Clutter Control and Organizing Solutions

I got a chance to try these products out and wanted to share my experience. They fit in perfectly on my organization blog, but since I’m a scrapbooker that was why I was really drawn to them. They are absolutely perfect for just about anything you could possibly want them for, but if you know anything about scrapbooking - you’ll understand.

Here are the four I got to keep:

The company is called Daily Window Bags and they have a pretty nice selection of products to choose from. Each item that comes from them, has the ability to be decorated however you’d like, and you can create a piece of artwork or something depicting a home business or a enlarged photograph cut to fit or whatever you want and slip it into the clear pouch that you find on the outside of the bag. They also sell cool pieces to insert that you can buy so you don’t have to do the work if you don’t want.

Their prices are great, they have everything from totes and purses to beach bags, backpacks, binders, organizers, bags to hold laptops, bible covers and way more.

I’m planning on purchasing several as gifts this year for Christmas, because they are so unique and versatile and you can customize them to fit your gift recipients personality. They products are quality and are not falling apart any time soon. I have been using the one that is on the far right in the picture since the day I got it a month ago, and I keep it filled. There is absolutely no wear and tear at all. The fabric stays clean too, which I hardly ever find in a bag. Plus they just look great. I get compliments all the time.

Here are a few examples of what some have done with their totes: (you can see a ton more on their website!) - tell them I sent you - you won’t be disappointed!

I love organizing and I love Starbuck’s Frappucino’s. So how can I combine the two? ha! I found a way!

One day after I had finished drinking one, I went to throw it away as I had done so many others. I hesitated momentarily thinking it would be cool to fill them up with some kind of fun beverage for the kids and let them drink out of them. That’s certainly one good way to reuse them. But then I stumbled on another idea. I am always looking for unique storage for my scrapbook area. Stuff that might be free or really inexpensive that I can turn into something great. Well, I found it.

I have a slight obsession with flowered embellishments (hey, I have four girls!) and so I needed an easier way to store them and eliminate the clutter from multiple packages. So here’s my answer.

(there are a few Prima bottles and CTMH bottles in there too)

Here are some close-ups.

I’m working on getting them to look a little prettier by painting the lids and doing ribbon and bows, etc. but this has been the perfect storage for me, and I like how it looks. I have about 18 more bottles just sitting and waiting for new flowers to inhabit them.

I’m all about reusing. I’m all about finding something that might have been originally designed to function as something else, but that I can make work in a different way. I tend to be the keeper of all things I can refurbish. I love coffee cans for storage because I can embellish them and make them look pretty but still store things inside.

I was really frustrated some time ago, because I needed a storage unit for all the ink pads I use. Recognize one of these?

This is an old cassette tape storage case. I plan to eventually paint it to match my room, but for now - this is what I have all my stamp pads in. As you can see, there is room for growth, and I actually have two more in the basement just waiting for the day that my stamp and ink obsession gets the better of me and I actually need more!

Yes, I would prefer to own one of the cool systems that holds your pads, refills and markers, but they are very expensive and these were free (and can be found at garage sales easily because I see them all the time!).

So, what do you reuse that makes the perfect storage for you?

So I’ve been evaluating the mess I am contending with and trying to decide how I plan to conquer it. I participate in NaNoWriMo each year and with that coming up rapidly, I have got to be more focused. My space isn’t just used for my scrapbooking, it is also used as an office area for my work everyday.

Since I am on my way to figuring out how I want things to work, I thought it would be fun to take you all along for the ride and show you what I did to make things work better.

For my scrapbooking area, I have attempted to confine it to two tables which can be utilized when I host a crop or host a party of some type. (I have a scrapbooking home business). For my work, I do actually write every single day - so I need a space that can stay where it is, but perhaps have another use. Right now my table is literally in the middle of our living room. LOL It does not resemble a desk at all, (it isn’t) and I have got to figure something else out. Problem is, I enjoy being able to watch television when I am writing, and being a part of the family (five kids) is a huge benefit too.

Anyway, I will walk this journey beginning tomorrow. I will try to take photographs when I can to illustrate the points I am making and when I am done - hopefully my scrapbook area will just…be better. That’s all one can hope for!

This is a picture of a problem I had. My best friend and enabler had gone to a garage sale and found craft stuff like you wouldn’t believe. She called me and told me she was picking me up in 5 minutes, be ready. I was. When we arrived at the garage sale, I was overwhelmed by all the stuff this lady was getting rid of. It was like she decided she didn’t want to do any crafts anymore at all. Either that or it looked like a Michael’s truckload just dumped everything in their driveway. LOL

Anyway, my BFF and enabler Amy talked me into buying these stamps. I got a fantastic deal and we’ve used them a ton. But immediately when I got home, I thought - where do you go with 200+ additional stamps? (I already have a ton of wood mounted that I store and use occasionally)

I wound up purchasing another Iris Cart and just stacking them in the drawers but this is not a practical storage idea because I cannot find ANYTHING when I want to use it. Do you have a wood mounted rubber stamp collection? What do you do with yours?

This is an ongoing  project, but at least they aren’t lying in a heap on the table anymore