ClosetMaid Organizing Labels

This is my little space in my closet I have made for my scrapbooking supplies. I love these ClosetMaid storage/shelf units. The collapsible fabric cube bins are perfect to store scrapbook and craft supplies. I have been using these for about 5 years now. I like to have the bins labeled so I can find things quickly and easily. I also have a little crafter (9 year old daughter) that likes to use my supplies sometimes so it also makes it easier for her to find things AND to put them back where they belong.

I just came up with a great way to label the fabric cubes so they will "stay". Before, I used my print out labels from my label maker, as below:

Before

Because of the fuzzy type of fabric the ClosetMaid cubes are made of, print out labels do not stay on. Slowly they begin to curl up and then fall off.

After

I decided to print out labels and adhere them to the cubes with velcro dots. I will share how to do that below.

First you will need a few packages of velcro, hook & loop, or Scotch Reclosable Fasteners. There are so many names for them, but you know what I mean. I bought the Scotch Reclosable Fasteners at Wal Mart in the fabric/crafts department.

Next, just make your labels anyway you like on paper. I typed the labels using Word and printed them on white cardstock. I cut them out with my paper cutter the same size 2" x 4" each. I then cut out black cardstock rectangles about 1/8" larger than the white and glued the white cards to the black. I then laminated them. You don't have to laminate them if you don't have a laminator, but it makes them sturdier and last longer. Especially if you are going to be pulling the bins in and out all the time like I do.

*Did you know you can buy a great laminator ("Duck" brand) at Wal Mart for less than $30.00? You would be surprised how much you would use it if you had one. They are great for school projects, labeling, scrapbooking.*

Next, you will only need the "hook" only sheets from the package.

Save the "loop" only sheets of dots. They work great on the bottom of your kitchen chairs if you have tile or wooden floors. They also work great as furniture protectors under lamps and vases. You can also use them on the backs of framed art to protect the walls.

Just put four loop dots on the back of each label and stick them on the cubes. The great thing is you can move them around, change them out, they are not permanent.

Ahhhhhh. Now everything is organized AND labeled nicely. I can go on about my day.

Be Inspired! -Karol :0)

Settling In

I have finally, officially, certifiably, and undeniably moved. I have been living between two homes now for almost a year and we finally sold our home. Sadly because of the market it wasn't a good thing financially, but to have some finality in my life it is worth it. I finally feel as if I can settle in our rental home at the beach now. I have all my furniture and things here. Quite a bit is in storage, but the fun part is choosing what to use here.

I love to organize. So as I settle in our home here I am organizing everything. I just wanted to share a few organizational tips that may help you in your home.

First off, let's take a look at my personal sock drawer. Yes, that's right. My sock drawer. I found these wonderful organizers at Home Goods. I miss Home Goods. I don't have a Home Goods here where I live. It really is quite easy to organize your sock drawer like this and keep it like this. It is so nice to just open my sock drawer and grab a pair of socks. No searching for the match. They are all neatly arranged and so easy to find.

Next, my closet. I first learned to reduce my clothing. I used to hold on to clothes thinking I would wear them again and never did. Everything was hung on all types of plastic and wire hangers. Nothing was hung evenly. At my home that just sold I had installed a very nice closet system. I had shelves for my shoes and fold up clothes and a bar for my shirts and jackets and a bar for my pants and skirts. I am now in a rental home and it is back to the lovely wire rack shelving. I am making the best of it and wanted to share how I stay organized in my closet.

Please keep in mind that my closet is small. Which is good. It keeps me from collecting too many things. This closet serves as my clothes closet as well as scrapbooking and crafts so it is pretty cramped. I like to hang my clothes in like colors. I start with skirts, then pants, then short sleeve shirts. I hang all like colors together. This makes it so much easier when you are getting dressed. If I know what I want to wear, it is easy to find this way. I then hang all long sleeved shirts (in like colors of course) and then jackets. Once you organize your clothes like this, it is very easy to maintain. Another tip is to replace your hangers with nice ones. All the same. It can be costly so if you need to budget, just grab a few packs of hangers each week until you have replaced them all. I purchased mine at Wal Mart. I now only use one type of hanger for everyone's clothes in our home. Everything hangs neat and uniform.

Also, the shelves and fabric cube boxes you see are from Target. They work great.

