Storage Totes in the Mudroom

My kitchen is not huge and my pantry is even smaller. So, needless to say I don’t have extra space for non-essentials. Why would someone build a 5 bedroom home with a small kitchen? Better question: Who would buy it? Good thing I’m organized! Anyway, I saw these totes at Wal-Mart. They were marked down to $5, but at the checkstand they were really marked down to $3 each. Woo-hoo! I knew they would be perfect in the mudroom to store those “extras” I didn’t have room for in the kitchen. (Please ignore the walls, my mudroom is still not finished. Will someone please ground me until I finish it?)

They looked pretty good up there, but kind of blah! Of course, my Cricut came to the rescue again. I thought about making a stencil and painting them, but then my laziness took over and I decided to make some vinyl and just stick it on. The totes are like a nylon so the vinyl stuck on, no problem.

The {1} tote doesn’t  have anything in it yet. This is inside the {2} tote. I use these for parties, picnics or when lots of kids are over.

I decided on numbers because I wanted something simple.

This is inside the {3} tote. These are used for parties or when the kids request them. They like to eat ice cream out of the teal ones.

As you can tell, I like fast projects. Maybe that’s the problem with me finishing the mudroom.

I placed a plastic tote inside the tote to give me a flat, hard surface to work with. Then I just stuck the vinyl on. I did actually measure a little, but it’s not perfect.

So what do you think? This is looking at them as you come in through the garage.

And this is looking at them from the front hall of the house. I love them, especially for a total cost of $9. 

Now I have a place for those non-essential kitchen items. Easy to get to, but out of sight.

I’m linking to:

Works for me Wednesday at We Are That Family

Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts

Strut Your Stuff at Somewhat Simple

Hookin Up With HOH at House of Hepworths

Frugalicious Friday at Finding Fabulous

Remodelaholics Anonymous Meeting at Remodelaholic

Weekend Wrap Up Party at Tatertots and Jello

Share You Faves at It’s A Blog Party

Sundae Scoop at I Heart Naptime

DIY Project Parade The DIY Show Off

Making Monday Marvelous at C.R.A.F.T.

Market Yourself Monday at Sumo’s Sweet Stuff

All Things Domestic at Crazy Domestic

Keep Calm and Organize Buttons

I think I need to make  a sign that says “Keep Calm and Organize.” While I should have been doing a number of mommy, wife, neighbor, school, church, friend related things, I was organizing buttons instead. Partly because organizing calms me and it’s also a good temporary escape. Don’t worry, it didn’t take that long. I was back to reality in no time.

But don’t they look pretty and organized now? Do you remember when I bought about 20 of these magnetic tins for .10 cents each? I could kick myself for not buying more.

Now we have vintage, opaque white, clear white, yellow and orange, green, aqua blues

Brown, tan, pink and purple, blue, red, and more red buttons all in their own cute little tin.

Oh, so pretty and organized. It didn’t take much time and I was recharged and ready to face the next 4 hours. What do you think of my magnetic board? It’s recycled “oops” aerosol cans. Pretty cool, huh?

Have a Beautiful Weekend!

I’m linking to:

Sundae Scoop at I Heart Naptime

DIY Project Parade at The DIY Showoff

Market Yourself Monday at Sumo’s Sweet Stuff

Works For Me Wednesday at We Are That Family

A Place For The Big Pool Toys

#7 on my 10 Tasks In 10 Days Challenge. Create something to hold the big pool toys.

We have a deck box for outside toys, but it’s not big enough for the water noodles, float rings and kick boards.

I’ve been trying to think of a way to keep them all contained and I needed something with holes in it for drainage. I went to Family Dollar today and saw this hamper (I think that’s what it is). It was only $6 so it came home with me.

I used my Cricut to cut out some vinyl letters. It had to be labeled, right?

And I picked a pretty pool blue color.

I didn’t measure to find the center, I just counted the holes. I love when I don’t have to measure or use math.

When I space letters, I always start in the center and move to the right.

Then I go back to the center and move to the left.

And there you have perfectly spaced letters.

