Organization for scrapbooking scrap paper

I love scrapbooking but I have to say that the worst part is organizing all of the little bits that are cut off of the sheets of expensive paper. I spend half of my time trying to find white or cream-coloured scraps for journaling! So, I finally got so fed up that I made a connection between my empty poly expanding file organizer and my scraps: why not organize the scraps in the expanding file organizer?

There are 13 tabs in my paper organizer. I took a quick look at my paper scrap collection and came up with these categories:

1. White
2. Cream
3. Yellow and Beige
4. Red
5. Pink and Purple
6. Blue
7. Green
8. Brown
9. Black
10. Other: for all of the aqua, orange, grey and other colours that were not included
11. Embellishments
12. (and 13) Patterned: there were actually two pockets here so I organized it by the paper kits and the scrap pieces of patterned paper 

Then, it was a matter of organizing the paper scraps into the expanding file once I relabeled it according to the above categories. 

To this:

It took me about an hour to sift through my piles of paper scraps and organize them into these categories. Now I can get scrapbooking!

I hope my adventures in craft organization inspire you to do something similar! It's always great to bring order to chaos and get to work crafting instead of organizing the craft!

How to find an organization scheme for documents

These days, we seem to be buried by things to organize - especially when it comes to paper, documents and bookmarks. We always say that we can't ever seem to find anything despite our best efforts!

Here is an idea: why not develop a plan for your paper and electronic documents? Some people develop a plan for one but neglect the other. This way, you know that if you have education related folders in the filing cabinet you also have them labelled the same way on your computer.

Here are some tips that I have learned over the past years when it comes to organization documents:

1. Think of how you use these documents now and in the future. For example, if you are in school now you might not be in three years. So those files won't be used as often as they are now but you still want them in a place where you can find them.
2. Also consider which documents you use often versus those that you don't. For example, you always need to find your taxes, paystubs and bills quickly versus old drawings that you did when you were five.
3. Create a very basic organization plan. Use general headings and very easy organization. Here is a sample:
• Learning applies to all levels of schooling, careers and jobs and research so all folders relating to these topics can go in this general group.
• Self-Improvement applies to topics like finances, health, beauty, fashion, weight loss, etc. So all documents relating to these topics can go into this larger grouping. 
• Planning applies to topics house/home, children, travel, holidays, car, etc. So all documents relating to anything that requires planning can go here. 
• Entertainment includes all documents relating to movies, music, hobbies and any type of entertainment.
4. Keep documents within three levels. This is an easy way to track your documents and a basic rule when it comes to web design as well. Here are a few samples:
• Learning >> University >> Year 1
• Learning >> Career >> Name of Employer
• Self-Improvement >> Finances
• Self-Improvement >> Health >> Menu Plans
• Planning >> House >> Renovation 2008
• Planning >> Holidays >> Christmas
• Entertainment >> Movies >> Movie Stubs
• Entertainment >> Hobbies >> Knitting 
5. Use this plan for electronic and paper versions of your documents. Apply this to your bookmarks, electronic filing system and paper filing system. This becomes very useful because once it is in place, you know will have an idea of where to find something three years from now as well as tomorrow. 

6. Write up your plan. Create a document that lists how your files are organized, both paper and electronic. This will help you out in the future.
7. Put the plan into practice. Take an afternoon or two to put the documents into folders organized according to your plan.  

Hopefully, these tips are helpful for you to weed through those piles of documents and papers that you have.

Links:

• Essortment, How to Create an Effective Office Filing System.

The Knitting Needle Case - made from scraps!

I was going through my fabric bin and I discovered the leftover cut shirt from my fooler shirt project and a leftover pillow cover that I had meant to sew up. Then, I got a wild idea for organizing my knitting needles: a roll-up knitting needle case. I was also inspired by projects in fabric books and the make-up brush case from Sew 4 Fun that I found pinned to Pinterest.

For this project, I used home decor-weight fabric and an old button-up cotton shirt. For the case, I used two 16 by 16 inch squares along with two more pieces that measured 4 by 16 inches and 8 by 16 inches. These two smaller pieces will be the two levels of "pockets" that hold the needles. I cut "bias tape" from the button up shirt that measured 3 inches wide but came in various pieces (there are pictures below). I also used my sewing machine, matching thread, pins and a measuring tape.

First, I measured the pieces and did some adjusting where necessary. I also cut the first piece of "bias tape" and used it as a guide for cutting the rest of the shirt into strips. I pinned and sewed them together to form a long strip of bias tape.

