I am so smitten that my contributors bring so much diversity to this blog. Some can sew and some live in apartments, while others live in completely different countries. And now, a couple of them are pregnant and one even just had a new baby {congratulations Chelsea!!}. I love that they bring a whole different element to iHeart, and feel so blessed that they all continue to partner up with me each week.
Yes, we currently have a few iHeart pregnancies in the mix! Another very warm and exciting congratulations to Serena of Pretty Fluffy blog. She is already the proud mama of a very loving pup, and now a sweet little babe will be joining her family as well. Serena is a friendship built through long distance, yet it feels like I have known her for ages. My heart burst when I heard the news, and I am so honored to have her stopping by to share some of her nursery with us today!
As a home décor-aholic, as soon as I found out I was expecting I started pinning away all sorts of inspiration for our baby girl’s nursery. There is so much out there, that it’s easy to get carried away.
(Un)lucky for me, my over the top ideas were soon reigned in by my two realities – a small budget and a small space.
Not to be defeated I created an inspiration board of what I wanted to achieve with the space – and then worked back from there.
Based on this board, my original dream nursery had a gorgeous West Elm dresser front and center. But with a $1000 price tag it was out of my reach.
But what WAS within my reach were these MALM chest of drawers from IKEA. As luck would have it, we already had a chest of these three drawers in our office. I’d bought it for stationary storage but to be honest the drawers were proving too deep to keep all my bits and bobs together and they weren’t getting used.
As I wanted 6 drawers, it was easy to buy one more set of 3 drawers and then move them both into the nursery. I laid a table topper across the top and voila – a sleek, chic storage solution.
But with me wanting to keep my pretty nursery theme from my inspiration board, they needed a bit of dressing up.
To avoid drowning in a sea of pink, I selected a range of gift wrap from the beautiful gift & homeware store Love Mae.
Cutting the pieces to size, I used a different gift wrap design for each drawer level – that not only protect the contents of the drawers but make me oh-so-happy when I open each one! I mean, one of the designs is of flamingos kissing – who doesn’t love that?
The next task was making the insides of the drawers as organized as possible. I quickly learnt that tiny baby stuff in big drawers equals one BIG mess without the right dividers.
Not wanting to cover all my gorgeous drawer lining I opted against using IKEA’s easy fit storage bins and instead went with rustic white baskets.
Drawer one consisted on all of the baby’s towels, wraps and bath time needs. The added bonus is the basket is completely removable and portable so it’s super easy to grab on the go at bath time.
Drawer two & three are filled with baby’s outfits for the first few months (lots of pink in these drawers!) all organized by size – so it’s easy to grab and go when I’m in a zombie like state of sleep deprivation! Again the storage baskets came in handy for storage the teeniest tiny items like socks, shoes and hats.
Drawers four, five & six are all used for extra diapers and linen with space left over for all of those things I’ve forgotten! The magic is with so much space, as our baby grows we’ll be able to reconfigure the drawers as necessary.
Lastly, the drawers-come-dresser also had to double as our change table. (Did I mention we are low on space?) Lucky for us, with their long width they are actually the perfect size for a changing mat.
Using matching baskets I then added all the must-have items for changing - diapers, wipes and lotions. I used recycled jars for storing cotton wool balls – making sure every single item was within reach using one arm only.
Finishing off the space with a cute elephant print, I couldn’t believe it. I’d made this space for less than half of what my dream dresser would have cost.
What did I learn during this whole process?
And do you know what? I think I like this new space more than my original dream nursery! I hope our future daughter enjoys it just as much.
For more images and list of products and furnishings visit the full Nursery Tour here.
If you have any tips for a newborn nursery, I’d love to hear them in the comments!
"I am Serena Faber Nelson, a television producer, writer and fluffy dog owner. Obsessed with home d̩cor, fashion, lifestyle and dogs РI set about creating Pretty Fluffy as a go-to guide for the modern pet owner. Featuring a range of stylish products, celebrity pooches, DIY projects and handy hints, Pretty Fluffy is a daily stop for smiles and inspiration, giving readers the tools they need to enjoy full and happy lives with their furry friends. My greatest loves include fresh peonies, Dirty Dancing (Nobody puts Baby in a corner), Banoffe Pie, spending waaay too much time on Pinterest, and hugging random dogs at the park. I currently live in Sydney, Australia with my husband, Andy, and my 11 year old Border Collie, Soda. As a long time fan, I am super excited to be joining the IHeart Organizing Team!"
