Storing and Caring for Face MasksAlthough mask mandates were stopped earlier this summer, the new variants of COVID-19 are bringing them back. Many areas require masks for any indoor public places and some places, like hospitals and courtrooms, have never stopped requiring them. Here are some tips and tricks that may help you keep your masks organized and at hand when you need them.
Face Mask HolderWe all have several masks. Some we were given, some we made, and some we purchased. They all have one thing in common. They need a place in the house.
DIY Lazy Susan OrganizerYou know when your intentions are pure and your start out with the best of them? I put a pretty basket on a lazy susan and put napkins, spices, and salt and pepper. Then, a cup for pens. Then paper. Then cards...
Vinyl Record Rack for Organizing Plastic ContainersI am always battling with keeping my plastic containers and lids organized. While at the thrift store, I purchased an old 45 record holder with the idea of using it to organize the lids. This is the before and after pictures.
Two Lidless Tubs Become OneToday, after working most of the week on crafts, I decided to work on my apt's clutter problem. I was able to clean out two tubs, leaving me with the bottoms, but not the tops. That happens a lot when you are moving around a lot.
DIY Hot Cup Sleeve Tea OrganizerDon't use hot cup sleeves? Or do you save hot cup sleeves? You can use them for a tea organizer! Or, apply the same concept using sturdy paper or thin cardboard, cut long strips and fold into a square to make this tea organizer.
Hanging Necklaces Using Re-purposed ItemsI have to hope things will be normal someday. So to that extent, I am making a place for my jewelry making and reselling.
Budget OrganizerMoving out is not that simple. It means freedom for me and at the same time being independent. So I set up a file case where I can put my receipts and monthly bill payments. Never forget the savings where it should always be first priority in the household.
DIY Over the Counter Dish RackI was looking online to purchase an over the sink dish rack and to my surprise they could get kind of expensive. The one I had my eyes was nearly $173 so I decided to construct one myself.
Dollar Tree Bead Storage SolutionI love these little oblong containers from the Dollar Tree. I get them in a package of 10.
Expandable Way To Organize BeadsThis was a very easy project that took a small amount of effort with maximum return and it was fun. First collect as many of those little liquor bottles they give on airplanes or in the mini-bars in hotel rooms. Get your friends to help you. They are usually glad to help when you tell them it is for a special project. Other types of containers could be substituted.
Getting Your Fabric OrganizedWith sewing and doing a lot of crafts, I needed to come up with a easy, efficient, and organized fabric display. Make it simple and easy looking for that perfect amount for upcoming projects, by simply measuring your fabric, folding it around cardboard, and pinning it together. Use leftover cardstock, with hand written measured amount, pinned into your fabric, card catalog style.
Customizing a Wicker NightstandI have a wonderful 5 drawer night stand. It's perfect except for the top has way too little area for a lamp, cell charger, etc. So I customized the top.
Reduce Laundry by Reducing ClothesMy family of four just recently picked up and moved across the globe with most of our possessions in only seven suitcases. As we are settling into our new home, I am trying to be conscientious of what new things we bring into our house. Having less stuff can make for much easier organizing.
DIY Shirt Folding BoardMy mum was recently poking at me because as I was folding laundry, all the shirts had slightly different widths and fold variations. What can I say? I did not inherit her folding perfectionist gene (jokes aside, she is an origami professional).
Mushroom Tubs for Organizing Craft SuppliesI love mushrooms. But almost the best things about them are how versatile their containers are. Durable and cute, they make a chaotic kitchen, office, or craft room much better.
Repurposing a Dishwasher Baby Bottle Rack to Store ThreadI am always looking for something to make my craft supplies easier to store, find, and use. I spotted this at a local thrift store and scarfed it up.
Organizing Handicraft ProjectsDollar stores are great. I rely on them to help keep me organized, particularly when it comes to handicraft projects. If you enjoy variety in your creative endeavours, you might like to keep projects and supplies organized by using the large plastic trays from your local dollar store. One tray, one project.
