Blog | A Bowl Full of Lemons

Filing System Organization

June 19, 2013 · by Toni · 9 Comments

I spent an entire day reorganizing my filing system into new categories, with updated hanging folders and a brand new filing unit. It was a long process, but one that I’m glad I did. With the help of Office Depot, I was able to transform my filing system into a more manageable unit. My old system was functional but didn’t have all of the categories that I needed. This system (with a ton of space) allowed me the room to add what I needed. Today I am sharing my “zone” system with you. I hope it helps you get your files just as organized. Happy Organizing!

I took the above picture before I started categorizing my files into “Zones”. Color coding your filing system is a great way to organize your files, making it much easier to find what you need.

My filing system is the Pottery Barn Bedford lateral file cabinet.

I use the PTouch (Model 2730) labeler by Brother. It’s my “go to” labeler for all projects.

To organize our paperwork, I used the Smead “Brights hanging file folders. Each box comes with 5 colors.

The label tape that goes with the labeler is the TZ tape. The black on clear 1/2 inch tape fits well for hanging folders.

FILING SYSTEM ORGANIZATION

Categorizing your filing system into color coded zones:

Write out all of your filing needs onto a piece of paper, then categorize each of them into 5 main colored sections.

1. Green – Bills & Banking

2. Orange – Taxes & Income

3. Red – Medical & Pets

4. Yellow – House & Auto

5. Blue – Memberships, School, Vacation & Other

Green – Bills & Banking

- All bills (Account folders)

- Monthly folders for paid bills (Jan-Dec)

- 1 folder for each Credit Card Company

- 1 folder for each loan (Mortgage, Auto, etc)

- Paid Off (Any letters from loans, etc that are “paid off”.)

- 1 folder for each bank account/savings account

Orange – Taxes & Income

- All “current year” tax related documents (1 folder for each – Tax deductions: donations, office expenses, travel expenses, etc).

- All work related folders (I have one for each of our jobs)

- Annual tax paperwork (1 folder for each year).

- Retirement (401K, Roth IRA’s, etc)

Red – Medical & Pets

- Doctor Bills (Paid)

- Benefits Summaries

- 1 medical folder for each family member

- Prescription

- Vision

- Dental

- Vet

- 1 folder for each pet

Yellow – House & Auto

- Homeowners Insurance Policy

- Auto Policy

- House folder (paperwork pertaining to the house you currently live in)

- Homeowners Association

- House related warranties

- 1 folder for each automobile

- Contractors (1 folder for each: painting, landscaping, pool, etc)

Blue - Memberships, School, Vacation & Other

- 1 folder for each school (if necessary)

- 1 folder for each club or membership (YMCA, Zoo, gym, aquarium, etc…)

- 1 folder for each city you frequently travel to (vacation folders to keep flyers, hotel receipts, etc)

- AAA, Sams Club, Costco, etc…

- Hotel Rewards

- All other categories not listed

My bottom drawer is still a work in progress. I have began putting my annual taxes in there. I will also be using it for paid off bills from the previous year. I hope I have helped you sort out the “filing system” anxiety. Its really not that bad once you get started. Good luck! I would love to see pictures of your filing system and how it works for you too. ** If you are unsure of how long to keep paperwork, there are many websites out there that share this information. I follow Dave Ramsey’s guide (for the most part)

Note: This is a paid post by Office Depot. All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Blog, filing, Office, Office Depot, Organize · Tagged: filing system, office, office depot, organizing

One Project at a Time 6/18/13

June 18, 2013 · by Rachel · 23 Comments

I must say that Tuesday may very well be my favorite day of the week. There’s a sigh of relief that we survived Monday. I feel a jolt in my confidence that I CAN handle the path before me and there’s just a nice groove that I seem to fall into on Tuesday. Does anyone else feel that at home? Here in blog-land, I love our LINK PARTY! You all have such amazing ideas. I love seeing what you’re all working on. So, let’s keep a good thing going! Today is the day for us to showcase you! Please, grab a button and link up to your favorite category.

Link up ideas:

Organizing & Cleaning

Arts & craft projects

Furniture

Recipes

House/room pictures

Everything in between

OUR FAVORITE LINK UPS:

What’s a cleaned, organized house when there are scratches on the furniture?! Maybe they’re from years of love and use, maybe from lively kids, or a rough move. No matter their source of origin, scratches on furniture are an eye-sore! Hilary and Jessica, two ABFOL readers, recently shared a fantastic post on their blog, Domestic Bliss Squared, with a great tutorial for removing those scratches. You can click <HERE> to check out their blog for all the details.

Achieving Creative Order, another one of our readers shares a great idea to keep your summer bucket list organized, using FREE PRINTABLES, twine and command hooks. Who doesn’t love that combination?! Take a minute and click on over to Susan’s blog to see what she has up her sleeve.

Now it’s your turn, grab a button and link on up! We’re waiting to see what you have to share.

Filed Under: Blog, One Project at a Time ·

Home Organization 101: Week 3 “The Pantry” (Season 3)

June 15, 2013 · by Toni · 7 Comments

Welcome back to Home Organization Season 3. This week we are cleaning out the pantry. With a functional pantry, your grocery bill will decrease, your meal planning will improve and your family will love you! Don’t forget to share your finished space on our facebook group page here. Happy Organizing!

WEEK #3 – THE PANTRY

THE TASK:

This week should be a bit easier than the previous two weeks (hopefully). We are cleaning out and organizing the pantry! I split up the kitchen and pantry because I think the pantry is a separate job itself! I didn’t want you to get burnt out from being in the kitchen for two weeks straight. Follow the steps to get your pantry organized below!

THE PROCESS:

BEFORE YOU START THE CHALLENGE, TAKE A PICTURE OF YOUR PANTRY.

1. Make sure you have boxes, bins, etc… before you get started. You will need them. I purchased mine at a local store but some baskets similar to mine can be found here. * If you do not have baskets/bins, you can still organize your pantry into “categories”.

2. If you are using them, line up your empty bins & baskets on the kitchen table. If you do not have bins, you can still separate your food into ‘categories’ on the table.

3. Take everything out of your pantry. Check the expiration date and throw out expired or no longer used items. Place “like” items in the baskets on the table. Organizing your food into categories (bins) will help keep your pantry looking nice and neat. (Categories to consider: School, Breakfast, Pasta, Baking, Sauce, Bread, Snacks, Sides, etc.)

4. Once you are finished organizing into categories, you can wipe out your pantry, sweep, mop, etc… to get it all clean.

8. Place all of your neatly organized bins & boxes back into your pantry.

9. Label each bin with a labeler or hang a tag on the basket like I did.

*This is only a guide to help get you started. Customize your pantry to fit the needs of your family.

Thats it!! All done. Now take some pictures and share with us.

OUR PANTRY

Using baskets has helped us keep our pantry organized.

I use the top shelf for small appliances, etc.

I love the Elfa door organizers. They give me so much more space to store canned goods, etc. We do not have a lot of canned goods. We eat mostly fresh, but if not in season, then freezer veggies.