Yes, we currently have a few iHeart pregnancies in the mix! Another very warm and exciting congratulations to Serena of Pretty Fluffy blog. She is already the proud mama of a very loving pup, and now a sweet little babe will be joining her family as well. Serena is a friendship built through long distance, yet it feels like I have known her for ages. My heart burst when I heard the news, and I am so honored to have her stopping by to share some of her nursery with us today!
As a home décor-aholic, as soon as I found out I was expecting I started pinning away all sorts of inspiration for our baby girl’s nursery. There is so much out there, that it’s easy to get carried away.
(Un)lucky for me, my over the top ideas were soon reigned in by my two realities – a small budget and a small space.
Not to be defeated I created an inspiration board of what I wanted to achieve with the space – and then worked back from there.
 |
| INSPIRATION BOARD CREDITS (Clockwise from Top Left): Pottery Barn Kids, On To Baby, On To Baby, Love Mae, Etsy. |
Based on this board, my original dream nursery had a gorgeous West Elm dresser front and center. But with a $1000 price tag it was out of my reach.
But what WAS within my reach were these MALM chest of drawers from IKEA. As luck would have it, we already had a chest of these three drawers in our office. I’d bought it for stationary storage but to be honest the drawers were proving too deep to keep all my bits and bobs together and they weren’t getting used.
As I wanted 6 drawers, it was easy to buy one more set of 3 drawers and then move them both into the nursery. I laid a table topper across the top and voila – a sleek, chic storage solution.
But with me wanting to keep my pretty nursery theme from my inspiration board, they needed a bit of dressing up.
To avoid drowning in a sea of pink, I selected a range of gift wrap from the beautiful gift & homeware store Love Mae.
Cutting the pieces to size, I used a different gift wrap design for each drawer level – that not only protect the contents of the drawers but make me oh-so-happy when I open each one! I mean, one of the designs is of flamingos kissing – who doesn’t love that?
The next task was making the insides of the drawers as organized as possible. I quickly learnt that tiny baby stuff in big drawers equals one BIG mess without the right dividers.
Not wanting to cover all my gorgeous drawer lining I opted against using IKEA’s easy fit storage bins and instead went with rustic white baskets.
Drawer one consisted on all of the baby’s towels, wraps and bath time needs. The added bonus is the basket is completely removable and portable so it’s super easy to grab on the go at bath time.
Drawer two & three are filled with baby’s outfits for the first few months (lots of pink in these drawers!) all organized by size – so it’s easy to grab and go when I’m in a zombie like state of sleep deprivation! Again the storage baskets came in handy for storage the teeniest tiny items like socks, shoes and hats.
Drawers four, five & six are all used for extra diapers and linen with space left over for all of those things I’ve forgotten! The magic is with so much space, as our baby grows we’ll be able to reconfigure the drawers as necessary.
Lastly, the drawers-come-dresser also had to double as our change table. (Did I mention we are low on space?) Lucky for us, with their long width they are actually the perfect size for a changing mat.
Using matching baskets I then added all the must-have items for changing - diapers, wipes and lotions. I used recycled jars for storing cotton wool balls – making sure every single item was within reach using one arm only.
Finishing off the space with a cute elephant print, I couldn’t believe it. I’d made this space for less than half of what my dream dresser would have cost.
What did I learn during this whole process?
- There is ALWAYS an alternative budget option for that dream piece. It just may take a bit more time and effort to find it.
- The details make all the difference – I still smile every time I open those drawers and see the DIY liners.
- Going with pre-fitted storage (like IKEA boxes etc) can be easy, but to add more personality to your space, experiment with other shapes, ranges and recycled/repurposed pieces.
- Kissing flamingos are the bomb.
And do you know what? I think I like this new space more than my original dream nursery! I hope our future daughter enjoys it just as much.
