master bed/bath linens

originally uploaded by gently down the stream.

this section of open shelving is the first thing i see when i walk into my closet, so i'm glad it's finally looking nice.  top shelf (out of view) holds spring/summer duvet and shams.  i'm not a fan of having seasonal bedding, but the wispy bed linens we had in los angeles are just wrong for pennsylvania autumn.  next shelf holds two sets of the spring/summer sheets and pillowcases.  next shelf down holds two hand towels, bathroom cups and linen spray.  keeping the cups here reminds me to put fresh ones in each week when i change out the towels, and having the linen spray at eye level means i'll probably use it.  moving down the shelves there is a full set of our bath towels, then a bundle of autumn/winter sheets and pillowcases, a mattress pad, extra blankets, and finally at the bottom, the down comforter we're not currently using.

i don't buy bed or bath linens, or even a bathroom cup, until i can afford to buy two identical pieces.  having two of everything means i can change things out without being compelled to wash immediately, and having exact duplicates prevents the problem of having a "disfavored" set.  sure, i don't have a favorite set either, but i've found that i'm overall happier with my linens when they are all the same.

bathroom cabinet

originally uploaded by gently down the stream.

the bottom shelf has everything, and i mean EVERYTHING i need to get ready for a regular day, as well as face cloths and make-up remover for washing up at night.

next shelf up has spa supplies, divided into separate bins for mani/pedi, facial, and teeth whitening. this is especially convenient for when i want to give myself a pedicure in front of the tv. : )

next shelf up holds products i don't need more than once a week - brush and jewelry cleaners, the cotton pads and safety swabs that i dole out sparingly to my 2yo son's grooming table, toothbrush charger and vitamins/medications (that go in an easy-to-access dispenser kept with my makeup), and razor refills. i actually keep the razor refills in the same bin as the medication, so i remember to do that every week as well.
top shelf holds special occasion items - "glamour" makeup, eyebrow kit and hair drying stuff (i added round brush and clips later).

hair bands are on 3m hooks on the inside of the cabinet door, which also holds a few press-on mirror squares.

tissues, soap, body cream, cotton balls and q-tips are in containers on the counter. voila!

toddler clothes

originally uploaded by gently down the stream.

i'm really happy with the way all of my two year-old son's clothes fit in baskets on the changing table.

top left bin holds shirts, one stack of polos and another of tees. as the weather grows cooler i'll be swapping out polos for turtlenecks and long-sleeved for short-sleeved tees. top middle bin holds long pants and jeans in one stack and shorts in the other; these items also will be replaced with their cold weather counterparts as the season progresses. top right bin has sweaters and socks.

almost all of my son's clothing is freely mix and matchable, which helps on the days he wants to choose his own outfit. it also means that i can simply pull from the top of the piles when i need to dress him in a hurry.

bottom left bin holds loose sweatpants and soft, plain tee-shirts. i keep these comfortable, inexpensive pieces stocked for mornings or days we don't go out--it saves wear and tear on his "good" clothes, but he's not reduced to wearing pajamas all day. bottom middle bin holds his pajamas, in rolls that keep tops and bottoms together and allow my son to see all of his options without having to rummage around. bottom right bin holds diapers. we've saved a lot of money since he began sleeping through the night by using the larger (and more absorbent and expensive) diapers only at night, and using the smaller (and less expensive) ones during the day when he'll likely be changed before the diaper becomes full anyway. the stack in the back holds the nighttime dipes.

this simple basket system ensures that i don't overbuy in any category because frankly, if it won't fit in the bin, i won't buy it. if he had a lot of drawers, or we used the closet, i would probably buy more than he really needs. his closet does contain clothes, however: one suit for special occasions, a bin on the floor to hold clothing he has outgrown, and a shelf holding clothing that doesn't yet fit him. i no longer buy in advance as much as i did before he turned two, but i still won't hesitate to buy an item in several sizes if it's a particularly suitable item at a good price. when he was 18 months, for example, i came across the perfect little fisherman's sweater in a classic style at a reasonable price, so i bought it in his current 18 mo. size, plus 2T and 3T. it's nice to know that we can rely on that staple for a few more seasons.

