Happy Father’s Day, y’all! (P.S. If you want to see our Happy Father’s Day Video, click here!)
I wanted to share a haul from Dollar Tree of some brand new organizing products and a few items that I’ve never seen before that are definitely worth a mention!
*This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are genuinely my own.*
I used to be a chronic over-packer. I’m not gonna sugar coat it. I just was.
I’ve gotten to the place where traveling lights is so much more practical and easier. We have quite a few flights planned this summer, and here is how I’m keeping my travel plans and stress low.
1) Travel Simply. Don’t over-pack! If you are debating whether or not to bring something think about it like this: if you can buy it for $20 in 20 minutes or less at your destination, you can leave it behind.
2) Use Zipblock Bags! Store entire outfits in Ziplock bags (especially kids’ clothes). Get to your destination, and each days’ outfits are planned and ready to go. No thinking required.
3) Make your own packing cubes using old comforter or sheet cases, and makeup bags. They work just as well and keep your luggage extremely organized.
4) Make your luggage stand out. Use a ribbon or a tag so it’s easy to spot in the conveyer belt for checked bags.
5) Take a photo of your parking spot at the airport. You won’t forget where your car is.
6) Bring simple snacks with disposable packaging. This is a great way to get rid of leftovers in the fridge before your trip. Bring empty water bottles to the airport and fill them once you are checked in.
7) Save those Starbucks gift cards for the trip home. You won’t be able to bring food mostly likely, and every airport has a Starbucks!
8) With kids, prepared does not mean more. Less is more. Simple is better.
9) Travel with a garbage bag, jam all the dirty clothes in over the course of the tip, toss it in your luggage, and wash immediately when you get home.
10) Unpack right away. You will be refreshed and ready to get back into the swing of your routine.
*This is not a sponsored video. All opinions are genuinely my own.*
Having multi-use spaces in your home poses a challenge for effective organizing. But, just because you have a small home doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice spaces feeling open and organized. A friend of mine has a pantry/laundry room combination in her kitchen. Trying to combine two very different areas, she felt overwhelmed. She was trying to hide food in the cupboards, in the laundry room, wherever she could squeeze in space! But, she never felt like things were easy to access, and she wanted a system in place.
Here was the space before:
Really, she just needed a way to contain everything she was using and to think outside the box when organizing. Sometimes we are so used to having things one particular way that we don’t take time to think if that zone is really the most effective use of space.
In a trip to the Dollar Tree and the Dollar Spot at Target, everything was completed for right around $30. No kidding. Here is the after:
Check out the video to see the secrets behind some of these systems!
*This is not a sponsored post. All opinion are genuinely my own. Links contain affiliates.*
Making lunches can be a pain (I mean really…we have to do it EVERY DAY??), and making healthy choices is even more time consuming. Washing, cutting, peeling, prepping. That’s why I’m loving my salad in a jar. They are so easy to prep at the beginning of the week, so you can eat healthfully all week long but not have to worry about the time commitment.
Here is how I prepare and serve them along with my favorite home-made Italian Dressing.
Italian Dressing
*This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are genuinely my own.*
Soukup is a Christian author in search of “The Good Life”, a theme that really resonated with me. Have you ever felt your life (and budget) were spiraling out of control? Do you struggle to find balance? So did Ruth, and her honesty and wisdom in this book (from the first few chapters I have begun to read) genuinely shares her heart and how she overcame depression and unbalance in her life in practical, biblical ways.
“Ruth Soukup knows firsthand how stressful an unorganized life and budget can be. Through personal stories, biblical truth, and practical action plans, she will inspire you to make real and lasting changes to your personal goals, home, and finances.” (book description)
Her advice is simple and easy to digest, and I can’t wait for you to join in our discussion and take meaningful steps to impact your life.
Please join the discussion on June 27th! You can listen to the audio book for free here.
*This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are genuinely my own. Links contain affiliates.*
There are a couple main player in my eyes in the Dollar Store game: Dollar Tree (where everything is $1), Family Dollar (where things are more than a Dollar, but still very inexpensive).
Here are some of my favorite organizational and decor products in recent weeks from these two stores. Easy, inexpensive, functional, AND beautiful! What more could you ask for?
*This is not a sponsored video. All opinions are genuinely my own.*
Keeping an organized laundry room doesn’t have to be stressful. Truly 🙂
Here’s are my favorite tips for keeping your laundry room organized and easy to maintain….
1) Have two laundry baskets. This sounds so simple, but not everyone does this! One for clean clothes on top of the dryer, and one for dirty clothes on top of the washer. It makes for an easy in-out, efficient system this is quick to put away 🙂
2) Do one load a day. I know this sounds excessive. But with HE washers, it actually is very water saving because the machine senses the amount of clothes and uses water accordingly. It’s easy to stay on top of little loads and put them away nightly. Big loads are the worst.
