(my new) favourite organising tools #16 - gift bags

Hi all

On Sunday I challenged you to declare in the comments an area of your home that you'd be organising this week.

It's not too late to join in - even if you do just one drawer, the top of your kitchen counters, etc.

I'll be posting on Friday (so we all stay accountable) and I'd love to read your comments where you tell me what you've managed to get done.

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I said that I'd be sorting out the gift wrap and whatnot (just means there's such a lot and I'm too lazy to list it all :)) which I'm still busy working through as I do my project-type stuff between the 11pm and 2am feeds!

Long story but I can stay up easier than I get up so this is my new routine.

BUT I have found a use for some of those gift bags...which have become one of my favourite organising tools.

In the post where I spoke about organising the babies' clothes, Se7en commented and shared how she uses gift bags.

Well, I decided to try her suggestion and look...

see the bottom shelf in this pic

and this shelf, which makes my heart go all aflutter - so neat and organised and PRETTY!!!

How else do you use gift bags for non-gift purposes in your home or office?

Please share in the comments and let's get some good tips going. And Se7en, thanks again!

Favourite organising tools #15 - tote bags

My love for bags are well, well documented all over this blog.

But tote bags are also one of my favourite organising tools.

Here's the bag I take into the gym with my towel and water. I use the mesh bag to hold money for the parking meter, the parking stub and my car keys, because I hate scrambling around in the dark for things.

Sometimes if I'm really hungry I'll throw an apple in here too to eat the minute I finish the class. Remember I'm pregnant and the babies don't like to wait for food.




Then I have another tote bag for my gym clothes. I usually go straight after work so I get dressed at work and then drive to the gym.



I also have other tote bags dotted around the house for:

• to go to work (usually full of food (!) and healthy snacks)
  
• library books
• things to be returned to people (nice and vague)
• books to go to the second hand bookstore
• etc.

Do you use a lot of tote bags? What do you use them for?

Favourite organising tool #14 - mesh bags

These two mesh bags have a very important job in my life.

They help to keep my handbag organised. One has my makeup and the other has the medication I'm taking at the moment and my sweetener.


The pink one came in a set of three (for only R12,99 [$1,30] at Sheet Street - I know, crazy!) and I use the biggest of those to keep all my smaller bits and pieces organised when the handbag I'm using is just one big open cavern.

I can't STAND scratching around looking for things. So all I have to do is haul the mesh bag out, get my wallet or car keys, and I'm good to go.

Why do I like these mesh bags to organise?

• I can categorise
• When I'm transferring items between handbags, I can quickly decide if I need it with me or not
• It's see-through and I have a sincere love for any clear storage tools

Do you use smaller bags to organise your handbag? What other uses can you think of for mesh bags?


Check out the other favourite organising tools posts here

Have you bought your planner yet?

Remember this post from last year where I showed you my planner?

(Incidentally, I need to put a "most popular posts" thing on my blog because that post gets a huge amount of traffic)

Anyway, I started a series of blog posts on the other blog called choose the perfect planner. Read this one and keep checking back. I've planned out about 5 already.

Here is part 1 - paper or electronic?

So have you bought yours yet?

Favourite organising tools #13 - the best 89p I ever spent

I haven’t done one of these favourite organising tools posts for a looong time.

And every time I use this particular tool (every single day of my life) I think, “I really should post this” so I finally got my act together.

You all know how much I love plastic envelopes. Here in South Africa, I’ve only ever seen the bigger ones (A4 – for my overseas readers, that’s the size of printer paper) so imagine my delight when I found A5 ones (half the size of A4) on our visit to the UK in May.


If you’re interested, I got this one at Tesco’s for the grand sum of 89p ;) My cost per use is already less than a penny!

Why I love it

• The PERFECT size for carrying in your handbag or in your hand
• Nothing falls out
• I can see the contents because it’s transparent
• Pretty pink colour always helps

I always have stuff with me to read, to work on (business planning), blog notes, etc and I keep all that stuff in here because I like things contained.