I keep extra reusable grocery bags in the basket under the shelves.

Each of my green baskets contain a “category”.

1. Oatmeal
2. Granola
3. Breakfast
4. Cereal
5. Chips
6. Snacks

Whenever the kids go into the pantry to get a snack, they know to leave the “school snacks” alone. They are ONLY for school lunches.

I keep a running tally of my pantry items. I got this printable from Clean Mama on Etsy here. I take it to the grocery store with me so I know what Im out of.

I attached the chalkboard labels onto the baskets with zip ties.

Thats our pantry! Its functional and easy for our family to utilize.

PRODUCTS FOUND IN MY PANTRY

1. Wire Baskets (similar to mine) – Amazon

2. Mini Chalkboard labels (similar to mine) – Amazon

3. Green bins – Target

4. Large woven basket – Target

5. Clipboard – Staples

6. Grocery Bag Holder – Amazon

7. Elfa Door organizers - Container Store

8. Frosted shelf liners – Container Store

If you have any questions about our pantry organization, dont hesitate to ask. Please ask your questions on the Group facebook page (here) so everyone can see them, and so I dont have to answer the same question multiple times.

Happy Organizing!

Filed Under: Blog, Home Organization 101 Season 3, Kitchen, Organize · Tagged: home organization 101, kitchen, the pantry

Mini Organizing Challenge – Mani & Pedi Organization

June 14, 2013 · by Toni · 8 Comments

If you like to pretty up your nails & feet like me, you probably have a lot of supplies. Organizing them all together is a great mini challenge for the week. Gather up all of your foot and hand care products and place them in a box or bin, together or separately. Then label them. Super easy!

I designated one for feet and one for hands, since I have more than enough products for both.

I found these adorable containers at Garden Ridge. They were about $4.00 each.

Happy Organizing!

Filed Under: Bathrooms, Blog, June 2013, mini organizing challenge, Organize, Other Spaces · Tagged: bathroom organizing, organizing

5 Tips to Keeping a Clean House While the Kids are Home for the Summer

June 13, 2013 · by Becky · 10 Comments

When school is out and the kids are home for the summer, there’s a definite change in the flow of the day and your tidy home might experience a little more mess. This is a good mess to have, but if you’re finding it difficult to keep your house clean while the kids are home, try these 5 tips.

Give everyone 3 tasks to do every single day. Why three tasks? Everyone can remember what they have to do, it builds a habit, and it gives them responsibility. My recommendation? The 3 tasks that my kids have to complete are – make their beds, put away clothes (clean and dirty laundry), and straighten their rooms.
Get out. The more time you spend out of the house, the less mess you’ll be creating inside the house. Enjoy the weather, play in the yard, go to a pool, the park, and the library. Make the most of the summer!
Eat outside. When my kids were littler we’d do stroller picnics just about every day for lunch, and now we do picnics outside for lunch. This keeps the food mess outside and it’s so much more fun to eat outside anyway.
One thing in and one thing out. It’s a hard habit to get kids to do, but if they put things away after they use them it will keep things tidier and make it easier for clean up later. Lazy summer afternoons can be a great time to sort through toys and games and weed out stuff that isn’t getting much use anymore. Kids (generally) like sorting jobs like organizing Legos and other toys with small pieces. Give them a little direction and let them be in charge of the organization of their toys.
Let the kids clean with you. Choose age-appropriate cleaning tasks and let your kids clean right along with you. Give them a mini cleaning bucket or tote, a spray bottle with water or non-toxic cleaner, a duster, and a microfiber cloth and they can dust and clean their rooms and the rest of the house right along with you.

What are you doing to keep a clean house while your kids are home for the summer?

Visit Becky’s blog for more cleaning tips (here).

Filed Under: Blog, Clean, Cleaning, contributors · Tagged: cleaning, contributor

One Project at a Time – 6/11/13

June 11, 2013 · by Rachel · 23 Comments

Hello, Summer! At my house, that means kids are out of school, vacations are being enjoyed and house projects are in full swing! We would love to see what you’re working on. So please join A Bowl Full of Lemon’s Tuesday Link up party! You can link up to just about any category to show us your organizing ideas, crafty skills and everything in between.

Link up ideas…

Organizing & Cleaning

Recipes

Arts & craft projects

Furniture

House/room pictures

Even YOUR own link parties.

FAVORITE LINK UPS:

Like I said, summer is here and summer just isn’t summer with picnics. They’re a great way to enjoy a meal with family and friends, while breathing in some fresh air and embracing the outdoors. To help better prepare for guests Leanne, over at Organize and Decorate Everything shared a great idea on how to keep all things ‘picnic’ contained on a super cute lazy susan.

Take a minute to stop by organize & decorate everything to see the step-by-step instructions.

Make sure you grab a button and link on up!

Filed Under: Blog, One Project at a Time · Tagged: link party, one project at a time

Home Organization 101: Week 2 “The Garage” (Season 3)

June 8, 2013 · by Toni · 14 Comments

Welcome back to Home Organization Season 3. This week we are cleaning out the garage or shed. The best way that you can accomplish this is by emptying the entire space and starting from scratch. I share 3 options below, for those who may not have the time to do this. Pick the best option for you. Don’t forget to share your finished space on our facebook group page here. Happy Organizing!

WEEK #2 – THE GARAGE

Let me just start by saying that my garage has not always looked like this. We used to have a LOT more stuff. We saved things, “just in case” we needed them, (which we usually never did). I finally got sick and tired of cleaning up junk and clutter. I had enough! Once we moved into our dream home, I vowed not to hoard clutter anymore. So we purged… and purged some more. We got rid of a TON of stuff! Then we got rid of some more. Now we are at the point where we can finally manage what we own. If you are not at the point where you can “manage” what you have, its time to purge! This challenge is for you! This week will be the hardest week of all. If you can get through this one, the rest will be downhill from here.

Week #1 went perfect. So many of you shared your pictures, dilemmas, support, and questions on our Facebook Group page. Thank you for that! Community is what makes events like this successful.

THE TASK:

During week #2 we are headed into the dreaded garage! If you are like me, this place gives you a headache just thinking about it. For some of you, this may be a task thats just too much to handle in one week. Please don’t be discouraged. Do what you can. Attempting something is better than not trying at all, right? I broke this week into 3 options. Those of you who want to dive in head first will complete option #1. Those of you who are hesitant, don’t have the time, or if its too much work for one week can choose option #2. Option #3 is for those of you who do not have a garage or storage building. Okay, thats it. Now its time to get organized! Good luck.

THE PROCESS:

*Choose one.

OPTION #1 – The “Go getter”

For those of you who really want your garage organized and clean and are willing to get your hands dirty, this option is for you. You will finish the task of completely organizing your garage with this process. The local goodwill will become your best friend!! The most important step in option #1 is to COMPLETELY empty the garage of all contents!

BEFORE YOU START THE CHALLENGE, TAKE A PICTURE OF YOUR GARAGE.

1. Call your local charity organization to schedule an appointment for them to come with a truck and pick up your “junk”. Sometimes it takes a week for them to arrive.