Ribbon StorageI store my ribbons in this Sterilite 6 Qt./5.7 L storage box container. You can purchase this container for $1.00 or less - at your local Walmart, Target, or Big Lots.
How NOT to Move!I recently had 15 days to move from Sutherlin, OR to Stayton, OR. Trust me, it was not enough time. Being 62 and having no help, it was a comedy of errors to be sure. So here are some things I learned that I want to share with you.
Using a School Lunch ChartThis is a page about using a school lunch chart. This school lunch chart is a great tool to help make it easier to prepare your kids' lunch throughout the week. Each child picks their meals for the week, allowing you to prep ahead, and know what they are taking each day.
Organizing WarrantiesKeeping your product warranties organized can help you determine if there is a solution to a product's failure or allow you to review replacement policies. This is a page about organizing warranties.
Organizing Craft Supplies With Recycled ContainersAvid crafters are always in need of containers for their supplies. This can be expensive unless you get creative and begin identifying recycled containers that can be kept for storing them. This is a page about organizing craft supplies with recycled containers.
How to Organize Your Teen BedroomTeens are notorious for having messy bedrooms. Read on for some idea on how to organize your teen bedroom.
Recycled Cardboard Tubes to Hold Wrapping PaperOnce you use part of a roll of wrapping paper it is difficult to keep it from unwrapping from the tube. Try using another smaller diameter paper tube, cut up its length, to secure the cut edge. This is a page about using recycled cardboard tubes to hold wrapping paper.
The Frugal OrganizerA change in housing and finances can trigger the need to find creative storage space in a much smaller home or apartment. It is amazing the solutions that present themselves. This is a page about becoming the frugal organizer.
Storing Necklaces Inside a StrawOne creative use for a drinking straw is for help in organizing necklaces. Keep the chains on your pendant necklaces from getting tangled by storing them inside a drinking straw.
Restock Your Pantry Like Stores Restock Their ShelvesA well organized pantry not only makes it easy to find a specific item, but can also help save money since you won't buy more of a food item that you already have. This is a page about restock your pantry like stores restock their shelves.
Use Shower Curtain Rings on HangersShower curtain rings can be used for many more things than just holding up a shower curtain. You can use them in your closet to hang ties or scarves. This is a page about use shower curtain rings as hangers.
Use a Sugar Dispenser for RibbonThe hole at the top of a sugar dispenser is just the right size for many types of small ribbon to fit through. This is a page about sugar dispenser for ribbon.
Organizing a Lazy Susan CabinetA Lazy Susan cabinet can be a very efficient way to store things. This is a page about organizing a lazy susan cabinet.
Get Rid of Clutter in 30 DaysHaving a cluttered house can be very stressful. This is a page about get rid of clutter in 30 days.
Organizing Craft Supplies in a Small SpaceMany of us do not have the luxury of having a spacious crafting area with lots of storage. This is a page about organizing craft supplies in a small space.
Using Soda Can Tabs to Double Wardrobe SpaceThis is a page about using soda can tabs to double wardrobe space. To help organize your clothes closet you can add room for more hangers by using can opening tabs.
Using Bread Ties for Labeling CordsSave your bread ties for this ingenious way to organize the tangle of cords at your entertainment center or desk. This is a page about using bread ties for labeling cords.
Bandana Storage Tube for Plastic BagsHere is a handy way to store extra plastic bags that can easily be made from a common bandana. This is a page about bandana storage tube for plastic bags.
The Frugal OrganizerBeing separated from my husband brought on many financial challenges. First, I had to find a place to live that I could afford. The apartment I found was very small but nice. The problem was I had so much craft "stuff". I couldn't afford a storage space so I became obsessed in finding places to hide things.
DIY Kayak HangerThis is a page about making a DIY kayak hanger. Kayaks are fun to have when you are at the water but are large and difficult to store when you are at home.
Organizing Spice Tins on Your FridgeThis is a page about organizing spice tins on your fridge. This is a creative way to find more storage space in your kitchen.
Find Hidden Places to Store ThingsIf you have a door you seldom close like I do or even if you do close it, you can often find hidden storage places.