Do you use these plastic folders? What do you use them for?

P.S. This one is called Snopake Polyfile A5

Favourite organising tools # 12 - shoe storage organisers

Organizing your home office can be easy and fun when you use things around your house, like shoe organisers.

I've been re-organising things so let me show you how I use them in my own home office.

If you're in South Africa, I bought this one in the kids section at Mr Price Home Zone for R39,99 ($5). They come in purple, pink and blue. The beauty of this style is that there are another 12 pockets on the other side :)



First, I took some squares of jotter paper from my desk and folded them in half. I wrote down all the items I wanted to keep in the pockets and hung the labels from the pockets.

I'm just planning at this stage because I don't know if I am 100% happy with where everything is. Then I started putting the items in the pockets. I then found that I had to move the labels around so that the heavier items didn't make the whole organiser sway to one side.

When I was happy with the order and configuration of the labels, I stapled them to the material. I use the flat staples so that I can slip the staples out easily without ripping the fabric.

And there you have it - a beautifully organised system for all the bits and bobs that so often untidy your home office.

Have you used a shoe storage organiser in your home office? Share in the comments.

This is also my Works for me Wednesday post.

P.S. Join me for the Virtual Organising Seminar and let's get that home office organised!

I'm not neat but I'm organized - Angela Yee

I'm not neat but I'm organized - Angela Yee

I'm not joking when I say I wish I'd written this book myself!

This is an awesome organising resource, both for the Super Organised and for those just struggling to hold it all together. It is beautifully written with lots of personal anecdotes and examples and when you're done reading, you'll definitely know what will work for you and what won't.

There are lots of diagrams so you don't have to guess what she means, and also some really good flowcharts for the visual people out there.

Angela addresses the many styles by having different sections for you, so if you only want the quick version, there's a section of a chapter just for you, and if you like all the little details, she caters to you too.

For each section of organising, e.g. scheduling, Angela gives MANY different examples, each one tailored for a different organising style.

I know I'm the Organising Queen but even I got TONS of ideas from this book, two of which are already helping me organise my organised life, much, much better ;)

Get this book now. You won't regret it!

Click the tag at the bottom of this post to read the other parts in this series.

Favourite organising tools #11 - Ziploc bags

If I had to go around my house taking pictures of all the ways I use Ziploc bags, I could probably start a Ziploc blog - the obsession is that bad!

I am reading Angela Yee's book, I'm not neat but I'm organized, and she said says for storage, to always choose clear over opaque. That's what reminded me of why I love Ziplocs so much. And of course, I agree totally. I always tell people to only buy clear plastic containers for the kitchen - it will change your life. No more food going off because you can't remember what's in the back of the fridge.

Anywayy...here's how the Ziplocs work for me

I have all sizes, all colours in my cupboard because they're just so versatile. But I will restrain myself from gushing and only tell you about a few of the uses in my home!

1. This is my organised travel toiletries bag. It stays permanently packed. As you can see, I have lovely green Jiffy bags for hair, face, body and make-up. It's easy when I get back to see what I need to replenish so I'm ready for the next trip.


2. Then we have my gym clothes. I don't like my shoes touching my clothes - am I weird? So I put my gym shorts, T-shirt and socks in a big Ziploc like this and toss that on top of my takkies (sneakers) in my gym bag.
3. And of course, I blogged about the gift wrap in December. I love the way the ribbons and bows are all kept separate yet you can see exactly what's in each packet.


Some of the other ways I use Ziploc or Jiffy bags:

Kitchen

1. Open bags of biscuits (cookies) or chips
2. Cheese
3. Cucumber
4. Ice blocks (take up less space in the freezer in a ziploc than in the trays)
   

Study

1. keep different categories of greeting cards separate - birthday, thank-you, Christmas, etc
2. iPod, cords and charging station
3. camera cords

What do you use Ziploc bags for?

Here's how Suzanne uses Ziplocs.