3) Get creative if you feel like your space isn’t pretty! I picked up a roll of shelf liner from the Dollar Tree to line the back of my cabinets to give them a more custom and pulled-together look.
4) Less is more! Don’t over-pack your space. You can see more on that here.
5) Forget Pinterest and go for function. Easy to access items should be the goal.
6) Organize items in a zig-zag pattern (so you can see everything) and it makes products not get lost in the back of the shelf.
6) Coral cords with a cuff from an old shirt. This trick really does work!
7) Get adhesive labels from the Dollar Tree to label your cabinets. They are easy to change out!
8) Under the Shelf Baskets are the BOMB. They can virtually double your space in tiny areas.
Enjoy! What are your best tips?
I was thinking today about WHAT makes organized spaces that really work stay that way. And the answer is so incredibly simple, it’s a wonder more people don’t talk about it. It’s so simple and basic that it is in fact invisible.
We secretly want organizing to be about buying a bin or container to fix our issues. Buying stuff is fun. And it seems easy. BUT–the biggest key to your organizing success is not a bin, basket, or a container. It’s actually “negative space.”
Negative space is the free space that acts as a buffer between the items you are actually organizing. And it’s just as important (if not more so) than the items you are trying to organize.
If we systematically jam items into a space and organize it like a puzzle, it might look good for a while, but it will fail every time. Why? Because there is no room for your items to breathe. We need easier and we need simpler. Simple systems last for the long haul. Leaving no extra room in a drawer is like leaving no extra space in your daily agenda to just breathe. You can do it for a while, but you WILL tire, and when one thing falls to pieces, everything does.
Watch this video to see how this simple concept looks in practice:
See what I mean? Here’s how to make this a reality in your home.
1) Don’t make everything fit flush like a puzzle. Allow space between items. You need a minimum of 20% negative space (free space) anywhere you are trying to get organized. It’s not about how much you can fit in a space, it’s about how you are using the space effectively.
2) “Room to grow” is code for “jam more in and mess up the system” Don’t do this. Allow that extra space to be there. Resist the urge to fill it.
3) Write down what you want your space to accomplish. Literally write it down. What is vision of how that space is supposed to function? Think about it like a business. Fire all of the “stuff” in that space that isn’t in line with the vision. What is your turkey thermometer that you access once a year doing with all of your kitchen supplies you are reaching for daily? Move that…stat!
4) Experiment with a few high-traffic areas at a time. I took my little cabinets and use a simple pull out organizer and free standing organizer for my lids. It maximizes the space, and it is never messy. Ever. And we have a toddler and are really lazy. There, I admit it 😉
5) The higher traffic an area, the more negative space you need! This is like an inverse graph. The more you access as space, the simpler it needs to be. Life is stressful enough. Quit making it more-so.
6) You don’t need to be a minimalist. I like many concepts of minimalism actually, but I have no desire to be one. Focus on the areas that you are in the most. And don’t beat yourself up for keeping said turkey thermometer. Just don’t put it where you keep your spoons. See my point? 🙂
I hope these concepts were helpful to you in thinking about getting and staying organized!
*This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are genuinely my own. Links contain affiliates.*
The majority of the messages and comments that I receive are those of you asking how to organize small spaces. You don’t have a walk-in closet and you lack storage options. I want to keep providing you ideas and inspiration for making the most of what you have. Small spaces are NOT a curse, they really can be a blessing.
Here are two quick ideas that we use around our home: The first is turning Dollar Tree bins into drawers and the second is a tank top organizer.
Inexpensive and easy. Watch the video below to see how to make them!
Tools needed for Pull Out Drawers:
Tools needed for Tank Top / Scarf Organizer:
Welcome! If this is your first time visiting my blog, take some time to look around and take advantage of the free printables and resources offered here. My goal is to always keep these ideas, tips, and printables completely free of charge so you can get organized without spending anything. 🙂
Printing on Post-It Notes couldn’t be easier!
1) Print this document: Printable Post-it Note Document with lines
2) Stick six Post-It Notes on to each of the squares
3) Download this document: Printable Post-it Note Document NO lines
4) It looks empty, but it’s not! Customize each of the cells with text, lists, or photos with what you want to print.
5) Feed your printed sheet with Post-It Notes into your printer. (NOTE: Make sure the sheet will go through the printer sticky-side first so you don’t cause a jam!)
6) Print your customized document and there you have it! Post-It Notes designed by YOU! 🙂
This is a collaboration video with a some wonderful friends (and some new ones, too!) Visit my YouTube video to see more.
Watch the video for specific instructions for this easy How-To!
*This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are genuinely my own.*
