Home Organization

Organizing – Where and How do I start?

Often organizing is too overwhelming for many people and they tend to not do anything.  Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Start Small

You have to take a tiny piece and just start there.

You can’t think..”I have to clear this whole room”, you can start by saying, “I want to clear off this chair so I can sit down.” Then you need to start the sorting process.

Make Fast Decisions For Each Items

You have to make a lot of decisions, and you need to make them fast. If you spend 10 minutes trying to decide if you want to keep the smelly old backpack that your daughter used in kindergarten (she is now in college)..because you remember buying that backpack and you remember her first day of school and how she was scared, and you remember walking her there and how nice her teacher was and…..and….and….. You get the point. You need to pick it up and try not to apply the memories to that piece. You STILL have the memories, no one is going to take them from you. But keeping a backpack that is falling apart and smells because at one point in its long life it was left out in the rain and then got thrown in the garage…isn’t going to help you remember that day any better. You can take a picture of the backpack if that would help you to let it go. But you need to take seconds to decide. That helps you to take the memories out of the picture(at least a little bit).

Target Zone

But you just take one thing at a time and make a decision. Does this belong in another room? (If it does, put it in a box or bin that goes elsewhere. Don’t physically walk it to another room because you will get distracted. STAY IN YOUR TARGET ZONE!!! (That is the chair you are working to clear)
Do I need to keep this? – Do I love it? I can’t live without it.
Can someone else use this more than I can? Will it enrich someone else’s life?
Is it something that should be stored? (Christmas, Halloween decorations)
Is it something that can be thrown away? Broken items, missing pieces, worn out.

Don’t overwhelm yourself. Start small. Clear just that chair. Then if you have the time and energy (many times seeing some improvement can help to “jump start” your organizing engine.)
Don’t try to bite off more than you can chew….remember what your mom told you, “Take small bites so you don’t choke.”

 

This post has been republished from my original posting date of Oct 7, 2008

Organizing and DIY Link Party – Week 14

Thank You For Linking Up!

It has been awhile since I shared posts from those of you who have posted on my linky. I’m going to start doing that again.  I haven’t been commenting on your posts like I used to. I can make excuses about gmail and having to sign out of one account to get into another account to post…. which is a pain in the arse… but that doesn’t happen when I try to comment on all the post.  It has just been a matter of time, and how little of it I have. But I need to make it a priority.

You guys take the time to come here and post… I need to get myself to your posts and check them out! Thanks .. all of you who do come and link up.

Check out these posts!

Stephanie posted last week on her spring cleaning of her pantry. It looks great. You can find her entire post here: How Sweet It Is

 

I love that Carrie has been working on a 12 week challenge in her house.  She already has a really organized space, but has revamped things and completed some new projects. It’s really inspiring. Check out the rest of her post My 12 Week Organizing Challenge Recap 

Link up to my Linky Party! I’d love to see your Easter, organizing or DIY projects!

1) Link to your specific post – not your blog
2) Please Link back to my blog with my button or link (url code under button tab )
3) Blog post related to Organizing or Cleaning or DIY or crafts or decorating are WONDERFUL!
4) No sales pitches or web sites.
5) Feel free to link up more than 1 post.
6) By linking up to my post, I might use your pic (with link and credit to you) next week in my post!

 

Looking for other link parties? I have a whole list of them. Thumbnail via day above and keep scrolling down to find a more extensive text lists by day on my link party list. If you aren’t sure how to link up… see my link party tutorial here. It is simple. If You Are On A Reader and Want to View All the Great Link Up’s on this post please Click here 
This party will be open until April 15, 2012 at 11:59pm

How to Organize

In 5 Easy Steps

 

Organizing can be broken down into five main steps. Organizing a desk, room or home can be completely overwhelming. Where do you start? What do you do with everything? How much will it cost?

So often we don’t do anything because we don’t know how to do it, or it seems too “big” to do anything. But to do nothing accomplishes nothing.

Step 1: Pick your target zone.

Decide what area you want to work on first. Don’t say, my whole house. More like; I want to work on the desk in the corner of the family room. The hard part when you get sorting is to stick to that target zone. You can’t take an item into another room to put away, because then you will see something in that room that you want to move and you will lose focus.

Step 2: Set an appointment on your calendar to start your project.

Try to give yourself at least 2 hours to start your project. Hopefully if you haven’t started too big you can finish. Take “before” pictures. When you finish and take your “after” pictures, it will help to keep you motivated to not let it get back the way it was before.

Step 3: Have your supplies ready to start.

Do not go out and buy a bunch of organizational products. You do not know what you are going to need yet. You may have it somewhere in your home.
I suggest getting
1) Black trash bags for trash
2) White trash bags for donate (so you don’t throw away your donate bags.)
3) Boxes or clear bins
4) Labels – masking tape can do the job and a sharpie marker.
5) Your sorting lists

Step 4: Make Sorting Lists

Just get any piece of paper and a marker and write this on each one:
1) KEEP – Love it, wear it, use it, Can’t live without it
2) DONATE- Don’t like it or use it, doesn’t fit, it is still in good shape.
3) MOVE – It doesn’t belong in this room
4) STORE – Seasonal items, occasional use like camping or skiing equip etc.
5) TOSS – Trash, torn, broken, missing pieces, not in any shape for anyone to use.

Step 5: Start Sorting

Each item in the space needs to be decided on. You have to make fast decisions. Give yourself about 5-10 seconds for each thing. Do not sit and recall memories for each item, or start looking at old pictures. When you do that you are “personalizing” that item. The goal here in order to get through these things is to “depersonalize” the items.

 

Organizing & DIY Monday Link Party – Week 12

Spring Cleaning

We all have our favorite products to clean with. They might be store bought, they might be “green” products, not so green or home made.

Odo-ban is one of my favorite cleaners. That is a smell that just says “clean” to me when I smell it. I’ve been using it for about 15 years now I think. (wow… didn’t realize it had been that long!)
To begin your spring cleaning you need to:

* Designate a time to clean
* Decide what is going to be cleaned
* Decide who is going to be doing what
* Have the proper supplies before you start

Give everyone in the family assignments. Down to the toddlers. They can help carry a roll of paper towels or use a wet rag and wipe off a low table. Even if it isn’t something that is real productive to you, it makes them feel important and let’s them know they can help mommy.

Link up to my Linky Party! I’d love to see your spring cleaning, organizing or DIY projects!

1) Link to your specific post – not your blog
2) Please Link back to my blog with my button or link (url code under button tab )
3) Blog post related to Organizing or Cleaning or DIY or crafts or decorating are WONDERFUL!
4) No sales pitches or web sites.
5) Feel free to link up more than 1 post.