For more images and list of products and furnishings visit the full Nursery Tour here.
If you have any tips for a newborn nursery, I’d love to hear them in the comments!
"I am Serena Faber Nelson, a television producer, writer and fluffy dog owner. Obsessed with home d̩cor, fashion, lifestyle and dogs РI set about creating Pretty Fluffy as a go-to guide for the modern pet owner. Featuring a range of stylish products, celebrity pooches, DIY projects and handy hints, Pretty Fluffy is a daily stop for smiles and inspiration, giving readers the tools they need to enjoy full and happy lives with their furry friends. My greatest loves include fresh peonies, Dirty Dancing (Nobody puts Baby in a corner), Banoffe Pie, spending waaay too much time on Pinterest, and hugging random dogs at the park. I currently live in Sydney, Australia with my husband, Andy, and my 11 year old Border Collie, Soda. As a long time fan, I am super excited to be joining the IHeart Organizing Team!"
It has been awhile since we have taken time to link up and celebrate your organizing projects! Are you ready for some fun!?
I don't know about you, but I LOVE this time of the month when you get to stop by and celebrate your organizing projects with me! It has been almost two months since our last link party {seriously, how does that happen!?}, so there should be plenty for you to share! And remember, I love seeing anything and everything from organizing a purse or drawer to making over a closet or piece of furniture.
Here is a quick re-cap of some of our favorite projects since our last round-up.
Now, it is your turn to link up and share your favorite projects with me!
As always, an over-sized thank you to all who participate in these challenges. Checking out your posts is my guilty pleasure every month, so bring it on! This month I will also be sharing some of your projects via social media and as always, will be doing a recap at the end of the party.
IHeart Organizing is not responsible for the content uploaded and shared within the Monthly Link Parties on within the #wiorn hashtag feed. However, it is a great way to join together in making organizing fun, so let's use our best internet etiquette and have a great time with this social party.
I don't know about you, but I LOVE this time of the month when you get to stop by and celebrate your organizing projects with me! It has been almost two months since our last link party {seriously, how does that happen!?}, so there should be plenty for you to share! And remember, I love seeing anything and everything from organizing a purse or drawer to making over a closet or piece of furniture.
Here is a quick re-cap of some of our favorite projects since our last round-up.
- Although we were focusing heavily on getting through a lot of unfinished projects, like the front porch, main bath and garage, with the kids home for summer break my studio moved to the top of the list. I needed a bigger work station and STAT, so we did just that! Bryan and I built a new farmhouse style desk and I am gaga over the larger size and ability to really spread out each day! Now, to finish staining it so I can call the project d.o.n.e.
- Once we had the new, larger workspace in place, that meant we no longer needed the oh-so-confining small desk any longer. To add a little extra softness and seating, we also built and upholstered a new bench! I knew we would love it, but it has gotten more use by my little guys than I ever could have imagined.
- While I pondered the finish I wanted to use on the new desk, I turned my energy to finally getting the garage FINISHED. Almost two years in the works and it was moving at a turtle pace. To re-excite myself, I focused my attention on a happy nook for the boys. Something about all of the colors, toys and labels made me fall in love with the garage project again, and this new outdoor toy zone has made for smoother summer days.
- Another garage helper was installing a wall system to hold all of our bikes. In the past, adult bikes were on the ceiling and kids were pretty much wherever they landed. Now, they are all off of the floor, yet simple to access for everyone. A huge garage win!
- All of our hard work has FINALLY paid off! The garage can now fit both of our vehicles, all of our toys and sports equipment and offers oodles of upper storage for all of those bulky, less frequently used items. We have since hosted an epic birthday party bash and I find myself just standing in the center gazing all around me in pure joy. The garage is such an extension of the home and I now feel like we are really able to make the most of it. You can see all of our progress in this post here.
- Another weight lifted was giving our garden shed some love and attention. In the past it was used for storage of random items and building supplies. Totally not functioning and I honestly didn't even know what was in there more of the time. Now, it has a specific purpose and I can use it for both yard and garden storage and planting. Plus, getting this done opened up even more space in our garage.