Don't let organizing scare you. Just take one drawer at a time. In fact, if organization does not come natural for you, just start on your sock drawer. Really. Find some organizational trays like the ones I have used. Dump out your sock drawer. Go through all the socks. Throw away anything you will not wear or that does not have a match. Reducing is also part of organizing. Then put each pair neatly away in your cubes. You will be glad you did. Then you can move on to another drawer. And who knows, maybe you could even tackle a closet next!

Be Inspired. -Karol

Emergency Gift Wrapping Car Kit

This is my Emergency Gift Wrapping Car Kit I have in my car. Every vehicle should have one.

Have you ever waited until the day of a party to buy the gift -on the way to the party? Have you ever wrapped a gift in he parking lot of Target?, Wal Mart?, the mall? Wherever.

Do you ever remember to bring scissors and tape? Or did you have to buy ANOTHER pair of scissors or ANOTHER pack of tissue paper, or ANOTHER roll of scotch tape.

I wanted to share an idea with you that will save you time, money, and possibly reduce stress.

All you need is an inexpensive school supply container. The one above is just an old one from one of my kid's rooms from years before that they had to have for school. Most of the supplies you probably have already.

Do not. I repeat, do not cram all of this in your console or glove compartment. It will end up being a burden instead of a blessing.

Suggestions for contents of Emergency Gift Wrapping Car Kit are:

• Small scissors
• Tissue paper in different colors
• Small gift bags
• Gift tags
• Small blank note cards
• Pens
• Permanent marker
• Hole punch
• Curl ribbon or other ribbon
• Scotch tape
  

This handy little kit will save time by knowing you don't need to run ALL over the store to get scissors and tape and tissue paper and ribbon. You just need to get the gift and go!

This little kit also comes in handy just having the scissors, pen, and tape inside for other times. Ever try to take a Barbie out of the packaging in the store parking lot while your daughter is waiting, without scissors?

Be Inspired! -Karol

What's This?....

What? A magazine I didn't know about and this is the third issue in print!?

Ok, that could happen, there's literally hundreds of magazines in print at any major bookstore. But, an organizational magazine, is something I would have noticed. Well, anyway, I have now and I love it. It's simple, it's precise, it's easy to read, it's very helpful, and it's pretty to look through.

Organize Magazine has been in print since it's premier July/August issue. I'll have to catch up on the other issues, but I just found the November/December issue this afternoon. I visited their site and read a little about them. I love their Mission Statement: "Doable organization for real people with real lives." Awesome.

Hurry and pick up a copy and "Simplify The Season" as the cover says. There's scrapbooking tips from the famous Lisa Bearnson (Creating Keepsakes). There's also great tips for "Collection Control... From packrat to occasional accumulator, real solutions for conquering your collection chaos".

What I noticed most about this magazine is that it, in itself, is simple, clean, not cluttered, and thin. Yes, it's got adverts, but not too much.

Be Organized, it makes inspiration easier to achieve! -Karol :0)

Great Storage Solution

Do you use a sofa table? The mahogany dresser you see in this picture is behind my sofa in my living room. It was one of my great buys at the auction one week. I love it because the wood is gorgeous, but also because it has 9 drawers!

Nine drawers to store things and it backs up nicely to my sofa with greenery and candles displayed. It separates my office/desk area/back door and my living room.

In the nine drawers my daughter and I have drawers for our craft supplies. I also have several drawers dedicated to cards, gift wrap, curl ribbon, and tissue paper. Everything stays neat and I know right where it is when it's time to wrap a gift.

I hope this inspires you to think of new ways to use furniture pieces and also to find storage solutions for your home!

Be Inspired. Karol :0)

HOME Made Simple

I love this site. I am on their email list and get an email once per month, which reminds me to visit.

Home Made Simple is what their site is all about. "simple solutions for easy living" is their motto.

They have organizing help, recipes, cleaning tips, decorating ideas, inexpensive ideas for entertaining and gift-giving. If you sign up for their email list you get offers and subscriber perks, plus it will help you remember to visit the site and see what's new!

Enjoy! Karol :0)

Six Things To Do Every Day

One place I like to visit often for everything is Martha Stewart's website. I wanted to share her new article "Six Things To Do Every Day". These are six essential things that can be done to keep your home tidy and less stressful. First on the list and it's one of my first's, too, is making beds. It always makes a room look more tidy and it makes it less likely to let other things pile up. Well, just click on the picture to visit her site and please print it out or write it down and follow these steps to make home making just a little easier.

For those of you who don't think you have time to do these six things, maybe try doing one or two of them and see if you can add one more, one at a time. Whatever you can do on the list will help keep your home in order and easier to do other tasks. Give it a try!