I also have a Pinterest Favorite Pin Friday Linky Party! Be sure to watch for that!

Looking for other link parties? I have a whole list of them. Thumbnail via day above and keep scrolling down to find a more extensive text lists by day on my link party list. If you aren’t sure how to link up… see my link party tutorial here. It is simple. If You Are On A Reader and Want to View All the Great Link Up’s on this post please Click here 
This party will be open until March 25, 2012 at 11:59pm

Pin It

Home Made Laundry Detergent

Make Your Own Detergent!

I found the “recipe” on Pinterest to make your own laundry soap. I wasn’t looking for a recipe and had never considered making my own. I’m not someone who would normally do something like this. But I haven’t been real happy with the detergent I’ve been using and I don’t want to spend the money I’d need to in order to buy the detergent I’d like.

The Ingredients

1) A bucket or large container
2) Plastic bag to line the bucket
3) Food Processor
4) 4 lb Box of Borax (12 oz)
5)  4 lb Box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda
6) Oxi Clean 3 1/2 lb (This is a 5 lb container)
7) 3 lb 7 oz Box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
8) 3 bars of Fels-Naptha

I found everything other than the Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda at Walmart. My Kroger store had the Washing Soda.

Line your bucket with the plastic bag

Open up your 3 bars of Fels-Naptha.  I’ve never used this before, so this was new to me.

Cut it with a decent knife.

Don’t use the chopping blade, use the blade that slices.

I ended up with some of these little balls of Fels-Naptha left at the top of the blade.

Kind of looks like cheese doesn’t it?

In the bucket I then layered the ingredients. You don’t have to, but I thought it would just help mix them up a bit better.

The woman who made this said she has no problem with the Fels-Naptha dissolving and she uses cold water to wash her clothes.  There were many comments on her post and a few people had problems with it not dissolving.  One person said that after she mixed it all up she then ran it through her food processer again and then she had no problems with it.  So I decided to do that to begin with it.

Now is when you want to use the chopping blade.  I learned from a process of elimination.  This is what it looks like before….

This is what it looked like after running the food processor for about 45 seconds.   The process of doing this with all of the mixture took me about another 1/2 hour, but I think it will be worth it.

Here’s what it looks like all together.

I had a large glass jar and made labels out of chalkboard contact paper. I just used a piece of chalk to write on it (duh).

I thought it would be fun to put the recipe on the jar also… so I put it on the back of the jar.

The mixture filled this jar.

 

Now to try a load of clothes with it.  Use 1 – 2 Tablespoons per load.  I have a front load machine and the post I found this on said it is fine to use in front loaders. I normally use HE detergent.  She also put hers in the tub first, not in the dispenser. But the woman who ran hers through the processor again said it now would work fine in the dispenser.  So that is what I tried.  I usually use liquid, so I had to remember to adjust the setting inside my Front Load from liquid to powder setting.

I noticed that I am getting a bit of a yellowish ring in my dispenser (my guess from the Fels-Naptha, so I am going to start adding mine to the drum before I add my clothes)

I do not have a top load, but from the source where I got this recipe, it appears that you use the same amount as the front load. She mentions it doesn’t see like enough, but that because there aren’t fillers in this laundry detergent it is enough.

I did a load and used warm water. I checked the dispenser after the load and there was nothing left in it. I had a black shirt in the load and pulled it out to check it for any bits of fels-naptha on it.  Yay!

I think it looks so nice on my dryer, don’t you?

Now down to a bit of reality, this glass container sitting on my dryer looks nice – but my washer really rattles around, and in turn this glass jar rattled around… a lot!  It was too heavy to use on my wire shelf, so I adjusted.   This isn’t nearly as cute… but much more practical for my needs in this laundry room.

I peeled off the other labels and since I had just used chalk, of course I messed up the writing.  I used my chalk markers on this one.

Cost to Make:

Borax  (Walmart)  $3.38
A&H Baking Soda (Walmart)  $2.12
Fels Naptha (all 3 bars) (Walmart)  $2.91
Oxiclean (I bought 5# instead of 3.5) (Walmart) $9.47
A&H Washing Soap (Krogers)  $3.29

Total cost $21.17

I can only tell you what I’ve read on how long it lasts. 9 months – 1 year. If that is the case, then this will pay for itself within just a couple months for me.

 

I got this recipe from Pinterest, but her blog post is called Being Creative. 

Organizing & DIY Monday Link Party

Spring Cleaning

Are you getting ready to do your spring cleaning this year?

How To Start Spring Cleaning?

Start your cleaning much like you start your organizing.

1) Set aside a time to clean each room

2) Get cleaning supplies, bucket of cleaner or spray (I personally like Odo-ban). Rubber gloves (because it doesn’t seem so gross to clean if you have on gloves). Trash bags – black for trash, white for donate.

3) Start in one place. This is a great time to sort through the clutter. Sort quick, clear off a surface and clean it well.

4) Be sure to clean your walls, inside drawers, baseboards, etc.

5) Have your family help you. Many hands can accomplish the task much quicker than just yours.

Link up to my Linky Party! I’d love to see your spring cleaning, organizing or DIY projects!

1) Link to your specific post – not your blog
2) Please Link back to my blog with my button or link (url code under button tab )
3) Blog post related to Organizing or Cleaning or DIY or crafts or decorating are WONDERFUL!
4) No sales pitches or web sites.
5) Feel free to link up more than 1 post.

I also have a Pinterest Favorite Pin Friday Linky Party! Be sure to watch for that!

Looking for other link parties? I have a whole list of them. Thumbnail via day above and keep scrolling down to find a more extensive text lists by day on my link party list. If you aren’t sure how to link up… see my link party tutorial here. It is simple. If You Are On A Reader and Want to View All the Great Link Up’s on this post please Click here 
This party will be open until March 11, 2012 at 11:59pm

Pin It

Donating

Donating Clothes & Toys After Christmas

You house just became a crazy place again didn’t it?  Now you have all these NEW things to find places for!  I will be many of you still have new clothes sitting in boxes full of tissue paper, still not put away. The drawers are full, closet is full… where will they go?

Toys sitting on the floor because the toy box or shelf is already over flowing with toys. Right?

Now.. I want you to be totally honest with yourself here.  I want you to go look at that closet, those drawers, those toys.  How many of those things have been sitting there, untouched for months? Maybe even years.  We all do it. We hold onto things.  That dress that looked so awesome, 50 pounds ago; that baby toy that we got and loved for your son that is now 10 years old. You know what I mean. It’s difficult to give things up.

