This past weekend Sam and I organized a Social Media ‘tweetup’ to celebrate the grand opening of the show homes in Williamstown (Airdrie).  I snapped soooooo many pictures because the homes were just so well done.  I was particularly drawn to the wall treatments.  I have officially decided that I’m in love with wall paper and MUST have some in our new house.

Here are the wall treatments I loved most.  They were warm.  They were textural and they were beautiful.  I hope these wall treatments from the Williamstown show homes can inspire you too and if you’re local you should head out there and have a look at them in person!

This was a beautiful wall paper.  It had just the right sheen to inspire life and brightness in the room.  Don’t you adore the little window bench too?  This was used in a dining area.  Loved it.

Here’s another dining area with a completely different look.  It was upscale and formal.  The wall paper made this room.

This was a mural rather than a paper and it almost makes me want to decorate another nursery….almost.  Isn’t a woodland theme perfect for a gender neutral room?

I love love LOVE glass tile.  It’s chic, clean, textural and glamorous.  I think it adds so much to a kitchen back splash and if you use it sparingly it won’t break the bank either.  I must have some.

This wall was so impressive I could hardly stand it.  This stone facing ran the whole length of the wall and it was used in a basement ‘man cave’ type room.  It brought so much interest to the space and if you needed it to, it could cover a multitude of sins.

Here’s a larger image of that wall…gasp!  It adds so much interest doesn’t it?

I have loads more photos and I wish I could share them all with you but I’d be resizing into next year.  You really should just go out there and have a walk through the show homes if you can.  It’s such a lovely way to spend a weekend afternoon….I should know, I’ve been house hunting for weeks now!  Oh and if you do head to Airdrie, make sure you have a look at the 66 acres of green space as well as the amenities centre.  Williamstown would be a lovely place to live.

THROW OUT EVERYTHING.

I’m not kidding.  Go through every cupboard, every closet, every drawer and throw out all the crap you haven’t used in six months or more.  You will be AMAZED how many bags you’ll toss out.  We threw out parts to toys we didn’t have any more.  We threw out and recycled dead cameras, old computer parts, warranty paperwork from long dead appliances.  Stuff we’d been storing for years we realized we really didn’t need it.  We threw it out and all of a sudden we had places to store things we did need.  Things that were sitting out on counters or on top of the fridge or cluttering up tables we could now put away.

It made a huge difference because it’s impossible to clean easily if every surface is covered in stuff.  Make space so you can clear your surfaces and when your surfaces are clear keep them that way.

Deep clean.

Scrub your bathrooms, scour the kitchen, dust all those places you normally don’t pay attention to. Do a really good vacuum. The deep clean is important because from now on you’ll be doing a light clean every day or second day and if you don’t start with a clean house you can’t keep it clean easily.  During our deep clean we even went so far as to re-paint some doors.

Catch up on laundry.

Get it ALL done. You can’t do this if you have a back load of laundry. Just resign to getting it all done over a day or two.  Wash…Dry…Fold…Put Away…Repeat.  Start with clothes, move to sheets and towels and finally do your table cloths and any curtains that need washing.

At this point, your house will look pretty amazing and you’ll wonder why you don’t always keep it looking so nice.

Daily Maintenance.

After you’re caught up you need to keep on top of laundry so it doesn’t pile up again.  I found the best way to do this was to get rid of all the hampers.  You heard me…do it. We used to have a basket in our room, a basket in the kids room and one downstairs.  We would only throw a load in when a hamper was full but the problem with this was:

1. we always had dirty laundry sitting out in our rooms and
2. we always had a back log of three or more loads (our hampers typically fit a load and a half worth of laundry.)

Obviously, when you’re showing the house it’s not ideal to have dirty laundry sitting around.  After we got caught up I took all the hampers away. It made more space in our bedrooms and kept everything looking tidy.

