A Typical Day in My Life

By Kate Riley February 28, 2012

Well hello everyone – it’s been asked a few times and then came up again as a suggestion in the anniversary post that I share a typical day in the life with you.  Personally, I see my life as very hum drum, kind of boring if you ask me, but it’s the best kind of boring.  Here’s a peek at my typical weekday as it often goes from sun up until sundown.  

7 a.m.   Time to wake up since we need to get both kids to school by 8 a.m. – I can always tell by the light in our bedroom what time it is, my mister has an alarm clock but I don’t.  Each day always begin with strong coffee, one of my absolute morning essentials, Peet’s French Roast with fat free half and half – gotta have it.

kates coffee

 

The kids get breakfast first, sometimes it’s my mister’s “famous eggs” – he really does make the best scrambled eggs in the world – we love them with sourdough toast. But today it’s a simple bowl of cereal before it’s time to get dressed, brush teeth, and make lunches.  These are my munchkins – my reason for living – my babies who are growing up just too fast for me, they are six and eight now, when did that happen?

kids at breakfast

 

8:00 a.m.   Dad drops the kids off at school and I head to “the office”.  Here is where I work every morning.  I replaced the old table with some new file cabinets and a top by IKEA but three things are clear 1. the top doesn’t reach all the way across – oops.  2. I need a new fabric or woven shade and 3. I rotate chairs through here like I change my yoga pants because I just haven’t found the perfect one yet.  Someday soon I’ll pull it all together, bring in more color, and find the perfect desk top and chair but for now, I’m fine with the imperfection and whiteness of it all.   

kates home office

 

I have an office mate who’s more concerned with her own grooming than anything else (oh you have one of those too?) but she does keep me company each morning.

kitty cat

 

8 a.m.   I start by checking the comments on the latest blog post and responding to pending questions, then it’s my time to read other blogs – I spend about 30 minutes catching up on my favorites and use Google Reader to do it.  Next it’s a little social media, Twitter and Pinterest mostly, then it’s emails – ack, I’m terrible at responding to every single email because there are many but I try I try I try…  time flies by and now it’s 11:00 a.m and I’m ready for a break.

11 a.m. to 1 p.m.   I like to leave my house everyday around 11 a.m. – sitting at my desk after three hours makes me a little grumpy so every other day I do 20 minutes on the treadmill in the garage, then I shower and head out to run errands or pick up supplies. For lunch, I often stop in to my local hometown market where they have really good hot food to grab some protein and a small salad, today it’s Chicken Diablo and greens with avocado – I bring it home and sometimes I even put it on a plate.

kates lunch

I eat in front of my kitchen window standing up, weird right?  It’s a habit – I think a lot of us moms get in this habit of eating lunch standing up, like sitting down in the middle of the day is some kind of luxury we’re not allowed – anyway, I stare out the window and listen to my iTunes or talk radio for about 10 minutes while I eat.

1:30 p.m.   Back to work at the computer, gathering and editing images ready for the next day’s post before it’s time to pick up the munchkins from school.  

2:30 p.m.   Pick up time – I drive to pick up my children at their public school and on nice days they play outside at the playground with their friends until 3 p.m. 

3 p.m.  Back at home, we make a snack and then they start homework.  When it’s done they go play and I head out to the garage to work on a project, today it’s a pedestal table I’m priming for a friend before it gets painted. 

priming pedestal table

 

We have softball and piano lessons during the week so I get them ready for those extracurricular activities but when they’re not involved with that they do what kids do best, they play.  And they make a lot of messes. 

kates little boy

 

There’s that quote that goes “a perfectly kept house is a sign of a misspent life” – true, but I prefer to say it a little differently – an imperfectly kept home is evidence of a life well lived with your loved ones.  Think about it – sure those messes wouldn’t exist if they weren’t there, but then the point is they wouldn’t be there at all.  So I *try* to embrace the messes – you don’t see it very often in pictures around here, but it is our constant state of existence and I’ll take the mess plus the little people over a clean but empty house any day of the week. 

imperfectly kept home

 

4 p.m.  Time to do some morning dishes, then I pop open my laptop on the kitchen island to catch up via social media or respond to emails.  It’s also time to change the clock battery which has been dead for a few days . . . 

laptop on kitchen island

 

5:00 p.m.    Time to make dinner, some nights I cook a full dinner, other nights it’s just a roasted chicken from the grocery store with vegies or some simple pasta.  We eat around 6:30 p.m when Dad gets home from his full time job and we talk about our day. 

7 p.m.   Time for the kids’ bath and to straighten the upstairs. I’m good at washing the clothes. I’m good at putting them in the dryer, but I’m terrible just terrible at folding them right away so by Thursday this scene is not uncommon. 

kates laundry pile

Go on, Pin it!

I make a dent in it, just enough so we have clean clothes for a few days, then put the rest back in the laundry basket. It’s my eternal struggle – the never ending laundry pile. There might be a small child in there, I’m not sure.

