Rule of 3

Hello all!  Happy summer! Crap............. summer is pretty much over.......

Can you believe it's already September?!?!?! I have been SO busy these last few months that it seems like this year is flying by! With time flying by I have found myself in a less organized state. Might you say...chaotic. This happens to everyone once and awhile. Organizing takes work and planning. I find myself getting more stressed when things are busy and a dirty or unorganized house can just add to it. That's why it's important to make time to get yourself straight each week. Even if it's only for 30 mins in that week. Every bit helps!

I recently did a project to help declutter the top of my dresser in the master bedroom and it brought me back to something I heard about a long time ago. I have often heard that you need to follow the rule of 3. Ever heard of it? Well let me tell you about it! I try to use the rule of 3 as a guideline when looking at areas of my house all the time. The rule is simple: Only have 3 items on your shelf, cabinet, dresser, table, whatever. This helps to make the room seem less cluttered and overwhelming. Also- HUGE bonus- it's easier to clean! Yay! Now you don't need to stop reading and run around your house taking off items from every corner shelf in your house. Unless you are a hoarder.....then keep going.......yep- you're not done..........keeeeep going.........ok let's move on.

Really though-you don't have to only have 3 items in a space- the rule is really to be used to help you to simplify your space. Use it for how it works in YOUR life. 


Check out these really simple decor looks that use the rule of 3 as a guideline:



Basically you are trying to avoid this:


This is actually making my throat close up. Maybe i'm allergic to the tasteful stuffed tiger on the couch....
But really- these types of rooms are not inviting to others and are way too much work! 
Don't get me wrong- there may be rooms in magazines or set ups in stores like Ikea (aka mecca/the homeland) that look great and have alot of decor items in them. However- remember that they are trying to sell you something so of course they would have all items out to see. Check out this cute living room with all the bright colors and the cute dog (not included)


It screams style and cuteness BUT look at how much stuff is in there!! WAY too much! Take out half of that and the room would look gorgeous! Oh, and...leave the dog- he helps too!


Now, again, I am not saying you need to go on a decor binge- maybe just find new ways to display your style that doesn't make people want to wear a respirator just to be able to breath around it. That's all I'm saying. Get creative! Make a fun project rather than a chore! Re-purpose an old cabinet to display items, build a shelf, buy a mansion....ok you get what I mean. Keep it fun and use the rule of 3 as your guiding light. 

Until next time.........

The Holidays- the time for cards!

Brrrrr it's cold!!!  Hope your holidays have been at least warm with memories and good times. But really, it's been WAY too cold for my liking. However, the good thing that comes out of it being so cold- I stay in and work on DIY or watch way too much TV. Yes, I did both this past week- don't judge me.

I thought I would share one DIY I did that I am in complete love with! Like seriously, I might have stared at it for awhile today. For real.

Anyways- the project. I wanted to make something that would hold all the cards we get this time of year. Not trying to sound snotty like "Oh we get so many cards because everyone loves us and we are super popular and blah blah blah". I mean if you say that, then that's all you. With my birthday being right around the holidays we get cards for Xmas and for my birthday all at once. Pretty soon your whole kitchen table is full of cards. Then you might have to resort to eating on the floor like a vagabond all while having your pretty cards displayed. So if you don't want your neighbors to think you are scared of furniture or from another planet- here is a $9 fix to free up that card clutter. Here is how to take a picture from Goodwill like the one below and turn it into a cute card holder!

Bet you are wondering why I didn't want to keep the picture as is....let me tell you, it was a tough choice.....


