living smallish :: kids' room

I will never forget when we first walked through our little Minneapolis home-to-be with our realtor. We climbed the narrow staircase, looked in the first bedroom, then walked into the second. It was a small room and the realtor asked me what we would use this small room for. I said, “A bedroom, of course!” That has stuck with me ever since because not only have we used it as a bedroom for our first born, but it has become a cozy little haven of a room for our two boys to share. When we were pregnant with Alder, our second, I started searching pinterest for ideas for small shared bedrooms and for blog posts on how best to have a baby and a preschooler share a room. I was shocked by how little I found! I was also surprised by how many people thought we were crazy for having them share a room at that age. So, now that I have a year and a half under my belt of having a baby/toddler and preschooler share a tiny bedroom, I thought I’d share my experience with the inter webs in hopes that they may help the next mama searching for some ideas on how to make living smallish with kids a reality.

First of all, it has been so great having them share a room. They LOVE it. Yes, there are times when they wake each other up or don’t go to sleep easily. Yes, there are times when they argue and fight and each want the room to themselves. Yes, I still have to have Alder nap in our room because they need separate spaces for nap and rest time. But, overall?? It’s been absolutely wonderful.

As for the space and organization, my biggest advice is less is more. It’s as simple as that. The fewer things you have to manage such as toys and clothes, the easier it will be to keep the room tidy, less chaotic, and comfortable. Now while I know this idea is a simple one, I also know it can be easier said than done. So, my advice for how to tackle this is to start small and to start by moving things you don’t regularly use into another room or storage area. You can then rotate it back into the room as needed (ie. seasonal clothes, toy rotation), or if you find you can live without it for a few months, then consider getting rid of it entirely. Here are some of the ways I organize clothes/toys in order to keep the room organized and less cluttered/crowded.

• Clothes:

  • I keep a small, capsule-style wardrobe for each boy. A capsule wardrobe is generally a wardrobe of 30-40 pieces of essential clothing items that can be easily paired/matched together to make a variety of outfits. For my boys this means that I keep just the basics that they need for a week or so of wear. I generally wash their laundry once per week, so I make sure that we have enough to get a through a week, plus a few extra things in case its a particularly messy week or busy one where the laundry doesn’t get done on time. At the beginning of each season, I go through the clothes they have and make a list of what they need for the upcoming season. For fall/winter, my boys each have a couple pairs of jeans, a nicer pair of pants, a pair or two of sweatpants, a few t-shirts, a few longs sleeved t’s, a wool sweater, a few button-down shirts, and a sweatshirt. They also have a couple pairs of pjs, socks, underwear, and long-johns. If at the end of the season I find that we didn’t wear everything we had, then the next season I pair it down a bit more. This past summer I found that we had an abundance of t-shirts and shorts for both boys. This meant we washed each pair after use, even if they weren’t dirty. When there are fewer options, they wear their clothes more between washes, which means less laundry for me and less wear on the clothes as well!

  • Everything they regularly wear is kept in their dresser, on hooks on the wall, or hanging in their closet. I also keep a basket on the shelf in their closet for things that are a little too big for them, things they may need later in the season (ie. sweaters or tank tops, depending), or things that they have just grown out of in size or season. This helps keep their dresser drawers less crowded, but gives me a place where I can swap clothes in and out without having to go digging in the rubbermaids in the basement.

• Toys:

  • Less is more! I said it before and I’ll say it again and again and again. Anytime I’m feeling like it is chaotic in our home, it likely means that I need to purge a bit. When I feel like their bedroom is always a disaster, it probably means they have too many things in it - and those things are usually toys. When I feel this way, I often weed out a few toys and move them to the basement. I use the basement as a holding place for toys that I’d like to get rid of. If they don’t miss them, then after a few months or so, they find a new home.

  • Rotation is key!! We have a pretty simple collection of high quality, well-made toys that I rotate around the house every few months and I occasionally take toys out of the rotation and store them in the basement in order to mix things up a bit. This is especially great for toys that are exciting for only short amounts of time.