Now, I want you to think about that family that has a father who lost his job, or that single mom who is working two jobs to help feed her three kids, that family that had a fire (probably in the news in the last week huh?) and lost everything.

                                                             (picture from google picasa)

Look again at your closet…. think about those who can really use those things…. look at those toys…. think about those kids who got absolutely nothing for Christmas.  Can’t you make some room in your house?

Selling Them?

I know of many people and hear many people who plan to sell everything.  I understand that, I get it – but… how long has that plan been in place? Have you ever executed it? Have you gotten that ebay store going like you keep saying you will?  When can you have the garage sale? In the summer… 6 months away?

Garage Sales - I have had garage sales in the past, I think they can be great. I can always use the money too. If the time of year is right, you have the motivation and time to do it… great – great… get ‘er done! If you can’t have one for months, then forget it.

I say – donate it and take the tax write off.  Help others and clear your house NOW!

Where do you donate?

Good Will
Local Shelters
Check with your Church or a local church
Check with your local Food Pantry
Check online for many resources

This is a food pantry that isn’t far from me.  I had a friend who used to work here. Most donate their time.  They had food that they gave out to those in need.

They also have a clothing thrift shop.  As I remember anyone could come in and purchase the donated clothing & toys at very low cost and for families in need, things were free.

Here was the pile of clothing and items that people had donated that the staff had yet to go through for the day.  You can’t see, but that pile was up to about my waist. Awesome!

When Donating 

Please don’t give them broken toys or toys missing pieces
No torn or damaged clothing (if you can’t wear it because of damage, others can’t either)

Donate and feel good, knowing you have just helped yourself and your family (by creating needed space, teaching valuable lessons to your children, helping with taxes, doing the right thing) and also knowing you are helping those in need.

Hoarders Are People Too!

What Are Your Thoughts About The Hoarders On TV?

Have you watched some of the shows on TV about hoarding? Had you known this condition existed before you first saw about it on TV?

What are your thoughts about hoarders? The people who live in those situations, those houses filled with junk? Would you want to be friends with them?

My guess is that there are hoarders that you know…. but you have no idea they are hoarders. They are usually very “normal” people. People you see everyday at work, at school, in the neighborhood but you have no idea that they have a problem.

This is the home of a client I once had. She was a very sweet, nice woman. She has many unfortunate events happen in her life that led up to this. No one knew her home looked like this. She had a full time job, was very involved in her church, but kept this a secret. She was too embarrassed to let anyone know.

She wanted help, she wanted to move past all the stuff and she knew she needed help.

I put out comments on Twitter about hoarding, for instance:

“You might be a hoarder if: You can’t find a place to sit down in your house because all your chairs have stuff on them. #hoarders”

I had a disturbing comment back to one of those tweets.  Someone said,

“I bet that show just makes your skin crawl! Those ppl are soooo gross! All those dead cats, rats, spoiled food….yuck!”

It actually made me cry. Now also realize that I had just come home from seeing the movie “The Help” and it was a disturbing movie portraying the treatment of the black maids had to go through back in the 60′s.  But it just made me SO sad that someone thinks of the people as “sooooo gross.”  I think specifically of the two clients that I had that were true hoarders. Both were very nice people… not gross. They just both had problems that they needed help with.

I commented back with this:

“Hard 2 watch but I feel 4 those ppl. They have real illness, I don’t think of them as gross, just their situation #hoarders“

I think the hardest part about hoarding is that people don’t understand it is an illness. They do just look at the people who live in home filled with junk and often filth as “filthy people”.  They view the people simply as “lazy” and “gross”.

For the majority of hoarders, this condition has developed over time and their accumulation of “stuff” has grown over time.  It isn’t like they lived in a pristine home one day and the very next had stacks of stuff piled everywhere.  It happens gradually and gradually their defenses, their coping mechanisms build up so that they rationalize their situation as “normal”.

The illness has trapped them into a life where their “stuff” is their security, their safety net, their sanity. So that the thought of losing that stuff, is intolerable to them. They don’t feel they can cope in their daily lives without it.

What about people who smoke? It isn’t really the same, but you can draw parallels.  The smoking is the coping mechanism to help deal with stress. To go without cigarettes for some people is intolerable… they need them to deal with what live hands them.

I know they are completely different things…. the smoking just popped into my head when I was thinking of vices that people need to cope with everyday life.

Please try to watch those shows (if you do) with compassion, with empathy, and with caring for the people.  You can think their living environment is gross and filthy (usually it is), but don’t relate the grossness & filth to the person.

The woman who owned this home, got some other help (she was also receiving psychological help) from her church members I think. She wasn’t able to afford to have me (or any other Professional organizer) help her for long. I suggested to her to reach out for help from her church – they would be more understanding than she thought. There was no way she could do it physically by herself, even if the mental part of it wasn’t there. But she did receive help, was able to clear the things out and move into a smaller home like she planned. There is hope!

 

Donate Your Clutter!

Helping Others With Things You Don’t Use

I tend to donate most of my unused or unwanted things to the Good Will store in our town.  I have to admit it is the easy way out, but I got the most enjoyment when the kids and I went to our local nursing home and took them stuff animals we had.

Dave gets me stuff animals (I love to get them!) usually once a year or so for different occasions.  I  display one, maybe two of them on my dresser in my room and then store the others in a trunk at the end of my bed.

Elise, like many young girls had many stuffed animals that she was ready to give up.  We called the nursing home first and asked permission, and then took over several animals to hand out around Valentine’s Day.

It was a little uncomfortable for the kids and myself.  But it was a good uncomfortable. We were stepping out of our comfort zone, doing something we weren’t used to.  We had someone who walked us around and helped us decide which residences to give the stuffed animals to. I specifically asked for residents who did not have many vistors.

We had two different residents start crying. One kept saying… “Oh, this can’t be for me! This is too nice for me!” She began to cry and just hugged that stuffed animal.  I had a very difficult time not crying myself.

Wow…  the power in giving.

Think of all the things you have boxed up, packed up and hidden away.  Have you asked yourself why you are keeping it?

1. Keeping it for your kids?
2. Keeping it for memories?
3. Keeping it because you feel guilt?
4. Keeping it because you might use it one day?

I’m not saying to get rid of everything you have stored.  But I do want you to think about it.

Ask yourself these questions:

1. When was the last time you used it?
2. Is it something you can live without?
3. Is it something you think you will use each year? (holiday decorations, camping gear, skiing equipment)
4. Do you really need to keep it?
5. Could it benefit and help someone else, instead of being packed away in your house?