personal drug store

originally uploaded by gently down the stream.

this is a couple shelves in a cabinet in my clothes closet. i have a very good idea of how much, say, cold medicine and bug spray we'll use over the course of a year, so when our trusted brands are on sale or i find a bulk discount, i stock up for as much as we are likely to use within a year. we save a lot of money this way, and almost never have to make special trips to the drug store for over-the-counter medication. other items, like antacids and migraine relief, i buy in enormous quantities but keep in more reasonably sized containers in the medicine cabinet.  no need for glaring reminders of how much i use that stuff. 

as for the baby sundries, we have a strong preference for mustela bath products and facial wipes, but the nearest retailer isn't convenient, so when i find myself there i pretty much buy them out. the desitin came in a 6-pack (and it was such a good deal i bought two of them, over a year ago), and all that baby lotion came in gift packs. i'm still looking for a good way to use it or someone who might like it.

fridge door

originally uploaded by gently down the stream.

this is the best set-up for my fridge: cooking ingredients (capers, tahini, jars of garlic and sundried tomatoes, etc.) are up top. basic condiments (mayo, ketchup, etc.) and salad dressings are in the middle. sweets (jams, syrups, nut butters) are on the bottom.  

being consistent about these categories saves me lots of time planning menus, making grocery lists and preparing meals.  i may not remember if i have a particular ingredient, but i know exactly where to look to find out.

montessori supplies

i've been gathering and making montessori materials for almost a year now, but we are only just now beginning home pre-preschool for my 2 year old son.  this probably won't make sense (or even look organized) to a non-montessorian, but it's my best effort, in the back of a walk-in closet off the playroom.

the top shelf holds language arts materials - alphabet puzzles, sandpaper letters, the category card sets, a mystery bag and objects/cards, a moveable alphabet set and a bin of miniatures sorted into ziplock bags by category (e.g., farm animals, air transportation, etc.).

the next shelf down holds practical life supplies--all those bits and pieces i've been picking up in thrift stores and out of dollar bins this past year.  to the left are a hand broom, lacing boards and dressing frames.  then there's a wooden cigar box full of small containers with various openings, and behind that a lunchbox holding old wallets, change purses, keychains, expired gift cards, tickets, etc.  the small stacked bins hold sponges and various fabrics, tongs and spoons and other transferring utensils, small containers, and a variety of small flashlights, polishing supplies, etc.  the larger bins divide potential activity components (dishes, pitchers, little trays, dispensers, etc.) according to the materials they are made from: metals and pottery in the first bin, glass in the next, and finally, plastics. of course, practical life materials come from all over the house, and these pieces will surely be useful for other types of projects, but here i have collected the inspiration to create interesting practical life work for my son.

the next shelf down holds sensorial materials - sound cylinders, color tablets, fabric boxes, smelling and tasting jars, cylinder blocks, a small knobless puzzle, the pink cubes and the brown prisms.

the next shelf down holds math materials - geoometry trays, binomial and trinomial cubes, triangle boxes and geometric shapes, as well as counters and some homemade math aids we've been working with the past several months.

at the bottom are cultural/geography materials on the left, and science materials on the right.   these are subjects for which i am actively collecting right now, so i'll probably end up putting a couple large bins here to keep it corralled until we are ready for it.

this certainly isn't a very attractively organized space, but i need it all accessible and in one place so i can quickly and easily refresh the montessori shelves with interesting work for my son.   thanks, chris, for installing those shelves for me!

any suggestions for improvement?   if you are a montessorian:  what kind of material storage works for you?

and by the way, if you are interested in our little home quasi-montessori preschool, i'm recording many of our activities at: 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gentlydownthestream/