Stationery Binder Organizer

Last week, I made an amazing purchase at Target: a small, 3-ring binder and clear cover pages that fit inside. With these, I created my own organizer for all of the beautiful cards I've accumulated over the years but have yet to send.  When I was in London last summer, I visited some really cool old bookshops and several stationery stores and picked up some unique cards that I have never seen in the U.S.  I tend to stock up on cards when I am in a museum store. I literally have a stack of a hundred cards that I have purchased but never sent. Having them all in one place that is handy and organized will be a huge asset to actually getting these puppies in the mail.




I also thought that while I get organized on all my beautiful cards, I would get organized on all of my awesome stamps.  I organized my sentiment PSA Essentials stamps -- the ones that I use to switch out my monogram and add in a saying like "Way 2 Go" for a graduation card that I was sending -- into the binder too.   Now I will easily be able to pull out the "Happy Birthday" stamp or "Thank you" stamp when I am sending that type of card.

The cards and the clear acrylic stamps by PSA Essentials all fit nicely in the binder and they make me want to write just about everyone I know.  I also added tabs with "birthday", "anniversary",  "sympathy", and more greeting categories to know what I need (more like would like to...) shop for and where I have holes. (Strangely, I have an over abundance of baby girl cards...)

I've been searching for a stylish perpetual calendar so that each month or week I can look at see who I should sent birthday or anniversary cards to.  I would just love to be able to sit down with a cup of coffee on a Sunday morning and look through my perpetual calendar and send out cards from my stationery binder organizer.  The next part of this mini-project is finding that perpetual calendar.  I have yet to find a pretty and stylish one.  If you know of one, please leave a comment here! I even hinted to my friends at Lifeguard Press at the National Stationery Show that I was searching for one. Kate Spade should certainly add that to their new product line...

Of course, then I will stamp these beautiful cards with one of many of my PSA Essentials Personalized and Switchable Peel & Stick Stamps.  Eek! This is super fun for a stationery and stamp geek like me.

More on this project when I find my perpetual calendar!

Organizing Tips

I spent much of my weekend organizing my house.  In 2014, I plan to be uber organized. I am going to be that mom who is on-time for school, never looses a tap shoe (and then has to spend $25 before class to buy them...), always has socks rolled neatly in the drawer, and laundry will never pile up.  I can dream, right?

To really get organized and tackle all the projects I have on my list, I am doing one project a day. I compiled a list of 24 things that I want to organize in my house, ranging from a complete revamp of the laundry room, organizing my PSA Essentials Peel & Stick stamps, gutting my junk drawer, cleaning out the medicine cabinet, and filing paperwork.  Bring on the label maker!  By doing just one project per day, I don't feel as overwhelmed.  It's the only way to keep my sanity as I try to whip things into shape.

I'd also like to make organizing and whipping my house into shape fun.  Mae Armstrong of our PSA Stamp Camp design team proves that this is possible.

Mae designed a magnetic dishwasher sign, which makes an organized and well-run kitchen also a bit more decorative and enjoyable. Being that Mae is crafty, got a knack for design, and an organized momma, she came up with a solution to share for that age-old question: are the dishes in the dishwasher dirty or clean? She created a magnetic "Clean" sign!   Stick it on as soon as you've run the dishwasher.  Take it off just after you've unloaded it.   Never put a dirty spoon in with clean silver wear again!



Mae picked up wooden craft boards at Michael's and used her PSA Essentials Archive Peel & Stick stamps.   She choose the rooster stamp from the PSA Country Home Peel & Stick stamp set, too.  She added a vintage spoon stamp from her own stamp collection. 

To replicate, plan the letters and stamp away.  Then add four magnets on the back of the board.

 

What a simple, fast and usable project! 



I can see different ideas for this project already... 





What ways are you making organizing and order fun this January?  We'd love to hear your ideas - share them here on the blog or on our Facebook page!

New Year's Resolution: A Project A Day

Sometimes my house feels like it’s closing in on me.  Since having Connor, my medium sized house has become small.  Every inch of space is used up and the spaces that are mine seem to be dwindling.  With the daily grind, I haven’t had time to organize anything so it’s gotten pretty chaotic.  We have several junk drawers.   The laundry room is a mix of laundry, craft supplies, school supplies, household light bulbs, batteries, cleaning supplies, medicine and has become a general dumping ground.   I have been feeling really overwhelmed about it so I decided that 2013 is going to be more organized.  This is my new year’s resolution.    I’ve made a list of 36 projects around the house that need to be organized.   Some days are easier than others (like #6 which is cleaning out my coupons) and other days will require more effort (like #14 which is to tackle my closet!  A total disaster.)

It turns out that of the most popular new year’s resolutions, organizing is #10.  Other popular ones are getting fit, getting out of debt, spending more time with family and friends, learning something new, and eating better.   Gina Luker at Shabby Creek Cottage is getting on the organizing train with her blogging.  Check out what she’s done here.  She’s creating a blogging board. 

She’s stamped the letters from PSA Vanilla Peel & Stick stamps using an acrylic block onto her white board.

She’s made three columns to get organized:  posts, supplies {she needs} and administrative [tasks she needs to get done.}  It looks great above her desk and she can really set things straight this new year. 

So what are your new year’s resolutions? 

Stamp Organization

A few months ago when I was preparing the nest for Connor, I was organizing a bunch of my crafting supplies.  I wrote a post proudly declaring victory on all my clutter – particularly when it came to paper, punches, stickers, embellishments… you get the drift.  I also bragged about my stamp organization.   I have nothing on Jamie Cripps.   In fact, my post just looks silly now.   Proof:

There’s a color system to this filing system!  She’s stamped each stamp onto the folder for super easy reference.   She’s filed each set into it’s own folder – then into one nice bin.  She can find stamps quickly and easily by name.  I am so jealous.

How do you store your stamps?  I seriously applaud this organization! 

Recipe Organization

On a roll with my organization (case in point – my scrapbooking supplies), I decided it was time to tackle my recipes.   I have hundreds clipped out from magazines, printed off from The Food Network.com, or given to me by friends and family – but I haven’t been using them because they were a mess.    I received a present for our wedding which I had not yet taken advantage of – it’s a recipe journal from Williams Sonoma.   It is even stamped with our last name “O’Regan” on it.   

Inside it’s organized by tabs labeled with soups & salads, appetizers, breads, brunches, side dishes, poultry, meats, seafood, pastas, desserts and even a tab for cocktails.  (That one has a lot of clippings…)    

I added my recipes right away.   They filed away nicely inside the acetate covers provided. 

For the hand written ones, I stamped a few of the cards with my “From The Kitchen Of” personalized PSA Essentials Peel & Stick stamp.   This is great for recipes that I want to give friends and family, not necessarily the ones I am filing and keeping in my binder.  

I have some really great recipes to use now – I am just dying to try the Truffle Risotto!  I made the Asian Flank Steak last night.  So many great recipes now being put to good use.

And when I don’t feel like cooking, there’s always the “Take-Out” menu binder.  Also now organized by cuisines from around the world.... 

This post was linked to Organize Your Stuff Now's Wednesday link party.   Join the fun by visiting this great blog and linking up.