  • Organization is super helpful too. I find that when our toys are well-organized and everything has a spot, it’s a lot easier for the kids to clean up and it’s more inviting for them to play as well. Every month or so I quickly sort/organize their toys and I’m always amazed by how they are more drawn to them after I’ve tidied them up a bit.

• Books

  • Display: Sarah McKensie, from Read Aloud Revival, is big into displaying books with their covers facing out as it makes them far more inviting to read. I have found this to be true as well, so we have a couple small Ikea shelves where I put out a few books that both boys love. I then switch them out each month with books that fit the season or mood of our home. I find that the boys generally reach for these books at bedtime, instead of picking different ones from their book shelf. This simplifies the bedtime story process and keeps their book selection fresh.

  • Shelve: We have a book shelf in the boys room that I generally try to keep organized. When it is organized it is more inviting and easier to find favorites. On this shelf we keep seasonal books and all-time favorites. Oak will often sit and page through this books during his rest time in the afternoons.

  • Rotate: I mentioned that I rotate the books on the wall shelves, but I also rotate some of the books on the bigger shelf as well. I keep an organized stash of books in the basement that I pull from each month. Books about summer get put away in the colder months and vise versa. When there are fewer books on their shelves, it keeps the selection more interesting and far less overwhelming and chaotic.

We have arranged this little room a few different ways over the years, but this latest arrangement with a lofted bed for Oak and tucked under crib for Alder is by far my favorite. It gives them so much space to play and gives Oak his “own” space which is helpful when you are sharing a room with your little brother. The lofted bed is actually just a bunk bed without the bottom front railing installed. Once Alder is ready for a big boy bed, we’ll likely utilize the bottom bunk (or we’ll have a mattress on the floor for a bit, depending on what he is ready for).

The closet is also one of my favorite aspects of this little room. Before Alder was born, I asked my dad to build a custom shelf for the closet so that we could better use the space. Because we keep our boys’ wardrobes on the small side and also keep only a handful of toys in their room, the closet then has space in it to play, which gives them more space to spread out and keep their toys set up.

We are in the process now of looking for a new home to live in, but I am so thankful for this little room and all it has taught me about simplicity. Our society is quick to tell us that we need more space and more things, but I’ve often the opposite to be true, especially with our boys. Less is more and I think this little room has proven that to be true.

gift ideas for minimalist kids

Oh, hey! I have a blog! It’s been over a year since I posted. We’ve been busy adding a new member to our family (well, two if you count the cat and baby), following Dan Rodriguez around the country here and there, and just living life. I’m hoping to get back to this space a bit more regularly in the months to come and hope to share more about our sweet baby boy, Alder Chapman, as well as other aspects of our little life. However, with the holiday season upon us, I thought I pop on here and share a few of our favorite kid gifts that we received/given over the past few years.

We live in a little house with less than 1100 square feet of finished space and we love it. With a small space, two kids, and two cats, though, we have to get creative with how we organize and what we bring into our spaces. Because of that, we’ve learned how to be rather specific with the types of kid things we welcome into our home, and that includes gifts. For Oak’s first Christmas and birthday we asked for wooden toys or quality/long-lasting plastic toys, books, and no batteries and we’ve held to that standard ever since. Our families have mostly respected those requests and it as helped us to keep the simple home that we desire and value. Through all of that, we’ve found a handful of kid gifts that have been wonderful additions to our home, so I thought I’d share a few of those with you. Keep in mind, we have two boys, ages 3.5 years and 8 months.

Dan and I use the rhyme “something you want, something you need, something you wear, something you read” to guide our gift buying for our kids, so I’ll break down gift ideas into those four categories.