2. Make sure you have boxes, bins, etc… before you get started. You will need them. I purchased mine at Target.

3. Line up your empty bins (in a row) in the driveway.

4. Go through all of your junk, once piece at a time, organizing your stuff into categories (bins).

(Sports, garden, tools, car maintenance, painting, pets, light bulbs, grilling, beach/pool, etc.)

5. Go through each item, emptying the garage… completely!

6. Make sure to place the items you no longer want or need into “donation” boxes.

7. Once you have sorted through your stuff, the garage should be empty. At this point you can sweep, blow (leaf blower), or hose down the floor (depending on how dirty your garage is). This is an important step! You do not want to organize a dirty garage. During this step, if you have a problem with spiders or ants, you can spray the perimeter of your garage with insecticide. Im not crazy about using insecticide, but living in South Carolina, its a MUST every 3 months.

8. Place all of your neatly organized bins & boxes back into your garage (on shelves if you have them).

9. Label each bin with a labeler.

10. Hang things on wall hooks. Try to keep everything off the ground. Spiders like to hide behind stuff on the ground & so does dust!

11. Pat yourself on the back. Your done!

*This process should be repeated at least twice a year (spring and fall), to keep things clean and organized.

OPTION #2 – The “tidy upper”

For those of you who just don’t have the time or energy to tackle such a huge task, the “tidy upper” option is for you. There’s no shame in choosing this option. Doing something is better than doing nothing at all. With this option, you will not empty your garage, but straighten things up a bit. This task should only take you a couple of hours to complete. The biggest step in this process is getting rid of things you no longer need, to make space.

*BEFORE YOU START THE CHALLENGE, TAKE A PICTURE OF YOUR GARAGE.

1. Collect boxes & bins. You will need them.

2. Survey your garage. Do you see things that are not in there place? Put them back.

3. Categorize things. Place like items together into bins.

4. Throw away any trash thats laying around.

5. Look for things you no longer need or want. Donate them.

6. Sweep the garage floor.

OPTION #3 – The thank goodness “I don’t have a garage” girl!

For anyone who does not have a garage or storage building, this option is for you. You can either skip this week, or you can work on organizing your basement, attic, or car. Tidy things up. Purge. Clean. You will be so happy you did!

OUR GARAGE

Our garage is pretty simple. Its not “decorated” fancy or anything. Its plain, organized and functional, which is how we like it. I park on this side.

The cupcake bucket on the right side has my 5 year olds sidewalk chalk in it. My husband parks on the left side.

This is our “bin” section. We didn’t want to waste any space in the middle of the garage so we placed these shelves here. We keep EVERYTHING that goes into a bin, on these shelves. Everything is labeled and easily accessible.

We utilized our ceiling height (Its taller than it looks), with these Hyloft shelves. We store seldom used items here such as the Christmas tree, etc…

Its always a good idea to hang the ladder. It takes up valuable space!

I purchased these garage storage hooks/units from Home Depot. They are “Husky”.

They hold everything from beach chairs to sporting equipment.

This basket sits right by my van. We live by the beach so whenever we want to go for the day, I just grab the boogie boards and put them in the trunk!

To hang our bikes, we use the “Monkey Bars” system. I love this thing. Its so functional and easy to use. Below the bikes, we keep our generator, power washer, and carpet shampooer. We also have our folding tables, saw horses and our corn hole.

I am a member of an organic produce home delivery service. I keep the box on top of my freezer and place it on the porch every Tuesday for a new box of goodness.

Below is my Freezer inventory checklist. I got this from Clean Mama printables on Etsy. You can visit her shop (here). When I stock the freezer, I write in how many of each item I have. When I take something out, I minus it on the check list. Love it! I take the list to the grocery store with me as well. It keeps me super organized.

Our Emergency Preparedness Station goes on the wall to the right of my mudroom door. To learn how I put this together (step by step), visit my post here.

Emergency Preparedness Station - A Bowl Full of lemons

This door takes you to the mudroom in our home.

We keep on top of sports schedules with this chalkboard!

My recycle box is placed right by the mudroom door, so I can easily unload the recyclables form the kitchen. We also have a cubby for shoes (if needed). We usually keep our shoes in our closets.

This shelf is right outside of our mudroom door. I keep items we use often on here:

1. Extra food containers for school parties.

2. Packaging tape.

3. Sunglasses.

4. Grooming items.

5. Grilling items.

6. Coolers.

7. Empty bags.

8. Sunscreen.

Grooming supplies.

Sunscreen.

Sunglasses.

Coolers & empty bags.

It’s baseball season here now so we like to keep stocked up on sports drinks. On top of the mini fridge is a perfect place to store them for easy access.

This fridge holds our “on the go” drinks. Its super easy to grab a drink on my way out, since I park my car in the garage. We also keep our alcoholic drinks here.

The following pictures are more of a close up of our bins. We keep everything that fits in them.

If you have any questions about our garage organization, dont hesitate to ask. Please ask your questions on the Group facebook page (here) so everyone can see them, and so I dont have to answer the same question multiple times.

Happy Organizing!

Filed Under: Blog, Garage, Home Organization 101 Season 3, Organize · Tagged: garage, home organization 101, organize

Summer snacking on a budget

June 6, 2013 · by Melissa Kaiserman · 9 Comments

I have four younger brothers, and I distinctly remember how when they were teenagers, they would stand in front of the fridge with the door open and ask, “What’s there to eat?” All. The. Time. Now my two oldest boys are doing the same thing. But they’re not even teenagers yet! Is anyone with me? The beginning of summer vacation means that most kids are home more, playing harder, and consuming more food. Here are some tips for not blowing your grocery budget from now until Labor Day.

1. Set a reasonable schedule for & limit on snacking.

Many times, kids (like adults!) start rummaging for food out of habit or boredom. I’ve been known to inform my kids, “The kitchen’s closed until _______.” Snack times at our house are around 9:30ish, 3:00ish, and before bed. That loose schedule helps to space out their eating times fairly evenly throughout the day. And when I hear I’m still hungry, I remind them that a snack is not a meal, and the goal is not to feel full.

2. Make your own snack mixes.

Individually packaged snacks are not cost effective, and they’re typically full of unhealthy ingredients. I like to make my own trail mix, for example, by purchasing ingredients in bulk and storing the mix in a Mason jar. I typically include a couple of kinds of nuts, chocolate chips, coconut flakes or other dried fruit, etc. I read labels to find healthier options for add-in’s so that I’m not including ones with partially hydrogenated oils, corn syrup, or chemical preservatives.

3. Make your own frozen treats.

Have you seen all the fun shapes and sizes of popsicle molds? Do something as simple as filling them with 100% fruit juice or a blend of yogurt & fruit, or spend a little more time and make this super healthy version of fudgsicles using canned coconut milk, cocoa powder, and ripe bananas.

via Chocolate-Covered Katie

4. Implement portion control.

Have certain containers that are designated for dry snacks (trail mix, crackers, etc.) so that your kids aren’t standing there mindlessly eating from the package by the handful. I like to use silicone muffin cups for this; even my youngest two know to pull those out when they’re going to have nuts or trail mix for a snack. And for things like yogurt, train them to dish a serving into a small bowl rather than a big cereal bowl.