Keep one laundry basket. ONE.  At the end of every day, put the basket in a central place (I put ours at the top of the stairs) and ask everyone to put their stuff in it as they are putting on their pjs.  If they take it off, it goes right in the basket. There is no deviation from this rule.

After the kids are in bed…shower.

As soon as you’re out of the shower and before the steam dries up, grab a towel to wipe down the shower, then the counters and sink (buff that tap!) and finally do a quick sweep on the tank/back of the toilet.  Please don’t scrub your toilet with a towel….I’m just talking ‘hair sweep’ here people.

Throw the towels in the basket and put a load in the washer.

In the evenings I try to do a quick walk through of the house.  Throw out any paper, garbage or general ‘crap’ that accumulated over the day.  I put stuff away in the cabinets and clear the counters. I might do a quick dust and I make sure the dishwasher gets loaded and put on.  I usually put away a back pack or any toys that are out of place too.

First thing in the morning, while the kids eat breakfast I empty the dishwasher and put that load of laundry in the dryer.

Breakfast dishes go straight in the dishwasher and I wipe the counters /sink with paper towel and windex.

Now it’s time to get the beds made, kids dressed, teeth brushed etc.

After everyone is dressed I put any dirty pj’s in the laundry basket and stash the basket in the laundry room.  I quickly sweep the floor.  After everyone is done in the bathroom I grab a paper towel and some multipurpose windex and wipe out the bathroom sink.  If the mirror is spotted I give it a quick wipe too (I use vinegar on my glass as it streaks less.)

That’s pretty much it.  During the day, if we don’t leave the house, I try to keep the kids in one area (tv/play room) so it’s only one room to clean up.  After lunch / dinner the dishes go right into the dishwasher and I wipe out the sink.

I spot clean a lot.  Especially under the highchair.

Before bed, the load of laundry from the day before gets folded and put away…

Weekly Maintenance

Once a week clean the toilets and wash the sheets and do a good vacuum (we vacuum about twice a week because of the cat hair but if you don’t have pets then once a week is plenty.) Wash any hard surface flooring (I use a steam mop.)

That’s about it.  If you’re keeping up daily then there isn’t a mad rush to do a major clean on the weekends.

Designate a room or two if you can, to be ‘non-kid’ rooms.  I won’t let the kids play in the upstairs living room and I’ve also tried to keep them out of the downstairs bathroom. It just means that now we’ll have two rooms I don’t have to think about.  They should stay pretty clean and I just dust / vacuum when warranted.

This only works if everyone is on board so lay out the rules and make everyone stick to em.  This means no leaving stuff lying around willy nilly.  If say, my husband, leaves his pj’s on the floor I ask him to pick them up and put them away.  If my daughter leaves her toys out I ask her to clean them up.  If you constantly pick up everything, not only will people think they don’t have to clean up after themselves but you’ll also lose your mind.

This is a team effort and everyone has to participate.  THERE IS NO REASON TO NOT HAVE HELP.  It’s just as easy for laundry to be tossed in the basket as it is for it to get tossed on the floor.  DO NOT let people get away with not helping.  My 4 year old is capable of doing a lot and she likes to help.  I just have to guide her.

Cleaning Supplies

For your deep clean you’ll need your standard favorite cleaners – toilet scrub, soap scum remover, furniture polish etc.  Once you’re on daily maintenance you’ll find you aren’t using harsh cleaners much at all.

Stock up on:

• Dish Soap ( I use it for spot cleaning the floor if the baby makes a really sticky mess and on walls etc.)
• Vinegar (it shines glass nicely and gets rid of finger prints on windows. )
• A dry duster (I like the swiffer type)
• Multipurpose Spray (I like the windex type but I only use it on counters, sinks and things like garbage cans.  I don’t use it on mirrors because it streaks.)
• Paper Towel
• Laundry Soap ( you can’t afford to run out!)