Something You Want

Let’s talk toys. What makes a good kid toy? How do you pick ones that will keep their attention, that will last, and that are sustainable? We’ve found that the more open-ended a toy is, the better. When you look at a toy, ask yourself - what different things can this toy be/become? For example, wooden blocks can be used as houses, towers, castles, fences, but they can also be used as pretend food, to make up games, to learn counting/math, so much more. Even better, take magnet blocks as an example - they can be all the afore mentioned things, but they can also be airplanes, cars, people, animals, etc. The more things a toy can be - the longer it will be played with and cherished. A batman toy will always and only be a batman toy. As for quality, we love wooden toys for babies/toddlers/preschoolers. They are durable and often very well made. We have added a few plastic toys into the mix as Oak has grown and when we do, we choose solid plastic toys that are not easily breakable and that don’t have/require little pieces that can easily be lost. Some of our favorite plastic toys are Schleich farm animals, dinosaurs, and Hotwheels cars (which Oak called Hottires last week. Ha.) For sustainability, choose wood or choose things that will live beyond your kids’ use of them - things that can be passed on/down.

Our favorites so far:

• Tegu Blocks - we LOVE these!! They are magnetic wooden blocks, built sustainably and made to last for generations. Love, love, love them. They now carry a toddler line, so we’re going to give Alder one of their cars for Christmas this year.

• Regular Wooden Blocks - any brand will do, but you can some great sustainable options at Bella Luna Toys.

• Lincoln Logs - we’re excited to add these to the mix this year! Did you know they are made in the U.S.?

• Waldorf Wooden Toys - Bella Luna Toys has great options for these. We have little Waldorf people that we’ve been using for our Fairytale Preschool (If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen me post about that a bit. I’m planning to blog about that soon!) and they have been such a hit. The people can be ANY kind of person! Soooo different from an action figure or even a Playmobile person. They are so open-ended! We are planning to give Alder these houses for Christmas. They can so easily be played with with the people, the plastic animals we have, the blocks, and the Lincoln Logs. The options are endless.

• Games!! We love games. A few favorites we’ve added are Count Your Chickens and Animal Upon Animal. We also play UNO and Go Fish a lot.

• Puzzles! Melissa and Doug has great floor puzzles for this age, as does Crocodile Creek.

• Schleich Animals - Oak has a wooden barn that Dan built for his second Christmas and we love the Schleich animals that we’ve filled it with. They are so sturdy, beautifully made/painted, and very realistic in both size and design.

• Wooden Play Kitchen - both of our boys play with our wooden play kitchen on a regular basis. There are so many options out there. We found ours secondhand and have been so happy with it. I think all of their play food is Melissa and Doug and it holds up well and is pretty open-ended.

• Cars/Trains - There are so many options out there. We have the IKEA wooden train and it works great. The Melissa and Doug wooden cars also work with the train - as do Hotwheels. Think wooden or secondhand. The wooden cars/trains we have are safe for babies, which is a plus.

Something You Need

We use this category for anything from stainless steel water bottles/lunch boxes, to winter gear, to wool long johns. This year Oak will be receiving a new knitted hat and mittens and Alder will likely get a water bottle or a pair of insulted mittens from Polarn O. Pyret.

Our favorites so far:

• Klean Kanteen - we love their sippy lid water bottle. We also have a ThinkBaby stainless steel water bottle with a sippy lid and a straw lid. It is fine, not super durable and can leak, but it has handles, which made for a good first water bottle. The Klean Kanteen is much better. The only downside is that it doesn’t have handles, so it’s a little harder for a baby to use.

• Winter Gear

  • REI - affordable/quality kids outerwear

  • Polarn O. Pyret - great wool options and outerwear!

  • Ella’s Wool - great wool options!

