Random Tips and Ideas

I always love it when someone has a great idea or a way of doing things that saves people time, energy, or is just plain easier.  So here are a few ideas, tips, and must have products that have made my life easier, in case you are interested.  I'm sure some of these would be easier to visualize with pictures, so I'll work on that and update.


Please share some of your ideas in the comments.  I'd love to try them out and post for others to use.


Organization Ideas:

1. Label Makers are your Friend, and if nothing else they are fun to play with (I labeled the dog once...very fun)
2. Use clear bins so you can see inside
3. Keep small or kid size scissors in the adult bathroom or laundry room.  These 2 places seem to be key for de-tagging items or de-stringing items. Kids scissors are small enough to not get in the way of other essentials
4. Gallon size zip seal bags work great for keeping instructions and tiny tiny pieces all together... grab your sharpie and write whats inside, in case the parts aren't obvious

Kitchen Ideas:

1. Keep a sharpie on top of your fridge (or in a drawer)
2. Write the "opened date" on any container so you know how long its been in there
3. Write the "opened date" on all your spices.  I hear different opinions on how long you can keep spices, some is 6 months, others is a year.  I don't really know, but I usually buy new after 1 year
4. I also write on storage containers when I put them in the fridge.  Sharpie washes off of plastic and glass pretty easily in my experience... and then we don't have to do the smell test to figure out if something is still good.
5. Buy the small size of a spice until you know you really like it or are going to use it often... that's when I turn to the Costco size, if I know I will get through something in 6 mo to 1 year
6. Keep the original spice jar, once empty buy from the bulk spice section and refill
7. Depending on the size of your cookbook or recipe print out, it may fit inside of a gallon size zip bag.  This way, if you get messy, the book and recipe stay clean.

Organizing Kids: (That might be an oxymoron)

1. Put a medium size bin in your kids closet. As they grow out of clothes you can just drop them in and sort them later for donation
2. Recycle the heavy duty clear zip bags that held your curtains, comforters, and new sheet sets, to store individual games, puzzles, items with lots of small pieces.  They are strong enough to be thrown around, easy enough to be opened by a toddler, and clear so you know whats inside
3. Use small binder clips that can slide on your kids hanger to keep little bloomers with their matching top/dress
4. Small binder clips work great for keeping shorts and little skirts paired with their matching tops
5. Use a lingerie bag when washing little socks, so you know they all made it from the washer, to the dry, and back out again
6. Use the 3M removable command strips (or similar product) to hang items in their room
• I've used these to hang cars floor rugs on the wall. It doubles as decoration, is out of the way when not being played with, and easy to take down when its time to play.  
• I've hung mirrors in the kids room with these, I was no longer concerned that the nail would fall out or the mirror would crash to the ground, and I didn't have to measure 2 different holes to make it extra sturdy
7. Rotate toys. Keep a collection in the garage or storage and a collection inside.  Rotate them to see which toys are really played with.  They become easier to donate, as they are usually out of sight out of mind.  

Decorating Tips:

1. Use old wrapping paper to make templates of paintings, pictures, or decorative pieces you want to hang on the wall.  Measure, cut and mark where the nail (if you are nailing) needs to go.  Use painters tape to hang your templates and stage your wall.  If you like what you've done, finish the hanging process (don't forget to check for studs, electrical, and use your level).  If you don't like how it looks, you can move everything and there was no damage done.  
• This is great if you are trying to decorate by your self, as you can tape and step away to see the full wall
• Also great for a gallery wall, so you can make sure everything fits.
2. I am loving the 3M removable command strips for easy decorating.  I've converted picture frames which were originally meant for sitting on a table, to now hanging on the wall by adding the strips and removing the frame kickstand.  I use these things for a lot of projects.

Products I Like:


Itzbeen Baby Timer: Seriously, what did I do without this thing.  You can buy on Amazon or other  retailers


Good Nite Lite: Aah this is a great tool for training the kids to sleep or stay in their rooms until the time you program it for morning and when to start getting ready for bed


3M - Command Strips: These things are magic.  Its so easy to hang a picture frame or a rug on the wall.  If I don't like it, I can remove it.