Create More Storage with Pegboads - Day 3

If you sew, this is a great way to keep up with your spools of thread. If you don't, maybe tomorrow's pegboard idea will work for you!
This is from Craftlog.

Create More Storage with Pegboards - Day 2

Another creative thing to do with pegboards:

Hang a small one on the back of the entrance coat closet and hang your keys, umbrella, dog leash, etc. Or if you exit your house by the back door, hang it right on the wall. May not be the prettiest solution, but it will work!

Create More Storage with Pegboards - Day 1

If you don't have enough storage in your living space, this series is for you. The next few posts will feature a creative way to create more storage with: Pegboards.

They can be hung on virtually any wall to instantly create more space to hang things. Since most people think of pegboards being used in the garage, this first post will show just that. Here's a picture from home-garage-help.com

As you can see, this is a great way to organize tools. They become easy to see, easy to reach, and most importantly, easy to put back (which is sometimes the hardest part about keeping things organized). Gardening tools would also work well on a pegboard in the garage.

Boxes and Their Lids

I've written a bit before about defining your space. Here's another easy (and generally free) way of doing that.

Step 1. Find a tin box, wooden box, etc.
Step 2.  Put something in it (like items are best so it's coherent).

Not only is the above picture a way to define space, it makes it very easy to slide the lid or box out to find what you're looking for.

Buy, Buy, Buy!

Culture tells us that the more things we have, the better and more full our lives will be. And as parents, the more we buy for our children, the easier and better their lives are. What a lie! The truth is, the less you have, the fuller your life will be. If our homes are full of clutter, let's take a look at why we have it in the first place. Most of the time people are trying to fill an unmet need by buying things. Or trying to gain approval from others by the items they have in their home. Or trying to buy their children's love by giving them the things they want. 

So, trust me. Get rid of all the things in your house that you don't use and mean nothing to you. It will simplify your life. It will open your eyes to how much money our culture spends wastes on material things. I'm not saying to go all monkish and get rid of everything you own. But do live in moderation. Next time you're about to buy something that you think you need, analyze it to see if you can live without or ask yourself why you really want to buy it in the first place.

Challenge yourself this holiday season: Don't buy more clutter. Give consumable gifts. Or art lessons. Or a special trip. Your loved ones will remember the relationship they had with you - not the things you gave them.

Ten in Ten on the Tenth

Ten in ten on the tenth. Say that ten times. Welcome to a new post series that will be written on the tenth of every month. 

When you’ve taken care of children all day or you get home from work, one of the last things you want to do is declutter or organize. So, here are 10 things that will take 10 minutes or less. While they won’t be overwhelming, they will simplify your life:

1. Put up clean towels in all the bathrooms.
2. Go through your pens and throw away the ones that don't write anymore.
3. Change any dead light bulbs.
4. Clean the fish bowl.
5. Upload pictures off of your camera.
6. Respond to one email that's sitting in your inbox.
7. Clean the litter box.
8. Throw away the trash in your car.
9. Floss your teeth. 
10. Water your plants. 

Organize Earrings, Idea 6

6. Ice cube trays

This idea is from Apartment Therapy. It's one of my favorite websites. I could easily and cheaply put these into a drawer, assuming they fit. And while little people may still get into it, there's no glass or pottery to break. And I just happen to have some ice cube trays I'm not using. Sure, it's not beautiful. But, it's earrings. It doesn't have to be.

So, here's my finished reorganization of my earrings:

And I gotta tell ya - it's simplified my life.

Organize Earrings, Idea 5

5. A box.

While this one is too expensive, the idea might work. However, I have a lot of earrings and I'm not sure I could find a cheap enough box to fit them all. Nor do I have the time and energy to go hunting for one. Although I could get one of those plastic bead boxes, I don't like how they are so hard to open.

Tomorrow is my last post on earrings...it's my chosen method for storing my madness...so stay tuned!

Organize Earrings, Idea 4

4. Plate on the dresser.

I love how simple this is. Take a decorative plate and lay your earrings on it. Easy. Pretty. And you can adapt it to how ever many pairs of earrings you have. Just a few? Get a small plate. Got a ton? Use a large charger.

However, this cool idea is not so cool with little people in the house. But, I may be using this method when the kids are grown.

Organize Earrings, Idea 3

3. Screen Frame

Get a picture frame and attach screen to it. And while I don't like this person's taste in earrings, I do like the idea. And it might work for me. But, it will also BE work for me. The thought of taking on this project does not simplify my life. So, I keep looking.

Organize Earrings, Idea 2

2. Cindy Cage

This is beautiful as well. And if I were a bit more artsy and crafty, I might do it. But alas, I'll have to find something else since I am not crafty. Nor do I have a spot for it. Or even that many earrings. By the way, Cindy Cage is a very talented stained glass artist. Visit her website and check her out!

Organize Earrings

Here's my system of earrings. And it doesn't simplify my life. I'm in the process of looking for a different solution such that I can actually find the earrings I'm looking for. For the next several posts, I'll give an idea that I've found. If you're looking for a way to better organize your earrings, I hope one of these works for you.

1. Martha Stewart (are you surprised?):

I think this is beautiful. And I do have a drawer. But, I also have little people living in my house...which puts a damper on this idea. One little toddler hand in this drawer is a disaster waiting to happen.

Organize Necklaces and braclets

My apologies for all the gentlemen who are reading this. Unless you're Adam Lambert or you rap for a living, this post is not for you.

This is my system for organizing necklaces and bracelets. The thread rack. I bought these on sale for $10 each at Hancock Fabric. Walmart and craft stores also carry them. Spray paint it white (or whatever color you want) and mount on the wall; you have a great system to store your necklaces. It's easy to see what you have, keeps them untangled, and is easy to keep organized.

Stay tuned for a series on organizing your earrings!