First thing you do- Get supplies. Like I mentioned above, this project only cost me $9!  NINE DOLLARS.....that's like a #2 at McDonalds with a Diet Coke. All you need is:
- old picture frame
- paint
- chicken wire
- staple gun & staples

To start I went to Goodwill to buy a picture frame. Any frame will do- it's really about personal preference. I wanted something to fit in a very specific wall in my house so I went looking for a  frame that was longer rectangle shape. It's up to you how your frame looks but I like the ones with a little more design to them. Plain ones are fine, again personal preference. So I picked up my frame from Goodwill for $4 (little pricey I know but it's totally a kickass frame)


Then I went to Home Depot and bought chicken wire. They come in rolls out in the garden/outdoor section. I believe the smallest roll you can buy is 5'. I bought a roll of 10' for $13. Yes I know you are wondering- what the heck am I supposed to do with all that extra chicken wire?!?!?!  Don't get your panties in a bunch- there are tons of things you can do with chicken wire. Too many for me to mention. Anyways- I bought the roll of wire and used just enough to fill the frame- only about $2 worth.

Now comes some assembly! First I cut the chicken wire to size behind the frame. I cut mine so the wire came to about the middle part of the actual frame piece. Did I forget to mention you don't need to save the matte or glass from the frame? Oh yea- you don't have to save those. No need! If you can buy a frame without them- score! There are plenty of other things you can do with a matte or glass. Anyways- back to the frame.

Now that you have cut the chicken wire to size you have your first choice. Do you want to paint the wire or not? If so, it's easier to paint it while it is not attached to the frame. I personally left it silver because it looks awesome. Another option I have seen people do is leave the chicken wire outside for a few days in the rain or snow and let it rust. Gives it a shabby kind of feel. If you want to paint the wire go ahead and paint it (spray paint is easiest) and leave it to dry as you move on to the next step. Also- there may be pins or latches on the frame to hold in glass- I would recommend you pull them- don't really need them for this project.

If your frame doesn't have a picture hook on it- you can buy one or a pack from Lowe's, Home Depot, Menards, Walmart, etc. My frame did not come with anything to hang so I looked around the garage and found a hanger.

Now it's time to paint your frame. I personally attached my chicken wire to the frame before I painted the frame because I skipped painting the chicken wire. Really it doesn't matter. I went down into my craft room (yes I have a craft room now! Will be doing future posts on it!) and brought up some gray paint from a previous project I had done. I painted my frame to looked a little distressed on purpose. I didn't fill in where I was painting all the way and sometimes took a paper towel and wiped off a little paint. It came out looking so good!

Now time to attach the chicken wire to the frame. I used a staple gun- 1. because it secures it tight and 2. because it makes you feel like a badass. I sued the smallest staples I could find- 3/8'. I stapled around the frame through the back to secure. You just need enough to keep it on there- cards aren't heavy enough to need heavy duty stuff. The staple gun and staples didn't cost me because my hubby already had them!

 

Lastly, I ventured to Ikea to find the hooks I used. I did not go to Ikea just for the hooks. I actually stumbled across them but they were a brilliant find! By the way- have you been in an Ikea before? It's crazy! As you can probably tell it was my first trip in one. Anyways, I bought a package of these hooks on sale there for $3. I used about half a pack. Now just slip the hooks into the chicken wire.

Now clip up the cards and you are done! Now you can claim your kitchen table back and stop eating with the dust bunnies. I love the way this looks on my wall and I LOVE that it keeps the clutter contained! 

Hope you had a great holiday!

Laundry time

Yesterday I was finishing up some laundry and it got me thinking- there has to be a better process for this. If you are like me, you hate doing laundry. If it was sociably acceptable I would wear dirty laundry forever just to not have to wash it. (Try to hide your disgusted face.)

There are a few things out there to make this task alittle easier and I wanted to share a few:


Get a laundry sorter. I personally have one and I love it! I am able to separate out the different types of loads I am going to do before I start laundry and just grab and go when that load is next. I have mine kept in the laundry room at all times since it does take up more space than your typical hamper. Also I love that it has wheels for more accessibility. They range from $29 to upwards of $89. I have one I paid about $30 for and it works great.