Favourite organising tools#10 - baskets (3)

For more WFMW posts, visit Shannon


Wow, I haven't done one of these for a while. And then I found the last of the basket posts in my drafts!

here is post 1 and here is post 2 on organising with baskets. There are more great ideas in this e-course.

This is how I organise the smallest bathroom in the world. Honestly, I'd love to know if you've ever seen anything smaller :) I certainly haven't!

baskets on a 3-tier tray keep different categories of toiletries together

this blue one holds Dion's toiletries separate from the rest of the stuff in the bathroom vanity

my bedside table - night cream, hand cream, bookmarks, pens, etc.

spare socks and pantihose - I stash the closed packs in this space between my two piles of clothes

P.S. Guess who bought 12 cute baskets at Pick & Pay? That's right - at only R4,99 each, can you blame me?!

Are you sold on baskets yet? Make me happy and tell me YES! :)

Blog about the contest and you can win $25 Stacks & Stacks gift card

Organising gift wrap and ribbons

Don't forget the organising crafts contest otherwise Laura is going to be one really happy crafter!

It is a normal wastepaper basket which uses the vertical space beautifully under my bookshelf (in fact, all that space was unused when we moved in here and we got those bookshelves built in)

It is neat and organised and yes, I have a thing for craft paper. I never buy Christmas gift wrap because then I'm stuck with leftovers the whole year. It sits there, torturing me because you know how I like to throw things out.

So I buy coloured craft wrap - it's cheaper and I just add a non-Christmassy coloured ribbon (or raffia) for birthday and other gifts!

I store the bows and ribbons in ziploc bags. Each bag has a separate type of gift-wrapping accessory :)

From top to bottom...

1. Fancy clothes pegs (for holding gift bags closed and attaching a gift tag)
2. Closed ribbons (thin)
3. Open ribbons (thin)
4. Ribbon (medium)
5. Gift tags
6. Material ribbon
7. Bows

I'm very curious. How do you store your gift-wrap and accessories?

Favourite organising tools #10 - baskets (2)

I really do love baskets. Remember I blogged about it last week?


Here is part 1 in case you missed it.

This time, I'm showing more kitchen and pantry pictures.

this is a cupboard right next to my stove - that basket holds some extra spices that don't fit on my spice rack

this is in my pantry - the packages (red kidney beans if you're interested) take up less space like this than if I lay them down
baking stuff and extra chocolate in the back that I got on sale
extra cleaning supplies
If you use baskets in your kitchen/ pantry area, please blog them and come leave the link in the comments so we can all come visit and see :)

This is also my Works for me Wednesday post - working smarter, not harder :)

Favourite organising tools #10 - baskets (1)

Baskets make really good organising tools for containing items. When you're organising, you always want to keep like items together and this is a great way to do just that.

It's much easier to pull a basket off a shelf, remove something and then put it back instead of feeling your way on the shelf, messing up everything. When the basket has a handle, it's also very easy to carry from room to room (like in the case of cleaning supplies).

They're cheap and you can easily re-purpose if you outgrow the basket or it no longer suits the original purpose.

To prepare for this post, I walked around my house taking pictures. Since I got 14 pictures without even trying, I'm going to have to split up this post otherwise you'll all get bored.

Here's how I use baskets in my kitchen. Pantry, bathroom and bedroom to follow!

1. to hold my cell phone charger and rechargeable batteries for my camera (this is on top of my extractor fan)

2. to hold our vitamins (the front one has the daily stuff and the back one has all the extra supplies)

3. to keep my recipe books next to the microwave (when I want to declutter, I pull this whole thing out and take it to the TV to work on - easy!)

4. to store cleaning things under the kitchen sink (notice how I write the date on the dishwashing liquid? I'm weird like that - I like to keep track to make sure we don't waste money)

How do you use baskets in your kitchen?

My best 4 ways to tame the magazine monster

For someone who does not own a single magazine subscription, I sure do manage to accumulate a lot of magazines.

For this picture, I went around the house and collected everything in sight!

