Do It On A Dime

Simple (and cheap!) Purse Organization

by Filed Under: Organization

Life is crazy, but your purse doesn’t have to be.  I feel like as a mom, there are so many things that I need to keep on the go.  To keep the clutter (especially paper clutter–can I get an amen?!) out of my purse, I have a few systems that I employ that really help.

1)  Get a purse organizer.  This is a game changer.  I got mine from Etsy (you can click the images below), or you can get them for less than $10 on Amazon.

2)  Get yourself a purse trash can.  I use an old pill bottle.  You can leave the lid on or off (sometimes off is easier, and things don’t fall out!)

3) Gift card organizers are great for those gift cards or even credit cards, too.  You can get them at the Dollar Tree!

4) $1 file folder for paper clutter.  You can find these at the Dollar Spot at Target (and they have the cutest patterns).  I label mine with:

  • Store Coupons– So I have them in hand when I head out on a shopping trip
  • Grocery Coupons– I grocery shop with coupons, and after I cut them, I stick them in my organizer before I go to the store.
  • Receipts– After I buy anything, I stick it in here for safe keeping, and I can file when I get home…or more realistically at the end of the week/month
  • Other– Random papers I need to hold on to
  • Extra– Extra coupons of items that were out of stock (this happens a lot–you know what I mean if you coupon)
  • Business Cards– Cards I get out and about, and my Doitonadime cards
  • Child– Coupons for kid goodies and free stuff!

See all of these tips and MORE in my video (plus how to get deodorant stains out of your shirt!)

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

Kitchen Drawer Organizing Made EASY!

by Filed Under: Dollar Tree, Organization

In this video I share my no-fail kitchen drawer organization system.  I say “perfect” in the video, not because we have perfect drawers 100% of the time, but because this system is as close to it as I think we are gonna get!  Ha!  There are lots of amazing drawer organizing systems out there that are awesome (but also pretty pricey), and I wanted to keep this on a budget.

My keys are:

1) PURGING EVERYTHING.  JUST DO IT!

2) Dollar Tree Coated Wire Baskets

3) Gripper Shelf Liner

4) Dollar Tree Mounting Squares

See more in my video:

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

Keeping an organized closet

by Filed Under: Organization

Keeping an organized closet seems to be something that so many women I know struggle with.  I’m definitely not perfect, but these are some systems that truly help me keep my closet purged and organized.  I hope you enjoy.

You can see my full closet tour here and see my jewelry purge video here!

Charities mentioned in this video:

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$10 Toddler Learning Center

by Filed Under: Organization, Teaching

Creating a functional and learning-centered area of our home for Carson was a must for me this month.  He’s showing so much interest in coloring, drawing, and creating.  My budget was small, though.  I didn’t have much to spend, but I love how this space is maximized.

I thrifted the desk but you can also find it here if you are looking for one (they are not expensive).  You can also find the cutting board organizer here.  You can find a similar storage ottoman here.

 

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Toy & Playroom Organization

by Filed Under: DIY Projects, Organization, Teaching

Toys.  Everywhere.  When you have kids it’s the truth!

There are a few things that we do to cut down on toy clutter throughout our home, and I hope that these tips are helpful to you!  This is part of a collab video with Jady A and OrganizedClutterbug!

1) GET AN ORGANIZING SYSTEM…YOU REALLY CAN SCORE THIS FOR UNDER $60!  I love these organizing cubbies to store toys in the playroom paired with canvas totes.  

 

 

 

2) LIMIT THE NUMBER OF TOYS your child has access to.  Sometimes, we live under the mentality that more is more, and our kids seem to tire of toys easily.  I find that when they have less options (that are rotated out) they do worlds better!  Store them in sets that are easily put away.  Plus, with less, you can clean up faster.  We love the chalkboard labels from Michaels and chalk pens.

3)  STORE YOUR PUZZLES (or items with loose pieces) IN PENCIL POUCHES.  You will love this.  They are virtually indestructible and save so much space.
4)  HAVE AN ALWAYS-OUT BASKET TO PLACE NOT-IN-USE TOYS.  This way you are constantly purging and only the toys that your child likes will stay out.

5) GET CREATIVE.  I made a DIY lazy susan for Carson’s art supplies using a cheese platter (and I turned the table into a chalk table!).  You can see more on that here.