Here it is in front of the deck box. Yay, now they won’t blow all over the yard or clog the pool skimmer. Zach’s looking for something to throw at his sister and her friend. Great!

Two down, Eight to go!

I’m linking to:

Market Yourself Monday at Sumo’s Sweet Stuff

Show Me How at It’s A Blog Party

What’s In Your Baskets?

I just realized I have a lot of baskets. I have totes, buckets, bins and cases too, but I’m just focusing on the baskets right now. They hide things, hold things and keep things organized. Here’s a few of the baskets in my home and how they’re being used.

I use a laundry basket in the laundry closet, to hold Emilee’s clean, folded clothes until she takes them upstairs and puts them on her floor away in her drawers.

One in the boy’s/guest bathroom, to hold wash cloths and hand towels.

Another one in the entertainment center, to hold/hide Wii games and remotes. Also TV remotes, but they’re probably hidden in the couch cushions right now.

I have one in the living room, to hold blankets, because I’m always cold at night watching TV.

And in the kitchen, for plastic ware. I use this daily to pack the kids lunches when they have jello, applesauce or pudding. I also use it for outdoor parties and picnics.

Some of the baskets in the mudroom are used for gloves, hats, and scarves. There’s also baskets for recycling magazines, recycled papers and outgoing items. And no, I still haven’t finished painting the mudroom. When it’s finished, you’ll be the first to know.  

My younger boys share a room and there isn’t enough room for 2 dressers, so Ammon’s clothes are under his bed in baskets. It actually looks pretty cute and he’s old enough not to mess them up.  

This basket is in my bedroom closet for my bags and purses. It helps me keep my purchases under control too. If it doesn’t fit in the basket I can’t buy it or I have to get rid of one I already have.

I have lots of small baskets in my bathroom drawers to hold make-up, medicine, nail polishes, tooth care products, and personal items.  

This basket sits at the bottom of the stairs for items that need to go upstairs. There’s also one upstairs for items that need to come down. If I put something in the basket the kids have one day to put it where it goes or it gets thrown away I remind them to put it away.

So, do you have a lot of baskets too? What’s in your baskets?

I’m linking to:

Feature Yourself Friday at Fingerprints on the Fridge

Motivate Me Monday at Keeping It Simple

Tip Me Tuesday at Tip Junkie

Works For Me Wednesday at We Are That Family

Favorite Things Friday at A Few Of My Favorite Things

Shop The House Sunday at Finesse Your Nest

A New Storage Area

We’re losing storage space. The more rooms we finish in the basement, the less space we have to store things. So, Hubby came up with a brilliant idea. We decided to put a mudroom in and then realized we had more space for a storage area too. Our garage about 14 feet tall so it doesn’t interfere with the car parking spaces. If you take 5 more stairs up from the mudroom you end up in our new storage area. It’s great for things that used to be in the garage, but now we can park our cars there instead.

Here are the stairs being built that lead up to it.

This is what it looks like from the garage area. We still need to put insulation and sheet rock up, to help it stay warmer than the garage.

And here it is finished, as much as a storage area is going to get finished anyway. The vacuum and other cleaning supplies are right inside the door. We actually moved these from the coat closet that was just a few feet away. I’ll show you why in a few weeks. It’s another organizing/storage solution (that I came up with). The patio umbrellas, canopies and camp chairs are to the right.

Right at the top of the stairs are the extra winter coats and Hubby’s snow boots. In the tote there’s extra hats and gloves. The snow pants are hanging to the left.

The golf clubs and summer toys are on the left of the shelves. The shelves hold paint and other home improvement supplies and a few of Hubby’s car thingies. We need to add another shelf to the right for more totes.

Here’s my spray paint stash on the top shelf.

The other side of the storage isn’t quite finished yet, because I still need to hang up a few more things. There’s life jackets, tubes, snowboards, totes for winter boots, and backpacks and a tote  for 72-hour emergency kits.

