The Sand Pail List + an easy plan for the Best Memorial Day ever!

Summer is quickly approaching here in the north east, and with that comes the annual question of "what are we going to do this summer?" I don't know how it works in your house, but around here we always start with big plans, lots of ideas, and by the time the beginning of July rolls around, no one can remember anything they had wanted to do!

I used to write ideas down on a piece of paper, but it never seemed to live up to the excitement that summer promises. Then I graduated to a book, but again it never seemed quite right. Recently I discovered something that seems j-u-s-t right! (thanks Better Homes & Gardens for the idea!)

Presenting ..........

The Sand Pail List!

Think Bucket List - but for the summer. Sand Bucket List would also work, but there's something a bit morbid about that.......

So, Sand Pail List it is! Summons up feelings of playfulness, childhood and endless fun - just what summer should always be.

Here's how it works -

1. make yourself a colorful cover - draw, paint, download - whatever. I did this one on Printshop.
2. put a few blank pages inside - no more then 4 - you don't want to overwhelm yourself!
3. gather the family and ask them - "what types of things would you like to do this summer?"
4. write them down in the book - no particular order.
5. keep the book somewhere handy  - I keep ours in our "treasure chest" for easy updates and check offs.
6. once a week, schedule some time to do something on The Sand Pail List! You can do more then one a week if you like - just make sure you get to some of them!
7. no pressure to do it all - as long as you do some, the summer will be a success!
8. next fall, look back and remember all you did this summer in the name of fun.

If you happen to be hosting a party this Memorial Day weekend, make a few extra blank copies for your guests. They'll love it - and summer needs to be spread around! Bring back the fun!

be organized.....evelyn

PS - If you have no plans for the long weekend - here's my plan for the BEST Memorial Day Ever! http://bit.ly/Kd4Umi

How To Organize a Bedroom with Little Furniture

Short, sweet and to the point today - How To Organize a Bedroom with Little Furniture.

Okay, I look like I'm living in a cave in this video, but ignore the surroundings - the info is golden.

Even if you use just one of the ideas presented here, your morning routine will go better. I promise.

Woo hoo ! After many, many days of rain - the sun is finally shining!!!!!!

be organized........evelyn

Think You Know How to Tie Your Shoes? Think Again! Shoe Tying 101

It's the little things in life that drive you crazy. Like tying your shoelaces, only to have to tie them again a few hours later.

Always drove me crazy.....until I discovered how to "beat" the shoelaces once and for all.

Now, this isn't an earth shattering blog post, but it does make your life just  a bit easier,,,,,and that's my goal.

shoe - regular laces

Problem: shoelaces that always untie like magic - especially those round ones that are on all athletic shoes nowadays.

Solution:

1.tie an overhand knot at the end of each lace.

see the knots?

2. tie the shoe like you normally would, but pull the laces all the way through until you reach the knots you just tied. Normally you would only pull about half way, but instead, just keep pulling. The knots will stop the laces from pulling all the way through and out. Hard to explain, easy to do.

pulled all the way to the ends

3. tie another knot with the laces, i.e. a double knot.

tied once and for all!

That's it - you're done!

The action of pulling the laces all the way through to the knots is what keeps the knot from untying.

Don't knock it until you've tried it. Won't save you a ton of time every day, but it will save you a ton of frustration.

And yes, that is a really large (men's size 12) blue sneaker with hippos on it. Anyone else have a teen boy who's really into pop culture? Anyone?


be organized......evelyn

P.S. - Hey - I'm starting something new! In addition to my once a week blog posts (leave your email in the box on the right next to the title if you want to get them automatically), I'm going to start sending out a quick happiness idea every Friday morning. Want to be in the club that gets them? Shoot me an email at: evelyn@organizingwithevelyn.com or leave a comment below.

My Biggest Timesaver

Feeling overwhelmed by all the places you have to be and all the things you have to do? Take a look at my video "How To Organize a Timetable for your Household". Hope you get some great ideas - they work for us!

be organized.....evelyn

Creative Storage 101

Something different today!
Presenting a special guest blog by blogger Lisa Kane - all about finding new places to store things. Enjoy!
And let me know what you think!

There comes a time in every organizer’s life when the space simply runs out. It happens slowly, but eventually the space is going to run out. If you’ve reached your organization threshold then consider these creative tips for making the most out of every space.

1. Deck the walls

One of the areas with the most potential in your home is the walls. Think about how much empty real estate you have, just ready for shelves so you can start utilizing the space. This type of storage strategy works best when you think of terms of what’s display-worthy. Your extra towels and cleaning supplies aren’t going to look that great on the wall, but your kids’ toys or your collection of hats might. Pick out things that would make a great display and put them up on the shelves instead of in the back of the closet.

An example from my house - our vitamins.  Evelyn

2. Look up

Another area that’s often overlooked is the top of high furniture. If you have a tall wardrobe or bookcase it’s unlikely that you’ve used the space on top for storage. The best furniture for this kind of application will be deep so the top has a lot of surface area. Remember that you don’t have to fill up all the space if you’re concerned about the appearance. You can put things near the wall and no one will be able to see them from below. Make sure you choose items that you don’t need often because getting them up and down can be a bit of a chore.

3. Go to the bathroom

The title might seem a little bit weird, but the bathroom is typically underused when it comes to storage. Take a look at your bathrooms to see what extra space could be converted into storage. Many showers have a ledge above the shower that can be converted into a shelf for decorative boxes. Depending on the layout of your bathroom, you can also create a corner nook to hold everything from extra bathroom supplies to last year’s Christmas decorations. You’ll be surprised at how much extra space you were ignoring in the bathroom.

4. Multipurpose when possible

One of the most interesting storage solutions I’ve seen was a living room chair that also served as a bookshelf. If you’re having trouble imagining how that would work, picture a large lounge chair with a hollowed out frame to hold books inside and the cushion on top. You might not be able to make your current furniture hollow, but there are certainly some areas where you can double up on usefulness. Take the drawers out of a side table and make it into a bookshelf, or go even further and create an entire entertainment system out of bookshelves. Whatever you do, make sure it serves at least two purposes.

These tips should get you started on thinking creatively about storage, but don’t forget your other options if you still don’t have enough space. Self-storage is a good solution for anyone who simply can’t squeeze out another inch of room.

Author’s bio: Lisa Lane is an expert on storage units and how to maximize usable space in your home. She got her start in organization when she managed storage units in Tallahassee but since then she moves and keeps her collection of rare books in storage units in Virginia Beach.

be organized.....evelyn

How To Stop Drowning in Paper!

So - how much paper comes into your house every day....every week? Where's it all ending up?

How about in here?

The famous Treasure Chest!

This short 4 minute video I did will give you a fool proof system to deal with it before it takes over your life.

Watch it, do it, be it. Hope it makes your life just a little bit easier!

Have a great day!

be organized.....evelyn

p.s. - new website on the horizon soon - check back often for updates!

Are There More Toys In Your House Than You Can Count? Here's What to Do About Them.....

Toys taking over your life? Get more done and have more fun with the ideas in this video.

And yes, that's me!

And my living room......

Hope you got at least one idea in the video to make your life & home the heaven you want it to be.


Changes are in the air! Exciting things coming up in the next few weeks...busy launching my book to best seller status and jumping in to write a new one! Stay tuned......

be efficient & organized.....evelyn