Cheap Storage - a tutorial

I was looking for a cheap and pretty way to coral some junk in a closet I was organizing.  I had used bins and baskets in other areas as I'm working my way through the house; but I wanted something different...I just wasn't sure what.  I took a trip to The Container Store and was inspired by the wrapping paper, then the idea hit me: I can cover some old shoe boxes with paper!  I pondered just exactly what the best method would be as I was driving home....WARNING: DISTRACTED DRIVER ON THE ROAD!  And what I decided is that I would use Mod Podge, that would make the boxes a little more sturdy.  I will start with a picture of the finished boxes.

After selecting your paper and boxes, you will need to loosely measure your paper so there is enough overlap to go over the edges by a few inches. 

Then place the box in the center of the paper and trace around the box so you know where to start applying the Mod Podge.

Apply the Mod Podge inside of your drawn area going over just a little, a place the box on top.  Flip and smooth out any major bubbles.  This was the point I learned that the thicker papers were easier to work with...less crinkling. 

The next step is to cut a diagonal line from the corner of the paper to the corner of the box...I just eye balled it and it worked out fine.  If you are more "type A" than me...you could first draw a straight line from corner to corner, then cut.

Since the paper was on a roll...I had paper curling up everywhere...I grabbed anything nearby to weigh it down as I was working on this next step.  One side at a time, apply the Mod Podge.  Then roll the box onto the sticky paper...this seemed to be the best method for avoiding bubbles...there will still be some, so work those out.   

The next step is to smooth the flaps around the sides, you are working with wet, sticky paper so work fast.

You now have the edge standing up over the box...you will need to cut straight down at the corner to the top of the box.

I couldn't hold the camera and scissors to get a good shot of that step, so I hope you get the idea. Next roll the paper over to the inside of the box.

Smooth it all out.  Repeat for all sides, doing opposite sides first.

Next I wanted a hole in one end so I could tie a cute tag with cute ribbon.  Once dry, it was too hard to use a paper hole punch.  I asked my husband if he could drill a hole...he said that wouldn't work with card board...went out to his domain, aka "the garage" and came back with a punch set used for leather...and basically hammered a hole.  If you don't have something like that handy, I guess you could use a big nail...or not use a tied tag.  If I was going to use these as a gift, I would also line the inside...but since these are just to organize a closet so the side of the box is just fine the way it is.

Plugging along

My organization and diet missions hit a big ole speed bump recently. A good friend and co-worker passed away on Jan 17...part of our ITS team went to see her in the hospital on Jan 13 and we were told she would be going home for Hospice in a few days...she went home on Monday and passed on Tuesday...she was diagnosed with cancer this summer and the treament did not help...she was only 50. So the grieving process was sort of rough, complicated by the total insensitivity of some of the leaders at work; but the service was nice...a celebration of her short life and that has kind of helped us move on.

That week, I was on a total comfort food binge; but I'm back on track now. We started our 100 day challenge at work and I lost what I had gained plus a little more. I really like having this challenge thing to keep me focused, even though the tools from the website we use are not as good as those from sites like Spark People...it's OK...it's the fact that we are doing it together with close friends.

And if it is OK with you...let's not even talk about exercise...I'm only managing to get on the eliptical one day a week...I'm pondering that problem and trying to come up with a solution.

Now for some Organization. I've started with the closet outside of our bedroom. I even remembered to take some before pictures! For containers to coral "the stuff" I came up with a great idea....I went to the Container Store for inspiration...the plan was to come up with ideas...then buy on the cheap at either WalMart or Target. While at the store, I fell in love with some wrapping paper and bought 3 different rolls in coordinating colors...with the idea that I would cover some shoe boxes...the girl who checked me out asked what I was going to do with the paper...I guess it was obvious I was not wrapping gifts...I gave her my idea and she thought it was great and suggested when I get it done I should post it to their website...and I might just do that. As I was covering the boxes...I thought this would make a great "How to" post; so I took pictures of each step...but that will be a post all by itself. Stay tuned! The other issue I ran into was....I didn't have enough shoeboxes for my project...during some recent clean up sprees, several got thrown away since I didn't have a specific plan for them at the time...I guess I could always go buy more shoes :-). So let me share the pictures of the messy closet before I started.

As you can see, I have my work cut out, stay tuned for the results. Right now that Hallway is a hot mess, with stuff everywhere.

Now on to share the laundry room...this was a small easy project that did not take alot of work. My machines are red...but I couldn't find everything I wanted in red so I also used a sort of tourquoise shade of blue, which is one of the colors in the valance. In hind sight I think this worked well...because if I had gone all red, it would have been too much.

