Monday, March 28, 2011

Spring Organizing

Last year Spring Break looked like this:



This year...Spring Break looks like this:

Not quite as fun.
But Spring is Spring and it calls for Spring cleaning!

The other day I added these little felt pictures to our toy shelf
& it has changed our lives! 
No more pulling out every bucket to see which basket holds what. Cleaning time is cut in half AND the kids don't pull out EVERY basket to find the one they want!
The sticky back felt worked PERFECT!

Simple,
but revolutionary :)

But don't think the kids can't still mess
it up in less than 30 seconds!

Then yesterday my husband & I cleaned his office
& tossed like CRAZY!

While cleaning I found these book marks I made a few months ago.
I thought why not pass a few onto you,
so on Thursday afternoon I will pull 3 names
from comments on this post and get them off to three of you :)



Anyone, anywhere...you don't need to have a blog,
just leave a comment & you're in!
(But please make sure you leave an email if you don't have a blog so I can get ahold of you)

GIVEAWAY CLOSED
3-31-11



Have you caught the Spring cleaning bug?

Happy Spring!


35 comments:

Ren- Lady Of The Arts said...

That snow- unbelievable! Very cool shelves I love the new look- great book marks- count me in-

MS/AC Fan said...

Hate the snow~ love the felt pics~love the bookmarks :) count me in :)

April said...

Yeah, snow for Spring break doesn't sound that great. The felt on the baskets is GENIUS! Sweet little bookmarks!

Katie said...

No house cleaning here. I'm actually home sick with some sort of stomach bug/food allergy. Glad to see someone is being productive though!!

Two Shades of Pink said...

Ugh. Snow for Spring Break. But my girls have ear infections for our Spring Break this week. Fun, fun. And those book marks are fab. But the basket organization BLEW ME AWAY! I am having the same issues with the girls and it is driving me MAD! I feel a purge urge coming on myself. But it is utter BRILLIANCE that you made those felt pictures. AWESOME! Now how does one make one to look like little people or littlest pet shop animals? You amaze me.

Karen said...

That is a great idea for toys! I can't believe that winter is still hanging on up there! Your book marks are darling, too!

Jo said...

Those bookmarks are so cute! I love you honesty about messy kids and ones that get into everything. For a while I thought my child was the odd one and I was doing something wrong.

I'm waiting for the weather to get nicer before we do any heavy duty spring cleaning, but ever since I got pregnant messy rooms drive me crazy, so I guess indirectly things have been getting straightened up more than usual. :-)

Victoria said...

That's a problem we've never had. Sometimes it's cold and sometimes it rains on spring break, but we've never had snow spoil our fun!

The bookmarks are cute, but what I really love on this post is your organization idea. I think I might have to take that idea and implement it here!

Hope you're having a great week!

Lynn said...

Put my name in the hat, too!

Christina Berry said...

Your girl has grown up a little bit since last spring, missy! :)

Teresa said...

love your revolutionary idea of the felt stuff! that is a great idea.

love the bookmarks. you can put my name in the hat. i could always use a book marker from one middle sister to another!

Grace on the Narrow Path said...

I love the toy baskets and felt labels. What a clever idea. Annie has grown up quite a bit ... she looks just like her mom.
Please do not enter me in the give a way, even though I love the bookmarks. I would rather someone else win those.
God bless you and little tummy bunny too!!!
Hugs,
Bren
PS Are you thinking Brentlee/Brently or Bree or Breelee/Breelee yet? I mean I am not being pushy or anything. LOL

Beth W said...

Holy cats, where did Spring go???
I hope the snow clears away soon! And thanks for hosting a giveaway. :D

Leah Marie said...

last year we were gone for most of the warm weather in march. it was 80 degrees on april 1st! so much different from this year! oh well, at least this week it's supposed to be warm. :]

Courtney said...

I wish our weather would get nicer here before i start spring cleaning. I love being able to open the windows and let in the fresh air while I clean.

michelle said...

Our spring break is next week and it has been icky this week so I am holding out for nicer weather next week! Hopefully! I love your idea with the felt shapes, those are so cute and yup, no matter how much you organize it only takes three seconds from a little one! :)
The book marks are so pretty!

Liz Mays said...

I love the baskets you're organizing with!!!! They're gorgeous!

Shelley said...