So you decide that you do need to get rid of some things, but how do you do it and who do you give it to?

First step it to go through and sort the items.  Decide what you need to keep and what you can give up.

Then decide where you can donate it.  Please only donate things that are in good shape.  No one wants your stained, torn or broken items.  When you take these items to a donation facility, they have to go through them. Guess what? They dispose of them. So help to save them some work.

Here are several suggestions:

1. Donate to a local shelter
2. Donate to a larger donation facility (Good Will, Kidney foundation etc)
3. Donate to your church or a local church that takes donations
4. Call your nursing home to see if they can use donations
5. Check the internet to see if there are any disaster areas that still need donations (tornado ravaged, or hurricane, earthquake areas)
6. Check with your local firehouse or city hall to ask if they know of any local residents who can use help.

If you feel that you can donate some things, but other things you can use some income for, here are a couple other ideas.

1. Have a garage sale
2. Take to a resale shop
3. Sell on eBay

I have had several people tell me that they have parents who have aged and have either a home that needs to be cleared out or  a storage facility that needs to be cleared out and they have no idea where to start.

You can start with a local Professional Organizer in your area.  They might have resources, or know of someone else that helps to take care of those kinds of situations.

Think of others

Think of the good that your item (that hasn’t been used, seen or thought about in years) might do for someone else

Donate your clutter! It will do a body good (yours and someone else’s!)

 

Some of you may recognize the pictures. I have done a previous post on donating to this nursing home.

Teaching Kids Responsibility with Chores

Giving Your Children Jobs Around The House

I strongly feel that kids need to take part in the family chores. I think our job as parents is to raise them to be independent adults. If they constantly have everything done for them, once they are on their own… they flounder around like fish out of water. They want someone else to do it for them. I’ve seen it time and time again.

A Few Points to Keep In Mind

1) Kids like routine
2) Kids need guidelines
3) Kids like to feel grown up
4) Kids like to help

Use these points in a positive Way
Routine and guidelines - Have a schedule for chores. Make a job board. This is one that I used to use for years. I have since revamped it, but this is a very simple one I like to show people.  It doesn’t have to be fancy.  The first name magnets I made, I let the kids color their own.  They loved that.  But you could also go the other route and make printables on your computer and make them look vintage or something that matches the kitchen or decor.

I started this when the triplets were three years old. They couldn’t read, so I drew the pictures.  Even though some of the chores like vacuuming might have been more than a three year old could accomplish the way I might want the job done… it gave them a sense of pride to help. Of course I helped, and now at ten years old they know how to do it properly.

For me… I go simple.

I use a magnetic dry erase board that I purchased at a discount store.

You can put the magnets directly on your refrigerator – maybe you don’t have the wall space to hang a chore board, or you don’t want one hanging, or you don’t want to purchase one – you don’t have to!

I put the children’s names across the top and the jobs they are assigned that week, underneath their names. Depending on age and ability will determine how many chores and of what level they are per child.  During the school year my children get two chores per week. (Keeping their rooms clean, beds made and laundry put away are routine chores. They are not on the chore board)  During the summer when they are all home, they have three per week.

Making The Chore Board

Purchased a box of these magnetized stickers for business cards at the office store. They are a little pricey, but I still have plenty left and they are the perfect size and the magnets on them are really strong.  The sheets of magnet stickers isn’t inexpensive either, and I have found that you have to cut it and the magnet isn’t’ as strong.

Either cut paper to size or the backs of old business cards.  I like to write the chore (and picture of the chore) on the card before I adhere it to the magnet. Then just peel off the backing of the sticker.

And place your paper onto the sticker.  There you have it.. Easy Peazy!

Cleaning Buckets – Feeling Grown Up and Making it Fun To Help

By giving them their own “cleaning bucket” it helps to make them feel more important. The younger ones can have something like this with just some cleaning wipes, a sponge and dust cloth.
If you color code your kids, then be sure to have their bucket in “their color” to keep them straight.

When they get to be a little older and can handle cleaning chemicals responsibility they can have something more like this.

Keep it fun and colorful!  The more positive we go into it, the more positive results you will get from the children.

It doesn’t have to be difficult or pulling teeth in order to have children learn responsibility.  But I think as adults we have the responsibility to teach our children how to live in the real world… and that starts at home.  Personally I think it needs to start early.  We aren’t helping our children by doing everything for them.  We help them by teaching them how to do things for themselves.

 

Wall Care

How To Clean A Chalkboard Painted  Wall

Chalkboard walls are tons of fun!!

But they are also  messy!  Something I didn’t really think about when I painted two different walls with chalkboard paint.

The kitchen

The Entryway

I was getting ready for my son’s graduation party and had just finished painting the chalkboard walls two days before. I knew I had to do something to “cure” them.

Preparing the Chalkboard

1) Painting – 3 coats.  Make sure to measure the area you are going to paint to make sure you have plenty of chalkboard paint. The quart went pretty far, I still have some left after all I did.  Follow the directions on the can.

2) Cure – After it has completely dried.  Chalk up the entire board.  It is easiest to use the side of the chalk.

3) Erase and Use

How To Clean Your Chalkboard.

I’m sure you have lovely drawings all over your chalkboard

1) Erase using a chalkboard eraser. (Actually I grabbed a wipe board eraser at the store instead, so I still have to buy one)

I wish you could have seen the chalkboard dust flying while this process was going on.

Guess what you have now?  You have a lot of chalk dust all over your baseboard and floor.

Then of course if it isn’t cleaned right away you have the kids and dogs walking through and tracking the chalkboard dust.  (not that I would know)

Now that you have erased everything, it is going to look something like this.

I am guessing it would have come a little cleaner with an actual blackboard eraser rather than the dry erase eraser that we used, but you will still have chalk residue either way.

2) Use a rag and wet it, but be sure to wring it out good.

Wipe the wall down and let it dry.  It will still have a film on it when it dries.

3) Use a little bit of mild dish detergent or liquid soap and wipe it down again.

4) Rinse it with clean water again.

It should look much better.  Mine wasn’t quite dry when I took the picture, so there are a few streaks.

 

Suggestions if you decide to have a chalkboard wall in your home:

1) Have a dust buster near by
2) Realize it will get messy, so plan where you put your chalkboard wall
3) Use chalkboard markers only. Although I found them to be much harder to use on a vertical wall. I had to go over the wording several times when I was writing the Congrats Tim on the front wall.
4) If you have children with allergies, consider the chalk dust first.
5) Plan ahead and it will still be fun.
6) If you can’t stand dust or mess…really consider your options before you paint a chalkboard wall in your home.

