*lyssa beth*: Tidy-Up Tuesdays

Showing posts with label Tidy-Up Tuesdays. Show all posts

DIY magazine holders from Priority Boxes

**Edited 1/15/2014**

This is still the most popular post on my blog! Crazy! I am reposting this since it's a goody. New year and organization is key, right?

Since making this and using it, I have also rotated the box to fit 12x12 paper! Duh! I don't know why I didn't think of that in the original post almost three years ago!

**edited 4/3/2013**
Wanted to thank you guys for stopping by, as you view my "most viewed" post! I've been researching the use of Priority Mail boxes for a couple of years now since I originally posted this and this is what i've found:

Re-using Priority Mail Boxes is illegal when trying to use the box with parcel or media mail shipping. If you reuse the box and go via Priority Mail is fine.
For already used boxes that aren't going to be used to ship anymore (my own case), personal use is fine. So for me, I already had these boxes from a previous business that I was doing. When it stopped, I had all these boxes that I didn't want thrown away. So I used them to help me organize my magazines. This type of use is fine. It's when people turn them inside out or cover them with tape and paper and try to ship cheaper that it's illegal! Ok now onto the post :)

As i'm organizing my craft space and getting it presentable, I found a dilhema. What do you do with 5 years worth of Scrapbook magazines?!

I didn't want to throw them out. They have valuable information inside of them that I frequently refer back to. So I needed some magazine holders. But I wasn't going to pay for them! They can be expensive when needing 6 or so.

So instead I did this for free!

During my de-junking process, I found a box of folded up Priority Mail boxes that I had gotten for free from the post office when I used to sell and ship items. But I never ended up using them.

So thus my experiment began.

I assembled a Priority Mail box and got my measuring tape and pen and went to work.

So I took one of the corners that would support an "L" look and measured 4 inches up.

Then I rounded the corners to the sides of the box and measured 4 inches too.

Next from the 4" mark, I measured 2 inches and marked it, making sure I made an intersection with the 4" mark and the 2" mark. Do that on both sides of the box.

Take the diagonal corner from which you've been working on and do the same thing.

After that, it should look like this. I circled the intersections too.

Take your measuring tape or ruler and line up the two intersections...

Then you connect them! Do this on both sides.

Next is the cutting part. I was NOT cutting them in the picture. It was all for demo purposes. These babies are sharp so you be very careful! Cut along the lines around the box.

Now take them apart...

Flip one over and you've got 2 magazine holders! If it were 1/4 inch longer, they could have fit 12 x 12 inch paper! Oh well...

K I'm loving this! All my magazines neatly in a row. There's storage in front too for things!

Ideally, I want them on a shelf on the wall but we aren't there yet. For now, they are on the shelf in the closet. I will also paint or modge podge them pretty when I do that. My OCD side of my brain kept telling me to do that right now but I am FINE with them for now...I need to keep telling myself that! ha haa.

I hope this helps you get tidy today!

You can order those Priority Boxes for free over at USPS.com

So how do you store magazine or other items that you have a TON of?

I'm linking up to THESE parties!

tidy-up tuesdays.

Do you ever have one of those "zones" that just can not stay cleaned?!

I have too many of them in my house.

So i am dealing with one of them today...the dreaded "kids creative corner"

This is on a good day. Usually there are papers and markers, crayons and books everywhere.

I keep pulling my hair out trying to keep up with it!

So what I did was empty out those plastic bins. Completely. Everything out! I then went through the pile, decided whether to keep or trash. For the most part, I trashed because they have too much crap!

I then designated a drawer for each kid. I put their own crayon box and their own coloring books in it. They are now responsible for their drawer!

Grabbed a huge trash bag and threw the rest away, and sigh...all clean and organized.

I have realized that my kids don't need 1000 coloring books, 100's markers, crayons and scissors. I need to limit what they have so it doesn't over take me!

What supplies do you give your kids when creating?

tidy-up tuesdays: kids creative spaces

All three of my kids love to draw and color. They could do it for hours. That part is great.

The crayons, markers and paper all over the table and floor? That part is not so great.

