We wrapped up week 1 of 3 (haha...sure) of online We wrapped up week 1 of 3 (haha...sure) of online learning and we’re all losing it a little. Things that are helping: pretending that we’re in the Mystery Machine, headed for a campground with a mystery to solve! Jude says the camp counsellor is pretending to be a ghost while Luca was busy getting “Honey” into her sleeping bag for the night. And then a pirate showed up, so this story is really getting good 😂

@playmobil is honestly a life changer because the kids get to build AND use their imagination. It’s a win-win, and let’s face it, we could all use a little win these days.

How are you all coping with kids at home?
Why yes, this is exactly what my dining room table Why yes, this is exactly what my dining room table looks like right now. No, there aren’t markers, papers, toys, food, crumbs and tears on it. Nope. Nope. Nope. None of the above. Everything’s cool and calm over here, folks.

(If it’s not abundantly clear, I am joking.)
What does your Monday morning look like today? We’re over here prepping for online learning (note computer on dining room table) and I’m using our @playosmo to get our kids engaged in some math and language activities before we really get going. Every time I post about our Osmo, I’m asked: “do you really like it?” And my answer is always “YES!” I mean, just look at these kiddos. Jude is obsessed with the tangram and Luca loves sounding our words - he was trying to figure out whether to use ‘k’ or ‘c’ for ‘cat’ here. To them, they’re “playing”...but we all know what’s REALLY going on! #unboxingosmo #osmosocialclub
Well it would seem that I just CANNOT figure out r Well it would seem that I just CANNOT figure out reels, but I’m not letting that stop me. I made one showing you the materials and steps to make this super easy ornament storage so would you go watch it, pretty please?

I’ve been using this method of ornament storage for 7 years and it all started with a cardboard box, some red cups and a single layer. A few years later I upgraded the system to multiple layers, used foam board and white cups and voila! Scroll over to see what I mean.

Would you try this? It’s super easy and you can probably still go ahead and just use old cardboard and whatever cups you have on hand. It’s the best thing I ever did for my holiday decor!! Just make sure you use double sided tape or hot glue to attach the cups - loose cups are no bueno!

If you do this, show me, ok? I wanna see everyone put away their ornaments with no breakage! 🙌
Ready for lots of THIS over the next couple of wee Ready for lots of THIS over the next couple of weeks...but with a puppy in the middle of it all. We’re picking up Taco on Friday so prepare yourself for puppy pictures ALL over the place.

Also: I’ve been feeling uninspired lately and have taken a little break from both posting and consuming when it comes to social media. I’m trying to soak up the holiday magic, read things other than captions (as I write this that seems weird), and even writing more things down.

This time of year always makes me reflective - less because it’s the end of a calendar year and more because it’s my birthday in 9 days. Yes. It’s on the 25th. Yep. Christmas Day. No, seriously. Yeah, Christmas baby! I don’t mind it now, but I didn’t like it as a kid. Oh you know someone who also has a birthday on (or very close to) Christmas! Cool! <— that was just me reacting to like every single conversation ever about having a birthday on December 25th. 😂
I’m still thinking about these adorable little @ I’m still thinking about these adorable little @tubicenlighting lamps that you just touch to turn on and off. And this cutie little door all decked out with a smart doorbell and lock. And the beautiful blue kitchen by @remodelcanada.ca. And all of the vanities from @canaromatoronto. And this gorgeous hardwood flooring from @coswickcanada.ca.

Can you believe this was all under one roof? @improvecanada has 350 showrooms and it was so much fun seeing how many we could get to yesterday.

I’ll be sharing lots more about @improvecanada in the coming months, but if you’re curious and want to go see it for yourself, they’re open! You can call and book an appointment or even have a customer service rep help you make an appointment at showrooms suited to what you’re looking for. Pretty great, right?
#improvecanada # ad #makeitright
So I made a thing and I’m totally in love!! Now So I made a thing and I’m totally in love!! Now I just need to gather all of the boys for an adorable family photo. Christmas miracle, maybe?

I made these sweaters for all of us last weekend using my @officialcricut Joy and now I may need to start personalizing a LOT more shirts around here! It was my first time using infusible ink and I love how the sweaters stays super soft! I may just be wearing this for the rest of the year!