You can also portion snacks into small containers like Toni shared in this post and store them in the pantry.

5. Shop the farmer’s market… or your own garden.

Seasonal produce is a nutritious and inexpensive way to add snack options as well as mealtime sides. But be sure to do any necessary prep so that it’s ready to eat, otherwise your family members might just make excuses! (Who am I kidding? I make excuses not to eat fruits & veggies when they’re not prepped!) Wash and cut carrots, stalks of celery, cucumbers, or bell peppers so that they’re ready to grab from the crisper drawer and dip in ranch dressing. Cut up a melon or pineapple in the morning so that it’s available in the fridge to snack on that day.

“via FreeDigitalPhotos.net”

Do you have any other tips for supplying snacks for your kids while keeping a tight rein on your budget? Please share in the comments!

Visit Melissa’s blog for more tips on budgeting here… http://www.atimeforeverything.net.

Filed Under: Blog, Budget, budgeting, contributors, food, summer · Tagged: budget, budgeting, contributor

Mini Organizing Challenge – Budget (& mail) Drawer

June 5, 2013 · by Toni · 34 Comments

A Bowl Full of Lemons mini organizing challenges are created to help you get your house in order, a little at a time. To find the past challenges, visit here. Last month, we created a Household Budget Binder. Today, your mini challenge is to create a designated “Budget Drawer” that will house all of your bill paying necessities. This drawer can also be used to keep any mail related items. Do you have a hard time finding everything you need when it comes to paying bills or sending a letter in the mail? Once you complete this mini challenge, you will be all set!

Items needed for the Budget & Mail Drawer:

1. Envelopes (Different sizes)

2. Stamps

3. Envelope opener

4. Address labels/Address stamp

5. Thank you cards

6. Extra Checks

7. Calculator

I purchased my address stamp on etsy.

Stamps & address labels go in this section.

I keep extra checks here.

This mini challenge should take no time at all to put together! You can keep it in your kitchen or your office. Have fun!

Happy Organizing!

Filed Under: Blog, budgeting, mini organizing challenge, Office, Organize · Tagged: budget drawer, budgeting, mini organizing challenge, organize

One Project at a Time: 6/4/13

June 4, 2013 · by Rachel · 29 Comments

Welcome back to One Project at a Time, the link party A Bowl Full of Lemons hosts every Tuesday. We love sharing our ideas with you and now we want you to share your ideas with us! You can link up all types of projects: Organizing, decorating, renovating, culinary, arts & crafts, etc. Share your projects with us today!

We would love to have you participate!

Link up ideas:

Recipes

Organizing & Cleaning

Arts & craft projects

Furniture

House/room pictures

Everything in between

OUR FAVORITE LINK UPS:

Samantha (contributor over at It’s Overflowing) took time away from her desk at Be Simply Organized to share her great way of organizing all those recipes we find in magazines that usually end up stashed away with the hopes of one day giving them a try. Check out her easy step-by-step instructions on creating the perfect storage spot.

With the economy the way it is, many have turned to couponing. A great way to save, but it can lead to disaster in the pantry as you try to keep everything organized. Over at Life After Empty Nest Sharon shows how to keep everything labeled and in order.

Now it’s your turn. Grab a button and link up!

Filed Under: Blog, One Project at a Time · Tagged: link party, one project at a time

Planning your summer schedule…

June 3, 2013 · by Toni · 12 Comments

Summertime has arrived, the kids are home from school, and you have no clue how everyone is going to spend the next 3 months. Sound familiar? You want to give your kids a memorable summer, yet you still have responsibilities (a job to do). So how are you going to plan it? Begin today by creating a list of goals for the summer as well as create a summer schedule for the kids, as well as yourself, so your not frazzled.

1. Plan your summer “Bucket List” -

Sit down with the kids and write a list of what you all want/hope to do this summer. No ideas are out of the question. Brain storm and let the kids use their imagination.

Here are some ideas:

Go to the beach

Summer camp

YMCA day camps

Family Camping

Join the local pool

Summer book club at the library

Movie night outside/Drive in movie theater

Go Fishing

Spend the day inside making homemade playdoh, moon sand, finger painting, painting with pudding, etc.

Bike riding

Hiking

Catch Fireflies

Make smores in the backyard

Host a block party

Attend the weekly discount matinee at the movies

2. Set up a 3 month summer calendar -

- Whatever it is that’s on your bucket list, schedule it and write it down on the calendar. Plan at least 2 activities per week. Write down the dates you plan to do these activities. You can always change the date if your schedule changes. If you work full time, you will have to plan around your work schedule. Keep the calendar where the entire family can see it. This is a great reminder of the exciting things to look forward to this summer. The kids will not keep asking “what are we going to do this week”? They will already know where to look.

- Schedule your grocery shopping, bill paying, errand, day, meal planning, cleaning, and laundry days. When the kids are home, time gets away from you. If these are scheduled, you will be sure to stay on top of things.

- Stick to a regular routine. Just because it’s summer, doesn’t mean you forget about a consistent daily routine for your kids. They function best with a routine. It may be different than during the school year, never the less, they still need a routine. Have them wake up, shower, and go to bed around the same time every day. Maintaining a regular daily routine will keep them healthy, happy, and productive.

3. Schedule one “NO ELECTRONICS” day per week (Adults included). -

- Give yourself permission to relax and enjoy the summer, without electronics. Take this time to be “present” in your childrens lives, as well as teach them to function without their iphone, facebook, and texting. Lock the laptops, cell phones, and ipods up where nobody will be able to find them. Out of site, out of mind. Sunday may be the easiest day for this, since most people do not work on Sunday.

4. Have fun! –

- Summer goes way to fast! So make it count while it lasts. Have a great summer.

Filed Under: Blog, Organize, Planners & Binders, schedules, summer, vacation · Tagged: planning, schedule, summer, summertime, vacation

June 2013 Sponsor Shout Out

June 2, 2013 · by Toni · 2 Comments

We would like to take a moment and give a shout out to all of our wonderful sponsors! Without them, ABFOL wouldn’t be what it is today. Please take a moment and visit our sponsors websites. Many of them have great specials for the month of June. This is a great time to get a head start on your Christmas shopping (did I just say that?!), buy a special gift for yourself, or something to help you with your organizing adventure. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor & advertising your business on A Bowl Full of Lemons, visit our advertising page (here) for details.

ORIGAMI OWL

It’s been said that Living Lockets are the latest trend in jewelry; but the truth is, they’re so much more than that. Living Lockets are an extension of you – because each and every one is custom designed to tell a story of your life + of what’s important to you. Origami Owl Custom Jewelry is a social selling company with a unique twist; we were founded by a 14 year old entrepreneur! Read more about our story at http://stacykreider.origamiowl.com/story/.

Build your Living Locket in 5 simple steps:

Step 1: Select the CHARMS that tell your story or represent things you love
Step 2: Choose a LOCKET
Step 3: Choose a CHAIN
Step 4: Add a hand-stamped metal PLATE
Step 5: Add a DANGLE (or two!)