Like I said in the beginning…I have no intention of having a ‘show perfect’ home after the sale process is over. BUT I’ve always struggled with how to stay on top of things so cleaning isn’t taking up a whole day on the weekend.  Once we can relax a little I think I’ll still keep us down to one  laundry hamper and I’ll make it a habit to wipe down the sinks more often…it sure is nice having clean sinks!

The other thing I want to work harder to maintain is clutter.  I always thought I was good at throwing stuff out but this process has shown me that I was obviously wrong!

Over the last few weeks I’ve learned the key to keeping a clean(er) home and not having to slave all weekend is:

1. Never let Clutter take over
2. Never let Laundry pile up
3. Always Maintain!

I hope my experience has helped you too.  If you have a tip I’ve missed please leave it in comments

Don’t play with your juice.

Stop throwing that ball.

Put it away.

Make your bed and remember to hide your pjs.

Pick up that towel.

Put it in the laundry basket.

Don’t make a mess with your breakfast.

No, we aren’t doing a craft today.

Stop whining.

Mommy is wiping the sink because you got toothpaste all over it…again.

Put that away.

Hurry up, we have to go.

Stop playing around and just put your shoes on.

Why is your coat on the floor?

Come on, we have to go.

No, you don’t need your umbrella.

Hurry up, your brother and I are waiting.

*CRACK*

I scoop my crying baby up into my arms and watch the purple line on his forehead morph into a dark goose egg.  He may have been the one receiving a bump on the head but I feel like I got one too.  We were on our way out the door for the 100th time this week and I’ve done nothing but hurl orders at my oldest.  My youngest is so tired he can barely function and he’s whacked his head pretty hard. I’m not feeling very great about my mothering as of late. This house needs to sell fast(er).

For everyone’s sake.

I made them their favorite dinner and didn’t worry about how much of a mess it would make for me to clean up.  During that meal, I didn’t have to nag anyone to eat.  We all needed that too.

Yes he has a toque on and yes, it's May.

While I love having family around me and I love watching my kids play, sometimes the chaos gets to me.  I wish I could have a moment like this one every day just to recharge.

I have a feeling that May is going to find these moments few and far between. I have a couple of bloggy things happening this month and I thought I’d take a moment to tell you about what’s happening.

For the Month of May – United Nurses of Alberta are sponsoring this blog – you’ll see their ad below.  Go check out what they’re all about.

May 5th – We will be attending Day out with Thomas.

May 12th -  Sam and I will be hosting a social media breakfast in Airdrie for the grand opening of a new set of show homes by Vesta in Williamstown.  I hope you’ll join us there later that afternoon and bring the kids for free family fun including a bbq, live country music and the opportunity to get autographs from some amazing Olympians.  Be sure to also enter their Facebook contest (and like the page) for $10,000 in prizes from the Brick.

After our day in Airdrie I’ll be checking into the Delta South Calgary to see all the fab renovations they’ve just done.

That’s just the first half of the month – who knows what the second half with bring??  Hopefully a sale on our house and a bottle of wine   What’s on your plate this May?  Let me know in comments!

Baby N had been so grouchy that morning…little did we know he was coming down with rotavirus.  He was passing gas like nobody’s business and the staff were quick to point out the changing area in case we were to need it.  We were lucky that we didn’t but his attitude was nearly as stinky as his flatulence.  This shot of him captured his mood so well. He wore that hat like a boss didn’t he?

Little H was enthused about every aspect of the shoot.  The costumes.  Being the center of attention. The props. Taking direction from someone other than me…all of it.  Her energy was so well juxtaposed against that of her brother that it was hard to get a shot of them together.  This one of her on her own captures every single thing about our daughter’s personality. I can hardly stand how perfect it is. The Process:

We were given a quick run down of how things would go and we chose our props.  Then we removed our shoes and stepped into the studio.  There was a photographer as well as an assistant which I thought was genius because it was one more person to wrangle the kids.  I actually got to enjoy the experience instead of fussing over who was sitting where.  As I mentioned, the baby was in no mood for any of this, but they still managed to keep him happy by bringing out props that caught his attention including the balloon you see with H there and a bright red tricycle which he was enamored with.