O.S. If it wasn’t clear, our last name is Murray 😆

Have you made matching Christmas sweaters? What would be on yours if you did? # ad #cricutmade
Are you crafty? Do you know someone who is? Or may Are you crafty? Do you know someone who is? Or maybe you’re like me and you like to think you’re crafty but lack the patience to take out a whole bunch of things to make one tiny craft? Well then I have the thing for you. Meet the @officialcricut Joy! It’s tiny but mighty, and you can just have it casually sitting on a shelf waiting to be used when inspiration strikes because it takes up basically no room at all! I made these labels using mine, and you can swipe to see another easy project you can make with a Cricut Joy. It’s the perfect little gift! I even wrote a blog post about why I think so. I’ll share another Cricut project with you later this week!! # ad #cricutmade
Can you believe this room was completed two years Can you believe this room was completed two years ago? And I still love it as much today as I did then. And I still believe that my kids can have a fun, comforting space even if they don’t get to decorate it themselves with superhero bedding and Lego everywhere! But ALSO, I would never judge you if you’re that parent who does let your kids decorate with all the primary colours because you do you, boo and if it makes you and your kids happy, I say do the dang thing!!!

Ok that is all. Have a wonderful judgement-free day!
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Decor, Lifestyle, ORGANIZATION, Twin Motherhood · April 9, 2019

5 Tips for Clutter-Free Living with Kids

As a mom of twin 3-year olds, I get just how much stuff kids can accumulate in a very short period of time. Even if you have the best intentions as a new parent, like I did, things quickly escalate and the next thing you know, there’s a full train set and 200 Lego pieces making a cozy home right in your (MY) living room! So today I want to share with you 5 tips for clutter-free living with kids, which can absolutely apply regardless of how many offspring you have!

Disclosure: I have participated in a paid partnership with Daniels. Opinions in this post are my own.

If you happen to be looking for family friendly condos in the East Toronto or Mississauga areas, Daniels has amazing amenities like kids play zones, innovative outdoor space, mega gyms, co-working spaces, arcades, climbing walls, expansive green spaces that allows kids to run around, garden plots and communal areas to foster a sense of community. All of those sound like things I would love to have around for my kiddos!
 
Now let’s get to those 5 tips, which can really be applied no matter where you live!

1. Hiding kids toys

Have I said already that kids have a lot of stuff? Because man, THEY HAVE A LOT OF STUFF! Namely, toys! In our home we don’t have a dedicated playroom for the boys, so our living room has to be a space that we can both comfortably unwind in, as well as a space for the kids to build, play, read, etc. One piece of furniture that has made a HUGE difference for us is a train/blocks table that doubles as a coffee table. This means we can just add the top of the table whenever we have guests, and gives us an extra space to hide the messes! We also like to keep a lot of baskets around the house, and even added some recently under our chairs so that the kids can easily pull out their favourite blanket or superhero costume.

The goal here is to make storage pretty AND functional. This way you feel like you get to have a calm space and it’s easy for everyone to put things away!

2. Creating a mudroom

As the boys get ready to start school in the Fall, I’m already seeing a pattern of jackets, gloves, boots, and hats strewn across the floor of our entryway. The best thing I have done for us and them to control this mess is to make smart storage that they can reach (and some that they can’t). We created a mudroom of sorts in a small entryway by adding a hall tree with hooks. I then added some smaller hooks on the side for the boys to reach their own jackets and bags. Up high, however, we have a shelf that holds a few basket’s they can’t reach, so we can keep our things out of the way but within easy access for adults at the same time. A few simple hooks and baskets can save a ton of headache!

Since Daniels has so many family-friendly amenities and are situated in community-focused neighbourhoods, having a space your kids can easily get ready to go outside is so handy!

3. Storing kids cups, plates, and snacks

Here’s a theme to what I’m saying: store things purposely within reach. The boys know exactly where to go to get to their plates and cups, and that drawer in out kitchen cabinet is low, so that they can access it when they’re ‘helping’ us put away dishes or when it’s time to eat. 

Truth: this drawer has a child-lock on it. There would never be snacks for more than 6 seconds in this drawer if they had full access to it all the time, but it’s great to be able to open it up with them, have them select what they want, and move on. Kids love to feel in control, right?