6)  MAKE USE OF HIDDEN STORAGE AROUND YOUR HOME.  We use everything from large tote baskets, small burlap baskets (with cute labels) and storage ottomans that can serve a dual purpose to store toys.

7)  STORE TOYS IN BOOKSHELVES.  If you can stand to part with a few books, move up the bottom rung of your bookshelf and put in canvas bins.

What do you do to tame the toy clutter?

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Small-Space Organizing Hacks

by Filed Under: DIY Projects, Organization

Organizing in a small space means you have to get creative!  Here’s some simple solutions I used to create extra storage.  They will be especially helpful for those of you living in tiny spaces!

Some staples for organizing that are super versatile with a little creativity are hanging shoe organizers, paper organizers (that you can attach to your cabinet with command hooks) or wall-mounted coat rack organizers.  And don’t forget to hit up your local thrift store…so many of these items I was able to find there.

All of these items are under $20 (most featured are under $10 and $5!) and they make a huge impact.

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Customize Dollar Tree Bins

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

Here are simple ways to make $1 bins from the Dollar Store have a fresh look in your cabinet or on your shelf.  I’m all about the easy (and I was able to complete this project in under 15 minutes).  I actually did it for my mom’s closet.  I thought they needed a cleaner look.  Sometimes simple custom changes can make a huge impact.  Since only the front of the bins are visible, I just focused my energy there, but you could just as easily do this to all of the sides!

If you are looking for more ideas, here are a few that I found around the web that I really liked.

You can over the bins all around (but I would be nervous about spills or them getting dirty.  They are hard to clean and might not have the longevity that a simple covering does, but how cute are these?

Click for source

Have you up-cycled any organizers lately?  Would love to hear what you have tried!

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Joyful Decluttering: KonMari Style

by Filed Under: Cleaning, Organization

I’ve been inspired by YouTubers like Hilary at MySoCalledHome and Jen from Jennifer Ross to read the book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing.

This book is an international best-seller and is becoming quite popular on YouTube and on Instagram.

The method is simple:  get organized once and for all.  I love so much of what Marie Kondo (the author) has to say.  boils down to a few key points about getting organized, one of which was really eye-opening for me: keep only what sparks joy.

This seems so simple.  So ridiculously simple, yet so many of us aren’t doing this.  In fact, most of us aren’t.

My jewelry organizer


Here’s are my thoughts about the book, plus how I organized and decluttered my jewelry.  This process was so freeing for me.  Enjoy!

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DIY Upcycled Organizers

by Filed Under: DIY Projects, Organization

I heart thrifting.   It boggles my mind that people pay full price for organization tools that they could easily upcycle from the thrift store for a quarter the cost.  It takes a small investment of time, but in less than 20 minutes, you can create stunning organizers and systems on a budget, using commonly found thrifted items!  I find organizing opportunities at the thrift store ALL THE TIME.  You can see my video on ways to organize from the Goodwill here.

One of my favorite trends of the moment are matte chalk paints.  Plaid sent me a sampling of their paints and paint tools to review and give my genuine opinion about.  They come in an array of colors and they are so easy to use!  I kind of want to paint everything now. <3  Here are two simple organizers I was able to upcycle in a matter of minutes.  Don’t forget to enter to win your own gift basket from Plaid below!

You can visit PlaidOnline.com for more tips, tricks, tutorials and ideas to create your own upcycled creations.  Mother Earth and your home will thank you 😉

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Giveaway ends March 27th 2015 at 12:00 am EST.  US and Canada only.  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.  I will contact the sponsor regarding your prize(s). The sponsors, in most cases, are shipping their items to you directly.  Please note that Doitonadime is not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes.  The product offered for the giveaway is free of charge, no purchase necessary.  My opinions are my own.  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Youtube are in no way associated with this giveaway. 

*Plaid partnered with me to bring you this review and giveaway.  All opinions are genuinely my own.*

Organizing Questions Answered!

by Filed Under: DIY Projects, Money Saving, Organization

I”m all about sharing with you guys what works.  And I tend to get a lot of the same questions over and over about organizing.  If you have taken the time to write me a note or email, THANK YOU!  The top questions you ask me are: how do I get started organizing, how do I beat procrastination, what do I do if I don’t live near a Dollar Store, why can’t I stay organized even when I try, and what label maker do you recommend? 

So, I answer all of those questions and give my best, practical advice in this video.  Not the “magazine tips” but the real deal.  Things that I know work.  Why?  ‘Cause I’ve tried ’em!

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