How I Spent My Summer Vacation

I've been spending this week cleaning out the art supply shelves. I only wish I had taken a before photo. Trust me ... this is a huge improvement.



Oh, yeah ...



The labels! The stacks! A place for everything! I'm getting a little too excited over here.



Stupid Walmart: you sell bins for .87 each and make it so hard for me to hate you.

The great thing about doing a big reorganize is that the kids and I both rediscover things that had long gone unused. They pulled out the newly sorted PlayDoh containers (tools in one bin, dough in another, pitched everything that was solidified and/or grey) and kept busy for an hour before dinner. My just-swept floor was no more, but small price to pay for 60 minutes of sibling harmony.

Smart Idea of the Day

I don't have brilliant ideas too often, so when they do come along, I like to share. Dora's doll things were overflowing in their drawer, making it hard for her to get what she needed and to put things away. I took all the dresses and with the zillions of baby hangers I still have floating around, hung them up on a low rack in her closet. Then I took all the remaining items and separated them into plastic bags, which I labeled with my beloved label maker (socks, hair, first aid, accessories, etc ...) I always save small plastic zippered bags from things like sheets and pillow shams. They are great for storing toys. Anyhow, the clothes now look neat and everything else is easy to find. Ta-da!!!