So i've been looking around for ideas and inspiration because I need a huge dose of it. One thing i'm considering is giving each child their own plastic bin, complete with coloring books, a set of crayons, a set of markers, and paint supplies. Each item would be labeled so there would be no mixing and everything would have a home. That's what I want to do. Until then, these images are fun to look at ;)

source

this one is awesome

source

What do you do with your kids art supplies?

tidy-up tuesdays.

Mama said there'd be days like this...

and I couldn't agree more.

Most days, I would rather sit with my kids and watch a movie, eat popcorn, take a nap etc etc..

"tidying up" is last on my list. It takes a great effort to keep up with my house.

So on the days like that...like today...I would rather get inspired by other people's homes:

source

I hope this inspires you on this tidy-up tuesday!

tidy-up tuesdays.

Before I begin, Voting is still going on over at Vintage Revivals!! Please take a second to go over HERE and vote for me!! #10 #10 #10!!

So with all these yard sales happening, my basement is starting to look like it's own thrift store. Now I wish today, I wish I could show you it all cleaned and organized, but no.

I wish I had that kind of time!

Instead, I'm rearing 3 little ones and helping my husband with starting a dental practice. Life can be stressful.

So I ask you, with a sincere heart, how do you do?

How do you juggle family life with work?

Take care of kids and do a blog?

I am amazed at those bloggers who have more than 3 kids and upkeep a high-traffic blog.

I am trying to find that sort of time.

But it's hard and I personally want my family to win this battle, not the computer. My kids are only young for so long.

And I know that I need serious work with my time management skills and to stick with them!

Ok, so I would love your tips and tricks on organizing, especially with time.

I know i've written time management on here already but things don't stick very long for me. I am always onto the next thing.

But don't worry, this blog isn't going anywhere!

This post might seem like i'm stuggling but i'm not. I'm doing fine. But I would love to do more with it if time allows :)

So here's my tip for you today:

List-making.

Do you know how to do it?

It seems simple. But just to be sure, grab a pen and paper and make a list of those things you want to accomplish today.

It can be anything, big or small.

After you make your list, go through and number the items. 1 being most important and then go from there. Then tackle #1 and only focus on that one until it's done.

Once it's done, you can move to #2.

I am a total list-maker and this helps me prioritize and take care of the important stuff first!

Give it a try! Even if you only get through 2-3 items on the list, you took care of the most important ones so you won't be stressed at the end of the day :)

tidy-up tuesdays.

I finally tackled my dresser. This dresser sits next to my bed and it is the drop off area.

Such a big mess!

First up, I put up my necklace organizer and earring holder on the wall to put my jewelry in its place!

Then I just cleared the whole top off and started putting things away. It only took about 20 minutes and look at it now!

ahhhh..so much better!

These ceramic holders were free from my husband's office. He was left with everything when he came to work. We found them in the basement. Perfect for earrings!

Here is where I hold my headbands, using 2 mason jars. I think it is perfect for now. Ideally I want them stored on the wall somehow but I am working on that...

So there you go! This project is done and hopefully I can keep it clear from now on ;)

This one of many drop-off zones that I want to tackle! One down, many to go...

What's your "drop-off" areas in your house?

tidy up tuesdays: my home and then some.

Have you heard about this yet? I bet you have. This is probably going like a wildfire around blogland!

And of course, I have to jump on it.

Seriously, I love Mandi's style.

She appreciates thrift store finds and makes them beautiful like me!

If you haven't visited Vintage Revivals yet, please do so. Right now.

So this post is showing off my home and the lack of style that it has..

oh and to tie it in with Tidy-Up Tuesdays, it also shows my home the cleanest it has or will ever be!!

My adorable rustic rental. I love it. but it literally is a little rusty when it comes to the style department.

But who wouldn't want to come visit in the summer here?! Mandi, you would love it.

Now i'll be just highlighting the main rooms, pointing out its flaws...pretty much everything I would love Mandi to redo!

First up is the Girl's Bedroom.

I did not clean it up for visual affect.

This room is screaming for a makeover.

I definitely wan to redo this dresser.

Their poor closet. So much wasted space...

I even have a bunk bed waiting to be redone for their room....it's just on the "list"

Next up is the living room. This room gets the most attention from me. It's not as sparse or in need or serious help but I would love some pointers from Mandi.

Here's the view when you walk in from the front door.