Hanging Craft Supply StorageI have more crafting odds and ends than I know what to do with! I've found a way to store some of them out of the way that works well for me. I use a pants hanger and large Ziploc bags to hang them on a closet rod.
Identifying Yarn Stored on Top ShelfI have very little storage space and lots of yarn. So, I have to go almost all the way up to the ceiling. When you do that, you lose the ability to know what's in that box or basket.
Storing Rolls of PaperOf all the items in your craft area, rolls of paper are one of the most difficult to store. Because they are so long and thin it is hard to find a place where they will fit and they easily fall over, unravel, roll around, and get creased.
Labeling Nail Clippers and TweezersI am so sick of my nail clippers and tweezers going missing! I feel like I am constantly buying new ones and even when everyone has their own pair they seem to take each others too. So my trusty labeler and I went to work, labeling all of them with each person's name. Now it will be obvious whose it is.
C-Clamp Temporary ShelvingOn a trip to my local Sears store to buy a wrench, I passed through the men's clothing department. They had set up a display table for shirts using c-clamps. It was quite ingenious, at least I thought so. This might work for temporary shelving in your home, light weight items are probably best.
Prevent Clothes Slipping off HangersIt's a nuisance when your clothes slip off your hangers and you find them crumpled on the floor of your wardrobe.
DIY Kayak HangerI needed a solution to store my kayaks off the ground and came up with this. This project uses ratchet tie downs, which I had an abundance of, to hang kayaks off the ground.
Tension Rod Crafting Ribbon and Wrapping...I wanted a care free way to display my crafting ribbon and also make it a space saver. Tension rods can also be used to hold clean materials (a towel rod). They can be purchased cheaply and installed by anyone.
Converting a Closet into a Private NookI promised myself I would write more this year and so far, only one thing has made it to paper. I have a small apartment cluttered with craft supplies and distractions. So, I created this space. I call it my reading, writing, thinking, and hiding room.
Folding Plastic Grocery BagsThis is a page about folding plastic grocery bags. Storing plastic grocery bags for reuse can be a challenge. They seem to require a better solution than stuffing them in another grocery bag.
Store Duct Tape in BaggiesI use duct tape for many of my crafts and with cats, I constantly am picking off hair from the edge of the tape roll. I also find that when I put it away in my storage box it sticks to everything.
Hang Over the Door Hooks Upside DownI love the over the door hooks you get at the dollar stores. But sometimes, they can be used in the laundry room for catching the clothes before they wrinkle.
Storing Appliances in CabinetsIn an effort to regain space in the kitchen, I decided that I needed to find storage places for the various appliances that were cluttering up the counters. The only issue was I couldn't see what was in the back of the cabinet. I solved this problem by putting labels at the front edges of the shelves.
Fishing Boxes as Craft OrganizersOrganize fabric, ribbons, thread, trim, buttons, needles, and whatever else with cheap fishing boxes from Walmart (~$6).
Middle School Locker KitThis locker kit was assembled with a girl in mind, however it could easily be customized for a boy. Send your child off to school this fall with all of the essentials that they might need.
Can Tabs for Instant Room in Your ClosetInstead of buying those multi-hanger type hangers, use the tabs from tab opening cans, such as soda, cat food, ravioli, etc., to hook one or more clothes hangers together to create more room in your closet! Just slip the tab onto the hanger hook and connect the hangers!
Storing Plastic Bags Using Football FoldDid you ever make paper napkin footballs when you were a kid? Well that childhood activity has a fabulous adulthood use too. Folding your plastic grocery bags using the football fold will reduce the space you need to store them.
Arranging Books on the ShelvesAs an old person with an arthritic neck I have dreamed up a better way to shelve some of my books. I place the ones whose titles can be read while the book is lying flat on the shelf in that position.
Labeling Charging CordsWe have numerous cell phones and small devices that all use the same charging cords. I can never find any of my charging cords. I end up buying new ones or it always seems like the kids miraculously have one when mine goes missing.
Pencil Box Drawing KitMy kids love to draw in the car, at restaurants, and while they are sitting around waiting at places. It seems like the supplies are always getting spread out, getting lost, or getting ruined.