8 p.m.  Kids are tucked into bed with their teeth brushed, and I’m in my office for an hour finishing up a post.  I get lonely in there so I like to move to the couch around 9 p.m. with my laptop to be with my hub – sometimes we’ll make some popcorn and we often catch up on the news or recorded shows together. 

laptop and popcorn

I hear you mocking my fuzzy slippers and pastel plaid pajamas. 

If I don’t finish up a post by 11 p.m. I just close up shop and finish the next day instead. I’ve learned that the hard way how sleep is essential to my survival the next day. 

11 p.m.  A quick and very very hot bath (every night!) then off to bed with a book or magazine. 

I do not have a nanny or a regular babysitter or a virtual assistant, but I do have some help with housecleaning a few times a month, and I have an incredible band of supportive moms.  We all help with each other’s kids and their support is what really keeps me sane – I’m grateful for them every day. 

So that’s it – my typical day – suburban, repetitive, full of messes but a lot of love, and I wouldn’t change a single thing. 

 

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140 comments

  1. oh my, I remember when I had that much energy:)
    thanks for sharing a typical day with us.. Its good to know someone else also has a hard time folding laundry.

  2. Sounds like a great day to me! I have the identical pile of unfolded laundry in my house at any given moment. It’s usually on the family room chair but it has been known to move to my bed if company is coming ;) And I know exactly what you mean by the ‘best kind of boring’, I love that kind of boring.

    p.s. love the tray for the coffee

    ~ Sue

  3. Hey, I am just as bad at keeping up with the laundry, so you’re definitely not alone in that department.

    I love the slippers! What kind are they?

    Thanks for a glimpse into your day :-)

  4. I do the same thing with laundry! I don’t have a problem washing it, but putting it all away just kills me. I think I would almost rather clean the bathroom…almost :)

  5. Love it!!! And our house is ALWAYS behind with laundry. Except when we had a tv crew here. That was nice. :) Lol. I TRY to be okay with mess too. I love my munchkins and would much rather have them around!
    xo – Shannon

  6. Ugh – folding and putting away laundry is the WORST! I’ve been that way my whole life. I would clean a bathroom before putting away clothes. It’s some sort of mental block. And I don’t have kids! My husband does his own laundry! What’s my problem? love the colors in your house. very relaxing…

  7. Fun glimpse into your life, Kate! I love the quote you shared and I have a similar one framed in my kitchen that reads “At the worst, a house unkept cannot be so distressing as a life unlived”. On the crazy days when toys are all over, that quote keeps me sane and accepting of the messes. Our little ones grow so fast and it’s important to enjoy every moment.

    And FYI, I don’t mind laundry either, but I really dislike the folding, ha!

    Enjoy the rest of your day.
    xo Jenna

  8. I love your bed of laundry! My house is taken over by laundry, it’s a never ending vicious cycle. Same thing, I get them clean, but they just don’t make it much further than that:). Thanks for sharing your day!

  9. Oh my — I have the same coffee maker :) and the exact same pile of laundry on my bed — last nigth anyway. Hate it when I forget it and I’m ready for bed — oh well. My daughter doesn’t look as happy as your little ones in the morning before school :) Great post. Thanks for making me feel normal :) Joanne

  10. are you sure you didn’t copy off of me with the whole laundry thing??? LOL…OMG I do the exact same thing and it drives my husband MAD!

  11. It’s always an inspiration to see how other Mom’s hold it all together!! I love that coffee maker on the tray, it looks so chic!!

  12. Thank goodness you showed how normal you are!! I love that you wash and dry clothes like me…and do not fold them like me!! Only when it’s necessary!! Love the day in your life post :) Happy Tuesday!

  13. Kate, I love your honesty and authenticity. Real life is so good to see. Often I look at blogs and feel like a failure because I cannot seem to have it all together like it appears other people do – perfect hair, perfect clothes, perfect house, perfectly accessorized (the house and the blogger). It’s good to see that the image I have in my head is false…that other bloggers are just as regular as I am, with laundry and plaid pj’s :-) When I read posts like this is helps me live a little more free with a little less pressure to be perfect. Thank you.

  14. I’m kinda of new and did search your site – but what is the color on your office wall – I love it! Is it the same as the bedroom shown? I have to finalize my paint colors tomorrow and it looks like just what I want for the masterbath, but am having a hard time finding one that looks right when I paint the tester board – thanks! P.S. We live in Nor cal too! Thanks for the beautiful site!

    • Hi Nicole, that paint looks a little faded in the light but it is Valspar’s Seafoam Storm – a very gray teal color, I love it!
      Kate

  15. Thank you for the glimpse of reality…
    My little ones are grown and gone, but it does bring back memories and its nice to knowthings haven’t changed much….
    I do love the coffee maker on the tray…so elegant!
    Nancy
    wildoakdesigns.blogspot.com

  16. Thanks for the insight!! So many people think stay at home moms with kids in school do nothing all day! In reality it is super busy…and keeping up with a blog takes the commitment of a full time job but with longer hours!