Email stacykreider@gmail.com for her summer specials or shop on her website here… stacykreider.origamiowl.com.

CLEVER CONTAINER

Clever Container is: “all about organizing, functionality, ideas, and fun! We have fabulous products to help you organize your life. We’ll provide clever & helpful tips whether you are just getting started on your organizational journey or are already an organizing “junkie”. ”

Samantha Hobbs
Consultant #1039
Phone – (417) 389-8798
Website - http://mycleverbiz.com/organizeu
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Clever-Container-Samantha-Hobbs/542826985732024

2B ORGANIZED

2B Organized is a professional organizing firm started by Betsy Miller in 1997 in Springfield, Missouri. 2B Organized has helped hundreds of clients with their organizing challenges and has organized everything from a single closet to managing entire out-of-state moves. 2B Organized primarily serves southwest Missouri but has traveled with clients to vacation and family homes around the country. Own your own 2B Organized franchise! Contact Betsy below.

Betsy Miller

2B Organized

www.2b-organized.com

betsy@2b-organized.com

Facebook & Pinterest 2B Organized

417-880-2325

CLEAN MAMA

Becky at Clean Mama is here to help you discover new ways to do the mundane tasks of cleaning, organizing and hopefully bring a little more fun into the process. She has printables available for purchase through her etsy store- everything from ‘to do’ lists to an array of binder kits! Be sure to check out her store. She has been adding lots of new and updated kits – here are a few:
The Medical Kit, The Garden Planning Kit, The Prayer + Blessings Kit, and The Natural Living Kit

JUNE SPECIAL: 20% off coupon code – 20ABFOL

Clean Mama Etsy Store

Email
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
PINTEREST

A TIME FOR EVERYTHING

Melissa offers great products to help organize your finances through the envelope system. Her adorable wallets make it easy to keep track of spending. This month she’s offering all ABFOL fans a FREE set of custom lables for the tabbed dividers when you purchase a Divide-It! wallet.. Just leave a note mentioning “ABFOL June special” and specify your six category names (maximum of 13 characters and spaces). This offer cannot be combined with any other offers.

Etsy store

FACEBOOK

SABIKA

Sabika is a company founded by women for women. We bring beauty, joy and opportunity to women of diverse backgrounds and ages. Our products are handmade and uniquely designed to bring out every woman’s individual beauty and style. It is our plan to develop into a nationwide home party network through products and services that take home parties to a new level of sophistication. We offer beautiful, handmade Austrian Swarovski Crystal jewelry to compliment every look from jeans to the nicest affair! Please contact Natalie Spadacino, Sabika Consultant #1879 to place an order, host a party or join as a Consultant. Phone: 717.677.8784 Email: nspadacino@gmail.com

ThirtyOne is a line of Organizational Products for the Home and for the Girl on the Go. Fun, functional and stylish products that are designed to make your life easier. Beautiful patterns with an option to personalize with embroidery make it the perfect gift. Our commitment is to provide women with a fulfilling, enjoyable and rewarding experience.

www.mythirtyone.com/ericamckinley

SCENTSY

Love the way candles smell but not all the risks that are involved with candles? Scentsy is a safe alternative to traditional wicked candles. Scentsy leaves your room, car, laundry and more smelling great without the risks that go with wicked candles. Scentsy warmers use a low watt light bulb to melt a food grade wax which means there are no toxic chemicals, lead, or soot left in the air. With the low watt bulb, there is no open flame to get burnt on or start fires as well the wax is not hot enough to burn. Kendra has a huge selection of warmers to match your décor and tastes as well as over 80 different fragrances to choose from. She also has bath, body, and laundry items as well as to go items like scent circles and travel tins. To check out all Kendra has to offer go to www.Kendraa.scentsy.us!

Scentsy has 2 great promotions going on for the month of June.

1. Scent and Warmer of the month. The warmer is called “God Bless” and the Scent is called “Bananaberry” which is “lusciously sweet banana cream layered with succulent strawberries” Both are 10% off for the month of June only. These two will go to the standard pricing on July 1st and will be gone from the catalog come November.

2. June Hostess exclusive is “Fun in the Sun”. It is available to hostesses only through June 30th. Hostesses can use their half off rewards to purchase this exclusive item. It retails for $70 and the hostess can get it for $35. It is a canvas tote with detachable clutch. Inside it has a Havana Cabana SPF 50 Sunscreen and a Havana Cabana lip balm. The tote bag measures approximately 13″ tall x 18″ wide at top x 14″ wide at bottom.

As always you can email Kendra at kendraahmed@gmail.com to see if she is running any personal monthly specials, ask questions, etc. Visit Scentsy at www.kendraa.scentsy.us

FRIDGE COASTERS

Don’t you hate scrubbing your refrigerator bins and surfaces? So do we! And now you don’t have to. We’re the husband and wife duo behind Fridge Coaster. Fridge Coasters are super absorbent “liners” that come in different sizes to fit all high traffic areas of your refrigerator. Place under produce in the crispers to keep your veggies fresh longer, or under milk and salad dressing in the doors to absorb drips that would normally dry to the bottom of your bin, ewww. Fridge Coasters provide time saving function and fashion to the inside of your refrigerator. In addition, we’re really proud to say that our sustainable product is made 100% in the USA of 30% (or more) post consumer product. We then use a UV-dried printing process which means the ink never bleeds beyond its original printed shape even when fully submerged in water! How awesome is that? Long story short, Fridge Coasters will save you a ton of time and put a smile on your face every time you open the fridge.

June Special: ABFOL readers can use promo code “ABFOL8″ to save 8% on all orders.

Alejandra Costello is a Certified Professional Organizer who shows individuals how to become more organized and productive on a daily basis by setting up systems that work for their own organizing style. Alejandra started her company, Alejandra.tv, in 2008 at the age of 23 and to date has shared her organizing expertise with thousands of people in over 100 countries around the world. Formerly an IT engineer, Alejandra was named 1 of the 5 most organized people in America by HGTV. Her expertise has been featured in HGTV, The Washington Post, Family Circle, Woman’s Day, The Washington Times, CBS, NewsChannel8, and Mashable.

Alejandra just added 40+ “how to” videos and lots of printables to her complete organizing program (the Power Productivity Program)! In the program she shows you step-by-step how to get organized, stay organized, and become your most productive self without slipping back to your old ways. The program give you the tools you need to finally overcome your battle with physical and mental clutter.Her latest videos from this month:

[VIDEO]: Organizing for Kids: How to Teach Kids Where Things Belong

[VIDEO]: Receipt Organizer for Home Office Organization

[VIDEO]: How to Organize Your Small Bathroom on a Budget

Visit Alejandras website here or email her at alejandra@alejandra.tv.