- We are big believers in balancing those huge home projects with happy little side projects. Those larger projects can take so much time and can drag out for days, months and even years. I like small spurts of success and accomplishment sprinkled in, so I tackled a few creative storage solutions as well. My DIY bracelet holder brings a little smile to my morning routine, and keeps all of my bangles on display.
- This color loving gal had a white tray that was begging for some pizzazz. I tried out a marbling technique with nail polish and it was so totally awesome {said in my high-school voice}. Now my desk has a little added flair which I just adore.
- I am a huge fan of using what you have to organize, or getting creative with recycled materials. Our junk drawer was in need of a few extra dividers so I whipped some up out of spare scrapbook paper. A simple, easy and free storage solution that can be used in many drawer types or even left out on desk tops! {tutorial found here}
- For those of you with rolls of that pretty tape sitting on your desk, I pulled together my favorite ways to organize with Washi tape.
Now, it is your turn to link up and share your favorite projects with me!
As always, an over-sized thank you to all who participate in these challenges. Checking out your posts is my guilty pleasure every month, so bring it on! This month I will also be sharing some of your projects via social media and as always, will be doing a recap at the end of the party.
IHeart Organizing is not responsible for the content uploaded and shared within the Monthly Link Parties on within the #wiorn hashtag feed. However, it is a great way to join together in making organizing fun, so let's use our best internet etiquette and have a great time with this social party.
Happy Monday! I hope you all had a beautiful weekend! School starts next week for us so we are doing all we can to soak in those final days of summer.
Today I have a fun and free project to share that was inspired by a messy drawer I opened this weekend.
I have grown completely understanding that organizing is an on going process and that occasionally some systems don't work out the first time. Or the second.
Our junk drawer never seems to stay organized. No matter how many times I have re-organized it, it always ends up becoming a catch all for anything and everything. That means that the items we should be storing within the drawer become lost in the shuffle.
There is only so much you can do with a junk drawer. Half of the items I dumped out have a dedicated place to call home, they just never made it that far initially. So lesson learned team Jones. put stuff away where it belongs instead of tossing it in the "junk" drawer. Problem solved.
So I did what I always do and dumped everything out, sorted, tossed and put things away where they really should go. I even found a dollar and two gift cards! See my friends! There is always value in organizing!
I decided that in order to remedy the situation, I would have to add a few more organizers. This would allow me to categorize a few more items as well as prevent the previous organizer from sliding around within the drawer. Lastly, this time I would be adding labels so there is absolutely no confusion about what belongs within the drawer.
Once the previous organizer was empty, I added a little life by lining the bottom of the tray with decorative paper. I have a few bins of pretty paper from my scrapbooking days, so I was able to use what I already had on hand.
Next up, I made a couple of boxes out of more sheets of scrapbook paper. And they were so darn cute and addicting that I made a few extras for other drawers as well.
All you need is some scrap-paper and you can easily make a little box/tray for organizing or anything you wish really. However, I did find that the stronger the paper, the stronger the box. Go figure right?
Once I had some little boxes created, I popped everything back into the empty drawer. I also added a couple of pieces of clear packing tape to the bottom of the newly created paper boxes for a little added strength.
I categorized the items I want access to on a daily basis because we actually use them within the kitchen frequently... and the added some labels to the organizers.
For the labels, I used some Martha Stewart stickers labels {found at Staples awhile back}, which I paired with my label maker and clear label maker tape.
And a full view of the after.
This view makes me giddy inside! Maybe those sweet little flower boxes and labeled organizers will actually do the trick this time? Or maybe I will just have to be OK with the fact that the junk drawer clean-out is an annual task. Either way, all is right in the drawer for today.
I love anytime I can use what I have at home to whip up something pretty and functional. You can also see how I used cereal boxes for drawer dividers here, as well as cardboard boxes paired with fabric for great storage bins here. Now to put the rest of those sweet little paper boxes to good use in other drawers around the house.
Have you been DIY'ing any storage big or small? How about taking back a drawer that is always a small thorn in your side?
Today I have a fun and free project to share that was inspired by a messy drawer I opened this weekend.
I have grown completely understanding that organizing is an on going process and that occasionally some systems don't work out the first time. Or the second.
