Simply Done: Tami's Entry & Office Nook

Remember when I mentioned a few plans / dreams for the blog this year? In that post I also shared a few hopes / dreams regarding my little business. No sooner did I write that post and send it off into the atmosphere...suddenly my e-mail was dinging away with new clients. It's been a busy month, which is why I've been quiet around here...but I'm so grateful for my experiences with these fun moms! It's been incredible and I'm excited to share my "simply done" spaces here with all of you throughout the year.

Tami (who happens to be a blog reader!) sent me an e-mail because she is feeling overwhelmed by the clutter in her home. She has 3 children under the age of 5, so it makes sense she's dealing with clutter in many spaces around her home. This is true for any mother of young children - she's not alone! It takes a while to get those systems in place and we are teaching little people good habits along the way. I'm grateful to be helping Tami each week to whip her spaces / rooms into order. This week we focused on one of the main hot spots in her home - the foyer / entry closet...as well as her little office nook, which is immediately off of the foyer in the living room.

Her issues in the foyer were that shoes were getting plopped down just inside the front door...

Her family comes and goes from the front door, which is why she was in desperate need of a better shoe solution. The entry closet is the best location for these shoes, but it was packed...

She was given a small table by a family member and it ended up finding a place to live here in the entry. Tami was hoping to find a new home for it because this table was a spot for clutter to accumulate...

She has a small office nook set up in a corner of her living room, which is to the left of her foyer...

Like most desks, it's really easy for paper and clutter to accumulate...

The desk only has 2 drawers making it impossible to keep that desktop clutter-free. With the desk located this close to the entry, I knew it would great to utilize part of the closet for office supply overflow.

With just 2.5 hours, we buckled down (with coffee) and completely organized both spaces. She worked so hard right alongside me!

Check out these afters!...

We found the shoe organizer in her laundry room. I hung it from 3 command hooks so we aren't seeing the unsightly over-the-door hooks from the outside. The show organizer now contains all 3 of her children's shoes that are worn daily. The green bin you see inside on the floor holds the shoes worn daily by mom and dad. The 2 black itso bins tucked inside on the right were found somewhere else in the house and now holds her gift bags, tissue paper and small gift wrap items.

So, what's on the shelves?...

Again, we used boxes found around her home to organize kids craft supplies (the kind that require adult supervision), her supply of notecards, office and printer supplies, and her gift wrap rolls are living here for now. As we work our way through the house, other spots may become available for gift wrap. But for now, she knows it's all here and easy to get to.

Did I mention that we didn't purchase anything? We shopped around her home for organization solutions.

No more tripping over shoes as you walk in the front door!...

The round entry table was moved to a new location around the corner (see below) and we found this little gem tucked away in her living room...

This is a more manageable table for this space...small enough to only hold keys or a wallet and not accumulate clutter. You can see the previous entry table here in the background...

And check out her newly organized office nook...

No more piles because we removed the old sorter that was a dumping ground for paper piles. The top drawer holds small office supplies like a stapler, paper clips and their checkbook. The bottom drawer is her hardware drawer - extra house keys, apple products and charging cords, etc.

We even found an old dish rack tucked away in her living room that became a new book organizer for some of her children's books...

Again, just 2.5 hours of dedicated time and these spaces were totally organized. 2 boxes + 1 bag of donations + 2 large bags of recycling = Tami is breathing easier in her foyer / office.

Don't forget to shop your home first for items that can be repurposed as organization solutions!

Project ReRun: Organized Paint + Free Printable's

Hey friends! I'm helping a client by organizing / condensing her paint into smaller cans and I shared a photo on Instagram yesterday when the project was complete. A few of you asked for more details. This is a project I shared here on the blog back in September 2013 - right after moving into this house. (Has it really been that long?!) Every wall was freshly painted and I was left with tons of larger paint cans that were taking up way too much room...