Geralin Thomas is a professional organizer who offers organizing solutions for busy families; real solutions, for real people. If you need practical resources or creative ideas and inspiration to help you better-manage your modern lifestyle, you’re in the right place. In addition, she offers resources for professional organizers who want to increase productivity, boost confidence and improve their bottom line. Her business in located in North Carolina. If you aren’t able to visit her in the Raleigh area but want to chat, drop in and say hello via her blog, “Managing Modern Life” http://metropolitanorganizing.com/category/managing-modern-life/ or email

Geralin at gthomas@metropolitanorganizing.com.

Daisy Blue offers all natural products for your skin and for your home, so you can feel good about bringing them into your home. Their promise to you is “No parabens or other artificial preservatives. No phthatlates or artificial frangrances. No sulfates, sulfites or phosphates. No silicones, paraffin or mineral oils. Cruelty and Gluten free products. Only the good stuff” .

Daisy Blue June Specials

Krista Ruthstrom

Website: www.6445.daisybluenaturals.com

Email: kbruthstrom@yahoo.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KristasDaisyBlueNaturals

PARTY LITE

Summer time is right around the corner! Enjoy our Happy Hour scented candles at 25% off for the entire month of June!! Our summer catalog is open until July 31st, but why risk having your favorite lantern sell out? Grab yours now and get your front porch, back deck, or pool area ready for summer fun! If you’re looking for a guest pleasing scent that also wards off those summer time pests, check out our Geranium Citronella scent, which is not only offered in candle form, but in garden incense form! I’m so excited that summer is on it’s way that I’ll also be doing a raffle twice this month. Once June 15th, and again on June 30th for a $25 gift certificate. Every $50 spent gets your name in that raffle, and $250 gets your name in that raffle 10 times, and when you sign up for Party Lite Preferred, I’ll send you a special gift. Hope y’all are as excited about summer time as I am, it’s going to be scent-sational!!

Check out all the specials here.

Contact: courtneyaaron007@gmail.com

BLESSINGS UNLIMITED

Blessings Unlimited offers a unique blend of business and ministry with exclusive home decor items and gifts created to encourage hearts, build relationships, and bring beauty to the place where you live.

OUR MISSION:

To pursue the heart of God
and bring blessings to others.

http://www.myblessingsunlimited.net/cristinpotter

SHELF RELIANCE

Meet Heather from Cooking with My Food Storage, where she blogs about incorporating food storage into regular meals. Heather is a consultant for Shelf Reliance which is a premier source for pantry organization, food storage, and emergency preparedness supplies. Right now, Heather has some great deals for A Bowl Full of Lemons readers on pantry organization. First, the Cansolidator Pantry can organizer, which you can snag up for just $21.49, is 52% off! This organizer will rotate 40 cans, it’s easily adjustable and stackable. The best part is, your pantry will be so much easier to keep organized. Also, for anyone who is “into” food storage and loves to be organized, the Harvest 72″ food rotation system works great. It organizes cans of all sizes up to 460 cans. By ordering from Heather, you can snag it for $270.29. (The price will show up as $350.01. After adding to the cart, you will see the discounted price.)

Visit Heather Lorimer’s Shelf Reliance Website http://homeparties.shelfreliance.com/all-products/frs-food-rotation-systems/the-cansolidator-series/cansolidator-pantry.html to see what they have to offer.

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor & advertising your business on A Bowl Full of Lemons, visit our advertising page (here) for details.

Filed Under: Blog, June 2013 Sponsors, Sponsor Shout Outs · Tagged: Jule 2013 Sponsors, sponsors

Home Organization 101: Week 1 “The Kitchen” (Season 3)

June 1, 2013 · by Toni · 35 Comments

Summer has finally arrived and it’s time to tackle the clutter. Welcome back to another season of Home Organization 101. If this is your first time in “the class”, welcome. I’m happy you are joining us. If you have been through the class before, you already know how rewarding it is, once week 14 arrives. Each Saturday, I will post a new “space” along with pictures of my finished space and share the process of how you can organize yours. You may have seen some of my pictures already, but I will be adding a few new pictures this season, as well. Take as long as you need. Once you are finished organizing your space, share your pictures on our Facebook group page (here). Make sure to upload them to the correct “weekly album”. Questions? Ask away! Our Facebook page is the best place to ask them. To print out the schedule, click HERE. Have fun! Now lets get organized.

WEEK #1 THE KITCHEN

WEEK #1 TASK:

The kitchen is the hub of the home. Everyone ends up in the kitchen at some point during their day. So it gets messy fast! The best way to conquer the mess and the clutter is to get organized. Today is the first day of my 14 week series on clearing out the clutter and organizing your entire home. We will start in the kitchen, where it all begins. To begin the process and in order to be fully organized, everything really should be emptied out of the space, so you can see it clearly and start fresh. Its time to clear the clutter. Empty out every Cabinet and drawer in your kitchen. Only do this if you can have everything put back in its place within the week. WE ARE NOT ORGANIZING THE PANTRY THIS WEEK. We will address the pantry in a couple more weeks. Get a babysitter (or send the kids to the neighbors), put on your comfy clothes, and turn up the music. Its time to organize!! *Before you start, look around your house to find bins, baskets, etc… You can use these for your kitchen organization.

WEEK #1 CHECKLIST:

1. Clean out and organize all cabinets.

2. Clean out and organize all drawers.

3. Purge everything that is not used, expired, doesnt belong, collecting dust.

4. Clean out & organize fridge & freezer.

5. Mop, wipe down cabinet doors, clean counter tops & tables.

6. Take everything off the refrigerator door. It makes the kitchen look messy.

7. Clean all appliances.

THE PROCESS:

1. Clear off the kitchen table. This is your dumping grounds.

2. Empty out all cabinets & drawers! Place ALL items into “categories” on the table.

3. Wipe down the cabinet doors, shelves and drawers. Add new liners if necessary.

4. Discard (trash) old, expired, and no longer used items & food. Check the dates.

5. Place all items that are able to fit, into baskets.

6. Place everything back into the cabinets & drawers (in categories).

7. Take everything off the kitchen counters and place onto the table.

8. Wipe down the counters & backsplash with a good natural cleaner.

9. Wipe down ALL small appliances & large ones too!

10. Put back items you use on a daily basis, onto the counter top.

11. Mop the floors and wipe down the table & chairs.

12. Empty fridge/freezer. Wipe out. Put back in an organized manner.

13. You may clean and organize under the kitchen sink. I will share under my sink at a later date.

Tip: Keep all clutter off the counters at all times. If you take it out, put it away!

ORGANIZED SPACES IN MY KITCHEN:

1. Coffee & Tea station.

2. Vitamin & medicine cabinet.

3. Lunch Station.

4. Spice cabinet.

5. Command hooks for pot holders.

6. Baking sheet organization.

7. Baking cabinet & bin.

8. Dish placement.

9. Under the sink

10. Junk Drawer

11. Silverware Drawer

MY KITCHEN…

Stacking glasses and mugs doubles up your cabinet space!!! These wire shelves are from Walmart.

Our oils stay on the counter! Easy access.

I keep my homemade bar soaps in a vintage dish by my sink, as well as our veggie scrubber.

