Happy New Year friends!
I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and are fired up for the year ahead!
There is something about January that beckons us to move into the new year with greater intention, isn’t there? We are re-energized to eat healthier, get in shape, get back on track, put order to disorder and improve ourselves, our work, our home. I for one always enjoy putting away all the decorations and starting the year with a clean slate after a joyful but chaotic Christmas season!!
Today is the first Tuesday of the month which means it’s time for
My Five Favorites (woohoo!!)
along with
Kris at Driven By Decor
Pam at Simple Details
and
Jennifer at Dimples & Tangles.
This month the lovely
Carmel of Our Fifth House
is joining us to guest host, which couldn’t be more perfect since January’s My Five Favorites series is all about organizing the home.
Carmel is a master of organization – she has a whole gallery of organizing tips on her blog including this fabulous project from her last house!
Thanks for joining us today Carmel!
Today I decided to share with you some small organizing ideas to get the ball rolling in 2016.
These little tips and tricks are not necessarily pretty but they are tried and true solutions or ideas that work in my house. Sometimes it’s the little things that make all the difference.
A super easy way to keep your bag from looking like this tangled mess:
buy a small accordion file, commonly used for coupons, at the dollar store and quickly pop receipts in a labeled spot as soon as they are handed to you in the store. The one I have is lightweight, takes up minimal space in my bag, and came with labels.
I used to constantly have every single receipt in the universe except for the one I needed for a return, and my organized receipts alleviates that problem!
As of late I have noticed our grocery bill has skyrocketed so I’m keeping a close eye on those receipts to see exactly where our spending is going.
I also love this system for keeping client purchases separate from my own, and staying on top of expenses for home projects by keeping all the supply receipts together.
Knowing where your receipts are = staying on top of spending =
more $$$ for DIY project, room makeovers or better yet, vacation 🙂
I KNOW – this is the most tedious and horrible job EVER, but photos stored on your computer take up a TON of space and can slow it down greatly. How many photos do you think I need of the railing on my deck?? I’m on a mission to upload photos I want to print to Snapfish, and then delete those photos from computer.
Computer running faster =
more time to research your next home project or organize your home!
I cannot believe the amount of recyclable items that are generated in the bathroom and my kids’ rooms. From shampoo and conditioner bottles, to packaging from toothpaste, to paperwork from school, there used to be a lot of things that would make their way into the trash rather than the journey all the way to the recycle bin in our kitchen, so I put a small plastic bin in the bathroom closet and it has made recycling those items so much easier.
A weird place for a recycle bin, for sure, but it makes sense!
Now whoever takes out the bathroom trash just grabs this small bin too.
Better recycling system = more organized home & a happier Mother Earth!
Every once in a while I sit down at the computer and look up how much is left of merchandise credit cards and gift cards that have accumulated. It’s quick and easy and reminds me I have these balances burning a hole in my pocket on my next errand run. I don’t know about you but finding that a restaurant gift card still has a balance on it is like hitting the jackpot for a mama who is weary of nightly dinner planning!
Take out from local restaurant = clean kitchen and a night of relaxing.
Fun money found on merchandise credits = next DIY project or home improvement!
And finally, my absolute favorite organizing tip!!! ——–>
save Altoid mint tins to store small items like picture hangers, little nails, and so on. I keep these labeled tins right in a drawer in my kitchen so I’m not looking all over the house for them when the need arises. They are also easily portable if need be. I have accumulated quite a few over the years and they are great for small items both in the house and the garage!!
Here are a few ideas of what you can store in an Altoid tin:
photo corners • wall anchors • chalk • screws • nails • tacks • earbuds • stamps •
quarters for meters (to keep in your car) • utility razor blades •
Being able to find what you’re looking for right away in your home =
less aggravation & a more organized home!
There you go – a few small but effective ways you can organize your home in the year ahead!
Look for organization ideas on Instagram too at #myfivefavorites.
For more clever organizing ideas pop over and visit my co-hosts
Kris of Driven By Decor
Pam of Simple Details
Jennifer of Dimples & Tangles
and our guest host
Carmel of Our Fifth House !
Thank you to Carmel for joining us this month and making My Five Favorites so much fun!
Good luck reaching your goals this year and may 2016 bring you
health and happiness my sweets!!
Cassie @ Primitive & Proper says
i need to do the receipts and photos!!!! oh yes!
Calypso In The Country says
Love the Altoid idea. We buy those mints all the time and it only makes sense to save those great little tins! Also – the picture thing…ugh. I know I need to do this and you are so right about the waste of space. Of course doing that job is not fun at all but only makes sense!
Shelley
Kris @ Driven by Décor says
I'm so with you on the photos – deleting 90% of them should be a goal of 2016! I'm so in love with your Altoid idea – Jeff uses those and I never thought to reuse the tins. So smart. And don't even get me started on my receipt issues – your solution is golden!
pam {simple details} says
The photos of your railing made me giggle – I can so relate, thanks for the reminder! I toss our Altoid containers too, and what perfect little organizers they make!
Jenny says
I need all of the help I can get with organizing – great tips! I'm wanting to purge my entire house right now! Happy New Year friend!
Katie @ Team Skelley says
My photos are a hot mess — all of my work, phone and camera photos are in a mishmash on my laptop and I would hazard that only 10% are actually photos that will withstand the test of time. Or be photos that I would actually care about keeping. Cleaning them out is such a daunting task and when the lure of a book is beckoning, I will admit to being a total slacker!
Jennifer @ Dimples and Tangles says
You are always full of the best, most practical ideas! Excuse me, I have some deleting to do…. 😉
Gypsy Heart says
Great ideas, Lisa! I need to do some deleting ~ 🙂 I have found a way to organize my receipts…finally!
Happy New Year!
xo
Pat
Vel Criste says
I have to do all of these especially the reciepts!!!Gaaad, thank you Lisa!