Our junk drawer never seems to stay organized. No matter how many times I have re-organized it, it always ends up becoming a catch all for anything and everything. That means that the items we should be storing within the drawer become lost in the shuffle.
There is only so much you can do with a junk drawer. Half of the items I dumped out have a dedicated place to call home, they just never made it that far initially. So lesson learned team Jones. put stuff away where it belongs instead of tossing it in the "junk" drawer. Problem solved.
So I did what I always do and dumped everything out, sorted, tossed and put things away where they really should go. I even found a dollar and two gift cards! See my friends! There is always value in organizing!
I decided that in order to remedy the situation, I would have to add a few more organizers. This would allow me to categorize a few more items as well as prevent the previous organizer from sliding around within the drawer. Lastly, this time I would be adding labels so there is absolutely no confusion about what belongs within the drawer.
Once the previous organizer was empty, I added a little life by lining the bottom of the tray with decorative paper. I have a few bins of pretty paper from my scrapbooking days, so I was able to use what I already had on hand.
Next up, I made a couple of boxes out of more sheets of scrapbook paper. And they were so darn cute and addicting that I made a few extras for other drawers as well.
All you need is some scrap-paper and you can easily make a little box/tray for organizing or anything you wish really. However, I did find that the stronger the paper, the stronger the box. Go figure right?
- Start with a square piece of paper.
- Fold it down the center and then down the center again to create four equal sections. Open the paper back up.
- Fold each corner into the center of the paper.
- Visual of progress - all corners folded in.
- Fold one edge to the center.
- Fold opposite edge to the center.
- Open back up to reveal new creases and only two corners folded in at the center.
- Now repeat on the opposite two sides, folding each edge to the center {leaving the other two edges unfolded}
- Visual of progress - two edges folded in meeting at the center.
- Fold one edge over at the crease in paper.
- Push in edges of paper.
- Fold over edge to create one side of the box.
- Repeat on opposite side, folding over the edge to create the opposite side of the box.
- Wiggle a little bit until all edges are straight.
- Celebrate! Pretty sweet huh?
Once I had some little boxes created, I popped everything back into the empty drawer. I also added a couple of pieces of clear packing tape to the bottom of the newly created paper boxes for a little added strength.
I categorized the items I want access to on a daily basis because we actually use them within the kitchen frequently... and the added some labels to the organizers.
For the labels, I used some Martha Stewart stickers labels {found at Staples awhile back}, which I paired with my label maker and clear label maker tape.
And a full view of the after.
This view makes me giddy inside! Maybe those sweet little flower boxes and labeled organizers will actually do the trick this time? Or maybe I will just have to be OK with the fact that the junk drawer clean-out is an annual task. Either way, all is right in the drawer for today.
I love anytime I can use what I have at home to whip up something pretty and functional. You can also see how I used cereal boxes for drawer dividers here, as well as cardboard boxes paired with fabric for great storage bins here. Now to put the rest of those sweet little paper boxes to good use in other drawers around the house.
Have you been DIY'ing any storage big or small? How about taking back a drawer that is always a small thorn in your side?
I cracked a bottle of champagne last night because after months of planning, designing, tweaking, proofing, numbering and re-designing some more, the 2015 Daily Planner has been officially released in my Etsy shop! Did you hear the sigh or relief from there?
You can find every last detail over on my Daily Planner FAQ page here, but some highlights include fresh new colors...
As well as a new half page size option! Say hello to the Mini iHeart!
Both sizes make my heart happy and offer the same great features as previous planner editions along with a few new added bonuses.
To celebrate the release of the planner, I have asked my favorite companies to put together a little THANK YOU giveaway for my super sweet readers. And they really came through for you guys!
One of the reasons I love creating and using printables for organizing, is the flexibility they offer to print as needed on demand. I love having the option to print a new grocery list each week or a new page for my planner should something spill on it or if I have a bad handwriting day. But what I really crush on is the versatility and ability to mix the printables with different binders and organizers until I find something that completely suites my daily needs.
In the photo above, I paired my printables with my current favorite planner accessories. Writing accessories from Poppin, a Jr. Discbound Notebook from Staples and stickers, tabs and page flags from Girl of all Work. And of course, the pages were printed at home with an HP printer.