  17. Loved hearing about a typical day- great post! I’ve been reading your blog for about a month now and you have been such an inspiration. Just finished painting my kitchen (cabinets and walls) and now moving on to family room… I’m going to try that Ben Moore Tranquiltiy and just basically freshening up the space. Thx for all your great ideas… I look forward to reading them each day:)

  18. Ummm….you are like a real life SUPERWOMAN–WOW! I hope you feel all of our virtual pats on your back and that they remind you of how much your dedication is appreciated!
    Wishing you all the best :o)

    Lots of Love

  19. sometimes, as a corporate-outside of the home – working mother, I think I just shouldn’t read posts like this…It makes me so jealous to see how calm and relaxed your life looks while I am typically crying by 8:00 am after I have been up for 3 hours. Don’t call this boring — this sounds like an amazing typical day!!!! I’d love to trade places!

  20. Kate–
    I LOVE this post! I have the exact struggle with laundry. Seriously…it is my “never-ending-try-and-keep-up” kinda thing that I just cannot get a hold of. I wash. I put in dryer. But my bed (or sofa) looks exactly like the pile on your bed most weeks. I know it gets bad when my 10 year old says, “finally, we have clothes in our drawers…it’s been like 3 weeks”.
    My mom suggested having the boys pick out their clothes on Sunday night for the week. That way, we won’t be scrambling…searching for clothes before school.
    Might give it a try…
    now…if I only could get all the laundry done so the boys have clothes to actually pick from! Lol.

    Love your blog…thanks for the post!
    Have a lovely day!
    Jen xo

  21. That was a great post…love how you keep it real and share the reality of juggling a family, home and career. Love it!

    Oh…the laundry I think is every mothers nightmare!

  22. Thank you for this post! My bed looks like that everyday! And I eat standing up all the time, don’t know why. Keep posting like this, it gives me a smile and giggles!

  23. Your house looks simply divine amidst all the wonderful madness! Your life sounds perfect. It’s what everyone dreams of! ;)

  24. Cool post. And cute kids. I’ve got a 16 month old and another on the way in July. The thought of them being in school for a few hours a day sounds amazing to me – oh how productive I could be, right? But that is so, so long from now. Or it’s practically tomorrow – sometimes I feel like my son is growing up in the blink of an eye.

    And we have the same coffee maker. I live and die by that thing.

  25. I enjoy and appreciate your blog very much. I admire your mindset; you genuinely strive to care for your husband and children and you understand that family life is a wonderful, imperfect, highly messy and highly rewarding experience (if you can possibly recognize the amazing moments as they flash by).

    My favorite memories are of nightly family dinners… somewhere around ages 2 and 6. Our daughter typically stood on her chair during dinner (we fought about it in the beginning, but what the heck…!) Our son typically typically brought Power Rangers or Spiderman to the table, and my husband and I just tried to make sure more of the meal ended up in them than on the floor.

    Enjoy your your children’s lives, and build as much honest communication with them as you possibly possibly can. You won’t BELIEVE the game changer that teenage years can be. I won’t say too much about that… because I don’t want to scare you. Thank you again for your blog!

  26. You make regular life seem so peaceful and sweet. I’m sure it isn’t always that way, but it is nice to seem normal as ideal. Thanks!

  27. Your my hero! Really you are! I want to be just like you when I grow up ;} I read your blog every day that I can and you really do inspire me. So much so that I found a gorgeous 1920’s desk and two antique school desks that I want to refinish and will be reading your blog on how to do it! I might even do a blog post about them too, which is completely out of character for me. Don’t be surprised if you get some questions in your inbox from me first though. Your kids are adorable and I love that sweet little kitten. I have eight cats right now and they are simply the best! Wouldn’t trade them for anything, but there just isn’t enough room on my lap for them all, though they do try. Thanks for giving us a glimpse into your day. I have the same pile of laundry too so no worries.

  28. I love your laundry pile! It is my eternal struggle as well. Your day is a lot like mine. A lot. Only replace the “office time” with entertaining a two-year-old. Maybe he is the reason I can’t seem to complete many of the projects I would like? I like your messy house quote though. Good reminder.

  29. I am so going to pin the bed with laundry on it!!! That is AWESOME!!!!! LOVE your house and blog. Thanks so much for sharing the imperfections that make a wonderful family. :)

  30. Thanks for sharing!!! I wish my day was at home doing the things you do. I would rather do those then be in my 9-5 job everyday doing things I don’t love that much. :( Hopefully one day, I will be able to have a routine like yours. :) And I hate folding the laundry too. Thank god my hubby doesn’t mind all that much and he helps me do it. ;)

  31. Great post! I teach full time with kids 4 and 1 and I can so relate to the battle of the laundry. I made a deal with myself when it got out of control- Thursday nights I deal with it all (laundry, vacuuming etc) so when I get home from work on Friday, the bulk of the work is done and I can spend time with my family on the weekend. It really works! Thanks for sharing!