(It's hard to see in the pic but I have one strip laid over the shirt as a rough measurement and I am cutting up the side)

Then, I did the zigzag stitch on the cut edge of each of the dividing pockets, then pinned and sewed them down for a clean edge.

 Once the two cut edges were folded and sewed down, I placed them on the good side of one of the larger 16 by 16 squares like so, pinned along the edges and sewed all three layers together. 

I started to measure the pockets now. I used the measuring tape to create lines at 2 1/2 inches, 2 inches then 1 1/2 inches lengthwise and sewed down through the two layers to the bottom to create pockets for knitting needles. For each measurement, I marked it with a pin and sewed down to the bottom in a straight line.

Once the pockets were created, I had to create the bias tape. I ironed it and pressed each side about 1 cm on each side to create bias tape. Then I started pinning it to around the edge of the knitting needle case.

Then, it was done!

The last thing to do was to create a tie with some leftover shirt bias tape. I simply folded it over and sewed it together.

Estimated time for this project: about 1 hour. This seriously did not take long! Most of it was spent on the ironing and bias tape.

Notes:

• This can be done with any color combination and with or without bias tape. 
• A serger can always be used whenever I noted that I used the zigzag stitch. 
• I'd use a heavier-weight fabric for this project like home decor or upholstery weight. Quilting and fashion-weight fabrics aren't stiff enough to last with a project like this. 

Ideas:

• Why not make one out of leftover jeans or curtains?
• Contrast stitching can also be done. Perhaps a white fabric with bright blue bias tape and stitching?
• Why not stencil or embroider each pocket with the size of the needles? (Ex. US1, 2, 3, etc.)

Greatest Year Ever: February

This is the second of 12 posts on how to have the Greatest Year Ever. Everything listed here is from research that I have done. The sources are listed at the bottom.

Facts:

• Number of Days: 28 (leap years have 29)
• Birthstone: amethyst
• Flower: Viola (violet) and primula vulgaris (common primrose).
• Season: 3nd month of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, 3nd month of summer in the Southern Hemisphere
• Name: from the Latin term "februum" meaning purification.
  

Famous February events:

• February 2, 1943: The last German troops surrendered in Stalingrad to the Russians.
• February 3, 1913: The United States ratified the 16th amendment to the American constitution to start income tax.
• February 6, 1899: The treaty to end the Spanish-American war was passed in the United States Senate.
• February 6, 1952: George VI of Great Britain passed away and his daughter became Queen Elizabeth II.
• February 8, 1587: Mary, Queen of Scots, was executed.
• February 10, 1763: The Treaty of Paris ended the Seven Years War with the French surrendering to the British in Canada.
  
• February 11, 1942: Battle of Bukit Timah in Singapore.
• February 20, 1962: John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth.
• February 26, 1815: Napoleon escaped from Elba.
  

Housecleaning:

• Clean the entryway up from all of the winter rocks, water and mud that comes into the house. 
• Clean the salt off of the shoes to keep them in good order.
• Vaccuum the car from all of the rocks, silt and snow that gets in there. 
• Time to put the car through the car wash! It's probably coated in a thick white silt from the road.

Fruits and Vegetables in Season:

• Oranges and clementines (from warmer climates)
• Beets*
• Turnip*
• Potatoes*
• Cabbage*
• Apples*
• Sweet Potatoes*
• Squash*
• Parsnips*
• Onions*
• Mushrooms*
• Lettuce*
• Leeks*
• Garlic*
• Cucumber*
• Carrots*

* (from harvest or hot house)

February recipes:

• Stews like chicken fricot, beef stew or a pork stew
• Any roasted vegetables like roasted beets, carrots or cauliflower
• Any roasted meats: beef, pork, chicken, etc.
• Light salads using lettuce, field greens or spinach to accompany those roasts
• Vegetable soups like borscht, pasta e fagioli, chicken noodle soup, or pureed vegetable soups like squash, potato or carrot
• Any recipe that uses a slow cooker
• Chocolate truffles
• Chicken mole
• Chili

Holidays:

• Black History Month.
• February 2: Groundhog Day (United States and Canada).
• February 14: Valentine's Day.
• February 29 (if applicable): Leap Year.