The silverware drawer

Mini Organizing Challenge ABFOL - Utensil Drawer

The Junk Drawer

Mini Organizing Challenge Junk Drawer 2w

COFFEE & TEA ORGANIZATION

Below is my “Tea” station…

I have bins filled with the following…

1. Coffee Pods

2. Tea Pods

3. Sweeteners

4. Honey

5. Tea Packets

The lazy susan houses my loose leaf teas. Its easy to find which tea I want with this system. To the left of the lazy susan is my honey collection as well as my Perfect tea maker by Teavana.

I keep my Tazo tea packets in this bin.

Below is our “Coffee station”.

The top shelf has all of our coffee wafers, biscottis, etc… The second shelf contains all of our coffee. The bottom shelf has our coffee flavorings & to go cups.

For those of you who are interested, you can purchase flavored syrup at Starbucks!! They have everything you would order at Starbuck, in syrups.

MEDICINE & VITAMIN ORGANIZATION

For convenience, we keep all medicine and vitamins in their own separate cabinet in our kitchen.

Our Shaklee vitamins are kept on a lazy susan. It’s super easy to find what you need.

Our medicine is organized into 5 different categories, in bins.

1. Eyes, ears, nose, throat.

2. Childrens Meds.

3. First Aid.

4. Fever & Pain.

5. Splints & Wraps.

Below is our “sick caddy”. It contains tissues, cough drops, hand sanitizer, ice pack (empty), and medications that are needed when sick.

Our protein powders & supplement shakes have their own shelf.

Finally, I purchased a Martha Stewart see through envelope (at Staples) & stuck it on the cabinet door. It holds a “ow” chart. So whenever someone is sick, we can keep track of their medications, last dose, etc… The printable is no longer available.

LUNCH STATION

Tips for a functional lunch station.

1. Keep everything on one spot. (Baggies, napkins, wet ones, utensils).

2. Hang lunch boxes on command hooks.

Below is our previous lunch station (in our old home). The post is (here).

SPICE CABINET

Our spices are organized on lazy susans too! This area is pretty self explanatory. The cooking spices are on the bottom and the baking stuff is on the top!

I updated my spices to fit into the drawer near my range. Its a great way to really get the spices organized. I love it. Here is a closer look at the organization.

A Bowl Full of Lemons spice organization

Cake decorating caddy.

Pot holders hang well on a command hook.

Pots & Pans organized vertically into the cabinet are easy to take out.

BAKING STATION.

All of my baking & cake decorating supplies go into this cabinet. The basket has cookie cutters, pans, cake supplies, etc… My mixing bowls & cake decorating kit fit well too! It helps to keep all of these items together, in one space. That way, there is no searching multiple cabinets to find what you need.

Under the Kitchen Sink

Here is a closer look at my sink organization.

Thats our kitchen. Now its time for you to get busy organizing your kitchen!! Print out the 14 week schedule HERE.

If you are joining the challenge, I ask that you place a button on your blog. Thank you!

Happy Organizing!

Filed Under: Blog, Home Organization 101 Season 3, Kitchen, Organize · Tagged: home organization, home organization 101 season 3, kitchen, kitchen organizing

“Month at a Glance” MAY 2013

May 31, 2013 · by Toni · 6 Comments

School is finally out and it’s time to celebrate the beauty that summer has to offer. Will you go camping & roast marshmallows over an open fire, sink your toes in the sand, catch fireflies, or vacation on a faraway island? The last one sounds good to me. May went fast and was filled with exciting events at A Bowl Full of Lemons. We wrapped up the Budgeting Series, I announced my partnership with Gladware as “Mom Made Blogger for May”, and we began the “Mini Organizing Challenges”.

To see all of my blog posts for the month of May 2013 on one page, visit (HERE). You can refer to “Month at a glance” blog posts now on ABFOL, at the top of the blog. Just click on the drop down menu that says “Month at a Glance”, and choose a month (beginning with May 2013). Beginning in June, we will restart the Home Organization 101 series, Season 3. Check the blog for details soon!

Have a blessed summer!

Filed Under: Blog, May 2013, month at a glance · Tagged: may 2013, month at a glance

Mini Organizing Challenge – Junk Drawer

May 30, 2013 · by Toni · 8 Comments

JUNK DRAWER ORGANIZATION

The mini organizing challenge of the week is to clean out your junk drawer. This drawer is one big headache. We can’t live with it and we can’t live without it. It’s a love/hate relationship. The key to managing this drawer is to organize it a little every day. When you are on the phone, waiting for something to come out of the oven, etc., straighten it up. So today, empty out your drawer, wipe it clean and reorganize it. Use containers to keep things in place. I purchased my drawer organizer from Garden Ridge. It even came with labels. Have fun organizing!!

Below is my junk drawer, before the mini challenge. I’m so embarrassed to post this picture, just so you know!

After cleaning and organizing the junk drawer. MUCH better!

Happy Organizing!

Filed Under: Blog, Kitchen, May 2013, mini organizing challenge, Organize · Tagged: how to organize the kitchen, junk drawer organization, mini organizing challenge, organize

One Project at a Time: 5/28/13

May 28, 2013 · by Rachel · 20 Comments

tues·day

/ˈt(y)o͞ozˌdā/

Noun

The day of the week before Wednesday and following Monday

Here at ABFOL, Tuesday is defined as LINK PARTY DAY! Every Tuesday, A Bowl Full of Lemon’s hosts this fabulous party so YOU can share your talented projects. You can link up all types of projects: Organizing, decorating, renovating, culinary, arts & crafts, etc. Share your projects with us today!

We would love to have you participate!

Link up ideas:

Recipes

Organizing & Cleaning

Arts & craft projects

Furniture

House/room pictures

Everything in between

OUR FAVORITE LINK UPS:

Life in the Lowcountry shared her adorable and stylish laundry room makeover. To see how she did it, visit her blog (here).

The ladies over at Creativity Designs blog have some really helpful tips on how to not only clean your siding, but how to clean grease off your siding. What a perfect task to add to the spring cleaning list to make sure the outside of your house is just as ready for warmer weather, as the inside! Click HERE for their step by step instructions.

Now it’s your turn! So, grab a button and show us what you got.

Filed Under: Blog, link party, May 2013, One Project at a Time · Tagged: link party, one project at a time

Organize It!

May 26, 2013 · by Toni · 8 Comments

The “Top Organizing Bloggers” have come together once again, to bring you some organizing inspiration. We are hosting a monthly round up (link party), where you can share your organized blog posts with the world. Beginning today, this event will take place the last Sunday of every month, on all “Top Organizing Bloggers” blogs (listed below). Sound good? Keep reading…

1. Must be organizing related.

2. Must have the button or a text link, linked back to one of our 8 blogs.

3. Must be a new link up each month (No duplicates).

4. A maximum of 2 posts may be linked up each month.

5. Please link to the correct category.

6. The link up must be your own work.

*We have the right to delete any link ups that do not follow the rules.

The event will last all month. You can link up on the first day, the last or any day in between. Make sure you only link up a maximum of 2 organizing posts per month. We will share our favorite linked up blog posts on “Organize It!”, our Pinterest page. So make sure to follow the page to see if yours’ is on there! Have fun, get lots of inspiration and share the party with the world!

