Jewelry Organization

I have been trying to come up with a good way to organize and store my jewelry for a really long time! I have been through so many different jewelry boxes, in all shapes and sizes, but nothing was working for me.

My Dilemmas

- I was trying to store my jewelry in our master bedroom.
- Our bathroom is tiny, so I shower in our bathroom, throw on some clothes, and then head downstairs to do my hair and makeup in the bigger bathroom.
- Once I am downstairs, I never make it back upstairs.
- I usually end up taking my earrings and bracelets off at some point in the afternoon or early evening, so they end up scattered throughout the downstairs.

My Jewelry Storage Requirements

- Must to be able to hang up all of my necklaces
- Must to be able to store all jewelry in one place
- Must to be closed storage, not out in the open
- Must be in the downstairs bathroom


I was putting some things away in the down stairs bathroom the other day, and I realized that I had a lot of wasted space in the cabinets. It just kind of hit me, that with a little bit of rearranging, I had the perfect spot.

I picked out a shelf and then got to work. I knew I wanted something to hang my necklaces across the back of the cabinet. My first thought was to cut a piece of scrap wood and then add some type of hooks or nails. I waited a few days and realized that I could make it even simpler. I grabbed a piece foam core board that I had on hand and then covered it in a piece of scrap fabric from my stash using duck tape.

Once my board was all cute, I add clear pushpins across the back. I put the board in the cabinet and then put all of my jewelry in.

I had plenty of room to hang all of my necklaces. I added a few ceramic egg crates that I already had for earrings, and then a small jewelry box that I already had for bracelets. I just placed my watches on the shelf and then added a small tray for a few more earrings that didn't quite fit in the egg crates. The little white elephant (Roll Tide) hold my wedding rings when I am not wearing them.

I have been using this system since the first of the year, and it is working beautifully! I no longer have to hunt for wear I last put my gold hoops or my watch.

I should have taken the time to repaint the inside of this cabinet, but I just didn't have it in me. I did  clean out and organize the rest of the cabinet, so it really is a WIN!

Where to you store your jewelry?

Plum Paper Planner Review - 8 Months In

The Plum Paper Planner Review that I wrote earlier this year, continues to be one of the most viewed posts on my blog. I wrote the review right after I received the planner, so I decided it was time to give you an update now that I have been using it for 8 months.

I use this planner for everything! I am a list girl, so this layout is working really well for me.

I started out using mechanical pencils, but have recently ventured out and started using Sharpie Pens. They are working well so far. There is a little bit of bleed through, but I think I read that Plum Paper has started using a thicker paper, so this may not be the case for those with a "newer model".

I still use the bottom section for planning our meals each week.

The main thing I wanted to show you is the different ways that I am using the Note pages. If I order this planner again, I will order extra note pages if the option is still there.

In the front of the planner I keep a running list of "Projects" and "To Purchase". The "To Purchase" list is mostly for things around the house like furniture or larger items that I need to plan for.

I have started using the Monthly tabs for sticky notes. They have worked out really well for tracking weight and measurements, grocery lists, and just random things that I don't really need written in the planner, but like to have with my planner.

My favorite addition is my cleaning/household chore list. I sometimes change up our routine based on the time of year and our schedule. I like being able to refer to my list, but also having the flexibility to change it up when needed. Washi tape is my friend.

Is the planner worth the money? Yes, absolutely!

Will I order this planner again? This is a toss up. I still prefer this layout, but I have an Erin Condren credit, so I think I may get an Erin Condren Life Planner to try out. If I end up not liking the EC layout for my everyday planner I can use it as a blogging planner, and then order another one from Plum Paper to use everyday. I really like this planner, but I do like the idea of using the EC so that I can really figure out which one I like best. I have only used the Plum Paper one at this point.

How has the planner held up? I have been using the planner for a 8 months, and it still looks great. Mine stays on the counter/desk most days, so it hasn't been put through the test of being transported in a purse every day.

What kind of planner do you use?


*I was not paid or perked to write this review. All opinions are my own.





I will be linking this post to:

Adding Practical Function to the Entryway

This is one of those updates that was super simple and had me wondering why I had not done it sooner.

Mama needed a place to hang her purse! We don't have a mudroom or laundry room, which would be the obvious place to make a spot for my purse to hang, so I had to come up with something different.

When we first moved into our house we hung these hooks by the back door. It seemed like the logical place, but it ended up not working as well as I would have liked. It was too high for the boys to reach, and everyone tried to pile all of their stuff onto this set of hooks. It just didn't work. I removed the hooks and came up with better solutions for everyone to put there stuff away, but I still had no place to hang, or put my purse.