These shelves are for camping supplies. Yes, there’s a big cot in the front. When I go to girls camp I sleep on a cot, because I don’t like to sleep with mice crawling around me. The empty shelf is for sleeping bags I’m in the process of washing. There’s also pads, tents and tarps on the shelves.  

This new storage space has been amazing and we have room to park both vehicles now. Well, we will anyway, as soon as I get the desk, table and cart painted and out of the way. I guess I should get busy so Hubby doesn’t have to park his car out in the snow anymore.

I’m linking to:

Show and Tell Week at The DIY Showoff

DIY Day at A Soft Place To Land

Trash to Treasure at Reinvented

Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Chic Cottage

Strut Your Stuff Thursday at Somewhat Simple

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps On The Porch

Victory Of The Week at Design-aholic

My Top 10 Organizing Projects of 2009

It’s Why Not Organize Something Wednesday, so I decided to put together my top 10 organizing projects of 2009 all in one post. Some are small and some large, but all of them can hopefully help you on your way to being more organized. Just click on the title of the picture and it will take you to the original post if you’d like to see more.

Laundry Room (or closet in my case):

Decorative Clipboards:

Craft Room:

Which Planner Works Best for You:

Home Office Makeover:

before:

after:

Displaying Kids Art:

Organized Jewelry:

Papers, Papers Everywhere:

Office/Study Closet Makeover:

Bookcase Headboard:

I’m so excited! I was featured on Today’s Creative Blog today. What a surprise and an honor! I look forward to many more decorating and organizing days in the future. So, thanks for stopping by and come back again soon.

I’m linking to:

Top Projects of 2009 at Southern Hospitality

Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Chic Cottage

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps On The Porch

Make It For Monday at Cottage Instincts

Show and Tell Week at The DIY Showoff

Make Your Monday at Twice Remembered

Just Something I Whipped Up at The Girl Creative

DIY Day at A Soft Place To Land

Trash to Treasure at Reinvented

Strut Your Stuff Thursday at Somewhat Simple

Home Office Redo

I had the opportunity to redo a home office a while ago. We were taking it from a place to just do work to a place that he wouldn’t mind spending some time in. He works from his home 2-3 days a week and this space didn’t reflect him or his style. He has won various awards and needed a place to display them also. It’s a small room (10′4″ x 9′), but we made it function well and reflect his personality.

Here’s the Before:

The first thing we did was get all unnecessary items out of the room. Some were thrown away, some donated, some just moved to another room where they belonged.

Next, look for a desk in the classified ads for a good deal. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to purchase new furniture and update a room.

Choose a paint color for the walls and trim. He likes rich, deep colors. Which worked perfectly in this small room and made it feel warm and masculine. 

Find a way to display awards where they would be seen. There was a little space on both sides of the big window which was perfect for some shelving.

Here’s the After:

We put the desk facing the window so he could have a view to the outside when he wanted. Also there is now no reflection on the computer screen . Because it is a small room the desk is almost to the window to leave space for his chair and being able to get into the closet.

The shelves are painted black to blend into the wall and make his awards stand out more. I love the wall color. 

Cool lava lamp!

The house is north facing so the top of the window was left uncovered to let some natural light in even with the blinds closed.

Next was the closet area. Here’s the Before:

He needed cubbie like shelving to accommodate different interests and areas of work. We left the bar in to hang jackets and the top shelf for larger items to be stored.

Measure the items to be stored to make the cubbies the right size. That way you’re able to utilize the space better.

Here’s the After:

Everything is out of sight now and he has a neat work area, but things are at easy reach and available behind closed doors.

Here’s how I worked out the plan:

Thanks Greg for letting me work on your Home Office. I hope you’re as happy with the way it turned out as I am.
I’m linking to Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Chic Cottage, Strut Your Stuff Thursday at Somewhat Simple and Creative Cats Friday at Poppies at Play. Also Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors and Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.

