Small Spaces and Productive Places

Some of you maybe wondering where I have been and what I have been up to. I've been slaving away in my tiny apartment trying to make my little space look and feel a little more organized. I've made some simple changes that have really made a big impact. Like a shoe rack on the back of the closet door instead of the first thing you see when you come in. A manly basket for Jerry to dump his must have on the counter at all times/everyday essentials (watch, wallet, ring, dog tags,etc.) He actually has been using it this time. Who would have thought to get something more masculine and he would totally change his habit of just dumping thing on the counter top
So back to my original idea I was going with here. I really have been doing well with my cleaning routine, so I thought I would treat myself at the end of two weeks and get some selves I wanted to get for Kate's toys, if I stuck to my routine. Some may say why two weeks, well most experts say if you can do something for two weeks straight it will stick. So what I thought what was going to be a treat, actually turned out to be so much more than I bargained for. I kept reminding myself of my friends advice to be serious about it and not just talk about it. I wanted to attempt to clean the back of my couch. Some of you may think what is so hard about that. Well, it's been a source of frustration the whole 5 years I have been here. First my husband would just dump anything behind it, because there was no where else to put it. Oh let me stop a minute, for those who don't know behind my couch is a counter top/bar area, they think there is actually enough room to put a couch love seat and dinning room table is a very small room. So we just decided to for go the dinning room space and use it for our couch area instead, but there is a space behind the couch in between the couch and the bar that has been the biggest waste land I could never really fix. I tried to put bins back there to store things in, My husband just stack stuff on top, I tried to cover it with a blanket, you can see where this is going, not good. So after 5 years I told myself I am not having this mess back here any more, don't get me wrong we would straighten it up all the time, but never moved anything.
So yesterday was the day, it took me and I am not kidding from 10am to 10:30 pm to finish the job, and I am still working on the odds and ends. I don't know if it was just a lot of work or having to stop and feed Caleb and Kate. I was so wipe out after that. The main reason I wanted to clean this so bad was, I wanted to make this a productive space. I wanted to make this a little play area/princess toy cave for Kate to play in. I guess trying to improve you home and the space you live in is harder than I thought it would be. So I am glad I did, it feels great, only one problem, Jerry build the selves and it doesn't fit right. I forgot to account for the beam support for the bar counter top being in the way. So now I am sitting here trying not to cry over all my hard work being for not. If we would have gone for the 8 cubby hole shelf instead of the 9, it would have fit perfect. I guess it's time to be creative again. It's hard living in such a small space sometimes. I still think I will still put Kate's doll house and other items back there to play, I just have to find room for the shelf. I love the shelf, it really has helped to organize her toys and it's really helping Kate to take ownership of her toys and learn to put them away by herself. So I know this wasn't very interesting to read, but that's a part of what I have been up to. So all in all I'm glad my house is more organized, but frustrated it didn't turn out the way I competely imaging it would. I would have taken a before and after shot but it was just to embarrassing to show you.