Sports and activities to enjoy:

• Hockey
• Skiing
• Skating
• Tobogganing / sledding / coasting
• Snowball fights - with caution
• Making snow angels
• Making snowmen (snow women, children and animals too)
• Snowshoeing
• Snowboarding

February is a great month to:

• Sit in front of the fireplace with loved ones. 
• Try new restaurants for Valentine's Day.
• Buy chocolate, even if you don't eat it for Valentine's Day. It's all on sale this time of year so you'll get an excellent deal and you could probably freeze it. 
• Spend a weekend at a winter hotel, that is, one known for being a winter destination like Québec City or the Ice Hotel.
• Throw a Super Bowl party. This year is the 46th Super Bowl on February 5, 2012.
• Have your yearly physical. It's long enough after the Christmas holidays that your body has adjusted back to normal.
• Have an Oscars party and watch the show live. You can even create ballots before the event and put a prize on the person who wins the most predictions. Serve cocktails and appetizers and dress up like movie stars.
• Start a new exercise routine or get back into your existing one. January is a month of adjustment after the holidays so by the time February comes around you are usually itching to get started.

Things we all hate about February:

• It's still Winter. The roads are icy, it snows and the salt gets on our shoes. Plus this is usually the month that we have the coldest temperatures ever. 
• Valentine's Day - for those who are single it's like a smack in the face. 

Sources:

• Barbara's Entourages, "February Facts and Events," (c) 1998-2006 <http://www.entourages.com/barbs/february.htm> (visited 14 February 2012).
• Foodland Ontario, "Availability Guide," (c) 2010 <http://www.foodland.gov.on.ca/english/availability.html> (visited 2 January 2012).
• Wikipedia, "February," (c) 11 December 2011 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February> (visited 12 December 2011).
• Also, Wikipedia in general. I really referred to it a lot.

100% wearable wardrobe

I heard that we wear 20% of our wardrobe 80% of the time and I started thinking: why do we do that? It's so true that I have clothing that I just don't wear and every year I take some of it to the Salvation Army. Other pieces I keep with the thought that I can wear it someday or that I will wear it someday.

Well, time to throw all of those thoughts out the window. I want to pick up every article of clothing and wear it this year. So, time to get organized.

I will go through the closet, drawers and other places that I store clothes bit by bit and I will decide if these items are a keep or a toss. These are the following categories that I will most likely have:

• Keep - I wear it a lot
• Keep - It's stained / ripped / etc. and I want to fix it
• Keep - It's too small and I can't part with it
• Keep - I want to remodel / refashion / upcycle / reuse it
• Salvation Army - I can't do anything with this
• Garbage - It's beyond hope (this is usually old pantyhose and things like that).

So, I will pick up every single article of clothing that I have and think for a second: do I have a good feeling about this article? Do I wear it often? Is there something wrong with it that is stopping me from wearing it today?

Then after that, I will examine everything for holes, stains, rips, tears, and any other issues (it's too small, it's too short, it's too long, etc.).

Stay tuned for updates! More posts will come as I remodel, upcycle, etc.

2012: The Greatest Year Ever

I've been doing some research on how to have the best year ever. This post and the 12 that follow will be a list of the best things to do each month of the year. Are you wondering which is the best month to get your coats dry-cleaned? Or what is in season when? I can never remember so this will be a learning lesson for myself as well. Hopefully this is useful to many people so that we can all have the best year ever.

• January
• February
• March
• April
• May
• June
• July
• August
• September
• October
• November 
• December

(I will add the links once the post is done).

Guilt-free Rewards for a Job Well Done

One of my problems with it comes to weight loss is struggling with the idea of rewarding myself for a job well done. It could be that I finally finished a long, arduous project or that I finally did 4 workouts this week. The first thing that I think is: I should reward myself, time for a Coke. Or, a chocolate bar. Or ice cream. 

Well, that just damaged the good chore that I finished. So, I took some time to make a list of guilt-free rewards to give myself for a job well done. I know I am not the only person thinking about this so I will share it with you.

Some of these options require finances but some are also free. What you could do is while you are working towards a goal, decide on the reward that you want to give yourself. Then put aside money for it while you are working towards the goal. For example, as a reward to myself for finishing a large project at work I can save money on the side to get my hair done at the salon. Once the goal is reached, then I can go for a morning of pampering and not worry about the finances.