I was walking through the house one day, and this spot just kind of hit me. It had never occurred to me before because we don't enter the house from here, but it is right next to the kitchen. Very close to the kitchen counter where my purse usually ends up. I took the mirror down that was there and then had Asher hang the hooks for me. It just needed a piece of artwork, so I made the "Home Sweet Home" print, stuck it in a frame, and called it done!

Check back tomorrow for the rest of the updates to this entryway tomorrow. It looks so much different.

(You can find that free printable here.)

Plum Paper Designs Planner Review and Coupon Code

A few weeks ago I told you that I finally decided on a new planner for this year. I am a list maker, and wanted a planner that was spiral bound, had plenty of room to make all of my lists, had lines, and was stylish.

I spent a lot of time reading reviews, and finally settled on the Planner from Plum Paper Designs.

 I went with the cute turquoise chevron cover. I'm pretty sure that I will never tire of chevron. It also has a nice frosted cover for extra stability.

I think my favorite part is the colorful monthly tabs. They are laminated, so I feel like they will hold up well.

The monthly spread takes up two pages, so there is plenty of room to write. I'm also really happy about the list of Birthdays, Events, and Notes on the left side. Very useful.

Here is a look at the weekly view. I haven't had much going on this week, but in my old planner this would have filled up really fast. I use the weekly goal section for projects that I want to get accomplished throughout the week. I use the checklist section at the bottom of the page for meal planning and for my daily cleaning chore. The notes section is also nice to have. I may use it for planing my weekly blog post schedule. I still haven't mastered the actual planning of blog posts, but in the event that I do, I like that I have a nice place to write it down. I use the daily section for a running to do list of all of the things that I need to do on each specific day.
 

Here is a look at the monthly notes section. Lots of room to write and plan. It looks like I forgot to take a picture of the pocket in the back, but there is a pocket that is perfect for holding loose paper and/or receipts.

This is the first time that I have ever spent more than $10 for a planner, and I am happy to report that it was money well spent. I am really enjoying having a nice, organized place to write everything down.

I am very please with the quality, size, and layout. I write with a mechanical pencil and then cross everything off with a highlighter, so I can't really say how pens would work. The paper is a little bit thinner than I expected, but it is perfect for my needs and I am REALLY happy with it.

Make sure to check out Plum Paper Designs on Etsy. There are several types of planners to choose from and a nice selection of cover choices. There is also a Family Planner that has seven different sections that can be customized just for you.

Oh, and I have a coupon code for you! Use this code to receive 10% off of your purchase. The code is valid for 30 days from now.

* I was not paid or perked for this review. I looked up a coupon code before I made my purchase, and then asked for a coupon code of my own to share with you. I am happy with the planner and wanted to share. All opinions are my own.

Organize It - How to Tame the Laundry Beast

Getting the laundry done has always been my biggest problem area when it comes to keeping things up around the house. I DO NOT LIKE DOING LAUNDRY, and have been really bad at it for years.

Sidenote: I do not have a laundry room. My washer and dryer are in our garage, and all of our bedrooms are upstairs. 

I have tried to follow the "do a load a day" approach, but it resulted in laundry that was started in the morning and left to sour because I forgot about it. I got tired of rewashing all of the laundry. The most common practice has been to wash several loads and then pile the clean clothes on my bed upstairs or on the love seat in the den until I got back around to it. Taking it upstairs and dumping it on the bed was not working. I rarely go upstairs during the day, so I basically forgot about it until it was time for bed. It is hard to go to bed when your bed is covered in 8 loads of laundry that need to be folded and put away. The same thing happens when I let it pile up on the love seat. I would let it sit and then we didn't have a place to sit down in the den.

I was tired of the laundry rut. I knew it was time to create a system that worked form me.

I knew that I wouldn't be able to get away with doing laundry just once a week. I decided to try having 2 designated laundry days per week. I have these days added to my weekly cleaning schedule and they are written in my planner every week. I do all of the laundry on Monday and on Thursday. I also do all of our sheets on Thursdays. It takes SEVERAL loads, but it gets us through the week and weekend with clean clothes. I have been doing this for a few months now, and it has been the best system that I have had. It is so nice to know that everyone has clean clothes when they need them. No more, do you have work clothes for tomorrow?

Here are a few tips that have made a world of difference for me.

