A Place for Everything...

And everything in its place! That is one of my favorite organizing-related cliches. It has a nice ring to it, and serves as a great reminder every time I set something down where it doesn't belong. (Apparently the voices in my head are also obsessed with organizing!)

But we all have those things that don't have "a place" -- look around at your clutter and you will find that this is the majority of the problem. A magazine someone gave you to read, the cap to a pen you can't find, a screw you found while vacuuming...and the list goes on.

What do you do with this random stuff? This stuff is the inspiration of the "junk drawer" which can certainly serve it's purpose. But beyond that, I encourage you to look at your random clutter and group it by similar items. You may just find a new category and a new "place" you need to create to house these items.

For example, I am always admiring pictures in magazines for ideas. And then the magazine and/or ripped out pages would clutter my desk, the dining table, the kitchen counter, the coffee table... To remedy my paper explosion, I have set up a file folder on my desk labeled "Home Renovation Ideas." Every time I see something inspirational, I rip it out and put it in the folder. The magazine then gets recycled (or filed; I do have back issues of certain ones in date order on my bookshelves) and I can quickly and easily find the inspiration photo/article by opening my folder. And I have now set up additional folders for my design and organizing business, and for our rental houses. It's working great so far!

Do you have a fun or unique way you handle the random clutter in your house?

Keeping it together in the kitchen

So I think we all know of the "chip clips" you can buy at kitchen stores, to help keep already-opened bags of chips, crackers, flour, etc. from going stale. They are overpriced in my opinion and most of the time don't do the job. They're either not tight enough to keep the bag closed all the way, or they break.

Instead of using chip clips, my hubsand and I have started using "binder clips" you can find at office supply stores. Not only are they cheaper, they're usually made of metal and stand up longer to use in the kitchen (or office, for that matter). I like having multi-purpose gadgets as that means I need fewer of them!

In a quick online search, it's $2.99 for a 6-pack of Large binder clips or a 12-pack of Medium binder clips (at Staples) vs. $6.99 for a set of 10 assorted plastic chip clips (at Bed, Bath, and Beyond). In other words, I can get 18 binder clips for the price of 10 chip clips, and I can use the binder clips for more things, including their actual purpose of holding papers together!

And speaking of, I also use binder clips to hold my coupons together, organized in date order of when they expire, soonest on top. You can even super glue a magnet to the back of the binder clip, if you like the idea of mounting to the refrigerator (which is what some chip clips have, but the magnets are never strong enough).

While there are some really cool kitchen gadgets out there, always think through other options before splurging. There are often other ways you can accomplish the same task without having to purchase yet another gadget that you then have to find a home for in your home. Less stuff = less clutter!

Happy clipping,
-amy

Update on bedroom update

These projects always take longer than you anticipate...don't they? :)

I'm nearly done painting...will finish up this afternoon (ran out of paint and had to get more!). Since I decided to go with two shades of a cool green, the painting has been more laborious than I thought because I have to do a lot of "cutting in" by hand (painting the trim, corners, and other places the roller can't get to). It takes a lot of patience and a steady hand, and I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to projects like this, so it's taking longer that I thought...and I lost some steam there for a bit. But I'm back at it today!

I've already learned, or been reminded of, some valuable lessons with this project and I thought I'd share with y'all:

(1) Prep work is never time wasted. My husband, the contractor, calls this "the 5% most people don't bother to do." But it makes a big difference in quality later, as I've just witnessed first hand. If you take the time to patch and fill any and all small holes, it makes painting go more quickly later because you're not trying to get it to soak into holes in the drywall. And caulking around windows and all the trim helps your paint lines look more clean and crisp (it can even help with cutting in at times, as it gives you a smooth surface).

(2) Write down your paint calculations in terms of square footage so that you purchase the right amount, and don't forget to include the ceiling and your second coat. And yes, using high quality paint means you use less...but you will almost always have to do a second coat. (Sometimes a third, if you're doing a really dark/rich color.)

(3) Wash your paintbrushes often. Even in the middle of a project. Because it really sucks and takes a lot of time and water to get them clean if you wait a few days...!

(4) If you're running low on paint and don't think you have enough to finish the project, STOP in a place that makes sense and will be easy to blend, such as a corner or a the end of a coat. And SAVE some of the paint from the original can. That way when you buy a second can, you can mix them together and ensure you have a close match. (Even though they mix the paint by computer, there can be some slight color variance from can to can.)

I'm hoping by the end of this week that not only will the paint be done and dry, but we'll have all the furniture and lighting in as well, so I can take a great "after" photo to show you. Wish me luck!

-amy