Maureen, love the analogy of what the rest of your house looks like! LOL Hang in there ....

Keep looking at the blank spaces that would help me.

What do you have planned for the weekend? What would you consider a success without spinning you and your family out of balance?

thanks Bonnie I do need to just hang in here ~ this too shall pass...

Striving: Too bad I couldn't hang things in midair Not sure what I've got planned. Dh is likely working at one job or the other. If its nice maybe I'll take the girls to the lake for a while.

I've been home alone since shortly before noon. I've been working in each room for 15min and that has been helping immensely. Dh did a few things for me this a.m. ~ put a door back on the hinges, put another door back on track, and unstuck a third door. Brought in the filing cabinet and two night tables. I found the shelf pins for DD1's bookshelf and have gotten most of the books on it. Or maybe I should say I've mostly got it full I'm sure I'll be finding books here and there for a while.

I have a stand up container for rolls of wrapping paper that I'm wanting to repurpose. I don't have many rolls left, and think that they would fit in an underbed storage. Any ideas?

also, I'm trying to figure out where to put the hair gear. I have two independent hair stylists with long hair. I do like to occasionally get their hair a little more presentable ~ and then can't always find the comb... I started out with just very basic hair accessories. However, I have a few people that are always dropping hints by constantly giving all sorts of stuff to us. So much to keep track of ~ to the point that it all goes everywhere. I do have a set of plastic drawers (3) that I try to keep things in.

thanks for all the hand holding...

If your wrapping paper container is similar to an under-bed plastic bin, you could re-purpose for out-of-season apparel or bedding.
Hair gear: the old style, segmented jewellery boxes [often seen at yard sales or charity shops], strip of heavy duty ribbon or drywall mesh tape [fiba tape] stapled to wall where you brush/comb hair. Scrunchies & ponytail elastics on a shower curtain ring or tp/paper towel core. My neighbor [mother of two daughters] clips barrettes on a crocheted baby jacket, stapled to inside of bathrm cupboard door. Hard hairbands 'decorate' a lg. sized styrofoam ball. In China, girls in the dorms kept hairbands on a designated stuffed toy's head, pontail elastics on ears or tail.

the wrapping paper container is a stand up one, with the rolls extending into the lid. Then the top of the lid has a compartment for scissors/tape/bows. Sorry, I meant to mention that and forgot. I don't think it would fit under the bed on its side.

With the hair ~ I'm not even sure where to put the hair station. Still looking for the comb.. those are some neat ideas. I've seen using an oatmeal container for the headbands ~ then the brush/comb/spray could go inside

Hair gear is one that I'm still working on. I have a plastic three drawer thing that we use for my DD. However there isn't room for spray, comb, brush or mirror. She likes to be distracte by a favorite t.v. show while I work fast to brush and fasten.

The drawers are big enough for headbands, scrunchies, barettes and ponytail holders, ribbons, with each type getting it's own compartment. However, DD doesn't mind getting her haid done by DGrandma, but with Mom forget it.

Hopefully soon she'll get used to it.

Is there a way that you could repurpose the gift wrap container as an art center for the girls. You could still use scissors, tape, maybe crayons in the upper section. The bottom section could hold butcher paper for the girls art projects and you could use it to repackage goods, too.

CG: You're doing great!

Your hair *station* sounds like what I've been using. In our last house I had built in cubbies in my closet. In one i kept a basket with comb/brush/mirrow/conditioner. I'm thinking in this house i will just have two stations ~ one upstairs and one down. I'll just have to make a point of checking as often as needed that there are enough elastics (ponytails are style of girls' choice) in each (1/2 dozen each!)

I could use the gift wrap container for art supplies, but its tall, so it would only be practical for a few things ~ extra roll of easel paper, the finger paint paper pad. then, I'd have even less in it now. I've been thinking about using it for guest bedding. It's too skinny though for any bedding. Maybe I'll just have to give it away!

I like fisherman's tackle boxes for hair dealies. There are dozens of options for configurations, and they usually all have an open space that can hold larger tools.

You would think that I would have been able to figure that out, as often as the boys go fishing. That's a great idea.

Again, THANKS EC!

Elizabeth, that's a great idea to use the tackle boxes. I also like those drawer things they sell for using on a workbench to hold screws and nuts and bolts and such. They have small drawers and come in handy for lots of things. Not the flexibility of the tackle boxes but useful nonetheless.