Something You Wear

We’ve mostly used this category for winter gear as well. As I use a capsule wardrobe method for our boys, we don’t tend to need much for clothes at this time of the year as we are already a ways into winter. This year I’m using an old men’s wool sweater I found at a thrift store for $5 to make them matching long johns. This could also be a good time invest in some quality organic clothing. I know quite a few friends who get organic pjs for their kiddos each year. Some good companies for organic clothing are:

• Pact Organic

• Hanna Andersson

• Polarn O. Pyret

• L’oved Baby

Something You Read

Books…I don’t know where to begin. We love picture books in our home and love giving/receiving them. However, we also love our local library and because of that, we keep our book purchases to a minimum each year. Read Aloud Revival is a FANTASTIC resource for book lists. I visit her picture book lists each month and choose books from the library from those lists. Here are a few of our all time favorite picture books that you may not be familiar with:

• Sleep Tight, Farm

• Big Snow

• Flora’s Very Windy Day

• Up in the Garden, Down in the Dirt

• Over and Under the Pond

• Over and Under the Snow

• Sonya’s Chickens

• City Moon

• Bear Snores On

• The Whatamagump - our friend Tyronne Wells wrote this one and it comes with an EP of awesome kids’ songs!

• Thousand Star Hotel - our friends the Okee Dokee Brothers wrote this and it also comes with an album of great songs!

• Cat Tale

• Steam Train, Dream Train

It’s hard to keep kid stuff to a minimum, but it IS possible. Be specific in your lists for family members and purchase things mindfully for your kids and others that you buy for. The simplicity that comes with fewer toys and more meaningful toys is so very worth it.

a different kind of fall

You know that place of decision that we each find ourselves in at different points in our lives? The one where we have two choices (or more) and there are such great positives and some negatives about both and the pro/con lists just don’t help make the decision?

That’s the place I found myself in this past spring. We had just lost a baby to miscarriage and my plans to be home with a toddler and a new baby this fall were gone. We firmly believed another baby would come soon, but what would life look like in the meantime? I loved my job (teaching ESL at the University of Minnesota), but life was also feeling a bit out of control with my part-time work schedule, Dan’s periodic touring paired with his gigs and studio time when not on the road, and childcare situations that just weren’t ideal or consistent. We had been planning that I would stop working, so maybe that was the answer even though November was no longer bringing a new baby into our lives. But then there was the job I loved…the students, my colleagues, using my brain in ways that home life and motherhood often don’t…what about all of those things??? Would I regret prematurely ending (or putting on hold) a job that I loved so much? But then there were those times in the classroom where I found myself thinking about the next picture books I should get at the library for Oak and wishing we were playing and exploring in the woods together instead of being apart while I worked…those strong pulls were there too.

It was in this decision making process that I began to remember all of the dreams that have always been there — that my one desire, if I did nothing else in my life, was to raise children who have a love for life, a love for people, and a love for Jesus. Being a mom was what I had always wanted and here was an opportunity for me to fully and wholeheartedly embrace that identity, that role, and that season, and let it fully fill my days. The decision was no longer so hard. Would there be regrets about what I was giving up? Maybe. Would there be regrets about the time I got to spend with my sweet Oak? Probably not. Would there be times that I would need a break from full-time stay-at-home mommyhood? Absolutely. Would it allow us to simplify our lives and create a more peaceful home? Yes, more than ever before.

And so I said my goodbyes-for-now to my sweet colleagues and moved into a typical summer followed by a different kind of fall. This is my first fall since kindergarten where I haven’t been either in school or working/teaching in a school. I love fall and I love the new beginnings and crispness that comes with the new school year. So, instead of digging into school books and schedules, we’ve been digging into this fall with picture books, artwork, nature walks, and lots of time at home for playing. I thought I’d miss the school life/working life more, but that has yet to happen. I am loving this life. I love our daily rhythms that include relaxed mornings with (relative/attempted) quiet reading time in the living room, morning time at the table with breakfast, Bible stories, and nursery rhymes, after lunch story time, and before dinner play or art time. And our weekly rhythms of errands, nature adventures, days at home, walks, and playdates with friends/neighbors. As of now, every week is looking different, but the overall flow of the weeks are the same and it’s creating so much consistency and predictability. I’m already seeing the benefits of that with how much more easily Oak can enter into pretend play or transition from one thing to the next without a battle. And the extra time at home has opened doors for me to follow a few other passions of my own.