1. I fold the clothes as SOON as they come out of the dryer. If I am where I can head upstairs to put them away I do. If not, they are put into a basket and taken upstairs the next time I go upstairs and put away.

2. My boys wear their pjs more than one time. They take a bath every other day, and know that they get clean pjs on bath night.

3. The clothes that we wear to church on Sunday morning are hung back up when we get home from church as long as we don't go out to lunch. We don't really dress up, so the clothes that we had on for two hours can be worn again later in the week.

4. I wear my jeans 2 or 3 times before I wash them.

5. I delegate when needed. Cade is in charge of making sure their laundry is taken to the garage on laundry days. If I am busy doing other things, Cade and Henry put their clothes away after I fold them. (I had to get over their drawers being super neat, but I do straighten them when I put their clothes away.)

6. If we have had an odd week and the laundry doesn't get done, Asher helps me catch it up. He used to do this frequently when I was bad at laundry. 

I still don't enjoy laundry, but I have found my laundry groove. What about you? What kind of system do you use to tame the laundry beast at your house?

Linking this post to:

The Pearl Blog - All Things Pretty Part-ay
Liz Marie Blog
House of Rose
Blissfully Ever After
Love of Home and Family
Tatertots and Jello
I Heart Nap Time
Lil' Luna
Somewhat Simple
Today's Creative Blog
Suburbs Mama

Organize It - The Cleaning Schedule

I hope you all had a great weekend! Asher spent Saturday working on our new dining room table, and I spent the day going through more closets. I am determined to get a handle on all of the clothing that has accumulated in this house. It seems like I just did this.

Ok, so back to what this post is actually about. Cleaning. I like for my house to be clean, but I am not a fan of the actual cleaning process. I have tried numerous cleaning schedules over the years, and have finally come up with one that works for me. I have not included monthly and quarterly type tasks on this list. This is just my daily and weekly schedule.

Daily - We all make our beds and my husband empties the dishwasher. I vacuum with my little stick vac under the table after most meals. My husband helps me clean the kitchen every night after we get the boys in bed. I usually remember to have the boys walk through the house and put all of their toys away before they head to bed. Most nights I do a walk through and put all the random things that have been left out back to there home. Waking up to a picked up house makes for a much easier start to the day.

Monday - Our family of 4 seems to go through a lot of laundry over the weekend, so I like to get it all washed and put away on Mondays. I also clean all 3 bathrooms. When I do the bathrooms consistently they don't take long to clean. And because I like to keep it real, I'll go ahead and fess up. I usually only do the showers/tubs every other week.

Tuesday - I used to try to break up dusting, vacuuming, and mopping on different days, but when I did that I always seemed to just not do them. I have to just jump in and get it done. The good thing is that it really doesn't take all that long if I start it early before the boys have a chance to leave trails of toys and clothing through the house.

Wednesday - We tend to have outings and play dates on Wednesday afternoons, so this is not a good day to clean. It doesn't take me long to wipe out the microwave and toaster oven. (I usually do this while I am making lunch or cooking dinner.) I also clean out the fridge and get rid of any food that needs to be dumped before the trash goes out on Thursday morning.

Thursday - I do all of the laundry again on so that it is ready to go for the weekend. I also do our bed linens and towels on this day.

Friday - I sit down and make a meal plan before we head out to run errands and grocery shop. I like to  make sure that we are prepared with plenty of food for the weekend.

This is my normal cleaning schedule. There are days that things don't get done, but I do try to keep this pretty consistent. It takes a lot less time to keep it up than to skip it and have to do a deeper clean. I don't have time for that!

Guess what? I didn't do most of the things on this list last week and my house is a disaster! If you follow me on instagram you may have seen that my pampered chef batter bowl exploded in my hands last Saturday night while I was doing dishes. I had one really bad cut that kept me from doing much of anything all week. It is finally doing better and I am ready to tackle my house this week. I still won't be doing dishes (my husband will), and the showers and tubs won't get scrubbed (I'm not asking him to do that), but by following my cleaning schedule my house will be mostly back to normal by the end of the week. Sometimes things happen. You just have to do the best you can.

Do you have a cleaning schedule that works for you?