 

 

 

 

 

Planning Board

DIY Chalkboard & Dry Erase Scheduling Planning Board

Creating your own schedule board that is geared towards your children/ family doesn’t have to be hard. It can be a family communication board, weekly calendar, chore board for the kids, or combination board, or planning board like I created.

I made karate calendar / job board for the triplets.  Their karate schedule is different most every night. It also changes a couple times a year.

I started off with finding a frame. I had one that I really liked, was the right size, but the color wasn’t right. So… I spray painted it.

Step one  – Prime and paint the frame.

This is what I used for primer.  I also got the Krylon paint.

I used an Dover white gloss spray paint and it took several coats.

Step 2: Gathered your other supplies

I had the frame, Chalkboard Contact Paper, 18″ x 6′ and the  Liquid Chalk – Works like a Marker Dries like Chalk – Set of 8 Earthy Colors ,a glue gun, an x-acto knife and cutting board and a ruler. I also purchased a long narrow magnetic dry erase board that fit half of the frame.

But I also needed a few other things.  I had purchased this Elmer’s Tri-Fold Foam Display board from Walmart for another organizing project I am planning in the future. I knew I wouldn’t use it all for that project, so this would work perfect. It is light weight and thick enough.

I also bought some small self laminating sheets.

I had magnets that you can adhere your business card to.

Then I found those cute small clothes pins when I was in Walmart too. They were just too cute. I also bought 3 yards (I didn’t need all of that) of a thicker ribbon and some thinner robe like ribbon (for the name cards) along with white hooks.

Step 3: Measure the space that the Elmer’s foam board needs to be cut to fit.

First position the dry erase board where it will fit. Then measure to cut the foam board.
I used the X-acto knife to cut the foam display board. It made it easier than scissors to cut and you get a cleaner line.

Step 4: Cut the chalkboard contact paper to cover the Elmer’s foam board.

You don’t have to cover the back of the board too. Just bring around the edges and make sure you have a smooth surface on the front without wrinkles or air bubbles.

Wrap the edges under and then on the ends I did trim off some of the excess contact paper with the x-acto knife. I didn’t want to take off both layers, I just wanted to thin it down when I folded it over.

Step 5: Position the two boards into place.

I first cut a piece of ribbon that would cover up where the two surfaces meet and hot glued to the dry erase board.  I positioned it so that it was half off the dry erase board.

I put hot glue around the inside ridge edge of the frame where the boards would lay.

I then placed the dry erase board with ribbon attached into the frame (good side down).  I then put the chalkboard covered foam board into place. I first hot glued the edge of the chalkboard foam piece that would meet up against the dry erase board. Once they were in place I held it up without turning it over to make sure the ribbon was in place and then pushed on it to make sure it would adhere to the chalkboard piece.  This is what the back side now looks like.

I also gave a squirt of some hot glue in between the crack where the two pieces meet.

Turn it over carefully once it has dried and this is what it looks like at this stage. From here you can customize it.  You may want to leave the top blank for hand written notes or magnets. (See the ribbon across the middle?

Step 6: Put the screws in place.

I just purchased the small hook screws. I didn’t need to pre-drill them, I just positioned them and screwed three of them in the bottom, one for each of the triplets.  Then two across the top for the ribbon to tie onto to hang it.

Step 7: Make the Name Cards

I got out some of my old business cards and used those.  I put two of them together for a little thicker base.  Then I covered those in the chalkboard contact paper.

Once I covered three of those I cut the thinner ribbon to the length I wanted. I did bring it down the side of the business card to fully measure.

I then wrote each of the kids names on the chalkboard covered name card in the chalkboard markers. Be sure to let them dry completely before you complete the next step.

I then opened up one of the laminating cards and placed the name card upside down on. I placed the string down along the edge of it and then covered the laminating sheet. Be sure to tuck the other side of the string down.

Step 8: Make the clothes pin magnets

I again took one of magnets for the  business cards.  I covered the sticky side with a piece of the chalkboard contact paper.  I then cut it into two strips length wise. I then used the hot glue gun and glued the clothes pin onto the chalkboard contact paper covered side.

I made one for each day of the week.  I only used Monday – Saturday on my board though. The kids don’t have karate on Sundays, so I didn’t want to crowd them.

Step 9: Make the small cards with the time on them.

I then cut up some of my old business cards in half. Covered those with the chalkboard contact paper and wrote the times on those.

Step 10: Write the jobs on the chore board.

I put a number 1, 2 and 3 on there, because the triplets change seats at the dinner table.  They will have their seat assignment, and chore for a week at a time.

Remember if you mess up, you can use a wet cloth and erase .. and start over.

Step 11: Put it all together

The weekly karate schedule

The top bow. It hides the hook that it is hanging from.

The weekly chore board and seat assignment for the triplets.

The final project

Isn’t it cute?  I am really excited about using it.  It is going to go against a periwinkle wall when my dining room is finished.

 

I Love Your Comments!

I’m linking this post up to these lovely blogs:

Cherished Bliss - Craft and Tell Tuesdays
Bella Before and After – Amaze me August
Tip Junkie – Handmade Projects
A Bowl Full of Lemons – One Project at  Time

This project has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for #collectivebias. The pictures, project and thoughts are my own.

Fire Protection

NFPA – National Fire Protection Association and Sparky The Dog

Spring cleaning is the perfect time to check on all those wires and cords. Hopefully you are moving furniture and cleaning and dusting all the surfaces of your house.  So don’t neglect the electrical wires!

You all know Sparky the fire dog right?  I had the pleasure of interviewing him (via email) to give you some tips on how to keep your home safe in regards to wire and cord safety.

Did you know that according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) that extension cords that we overload can get really hot and could create real fire risk?  NFPA suggests that as part of our spring cleaning each year we need to check our electrical wires throughout our homes.

They also say that electricity is a leading cause of home fires in the U.S. It’s because we overload extension cords or plus, there is wiring not done to code, we have damaged cords or loose connections that can create these fires.

Sparky.org is a cute web site that has games and activities for children to do to learn about fire safety.

I created some questions that Sparky answered. Take a few minutes to read through them, there may be some info that you weren’t aware of.

 

#1 Sandy: How do you know if your electric system is up to code?
Sparky: A home would be determined to be code compliant by  an electrical inspector.

#2 Sandy: What are some key things to look for when it comes to your electrical wires?
Sparky: Among many, damage or discoloration of a wire are both common indicators of an issue.