Needing to dry something by laying it flat? I typically use the top of my washer or dryer to lay sweaters out to dry but it can get annoying since I have a top loading washer. I totally didnt know they made things to help with this. It's a drying stand. It folds up to not take up as much space and has a top to lay shirts on. Not sure how much room the top has for clothes to dry at the same time- but always an option to look into.




Pillow cases are you shoes best friend. Cleaning athletic shoes can be a pain but there are several tricks you can use to be able to wash your shoes in the washing machine. By no means am I saying this is the best way- just a way I have used and works good for me. Don't be putting those new Jordans in there- they cost way to much to do that. Trust me, I know. I work for Foot Locker :)
Anyways- It's best to take out the laces of the shoes to that they do not get tangled, however, this is not a must do. I typically just untie the laces and drop the entire shoe in a pillow case and they do not tangle. So, drop them in a pillow case and drop in the washer. They also sell bags made specifically to wash shoes in, but a pillowcase works just fine.You will want to use liquid detergent instead of powder. Powder can easily stick to the shoe and not wash out as well. I find it best to wash shoes with blankets or a load of towels. This will help prevent your washer from taking a beating by the shoes. Something important to remember- do not dry your shoes in the dryer! This may be ok for a bit for nasty old yard shoes you dont care about but not ok for your regular shoes. This can mis-shape them, melt part of them if the temp is too high and possibly cause colors from the pillow case to bleed into the shoe. It is always best to air dry the shoes. Usually takes 24 hours to dry so plan ahead.

 

 

 

Of course I am going to say having storage for your laundry essentials helps alot. I have several baskets in my laundry room that hold everything from dryer sheets, stain remover, and smelly good add-in's. I also set up my liquid detergent alittle different in that I put it in a very large mason jar that has a spout. I personally like this because I can see exactly how much detergent I have left (helps when I am making my shopping list) and I just think it looks better than the regular store bought bottles. I like that I can combine a new bottle with old detergent I am finishing out without having 2 bottles take up that space.

 

 

Another thing that is super helpful it somewhere to hang clothes that are drying. Some houses have this built in but others don't. If you are part of the population that does not, there is a simple solution- a shower rod. Use a shower rod between two walls or cabinets to hang clothes on. They are much cheaper than buying a shelving system and work just as well.

 

 

 

Hopefully this makes the art of laundry not so cringe worthy. I know my laundry room needs some updates so look for that in future blog posts! Until then I will just dream of having a laundry room like the ones below.......a girl can wish.....

 

 

 

Long time, no see!

Hey! WOW it has been FOREVER since I wrote on here. I have definitely missed it! You know what happened? Life happened. Don't you hate that? :)    Really I have had a good couple months and the time seems to be on turbo boost. I got a new job (that I love by the way) and it has taken up a huge chunk of time. I also seem to have projects, games, or something going on every weekend (which I love also). I recently just threw an 80's themed party (random I know) but it was a blast and let me tell you- the outfits were insane. I will spare you the pain of seeing them on here :)

Ok-- let's talk organizing! I have been working on projects around my house lately because well if you own your own home, you know the projects never stop. Mark and I are in the middle of converting a very large walk in closet in our house to my very own craft room! I am super excited to have my own space to create, plus I think Mark is happy all my supplies will be in one place rather than taking over the kitchen table....and the dining room table....and the spare room....and the living room.....yea....  I will be posting our progress soon-let's just say it's got counter tops in it and is freshly painted a nice white. More to come!


Ok- what this post is really about (more for the ladies on this one): Purse organization. In these last few weeks of running around, my purse has seen it's fair share of receipts, pens, makeup, hair brushes, granola bars, wallets, loose change, and the list goes on and on. I love to carry large tote purses but the only down fall to them is it seems like they are the black hole of purses. I literally have to dig and shove things around to find what I am looking for most of the time. I wanted to look into how I could create alittle organization to my purse without having to get a brand new one. I wanted to share some things I found and am in love with!