4. Creating a playroom in a den

Yes, I already said that we don’t have a dedicated playroom in our house, but we do have this sort of awkward space between our laundry room and kitchen and family room, so for a while, I had that as the kids play area. This would be a great opportunity for a small den area, and having all of the toys in one space makes clean-up super easy, and Daniels happens to have lots of units that include a den!

I used a storage shelf with 2 different sized bins to store their things and had their play kitchen in that space as well. Since dens are usually pretty open, it’s a great option to have your kids play there and makes it easy to check on them while cooking dinner, trying to get a bite to eat, or getting in a few sips of hot coffee (good luck!).

5. Making shared bedrooms work

Our boys have shared a space since, well, since they were conceived! They shared a womb, so they can share a room now, too! We recently updated a shared bedroom for them, and here are a few reasons it works so well:

  • we kept their beds small, but not too small. Having twin sized beds means they can grow into these, whereas toddler sized beds would only last a couple of years before needing to be updated.
  • they share a dresser. This may be trickier if your kids are different ages, but even then, one side of the dresser is for the kid whose bed is on the left, and the other for the right. Keep it simple.
  • the bedroom is not a place to play, it’s a place to sleep. This means we don’t keep toys in their room. It’s just always been like that. They have a few books in there, and stuffed animals are allowed, but we don’t store toys in their bedroom. Doing this means storage can be super intentional in this space and we feel like we can store everything they need here, even their extra bedding!
 
A shared room for kids also means you can have a guest space if need be, or even create a play space in another bedroom!
 

I’m sure there are even more things I could think of, but I wanted to stick to these 5 things because I think some of these are things that can be done easily over a weekend, and they make such a massive impact on how you feel in your own home!

If you have any other tips, let me know in the comments! It’s great when we can help one another out!

Written by Thalita - Visit Website

In: Decor, Lifestyle, ORGANIZATION, Twin Motherhood

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Comments

  1. Mila says

    June 11, 2020 at 3:57 pm

    Hi,
    Love the play area! May I ask where the wall decal is from?

    Reply
    • Thalita says

      July 11, 2020 at 7:17 pm

      Thank you! I actually hand painted it!

      Reply

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Hey, I'm Thalita! Daydreamer, serial decorator, mama of twin boys, lover of thrift stores, fuelled by coffee! This is the space where I share my DIY triumphs and failures, as well as interior design inspiration and regular life stuff.

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We wrapped up week 1 of 3 (haha...sure) of online We wrapped up week 1 of 3 (haha...sure) of online learning and we’re all losing it a little. Things that are helping: pretending that we’re in the Mystery Machine, headed for a campground with a mystery to solve! Jude says the camp counsellor is pretending to be a ghost while Luca was busy getting “Honey” into her sleeping bag for the night. And then a pirate showed up, so this story is really getting good 😂

@playmobil is honestly a life changer because the kids get to build AND use their imagination. It’s a win-win, and let’s face it, we could all use a little win these days.

How are you all coping with kids at home?
Why yes, this is exactly what my dining room table Why yes, this is exactly what my dining room table looks like right now. No, there aren’t markers, papers, toys, food, crumbs and tears on it. Nope. Nope. Nope. None of the above. Everything’s cool and calm over here, folks.

(If it’s not abundantly clear, I am joking.)
What does your Monday morning look like today? We’re over here prepping for online learning (note computer on dining room table) and I’m using our @playosmo to get our kids engaged in some math and language activities before we really get going. Every time I post about our Osmo, I’m asked: “do you really like it?” And my answer is always “YES!” I mean, just look at these kiddos. Jude is obsessed with the tangram and Luca loves sounding our words - he was trying to figure out whether to use ‘k’ or ‘c’ for ‘cat’ here. To them, they’re “playing”...but we all know what’s REALLY going on! #unboxingosmo #osmosocialclub
Well it would seem that I just CANNOT figure out r Well it would seem that I just CANNOT figure out reels, but I’m not letting that stop me. I made one showing you the materials and steps to make this super easy ornament storage so would you go watch it, pretty please?

I’ve been using this method of ornament storage for 7 years and it all started with a cardboard box, some red cups and a single layer. A few years later I upgraded the system to multiple layers, used foam board and white cups and voila! Scroll over to see what I mean.

Would you try this? It’s super easy and you can probably still go ahead and just use old cardboard and whatever cups you have on hand. It’s the best thing I ever did for my holiday decor!! Just make sure you use double sided tape or hot glue to attach the cups - loose cups are no bueno!