We are also expecting a new baby in March and so I’m treasuring these few months of special time with Oak before we grow in love and people in this little house of ours.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

I love how our hearts can answer so many of the questions and decisions we face in our lives, but it’s so easy to let the “shoulds” of societal life guide us instead of listening to what our hearts are quietly trying to tell us. I’m so glad I listened. And so glad I went against what seemed like a more financially stable option and went with what was a better choice for the overall wellbeing of our family and home. There is beauty in less. There is beauty in the simple. I’m so excited to continue to embrace that beauty.

washing windows

Windows!  We have so many windows!  Sixteen on our main floor, to be exact, and six upstairs.  I love our windows for the wonderful ventilation and natural light that the bring to our little house, but when it's time to wash the windows, it isn't a quick task!  And if we're being completely honest, it happens very rarely in this house.  

Now, sometimes in my natural living adventures I forget that some of the simplest, everyday tasks, I occasionally take for granted.  For example, over the past couple months, I've noticed in other people's homes the large number of cleaning supplies that fill their cupboards: tub and tile, disinfectants, wood cleaners, wood polishers, stainless steel cleaners/polishers, disposable floor mops and their specific cleaning solutions, the list goes on and on.  However, the one that always stands out to me as very unnecessary and often rather ineffective is the bottle of window cleaner.  The reason for this is that my Grandma taught me many years ago that the best way to wash windows is to use warm water, a little vinegar, and a little lemon juice.  And she is so very right about that.  Nothing is easier, cheaper, safer, or more effective!  

So, while this may not be new news to you at all, I thought I'd share it for those who may find their cupboards a bit overloaded with cleaning supplies and those who may be looking for a way to simplify and clean in a more natural, safe, and effective way.  This simple cleaning solution not only produces streak-free, crystal clear windows, but since it's made from edible ingredients, it's perfectly safe for anyone in your household to use (or accidentally consume!). 

---

Natural Window Washing Solution

1 gallon of very warm water

1/4 cup of white vinegar

2 tablespoons of lemon juice (fresh or bottled both work, but I prefer bottled since it's easier to use and doesn't have pulp)

Add the vinegar and lemon juice to the warm water and use a lint-free cloth to wipe down windows and sills with the water mixture.  Then use a dry towel to wipe the window dry.  I have found that microfiber cloths work the best for both washing and drying.  

---

And there you have it!!  A simple, natural, and effective way to wash your windows!  Thanks, Grandma Nola! 

home

After being away for almost two weeks, the site and smells of home have never been so lovely.  Summerfest was great, but by the end I was very ready for it to be over and to be home doing my own thing again.  Summerfest for us means 11 days of extrovertism, which Dan handles with ease, but I have to work at each and every day, which left me utterly exhausted!  

Yesterday I spent the entire day at home.  As a homebody, most of my favorite days involve just being home.  As I walked around the house and yard I kept noticing all of the things in those moments that I truly love about our home.  So, I thought I'd share those things with you today...

1. Our cute little green house, with its blooming hydrangeas.

2. The pots of impatiens on the front step that completely filled out while we were away.

3. The way the midday sun pours into my sewing room.

4. The cuddly kitty, who is very excited to have us home.

5. Our kitchen, already filled with signs of homemade food and garden bounty.

6. Our content and clucking chickens.

7. The random little petunias, which must have sprouted from last year's seeds, that I found growing next to the rain barrel.

I've been immensely enjoying all of these things and I'm looking forward to getting back into a bit of a rhythm around here.  Hooray for home!!!

chalkboard reminders

A couple weeks back, Dan painted a chalkboard wall for us in our kitchen.  It was something that I'd been thinking about for quite sometime and so I was excited to make it a reality!  I had wanted a place for lists and a place to organize mail and bills, but I had also wanted a place to remind ourselves of what really matters in life.  When deciding what would go on the wall, I knew I wanted the top part to be reserved for words with meaning, with quotes that inspire and give life.  Dan took it to a whole other level, though, by turning the words into a piece of art!  Chalkboard art in our kitchen--what's not to love?!?  