Linking this post to:
The Pearl Blog - All Things Pretty Part-ay
Liz Marie Blog
House of Rose
Blissfully Ever After
Love of Home and Family
Tatertots and Jello
I Heart Nap Time
Lil' Luna
Somewhat Simple
Today's Creative Blog
Suburbs Mama

Organize It - Creating a Routine

I have been a stay at home mom for 8 years. I have spent most of those years feeling like I was barely keeping up. Sometimes I knew what we were having for dinner, other times I didn't have a clue. Sometimes everyone could get dressed because their clothes were neatly put away in the closet, other times they were digging through piles of clean laundry hoping to find a clean pair of underwear and matching socks. Sometimes my house was really clean, and there were times that I would hope that no one showed up at our house unannounced.

I finally realized one day that the reason I always felt like I couldn't keep up with cleaning, laundry, cooking, activities, and homeschooling was because I didn't have a plan. I also had expectations that were too high. I felt like if I couldn't do it all every day, then there was no reason to try.

I had to create a plan, and create some structure for our day. I started by making a list of things that needed to be done and just played with them on paper to create an order that seemed like it would work and make sense. Once the order came, I was able to decide on times to aim for.  It took some time, and some tweaking to get it right, but it has made a HUGE difference in my productivity, and the boys like knowing what to expect through out the day.

 This is what a perfect day would look like at our house. Please know that every day doesn't look like this. I am still working on the things that happen before 7 a.m. They are not routine just yet, but they are important to me, and I am working towards them. I have been doing well getting up and dressed before we start school, which is an accomplishment for this night owl that likes to sleep in. One of the major perks of homeschooling is the flexibility that comes with it, but I have learned that for us, routine is key. When we start adding lots of play dates, and extra activities before school is done for they day, it makes it really hard for us to finish what actually needs to be done. I do not like to get behind. It just isn't fun.

Do you have a routine, a strict schedule that you follow, or do you just wing it every day?

Sharing this post at:
Liz Marie Blog
House of Rose
Blissfully Ever After
Love of Home and Family

Getting Ready for a New Year - Choosing a Planner

photo source: top - Plum Paper bottom - nikkisnacs

I am looking forward to starting a new year. One of the things that I have worked on this year is to bring more order to our life/home/day. It didn't take long for me to realize that I needed a really good planner to be able to do this well.

This year I used a cheap planner from Target, and tried out a bunch of free printables. (I have a pretty large collection of printable (free and to purchase) pinned on Pinterest if you are interested in checking them out.) The one from Target was okay, but I really needed more room to write, it wasn't pretty, and the size wasn't just right. There were a lot of really great free printables, but I do not like using a 3 ring binder as planner. It is just way too big and bulky for me. If you like using a 3 ring binder, I really like this free printable planner. I really wanted one that was a spiral notebook. I like to leave it on the kitchen counter throughout the day, and then stick in my purse when I head out the door to run errands. I did look into the arc system from Staples, but decided that by the time I bought the system and then used a bunch of ink to print everything out, I would have spent a pretty significant amount of money. Yes, I could reuse the punch and binder system, but I wasn't completely sold.

I spent of lot of time researching planners. I used Pinterest to look for reviews, and searched the hashtags #planner and #planneraddicts on instagram. I never knew there were so many options, but it didn't take long for me to narrow my search down to the Erin Condren Life Planner and The Plum Paper Planner found on etsy.

The Erin Condren Life Planner looks like a great planner. (I have seen it in person.) The things I liked are that you can customize the color of the cover, and that it had a zipper pouch for little things like receipts and such. I couldn't decide if I liked the way the way that the days were broken down into morning, day, and night, and the weekly pages didn't have lines. I could have worked around the morning, day, and night set up, but I wasn't sure I could get over not having lines to write on. The Erin Condren Life Planner is also $20 more than the one from Plum Paper. I do think it is worth the money if it fits your needs.

The Plum Paper Planner was very similar to the Erin Condren, but there are 4 different layouts you can choose from. There is also a Family Planner where you can choose 7 different categories. I knew that choosing 7 specific categories would feel too confining for me. I mean, what if I chose blog, exercise, or thirty-one as one of my categories and then suddenly stopped one of those? Not likely, but that wouldn't work for me. I also really liked that the inside of the planner was colorful, but didn't have a lot of pattern. You can't customize the colors on this planner, but that wasn't a big deal to me. There were several patterns and color combinations that I really liked. There were 3 that I was torn between. I wanted them all.

I chose the Plum Paper Planner with spread option #3. It is a list form that I felt would work the best for the way I like to write things. I also found a coupon code for 10% off, so I got a great deal.

My planner should be here in a few weeks, so I went to Target to get a few little things to go with it. They always have cute post-its and flags and stuff in their Dollar Spot.

I plan to do a full review when I get the planner and start using it.