  32. Great post….glad you are normal….I love the slippers and the pj’s…and the mountain of laundry…..love it

  33. That sounds like a wonderful way to spend the day. I love being at home (although I’m not a mom-yet), but I found that it makes time fly quickly! The whole time reading your post I was so happy to learn one or both of your kids take piano lessons! I played softball and took piano all throughout my life, it’s a great combination of activities! I’m now a piano teacher so if you ever have any questions feel free to send an email.

    I have an unusually large laundry room and recently moved an unused table in the room to pile the clean clothes on rather than the bed. I shut the door and get to it when I can…I hate folding clothes. And I don’t even have kids yet.

    You have a great blog, and I look forward to reading it as I sit down with my coffee each day and prepare for the adventures that lie ahead!

  34. Of all the wonderful things in this post I, of course, focus on the jar in the background next to the half and half. Is that how you store your coffee? Genuis! I am new to making coffee at home (what a $-saver) Do you just stick it in the fridge?

  35. Kate, i love love love this day in the life post. Thank you for showing a glimpse of a not completely perfect house. My bed has a pile of clean laundry on it now and we often have toys everywhere…
    On a different note, I just made a sisal rope bucket inspired by you: http://www.migonishome.com. Thanks for the inspiration!

  36. Well, we are not all that different, except my day would probably include a stop at Target and probably a bit TOO much time on Pinterest. ;) I am the same way with laundry. :s I try to do it while I catch up with my DVR—makes it less tedious. The same when I iron my clothes. Those pile up too. :)

  37. Ah, those adorable KIDS!!! My three are all adults now…sorta use that term loosely for the baby, she’s 19 and still lives at home! But I sure miss them being little! Beware posting all your personal life info…it might make us love you even more than we already do!! If I lived in Petaluma, pretty sure you and I would be bffs and I would be helping watch your kids when you make your treks to NY to do the Nate Show, HA!

  38. THANK YOU for that laundry picture because that is. my. life! Most days I feel bad about and grumble that we need to fold laundry (AND put it away!) but more times than not, our bed looks exactly like that.

    It’s always refreshing to see the glimpses of normalcy in someone you admire. :)

  39. He, he, he… I am so thankful that I am not the only one!

    My husband has a pool table in our family room that rarely sees a game of pool. It is LOADED with clean, unfolded laundry.

    Thanks for sharing that bit of imperfection, Kate. Makes me feel better!

  40. First, your kiddos are adorable! Second, I want the inside of your house! Love the grays – unfortunately, my hubs does not like gray. Third, don’t sweat the laundry – most of the time our clean clothes get taken out of the dryer and thrown into the corner of the laundry room until we wear it next! :)

  41. I had the pile of laundry like you did Kate, until I started a new habit…the second I wake, I immediately “wrinkle release” the current load in the dryer, and put it away.

    Otherwise, my pile was 3X the size of yours. I also, am only washing clothes when they are truly dirty. Just like I did in college…lol…

    :)

    Thanks for the insight into your life.

  42. The clothes on the bed made me laugh! That is so me! Although your bed is actually made underneath the pile! And mine also end up all over my bedroom floor once they actually get folded. And then it takes like four days to actually get them all put away. And then it’s time to do laundry again.

  43. My bed has a pile of clothes on it right now! Thank you for sharing about your day. It is evident you spend a lot if time on your blog and your hard work is paying off. I would live to spend more time on mine but with a 3 month old a little difficult. Maybe some day I can spend more time on it but for now I will enjoy it as it is.

  44. My fav pic of all ur posts is that of your bedroom with the laundry. Really!!! I love it cuz it’s real and that you are honest. Thanks a million.Time for me to go fold lol

  45. Ahhh.. The laundry pile. My husband can’t figure out why there always is one. Well we have 3 kids under the age of 4.. So laundry multiplies in seconds it seems. Your house is beautiful! We are renting and I can hardly wait for our own place. I also love a hot, hot bath when the kids are in bed! The only peace and quiet I get…

  46. Ahhh.. The laundry pile. My husband can’t figure out why there always is one. Well we have 3 kids under the age of 4.. So laundry multiplies in seconds it seems. Your house is beautiful!. I also love a hot, hot bath when the kids are in bed! The only peace and quiet I get…

  47. I actually crave the routine of every day being pretty much the same! Right now, with a two year old, every day is a little bit different. I can completely relate to the never-ending laundry pile (and so happy to see that it seems every other commenter faces the same challenge!). Thanks for sharing photos of your beautiful home and children, “messes” and all.

  48. I think this is my favorite post of yours so far. I loved “following you around” for your day. And I’m pretty sure most moms do that with their laundry =)

  49. kate,
    thanks for sharing your life. i always wonder how other moms blog and keep their house and cook dinner, and now i see that there are “behind” the scenes pictures that show you struggle just like the rest of us. i do more cooking and laundry, thereby less blogging….but i’m not blogging as my job either. i love my happy little life and the messes with little guy in the picture…. :)
    thanks for being real.