#3 Sandy: How do you know if you have too many plugs in one room if you don’t blow a short?
Sparky: This is something that typically needs to be addressed on a case-by-case basis.  If a circuit breaker trips or a fuse blows, it is usually an indication that the circuit is overloaded.

#4 Sandy: What is the best thing to do if you have something electric (for instance a lamp) that sometimes goes off by itself and there isn’t something obviously wrong (such as a loose light bulb)?
Sparky: Have it repaired by a qualified person or replace it.

#5 Sandy: Is it alright to plug an extension cord into a power strip?
Sparky: It is best not to plug an extension cord into a power strip.

#6 Sandy: If you run over an extension cord with a vacuum cleaner and it cuts some of the plastic, what is the best solution for the cord?
Sparky: Replacement is often the best solution.

#7 Sandy: Do you have suggestions for cord or cable organization? Are there any methods that can cause harm or danger to the wires?
Sparky: There are many varieties of cord organization systems available so it would be important to refer to the manufacturers’ recommendations for the product when selecting one.  Avoid any systems that would require putting cords against walls or furniture or running them under carpets or across doorways.

#8 Sandy:  What are the dangers of using inside extension cords outside or vice versa?
Sparky: Indoor extension cords should not be used outside because they were not intended to be exposed to elements typically found there.

In general, it is a good idea to call a licensed electrician if you experience any of the following:

·         recurring problems with blowing fuses or tripping circuit breakers

·         a tingling feeling when you touch an electrical appliance

·         discolored or warm wall outlets or switches

·         a burning smell or rubbery odor coming from an appliance

·         flickering lights

·         sparks from an outlet

·         cracked or broken outlets

#9 Sandy:  What are your tips for a good home safety plan for fire evacuation?
Sparky: Be sure to have working smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside every sleeping room and outside of each sleeping area.  Draw a home escape plan and discuss it with everyone in your household.  Practice the plan during the day and at night with everyone in your home at least twice a year. It is important to know at least two ways out of every room.   (More information on basic escape planning and a downloadable grid are available at www.nfpa.org/escapeplan

#10 Sandy:  What are some other tips you’d like to share when it comes to spring cleaning and fire safety?
Sparky: Key fire safety tips: Key Fire Safety Tips – From “A Reporters Guide to Fire and the NFPA

Purse Organizing

Purses Can Be A Bottomless Pit!

“I know I put it in here?”   “It just has to be here!” “Where are my keys?”  Do any of those sound familiar?

When it comes to purse organization I don’t know if any method can be completely foolproof, unless you are never in a hurry, never just throw something in your purse and always take the time to put everything back perfectly.

I know that isn’t me, and I would bet it also doesn’t include 99% of you! lol

But, purses do not have to be hopeless. There are some really good ways to organize them.  There are many purse organizers out there. I have my favorite and that is what I will show you today when I clean out my purse.

Here is my purse “Before”  Things aren’t where they belong, there are receipts tucked in the sides, etc..

I use a Butler Bag that I reviewed last year.  I still love it (although I’d like a spring color).  I like having a place for everything in my purse and this helps me do it.

Step 1: Dump everything out of it.

Step 2:  Sort it!   (just like you sort anything you organize)

Do you use it?
Do you need it in your purse?
Does it serve a purpose in your purse?

This is pretty much of what I decided to keep.  Not the little buttons, and add in the coupon keeper and make up/medicine bag.

Step 3: Clean It

Then if possible pull out the lining of your purse and clean it.  Even if you are planning to switch out and use your spring purse now and store this (or donate it), you should still clean it thoroughly.  Get out all those cracker crumbs and loose pennies, gum wrappers etc, that get caught down in your purse.

Once you have cleaned it and sorted it, you can start putting things back in. My old pouchee was still in decent shape after a couple of years, but it was dirty and dingy looking.  I could have spent some time working to clean it up, but since I’m spoiled and I sell them, I just went and picked out a new hot pink one. lol

Step 4: Reload it

I’ll be going over my pouchee tomorrow with you in detail and how useful it can be.   I start with putting my newly organized pouchee down in my purse.  I am showing you how you can switch out for a spring purse if you’d like….

But in reality I am still going to use my Butler bag, so my pouchee will go back in it. I also cleaned out this medicine/makeup bag that I use in my purse. I have my ibuprofen, stomach medicine for my hubby, Benadryl, tiny sewing kit, Shout stain remover, etc.. in here.  I did clean out some things I didn’t need or that were expired.

Then I put things back in the slots I like them in. I keep my frequent user cards and gift cards in the lime green Card Cubby (which I’ll show you later this week) also hand lotion, gum, a phone battery charger and a little multi tool in this side.

My husband calls my purse, “Your bag of many wonders”.  lol   I have my coupon holder (black long thin thing, a note pad, sun glasses, extra reading glasses, my medicine bag (off to left) my flip video camera, a high lighter, lipstick, pen.

That is one thing I really like about this purse, it has all the separated pockets.  Before this I have always looked for a purse with organizing pockets in it.  So that things can have their own places.

Designer purses are not important to me.  What is important to me is finding a purse that is usable and that has organization stamped all over it!

I then tuck my pouchee down in on the side. It has my three (yes…  one for joint account, one for my son’s support account and one for my business account) checkbooks, money, pen and my phone fits in it too.  Then my keys usually tuck down in the space to the right of my pouchee so I can find them easily.

Keeping your purse organized doesn’t have to be hard if everything has a place.  Rather it is this purse organizer (pouchee) or another one, they are very handy and I do encourage you to try one.  Also using things like the Card Cubby or a little bag like I have my medicine in also helps to categorize and organize things.

Be sure to watch for the rest of my posts this week:

Purse Organizing – The pouchee (Part 2) *watch for the discount code to order one
Purse Organizing – Card Cubby (Part 3) *watch for the discount code to order one
Purse Organizing – All those purses (Part 4)

See my Readers purse organizing posts.

Randomly Robyn: Purse Purging

Robyn also posted how she is organizing all her purses now.  She is using a sweater storage hanger.

Good Enough Mommy: Healthy Back Bag

I want to see your purse organizing!  If you link up your purse post to my linky party and it is of your purse organizing, I’ll pull a picture and add a link to this post too!

I’d love for you to link it up to my Organizing Mission Monday Link Party
It will be open until March 27th to link to.

I LOVE your comments!

I’m linking up to these blogs:

A Snob Comes Clean

Disposing of Expired or Unused Medications

Guidelines for Safe Disposal of Expired or Unused Medications

Now that you have separated out all those expired medications from your medicine cabinets, what do you do with them?  Do you just pitch them in the trash can or down the toilet? Do you have to take them some place special, because that is a pain and no one wants to have to do that.

