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organizing | diy | frugal living

Do It On A Dime

Dollar Tree Fall Haul and DIYs

by Filed Under: Decor & Furniture, DIY Projects, Dollar Tree, Holiday

This year was the first that I was truly disappointed in the fall section at Dollar Tree (if I’m being totally honest). It was underwhelming and stocked with droves of chitzy stuff that seemed a waste of a dollar. FEAR NOT! That makes for a great opportunity to create your own gorgeous fall decor. While standing alone these items are nothing to write home about, together with a bit of glam-factor, they can be a beautiful addition to your home (or kitchen! or hair-styling routine!)

In this video I share with you some easy fall projects… plus some tried and true staples that are definitely worth a purchase. I’m so excited for this season and some cooler weather!

Looking for Krylon Looking Glass Spray Paint? Yes, it’s expensive everywhere, but a little bit goes a long, long way!

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*This is not sponsored post. All opinions are genuinely my own. Links contain affiliates.*

Toddler Room Tour | Organized and Budget-Friendly!

by Filed Under: Decor & Furniture, DIY Projects, Dollar Tree, Money Saving, Organization, Teaching

We recently updated Carson’s room to be toddler friendly!  But we had to do it on a tiny budget.  Here are some creative solutions we used to stay organized…and it requires minimal work from me.  No folding?  Yes, please!

SOURCE LIST:

  Screen Shot 2015-09-12 at 10.00.37 AM

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*This is not a sponsored post.  All opinions are genuinely my own.*

Organizing Inspiration with Aunt Karen!

by Filed Under: Online Deals, Organization

When I went to Vidcon this year, I stayed with Charlie’s Aunt Karen. She has such an organized home (as you will soon see), and in an effort to equip you with ideas to get organized, I wanted to share this footage with you! It’s fun to see real systems that work in a real house: I definitely learned a thing or two. While some of these ideas are very budget friendly, some are high-end, too. Below I’ve given you budget friendly options if you are looking to achieve the same look. Custom organizing on a realistic budget.

DRAWERS KINFE ORGANIZER

  • PULL-OUT CUSTOM CABINETS: Under $40 per shelf option
    (If you need a super budget friendly option also try using dish wash bins from the dollar store as drawers!)
  • KNIFE BLOCK FOR DRAWER: $20 option

DRAWER DIVIDER DRAWER DIVIDERS

  • DOUBLE UTENSIL DRAWER (if you really need the extra space would be worth it!):
    $30 option
    Otherwise, for a super budget friendly option get junk drawer organizers at the dollar tree and if room allows, stack them
  • PLATTER DIVIDERS FOR CABINET: Under $20
  • DRAWER DIVIDERS: $20 option
  • CANVAS BINS: Dollar Tree (seasonal)
  • RIBBON/WRAPPING BOX: $15 option
  • PLASTIC DRAWERS FOR TOYS: Available in-store at Target and Walmart
  • OVER THE DOOR ORGANIZER: Under $10
  • SMALL TOOL ORGANIZER: $15 option
  • FREE-STANDING GARAGE ORGANIZER Under $40

I hope you enjoyed!

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*This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are genuinely my own. Links contain affiliates.*

KITCHEN CUPBOARD ORGANIZATION | Cheap and Free

by Filed Under: DIY Projects, Dollar Tree, Money Saving, Organization

Organizing the kitchen can seem like a daunting and expensive task.  Here’s how, using less than $10, I organized our baking cabinet above the stove.

My biggest secrets when organizing are to…

  1. Re-purpose old containers.  I love the pretzel pillows from my grocery store, and when they go on sale, I buy a few, and I know I can re-use the container after we eat them.  TIP: To remove labels, use rubbing alcohol, nail polish remover, or vinegar.  Let soak using a paper towel.
  2. Stick with one color scheme.  When working with a tiny budget, things have a tendency to get a little Hodge-podgy.  In this project I suck with black and white, so it really created a dramatic effect for little money
  3. Shop the Dollar Tree!  The chalkboard labels, chalk pen, and containers we from the Dollar Store
  4. Use double-duty organizers.  My “risers” in the cabinets are also helpful storage.
  5. Shop Garage Sales (now’s the season!).  Storage containers can always be found at these.  I see them at so many sales!

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*This is not a sponsored video.  All opinions are my own.*

DIY Baby Wipes | How to make your own baby wipes

by Filed Under: DIY Projects, Money Saving, Recipes

Baby wipes are expensive. And loaded with tons of ingredients you can’t pronounce. Carson gets diaper rash very, very easily (it’s insane), and even though he is potty trained, he still wears diapers for naps and bed-time, and we still used wipes after going potty!

I wish I would have found a recipe I loved sooner. There are lots of options out there (many use baby shampoo and oil), but the proportions are all wrong and they leave a residue on your skin.

After some research and experimenting, we found wipes we LOVE and won’t be switching to store-bought any time soon. Besides, you won’t believe the money you save. Just one container of these wipes uses around $1 of ingredients, and considering you pay $4 at the store for the same amount, I’d say that’s a pretty killer savings.

