Here’s what will hopefully be the second in three-part series of “round ups” this summer. (I hate publicly committing to future writing that may or may not happen but that’s my goal.) You can find June’s here.

July’s routine was all about work, workouts, kid drop-offs, and day camps. All good stuff. However, there were a couple special things highlighted below.

Getting Organized

Kicking off the month, we were visited by a professional organizer, y’all!

This angel of bins, labels, and “like with like" helped us rein in the growing chaos in the kids’ playroom and bedroom. The issue was that they weren’t fully using the toys and clothes they have because they couldn’t see or find anything but what was on the surface. More importantly (and who are we kidding?), the mess was stressing me out. So something had to change.

In a couple “before” pictures below, you can see how their stuff was stuffed. Everywhere.

Just when I hit a breaking point, I found out a friend and colleague helps people get organized on the side. And, she’s amazing at it. Here’s how she worked…

After some preliminary discussion and sharing of pictures and goals, we decided she would come to our house two days in a row. Day 1 would be dedicated to the purge. Day 2 was putting the stuff we were keeping into its new home- with all its friends.

She started with a very short, interactive “lesson” for the kids on how to think about using a space, the benefits of being able to find the stuff you want, and how to think about organizing it all. She had them at, “use this sharpie to write on the wall (on paper).” We then dove into the grouping, sorting, and purging. Some went to the trash, the rest to a curbside give-a-way with one big thrift store drop off.

On Day 2, we put it all back together. A couple of things that were great about this for me…

Having another adult with both the process and the willingness to roll-up her sleeves was super helpful. She’s kind, not judge-y at all, and great with kids. These qualities were just a bonus. I loved the results so much I would have taken a surly grouch. Please direct message me if you’d like an introduction.
It’s also helpful to have the time block set aside. This project was something I’d previously tried to tackle a bit at a time with no real progress.
Having a couple of new things- some new rugs, pillows, a throw, and bins just made the end result all the more satisfying. More stuff!!!

Ahhhhh…..

Lighting Up the Neighborhood

We celebrated the 4th with friends and illegal fireworks. What’s considered tame just about everywhere else is off limits here in Falls Church. Taking a calculated risk, Brian and Linc hit up the stand in our neighboring county (.4 miles away). We then pooled our stuff with our friends for a decent show.

Opening Up Shop

Next up, Baya opened an Etsy shop called, The Brightest Night. She makes really lovely, beaded bracelets inspired by the dragons in her favorite book series, Wings of Fire. I’ve been so impressed with her diligence and craftsmanship. The shop is open for business. And be on the look out for a more formal launch soon!

Fixing Food & Friends

Of course, last but not least… we’ve spent lots of time cooking, baking, smoking meat (Brian), catching lightening bugs, playing soccer in the rain, floating at the pool, and just hanging out with friends. Bring it, August!