Using Cans to Organize Colored PencilsWe have a ridiculous amount of colored pencils. Tons of leftovers seem to come home at the end of every school year and I frequently can't find where I stashed them so we end up buying more. I finally took the time to collect them all together and wanted to organize them.
Magnetic Items to Organize Your KitchenIn addition to making a magnetic knife holder, I also purchased little magnetic spice canisters to hold the spices I use most often. Like the ones that I have recently dried from the garden, or that are "over flow" spices that I bought extra of, like exotic peppers or salts.
Magnetic Knife HolderAfter desperately searching for a magnetic knife rack to save kitchen counter space, I never found any that would just attach to the fridge without having to drill holes.
Freeing Up Counter Space in BathroomTo free up some counter space in the bathroom, I purchased a shower caddy and placed it on the mirror. The suction cups hold it on tight and it has worked great for me.
Organizing Craft SuppliesYou know those egg carton-type protectors that come with new items like paper shredders or small kitchen appliances? I had the idea that they could make great crafting supplies organizers.
Ribbon Hair Clip OrganizerHere is a quick and easy way to organizer hair clips. Take a length of ribbon, fold one end over to create a loop, and safety pin it in place.
Use DVD Shelves for PaperbacksRecently, we got rid of many of our DVDs and video game cases so we no longer had a use for these tall narrow shelves. However, they are just the right size for paperbacks.
Storing Cake Pans and Baking SuppliesI have quite a few cake pans that were taking up valuable space in my pantry. I don't use them enough to have them out all of the time so I decided to put them into a large storage tub.
Uses for Dishwasher Silverware BasketsI've had to replace a few dishwashers in my day and have determined that those silverware baskets are great for many things. Here are two uses for them.
Organizing Spice TinsI was at my friend Erin's house for dinner over the weekend and I noticed she had her spice tins displayed in this super creative way.
Organizing Your Bathroom CabinetsFor me, the cabinets under the sink in our bathroom were more like caves where everything got lost than useful space. I recently decided to tackle one of them and I was able to find good solutions for organizing it.
Using Trays and Plastic Baskets in DrawersOur bathroom has pretty large, deep drawers. I have found that things slide around a lot in them and everything falls over. To fix this issue I found various plastic baskets, boxes, and trays around the house.
Organizing Under the SinkHere is a great way to keep all your cleaners organized under the sink. Buy a short shower curtain rod and install it under your sink, make sure it is in there tight. Then, place all of your cleaners that use a spray nozzle on to rod.
Keeping a Cutting Board From ShiftingDo you find that your cutting board shifts while you are using it? The easiest way to prevent this is to place a small piece of non-slip shelf liner on the counter under the cutting board. Now the cutting board will stay put making it easier and safer to cut food in the kitchen.
Nature in a JarOne of the things both my kids and I enjoy are the things we find in nature. From feathers to birds nest and everything in between. I wanted to find a way to preserve these items for us to enjoy for a long time.
Sugar Dispenser for RibbonGlass sugar dispensers are inexpensive and work perfectly for containing those bundles of curling ribbon. Tuck the ribbon into the jar, then thread the ends through the opening in the lid. No more lost ends and tangles messes!
Organizing Hair AccessoriesBetween my daughter and I, we had a lot of hair accessories. I bought a small three-drawer organizer to put everything in.
Packing and Storing BooksI have moved a number of times and have found through experience that when moving my many books it is best to use a smaller box, when possible. A good choice for me is one that is 1 foot square. This will require the use of more boxes, but has saved my back and the consistent size makes stacking easier.
Organizing System For ProcrastinatorsI helped a new mom by visiting her 2 to 3 times a week to talk her though a slow organize habit, with a basket, big garbage bags and sticky notes. To collect and clear things, first take the garbage bag around and pick up garbage and waste.
Altoids Tin for Bobby PinsI don't like to leave bobby pins on the card they are sold on. I find it hard to get them off and on when I am trying to do my hair.