If you do this, show me, ok? I wanna see everyone put away their ornaments with no breakage! 🙌
Ready for lots of THIS over the next couple of wee Ready for lots of THIS over the next couple of weeks...but with a puppy in the middle of it all. We’re picking up Taco on Friday so prepare yourself for puppy pictures ALL over the place.

Also: I’ve been feeling uninspired lately and have taken a little break from both posting and consuming when it comes to social media. I’m trying to soak up the holiday magic, read things other than captions (as I write this that seems weird), and even writing more things down.

This time of year always makes me reflective - less because it’s the end of a calendar year and more because it’s my birthday in 9 days. Yes. It’s on the 25th. Yep. Christmas Day. No, seriously. Yeah, Christmas baby! I don’t mind it now, but I didn’t like it as a kid. Oh you know someone who also has a birthday on (or very close to) Christmas! Cool! <— that was just me reacting to like every single conversation ever about having a birthday on December 25th. 😂
I’m still thinking about these adorable little @ I’m still thinking about these adorable little @tubicenlighting lamps that you just touch to turn on and off. And this cutie little door all decked out with a smart doorbell and lock. And the beautiful blue kitchen by @remodelcanada.ca. And all of the vanities from @canaromatoronto. And this gorgeous hardwood flooring from @coswickcanada.ca.

Can you believe this was all under one roof? @improvecanada has 350 showrooms and it was so much fun seeing how many we could get to yesterday.

I’ll be sharing lots more about @improvecanada in the coming months, but if you’re curious and want to go see it for yourself, they’re open! You can call and book an appointment or even have a customer service rep help you make an appointment at showrooms suited to what you’re looking for. Pretty great, right?
#improvecanada # ad #makeitright
So I made a thing and I’m totally in love!! Now So I made a thing and I’m totally in love!! Now I just need to gather all of the boys for an adorable family photo. Christmas miracle, maybe?

I made these sweaters for all of us last weekend using my @officialcricut Joy and now I may need to start personalizing a LOT more shirts around here! It was my first time using infusible ink and I love how the sweaters stays super soft! I may just be wearing this for the rest of the year!

O.S. If it wasn’t clear, our last name is Murray 😆

Have you made matching Christmas sweaters? What would be on yours if you did? # ad #cricutmade
Are you crafty? Do you know someone who is? Or may Are you crafty? Do you know someone who is? Or maybe you’re like me and you like to think you’re crafty but lack the patience to take out a whole bunch of things to make one tiny craft? Well then I have the thing for you. Meet the @officialcricut Joy! It’s tiny but mighty, and you can just have it casually sitting on a shelf waiting to be used when inspiration strikes because it takes up basically no room at all! I made these labels using mine, and you can swipe to see another easy project you can make with a Cricut Joy. It’s the perfect little gift! I even wrote a blog post about why I think so. I’ll share another Cricut project with you later this week!! # ad #cricutmade
Can you believe this room was completed two years Can you believe this room was completed two years ago? And I still love it as much today as I did then. And I still believe that my kids can have a fun, comforting space even if they don’t get to decorate it themselves with superhero bedding and Lego everywhere! But ALSO, I would never judge you if you’re that parent who does let your kids decorate with all the primary colours because you do you, boo and if it makes you and your kids happy, I say do the dang thing!!!

Ok that is all. Have a wonderful judgement-free day!
Put the finishing touches on our front porch this Put the finishing touches on our front porch this past weekend and I gotta say, this might be my favourite one yet.

Truth: I actually really dislike the exterior of our house. With exception of the front door, it’s pretty darn ugly. The 1970’s red brick mixed with buttercream yellow and burgundy siding are like the WORST combo ever. Add in little bits of the foundation which is painted blue and the concrete isn’t pretty either.

BUT those things don’t stop me from prettying up this little space anyway. Because for like 99% of us, making a home takes time. Renovating takes time. Even if TV shows and social media lead us to believe otherwise.

Now if you want to see some front porches full of personality and holiday cheer, all by Canadian ladies who get that nothing happens overnight, do I have a great lineup for you! Go check them out! #acanadianchristmasporch
@markovadesign
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@onehouse2barns
@bethanythislittleestate
@thesuburbanhome
@celineshouseonramsey
@alysia.jantzi
@unclutteredhouse

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