I like my nails done and I have 3 teenage-ish daughters (youngest is 12.5, so pretty close). So, yeah. Nail polish organizing is something I have to figure out, though I do it a little differently every time we move and I settle/unpack.
storage containers
Let Them Be Little – Embrace the Treasures and Create Collections
When Brian was a toddler, he came home from every outing with a pocketful of “treasures.” They were so important to him. He’d name them, play with them, and remember each and every one. I knew I needed a plan to deal with them before they took over all the clean surfaces of his room. […]
The Cleaning Supply Closet
I name places in our house to help my family find things when I say “in the cleaning closet.” You probably do it too, right? This is actually my first cleaning closet in any of my houses. Technically the cleaning closet has more than cleaning supplies, but that’s okay, the name still mostly fits. It […]
Simple 1st Aid Organizing
Last Tuesday I was at the orthodontist with one of my teens when I got a call from the elementary school nurse. My baby boy (kindergartner) had fallen and planted his forehead on the concrete. The vice-principal that happened to be near told me later that she could hear an audible thud. Ahhhh!!! I went […]
Grandma Bins (How I keep my favorite toys as my kids grow …)
I’m hopefully not very close to becoming a Grandma since my oldest girls are just 12, but I’ve been collecting items in a Grandma Bin since my twins were toddlers. When my 4th baby and son was born, I allowed myself a second bin. When people have a tough time getting rid of toys as […]
Let Containers Blend In
Sometimes I am asked how to choose the right container for something. And while I love a beautifully crafted box or basket as much as any container-loving person does, I often choose functional containers that blend in to their surroundings. Let Containers Blend In Containers that blend in do not cause a lot of distraction […]
Mini-Cleaning Buckets
With the two floods in my house last year, and the following months of renovation and construction going on at my house, I’m still getting to all the places in my house that need to be organized. One of the annoying places were the few cabinets in my laundry room, so I finally crossed this […]
Wine Rack as Towel Rack: Vertical Bathroom Storage
When I was putting together our guest bathroom, also used by my four year old, I needed something decorative to put in the large wall space behind the toilet. I knew just what I wanted to do – put green towels in a wine rack. It gives off the strong green element I wanted to […]
9 Beautiful + Functional Bread Boxes
Most homes I’ve been in keep bread on the counter. Sure, sometimes it is in the pantry or cupboard, but most of the times it is right there on the counter. We might as well embrace it, because there are some beautiful and functional bread boxes. Bread boxes make a lot of sense if you’re […]
Organize Home Office Files (Paper Management!)
Files can be tricky, but they don’t have to be. Replace your old philosophy with a new, improved way of thinking about files. Old philosophy: Create a file folder for every type of incoming bill, invoice, receipt, etc. Save everything and file away. Wait until the file cabinet gets over-stuffed and impossible to use, then purge excess. […]