Where Did All These Shoes Come From?!

I did not know that a family of five could own so many pairs of shoes! I am always shocked at how many, and how quickly they pile up by the front door. And if you are one of the unfortunate ones (like me) who don’t have an entry way at the front of your home, the shoes wind up spread across half the living room if they aren’t kept in check. But how? With no entry way, I’ve had to get creative with our shoe storage.
Here are a few ideas:
Read the rest of this post »

18 Amazing Uses For Baking Soda

We all know that Baking soda is safe for the environment. But did you know it is also the basis for some of our top leading cleaners? So what makes us spend money on new items that are on the market today? Is it the advertising gimmicks, the idea that something might prove to be better? It is still known and proved that baking soda does everything that needs to be done as far as cleaning, freeing our clothes from odors and keeping our homes smelling fresh and clean.

Try some of these tips and see how great baking soda does the job:

AROUND THE HOUSE:
Read the rest of this post »

Repurposed Item of the Week: Bill Organizer

This bill organizer is pretty spiffy on it's own, especially with the little drawer underneath. It has the days of the month numbered across the front so you can place your bills into the slots either on the day they are due or the day you need to mail them.

I found a different purpose for mine, though.

I have a lot of family and friends with birthdays and anniversaries to remember, not to mention Mother's day, etc.
Read the rest of this post »

Repurposed Item of the Week: 18 Compartment Box

I love these small compartmentalized organizing boxes. They’re not just for crafts!

I have two of these stacked in my top night stand drawer for my jewelry – top one for earrings, bottom one for necklaces. I took the lid off of the bottom one so I can access the contents without lifting it out of the drawer. They work great! I can always find what I need and they never get lost or tangled.

What else would you use these for?

Repurposed Item of the Week: Sorter & Organizer

Wire organizers are the best! They are incredibly inexpensive and can be some of the most versatile organizers.

For the Repurposed Item of the Week, I’ve chosen the Sorter and Organizer. This is, of course, great in a cabinet for holding trays, baking sheets and dishes. But how about mounted on a wall for holding files, large books or magazines? Or even mounted to the underside of a cabinet shelf for holding boxes of plastic wrap, baggies or aluminum foil?

What would you use it for??

Getting the Kid's Stuff off of the Floor

I don't normally write a lot on my son, but this week I'm inspired, so what the heck! I bet that I am like a lot of moms at the end of the day. So, when school began this past fall, David would come home and his book bag, coat and shoes hit the floor by the front door and he goes running. I was a bit more understanding when he was in kindergarten, but now that he is a "big" first grader, this is just unacceptable.

So, I sat him down and had a heart to heart. Yes, he knew where his things belonged. Yes, he understands that his stuff on the floor looks bad and more importantly, it is dangerous where it ends up. Yes, he knows where his stool is to reach the bar… that is when he admitted the problem.
Read the rest of this post »

Repurposed Item of the Week: Crunch Can

Yay Crunch Cans!

These little wonders are made from heavy canvas with a semi-rigid ring on top to help it stay open and keep its shape, and a durable PVC liner that can be easily cleaned with a damp rag. It's collapsible, so it stores easily and you can take it anywhere. And it's soft-sided, so it's perfect for kids rooms.

Take it to the lake or the beach to bring home wet, sandy towels and toys. Store kids toys in it - safe even for small children. Use it for shoes in an entryway, sports equipment in the garage, even trash in the office. For only $18.99, you could get a few!

How would you use one??

Repurposed Item of the Week: Shelf Liner

This stuff is fantastic!
Anything you want to keep from slipping - Grip-it Shelf Liner will do it.

I bought a roll, cut it into three inch wide strips and used a staple gun to attach it to the wood slats of my futon frame. Now my futon mattress doesn't slide down onto the floor!

You can use a strip to keep a table runner from slipping, or cut squares to fit under chair pads. You could even use it under a small rug!

Anyone else have any uses for it?

Repurposed Item of the Week: Spice Rack

Clutter Control Freak Blog has started a brand new category inspired by one of our contests (Unlikely uses for everyday items):

Repurposed Products!

Every Friday, I'll hunt down a product from the Stacks and Stacks website and give you a brand new (or at least new to me!) purpose for it.

This week - Spice Racks! Particularly, our Three Shelf Wire Spice Rack. Or maybe even the Alder Spice Rack.
Read the rest of this post »