Kitchen Organization…

Office Organization…

Closets & Storage Organization…

Bathroom Organization…

Bedroom Organization…

Toy Organization…

Laundry Room & Cleaning Supplies…

Craft Room & Keepsake Organization…

Binders & Planners…

Other Spaces…

Filed Under: Blog, link party, May 2013, Organize, Organize It!, Other Spaces · Tagged: how to organize, link party, organize, organize it!

May Flowers…

May 24, 2013 · by Toni · 10 Comments

I love the smell of fresh cut flowers. I always purchase them once a week, when I go grocery shopping. They make me smile & bring an inviting feel to my kitchen. Do you keep fresh flowers in your home? Have a great weekend!

Filed Under: Blog, flowers, May 2013 · Tagged: flowers

An Organized Baking Pantry…

May 23, 2013 · by Toni · 6 Comments

One of my blogger friends, Janet has blown my mind this time, with her new baking pantry. I love Janet’s kitchen, her style, and I’m especially envious of her talented baking skills. I don’t read too many blogs, but I have been a fan of Janet’s blog for about 2 years now. I have learned so much from her and that’s what I look for when I’m going to spend quality time reading other blogs. If you’ve never had the pleasure of visiting The Army Mom, (here) it is. I have to warn you, Janet is hazardous to your wallet. You will want to buy all of the cute things she has in her home! She has great style.

Here is the evolution of her BAKING PANTRY.

*In Janet’s own words…

Just to remind you of where we began… It was called, a catch-all!

Sure, I needed a place to park my tote bag collection but…

My over-flowing baking supply drawers won over tote bag parking!

Seriously… I needed saving!

So thanks to my darling husband…

A pantry dedicated solely to my baking and cookie decorating supplies was born!

With hardly a labor pain between us!

Last night, after I stocked the shelves and went to bed, this

is what my amazing new baking pantry looked like. However…

Today it got even better after the new doors were installed!

I love them! And, I’m so happy I over-bought on the knobs and bin pulls at Pottery Barn when we remodeled the kitchen the second time,

because I had exactly what I needed for the new pantry and coat closet!

Spacious, organized and concealed… Everything a girl wants in a pantry!

So what does a girl do to thank the man with the vision and ability to build it?

She cooks one of his favorite meals!

Pork roast cooked low and slow…

In one of my LeCreuset dutch ovens, of course!

And, in the beautiful new KitchenAid gas range I still cannot believe I won at last year’s Mixed Con!

Needless to say…

He was as happy with dinner as I am with my new baking pantry!

Before I close I have to tell you about a little bonus I discovered while

unpacking the storage bench… You see that little California license plate?

I found it in this box of love-letters we exchanged just after we met. We met on a

Thursday night in Kansas. We had our first date the following evening and by very

early Saturday morning, my family was on its way to Monterey, California! After he

phoned, (four days later) to ask if I would be his wife, we began corresponding via

letters. This lasted almost exactly three months until we eloped to Reno to marry!

No internet, no cell phones. Only expensive long distance calls and lots of

letter writing… Gosh! I haven’t looked through this box in a million years…

As I began digging through the box, I discovered lots of long-forgotten treasures…

Like this one that my mom brought back to me after my beloved

Oma passed away in 1990. It’s the last letter I wrote to her, which

arrived only two days before she died. Mom found it on the table in

her apartment. Mom also brought back this comb, compact and pill

box set I sent my Oma for Christmas just a few short weeks before…

I also found the booklet for the first television we purchased together,

along with one of my high school graduation announcements, the receipt

for my senior prom dress and, this funny saved from my 1986 calendar!

Here’s the birth certificate for my 1983 cabbage patch doll and, the

prescription for my first pair of glasses when I was twelve years old!

Written by an Army doctor in Frankfurt Germany,

which is the map on the back of the prescription!

Here is one of my early class (charting) assignments from dental assisting school!

Great letters. Great memories!

All discovered again because he decided to build me a baking pantry! ~ Janet

Filed Under: baking, Blog, decluttering, guest post, Kitchen, May 2013, Organize, organized space of the week, pantry · Tagged: baking, kitchen, organize, organized pantry, pantry

Mini Organizing Challenge – Purse Organization

May 22, 2013 · by Toni · 33 Comments

The first week of our brand new “Mini Organizing Series” went well! It was an easy task and one to happily check off the list this spring. Another easy challenge that makes a huge difference is organizing our purses. I know mine gets messy fast. This week, dump out the contents and clean your purse out… then put everything back in an orderly manner. You may even want to change out your purse for a more “summery” style. One tip that I found super helpful was designating pouches to categorize my things. I find that if I use these pouches, my purse stays pretty clean and organized. Another thing I added was a separate case to keep my receipts in. I no longer put them in my wallet. Every time I went to pay for something and opened up my wallet, all of the receipts fell out. It was frustrating. The receipts can get out of hand!! Have fun & don’t forget to take a before and after picture to share on our FB group page.

PURSE ORGANIZATION

My “financial” things (Wallet, receipt pouch, Envelope System , & Budget Planner)…

I have an obsession with lip balms. I must have one of every kind at all times. I also never leave the house without my Aveda Hand Relief. It’s the best lotion ever!!!

My EMERGENCY PURSE KIT. This contains everything I usually need but most of the time never have. So I got smart & put this kit together. It’s been GREAT! It has come in handy several times.

Happy Organizing!

Filed Under: Blog, challenges, decluttering, May 2013, mini organizing challenge, Organize, Other Spaces, purse organization · Tagged: mini organizing challenges, organize, organizing, purse organization

One Project at a Time: 5/21/13

May 21, 2013 · by Rachel · 19 Comments

Welcome to A Bowl Full of Lemon’s link party! We host this fabulous party so YOU can share your talented projects. You can link up in just about any catagory: Organizing, decorating, renovating, culinary, arts & crafts, etc. So, share your projects with us today!

We would love to have you participate!

Link up ideas:

Recipes

Organizing & Cleaning

Arts & craft projects

Furniture

House/room pictures

Everything in between

and YOUR link parties!

OUR FAVORITE LINK UP:

This time of year might just be my favorite. We’ve already enjoyed our first and second and third and… (well you get the idea) backyard campfire. Having friends over for a chilly evening of laughing, playing and making s’mores is my definition of a great ending to any day, as long as I have nothing to do with building the fire. I have yet to successful build and start any campfire!

Thanks to Tricia over at Every Nothing Wonderful my luck might just be changing. She offers a great tutorial (here) on how to make your own fire starters.

“Made easily and quickly with supplies we all have they are an easy way to start a fire. They ignite quickly, are light as a feather, and cost nothing – perfect for camping and backpackers to home fires and easy for kids to help assemble.”

Tricia has a wonderful blog full of recipes and ways to re-purpose everyday items and so much more! Be sure to stop by www.everynothingwonderful.com for all her latest posts.

We would love to see what project you’ve been working on, so make sure you grab a button and link up!