Category Archives: Organization

Nov
22

Today I’m Grateful For

by: keighley

Camberley introduced me to this nifty board (which can be picked up at Walmart) and it has done wonders for my school schedule. I refrain from day planners because I’m constantly making changes and scribbling… the chicken scratch and erase marks drive me nuts. Anyway, I am really grateful for organization products because without them my stress levels would be unmanageable.

3 Comments

Family Favorites, Keighley, Lifestyle, Organization

Tags: Dry Erase Boards, Dry Erase Calendars, Dry Erase Office Supplies, Walmart office supplies

Sep
29

Repurpose 2.0

by: keighley

Here are a few more repurposing ideas from Real Simple. Thought I would share.

1.) Screw off the lids of extra salt & pepper shakers or jam jars and use as flower vases for a night table, guest-bathroom sink or table displays.

2.) Use that lonely abandoned earring sitting in your jewelry box as a thumbtack on a bulletin board. You will love the extra color and sparkle.

3.) Cupcake foils make the perfect votives for an impromptu party. Not only is it cheap, but cleanup is a breeze.

4.) After sanitizing the soup can you ate last night, use strips of wallpaper to make chic and personalized pencil-cups!

5.) Use a plate rack for storing cutting boards, cookie sheets, and jelly-roll pans in your cupboards. No more clanking and crashing.

10 ways to repurpose

by: keighley

Please accept an apology on behalf of all the contributors here at the Bella Life for neglecting posts on organization. We are all HUGE believers and promoters of organizing (although we are definitely not perfect). Organizing not only brings peace and order to your home but it is a serious stress-reliever. As I was reading Real Simple magazine I came across an article about repurposing and thought some of the ideas were fun and creative.

1. Repurpose an old frame by turning it in to a vanity tray. Frame a piece of fabric to add a finishing touch.

2. When entertaining stash ice in a colander or strainer and set on top of a bucket or bowl. Your guest will thank you for solid ice cubes.

3. Can’t find your camera case? (or just don’t have one) A $.99 plastic soap case from your local grocery store is the perfect size to protect a camera while traveling or from you stuffed-to-the-brim purse.

4. Who said towel racks are only for towels? Mount a thin towel rack over the kitchen or laundry room sink to hold your collection of cleansers. Brilliant!

5. Use an empty glasses case to organize all the miscellaneous items in your purse. It would also make a great portable sewing kit, all you need is the needles, strings, and buttons.

6. Next time you are lighting sparklers off with your little monsters, stick the sparkler in Play-Doh to protect hands and prevent hysterics.

7. Use all those extra paint sample you have in your closet as a place card for your next party. If you aren’t like me and don’t have an entire container filled with samples go to your local hardware store and grab them! Free + unique+ place cards = PERFECT!

8. Shower-curtain hooks are the perfect way to store heavier items in your closet, like purses.

9. Attach a magnet to the inside of a metal medicine cabinet and your tweezers, nail clippers, or mini scissors will always be easy to find. This is GENIUS!!!

10. Use an old cassette case to coil iPod earphones or electronic cords. (I just need to find some old cassette cases)

8 Comments

Design Studio, Do It Yourself, Organization

Tags: Real Simple Images, real simple magazine, real simple repurpose

Aug
03

My “Monkey Mind” List

by: debbie

Yes, I was on vacation last week with some of the Bella girls. And while they were busy documenting our fun trip I took a vacay from everything-including the blog.

But it never fails to happen. Now that I’m back to living in the real world I’ve come down with a serious case of what I call:

“Monkey Mind”

{Definition: Describes a mind that jumps from thought to thought like a monkey jumps from tree to tree.}

I catch it every time I go on a vacation. And I come down with it the first Monday I’m back. It infects my brain just like the common cold infects a head. With a brain full of symptoms: like an overwhelming mental list of things to do, things I want to do and ideas I want to try {Monkey #1= multiple racing thoughts}. Then there’s the things I want to accomplish and the extensive “to-do” lists I want to compose{Monkey #2=ideas of grandeur}. And finally my brain starts trying to fool me into thinking that I can conquer the entire “to-do” list within a 24 hour period {including sleep time}. {Monkey #3=supernatural powers of accomplishment}.

So here’s what my Monkey Mind thinks I can do in 24 hours:

{Monday}

Write an extensive to do list of all the things I need to do for the day and possibly expand it and do the entire week then month {Once I start writing it’s hard for me to stop!}
Put together a new recipe book to hand out to the family { find the perfect recipe template, type recipes, put into 3 ring binders and distribute}.
Create a calendar for the extended family with everyone’s birthdays, anniversaries and activities for the rest of this year and 2011. {Call or email family members to get their input}.
Do all the wash from our vacation and organize drawers and closet as I put it all away. {Laundry room clean and in order by early afternoon}.
Wash sheets on the bed and remake before going to work. {Do it so fast hubby is impressed with my clean sheets turn around time}.
Go in to work, pay bills, finish working on a table with Keighley, plan and book tradeshows and markets for August and October, work on project spreadsheet. {Do all the work I was going to do last week if I had not gone on vacation}.
Do all of my blog posts for the entire week {and possibly the next} while at work.
Go to a business meeting. {Make millions in one afternoon.}
Go out to dinner with husband and plan upcoming trip while eating. {Make good use of time by multi-tasking.}
Meet up with the girls for song practice. {Be sure to laugh a lot while preparing for upcoming “gig”}.

Now here’s the reality.

{Tuesday}

Typed the list up just now while working on this post. {However I did attempt to do my list 2 other times but lost the spiral notebook I was using}.
Pulled out all the recipe books and put on the kitchen counter {yesterday}. Moved them from the counter to the pantry {today}. Hoping they make it as far as my computer room {tomorrow}.
Thought about who has a birthday this month. Hope I remember correctly {2 SIL’s and 1 MIL and my favorite sister}.
Got all the wash to the laundry room. Most of it washed and folded by the end of the night and in the basket that will eventually make its way to my closet. {Darn sheets put me behind.}
Bed made with clean sheets by 10:00 {unfortunately it was P.M.} BUT I’m sure that my hubby was impressed with my fast bed making skills as he waited patiently for me to finish so he could climb in.
Work List: 2 out of 4 items completed-not bad for a Monday.
Started this post yesterday. Hope to post it by Tuesday. Not sure about Wednesday’s post yet.
Meeting-Yes. Millions-still pending.
Reality of multi-tasking dinner: RA {for sushi} is a very loud place to discuss details of a trip especially since you have to do it while shouting across the table to each other. Although there were a few helpful diner’s that offered up their opinion when we couldn’t decide.
Not sure you could call it a practice but the girls and I sure did laugh hard.