  50. Hi Kate! Thank you for sharing “a day in the life…” Its so nice to see you with slippers on and laundry on the bed :) And like another commenter said – a schedule! That is what I need! I’m stuck at work 8-5 where the most I can do is sneak off to read blogs every once in a while, but I know I’d be more organized if I had a schedule for after work :)

    Just curious – how much time do you spend blogging on the weekends?

    • Hi Katie, great question! My weekends are always different but I take Friday nights to be totally with my family – we have “family movie night” and fold out the family room sofa with popcorn and a new flick, my kids are really into westerns these days, so funny! Saturday morning I spend a little time at the computer but I’m usually working on a project, or we have softball/T-ball, or a birthday party, typical family stuff. Sundays is church and then more work on the computer in the afternoon getting ready for the next day, but now and then we take the day to go to San Fran or get a babysitter to go wine tasting in the summer months – but our favorite is to take the family to a picnic to Sonoma just over the hill and just sit in the Plaza for a few hours with friends. Bliss. So to answer your question (sorry, rambling) I spend about 5 to 7 hours working on the computer on the weekend when I can squeeze it in – and I usually take a break from social media too, especially Twitter and FB… I like to check out on the weekends from those. :)

  51. So happy I found you through Pinterest! Your post just made me laugh. I am also an expert at sorting, washing and drying…it’s the finale I cannot ever get too! Ugh! Your home improvements are gorgeous! Thank you for being honest and for the inspiration!

  52. I love hearing about other people’s days! I’m not sure why it is so exciting… but I think they are some of my favorite blog posts. It’s also really nice to see that other people have never-ending piles of laundry!!

  53. Thanks for the peek into your life Kate. It’s good to know that you have help with the housework and that nobody is superwoman and can go everything! I also like the fact that you pick up a yummy and healthy lunch. Even though I work outside the home, I’m prone to pick up something because it’s cheap and it’s usually not necessarily healthy or tasty. We all need to be kind to ourselves, and it’s up to us to do it.

    You continue to inspire!

  54. My husband and I have a system. I put the clothes in the bag for washing. He takes the trips to the basement dungeon and washes and dries it. And, then I’ve asked him to dump it on the bed when it’s done. I (usually) fold it while he’s getting ready for bed. It’s a system that works for us :)

  55. Holy Crap I LOVED everything about this post! Those are amazing pictures! And they’re of everyday stuff! I do not have the guts to put my regular life out there yet, but I enjoyed yours! :) Thanks!

  56. I am SO glad to know that I’m not the only one bitten by the laundry bug! I do the exact same thing and often ask myself why it is so hard to just fold everything and put it away. Who knows. I’ll just keep trying! Thanks for a great post!

  57. Loved this post…I always imagined you did all your painting while the kids were at school, but you probably don’t have to concentrate as hard as I do when I am trying to paint something – lol!
    I can only imagine the amount of time you have to spend on the computer to do what you do. The day goes by so fast (my 2 kids are the exact same age)! You do a wonderful job of replying to people. Thanks for being such an inspiration. One thing I’ve learned from you though is, you make spray painting look a lot easier than it is! It definitely takes practice. I’m still trying to figure out how to not get it all over my garage. And how to turn things when they are wet!
    I keep thinking I’m going to bump into you at a thrift store one of these days. :)

    • Hey I hope so Angie, that would be fun! And yes the spray painting thing is a bit of a technique…. I have to lay down tarps everywhere and last weekend I didn’t do it enough so guess what residue is all over my driveway…oops. :)

  58. I love this!!! I once read about a woman who did one load of clothes a day and her system worked well. She never over did it, she never tried to to two. She just threw them in the wash when she woke up, changed them to the dryer in the afternoon, and folded and put up before bed. I would so do this but I don’t have a dryer! All line dry for me – but maybe it will help you! <3

  59. I am loving that headboard. I remember that you made it…could I talk you into making one for me?

  60. I don’t comment always but your blog is part of my daily reads, and has been for a while. I really enjoyed this post, and it added that touch of real-ness that’s needed on blogs. I think I’m a bit of a voyer because I love see how other people spend their day. Great post!

  61. I too have an eternal struggle with laundry. I actually gave up on it and assigned it the husband and then we fought about it this weekend. Laundry is my nemesis. I too have a boring, suburban life fullof messes and lots of love. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Blogging with a 9 month old and a three y.o. is a bit tricky. It is weird to think some day they will go off to school and I will be blog in peace and quiet! They do grow up so fast, don’t they?

  62. Thanks for sharing Kate..I love your little office buddy..I have one that looks a lot like her..She likes to lay on the windowsill beside my desk and soak up some rays..lol

  63. Beautiful home, beautiful family. i enjoyed a walk through your day thanks to Nap time Decorators facebook post!
    My solution for laundry is when removing from dryer shake out each piece, lay the socks, pants etc in basket, lay the shirts over the door of the dryer. At lease you have less wrinkled clothes, they are more ready to hang or fold…or flipped through.