• A long bubble bath with a yummy scent and candles, perhaps my favorite music in the background
• A mug of steaming hot apple cider or a hot chocolate with marshmellows (the diet kind)
• One uninterrupted evening of doing an activity that I secretly love (like writing)
• Talking on the phone with a best friend or on Skype
• Throw a party with all of your friends -- perhaps a pot luck, movie night, etc.
• One uninterrupted evening (or afternoon) of starting and finishing a project
• Watching a new movie at home. This could mean renting it then giving it the full new movie treatment (for me, this is turning out the lights, stopping all projects and just watching a new movie). 
• Going out to the theatre to see a new movie with friends (or with my husband)
• Have a nice meal at a new restaurant
• One uninterrupted evening of browsing my favorite websites
• Buying and reading a new magazine
• One evening of planning an upcoming event (like Christmas) and planning all of the items that I want to make to decorate the house or give as gifts
• If it's summer, one afternoon sitting and tanning under the sun with a nice book or great music
• Signing up for a class in a topic that I want to learn about (like yoga, knitting, or a language of choice)
• Crossing an activity off of the bucket list (skydiving, rockclimbing, running a 5K, etc.)
• Digging out the old "To Do" list and tackling one of the older ones that you've always said will never get done (ex. organizing the filing cabinet). 
• Reading a new book (or, one of your old favorites)
• Take on a new knitting project or spend an evening knitting
• Take the dog out for a walk in a new area (or put on rollerblades and run with the dog) or to the park
• Learn a new hobby from a friend (or teach a friend how to do one of your hobbies, if they are interested)
• Have a game evening on the Wii, Xbox or whatever you have with the family. See who will win. 
• Return to a hobby that you love but haven't done for a long time (for me, that would be genealogy or cross-stitching)
• Try a new recipe out of a magazine for supper
• Spend an afternoon at the local bookstore -- not buying anything -- but sitting with a coffee, paging through some books to see what is new and checking out the ones that you've always wanted. 
• Spend a lazy afternoon on the couch doing a hobby, snuggling with the kids and the pets
• Watch a movie that was your childhood favorite (perhaps even introduce it to your kids or your husband)
• Trying something new with your significant other (I don't think that I need to elaborate on this one)
• Go for a massage or spa treatment. 
• If you are a woman, try a new makeover on yourself or go and get one at Sephora or another store with that option. 
• Go to bed early or sleep in. Get your significant other involved in this to make sure that you are able to sleep in (or go to bed early) without any distractions. 
• Spend an evening researching a topic that interests you but you've never had time to think about it (like a historical event, a famous person, etc.)
• Get your hair done with color, highlights or a perm. Ask for the full treatment with the scalp massage and special conditioners that most salons do for free and enjoy the trip.

Stessing about the "To Do" List

I'd like to think that I can get things done but sometimes I fall short of reaching my goals. I aim high ("I'm going to organize the entire storage room tonight!" or "I'm going to finish the entire craft bag today!") and sadly do not meet those goals. I have been giving this some thought though and here is what I came up with:

1. Is my goal too high? Am I aiming on doing everything in one evening or day? Perhaps I should break it down into manageable parts and get each of those done before moving forward.
2. Do I like keeping a "to-do" list, without actually doing it? I like having a list of things to do but that doesn't mean that I should do them. I just like to know that it is there.
3. Do I focus on the things that I'd like to get done instead of the priorities? Definitely. Ironing clothes versus stenciling something, guess what comes first.
4. Do I get angry at myself for not getting something done? Of course. Sometimes I crawl into bed then remember that I was supposed to do something that evening. Then I kick myself (figuratively) and make a mental note to do it tomorrow...and spend the rest of the night thinking about it. Is that really necessary?
5. Do I multi-task? All the time. I don't have the patience to wait on something to finish, so I start something else. Before I know it, I have 10 things on the go. I'm lucky if I can remember what I was doing from the beginning again.
6. Must I do it all myself? Are you guilt of thinking that you are the only one that can do it right, thus you must do it yourself?

What are some strategies to change this thinking?

I seem to be a person who loves a to do list. Seriously. I love having this immense list of things to do because it keeps my brain active. I am constantly thinking of things that I have to do although they are not necessarily in order by priorities. Here are some strategies that I will be trying to get things done:

1. Write it all down: open a Word document and write down the entire to-do list. Use only one document. Then, categorize it: priority (paying rent, ironing, laundry, etc.), work, upcoming events (ex. Christmas presents), hobbies, etc.
2. Do the priorities first: instead of stenciling something, I should focus on getting the laundry done. I mean, I will love a stenciled cup towel but I will need clothes to wear tomorrow. Besides, there is no reason that I can't stencil while the laundry is being done, a ha!
3. Pick action days: I like this idea from Get-it-Done Guy. Take a day (say, Saturday) and save the non-priority to do list for that day. Do the chores (develop pictures, pick up super glue, etc.) and then mow through anything else that needs to get done. Whatever gets done that day gets done but instead of focusing on what didn't get done, focus on what did.
4. Focus on one task at a time: that will be painful for me, but there are some things that can be multi-tasked (ex. dust living room while dishwasher is going) and some that cannot (ex. washing the car and mowing the lawn). I have started to stop myself whenever I have too many things on the go and I focus on one thing at a time. Instead of doing up Christmas cards over many nights, it did it all in two nights. Then it's done!!
5. Separate everyday tasks from other tasks: everyday tasks are the things like doing dishes, vacuuming and laundry versus re-organizing the storage closet, knitting a scarf, and mending a pair of socks. Make up a routine for the everyday stuff so that it gets done on a regular basis so that you can separate the two.
6. Stop thinking that you are the only one that can do it: I am very guilty of this kind of thinking. Sometimes I think that I should do it because I would do it better than someone else. However, I am learning to delegate tasks to someone else. This does mean letting go of some control but expecting to do everything myself is ridiculous. It might not be done the same way but (a) the task is done and (b) because it was done a different way I might have learned something that I hadn't thought of before.
7. Applaud the tasks that are complete instead of focusing on those that are not complete: so you didn't finish organizing the CDs tonight. Change your thinking and remind yourself that the task is half done. Or, focus on the long list of things that are now done instead of berating yourself on those that are not. Positive thinking is reinforcing and will lead to you getting more done.