Organizer that fits in your purse:
This things sole purpose in life is to sit in your purse and create more pockets to put items. It has mesh pockets on the outside so you can see your items like pens, phones, makeup, lotions, etc. It slips into your purse and even has a larger open pocket in the middle to hold wallets, cash, checks (if you still use them, and yes people still use them- I am one of the ones stuck in the dinosaur age)

 

Fold up hair brushes:

I have been know to carry my entire hair brush in my purse- that takes up a lot of room! These little fold up brushes are the perfect size to fit in your purse. They fold up to a smaller size and most of them even have a mirror included. Also there is multiple options if you want a variety to pick from.

 

 

 

 

Mini makeup case:

If you are on the run, sometimes you don't have time to put on all of your makeup before you head out the door. Or maybe you are fighting a bad breakout that week and may need touch ups throughout the day. You can easily go to Walmart, Target, Beauty Brands, Walgreens, etc to find a small bag to keep your make up in like the picture below. They usually cost a few bucks and work pretty well. You can also find pretty fugly ones like the cats one below....seriously, don't buy that one. Or I can't ever talk to you again...seriously, it's fugly. 

Moving on...some companies even create mini makeup kits so you don't have to lug your full sized makeup in and out of your house. This kit even includes brushes, eye shadows, blush, mascara, concealer, the whole nine yards. If you are like me I feel like I am constantly looking where I put my mascara. You can ever create your own DIY mini make up kit.



 

 

Mini flat irons and curling irons:

I have had a mini curling iron before but I just found out they have mini flat irons too! These little beauties run off of butane so they don't even need to be plugged in. They heat up quick and do the job just as well as regular irons. And- look how little and cute they are! Most common ones sold are by Conair and they sell replacement butane cartridges. By the way- butane may sound scary but it's really not. It's totally safe and is a colorless and odorless gas. It will not cause irritation to your skin but don't shoot it in your eyes....if I have to tell you that then you probably shouldn't be near a curling iron anyways :)   It is like most other gases and is under pressure so don't curl or iron your hair next to an open flame. I mean who curls their hair next to a fireplace anymore, that's so last year. The flat irons mostly run off battery and need to be charged just like some electric razors. Needing to run somewhere after work but don't have time to go home to glam up? Just carry these in your purse and give your hair a quick touch up!

Credit card, debit card and license holder:
These little wallets help cut down on all the clutter your normal sized wallets can bring. After credit cards, debit cards, licenses, membership cards, discount cards, gift cards and all other cards I can't think of right now- your wallet starts to look the size of a small puppy. Reduce the clutter with a small wallet that only carries certain cards that you use on a regular basis and leave the other cards in a separate wallet. These are also great if you are going to an event that you don't feel like carrying your whole purse with you- just take it out and slip it in your pocket.

           

Phone charger case and cords:
This has happened to all of us- we are somewhere and our phone starts to die when we really need it! Cords floating all over your purse can get tangled in everything and are really annoying to get free from the black hole. There are a few things you can do to solve this problem. 1. Get a cord organizer like the ones below to keep your cords nice and tidy all the time. You can even DIY by using a clothes pin. 2. Buy a case that will do the charging for you. Mophie makes a good case for this and they offer ones for IPhones and Droids. The case plugs into the bottom of the phone and when you charge your phone with a wall charger it charges the case also. Then when you are about out of battery you can turn the case on and it will charge your phone. 3.Another option is a case that charges by having a plug in attached to the back. It folds into the case and can fold out when needed.

Receipt organizer:
The dreaded receipts. You get them for EVERYTHING. Some of the time you keep them to check against your bank account, or maybe just in case you have to return an item but receipts can clutter a purse faster than anything else. Throw in a receipt (and coupon) organizer to keep those crazy papers under control. Remember those index card holders you used in class to study? Those work great for this!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope these tips help keep your purse (a.k.a. the black hole) under control!