Poppin has been my first stop for office supplies since I met them a few years back. I have purchased their pens, highlighters, rulers, spiral notebooks {big and small} and many more accessories to make my desk a happy place to work. They offer items in a rainbow of colors and they are always coming out with new products that make my organizing heart leap for joy. In fact, their monogrammed journals have been at the top of my "go to" gift giving list for the past year and have won my pals over time and time again. I especially enjoy their ballpoint pens with my planner pages, as I was finding it too challenging to keep up my color coding craziness {although they can help you with that if you wish!}.
To celebrate the release of the 2015 iHeart Organizing Planner Printables, they are giving away a $100 Gift Certificate to Poppin.com!
Girl of all Work is no stranger around here. I discovered them last year when I was assembling my planner and have never looked back. I especially adore the calendar stickers which allow me to mark down special dates and occasions in the cutest of ways. And those monthly re-usable sticky tabs are the perfect solution for dividing up the monthly sections of my daily planner pages.
To celebrate the release of the 2015 iHeart Organizing Planner Printables, they are giving away a $30 Gift Certificate to girlofallwork.com!
I have mentioned it before and I will say it again, I am an HP girl for life. I have always printed my pages with HP printers and have always been 100% satisfied with the quality. For this planner release, HP provided me with a new printer to try out with my pages and it offered some mega features. Aside from brilliant print quality time and time again, their new printers are wireless and smart. They offer the ability to scan to any phone or computer on our home network, and of course we can print wirelessly from all of our devices as well. One of my favorite features is the option to print borderless, but the absolutely BEST part is that they now have a new ink service. Guys, this is revolutionary!
With Instant-Ink, I can now subscribe to HP's ink service which monitors my printing usage and automatically sends me ink when it is running low. No more running out mid-page or hopping in the car and driving twenty minutes to my nearest office supply store for replacement cartridges. For a low monthly fee based on my current printing needs, HP will automatically send me ink right to my door. This service now saves me almost 50% in ink costs! Because I am in love with all things colorful and printed, this is HUGE for me. I have already signed up, printed enough to run low and have had new cartridges pop up in my mailbox. To say I am a fan is an understatement.
To celebrate the release of the 2015 iHeart Organizing Planner Printables, they are giving away an HP ENVY 5530 e-All-in-One Printer!
OK guys, now that you know what I love and why, nothing makes me more excited than giving back to YOU! Along with my great giveaway sponsors, I am also personally tossing in a $50 gift certificate to Staples as well as my planner printables of course!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
From the bottom of my overflowing heart, thank you all for your continued support! Each time I receive an order, a sweet email with a positive testimonial, or you tag me on Instagram showing me how you are using your printables, I am filled with encouragement and smiles. Cheers to the final months of 2014 and here's hoping 2015 is even more fabulous!
IHeart Organizing official giveaway entry rules can always be found here.
You can find every last detail over on my Daily Planner FAQ page here, but some highlights include fresh new colors...
As well as a new half page size option! Say hello to the Mini iHeart!
Both sizes make my heart happy and offer the same great features as previous planner editions along with a few new added bonuses.
To celebrate the release of the planner, I have asked my favorite companies to put together a little THANK YOU giveaway for my super sweet readers. And they really came through for you guys!
One of the reasons I love creating and using printables for organizing, is the flexibility they offer to print as needed on demand. I love having the option to print a new grocery list each week or a new page for my planner should something spill on it or if I have a bad handwriting day. But what I really crush on is the versatility and ability to mix the printables with different binders and organizers until I find something that completely suites my daily needs.
In the photo above, I paired my printables with my current favorite planner accessories. Writing accessories from Poppin, a Jr. Discbound Notebook from Staples and stickers, tabs and page flags from Girl of all Work. And of course, the pages were printed at home with an HP printer.
Poppin has been my first stop for office supplies since I met them a few years back. I have purchased their pens, highlighters, rulers, spiral notebooks {big and small} and many more accessories to make my desk a happy place to work. They offer items in a rainbow of colors and they are always coming out with new products that make my organizing heart leap for joy. In fact, their monogrammed journals have been at the top of my "go to" gift giving list for the past year and have won my pals over time and time again. I especially enjoy their ballpoint pens with my planner pages, as I was finding it too challenging to keep up my color coding craziness {although they can help you with that if you wish!}.