What are some things that I have learned?

This year I was running an experiment on getting things done. I wrote down what I wanted to accomplish and worked on doing it. I got tired of saying "I will do this" and moved to a more affirmative position of "I will do this task this weekend". Here are some things that I learned:

1. Check in with the master to do list once per month: since I had written it down, I could check it off once the task was done and reread the list to see what I could now work on. After 12 months, the number of checkmarks is surprising -- and encouraging.
2. Accept that some things will never get done: I have good intentions on writing something down to do but that doesn't always mean that it will get done. It might. The list serves as a reminder. Some things are out of my control (ex. composting in Ottawa apartments hasn't arrived yet) and some things are (finish Christmas card list). Do what I can do, keep tabs on what I cannot.
3. Use the written list as a "brain dump": once it is written down, stop thinking about it. I used to cycle things around all day thinking "I really want to do this" or "This weekend I want to do this". Once it was written down, I wrote when I wanted to do it then emptied my brain of those thoughts. It relieved a lot of stress because now I can focus on other things (work, hubby, cooking supper, sleeping, etc.) without constantly reminding myself that I have to do something.
4. Put some obvious things on the to do list: for example, "Spending time with husband". It's funny how often an evening is spent just watching TV and we think that this counts as time together. No, time together is going out on dates and such. It seems obvious but once you write it on the list, it becomes more real.

How to reuse a planter

Has your plant died recently? Or, perhaps you have planters lying around the house or garage just waiting for spring. Well, here are some ideas on what to do with those planters during the off-season -- or any time of the year.  

1. Use it to hold vegetables in the fridge: despite what your planter is made out of (plastic, terracota, ceramic, porcelain, etc.) it can go in the fridge. Clean it, and use it to store items like apples, oranges, onions, potatoes, peppers and such. It actually helps you to organize your fridge.

   
2. Use it to store cat or dog toys: every night, pick up the toys off of the floor and put them in the planter. Put the planter up high to store the toys and when you want them again, simply take it down and start tossing them around.

   
3. Use it to display ornaments for Christmas: fill a cleaned planter with ornaments, pinecones or leftover garland and wrap a long ribbon around it, tied with a bow. Display as a table centrepiece or on a night table. 

4. Use it as a transfer vessel: if you store potatoes, onions, pears, apples or anything else in another room, you need to put them into something to bring them to the kitchen. Clean a planter and use it as the transfer vessel. 

5. Use it in your home organization: if you have a shed or a storage room, use it to store smaller items like tennis balls, paint brushes, tools and/or nails, cleaning cloths, etc. This is a bonus if your planter is meant to mount on the wall.  

6. Use it to hold crafty or office items: this could be sewing thread, yarn, knitting needles, small bolts of fabric, embroidery floss, etc. It would be great for holding office supplies or scrapbooking supplies as well. Display it on your desk so that you items are within reach.  

7. Use it to hold scraps of yarn: put the leftover bits of yarn in here for whenever you need a small amount to hold stitches or other uses.  

8. Use it to hold small sports equipment in the summer: when you take the kids out to the park, use the planter to hold the baseballs, tennis balls, badminton birdies or other small items so that you don't loose them.


9. Use it to hold fabric handkerchiefs: once you have a collection of fabric handkerchiefs you need to put them somewhere. Decorate the planter with a ribbon, clean the inside and store them all rolled up in here. Take one out whenever you need one.

10. Use it to hold your keys or electronics by the door: everyday when you get home, put your keys, iPod, cell phone or other daily items here so that you always know where they are. Put the planter on a stand by the door and make a habit of always putting the items here. If you have a key ring, it's still perfect for the electronics. It's also great for holding gloves and scarves in the winter time.