  64. Looks like a darn good life! You’ve got a lot to be thankful for, as I’m sure you already know :) You have a beautiful family, and a fabulous kitchen!

  65. Love the laundry piled on the bed – just like in our house! I often have to tell my daughter that her yoga pants are “on the red chair” – sigh. Laundry.

  66. “…I have an incredible band of supportive moms. We all help with each other’s kids and their support is what really keeps me sane – I’m grateful for them every day.”
    oh how i envy you for that statement. i wish i had that and i think i would be more sane if that were the case.

  67. So can relate to that pile of laundry on the bed! My trick? If it gets too wrinkled it goes for a second round in the dryer-I never iron! Thanks for sharing and being real!

  68. Love this post. And I love that you we have the same coffee maker. I LOVE my Cuisinart and it makes a fantastic cup of coffee. AND I love your Anthropolgie coffee mug, another item I had my eye on! And bless your heart for showing the pile of laundry in the middle of the bed. I’m glad to see my bed isn’t the only one that succumbs to that pile.

  69. oh i just love this esp the bedroom photo!! my bed looks just like that without those AWESOME pillows!! i am still coveting those zebra ones from z gallery but can’t jusifty the cost YET!! lol thanks for this post!!

  70. The laundry was the bane of my existence. I actually had a near mental breakdown over that exact same scene. I finally had my mother come and help in the beginning of the year, and now I’ve been able to keep up by doing a load every day. It takes ALL.DAY, but, I get up, put the last night’s load away, put the laundry basket out for my five-year-old, and he puts the laundry in the basket as part of his chores. I put a nice wicker hamper in the hall, and made it a habit for my kids to put their clothes in there. He feels like he’s accomplishing something (the allowance doesn’t hurt, either), and I get a little respite. I put it in first thing, and then throw it in the dryer at some point. I fold it before bed. It’s always a pretty small load. I take a break on Saturday. I feel much better. It was a suffocating feeling.

    Thanks for the playroom picture. Messes are my kryptonite. It’s nice to see that no one lives perfectly.

  71. Kate, this is probably one of my favorite posts. You’re a real person! Just kidding. Seriously, there’s lot’s involved in your day and it starts with discipline I’m sure. and oh B-T-W, the fix to large amounts of laundry is hang everything wrinkled! Works for me.

  72. I really enjoyed this post! You’ll love looking back on this one when your kids are older. Your house is still beautiful with the toys and laundry! Thanks for sharing!

  73. Thank you for making us all feel better. You have an amazing blog, so many followers and great content…how do you do it?! Well, you just explained that you do it the same way we do it…with a schedule, a messy house (sometimes), laundry piles and furry slippers sitting next to your husband. Love it all!!! As I sit next to my husband, typing away, kids in bed haha. Oh the life of a blogger, mom and wife. Congrats on your wonderful life…keep up the amazing work!

  74. That sounds absolutely lovely. It’s a dream of mine to work from home one day, though I probably wouldn’t have the discipline to get everything done – I’m an eternal procrastinator and am way too easily distracted by books and TV. The picture of the laundry on the bed made me smile – I hate folding laundry and I tend to pile things up too – though usually the clothes don’t even make it out of the basket half the time.

  75. I have never commented before…on any blog :) but feel compelled to thank you for your sharing your honesty, your awesome ideas and your spunky self. Checking your blog is part of the sunshine in my daily routine and I thank you!!

    Full-time working mom of three from frigid Minnesota :)

  76. Ohhhh, you just made me love you all the more. Laundry is MY nemesis too! I can count on one hand (probably minus a few fingers too) how many times in a whole year every single piece of laundry is done! My problem is that I “iron” everything; even the sheets and pillowcases. Go ahead, roll your eyes. I am learning little by little and am starting “not” to iron everything. Baby steps. We are starting with hoodies and sweatshirts. They look better that way anyway. I do have a cleaning lady, but, as you know with kids, the house only stays clean for a minute or so. I compare it to Moses parting the Red Seawater, but it sucks right back up behind you!

  77. Ohhhh, you just made me love you all the more. Laundry is MY nemesis too! I can count on one hand (probably minus a few fingers too) how many times in a whole year every single piece of laundry is done! My problem is that I “iron” everything; even the sheets and pillowcases. Go ahead, roll your eyes. I am learning little by little and am starting “not” to iron everything. Baby steps. We are starting with hoodies and sweatshirts. They look better that way anyway. I do have a cleaning lady, but, as you know with kids, the house only stays clean for a minute or so. I compare it to Moses parting the Red Sea, but it sucks right back up behind you! Well that was mouthful; I feel better already. Of course, you were already amazing without the pinworthy picture of your bed!