To celebrate the release of the 2015 iHeart Organizing Planner Printables, they are giving away a $100 Gift Certificate to Poppin.com!
Girl of all Work is no stranger around here. I discovered them last year when I was assembling my planner and have never looked back. I especially adore the calendar stickers which allow me to mark down special dates and occasions in the cutest of ways. And those monthly re-usable sticky tabs are the perfect solution for dividing up the monthly sections of my daily planner pages.
To celebrate the release of the 2015 iHeart Organizing Planner Printables, they are giving away a $30 Gift Certificate to girlofallwork.com!
I have mentioned it before and I will say it again, I am an HP girl for life. I have always printed my pages with HP printers and have always been 100% satisfied with the quality. For this planner release, HP provided me with a new printer to try out with my pages and it offered some mega features. Aside from brilliant print quality time and time again, their new printers are wireless and smart. They offer the ability to scan to any phone or computer on our home network, and of course we can print wirelessly from all of our devices as well. One of my favorite features is the option to print borderless, but the absolutely BEST part is that they now have a new ink service. Guys, this is revolutionary!
With Instant-Ink, I can now subscribe to HP's ink service which monitors my printing usage and automatically sends me ink when it is running low. No more running out mid-page or hopping in the car and driving twenty minutes to my nearest office supply store for replacement cartridges. For a low monthly fee based on my current printing needs, HP will automatically send me ink right to my door. This service now saves me almost 50% in ink costs! Because I am in love with all things colorful and printed, this is HUGE for me. I have already signed up, printed enough to run low and have had new cartridges pop up in my mailbox. To say I am a fan is an understatement.
To celebrate the release of the 2015 iHeart Organizing Planner Printables, they are giving away an HP ENVY 5530 e-All-in-One Printer!
OK guys, now that you know what I love and why, nothing makes me more excited than giving back to YOU! Along with my great giveaway sponsors, I am also personally tossing in a $50 gift certificate to Staples as well as my planner printables of course!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
From the bottom of my overflowing heart, thank you all for your continued support! Each time I receive an order, a sweet email with a positive testimonial, or you tag me on Instagram showing me how you are using your printables, I am filled with encouragement and smiles. Cheers to the final months of 2014 and here's hoping 2015 is even more fabulous!
IHeart Organizing official giveaway entry rules can always be found here.
Please direct all planner and printing questions to shopiheartorganizing@gmail.com.
HP provided me with an HP Officejet Pro 8620 e-All-in-One printer to print my new planner pages and to provide an open and honest review. They are also providing an HP ENVY 5530 e-All-in-One Printer to one iHeart Organizing reader. All printables and opinions are 100% my own.
HP provided me with an HP Officejet Pro 8620 e-All-in-One printer to print my new planner pages and to provide an open and honest review. They are also providing an HP ENVY 5530 e-All-in-One Printer to one iHeart Organizing reader. All printables and opinions are 100% my own.
One of the reasons I heart to organize is because I can't stand spending time digging and searching for things, especially when I am in a rush to get out the door. Another reason I organize is to be prepared when special occasions arise. I have been in situations where I am making last minute dashes through Target ten minutes before my kiddos have a party to be at, and it is stressful with a capitol S. Not to mention expensive. Megan of Honey We're Home is joining us today to chat about how she prepares for events, and is offering up some great tips to keep you on top of your party attending game.
The month of August found us celebrating six little friends' birthdays with parties almost every weekend. When the invites started arriving (via mail or Evite), I started to feel a little overwhelmed. I wanted to make sure we had all the dates/times/places calendared, that none of the parties overlapped, that we RSVPd on time, and that we had gifts for everyone.
I hadn't considered "preparing to attend a party" a process until we got all these invites at once. If you have more than one child, I'm sure keeping up with their social calendar of birthdays can be quite the juggling act at times- especially during the school year when you're also dealing with sports/dance/gymnastics or other activities. Today, I'm sharing with you some tips on how to stay on top of the birthday parties (or other events where gifts are appropriate) and some cute handmade cards to keep the costs down and make the gift more personal when it's for a child.