YES!! I'm feeling the spring cleaning bug too!!!
I can't even BEGIN to tell you how much joy I had in giving a friend at church two bags of Caleb's outgrown clothes.
Speaking of spring cleaning... I keep meaning to ask you: Any of your kids into Sesame Street? Noah was REALLY into it... Caleb, not so much. But my mom painted these great Sesame Street paintings for him and I can't give them to just anyone so I still have them in our storage. They're super cute and done in primary colors. No pressure though!! :)

Shelley said...

P.S. Remember that on April 1st last year it was 80 degrees? I know that was a weird fluke but I have pics of Caleb getting his feet wet in a lake. I'm guessing that won't be our plans this Friday.

Trisha said...

I swear that the seasons are slowly turning into winter these days! I love the pictures of your kids-looks like they are making the best out of their spring break weather! Fantastic idea on the baskets...I will keep that in my head for later use! Hope you are having a wonderful week!

~Trisha

YHOSIE said...

hi libbie!

ur bucket idea is cute! love it!
maybe i can use the idea on my drawer too! ;)

and ur book marked are darling
XoXo

Cheyenne said...

Oh my! A generous soul!

Are you nesting, per chance?

I love the idea of the felt pieces on the baskets. It looks so clean, fresh, and just plain tidy.

Your lil girl has the cutest hair...and cutest smile. Ah, I just love your kids and I don't even know 'em. I'm so excited for your next babe to come and I can't wait to hear how everything goes.

Take care of yourself!

Amanda Bee said...

Funny how unpredictable the weather can be...but I hope you all enjoy your spring break!I loved the idea of the felt cut-outs on the baskets!

Unknown said...

Oh my! What adorable baskets and felt "identifiers"! GREAT idea! Sadly, the Spring cleaning bug has not hit yet .... I think I am waiting to catch last year's bug. :(

Darling books too ... cute idea there too!

Martina said...

Love your solution for the kids baskets so clever AND pretty! You always have the best ideas for your kids. Hey, nice to see that picture of you! Annie looks a lot like you i think!

Martina said...

And the little books are supercute!

Jenny Lake said...

Hi there Libbie,

I have been spring cleaning too and I am totally exhausted. I didn't find anything fun like bookmarks. The only exciting thing spring cleaning turned up was homework that should have been turned in BEFORE spring break. Oh well. Life goes on. Hope all is well with you and your family. Wish I still lived close so I could see you from time to time.

Unknown said...

The bookmarks are lovely! :o)

We don't do a spring clean as such here in the UK, just a random sort out every now and then. A couple of days ago hubby sorted some things from the kitchen that we don't use, so I followed suit and threw more things away. So the kitchen is looking nice and neat, and a lot less creammed with things! Haha xx

Can do mom said...

It's funny that Shelley would remember last year's April 1st being 80 degrees because I was just mentioning that to my children. We had just returned from Florida and we went out for our annual "pick the garbage out of the ditch clean up".

Even before it was cool (as in popular) my mom made my brother and I do that in the very same ditch. Now I torture my own children but I always follow it up with a trip to Dairy Queen or Nelson's Ice Cream Shop in Stillwater. (They have the world's biggest ice cream cones, I kid you not.)

I'd love a chance to win your wonderful bookmarks. You always have a project in the works, don't you? :)

Little Penpen said...

The felt cut outs are so cute... how clever! I like the warm pic's of spring break better than the snow pic's... for sure! Love the little bookmarks and I read A LOT... so send one my way. ;P

the old white house said...

Hi Libbie! We still have patches of snow here and there, but Duane and I were able to get out today and enjoy the sunshine and went for a walk. YAY! The felt stickies are a great idea and the giveaway... an even better idea!!! LOL I am keeping my fingers crossed! I have been doing some spring cleaning too, went through my workroom yesterday, and piles of laundry to boot! It feels good not to trip over stuff now! Hope you are feeling well! xoxo

Cathie said...

hey lovely lady,
pop by when you get a chance.
hugs & hope you are doing well ♥

Grandma Yellow Hair said...

Libbie honey hard to believe the difference in last years pictures of spring break and this years. Wow I hate it for you guys.
Yes I have been getting rid of sooooo much around here that if I had neighbors they would think I am moving. It feels good though to do some of that.
I would love to have the shelf and baskets you have used to organize that is so cool how you labeled them.
Hope your feeling good and getting come rest.
Love ya
Maggie

Caterina said...

If I may ask....where or where does that white furniture unit come from?! I love it. I need it. And, yes, agree with other comments about the felt pieces on the baskets is genius.

Marla said...

I love the way you live. I really do.