A Place for Everything...At least, that's the plan...

I like things organized. I always joke that I can sleep better at night if the house is in order. Does that mean that everything is always neat, tidy and company ready? Um, no!

My parents visited us for a few days last week. We had a great time shopping, playing with Hudson and spending time together.

My mom, who doesn't like to just sit around, wanted to know what projects she could help me with. Immediately, my mind went to the guest room closet. Up until this point, the guest room closet has housed all my craft supplies. From the sewing machine to my Cricut to boxes of fabric bits, the space had no rhyme or reason. As long as I could get the closet doors shut when a guest stayed over, I was satisfied.

With our Little Miss on the way (due in September), the guest room is about to be transformed into the nursery. That closet could no longer stay that way! Mom helped me get things going in the right direction. We organized, we threw away, and we moved the stuff all around. Since the space isn't finished yet, I didn't take photos or our progress (who wants to see my mess, anyways?)

But I did start thinking about different areas in our home that I have organized in the past. And, for the most part, once I get a space organized, it seems I am able to get it back to that stage fairly quickly. Life happens and stuff doesn't always get put away. But in the end, I know that these areas have ways they are supposed to look - and I can usually get them back to "organized" with little effort.

1. The Refridgerator.

Just last week, I had a spill on one of the shelves. I was so easy to remove the items on the shelf and simply rinse off the placemat.

2. My pantry. Groceries come and go - but having a place for everything sure helps.

Making the most of this closet has saved me much frustration.

3. The Card Catalog.

Since my craft supplies are needing to find new homes, I am in the process of relabeling the drawers.

I probably have 1/3 of this cabinet still waiting to be filled. I love that I can easily re-label if the drawer contents change.

4. Toy Rotation. As Hudson grows, so does his toy collection. As I mentioned here, he can only play with so many toys at one time. As I pulled out a basket of train tracks today, it was as if he had been given something brand new.

And, Hudson would much rather "organize" his toys than play with them.

His idea of playing with blocks is putting them back in the basket. Maybe soon he'll be big enough to organize an area of his own!

5. Recipes.

I am so glad that I quit hanging on to all those recipe books! I would honestly just be using one or two recipes from each book - Now, when I find a recipe that we like, I try to immediately write it on a card and place it in the file.

6. My address file. Again, its great to only have to look in one place.

I also love that if I need to remove a card and re-write an address, I'm not left with marked-out places in an address book. With the individual cards, this file stays neat and tidy looking.

7. Pretty drawer liners. I still keep a space nicer if it is cute. And by using wrapping paper, these are super easy to switch out if they get ripped or messy.

Plus, as mom and I organized my "stuff" she discovered my hoarding problem when it comes to those $1 rolls of paper from Target. I'm forbidden to purchase any more rolls until I use some of what I have on hand. Guess I'll be re-lining some drawers soon!

8. Notecards.

This is my grandmother's card file, but I use a basket in a similar way.

9. Emptying the sink at night. Before I go to bed, I try to empty the sink of dirty dishes. It sure makes the morning seem less daunting if the sink isn't piled high with dirty dishes. (This is a trick I learned from my Nanny).

Little by little, if I keep attacking areas of clutter, this house might be in order...someday. This afternoon, I plan to tackle the linens. Why in the world are they spread all over the house when I have a pretty good sized linen closet in the hall bath?

How do you manage the piles in your home? How do you motivate yourself?

You might also find some encouragement or good ideas from this guest post written by Jeremiah's Aunt Joy. Let's manage our chaos instead of being consumed by it! 

$1 Kitchen Drawer Makeover

Things start changing in my house every January. Furniture gets moved around. Cabinets are rearranged. My pile of items to sell in the upcoming consignment sale grows. I blame a few factors.

1. Its cold. I go out less. I'm stuck inside. 
2. The Christmas decor is gone and the house seems dull. 
3. A new year makes me want to reorganize. 
4. As I put away Christmas gifts, I have to get rid of items that aren't being used. (Mom always said, "You get a new purse, you get rid of an old purse.")

I did get out of the house yesterday for a few groceries and diapers. While I was in Target I HAD to stop by that Dollar Spot. And, you all know I have a slight obsession with those awesome little rolls of $1 wrapping paper. (See what I did with some of that paper here). 

I have a rubber-like shelf liner in all my kitchen cabinets. However, it never stays put in the drawers. Plus, when I open a drawer, I see more of that boring colored rubber liner than when I look in my cabinet shelves. After chasing that piece of rubber liner around the drawers one too many times, I removed it. 

But I was left with a very unattractive piece of wood staring at me each time I put dishes away. I have found that it is so much easier for me to keep something organized if it is cute. I don't know why...but that's what works for me. That being said, I knew that I had to find a "cuter" solution.

One roll of patterend wrapping paper and some double stick tape were a perfect fix. I also love the fact that it took less than 10 minutes for me to re-line my kitchen drawers.  Quick and cheap.