ONE - CALENDAR THE EVENT
I write the party on our family kitchen calendar that way we can quickly see if something is occurring on a weekend. I also put the date and location on my iPhone calendar with details like "bring socks or swimsuit" so we don't forget. Then, I "invite" my husband on my iPhone calendar so he knows what's happening on the weekend too, but it doesn't mean I don't still have to remind him. ;)
If you have an Evite account (just sign up with your email and password), you'll be able to log in and see all at once the Evite events you've been invited to.
I write the party on our family kitchen calendar that way we can quickly see if something is occurring on a weekend. I also put the date and location on my iPhone calendar with details like "bring socks or swimsuit" so we don't forget. Then, I "invite" my husband on my iPhone calendar so he knows what's happening on the weekend too, but it doesn't mean I don't still have to remind him. ;)
If you have an Evite account (just sign up with your email and password), you'll be able to log in and see all at once the Evite events you've been invited to.
TWO - TIMELY RSVP
As soon as we receive the invite, I confirm that we can attend, and RSVP right away so that I get it done and the host has enough notice that we'll be coming. At a lot of these kids' parties, if the party is at a venue, parents pay by the number of children attending, so it's polite to let the host know if you won't be able to make it.
THREE - GIFT BUYING
I have simplified kid gift buying by purchasing all birthday gifts online. It's more convenient than in-store shopping with a toddler and the selection is better. I find Amazon particularly usefully because you can search for gifts by gender, age, type of gift (arts/craft, animals/figures, puzzles, sports, etc.) and read reviews from other purchasers about whether the item is quality and a hit with the kids. The "best seller" items are usually good. If I give a gift that is particularly well-received, I've been known to purchase it in multiples and have it on hand for future gifts. Who knew 2 and 3 year olds would like a $10 Mickey Mouse play dough set so much?!
For the adults in my life, I keep a Pinterest "gift idea" board and refer to it often. Or, even better, I'll search my friends' Pinterest boards to see if they have one for "stuff I want" - sneaky huh?! Shhh... Although Amazon is great for kid presents, for adults I like Mark & Graham (for monogrammed items), Minted/Paper Source (for personalized stationery), C. Wonder (for unique, cute items) HomeGoods & Hobby Lobby (for teacher gifts), and let's not forget the grocery store for wine! La Crema Chardonnay, Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio, and Liberty School Cabernet are three solid, inexpensive choices.
FOUR - GIFT WRAPPING/CARD MAKING
When a gift arrives, I tag it with a small post-it note with the recipient's name on it and put it in our bar area until I'm ready to wrap. Then, I make sure I have the appropriate sized gift bag or proper wrapping paper.
I've stopped buying birthday cards, opting instead to make our own as we sure have enough supplies for it! I love having craft supplies of all kinds on hand from markers, to washi tape to stampers and stickers, so it's fun to actually use them! I have a wrapping cart for organizing wrapping supplies in my office closet, but I like to take the top two divided holders out and keep them in my office for easier access for making notes and sending cards.
I've kept our stickers in a plastic file folder from Wal-Mart for years so I can find what we need quickly. You can always find cute stickers on sale at craft stores like Michaels or Hobby Lobby. Markers are kept in an old candle box and cup.
Getting my son in on the gift giving process helps instill in him the value of giving, and gives him some letter writing practice! A foam board or vinyl tablecloth protects the table from scratches and stains when he's creating at the white table.
Or sometimes, he likes to get on the floor.
I found these cute "Handmade with Love" stickers at Michael's.
Do you have this birthday party thing down to a science or does it stress you out sometimes?
"My name is Megan and I am a lawyer by day, design and decor lover by night, and Mama to the sweetest 4-year old boy you've ever seen. I'm passionate about fitness (and chocolate!) and could not live without my relationships, girl talk, and my morning coffee. I've been blogging for four years over at Honey We're Home, sharing my love of keeping things organized and beautiful at our house. My efforts to live in the moment and cook more are an adventure in progress."
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