I’m linking to:

Power of Paint Party at Domestically Speaking

Organized Laundry Room

It’s Why Not Organize Something Wednesday again. I’ve gotten a lot of questions about organizing and keeping a laundry room organized, so I’m going to share mine with you. I don’t really have a laundry room, I have a laundry closet. And for a family with 4 1/2 kids still at home it can get a little crowded with things. We thought about moving it at one time, but then I realized I just needed to utilize the space I had. The closet is 2′ 9″ deep x 5′ 4″ wide (barely enough room for the washer and dryer). But I do have 9′ ceilings and that’s where I had space I could use. I have doors that open all the way out and that helps with light and space also. No matter how small your laundry area is you can still have enough room to store everything you need. Let me show you how.

I put these shelves up right after we moved in but they used to be open, which could look pretty messy. I didn’t want see thru containers, because face it, most laundry and cleaning supplies aren’t pretty. Fabric bins were a concern, because it could get messy if something spilled. Then I found these bins at Big Lots, they are made of a nylon material and can just be wiped off (and they were on sale for only $3.50 each). I have everything from laundry supplies to extra bedding and rugs in the bins.

Hubby didn’t like them, because he couldn’t see what was in them, so I made tags for the front. I painted the clothes pins, put numbers on them (just for fun) and made tags so hubby could find what he needed.

I needed a place for lost socks (don’t we all). I had this board just laying around downstairs and had extra clothes pins, so this is what I came up with. I made the vinyl letters on the Cricut. It’s easy, because I don’t have to look through a basket, they’re just right there as I’m folding clothes.

You always need a place to hang up clothes as soon as they come out of the dryer (I don’t iron much). I installed a tension rod running from the front to the back of the closet so I can hang the clothes up before they get taken to their rooms. See those laundry bags hanging from the hook? One has delicates in it and one has towels. That’s really all I need in there, because all the other laundry is done daily. All the kids have laundry baskets in their bedroom closets. I like the mesh bags because they seem to prevent things from smelling stale before they get washed.  

You’ll also need a place for garbage and small things that come out of pockets in the wash or hopefully before you wash. I have a small basket, but forgot to take a picture of it. You could also use a small magnetic bin and stick it on the side of the dryer.

I needed my laundry closet to have some sort of appeal to me, since I stand there and fold clothes and don’t have a window or anything nice to look at. So I added some decorative touches. These hang over the washer and dryer.

This is how I made them. I made a grid on the back of white cardstock and measured for the openings I wanted. Then I cut out the openings with the paper cutter.

I added rub-ons to the corners of the mat on the dry and stickers on the wash. I just use what I have.

The W-A-S-H and D-R-Y are rub-ons too. I just center them on the color paper I wanted and taped them on the mat with double sided tape. So easy and I had everything on hand, even the frames (that’s why they don’t match perfectly).

This one is just made from left over stickers and the frame was on clearance at Hobby Lobby for .75c because it was damaged.

I keep a stool in there also, so I can reach the baskets at the top of the closet.

I thought about adding a folding surface above the washer and dryer, but I just fold on the top of them and it works fine. Sometimes a small space is easier to keep organized because you don’t have a choice. There will be some changes made in here. I’ll have more room when the mudroom is finished because right now the kids’ backpacks hang on the back of the laundry room closet doors and the beach towels will be on a shelf in the mudroom. I want to paint the closet too, but that will have to wait till after the holidays. I’m thinking blue or green. What do you think?

Make the best use of the space you have. Whether it be a huge room or a small closet, make it function for you. Hopefully you can use some of these ideas in your own home. And happy organizing!

I’m linking to:

Practially Practical at 30 Handmade Days

Why Not Organize Your Ribbon

Today is Why Not Organize Something Wednesday! I know all you crafters out there have tons and tons of ribbon. I’ve gotten some e-mails wondering about the easiest and most convenient way to store it. Obviously ribbon needs to be out in the open. Something with so many colors, textures and patterns should never be hidden away. So, what do you do with all that gorgeous ribbon? Here are some ideas:

Use a curtain rod. I had this rod that doesn’t fit any of the windows in my house I’m in now. It was perfect for my larger spools of ribbon. Do you have an extra rod just lying around? Try to use items you already have so you don’t create added expense (then you can spend that extra money on ribbon).

