February 2, 2009

Getting It Together

January is the month of organizing, right?  Well, let's just say that travel, snowdays, sickness, and life came first.  So now it is February and I'm ready to get it together!

Nothing says organized like labels.  My mom gave me a label maker last Christmas and I started labeling everything.  Did you know that labels don't stick to kids once they get in the bathtub? Oh well.  I tried.  

Another way to label is to print stuff off of the computer.  I adore fun fonts (like 'trubble' above).  They just add some whimsy.

This is a shelf in my bonus room.  My father-in-law ran across this stainless steel restaurant style shelving unit a couple of years ago.  This thing weighs a ton, so once it went up to the bonus room, I knew it was a permanent fixture.  While the open shelves hold a ton, they tend to look cluttered.  I took this idea from a friend:  It's amazing how much more organized it looks when sticking with a color scheme.  I chose black photo boxes to hold various supplies and 3-ring binders to organize ideas from magazines that I want to hold onto.  Unfortunately the whole shelf doesn't look this neat, but it's a start.


Here is another example of using a cute font (tinker toy) for labeling.  I just used clear packing tape to attach these labels.  

Baskets can be a girl's best friend (assuming diamonds aren't available).  They don't even have to be pretty; just functional.  I keep these under my kitchen sink.  I know I'm breaking all kinds of keeping-kids-safe rules, but it works for us.

Speaking of kids...
These over-the-door shoe organizers are the BEST!   This is the new Hall of Justice... a great place for superheroes to come together!

We also use them for doll accessories.  One can never have too many accessories!  When the girls were younger and had hairbows to match every outfit, we used one of these to keep them visible and within reach.

This is a closet under our stairs.  When we were building the house, this area was originally on the plans as a butler's pantry.  Since we don't have a butler, I thought the area would be better used as a craft closet.  To maximize the space, we hung peg board on each of the side walls.  As you can see, we use it for all kinds of things.  See at that battery organizer at the top?  One of the best purchases ever!

Okay, I've shared some organizing tips, but here is the question of the day:

I have a terrible problem with soap scum on my glass shower doors.  It seems like I've tried everything.  Have you discovered anything that cuts through the film?  Any other awesome cleaning tips?  Do share!

15 comments:

Tracey said...

oooo..organizing! That's what I'll be working on next week on our Winter Break. As for the soap scum, I use the Magic Eraser. You'll have to scrub a little harder on the 'scummier' places. Rinse with water and you should have a scum-free door. Hope that helps!

cjtoscano said...

Microfiber clothes take it right off, no soap involved. The ones I have are from Norwex. They are a little expensive, but work amazing. The web page is safeandeasycleaning.com. I have a friend who is a consultant and that was how I got mine. The only thing is you can't put them in the dryer with a dryer sheet. Really incredible.

Anonymous said...

Try using Kaboom and a Magic Eraser on the soap scum.

Shell in your Pocket said...

Have you tried the magic eraser???

Wow..what great organizing...looks wonderful and I love the font on your label maker!
-sandy toe

Amy said...

Thanks for including the names of your fonts! Very cute! You've listed a great collection of ideas!

Soap scum - once you have it clean, use a squeegee every single time! This really helps me keep it under control.

Jenni said...

This sounds crazy, but baking soda works great on soap scum! I buy the big Costco bag and use it for just about everything. :)

I love all your great organizing ideas, and the labels you made are so cute! I also like your idea of using metal shelving, and think I might use that idea somewhere. :)

You have such a wonderful blog! And thank you for stopping by for a visit to mine and for leaving a comment! :)

Have a beautiful day! :)

Tammi said...

Hi! I found your blog through a comment you made on Lysa TerKeurst's blog. (I love reading hers, don't you?) I read through some of your posts and really enjoyed them. After following your trip, I figured I should stop "lurking" and say "hello". :)

I love the "hall of justice"! And I have to agree, that my favorite cleaning friend is the magic eraser!

P.S. I thought it was funny that we had a similar style profile pic.

Gigi said...

That font is so fun!
My batteries are in a big jumble in a basket. The organizer is such a great idea. Thanks for the tip.
That Hall of Justice is a hoot :)

Anonymous said...

Two ladies I know who had cleaned houses told me to use lemon oil on the shower doors--use a clean cloth and if you scrub they will look like brand new. I like the other tips too and I looove the organizing tips!!!!!!

Shannon said...

I love all these ideas! I love to label things too. Have you tried spray comet? It works great!

Chris said...

Wow! You've been a busy lady! I love all the ideas you shared--especially the fonts. :) I can't seem to get rid of soap scum like I want either. I'm trying these ideas!

Anonymous said...

Hey lady! Love the metal rack...I have one in my craft room too! I used a shower curtain from Target to "cover" it up when not in use! It makes the shelves that aren't so pretty just disappear! Let's get together soon! Miss you friend! Kim

Little Oak Table said...

ooh, great tips, especially the super-hero holder. the flylady (www.flylady.net) says to use regular bath soap and clean the shower while you are in there. have you tried that? we don't have a glass door on ours so i haven't tried it.

Andrea said...

You can try a couple of things for your shower:

1) A used dryer sheet works well at getting some off.

2) Use vinegar. It's the best. If the scum is really thick, you can use a razor blade to scrape it off after you spray it with vinegar.

Anonymous said...

Shower doors:

Try a Magic Eraser or a not yet used dryer sheet slightly dampened.

Good luck!