1. I keep them mainly in the bathrooms (ahem) because that's where they mostly get read. When I find something good, I tear it out there and then so I don't waste time looking for a recipe later. Because of course then I'd get sidetracked and look at all the gorgeous pictures again :)

2. The only time I get through a lot of magazines quickly is when I get my car washed. I take 3 - 4 magazines with me and use the waiting time to read, tear out articles and declutter.

3. I also like taking magazines with me when I'm taking a long plane trip, about 8 hours or more. It's nice because when I'm done, I offer it to the passengers who look like they need something else other than in-flight entertainment. I'm helpful like that :) And the best is I can leave them right there on the aircraft!

4. When I go through magazines, my motto is always less is more. So I try very hard not to keep anything I know deep down I'm not going to need or use. I know myself and even though a recipe might look delicious, it's not likely to be something I try and cook/ bake if it's in the least bit complicated :)

Of course, once I have the 2 - 3 pages per magazine, I use my beloved flipfiles/ display folders to organise them. And since Barb wrote about her great ideas notebook, I started a Gorgeous Things flipfile too with beautiful furniture, houses I like, etc. It's good to dream.

By the way, the short flights to PE and CT don't work for magazines. That's strictly e-book time. I finished 150 pages of reading on this last trip down to Cape Town in between the eating and chatting. I use a plastic book bag like this which works very, very well.

Favourite organising tools #9 - Office in a bag

As many of you know, I work a full-time job, run the business after work and on weekends, and I do ministry work at my church.

With all these things going on, I have to be quite portable because there's nothing worse than not having something you need. Or having it, but in the wrong location!

So I have an "office in a bag".

1. I use one of these book bags for my business & personal stuff to and fro work.

2. The pictures below show the one I use for the ministry work.

It has two pockets. You can slip paper and larger items into the big one and smaller items like keys and smaller notebooks into the front pocket which then has a plastic zipper.

I love this thing because of the handles. You can't see them very well because when I bring it back home, I store it on its side with the handles folded over so it fits nicely into my launch pad. (Just realised I've never posted my launch pad - okay, made a note and will do so)

What I keep inside

1. Forms for doing the assessment
2. Ministry details
3. Notebook (Disney one) because so many people don't keep paper with them
4. Pencil bag with mini stapler, mini staple remover, pens, highlighter, paper clips, etc)
5. I used to have office keys but since we moved to the new church building, I do the assessments at a coffee shop so we are really portable now.

What do you use for your "office in a bag"?

Favourite organising tools # 8 - sunshine organizer

I am so excited to tell you about this favourite tool of mine - the Sunshine Organizer. This calendar really works for me.

I was given mine as a gift and I had hardly walked in the door when Dion put it up on our wall and started filling it in. I had a small one up already but we both love this one so much because there is A LOT of space. And it's yellow/ orange so it makes me happy!!!


This is perfect for a family with kids, or any busy family (like ours). There's enough space for Dion's stuff and for my stuff and best of all, neither of us has to scrunch up our handwriting to make it all fit :)

The features of the calendar include:

1. 14 months (starts in Nov 2007 and runs through to Dec 2008)
2. Large blocks to write in
3. Lined blocks to write straight
4. See your month at a glance
5. Starts with Monday so you have Sat and Sunday together ( shaded)
6. Emergency Numbers
   

When you open it to hang on your wall, cupboard, etc, it looks like this. Look how much SPACE there is!!!

back of calendar with instructions for use, emergency numbers, space for telephone numbers, etc.

this is a page in use - see all the writing, stickers, etc. Lovely!

Because I love this Sunshine Organizer so much, I offerered to put a link in my store so that you, dear blog readers, can also get your own one. Scroll down the front page just a bit to view the details.

It only costs $18.95 or R130 which of course, includes packing and postage. Please note there are two buttons so please choose International or South African. International readers, it will get to you within 3 weeks and South Africans, it will get to you within a week. Or if you're really desperate to get yours, you can collect from Debbie, the creator of this gorgeous product, in Randburg.

Buy your copy now.