Organizing my Pantry

I'm so excited about this project!

I have spent the majority of this week reorganizing the shelves in my kitchen/pantry.  I've been aching to do it for months, but haven't had the energy.  Yay for nesting!!

One of my most anticipated projects was inspired by this pin: 

This is such a great idea and it sent my mind spinning in all sorts of fun and organized directions!  I got myself some simple baskets, but then I couldn't figure out where to go from there.

Then I discovered Mindy Mae's Market.  Awesome place, by the way!  Lots of great supplies at great prices!  There, I found these 4 x 6 sheets of steel.  

You know I love all things magnetic, right?  You did know that, didn't you?  

Well, you do now.

Oh boy!!!

Here's what I did. 

I spent way too much time looking through my masses of cute scrapbook paper and finally picked out the designs I liked.  I cut two 4" x 3/4" pieces and two 6" x 3/4" pieces.

(can you see me?)

I Mod Podged those around the borders of the steel sheet.  

insert picture here...

(heehee, just kidding.  Someone forgot to remind me to take a picture of that.)

While those were drying, I dug out these cool glass marble rock things...

...and more cute scrapbook paper.

I cut the paper to fit on the flat side of the rock... 

...then Mod Podged the life out of them. 

Prepare to get messy...and prepare for the 3-year-old in your house to be worried about that mess and your fingers getting stuck to everything for the rest of your life.

Let them dry and DONE!  Almost.

Next, I took my itty bitty, super-duper strong magnets and hot glued them to the paper side of the rocks.

While the hot glue gun was out and smoking, I also glued my sheets of steel to the baskets (and, once again, no picture...but I'm sure you can picture that one)

Put your fancy magnets on the pretty steel and look at what you have! 

Oooo, pretty!

Here's what I am going to do with them:

For each recipe I have planned, I will make a list of the ingredients and print it out.  (The ingredients in the fridge or freezer is in italics...side note: I think I need a basket in the fridge.)

I may or may not glue them all to scrapbook paper.  That all depends on my mood.

Eventually I will have a nice little collection of recipes and their ingredients, which should make my menu planning easier.  I can even sort them into categories!  Slow cooker recipes, favorite recipes, chocolate recipes....Oh!  I'm so excited.

Anyway, once I have done my shopping, I can put these little cards on my baskets...

...and then load my baskets with the ingredients I need for the week. 

This should help with a few things:

1) Now the Mister will know what food is claimed, so he won't eat something that shouldn't be eaten.

2) I am hoping this will help me keep better tabs on what I have in my pantry...to help prevent waste.

3) I'm going to feel super awesome when I go to prepare dinner and pull my little basket out with all the ingredients ready to go!  Super Mom, what?!

Seriously, I'm so excited!

By the way, Embracing Messy is holding a craft competition that I am linking this up to.

I'm also linking up with my usuals.

Command Center and Rewards System

Alrighty!  Round 2 of voting is up at American Crafters.  I would so appreciate it if you would go vote!  Maybe I can make it to another round?

Honestly, I'm quite happy to be done with this project.  I would have liked to do something a little more elaborate and super organized, but we rent and are in school, so I am kind of limited with resources and space.  I'm not limited in ideas for organization, though.  I found it a little frustrating coming up with something I was satisfied with.  

Still, here's what I did.  

First of all, my desk was in desperate need of some organization.

I know!  You can scroll down quickly if you want so you don't have to look at that!

It sits right inside our front door and has become a drop point for the mail and whatever else we don't want to put away (like the girl's shoes).  I have to clean it off on a daily basis because this is also where I work in the evenings.

So, first I took the opportunity to go to the discount store to see what kind of organization inspiration I could find.  Here's what I came back with:

And here's what I did with it.

First, I cleaned everything off the desk, cleaned it, and took a picture before the cleaner dried. 

Then, I took the fun contact paper and covered the desktop with it. 

I didn't get it on super straight (because super straight and I are NOT friends), so I ran an Xacto knife along the edges that were hanging off and made them nice and clean. 

