Making Ordinary Things Extraordinary

"Take a little time to make ordinary things extraordinary."

~Emilie Barnes~

Welcome!

I'm so glad you're here.  

My name is Valerie and this is my blog dedicated to all things home.

I believe that our homes should be a haven from the outside world...  

...where our little ones feel safe and secure...

...where our husbands feel loved and appreciated...

...and where we (as mothers and/or wives) can feel relaxed and rejuvenated!

“It's sad if people think that's (homemaking) a dull existence, 

[but] you can't just buy an apartment and furnish it and walk 

away. It's the flowers you choose, the music you play, the 

smile you have waiting. I want it to be gay and cheerful, a 

haven in this troubled world. I don't want my husband and 

children to come home and find a rattled woman. Our era is 

already rattled enough, isn't it?” 

~Audrey Hepburn~

(One can't help but love Audrey Hepburn!)

While I would love to say that my home is always a haven...

...sadly, it is not.

All too often, I find myself staring down a pile of dirty dishes in the sink (the dishes always win out!), picking up random LEGO pieces off the floor, or scrubbing off sticky cavity-fighting toothpaste from bathroom counter tops and sinks.  

And always at ten 'o clock at night.  

Can you relate?

"When life gets too cluttered, we neglect the important things."

~Emilie Barnes~

As a busy working mom of three (ages 3, 6, 9) and wife to a full-time fire fighter (read...24-hour shifts),  I have decided that it is time to get serious about household organization and management.  I don't want "the clutter" to get in the way of loving on my husband and children.  (And clutter makes me cranky!)

I want my house to be the kind of home that is warm and welcoming...neat and tidy...but comfortable and lived in.  

The kind of home where pearls and plaid easily mix with aprons and heirlooms!

So, again, welcome!  I hope that you will join me on this journey of making my home a haven.