Hello, 2013!

Well, it's January 2nd which means a couple of things; it's time to get back to work and time to set goals for the new year. When I think about where I want to be this time NEXT year it can get quite overwhelming. I'm also just not sure how I'll handle the rest of my pregnancy and the addition of our baby boy in April. To be honest, all my 'plans' can and probably will change drastically once we finally meet him.

BUT, for planning sake I'm going to take it one month at a time and see where it takes us.

My Plan for Jan(uary)!

I'm making January all about organization. Now, keep in mind, it's a real bugger to have the nesting instinct AND be on bed rest but I'm doing my best to take it easy while completing small projects. I also hope to pin and re-post some of the best organizational ideas on the interwebz for YOU! Hopefully, you'll find something that inspires you to tackle a project or some area in your home that has been bugging you.

Some of my 'hot spots' include:

• Pantry
• Linen closet
• Elia's closet -- I need to pack away the clothes that are too small (sad face)
• Find a solution to organize Elia's toys (a never-ending battle)
• Find a solution to organize Elia's accessories 
• Photos -- They are a digital mess and I need to order more often (who's with me?)

What are your hot spots? Do you have any organizational areas that you need help with? I would love it if you would leave a comment and let me know what you plan to tackle this month!

A few storage solutions...

  

 

Easy Storage Solution--Teenager Approved!

Today's project is a special one (for me anyway). My niece, Kaley, emailed me the other day telling me that she was working on her very own Pinterest project to solve a 'storage issue' in her room. She calls it a 'storage issue' her mother calls it a 'freakin' mess'. Po-tay-tow -- Pah-tat-toh.

Kaley was inspired by a post by Mandy's Krafty Exploits. She made a couple changes including wrapping the box AND the lid, to you know, hide her 'super secret teenager stuff'. She also used a paper box (think-reams of printer paper) instead of a diaper box. And, I love this idea because paper boxes have lids! Genius! I love the way that it turned out and also love the fact that she sought out a solution to a problem and did it herself! Go, Kaley, GO! 

On a side note, Kaley--I think you've now earned the role of Grandma's present wrapper.  

Have fun with that!

Leave Kaley some 'comment love' and let us know if this project is something your kids might be able to do to corral their junk treasures.

Crafty Card Organization

Today's project was both crafty and organizes--WAHOO! I love it when that happens!

I've never known what to do with greeting cards that we receive. I want to keep them, but I'm trying my hardest to manage clutter and didn't have a good solution. I usually just keep them in a box but it wasn't the prettiest thing and to be honest they were just a cluttered mess inside a box.  

I found this project from Kayla Danelle and it looked simple and solved my problem. I decided to start with all the cards that our daughter has received (she's only a year old so it sounded manageable!). Like I always do, I first searched my craft stash and then made my list for Hobby Lobby (man, I should be getting paid for these daily endorsements but, alas, I'm just doing it because I heart the Hob Lob).

I had some scrapbooking embellishments so all I needed was the heavy duty cardboard for the front and back cover, the chipboard letters, acid-free glue, and the rings.  

Simple stuff. I used my utility knife to cut two pieces of the cardboard (think super thick poster board) a bit bigger than an average card. I then used a hole punch to punch holes in both the front and back cover and embellished the front. That's it! I bought the biggest rings that they had but I know you can get much bigger ones. I'll probably have to switch to a bigger size in the future but this should work for now. After the "book" is done just hole punch the cards and slip them between the covers on the rings. Now they're all organized and easy to find and look through when I'm feeling sentimental. I think I'll do our wedding cards next--it's about time I get them out of that ugly box!

Do you keep your cards? How do you organize them?  

A Tisket, A Tasket, A Freakin' Genius Shower Basket!

I have been looking for a solution for this problem for years.  Our master shower lacks any sort of storage, shelves, or ledges which means everything is stored on the floor of the shower.  And, I hate it. I've never been able to find a solution that didn't take up precious real estate in our teeny little shower stall.  I love that this is an inexpensive solution that can be removed and doesn't cause any damage to the shower or tile.  Unfortunately, the pin I found links to a picture and not a blog so I'm not sure who to credit with the idea.

All you'll need is a second shower rod, shower curtain rings (Target has them for a little over a dollar), and baskets.  FYI: Target has baskets in their dollar bins RIGHT NOW!  I picked up a few for our shower and for our daughter's bathroom.  They even have them in different colors!  Here are a couple of pictures of the baskets in Elia's bathroom.

So what will we store in these fantastic little baskets?  Elia's bath toys, shampoo, conditioner, face wash, sugar scrub, toothpaste and a toothbrush (my husband is a shower toothbrusher--I've tried it and I just can't get on board with it).  Just in case you are wondering, his toothbrush and toothpaste are not on the floor, he brings them in and out with him--except for those times when he doesn't and I hear a yell from across the house to bring them to him.  Good lord, I'm happy that won't be happening anymore!

Super easy, super cheap (around $10) and I'm so excited to get the junk off the shower floor!

Eliminating Clutter One Day at a Time

Today's Pinterest Project is AMAZING!  I've always been a list maker, a 'one chunk at a time' kinda-gal.  To me, there is little more satisfying that knowing what needs to be done, doing it, and then  crossing it off my list with one gratifying sweep of my pen.  It helps make huge projects doable, and who doesn't love that?  

My Simpler Life, has taken the time to break down removing clutter from your home in to quick and easy tasks that you do every day.  AND, she put it in calendar form!  This is totally something I would do, but now I don't have to!  Thank you, My Simpler Life!

If you visit My Simpler Life, you'll be able to download (FREE) monthly calendars or you can download the entire year.  My plan is to start today, July 2nd, and work forward.  If I get to a day that doesn't apply to my home I'll work backwards by completing a task that was before July 2nd.

I love the idea of managing clutter this way.  I hope you find this link helpful and post a comment and let me know if you plan on eliminating clutter one day at a time!