Near the end of our hour time slot they brought out a bubble machine and that was a huge hit with the kids.  All in all I was really pleased with the staff and how well they handled my monsters.

Here is a quick snap I took with my phone at the studio just so you can get an idea of what they have there…this was their red/pink section and they had several other sets of props.

H looking over the costumes. They had many dresses, frocks and boas as well as boxing gloves, glasses and hats

After our session we took a little refreshment break out in the mall while they reviewed the shots and took out any that were obviously not going to pass Q/A. When we returned we set the kids up in front of a movie and reviewed our snaps.

The kids staying entertained watching 'Happy Feet' while mom and dad reviewed the photos

Criticisms: (cause every balanced review has em)

Price – it’s not like you HAVE to break the bank to have a session and get a great image…they often offer sitting fee promos and special packages. BUT once you see the shots it’s hard to walk out without getting more and it can add up fast.

Photo-shopping – maybe it’s because I’m used to editing my less than professional home pics that I kind of feel every image can benefit from a bit of tweaking…for instance, the image of Nate could be straightened out (I have the digital file so I can do it myself and I will.) They do offer digital photo editing but yes, you have to pay extra for that.

Bottom Line:

If you’re looking to get some family photos taken and you’re hoping for a stress free experience then definitely go into Magenta and talk to them about your options.  Our prints came back quickly, were great quality and captured our family personalities well.  Right now, they have a mother’s day promo running where you can get a sitting, a print and a pillow and a digital file to share online for $95.

Notes:

The images shown have the hometoheather watermark on them and that was added by me because, well, they are of my kids and I don’t want any funny business mkay.  Images you purchase from Magenta will not have a watermark.

There is one more pic from our session and you can find it on my About page.

Above: learn how to custom cover some pendant shades at Tatertots & Jello.  I think they are adorable and look quite high end.

Above: Pleasant Pots from Boots N Gus on Etsy.  Buckets of Cute tutorial from the Hand Made Home and High Strung Hemp tutorial from CraftyNest.

I also love the vintage cage lights above and there’s a great tutorial for making them on the cheap at GrassRootsModern.  Oh and let’s not forget the Mason Jar Chandelier tutorial I showcased last year!  There you go – loads of inspiration for making your home bright and beautiful!

We are just beginning the sales process with our home.  In preparing for photos and the chance that somone might want to come, you know, look and JUDGE and decide to purchase our house….here’s what I’m going through and will be going through until the house sells….

• Wake up
• Listen to kids beg for milk.
• Make sure sippy cups are firmly tethered to their bodies so they don’t roll under furniture and create potential stink bombs.
• Make beds.
• Ensure black cat is strategically placed in center of light colored duvet in order to create optimal ‘fur ring’ design.

<begin food cycle>

• Listen to kids beg for food while you tarp off the dining room.
• Ensure children are secured in tarped off area prior to giving them their plates.
• DO NOT feed: jam, rice, peanut butter, cereal, yogurt, spaghetti or pudding.
• When they are done, hose them off and roll hazmat inside tarp – toss outside immediately.
• Wipe up any splatter and clean kitchen making sure there is nothing in the sink and the counters are spotless.

<end food cycle>

<begin insanity cycle>

• Spend the next two hours doing laundry,cleaning, sweeping, dusting, removing cat fur and keeping children away from their organized toys.
• Hear cat yaking up a fur ball.
• RACE to said cat sitting in the middle of the carpet and punt him to a spare hazmat tarp.
• Dispose of yak.

<end insanity cycle>

• Repeat Food cycle
• Repeat Insantiy cycle
• Repeat Food cycle
• Bathe children
• Brush kids teeth – make sure you scream ‘SPIT DOWN THE HOLE’ repeatedly
• Throw the kids in bed
• Pass Out early to prepare for more of the same tomorrow.