We started with a verse from the Bible (Hebrews 13:1) for our first quote on the chalkboard wall.  It's a verse that makes me stop and breathe and remember what my purpose is in life and what the big picture is really about.  I love having that reminder ready for whenever I need it, whether I realize I need it or not.  

I'm also very in love with the mail organizer that I found.  In our little house, we don't have a mud room or a designated entry way or office area, and so the mail and important documents often end up on the table.  They then get moved into piles and shuffled around when guests come over or when dinner is ready.  And sometimes they get forgotten in those piles.  But now, I have a system!  And a system that works for me!!  I'm in love.  So very in love.  

We've left the bottom of the chalkboard wall mostly open for our nieces and nephews to play with when they come over, except for a small message for our feline friends that Dan added to the bottom.  It's always good to know where the bathroom is located! 

I do so love simple little house projects that can transform a room within a matter of hours.  Yes, cheap and quick home improvements are fun, especially when you're in the middle of large on-going home improvement projects!  

in bloom

As I add perennials to my flower beds, it's been fun to add more plants that will bloom throughout the summer.  The lilacs kicked off the blooming season a few weeks ago, and now the peonies and mock orange bushes are taking their turn!  Peonies are such a heavenly flower.  I love filling our house with them and smelling their decadent fragrances as they waft in through our dining room windows.  This year my bushes are staggering their blooming times a bit, which is much appreciated by me!  It's nice to have the short peony season extended a bit.

How about you?  What's blooming in your yard??

lilacs, oh, the lilacs

The lilacs are blooming!!!  Hooray!!!  Hooray!!!

Since I was a kid, the season of blooming lilacs has always been one of my favorites.  I remember picking little bouquets to set on my dresser where I could smell them as I dove into yet another book.  While today there is not time to dive into a book, there is definitely time to gather bunches of those beautiful flowers and bring them into every corner of our house.  There is little that compares to waking up to the smell of blooming lilacs in the bedroom...sigh...yes...that is something quite lovely.  

I do so love this season of lilacs, as it is the start of the flower season, the start of bringing the outdoors in.  We spend a lot of time outside in the summer, both in our yard and on our deck, and I find that the line between "outside" and "inside" gets a bit blurred.  The warm temps both inside and out play a big role in that, but the flowers both inside and outside do as well.  These blurred lines are beautiful, really, because they lead to complete and thorough enjoyment of our short summers here in Minnesota.  There's little opportunity to miss out when it so encapsulates everything we do.  So, here's to the start of the flower season and everything that it holds!  

the best kind of weekend

This weekend was filled with some of my favorite things.  Nothing extravagant, just simple things that revolved around home and family.  We had a bonfire, good food, good drinks, a family celebration, spring gardening and yard cleanup, and time for new creations.  It was swell!

How about you?  Did you have any simple, yet lovely weekend happenings?

a day for waffles

With a husband who travels a lot, we find ourselves often very excited over relaxing days spent at home--together.  Yesterday was one of those days.  And so in honor of the day, we had waffles.  Waffles made in my grandma's old Sunbeam waffle iron that may have originated in the 1950's.  After a slightly darkened batch, we enjoyed several perfect waffles.  It was a lovely way to start the day.  The rest of the day followed in a relaxed, yet productive manner.  Buttons and a pocket were sewn on a newly completed knitting project.  A little sewing was done.  Laundry soap was made and clothes were washed.  I caught up the latest episodes of Downton Abbey.  Several rows were knitted in one of my current knitting projects.  And I enjoyed spending the day with my wonderful husband.  

It was a truly wonderful way to spend the day, as today marks the start of the spring semester at the University of Minnesota.  It's always nice to spend a day relaxing before beginning a semester of hard work.  

Spring 2015, here I come!