Since this Herringbone pattern was quite linear, it was easy to get the paper almost the right size just by eye-balling it and cutting down one of the lines. Then, I would lay the paper in the drawers, creasing the excess paper in the corners. It was super easy to trim the paper along the creases for a perfect fit. 

A piece of double-stick tape in each corner of the drawer is currently holding the paper in place just fine. 

Sure, the rubber may have been more durable and the paper may rip eventually. But for $1, I can quickly redo the liners! And then, because it is something new and a different pattern, I will be motivated again to keep things organized.

I want to be on the lookout for some clear drawer organizers. I think it would be fun to keep my utensils in place but still see the cute paper underneath. 

The bathroom drawers and a few dressers may be getting a quick makeover as I continue organizing the house. 

I figure, if I'm going to be obsessed with a certain $1 item, I might as well find creative ways to use it around the house. While I had the roll out, I decided a fun patterned table runner would be another quick use for the paper. I'm having some friends over for card games and soup in a few days - 

I always love to add a little something extra to the table to make the meal seem more special. And if something is spilled on the runner, I don't have to do laundry! Just roll out some more paper.

How do you motivate yourself to stay organized? Have you found any fun uses for the $1 wrapping paper?

A Label for Everything

After I started filling my card catalog drawers, I knew that I needed to quickly redo the labels - I could remember the basic area where I had placed certain the items, but not the exact drawer. A friend of mine said, "I can just imagine your babysitter frantically opening drawers in search of the pacifiers!!"

I wanted the labels to look vintage and much like the original cards. I also decided to keep the drawers numbered - it seemed more authentic. I actually was wishing I had a typewriter for this project - but the computer and some cream cardstock did the job.

Now it is easier to determine which drawers hold tin foil and which drawers hold permanent markers.

I still get a little giddy when I open the drawers.

While I was re-labeling, I decided to fix my recipe box. I've had this piece for some time.

The left drawer holds my recipes, and the right drawer is basically a "junk drawer."

Although the drawer helped organize my 4x6 recipe cards, I was using old dividers for each of the categories. Using the same method that helped finish my address file, I simply recovered the existing dividers. They were a super sturdy cardstock - I feared making my own would be less durable.

The difference is remarkable.

I also properly labeled the outside of the drawers.

A place for everything and everything in its place.

Card Organization

Wow! I didn't mean for that much time to pass in between blog posts. And my post today isn't even a project that I did - it's one of my mom's.

Just to clarify, I have been extra busy. We made a trip to visit our parents, I painted the kitchen during 3 nap-times, I've been reorganizing my kitchen to make the best use out of a library card catalog I commandeered (I promise to share all about this soon)...and Hudson is now reaching every time I pass him.

And he is also now sitting up.

More activity on his part means more attention must be paid on my part. Gone are the days where I could lay him on a blanket and he would stay put.

While we were on our last trip home, I fell in love with a project my mom completed for my grandmother's birthday present. Maw-Maw is such an encourager, and she is always mailing out cards of all kinds.

My creative mom purchased a cute little box from Marshall's or Ross or one of those stores.

She then made dividers for the different categories of cards: Get Well, Sympathy, Thinking of You, Birthday, etc.

Now, Maw-Maw can easily find the cards that she intends to mail.

There is also a cute little plastic sleeve in the front to hold her stamps.

How do you organize your cards? I am on the hunt for a vintage-looking box for my correspondence pieces. My mom is so creative...

A place for everything...

Sometimes when I purchase something at a thrift store or a yard sale, I immediately find a use for it in our home. Other times, it hangs out in the basement or in a closet until I either get around to painting it or come up with the perfect place for it. 

Such was the case with green metal magazine rack. From the beginning, I have loved the geometric design and the spiral handle. 

I have been feeling a little like an old lady lately because I now have a favorite chair. I find myself sitting in it while watching TV, holding Hudson, feeding Hudson, cutting coupons or doing my devotions. The poor ottoman in front of this chair gets piled high with my "supplies."

It's turned into more of a bookshelf rather than a footrest. 

I love having my books and such close at hand. I never know when I may find myself with a sleeping Hudson in my arms. With these items close by, I can simply grab what I need while holding him. But with my pile of necessities, the living room never seems "picked up."

I decided that the unused, $3 magazine rack would solve my problem.  The green just didn't match the living room - and it was looking a little chipped and rusted.

During Hudson's morning nap, I grabbed the green rack, a couple cans of half-used black spray paint and a pizza box. After a little spray paint, the green was gone. I was left with a wrought iron looking piece. 

After I was sure that the paint had dried, I moved my essentials to their new home. 

My Bible, devotionals, prayer journal, and reading plan are still within arm's reach. 

And now that my books have a new place to call home, my ottoman can go back to being a proper footrest.