By the way, some of these pictures are from my craft room that isn’t finished. I apologize. Some walls are just sheet rocked and some just framed. I knew it was going to take a while, because of funding, to get to it, so I moved down there anyway. I’m very impatient! It’s actually not too bad, except for winter when I have to wear a coat and two pairs of socks to do crafts.

Use a shoe box or photo box. I took my handy dandy Big Bite and punched holes every couple inches along the side of the box. I made three rows of holes. Then just take off the lid, thread the ribbon through the holes, put the lid back on and pull on the ribbon to get the amount you need. This works great for thinner ribbon and all those small spools you have. This will work for ribbon that’s not on spools too.

The ribbon organizer next to the photo boxes is one I bought from Hobby Lobby. There’s actually 4 of them. They stack on top of one another perfectly. They’re a little pricey for me though ($10), so I use my 40% off coupon when I buy them. If you go onto HobbyLobby.com and get on their e-mail list they will send them to you every week and you can print off as many as you might need.

Put them in a bowl. I put my scraps in a bowl so I can see what I have. They get used fairly quickly on cards, for hairbows or kids craft projects.

Some other ideas I have used in clients homes:

Use a floss organizer box and cards. Take small pieces of ribbon or ribbon that comes on small spools and wrap them around the floss cards. Slip them into the box and coordinate by color to make it easier to find what you want.

Use clothespins. Take some strong wire and secure the ends between two cabinets or attach to the wall. Clip the clothespins to the wire and hang the ribbon from them. It looks like a curtain of ribbon and a piece of art hanging on your wall.

Another way to use clothespins. Clip the clothespin on the ribbon, wrap the ribbon around the clothespin and secure the end. Put it in a large glass jar or bowl with others of the same color.

Use glass jars. Divide your ribbons scraps or shorter pieces by color. Place them in glass jars and line them up on a shelf. They really look pretty and it’s easy to find the color you need.

Use a dowel and a cheap basket. Get a plastic basket that has holes all around it (at Wal-Mart they’re .97, $1.27 or $1.97, depending on the size). Cut the dowel to the appropriate size for the basket (you’ll want at least 1 1/2″ over hang). Put the dowel through one hole, thread the ribbon spools on then put the dowel through the opposite hole. This works great for medium size ribbon spools. You can paint the dowels to match the basket if you want.

Do you just buy ribbon because it’s pretty? So do I. I always find a use for it, but while it’s just lying around I want to enjoy it too. So display it, but make it easy to find, by color, size, type or pattern. Hopefully this helps you with storing all your ribbon and have a wonderful, organized day.

Don’t forget to send me your Organizing Dilemmas. Just leave me a comment or e-mail leanneja@organizeyourstuffnow.com and I will get to it as soon as I can. I’m linking this to Works For Me Wednesday at We Are That Family. Hop over there and get some more great ideas.

Organize Your Stored Decorations

            Does it feel like you just put up all those Christmas decorations? Well, now it’s time to take them all down, but how are you going to store them? Why not make it easier on yourself this year and the next holiday season. The best way to store holiday decorations is according to how you will retrieve them.

            Do you decorate by room, putting one room together at a time? Do you decorate by category, putting up the lights, then the garland, then the nutcrackers, etc.? What about by color, gold and silver this year, red and green next year? Store your decorations according to how you will use them.

            Purchase red and green totes for your holiday decorations so they’ll be easy to spot in your storage room. Label all sides and top of the totes. You can also place an inventory sheet to the outside of each tote so you know where to pack them up and where to retrieve items. Putting the decorations away is a breeze when you already have a “home” for everything. Retrieving decorations when you want to use them is easier too. You can decorate a little at a time or all at once, whichever you prefer.

            If you don’t use all your decorations every year, that’s okay, but if it’s been more than a few years since you’ve put out that Christmas mouse, donate it to someone who would use it or toss it. Now’s a good time to fix items that need to be repaired before you store them away. You’ll be a lot happier when you unpack the decorations for next year knowing that everything is in working order.

            Make it a goal this year to be more organized. Why not start with your Christmas decorations.