What kind of planner do you use? Are you ready for the new year?



P.S. - As soon as I receive my planner and do a review, I will have a coupon code for you.

Staples

*I was not compensated for this post. I did win a $50 gift card from Staples through a blog giveaway. I had a few issues and Staples was very quick to help me out, so I just wanted to tell you how great their customer service is.

If you have been reading blogs that focus on home organization, you are most likely very familiar with the Martha Stewart line of office supplies from Staples.

I have always enjoyed fun office supplies, so I get excited every time I see another blogger showing off their new goodies. I was REALLY excited when I won a $50 gift card from Staples so that I could try some of the out for myself.

It took me a long time to try to narrow down what I wanted to get. Let's face it, I wanted one of everything, but $50 only goes so far. I loaded up my online cart, and then didn't have the option to pay for my purchase with the gift card. (insert sad face here) I don't live near a Staples, so I called customer service. They were VERY friendly, and super helpful. They aren't set up to take gift cards online, so I mailed my gift card back, and within just a few days I was email a coupon code that could be used to make my purchase online.

Hello, new office supplies! When I opened the box there was one package of stickers missing. I sent a quick email to Staples and received the new set the very next day. I call that, very good customer service! So thank you, Staples.

How am I going to use all of this stuff? I'm still not sure. I wanted the large binder (that is very nice) to use for my lesson plans, but it is a little bit too tall to fit on the shelf in the cabinet I use to store our school supplies. No worries, I can use it somewhere else.

Do you have any of the office supplies from the Martha Stewart line at Staples? What are your must haves?

Slime + Office Nook Progress

Okay, I could have been a little more creative with the title, but this is what you get.

My boys came across a YouTube Video on making SLIME several months ago. I decided we would turn it into a play date homeschool science experiment, and invite some other kids/moms from our Mom's Meetup Group. You know, because making slime with a bunch of boys sounded more fun than just two!

I, of course, turned to Pinterest when it came time to decide on a recipe for said slime. I finally landed on this one, from Little Bit Funky. The recipe worked great, and we had success with both the clear glue and the regular white glue.  I think it's safe to say that all of the boys had fun, but I know for sure that mine had a blast. I am still picking up little pieces of slime from the floor, but that is only because Henry thought it would be fun to throw it, so it kind of exploded into little pieces.

 

I was a bad mommy and didn't get a group picture of everyone with their slime, but I did have my boys pose for a quick pic.

I think they were aggravated that I made them look away from the slime to look at me.

In other news, I have made some progress with the office nook. Before you look at this and wonder if progress has really been made, please know that this is real time. I have a real (small) budget, and haven't had a ton of time to work on this. I am also really trying to think through all of my decisions to make sure that it REALLY functions well. I will eventually get to the pretty part.

 This is where we started. You can read the details here about how I needed to add some more functional storage.

The first thing we did was unplug everything and untangle all of the messy wires. There are still a lot of visible wires, but we aren't done yet. We moved the tower to the other side of the desk, and then added this ClosetMaid Cubeicals Cube Organizer from Target. The size and price were right.

I am still trying to decide what containers I want to use. I originally wanted to use some from Thirty-One ( they are the perfect shape, color, and size for the cubes), but I decided that I needed something smaller so that the items could be more organized. This shelf is holding a lot of stuff, and smaller, more specific categories are going to work better. So, the search continues.

I did just win a $50 gift card from Staples via Two Twenty One. I plan to use it to help me finish up the little project. We don't have a Staples locally, but this will be a good reason to finally get my hands on some of the Martha Stewart Home Office with Avery items that I keep seeing everyone use.

 Do you have any items from her line that are a must? Do tell.

An Office Nook - The Beginning

 

When we moved into this house a few years ago, we had no idea what we were going to to with this odd space that was between the den and kitchen.  We talked about using the playroom as an office/playroom, but that didn't seem just right. We finally decided that this would make a great little office nook, I'm really not sure what else we could have done with it. I have to say that this space looks better in pics than it does in person.  We have a desktop computer that has a TON of wires. I have tried all different things next to the desk to try to hide the wires, power strip, huge tower, etc. This space has always just seemed off to me, but I wasn't really sure how to make it better. Sure, a new family laptop would be GREAT, but my husband really seems to prefer a desktop. Right now, this is the computer that we are working with.

The other thing that I am hoping to address with changing the space up some, is to add more practical storage for our stuff. We homeschool, I'm an Independent Consultant for Thirty-One, and we have all of your normal household type stuff to deal with. We have storage for these things, but it is a little too scattered. I am hoping to find a more central place for all of these things. 