The red and blue bins are from Walmart...less than $2 each...score! Then I had some extra tags from the last project.

The second picture is just a view of the laundry room from the door.

And the third picture shows the $5 milk crate, also from Walmart that is now holding all of the reusable shopping bags...the idea is I grab the crate when I go shopping.

Last but not least for the laundry room...I got this lettering from UpperCase living when we first bought the house...2008...but just now got it done. Bill made me a plaque and I applied the letters....it says "Laundry Room Loads of fun" We still need to hang it up, but it's done.

Let the organization begin

I'm not off to a rip roaring start with my goals....but I've started none the less.  I got this little bug last week...wasn't super sick...but it zapped my energy, appetite...and created a bit of a speed bump in my enthusiasm.

1. Diet report...started off pretty good...lost 2 lbs the first day...I knew it was water...but I always say...you gotta get through the extra water to get to the fat...then the second day I started feeling lousy...at first I thought I was detoxing...then quickly realized it was a bug...I lost a few more...because I just didn't eat...then gained those two back was I started eating again...still that is a 2 pound net loss for the week.  I'll take it!  Today I'm going to have my husband take pictures....as much as I hate too...the pictures about every three weeks last time I did these were really motivating.  On Monday we got an email from the district nurse with some tools to help meet New Years resolutions...the one that peaked my interest was "Live Healthy North Texas"...our district is in this...last spring quite a few participated...This time it's a 100 day challenge...you put together a team...2-10 people...there is a cost...so we have a team, The F(ITS).  There are 7 of us and our goal is just weight loss...you can do fitness too....but we decided we didn't want track that.  Anyway I'm pretty excited about this tool for added motivation and I have some fun ideas to help us all.
2.  Exercise.....ah...not so much!  I did do 15 minutes on the elliptical on Monday.......but with being sick...that's it.  I am hopping on as soon as I finish this blog and shoot for a better week this week...the only way I can do worse is to not get on at all.
3.  Organization was probably my best accomplishment of the week.  Following the Declutter calendar is pretty easy.  My spice cabinet and tupperware cabinet are de-cluttered and Bill de-clutter the cabinets with odds and ends of small appliances and the kids (plastic) dishes we use for grandkids. But I wish I would have taken a before picture of this closet...it's the downstairs closet by the half bath.  Tiffany can vouch, it was a hot mess.  I took everything out...filled a trash bag and re-organized....I had a few bins, but needed more..got some baskets at Wal-mart for $6...I love the Container store..but we are cutting back on spending too...so I;ll only go there if I can't get it at Target or Wal-mart.

Here the Pinterest pin that I used for the tags on the baskets...they are from Better Homes and Garden website....there are several different kinds of tags and labels for various organizing projects...and they are super cute.

Source: bhg.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

another idea that I got from Pinterest is this:

Source: beforeispendit.blogspot.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Except I used it to organize all the junk from
around my sink.

and then this idea.

Source: rayandjen.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

In January you turn all your hangers this way...then as you wear items ...you hang them back correctly...in June..anything that is still backwards...gets donated...pure genius!

4.  and last but not least...curb spending and save...this one will see slow results...but Bill and I had the annual Money talk...so we are more or less on the same page and I set up a new system for bill paying...again an idea from pinterest!  I can't find the pin...but it's basically a notebook with a calendar and some pocket folders..when the bills come in...write down the due date, then on Fridays pay the bills that are due the next week...one pocket for unpaid and another for paid...then at the end of the month, file the paid bills for the month...so far it seems to be working fine.

More like boxing week!

It took us all week to get the Christmas decorations down and put up....Bill still has to finish taking the big tree down and put the boxes I finished in the last 2 days into the over head...the house seems a little dreary without all of that...but I'm sure our electric bill will look a little better.  Wednesday we were just dragging trying to get stuff done...so we figured we needed a play day...so Thursday we went to the casino for a little fun.... apparently that is just what we needed because on Friday we really got after it.

I did a little bit of scrapbooking yesterday....I've started a scrapbook for Blake and Joey...who BTW, left for "weesiana" (as Joey says) today...so I'm a little sad....anyway I copied this great idea from my friend, Ingrid.  She took a composition book and decorated the cover with holiday scrap book designs and made a Holiday Planner...so I stole her great idea and made one for Tiffany and one for me.

 OK....I don't know why my picture is uploading sideways.....but anyway you get the idea....and it is never too early to start planning for next Christmas.

Back to work tomorrow, 2 weeks off flew by.  Also I start back on the 17 day diet tomorrow...I got on the scale...I gained 10 lbs since Thanksgiving...yuck.