  78. Your style is delightful! I’m so enamored with your kitchen. I’d love to know more about the counter surface. Is it marble? Can’t tell. What color? Would love to use that in mine. And thanks for the honesty about laundry. I’m with you.

    Blessings,
    Linda

    • Hi Linda, the surround cabinets have crema marble with brown veining and the center island is walnut! a little more high maintenance but I still love them years later!

  79. You mentioned you read other blogs/ websites. Would you posting a list of those that you read and follow regularly? I’m always looking for new blogs to read!! Thanks for your posts I look forward to them.

    • Hey Amanda – for a list of some of my favorite blogs check the sidebar and click where it reads “Blogs I Heart” !

  80. How I wish mine were still little. As my youngest, my beautiful daughter, prepares to fly away to college, I’m filled with dread. Thank God I have these blogs to inspire me to keep making my house a better, more fulfilling home. As to laundry, why do we do it to ourselves? Carrying it down two flights of stairs to wash and dry it, back up two flights to fold it (or pile it on the bed, then the floor, back to the bed, until it evaporates and condenses in the hamper again.) Can’t we just have everyone change in the laundry room and store everything down there? With little booths with curtains and benches and hooks, a couple of dressers and an armoire? And how about a National Holiday once a month called “Wear It Again Day” so we can catch up. Maybe I’m on to something here.

  81. So nice to see that your children PLAY. Parents who keep control over screen time are very wise.

  82. Ha! I am so with you on the laundry folding thing – so overrated. Why spend the time hanging up clothes when you can just pile them neatly, making them readily accessible? Right now I have a pile of clothes in the bedroom, a pile of sheets, towels, and rags on my son’s bed (I’ve gotta do something with his room while he’s away at college!), and a pile in the dryer that I’ve been looking at for the last day but don’t have the energy to “dump” somewhere. Maybe I’ll get motivated today . . . maybe.

  83. Love this post Kate! You and I have a lot in common. Couple main differences- I’m a morning person and I’m usually up by 6, but I’m also in bed by 10. I used to be a night owl and I think I become more of one in the spring and summer. Once the cold, dark evenings of winter hit, I need a lot more sleep.

  84. I love to read what other like minded people’s days are like. Like a fly on the wall. Your day is a lot like mine…but without the kids. Oh, how I miss my little kids! Like someone else commented, my baby is going off to college soon and my oldest got married this last summer. (One in the middle who is off to college). But it seems like just yesterday I had the hussle and bussle happiness of children playing and making messes. It was my favorite time in my life. It was when I felt most fulfilled. My house looked like it knew where my priorities lay and I am proud of that now that I look back. I dont have to regret not spending time with them or cleaning too much or caring more about other things-as they were my focus. But I do miss that. Try to always keep that focus as it seems you do! Then when your home is quiet and nothing is touched and oddly no one visits for days and you hear the echos of laughter and voices of the past bouncing of the freshly painted walls…you will also not have regret. Pretty is one thing, but like you said, lived in is better! :) I am eager for grandkids soon (cant believe I am actually saying that!) to make my house more nice and lived in again….the circle of life! Thanks again, I really enjoyed seeing what you do in a day!

    • “when your home is quiet and nothing is touched and oddly no one visits for days and you hear the echos of laughter and voices of the past bouncing of the freshly painted walls…” love that sentiment Laura – don’t want that day to come but I know it will!

  85. Love it! Sweet and perfect. I really admire your ability to stick to a schedule when working from home; it’s a talent I worry that I’ve lost from being back in an office for the last year!

    And I so have that coffee mug from Anthropologie! It was part of a set with my and my husband’s initials on them that I got as a shower gift. =)

  86. Your honesty is refreshing. Thank you!

    “when your home is quiet and nothing is touched and oddly no one visits for days and you hear the echos of laughter and voices of the past bouncing of the freshly painted walls…” This comment brought a tear to my eye. I know it will happen one day…

  87. Recently made a commitment to do laundry every single day. Takes 5 minutes to fold a day’s worth of laundry for famiy of 5. Changed my life.

  88. I just love your blog, i have been reading it for over a year, and i begin to miss it if i haven’t visited for a few days or more. Thanks for sharing what inspires you.

  89. I also eat my lunch standing while looking out my kitchen window. I think it is a few minutes of a mindless escape. Besides if we sat down we may not get back up. Love this post…great to know that so many of us live the same way. Downy Wrinkle Releaser saved this family. Not always crisply pressed but certainly presentable. I hate taking out the ironing board. On with my day…..

  90. I am also a fan of yours…Stumbled on your blog way back when, and I daily click on it to see what you are up to! This was by far the most real- day-today-blog yet.. I loved it! I too am an empty-nester..UGH! Hate it! I have 2 wonderful girls, one out of college (and now in the Air Force!) and a sophmore in college.. Boy do I miss picking up after them – sports practices etc… I DO notice I only do laundry for us once a week (and the pile on the bed is now nonexistent) Enjoy the wee-ones…yes it does go by fast- and keep up your blog! I have actually suggested your blog to many of my older daughter’s girlfriends who are quite challenged in the whole “what do i do with this white-walled apartment! ) They too love it! Keep doing what you are doing- thanks again!