I do have to say that this space has improved from where it started originally. 

Yikes! That was a sad attempt at a gallery wall, and a really bad picture. I am still learning my new camera and have a ways to go, but thankfully I am making progress.

Do you have a room in your home that is a dedicated office, or have you carved out an office nook somewhere in your home? 

Stay tuned. This is a real time project, so it will be a few days before I can show you the progress.

Organizing Our Life

Sounds so serious, "Organizing Our Life"!

So here is the thing...I am one of those people that likes to be organized, but I have to work REALLY hard at it. It doesn't come naturally to me. I am pretty good at organizing stuff, but not my TIME. I am also one of those non-committal types when it comes to my time. I don't have to have routine, but I do like to know in advance if you need me to do something.

So this is what happens....my house is nice and clean and organized, until I decide to paint something, or rearrange something, or whatever. At that point there is no laundry getting done or any picking up after myself until the project is complete. And dinner, well, I had that planned out, but then did not execute the plan.

Thankfully my husband and boys love me, and have gotten used to how I am about certain things, but I needed to make a change. Everyone else in my house likes routine, and order. They all function much better with a well executed plan. I know this, and have been fighting it, but it was time to get my Mommy rear in gear. The start of a new school year was the motivation that I needed. I really want this year to be great, not, we got it all done, but it wasn't fun in the process.

I have been going through our home and working on getting rid of the excess, and organizing the stuff to make our days flow better. I have established a cleaning routine that works for ME! I am much like my kids and am having to learn that you do the important stuff first AND THEN move on to the "projects" or blogging, or tv, or whatever. I know this sounds so simple, but I was really doing it all backwards.

Do I have it all together? NOPE, but things are going much better. We are a homeschooling family, and as much as I like the freedom that comes with that, my son works much better with a pretty strict routine. School has gone well so far, everyone has clean laundry that is put away most of time, and we still have time to do the fun stuff. I still have a lot to learn, but I am happy with the progress and feel like it has been a good change for our family. 

What does all of this mean for you, my readers? It means that I have been working on adding blogging back into my life. I have missed it, but I can't let it take over, so I am taking it slow. I'm still not really sure where I want to start. I have done so much, and have so much to share. I do know that I want the blog to be more of a combination of all of the things that I set out for it to be in the beginning (see my blog header). Somewhere along the way I kind of went more in a decor/diy vain. That will still be a focus, but I think I want things to be a little more personal and real. I used to think about decor A LOT, and while it is still something I enjoy, I have learned to let it not take over.

If you made it through all of that, you deserve a cute pic of my littlest sweetie.

He was having a hard time putting his shoes on, and not thrilled that I was taking pics of  it.

Clothespin Memo Board

 Way back before Christmas I went to a Mom's Night In craft night, and made a Christmas Advent Calendar. Well, I painted a few clothespins that night; I didn't get anywhere near done. To make the Advent Calendar I took the chalkboard that hangs in my kitchen out of the frame and inserted a piece of foam core board. Once all of my clothespins were painted, I simply attached them to the board with hot glue. And just for the record, if I were to go back and do this again, I would just use craft tape to decorate the clothespins. Much easier and less time consuming. I then used a tag punch, scrapbook paper, and number stickers to make tags for each day. The plan was to write an activity on the back of each tag, but that was a huge Mom fail on my part. I never did. Oops!

Christmas Advent Calendar (iphone pic)

The inspiration for the Advent Calendar was found here.

Fast forward to January. I had planned to put the chalkboard back in the frame in my kitchen and put the Advent Calendar away until next year, but I decided that the Advent Calendar would actually make a really great memo board. I really liked the lightness of the board in the kitchen better than the black chalkboard, and I thought that this might actually be more useful. I am always looking for a place to put scripture verses and appointment cards. Somewhere other than the fridge. I like my fridge to stay nice and clean (minus a few magnets the boys play with and our family calendar).

I am now really glad that I decided NOT to add red the the clothespins to make them more Christmas-y.

 Here you can see the details on the clothespins. I tried not to make any two exactly the same.

It's nice to have a place for important reminders and a few photos.

And that, is the story of my Christmas Advent Calendar turned Clothespin Memo Board.

Linking up to these Blog Parties

A Bowl Full of Lemons - The Bliss Diaries - Positely Splendid - Delightful Order - It's Overflowing - The Shabby Nest