Posted
January 7, 2010 by
deb under
organization Once the New Year hits, I am ready to clean up the holidays, get everything put away and then start organizing the rest of the house. I always feel so much better when the holidays come back around and I have put everything away so nicely the previous year. This year, Rubbermaid helped me make sure I put everything away in its place by giving me a wreath storage and an ornament cube and here is my honest review of each product. 
Wreath Storage- Each wreath storage unit is large– it holds up to a 27″ wreath which is really nice. They are really wide too so if you have smaller wreaths that could be stored together, you could probably fit two of them. They are made of a plastic material that is easy to keep clean and makes the storage area very flexible. The only request I would make is that there would be an area to stick a label so I can tell from the outside which wreath is stored inside. I hung them in my basement using a storage hook. It took me about 5 minutes to put everything away and install the hook.
Ornament Storage- I was also given the 10″ Collapsible Cube to try out and I love it! It give every ornament it’s specific spot — which I really enjoy for my treasured ornaments. When I was little, my mother would by each of us kids a Hallmark ornament. I have a lot of cherish memories in that box and it’s fun to look at each year and what my mother purchased. They are glass ornaments that seem to break easily with little ones around, so I feel a lot better having these stored in a safe place.
Have you already cleaned up your holiday decorations? If so, what type of storage do you like to use?
Full Disclosure: I was given free product in exchange for a review. These are my honest opinions and have not been influenced by the Rubbermaid.
Tags: Holiday, rubbermaid, storage
Posted
January 6, 2010 by
erin under
organization Yep, it’s that time of year! Time to organize! I’m completely a list person-I find that it’s easiest to organize my thoughts and to do’s when they are all listed right in front of me. Before you dig into all the boxes and piles sitting around (I know I’ve got plenty) take time to organize what needs to be done in each room. The office might need drawers cleaned out while the closet might need all sheets and towels sorted by size, etc. Some rooms might have the same things on them…i.e. clean ceiling fans, dust base boards, remove dust bunnies, etc. Once you have each room done with its own list you can create a master list with things that are consistent from room to room. That will give you a great starting point to start checking things off of your list. From there move room to room and just go down the list! You’ll feel great when you get to check something off of your list and your house will get organized in the process! To make things easier I made a little printout just for you!
Click here to download the PDF and print as many as you need! There’s 2 to a page so just trim it in half and you’re good to go!!!
P.S. Start saving your tin can lids from the recycle bin in the kitchen! I’ve got a great little project coming up and you’ll want to already have some on hand to make your own as soon as I’ve got the tutorial posted!
Tags: download, organization
Posted
December 30, 2009 by
deb under
organization Can you believe the New Year is almost here? This is the time I kick my organizing into high gear. I want all the clutter to go and everything to have it’s place. I’ve declared a day last week as closet day, and made great headway. A whole truck full off to the thrift store was made. There’s still work to do though. One of the biggest problem areas in my house is the kitchen counter. Everything gets thrown there when we walk in the door and it stacks up fast. I have made a habit to go through all my mail right when it comes in the door and that has helped. But I still have “valuable papers” aka invites and permission slips, etc. that need a spot temporarily. And did I mention the phones and gadgets we have up the freakin’ wazoo?
Here is a solution I’m starting with. A charging/valet station. There are a lot of charging stations popping up around there and I have found quite a variety that I’d like to share with you.
1. $15- I love this and it’s probably my favorite as it fits all my needs and it’s easy to customize. What a great modification by ikea hacker using the mackis storage unit from ikea.
2. $39- from One Way Furniture.
3. $90- sleek and simple.
4. $30- need a wall hanging station? This would be perfect! Available in white or black.
5. $50- So simple and lovely.
6. $44- from Opentip.com. I would love to add a little texture by dropping a little wall paper sample in the picture slot. Wouldn’t that be cute?
7. $50- from Target. A one stop pit stop for everything!
8. $43- I love this natural bamboo option. So natural and simple.
9. $20- inexpensive solution to get you organized.
10. $62- from Pottery Barn. I love the white color, but it also comes in black and brown.
11. $60- from Pottery Barn. This is not technically a charging station, but I thought it was pretty cool. And really, if the ipod or iphone is plug in, it will charge, right? This has speakers too which would be a great option for a kitchen or office.
12. $30- this is so simple and sleek for your desktop.
So what do you think? Are these something that you use in your home? Do you have any favorites?
Tags: charging stations, valet
Posted
August 19, 2009 by
deb under
organization 
{In clockwise manner: Patrick Conant, A Hungry Architect, Better Homes & Garden & Junk Garden Girl}
Whether your entry way is big or small, or you have a mud room, or not, it is important to have a spot for your child’s backpack and school items. Growing up, my sisters and I took over my mother’s formal living room. {We didn’t have a large entry way, or laundry room}. This was often the place you found us studying, and we each had a chair that we would set our backpack on. I have a lot of fun memories sitting around that table with my sisters studying. Thank goodness my mom tolerated us spreading our school goodies all over her formal dining room.
If you happen to have a larger laundry room, or mud room, or entry way, consider some of these as tips for giving your children a drop off point when coming home.
- Each child has a spot- this can be a hook, a cubby, or a bin. Make sure your child has their own place to store their backpack and goodies they’d like to take to school.
- Have a folder that is organized by day. If your child brings home forms on Friday that need to be returned Monday, this will help you remember them. Sign them, and put them in the Monday section so they are ready for you to send along. I also have many friends that have a binder for each child with dividers for each day.
- Shoes. Shoes are always piling at our doorway. Am I the only one? Give everyone a cubby or two to store their shoes in. This will keep the walkways clear.
- Labels. You can mark everything with a label if you’d like to keep everything straight. I love Mabel’s Labels- it’s so easy to add labels to everything so your children’s stuff doesn’t get mixed up with someone else’s belongings.
Do you have tips for keeping your entryway organized for the kids when they come home from school? What things keep you organized for the school year?
Tags: Back to School, backpack, entry, laundry room, mud room
Posted
August 18, 2009 by
erin under
organization When planning a study space for your children, remember that everyone learns differently! Keep this in mind as you plan your space. Maybe they like studying with music on…make sure that there’s some type of music source close by so that they don’t have to get up to switch out music or adjust controls. If they get easily distracted make sure it’ s in a quiet place and not looking out towards a window. Even if you don’t have a whole room to devote to a study space a little section of their bedroom will work just fine!
Color theory is another post altogether so don’t worry too much about what color you choose to have in the space. If it’s already in an existing room you’re probably going to go with colors already there. If you’d like to add some color, and make it more of a personalized space for your child, go with their favorite color! They’ll probably want to stay there longer because of it!
Make sure that you’ve got enough supplies close at hand so their train of thought doesn’t get broken too often as their looking for more paper, pens, staplers, etc.
Here are some inspiring study spaces I’ve found!
From Italian Furniture Manufacturer Berloni
1. From Pottery Barn 2. Roxxn 3. Elfa Storage Options 4. Minimalist Desk 5. DIY Ideas
Tags: children, desk, office, study
