isn’t one near us, though it is probably a good thing for our bank account as we would probably go a lot! We had a lovely time and Monkey very much enjoyed running around the showroom, climbing in cupboards (?)
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Testing out rocking chairs
And he found a new bunny friend who he is completely devoted too! Love how they get attached to things so suddenly sometimes. At £3 though we didn’t feel it was worth saying no. All in all it was a very successful trip and we bought some things to help us get organised, yay!! 🙂
This is the area behind the kitchen door now, with a new plastic bag holder (£1.50 – bargain!) and a material storage box that is perfect for keeping the big sturdy shopping bags in nice and neatly!
And, possibly my favourite thing is the new storage in the conservatory. With tubs in of various sizes all of our crafty, messy play bits now have a proper home and are all neat and tidy! I am sure each drawer will soon get untidy again but at least everything has a home, which was at least half of our problem in the past!
I am pretty pleased with how we are getting on so far! Are you joining in #GetGoodSummer? How are your goals going so far?
Excellent progress Caroline at just a week in! Baby’s room looks fab, and yay for a kitchen clear out. Four year out of date noodles?! Glad things are coming together, sounds like you’re enjoying your nesting phase xx
Thanks lovely! haha I know it’s terrible isn’t it? Not sure how they missed previous clearouts!! Things are definitely on the way now which is good 🙂 xx
Wow there is nothing like getting organised and decluttered is there? I ended up having an impromptu cupboard sort this week too and also threw away some stuff that had 2010 use by dates! Grim! We have one room (our dining room essentially) which is just a dumping ground. We’ve been meaning to sort it out for years but it had a lot of damp patches on the ceiling from where the old shower in the bathroom leaked through and we wanted to sort the bathroom first. Now we’ve done that and still haven’t even broached the subject of the ‘back room’ yet… I remember tidying it when I was pregnant with EJ though – it was so much worse at one point, literally like one of those rooms you see on those hoarders anonymous programmes where you have to climb over or tunnel under things!
I also love IKEA – one of our nearest is in Southampton although its probably a good hour’s drive away too. We tend to make it into a daytrip if we go and have meatballs at the restaurant whilst watching all the cruise liners docking out of the giant windows! They always have the best storage solutions – well done for getting so much sorted! X
haha I am very glad it’s not just me with the really out of date food! Lol love the sound of your dining room, sounds like a fun project… maybe when the kids are a bit older and you have some energy to spare! 😉 Ooh yes you have to have the meatballs, altho for us the view is nowhere near as exciting as cruise liners 😉 xx
OMG!! I so need to get me more storage units. You are an inspiration :0)
aww thank you, I do love getting organised 🙂 xx
This is an ace post and getting organised is something we need to do BIG time and also possibly raid a bank for too! Although as you say Ikea is excellent quality and great for the cost too. I maaaaay just do a wee wish list! 😉 Excellent post hun and great to see you feeling so happy about getting organised! Thanks for linking up with #MMWBH xx
Thanks lovely, oh I know what you mean, Ikea is about the lowest cost place you can go (and still get good quality) but somehow we always end up spending too much still! xx
I love a good declutter, something therapeutic about it!! looks like you’ve made great progress with your goals x #MMWBH
Me too, it is sooo therapeutic isn’t it? Thank you 🙂 xx
I definitely need to do something like this too – I found some out of date spices from 2010!!
Phew, glad I am not the only one! xx
wow you’re making me want to clear out too. It always feels like such a big job though. I may do it one cupboard at a time.
Well done you 🙂
It does feel like a big job so one cupboard at a time is the way to go. That’s how we started with the kitchen cupboards, although once I had cleaned out one I got the bug and was desperate to sort out the others too lol 🙂 xx
Your post is so inspiring! Everything is nicer to look at when they are sorted. #MMWBH
Thank you, I know it looks soo much nicer doesn’t it, just a lot of hard work to get there! xx
Sounds like you’ve got off to a great start with your goals, well done! Your organisation is looking really good. I might have to get those bag storage solutions myself.