Oooh pretty!  (That paper chain, by the way, is from a date night with my husband; each chain has written on it a reason he loves me.)

Next, I pulled out some cork board tiles I had on hand and nailed them to the desk. 

Yup, I just nailed them right on there (which bent a lot of my nails because that is one hard desktop!)

I also put a basket underneath to hold my new inbox/bills to be paid box.

This is where we put the mail now. 

I traced the frame in the center of the cork and then cut that space out, like so: 

I put some pretty paper in the frame and then glued the frame into it's customized space. 

It's my new dry erase board.

I spray painted those green bowls so they are now a pretty chocolate brown and they are my clutter catchers and outgoing mail "box."

And, here are my "after" pictures:

It's a much happier space now!

For the rest of my project, I'm just going to include an abridged version of the post I submitted to explain my system.

You see, in theory, I am a very organized person.  I have a book full of schedules, plans, and to do lists.  It is beautiful and works fairly well for me.  The problem is, I still have a hard time finding motivation to complete my chores.  

In the center of the cork board, I glued a dry erase board for my Weekly To Do list and beside that is pinned my Daily To Do list and Bonus chores (these are chores that I typically have a harder time doing).

Now, my thinking is that if we motivate kids to do their chores by giving them rewards or special privileges, why shouldn't I reward myself for doing my chores?  And, what is the best reward for myself (aside from a clean house)?  Projects.

So, I now have a shelf in my craft room devoted to my weekly projects.  Each container or basket holds the supplies needed to complete a project.  Once my chores are all checked off for the day, I now have a project waiting for me.  The red basket holds a special weekly reward (such as a good book or fuzzy socks, maybe some occasional chocolate) if I finish my bonus chores.  Now, I have something to look forward to and I may even enjoy the housework more!

There you go!  Now, please go vote!  Thank you so much for your support!

About Me

I wish I could remember where I originally saw this idea.  It was a super good one!  I'm going to borrow it, but please know, this is not my original idea.

What is the idea?

Hang on....I'll tell you!

Do you see my little tabs up there?  I'm working on those.  I have one called "About Me" and it is not living up to my expectations.  I want it to be entertaining.  I want to fill it with information that people really do find interesting; stuff that you all are just aching to know!

So, here's my request:  Will you ask me some questions?  Ask me what you want to know about me.  What random, or not so random, Sarah fact would you like to read?  Please, oh please, help me set up an entertaining page About Me!  I'll answer all questions as best as I can.  You can ask as many as you like, they can be weird, funny, boring, crazy, interesting, random...whatever!  (Just, of course, please keep them clean and appropriate please.)

I would appreciate it so much if you would do this for me!  And now I'm all excited to see what you're going to ask me!

Thanks!

Getting Organized, the pretty way

I have a binder.  It is black and drab and boring.

I use it, theoretically, to keep myself organized. 

I put my weekly schedule in it.  And my lists.  Lists of project ideas, things to do, people to see, games to play, blog ideas, recipes to try.  You know, fun stuff. 

The problem is, it's black...and drab...and boring. 

I look at it and it feels like work.

I decided that if I am going to be doing this for the rest of my life (which is my plan), I need to do something to make it more enjoyable. 

So...

First I found this great piece of paper.

I cut it to size and then wrote a happy, inspiring quote on it...in pencil first.

 (which, by the way, I should have done lighter because erasing this proved to be more work than it should have been.  If you do this, learn from my mistakes and don't press so hard with your pencil.)

Next, I got out my gel pens. 

It's been a while since I've played with my gel pens.  I had forgotten how much fun they are!  I traced over my too dark pencil lines with the beautiful gel pens.

And, here's the end result:

Sorry the pictures is kind of blurry, but you get the idea, right?  I have to admire it every time I look at it.  Now my binder is happy, inspirational...even motivating! 

And, good news, I have been inspired to make the rest of my organizing methods more fun and happy and inspirational...maybe even motivational!  Just a little something to look forward to.



P.S. I'm linking this here: