I’ve been in quite the cleaning frenzy lately.  Deep cleaning just about everything around me.  And making a list of everything I need to do.  And that is overwhelming in and of itself.  I like having a list of chores that I need to do everyday so I’m going to try this Chore Calendar.  {Thanks for the tip, Courtney!}  It’s only $8 and will give me standard daily chores along with specific items for that day.  Here is a sample of what it looks like:

I would love to hear any tips you have to share.  How do you keep on top of cleaning your home?

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.

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!

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?

{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?

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

The first thing I wanted to talk about is a calendar.  In our home, my husband and I share a google calendar and it works okay (we aren’t always the best at syncing everything to make sure it’s up to date).  We also have a large whiteboard calendar in our office that I love.  I love being able to write things down and have them visually laid out for me.  Here are some prettier options for calendaring:

1.  This calendar comes for Pinch Design (via ohdeedoh) and it’s wonderful if you are the type that likes to take week by week.  It’s also a chalkboard so if things are shifting and changing around your house all the time, it’s easy to change.

2.  I love the shades of color on this calendar seen on Martha Stewart.  It is also made of chalkboard paint and is great at taking one month at time.  Step by step instructions here.

3.  This is Design Mom’s calendar and I love it!  I love that the colors change with every month and I love how she involves the children in creating with each new month. 

I’m curious, what type of calendar do you use at your home?