There are guidelines that are recommended by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for safe disposal of medication. See the FDA guidelines for safe disposal of medicine

* Check the bottle itself and see if there are guidelines there as to how to dispose of the medication. If it isn’t on
the bottle, you can check the enclosed information sheet if you still have it or you can check the web site.

* Most medications can be thrown in the trash. Take them out of their original containers. Put them into a plastic bag with something make them undesirable to animals and small children such as coffee grounds or kitty litter.  Seal the bag and throw it in the trash can (where animals or children can not get to it)

Be sure before you throw away a prescription bottle, to either scratch out your personal information or take off the label and shred the label.

* There are some medications that should still be flushed down the sink or toilet according to the FDA. They are mostly medications that could cause real harm to children or animals if found and consumed.  The FDA is aware that there is concern over trace amounts of medications being found in the water. They feel this is more from people who excrete medications and that the medications going down the toilet are still the safest alternative.

See drugs that the FDA recommends Flushing down the sink or toilet here.

There are also some communities that have a “take back” program.  You can check within your own community for such a program. They have safe methods for disposing of the medications for you.

Be sure to use precaution when disposing of your medications!

Check out my other posts from this series:
Part 1 – Organize Your Medicine Cabinet
Part 2 – Organizing Your Medicine Cabinet – Expired Meds
Part 4 – Be Prepared for Illness

Your mission is to Organize YOUR medicine cabinets! I want to see them! Be sure to link them up to my Organizing Mission Link party!

I LOVE your comments!

Spring Cleaning – Declutter Winter Gear

Spring is (almost) here. Let’s clear out winter clothes & gear!

Winter clothes, coats, hats, gloves, boots, shovels, sleds are just part of what can be either decluttered from your home or stored away until next winter.

When you go through your winter gloves make sure if you are going to keep them that:

1) They all have a match
2) They still fit your children and there are no holes in them.

If they are in good shape but are too small for your children, then put them in the donate bag.  If you only have one, then don’t keep it, and certainly don’t throw it in the donate bag (someone one other end of sorting will just be the one to have to get rid of it)

For your hats and coats and boots – Go through the same thing. For those items that will still fit next year and are in good shape, store them in a clear bin and label it.

For your snow shovel and sleds and skies.  Ski racks on your garage wall would be ideal.  The same for the snow shovel if you have the space.  Look UP in your garage. Use your wall space.  If you have rafters in your garage… use those for storage!

8 Easy Steps to Transferring The Clothes

1) Get your supplies ready. White (donate) and black (trash) trash bags, sharpie
marker, labels -sticky address labels work great, bins (clear are best).

2) Go through the drawers & closets. Pull out each piece of clothing and evaluate it quickly.

* Will it fit someone in the family in the future? (If not dontate)
*  Is it in any condition to save? (If not then throw away, don’t donate clothes
that are torn, stained or are better for rags)
* Will the next child wear it? Was it worn at all this season? (Do they like it?)

3) Make piles

* Save for next year
* Donate (white bag)
* Trash (black bag)

4) Get out the summer clothes from storage.

5) Go through the new season clothes and do the same thing as you put them away in
the kids drawers. Make sure they will fit your child this year and it is
something they will wear.

6) I prefer using clear bins if possible. Get ones that fit your space to store and latch closed. They will go from season to season. Now for really long clothing storage, you might want to look into another form (but I don’t suggest long term clothing store of any one item …usually)

7) Take the bins you have for next year and be sure to label them.  The labels don’t have to be fancy printed out labels!  Just get something you can see clearly and you can peel off or stick over for next season.
Put either sex or child’s name, season and size on each label. For instance, Boy – Summer – Size 10

8) Your donate bags can be taken to friends who can use them, sold at a garage sale or resale
shop or taken to a facility such as Good Will, but get them out of your house as soon as possible.

We have so much cold winter gear, that just putting it away or giving it away makes you feel less cluttered doesn’t it?

I’d love to see how you clear out your winter clutter!  Blog about them and then come back and

link it to my Organizing Mission Link party – Mission Spring Cleaning !!

I LOVE your comments!!

Spring Cleaning – Dust or Vacuum First?

Cleaning Debate Here We Come!

What do you do?  Do you Dust or Vacuum first when you are cleaning?

Hasn’t that been one of the long standing debates?  Kind of like the chicken or the egg.

When dust, the dust that doesn’t stick to the dust cloth falls down onto the floor.  (So then you can suck it up by the vacuum right?

But…. when you vacuum, it stirs up dust and makes things dustier.

So – Which do you do first?  If you dust first, the vacuum will pick up the dust that falls on the floor. But when you vacuum, it stirs up dust and then you need to dust?

Which do you think I do first? hmmmm…. you’ll have to read and see.

Dusting

Dust… ewww….   how can you watch one of those 60 Minute TV shows on dust mites and ever look at dust the same way again?  lol  It’s much easier not to think about that isn’t it?

I’m sure not all of your homes get this dusty, but I’m sure we’ve all been there at some point. I have two dogs, carpet and seven people in the house. All of those add up to dust. It doesn’t matter that the windows have not been open, and no one has been digging a foundation right near my house in dry weather stirring up all the dust. It’s just life.

When I dust, I prefer to use a spray cleaner.

I’m not endorsing Endust. I usually use it, but I’ll also use other products.  You pick what ever product you like to dust with, it makes no never-mind to me (that reminds me of my Grandmother talking… lol)

I prefer to spray the Endust directly onto the dust cloth, not the furniture. Why? Because that is how my Momma taught me.  Simple as that.

Dust away…..

Doesn’t it look great after you have dusted?  Are you a good duster?  Do you always dust the entire piece of furniture, down the legs, behind it… the sides?  Or are you a surface duster?  Me…. I tend to me a little in between.  I probably lean more on the side of surface dusting on most days. What about you?

Vacuuming

Dogs?  Sometimes I wonder why in the world I have them.  Their dog hair (Sadies’ fur) gets everywhere.  Their dander creates so much dust and dirt, there are those occasional accidents (Gizzy) and muddy paws.  But the love, licks, and smiles you get from them every time they see you is worth it (I think)

This shot is of a little end table that is right between the wall and the couch. The green basket is the dogs toy basket, you can see (not only one of their toys, but some ear phones) all the dog hair and dirt on the carpet and edging.

How about these stairs.

Look at that baseboard along the stairs. and all the dog hair stuck in the edges of the carpet.