#GetGoodSummer
Thanks Karen, it does feel good to start strong! Ooh yes do, I am quite pleased with the bag storage, especially for the big bags, I think it’s meant for clothes storage but it is perfect for keeping all of the bags in neatly! xx
What a change in that first room? Brilliant. I love a good clear out haha! #getgoodsummer
Lol I know, it really needed doing! Thank you, me too! 🙂 xx
Wow, I can’t believe how much you have managed to do in a week! It all looks amazing. I love it when organisation comes together 🙂 #getgoodsummer
Thank you, we did start with a bang, hopefully we can keep the momentum going… though it is already slowing down a little!! xx
Wow! You have been busy! Well done you on getting so organised. Love the storage you’ve got for the conservatory. We keep having to increase our storage space for our daughter’s toys. They’re taking over. Why are they all so big!?
You’ve done better than me with your goals. I’ve hardly started!
Looking forward to reading about your progress on the others over the summer.
haha I know what you mean, I’m sure they multiply overnight 😉 Thank you, I had to use the motivation while I had it, we will see how it all progresses over the summer and if we can keep the momentum going!! xx
Wowzers! Good going Caroline – I’m impressed! Clearing out is never fun, but doesn’t it feel good when you make some progress?! Lol… we are huge IKEA fans here too (probably the Scandinavian blood!)… I love a good trip there, though its never good for the bank balance!
Keep going girl, you’re doing a fabulous job! #GetGoodSummer
Thanks lovely! It does make you feel so much better when it’s done, though definitely hard work getting there sometimes! haha I can understand that and I know exactly what you mean 🙂 Thank you and thanks for hosting, it’s the push we needed! 🙂 xx
When you’re done organising your house and find you still have some extra energy leftover – you’re welcome to come round to mine and sort our house out 🙂 It’s something I really do need to get done I just can’t get motivated to do it. #MMWBH
haha I wish! Oh i know that feeling very well, it’s just because we have the baby deadline I think! xx
Wow you have put me to shame ~ I’m putting it down to your nesting instinct kicking in and nothing to do with my laziness. Well done! #GetGoodSummer
haha thank you, my nesting instinct is definitely in charge at the moment! 🙂 xx
I really need to do some de-cluttering and get some organisation going on too, I’m just too lazy. #MMWBH
haha that is normally me, I blame the nesting instinct at the moment 🙂 xx
I really need to make a trip to Ikea – so good for storage solutions x
It really is, so worth the trip! xx
When you put your mind to something, there’s no stopping you is there?! I’m bowing down to your impressive focus and determination and can I have some please? Are you nesting at all 🙂
Lol, thank you Iona 🙂 I think nesting certainly does have something to do with it, though I am a one for getting a bee in my bonnet about something and wanting to sort it out, right now. Not always easy though 🙂 xx
I need to buy some of those plastic draws!
good post x
thank you, ooh yes they are great, perfect for toys and crafty bits 🙂 xx
Well Done hun – you are looking so organised and good to see Monkey getting in ont he act. I can’t believe you’re already 22 weeks – it’s gone by so quickly xx #whatsthestory
Thank lovely, I know it is flying by now, eek!! xx
I LOVE IKEA!! I was there last week and bought some of the same things you have…there are yet to be put to good use though, so you’ve inspired me to go and get some organising done – We have an area for ‘health’ related things – paracetamol, plasters, cough medicine, that sort of thing. It is one big pile, so I bought some of those colourful little containers for crayons to sort them into…off to do it now!
#allaboutyou
Haha well I am glad to have inspired you! I know what you mean about a ‘health’ pile, that area in our house always gets untidy really quickly!! Hope the organising went well! xx
Great post! I am getting so inspired by all these new month new resolution posts!! Thanks so much for linking up to #AllAboutYou hon xx
Thanks lovely! 🙂 xx
i think that closer to 3rd trimester i decided its finally time to be organised, and by the time i cleaned all we had to move out so new place looks like mess now, but with new baby its hard to do housework. Well done you for doing it earlier than me!)
oh gosh sounds like a bit of a nightmare, bless you! It can be so hard with the new baby so don’t put too much pressure on yourself! xx
When you’ve finished organising your house you’re more than welcome to come and have a go at ours ha ha. I’ve been meaning to do it for a while now, particularly my stack of paperwork 🙁 #iPotLinky
haha I wish I had the energy! Best of luck with yours 🙂 xx
Wowsers Caroline you’ve done so much already! Been very busy beans, so glad its been going well. Make sure you look after yourself too Mrs. Thank you for sharing with #whatsthestory and sorry for being late commenting
Thanks Charly! We have been really busy and er yep I need to try and look after myself a little more! Thanks for hosting and no need to apologise! xx
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