Organization Solutions {Under the Sink}

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: organization is the theme of the month. I’ve already shown what some other fabulous bloggers are doing to get organized, and now I’m going to share a couple tips of my own. But let’s face it, not all of us have the money to go out and buy lots of fabulous matching bins and all the organization hardware that so many people have. Some of us need to use what we already have. So I’m going to focus on that. Organizing on the cheap.

Today I’m going to focus on an area that drives me absolutely crazy: under the kitchen sink. Up until this week ours was a complete disaster. I hated having to get anything from there, which is difficult considering that’s where the majority of our cleaning supplies are kept. So the other day I sat my pregnant self down and got to work. Here’s what it looked like before:

Cleaning supplies everywhere. A basket not being efficiently utilized. And you can’t even see that there were grocery sacks of child proofing hardware just thrown in the back. Oh and random medicine cabinet stuff that is actually too big for our medicine cabinet.

Want to see the after? Ok here goes…

Ahh…so much better. So what did I do?

1. Throw out the junk. As I went through the contents of the cabinet I found a bunch of cleaning supplies that were old and nasty as well as empty. And random junk that had accumulated. So I threw it out without a second thought.

2. Use what you have. As you saw, I already had a basket under there, but it wasn’t being used very well. I cleaned it out and put all my cleaning supplies into it so they weren’t strewn about. Well except for that bottle of floor solution. I actually still had a little left in the old bottle so it got nicely put in the back. Once the old bottle is used up it will have a nice new home in the basket. Then I found a box (I tend to hold onto smaller boxes that I get in the mail because they can be so useful…this one brought me samples of formula for my upcoming baby), cut off the top flaps and put my medicine cabinet things, as well as some odds and ends, into it. You could even fancy it up with decoupaged paper but I wasn’t feeling that ambitious. It is, after all, under the sink.

3. A place for everything. Instead of just throwing things in there, make sure there is a place for everything, even if that place is not under the sink. We recently organized our entire garage and so the child-proofing hardware actually had a place out there in a cabinet labeled “hardware” (who would’ve thought?). So that left. Then I had a place for the phone books (which you also couldn’t see in the “before” picture) and the garbage bags.

Doesn’t everything look so much neater? What are your favorite cheap tips and tricks for organizing that dreaded cabinet under the kitchen sink?

Valentines Garland {tutorial}

I wanted to make something whimsical for Valentines Day this year that wouldn’t take too much effort. I saw these fabulous hearts over at The Letter 4 and I thought they would make an awesome garland to celebrate the day of love. Plus I had all the supplies at my house!

Supplies Needed:

• Various Valentines themed scrapbook paper (I just used a bunch of pink scraps I had laying around)
• Hot glue
• Pencil
• Ruler (unless you have a fancy paper cutter…I just have scissors)

Step 1: Cut your paper into 9 1/2” by 3/4” strips (or you can choose whatever length you want). I cut about 7 of each color, 4 colors total. You can cut some extra that will be used later on.

Step 2: Fold your strips in half.

Step 3: Roll your paper around a pencil about halfway down. Repeat on other side. Dab a little hot glue to hold the swirls together (this is how the garland will hold together).

Step 4: Using some of the leftover paper cut strips that are half the length of your heart strips. Roll the entire piece tightly around your pencil. Dab a bit of hot glue to the outside of one heart and attach the swirl. Dab some more glue on the other side of the swirl and attach another heart. Repeat with all the hearts and swirls, alternating as you go.

Step 5: Hang your garland! I put swirls on the ends but you’ll want to actually hang it by the end hearts as they are more sturdy. I’m actually thinking of taking this to my husband’s classroom to spice up his whiteboard!

 

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Show Off Saturday {Baby Projects}

Before I get to today’s Show Off, this is a friendly reminder that I am still looking for a few guest posters for my maternity leave. You could do a tutorial, a recipe, or even do your own Saturday Show Off! You can find more info here. Or just email me at mydecoupagedlife {at} gmail {dot} com.

Babies are on the brain. So not only am I due in about 3 weeks, I actually also have a sister-in-law due 3 days after me. Oh and there are a couple more babies coming in the family as well. So it’s been all about baby project here. I’ve had so much fun making things for both myself and my sister-in-law. And soon I’ll start making things for my other family members as well! So naturally today’s Show Off is all about my favorite baby projects I’ve found around the web.

1. Ok so I’m not having a boy, but I basically want to make one of these bow ties from Kiki Creates for every little boy I know. Seriously.

2. Even though it’s not that cold here, babies still need a blanket every so often. I hate how regular blankets tend to get kicked off car seats so I absolutely love this car seat blanket from Running With Scissors.

3. Ok who isn’t a sucker for little baby booties? And these ones are adorable! Tao of Craft even provides the pattern and tutorial for making them in different sizes! I might make like 10 pairs for my little girl.

4. One thing I really wanted with my first baby but never got around to making was a nursing cover. Instead I became a master of the hold-a-blanket-with-your-teeth strategy. Or sort of. I’m pretty sure I may have still flashed a few people. But this tutorial from Sew4Home is fairly easy and even has a pocket to store things on the inside. I have 3 weeks..I can make this!

5. A car seat cover is also on my to-do list that must be completed in the next couple weeks. And this tutorial from Lil Pink Pocket makes it super easy.

So what are some of your favorite baby projects? If you were featured be sure to grab a button.

Looking for more baby projects? Check out a couple of mine:

Baby Ring Sling

Binky Leash

Valentines Wreath Revisited

I thought I’d take a trip down memory lane before next week’s Valentine themed tutorial at last year’s awesome wreath (which is currently enjoying it’s time on my front door).

Want the full tutorial on making this beauty? You can find it here.

Baby Sling {tutorial}

It’s getting to be time to make all the baby things I’ll need that I didn’t have the first time around. Like a nursing cover. And a car seat cover. And a baby sling, which is what we’re going to focus on today. Unfortunately baby slings just kind of look awkward on pregnant women and I didn’t have a model for mine (for some odd reason my husband wasn’t interested…weird), so I don’t have a picture of it actually in use. But never fear! I still have all the steps you’ll need to make a great sling. And if you really want to see what it looks like used you can go here. This is the tutorial I kind of went off of, though I did a couple things differently.

Supplies Needed:

• 2 1/2 yards heavy duty cotton (I did a lot of research and people seem to agree that home décor fabrics work best because they are sturdier. My fabric is a nice thick cotton that’s almost like canvas…just softer)
• 2” steel rings (I got mine in the hardware section of Home Depot)
• Sewing machine
• Matching Thread

Step 1: Cut your fabric to 33”x 70” (I just had mine 2 1/2 yards long). Unless you have magic cotton that doesn’t fray, hem the edges of your fabric all the way around.

Step 2: On one end of your rectangle, find the middle of the edge. Bring the ends into the middle. Press down. Bring the folded ends to meet the middle again. Press. Refer to the pictures if this isn’t clear. Pin the folds down.

Step 3: Feed the folded end through the 2 rings, with the folded end up

Step 4: Fold the end over the rings. Sew in place. Now, don’t be like me and try to follow the hem line as a sewing line. The fabric is way too thick and you will break your needle. I went about 1/2” above the hemline. Make sure you backstitch on the ends to there isn’t any unraveling.

Step 5: To use, you just wrap it around yourself. Feed the unfinished end through both rings. Fold over and feed the end through the first ring again (skipping the second). And you’re done! This was such an easy project, I’m not sure why I didn’t make one before!

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Disclaimer: My Decoupaged Life does not accept responsibility for the safety of this sling. By following this tutorial the maker is accepting all responsibility.