Yes… Vacuuming is essential.

Here is another question for you.  Do you like the lines in your carpet after you have vacuumed?  I have a good friend who says she gets upset when her kids come in and ruin the lines in the carpet, from the vacuum cleaner.   Does the carpet feel cleaner when there are lines?  I think that is what the represent to me. “Freshly vacuumed carpet”

When you vacuum, do you go in the same pattern?  Do your lines have to be straight?  Aren’t these fun questions?

To answer my own question, I vacuum first and then dust.  Again, that is what my mom taught me to do.

I’d love to see your dusting/vacuuming or spring cleaning tip! Blog about them and then come back and

link it to my Organizing Mission Link party – Mission Spring Cleaning !!

I LOVE your comments!!

Spring Cleaning – Vents & Accessories

Vents

This is another thing we don’t think to clean! (At least me… isn’t this gross?) Check your furnace filter first. More than likely it needs to be changed.   Be sure to check your furnace filter. From what I have read the 1″ filters should be changed every month and 4″ ones are every 3 months. But there is much debate about that.

This doesn’t have to be hard to do. I again suggest making a sink full of hot soapy water. Arm yourself with a Phillips head screw driver and start going to the rooms that have the vents and take them off the wall.

Wash them and use a scrubby brush (but one that isn’t too course, you don’t want to scratch off any pain)

Make sure to dry it well.

Also get a rag and or your vacuum wand and clean inside the area of the vent.
Replace the vent and look how much nicer it looks!

There are so many things around our house that get dirty and dusty.  I have a glass candle tube on my mantel and it was filthy too!

Instead of just dusting it like I normally do… This got a good hot soapy water bath along with all of the rocks inside it .

Now look at the difference just a little soap and water can make!  You can also use a vinegar water mixture instead of soapy water if you’d prefer.

What can you find around your house that you don’t normally think of really cleaning well?

Get that soapy water going again and get a screw driver and tackle those vents.. and then let me know what other items you cleaned for spring!
Then come back and link it to my Organizing Mission Link party – Mission Spring Cleaning !! (You can link any of your organizing or cleaning posts.. they don’t have to be your lamps)

 

Spring Cleaning – Lamps

Are you ready to open those windows?  Ready to feel that nice warm air coming into your house to help “air” it out as so many people say?

Unfortunately spring cleaning involves a little more than just opening the windows.  Spring is a GREAT time to not only clean, but organize!!  Putting away winter gear, clothing have to be done anyway, so why not work on organizing some other areas of your home .

But we are going to do a little bit on some cleaning.

Let’s start with a couple things that you might not even think to clean.  They aren’t hard things, but just getting them done can make a difference.

Lamps

I suggest doing this project after you have already vacuumed and dusted the rooms involved.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t think about cleaning the inside of the globe that is above my head.. at least very often.  But there is so much dirt in there.

Take apart the lamp globes of the lights you have downstairs that can be washed.  Here is another one that needs it really bad.

This is looking inside the globe of a lamp. It is filthy!

 

Make a big sink full of hot soapy water.

Washing them really good.

Dry with a towel so you don’t get water spots.

Doesn’t it look better?  (even though there was still a sticker on the under side that I didn’t see until I saw this picture!)

Wipe down the rest of the lamp with a cleaner of your choice.
Then take the clean and dry lamp globe and put it back together.

Then you have the finished clean lamp…  to let more light in!

 

Looks much better doesn’t it?

So what do your lamps look like?  Do they need a little Spring Cleaning?

I want you to get that soapy water going and clean your lamp globes!  Then come back and link it to my Organizing Mission Link party – Mission Spring Cleaning !!   (You can link any of your organizing or cleaning posts.. they don’t have to be your lamps)

 

Organizing Mission Link Party – Mission: Spring Cleaning- Week 11

Are You Starting To Get Spring Fever?

Spring isn’t very far off. I know I am more than ready to open the window and let the nice cool spring weather into my house to air it out. What about you?

I’m going to start a series on spring cleaning and organizing for the Organizing Mission link party for the next several weeks. Join in and link up your spring cleaning and organizing posts!

Featured Bloggers For This Week

Parents of a Dozen – How We Organize Our Laundry Room

I love how organized this laundry room is. Can you imagine keeping twelve kids organized? Wow.. you can imagine what a house of that size would look like if she wasn’t organize can’t you?

I love how she has all the kids pictures across the wall too!

Look at the shoes and boots! Shoes coming off at the door can be problem can’t they?

I also love how she took off the cabinet door so she had a place to put the empty laundry baskets when they weren’t being used.

You can see the rest of her laundry room if you go to her blog: Parents of a Dozen!

Denise from Pink Postcard – A Gun Rack and A Skirt

I love inventive ideas and uses of items that can be turned into an organizing tool. Denise took a gun rack and used it to make an organizer for her ribbon.

She painted it and made rods to go across and hung her ribbon on it. Easy to get to and nice to look at. She attached scissors so being able to cut a piece of ribbon is easy.

Then she finished off her craft room with making a skirt to help cover up the table she uses for her sewing machine. She loves a vintage look. I loved this because it brought back such sweet memories of that trim with the little balls… my mom used to have some that she used for things and it sat in her sewing basket for years.

You can see the rest of her craft room make over on her blog Pink Postcard.

Be sure to stop by both of my featured bloggers today and give them some “comment love”

For those of you who were featured this week, please pick up your button (code below the button) for your blog!

<center><a href=”http://www.organizewithsandy.com/blog” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://www.organizewithsandy.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/featured-mission-monday-1.jpg “/></a></center><br/>

Link up to my Link Party

Link up any organizing or cleaning post to my link party!!

<center><a href=”http://www.organizewithsandy.com/blog” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://www.organizewithsandy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/mission-monday-1.jpg “/></a></center><br/>

Rules

1) Link to your specific post – not your blog

2) Please Link back to my blog with my button or link (link just above underneath my button)

3) I’d love if you’d follow me on google and/or FB. The google is new and I’m trying to build it

4) Blog post related to Organizing or Cleaning

5) No sales pitches or web sites.

6) If I feature you I will use one or more of your pictures with a link back to your blog.

8) Feel free to link up more than 1 post.

Be sure to check out my list of link parties! If you have a link party.. please link it up! Underneath the daily buttons there is a list of text links I have compiled too! (Many more there!)

If you aren’t sure how to link up… see my link party tutorial here. It is simple.

I would love it if you could vote for my blog! You can vote up to once per day. Just click the button. Thank you!

This will be open until Saturday night March 19th.

I LOVE your comments!!

Next Page »