Operation Organization ~ The Garage

The garage.  It's meant to store our car, but in reality it stores....everything else.

Tools, the lawn mower, bikes, beach chairs, extra toilet paper.  Like I said...everything.  With "everything" in the garage, it gets MESSY!


That is why the garage was the next space in my house that was getting organized.

By the way, we aren't "dirty" people, we just seem to put things places and they get unorganized...a lot of the time!  Call it "laziness!"



I would love those garage systems that you see advertised, but they just aren't an expense that we are prepared to have at this time.  I've even thought about purchasing shelving units with doors from Home Depot, but again, that's another expense.  I wanted to organize the garage with things we already have in the house.  
 

Here are some things that I did:

• Shelves:

• I used our already in place wire shelves to organize the items that I purchase in bulk at BJs.  Due to the weight, I had to store the bottles of water on the floor.

 

• My dad built us a wooden shelving unit.  I put our bins of holiday items in there.  

• Hooks:
• I hammered a nail next to the shelves to hang our athletic bags.  
• We got special hooks to hang the bikes and scooters on the wall.

 

• Drawers:

• I have plastic drawers that I used in my classroom and labeled them with items that we needed to keep together (ex. batteries, extension cords, etc.)  I labeled each drawer using my label maker. (Don't judge)

We can actually walk in there now!!  


Things still to do:

• I threw away a lot of things that we didn't need and there is still more to go to the dump, but I need my heavy lifter (aka my husband) for that.   
• I would like to get a golf gear organizer so that my husband's clubs won't take up so much space.  We could also use it to keep all of the baseball equipment that my little sluggers accumulate! 

What do you do to help keep your garage organized?  Do you spend money or work with what you've got to stow your stuff?

Next up on Operation Organization: The Playroom

Alexis

Operation Organization ~ My Hall Closet/Pantry

Ok, I'll admit it, I'm a "closet" disaster!!!  There are parts of my house that stay hidden from the outside world.  And for good reason; they are a MESS!  These are the places, that as time goes by, become the "catch all" places where we put things. 

That's why I have initiated Operation Organization in my house this summer!!

I know....I'm ashamed!

My hall closet is one such place.  There isn't enough closet space in my house.  Each room has one and we have the hall closet.  That's it.  It's very frustrating.  That's why the hall closet is our "hiding place" for things without a home.


I use this space for my extra pantry items (ex. "buy one get one" items, or pantry items we get at BJs, etc.), family games, my plastic plates for outdoor dining, candles, party supplies, and the kids' crafts.  Then as days go by, things just get placed there and they never leave.   

I started at the top and worked my way down.  I made piles of the items:

• Things to keep
• Things to donate
• Things to sell 
• Things to toss

I felt like I was in my own episode of a "redecorating" show.  

I made bins and clearly labeled them with the items inside.  For example, "Homework Bin," "Crafts," and "Cards & Card Games."  This will make finding those things easier. 

I thought of buying hooks to hang the backpacks and lunchboxes.  I was too lazy and cheap to go to the store, so instead I just hammered in a couple of long nails into the wall and hung up the bags on the inside of the closet.

Now check out our new and improved hall closet!! 
Let's just hope it stays this way!!

Next up on Operation Organization: the garage!

What are your organizing ideas? Do you ever let your life get this "messy?"  How do you stop the madness before it starts?



Alexis

Make Ugly Cords Vanish

Ok, we all have it.  Ugly cord syndrome.  You know, that ball of ghastly wires that lurks beneath desks and cabinets.  UGH!  They annoy me!!

I'm not proud of this mess...it really is unruly.

A cure all way to get rid of the mess would be to minimize the amount of electronics, but THAT'S not going to happen!!  So the next best thing is to visit CableOrganizer.com to find organizational tools.  

I got a BlueLounge CableBox Mini.  And like the brand says, "out of sight, out of mind!"

CableBox Mini comes with a 4-socket surge protector.  It has cable outlets on either side, making it ideal for hiding the cords, adapters, and small power strips and keeping them tidy and dust free.  

Check out how sleek it looks under my desk now! Nice and neat!!  And in my sea of boys in this house, how can I resist the pink?! 

PINK...how cute!

CableOrganizer.com also has other cool ways to control the many cables around your house.  They carry many well known brands such as 3M, Belkin, and BlueLounge.  And it's easy to shop by industry too.  From office to automotive, CableOrganizer.com makes it easy to shop for all of your electronic organizational needs.


My kids just love the animal utility clips.  We have Prince the Frog holding the light switch cable on our turtle, Phineas', tank.

Prince the Frog hanging with Phineas the turtle...BFFs!

Visit CableOrganizer.com when you are looking for a solution to your electronic cable messes!



**Disclaimer:  CableOrganizer.com provided my family with a CableBox Mini, as well as a handful of animal utility clips.  As always, all opinions are my own.


Alexis

My Newest Meal Planner

So I was in my favorite store....Target (pronounced Tar-jay for the fancy folk).  I was wandering through one of my favorite sections...the dollar section.  


I'm always on the lookout for notepads that represent the next holiday or season.  I buy them as little gifts to show my kids' teachers appreciation.  As I was looking for Valentine notepads, I came across this one for myself:

You know I love making lists....and this one is no different!  I've already started my planning!!


How do you plan your weekly meals? 

Alexis

Pregnancy Brain...hold the pregnancy

I know I've talked about this before, but it's driving me crazy!!

I have COMPLETE pregnancy brain!  You know what I'm talking about...

"Where am I?"  "Did I turn off the lights?"  "Ooops, I forgot..."

My only problem....I'm NOT PREGNANT!

I am forgetting everything lately!

I really can't find a strategy to keep me organized.  I feel like I've tried everything...

I write things down, I keep a calendar, I've even tried putting things in my phone.

Now my kids are starting to suffer.  "Little Ricky" had practice for his Christmas pageant on Saturday.  The one and only practice and I forgot completely about it...just wiped from my brain.  It was on my calendar.  Too bad my calendar was left on my desk at work.  Now I don't even know if he can be in the pageant!  My poor "Little Ricky."

I'm seriously considering seeing a doctor about this condition.

Alexis