Carabiner Clip for Hair Rubber BandsI was tired of having all of our hair rubber bands making a mess in the bathroom. To remedy this situation I found two carabiner clips to contain them.
School Lunch ChartTo better organize our mornings, we decided that it would be best to have the kids pre-plan their lunches for the week. I bought a dry erase board that had the days of the week on it.
Coat Hooks for Coffee MugsMaybe you have a couple coat hooks laying around the house, going unused or are just looking for an attractive solution to organizing your mugs.
Storing Googly EyesI use googly eyes for many of the crafts that I do for work. I like to have various sizes and styles on hand, but I found that it was difficult to find exactly what I needed.
Storing Lunch BagsIt seemed like the kids' lunch bags were always in the way, on the counters after school. Because they don't flatten out, I was having a hard time find them a home.
Storing Onions and GarlicWe had a few beautiful bowls around the house that weren't being used for anything. I decided to use two of them for our onions and garlic cloves. Now they are easily accessible for cooking with and it gives me a reason to have the bowls that I love out on the counter.
Storing Cupcake LinersI love to use colorful and fun cupcake liners. I recently found a good deal on the liners and went a little crazy. They were all so cute and I wanted to have them visible in the kitchen.
Storing Cupcake LinersThis is a page about storing cupcake liners. If you like to bake cupcakes buy fancy liners for different occasions, you may be at a loss for a convenient way to store the extras until needed.
Using Drawers to Organize PantryOur pantry shelves don't go all the way to the floor, so there was a lot of wasted space that could be used. I bought a few plastic drawer sets and adjusted the shelving so that the drawers fit underneath.
Container for Expired MedicationOur doctor's office has a drop off box for expired medications, which makes getting rid of them very easy. However, we aren't there very often so I collect any that we have in a large plastic container.
Spice Canister for Saving Box TopsI save Box Tops for my friend's daughter, since our school doesn't collect them. I bought an inexpensive magnetic spice canister to put them in. It has a slit on top, making it easy to drop them in.
Color Coded StorageWe are very fortunate to have a ton of cabinets in our kitchen, but we still had an organizing issue. Some of the cabinets are very deep, making it so that items have to be layered.
Displaying an Old CameraI have an old camera that I really enjoyed having out on a shelf, but it was always so dusty. I found a cloche at the store that fit perfectly over it. Now I don't have to worry about damaging the camera when trying to dust it.
Displaying an Antique CompassMy husband wanted to display a compass given to him by his stepdad. I found a small shadowbox frame and removed the glass. I attached a small cup hook to the top and painted it with black nail polish to make it less visible.
Organizing Our EntrywayLike many people, our entryway was cluttered and nothing really had a place to be put away, while still being accessible. We have dog's so one of the big issues was storing their leashes and bags for picking up after them.
Storing Extension CordsWe have a few extension cords laying around that we only use at Christmas time. And that is only if we really go crazy with decorations, which doesn't seem to happen every year.
Don't Accumulate Stuff, Give It AwayWhen my father passed over a year ago, my husband and I were faced with the daunting task of cleaning out his house to sell it. We live in another state and it took us much time and money to get this done, almost a year in fact.
Coupon Clipping Takes OrganizationI have clipped coupons for over 36 years now and I have saved thousands of dollars in grocery costs! I fondly remember one shopping trip I took where the total was $300 before my coupons and $30 AFTER! It felt fantastic!
Storing Carpet RemnantsWe have a few carpet remnants that we saved when we removed our carpeting last year. It was in good enough shape that I thought it might be useful in recovering our cat tree.
Storing Snow TiresWe have a set of studded snow tires and they always seem to be in the way when not in use. In the past they were stored in bags, in a big stack on the floor. When we were reorganizing our garage this weekend we ended up with a leftover shelf, that had adjustable shelves.
Organizing Clothes the Smart WayIt's the time of year where back to school, moving to a new apartment, or just making good use of your space is at it all time high. There are good tips to make more room, sort out the old, and shop your closet, hopefully saving you time and money.
Display Collections In A Memory BoxA collection of at least 3 similar items that have special meaning to you, family pieces or just interesting and fun collections for your home!