  91. Kate,
    I remember those days…alas, the time flies and I have adult children and a full time job. Like a college kid reminiscing about the good old days of college, I do the same about my stay-at-home days as a mom and volunteer! Fun!
    Thanks for sharing.

  92. Laughing! I remember those days when my kids were little – everything was always a mess, but somehow we all survived and actually thrived in it! Now, they are gone, and there are still many days when the laundry is all over the couch, or on our bed, because I have been too busy writing, or fulfilling orders to fold anything and put it away.

    Thank goodness that I have the best boyfriend in the whole world and he’s pretty cool with it all.

    Caron

  93. A couple of years ago, I remember wondering how long my son was going to leave his balled up pair of socks sitting in his doorway. I stared at them every morning for at least a week while I sat at the top of the stairs putting on my sneakers for my daily walk.
    Then one day…my eyes welled with tears when I realized that all too soon there would not be any socks laying around – or anything else for that matter. Every thing would be in its place, just like I put it and as nice and pretty as that sounds I was sad.
    Suddenly I started to love those socks, and what they represented…a happy, normal, teenage boy who never even noticed them! Eventually the socks did get picked up…he had to wear them one day since they were his last clean pair! Now as my babies are 18 and 15 – I try my best to not sweat the little stuff…like socks, shoes, sweatshirts, school books, etc. laying around the house.
    I am enjoying these last few years with my kids at home…and appreciating the BEST job I’ve ever had!

    • EXACTLY Laura – the socks represent the presence of the person!!! You are so so right, thank you for sharing this sweet sentiment!
      Kate

  94. Love this post! Definitely a fun sneak peek into your world. And HELLO… why doesn’t laundry put away itself? David and I spent most of 2011 with a guest bed covered with (clean) laundry… we have challenged ourselves to PUT AWAY THE CLOTHES in 2012! : ) It also kind of helps that we have to keep things spotless now that our house in the market… but hey, I’ll chalk it up to us following our goals!

  95. I’m new to your blog; I feel like I’ve found a treasure. Love seeing some reality mixed in with the pretty. I see so many beautiful rooms on blogs that look like nobody lives there. I’m an empty-nester and have a grandson and a granddaughter on the way. Nothing better than playing with the grandson and not worrying about messes (though we do try to clean up together – easier when they’re little and happy to help!). Question about your gorgeous countertop. You note above that it’s crema marble. Would that be crema marfil marble? Love it. Do you have to re-seal it often? I’d love to upgrade ours, but worry about durability, stains, etc.

    • Yes Carolyn, oops, should have said that! My kitchen countertops (the surround) are crema marfil marble with brown veining. We’ve had it five years now and have only sealed it once and we spill everything on it, tomato sauce, wine, etc. It’s held up beautifully – but you have to be careful with citrus it can oxidize the counter, which can be removed, just be careful and use cutting boards. Also marble is softer than granite – I have a few chips around my kitchen sink but I’ll look on the bright side and call it “patina” :)
      Kate

  96. This is a terrific blog, sounds like you have a full and fulfilling life. I’m a morning person, love to see the day in so to speak.

  97. I noticed in your coffee photo you have old grounds in a jar? What do you do with them?

  98. Well hallelujah im not the only person that Dispises folding clothes!!! I dont mind washing, and i love warm clothes from the dryer….but it stops there. I will happily fold towels, but i cant stand putting up the clothes :-(. Pathetic i know….but i eventually do it.

  99. I love this. Laundry is the worst thing ever. Some weeks I am so proud of myself b/c I do it all on Sunday. Amazingly though, baskets are full by Wednesday and I give up. After a few months I’m determined to get it all done on Sunday and the cycle continues. haha great post and I love your blog.

  100. My laundry looks this way, too. It’s currently on the couch, half-sorted, half-piled. It may or may not have been this way for a few days now. ;)

  101. So good to read others live the same way we do. I’m an Interior Designer, new to blogging and three very active kids. Plus my dear hubby plays on an adult soccer team. Thanks for posting and keeping it REAL!

  102. Hi there, I have just discovered your blog tonight. I simply love it! I’ll be up all night trying to read it all!

  103. What a great blog! I loathe doing laundry and our bed and guest bed is always piled with clothes needing to be folded. Thought it was just me so I am so relieved to find out you and others are just like me! I don’t like to iron either so I use Downey Wrinkle Releaser and my hair dryer- and waala crease free! We have an extra bedroom across from our master room that is unused and need more closet space so we plan on changing it into a wardrobe room with an island so I can fold clothes and iron iron easily. Will put a daybed with trundle in as well for it to be multipurpose room. Can’t wait, since we have clothes in various closets and dressers in the house. Can’t remember what I have anymore. Love your ideas!

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