It doesn't seem to take all that long for our pantry to be what my husband lovingly refers to as a "Swiss Watch of Doom," and since I'd already defrosted the freezer, I figured it was high time for me to tackle the rest of our grocery stockpile by decluttering our messy pantry. … [Read more...]
One of the most frugal things you can do is to buy food in bulk when it's on sale. But if you don't have a good way to store that food, it could go to waste. There are plenty of food storage containers and pantry organizers on the market to help make sure that doesn't happen. But if you're on a budget, it's far better to explore some less expensive food storage solutions. … [Read more...]
My husband is a regular contributor to a radio talk show. Each week, he's given a topic to discuss. It's a fun exercise in creativity for him. A few weeks ago, the topic was junk drawers. I wondered what he would say. Lately it feels like every drawer in our house is a junk drawer. They are all in a serious state of disarray and in need of decluttering. He wisely chose not to mention the status of our drawers. Instead, he decided to record our three boys, ages 7, 5, and 5, as they went … [Read more...]
I first started clipping coupons back when I was a broke college student. My coupon organization consisted of me throwing whatever coupons I had into my purse and heading to the store. I've tried several coupon organizers since those early days, and I've definitely figured out what works and what doesn't. When you're able to find your coupons and use them on the things you need BEFORE those coupons expire, you know you've found a good solution. Check out these three ways to … [Read more...]
The new year always seems to inspire a fresh start, doesn't it? There is this natural desire to organize, clean out and otherwise simplify life. One area that tends to neglect in the annual clean up is our digital content. Just like physical clutter, this digital clutter can get us bogged down, interrupt our processes and leave us generally frustrated. The good news is that cleaning out your email, online and computer files is easy to break into smaller tasks and sneak time here and … [Read more...]
Ever since Michelle shared her ideas for organizing LEGOs, I was on a mission to get our LEGO bricks organized in a similar fashion. For weeks, I lusted after her LEGO organizing system. I e-mailed her questions asking her about it. I even put all the parts in my online IKEA shopping cart. But I just couldn't buy it. I love the way she organized her kids' LEGOs, but what worked for her just didn't work for my budget. So I spent some time taking a good look at what I already had. And … [Read more...]
One of my recent projects has been my master bedroom closet. With use by two of us each day for over 15 years, it has taken a beating. It is not a huge space - it is considered a walk-in, but it is more of a turn-sideways-and-slide-in-so you can see what you need to find and get out kind of situation. With the original builder white paint all scuffed up, my first step was to paint. Then came the fun part - figuring out how to organize accessories on a budget! We don't have a lot of space … [Read more...]