I wanted a small amount of each for touch-up's. We were still moving in and moving things around...and there are 3 kids living here, so walls frequently get dinged. This was a super easy project so I thought I would re-run it for those who looking for more info, wanting that printable...and just for the simple fact this post has been buried for a long time. And sometimes it's fun to re-visit those old projects. 

And since I'm re-visiting, I'll let you know this system has worked very well! I've had a lot of work done inside the house since moving in and this paint has been critical. For example, with the addition / moving of light fixtures, all I had to do was grab the small can of paint for the touch-up. The paint has stayed fresh too. Each time I've opened one after giving a good shake, the paint appears to be in great condition and ready for use. No clumps or anything. 

Anyway, here's the project post from 2013...and the printable's are my free gift to you. Enjoy!

*****

Most of us suffer from this issue - paints cans stacked away in the garage or storage shed....

I knew this would be a "top of the list" organization project long before moving into this house. With the painter here for a month and the amount of paint left behind, this was bound to get tackled right away. Truth be told, I wanted to do this project in my previous home...and the home before that. But as we know, organizing or sorting through paint isn't a priority. By the time you get around to it, can you even open that crusty can lid?

In my case, my painter left all of this (and more) smack in the middle of the freshly painted garage last month. When he left, I neatly stacked it on these shelves to get them out of the way for the movers...

Then made myself a promise to get ahold of this job right away. Good news - I made good on that promise yesterday and have to admit, it was a whole lot easier and stress-free than I thought it may be. I'm saying - it was as easy as picking up the paint cans yesterday morning and knocking out the entire job yesterday afternoon. Took me about 2 hours total, including a quick label whip-up.

I found the quart-size paint cans at home depot for only $3 each...

Then I whipped up some pretty labels with the quickness...

Even created a blank version...

and printed them (4 to a page) on full sheet labels...

To get this job done, I emptied the shelf and stacked the paint near my work table...

To make the job even easier, I also made sure the additional supplies needed were on hand...

Supplies needed:

* empty paint cans
* labels (print for free below!)
* pen
* paper cutter
* small paint brushes
* paint can opener
* paper towels or old rags (to clean your hands or workspace)

Starting with the first can...

I filled it with paint...

Completed the label and applied...

Hammered the lid on tight...

And finally, added a swatch of paint to the lid. This is optional...

Done!...

There were several cans of the same color/finish paint. Those were combined whenever possible. There were also cans with very little paint remaining. Or cans that looked "off". Yes, already! This is the time to sort it out and get rid of anything you wouldn't use anyway - whether good or bad.

I quickly repeated the process until I was done...

Now my paint is easy to locate when it comes time for those touch-ups. And those touch-ups will be happening soon. Between the 3 movers loading items into the house and 3 little people doing a good job being little people, there are already quite a few touch-up areas around here. All i need to do is grab a can, shake it up, and touch-up. Done.

...well, sort of! ;-) I still need Martha in my life.

When the job was complete, I used the same cardboard carrier that came with the cans to corral my stash...

Then stacked them neatly on the same garage shelf...

Can you believe the space saved by condensing?...

Pure heaven for this organizer!

The remaining paint is being disposed of in the appropriate city location. In the meantime, I walk past that shelf and fall in love a little deeper each time...

If you'd like to fall in love too ... or just be happy to have organized paint in your life ... you can print the simple labels right here...






...and maybe tackle your paint stash today or this weekend! enjoy!

In case you missed how these paint colors look on an actual wall (we know that helps a ton!), I shared my interior paint colors right here!

Organize Your Lil' Things with Holster Brands + A Giveaway!

Happy Monday! Couldn't be more excited to be here! Finally, huh? It's been a little busy for me this new year. What better way to kick off my return than with an amazing giveaway for you guys!

Almost one year ago to the day I shared an incredible product that was developed by busy mom Erin Balogh. Do you remember the Hot Iron Holster?...