P R O D U C T S U S E D:

Storage Containers (also BPA free)
Fiora Paper Towels
Burt’s Bees Shampoo (natural ingredients, tear free and safe for babies)
Burt’s Bees Body Oil (all natural and safe for babies)
Coconut Oil
Distilled Water

M E A S U R E M E N T S:
1/2 paper towel roll in a 64oz container
1 Tbs. coconut oil
1 squirt baby shampoo
1 squirt baby oil
2 cups distilled water

Combine coconut oil and liquid ingredients (make sure water is warm). Pour over 1/2 a paper towel roll (cut with a non-serrated knife). Remove center roll and pull out wipes from the center. Squish roll down using the lid. Keep sealed for up to 2 weeks.

Let me know if you give this easy recipe a try!

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*This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are genuinely my own.*

How to make Almond Butter!

by Filed Under: DIY Projects, Money Saving, Recipes

Can you believe this jar is $11 from Vitacost? Crazy!

For the price the grocery store charges for almond butter, you should be cracking open a can of liquid gold. Or at the very least prime rib. The cost is outrageous. Almond butter can run you $8-$9 PER SMALL JAR. I can’t think of another explanation other than it’s the health-food industry capitalizing on a “trendy” food with a lot of added health benefits. And considering how fast we go through it in our house, I was really excited to discover how easy it was to make your own.

Almond butter is loaded with vitamins and minerals and is great for your health. Peanutbutter is good for you, too (has lots of protein), but isn’t good to be consumed in mass quantities…especially if you have the 24-7-PB&J-requesting-kid. It’s so easy to switch it up with some almond butter with ZERO preservatives and keep your family eating healthful, varied foods on a budget!

You’ll need a food processor and a large bag of raw almonds. The cheapest place to purchases them is Costco where you can get a large bag for about $17. That makes the cost per jar right around $3…about 1/3 of the price in the store!

Process the almonds for 10-15 minutes (stirring occasionally with a spatula) until smooth and creamy like peanut-butter. Store in mason jars in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. We love to label ours with dissolveable labels.

I hope you give this easy recipe a try. Carson and I will show you how simple it really is!

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*This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are genuinely my own. Links contain affiliates.*

Teacher Work Bag and Organization

by Filed Under: Dollar Tree, Money Saving, Teaching


It’s back to school season! Where has the time gone? Lots of you ask to see teacher organization videos, and while I don’t have a classroom (I am a “floating” teacher), I wanted to shared with you my two favorite teacher systems for staying organized!

In this video I share with you some of my favorite back to school tips, best Dollar Tree finds for teachers, what to do with absent work (and how to keep it organized) and my teacher work-bag. These are my school staples, and you’ll see why I love them so much.

Even if you aren’t a teacher, I hope you find these tips helpful!

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*This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are genuinely my own. Links contain affiliates.*

How to “Do It All”

by Filed Under: Organization

I’ve been requested a lot recently to do a video about finding balance. I’m not an expert on the matter, but I do have a lot going on (oh man a lot…it’s bananas over here right now!), and here are a few of my favorite tricks for simplifying my day.

Be sure to enter below to win a planner from Personal-Planner!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My favorite ways to “do it all”

1)  Identify what’s important and QUIT BEING SO AVAILABLE.  Forget your phone, 90% of the time it’s just a distraction (I’m still really working on this one!)

2) 80% of the importance of what you are doing can be found in just 20% of your day.  Focus on the first 20% of your to-do list.  What you think is urgent usually isn’t.

3) Make a list and plan accordingly.  I find it easiest to have a planner that shows each member of your family.

4) Work hardest before 12…your productivity decreases after lunch so always front-load your day.

5) Have each item in your checklist include a number so you can quantify what you are getting done.  Don’t write “do laundry” write “do 1 load of whites and 2 loads of colors”…hold yourself accountable!

6) Forget perfection and embrace grace.  It’s not about a perfect house, or doing it all flawlessly.  Give yourself a break.  Enjoy your family.  We have a messy kitchen for HOURS every night and we don’t care!

7)  Find systems that actually simplify.  It’s usually about simple changes.  Sort your mail next to your recycle bin.  Do your laundry where you put it away.

8) Maximize each trip (in and out of the house).  Take as few steps as possible and do as many things as you can each time you get up out of your seat.  You will end

9)  Get SLEEP.  Sleep is necessary for productivity and most people get far to little.  Aim for 7-8 hours of GOOD REST.

10)  Create a breakfast station and kick-start your morning.

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Giveaway ends August 28th 2015 at 12:00 am EST. Open internationally.  Winners must be 18 or older or have parental permission.  Winner will be selected randomly by Rafflecopter within a week of the giveaway ending and be notified by email. Winners have 72 hours to respond before a new winner is selected.  The products offered for the giveaway is free of charge, no purchase necessary. My opinions are my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation.  Personal-Planner provided the planner for giveaway in this post.  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Youtube are in no way associated with this giveaway.  By providing your information in this form, you are providing your information to me and me alone.  I will use your information only for the purpose of contacting the winner.

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