Erin, an emergency room nurse, was frustrated with the little counter space available on her pedestal sink. She'd sit her curling iron on the narrow counter and watch it slip into the sink bowl. She was also worried about her little ones grabbing her hot styling tools. After checking around for a solution, and discovering nothing, she took matters into her own hands by creating a holder out of a silicone oven mitt and a hot pad. And this is how the Hot Iron Holster was created!

What a story, right?

Hold on, there's more.

Now, a year later, her product has not only helped so many women safely contain their hot styling tools, but her products have been recognized and suggested by celebrities, featured on TV (Hello, Today Show!) and shared in well-known publications as an ingenious product to make your day easier...

(Real Simple Magazine)

(Better Homes and Gardens Magazine)

And she has added onto the line with even more ways to help you contain and organize your little things - hot or not. Personally, I am loving her new Hobby Holster...

But Erin keeps outdoing herself and finding new ways to help you get organized with her Holster's. Meet the new Lil' Holster line-up...

The Lil' Holster brand of silicone holders is perfect for containing your small everyday household objects. These convenient helpers can be used in every room of the home, keeping frequently used small objects at arms reach. They are easy to clean, move and place. Small holes in the bottom allow wet objects to drain and dry. The Holsters are heat resistant to 250F and dishwasher safe. 

Wonder how these lil guys stay put?

A proprietary blend of silicone and their simple patented design allows the Lil' Holster to cling to any smooth, non-porous surface. These are a convenient solution for kitchen sponges, hair brushes, soaps, razors, glasses, keys, and even TV remotes. They are perfect for sinks, bathtubs, hanging off of a desk or countertop, or even sticking to a mirror or shower door! The organization possibilities are endless.

The Lil' Holster comes in 3 sizes - Mini, Skinny, and Any.

Erin sent me a set of 3 Lil' Holster's to try around my house and you guys know me...I'm always up for the challenge when it comes to containing little things...

Her Holster's come in a variety of beautiful colors, but you know how much I'm drawn to whites and grays. ;-)...

Here are a few ways I've been using them around the house:

The mini has been so handy to hold our soap bars on the side of the tub. I have a claw-foot tub in the master bath and there isn't a spot to hold a bar of soap, or any products for that matter. Not an issue anymore...

My big boys are showering themselves these days...in the master shower where they can get into some trouble with my razor. Previously my razor was within their grasp, but the Skinny Holster clings directly to my shower wall, up high and away from their little hands...

Like Erin, I have a pedestal sink with minimal counter space. The Any Holster has been great for holding my daily face cloth...

Ladies. Nuf' said here...

Not only are Holster's a great way to hold TV remotes, but the Skinny has been helpful with holding my cell phone at the end of the day. It clings right to my bedside table or desk and keeps my nightstand clear for other things...

The Mini has been helpful in the kitchen by holding my wet sponge/cloths. I've used it in my laundry room utility sink too...

Need a spot to hold your cooking tools? How about a Skinny...

Don't worry about getting it dirty - remember, you can wash your Holster's!

I've mentioned my need for a lot of work space while working on the blog or client projects. If you are lacking desk space in your office, the Holster's a great for making use of vertical space...

My daughter loves using the Holster's while coloring and crafting...

These have been such a fun, useful addition to our home. I can't wait to share them with my client's...and now with you too!

I'm certain you can think of additional ways to make use of these sweet Lil' Holsters. And I have good news - Erin has generously offered a set of 3 Lil' Holster's for 2 winners! Thank you, Erin!! As always, entry into a Simply Organized giveaway is....well...simple. I keep it easy for you - enter one way or enter every way to up your chances of winning! 

Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wait a second, there's more!

Erin has also generously offered Simply Organized readers a special 25% off promo code - for one week only! From now through next Monday, January 26, just enter promo code LIL25 for 25% off your order!

Erin has definitely made our Monday a whole bunch more happy! Have a great day everyone!