Think Office Storage

A few pages I've saved over the years to remind me of the wall of storage I might someday have.

country or barn style

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pretty bifold closet

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a wall of wood

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two sets of closets

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a wall of blue

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the middle is esp what I'm looking for - hidden!

adding these to my pinterest board.

And then there is this from here

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and here

Paper Mate Clicker Pencil

It's Show and Tell Time!

This is not a paid advertisement - it's just a review of one of my favorite things.

This in one of those things that I am grateful for because it makes writing a whole lot more enjoyable.

Depending upon what the need is, sometimes an old fashioned pencil is the best way to go, but I always love a sharp point.  The dulled led is just too hard on me - I'm a bit OCD that way - if I don't have a sharp point then I just can't use it.  I'm shivering as I write this ;).  I do have a pretty good stash of regular no.2 pencils - for when I need to share with students in a class.  They come in so many great colors and designs now - it's awesome.

My all time favorite pencil is this Paper Mate clicker pencil.  I have a few of these too.

They come in several colors and a couple different led sizes ...

  My favorite is no.5 - I don't do 7 because it's too much like that dull pencil led that drives me crazy. It's one of those scratching on the chalkboard kinda things. euh! - is that how you spell that sound? ewe is pronounced like you, so???   maybe it's oooo! or eooo! since it's pronounce more like in moo???

Okay - enough of that!

Have a great day!

Little Drawer Organizers

It's Show and Tell Time!

This is not a paid advertisement - it's just a review of one of my favorite things.
This is one of those things that I'm grateful for, because it makes life a bit easier in simple ways.

One last thing in my scrapbooking arsenal (for this month anyway) that I include as one of my favorite things -
It's not expensive ..., It's nothing very unique ..., It comes in different sizes and colors ..., It's found most anywhere ..., 

Little Organizing Drawers!

Actually, I have a few of these in my home ...,

one in the garage with bolts and screws and nails and etc.,
one in in the mudroom tool closet with smaller screws, nails, hooks, etc.,
Sorry the photo is untouched, but those drawers are even worse - kinda very dusty, but I didn't think it was worth dumping and dusting each drawer for the photo or for any reason really!

and, one in the laundry room with craft supplies and little extras that I don't know what to do with - but can't throw them away ..., yet!

I just love little drawers and containers with see thru fronts - they allow me to see what I have and easily find what I'm looking for.

I still love the little drawers that don't have clear fronts, like these shown earlier, but I can't see what is inside them.


  They, for me, seem to be more decor than anything else.  Maybe someday I'll hang some tiny tags on the tiny knobs to show me what is inside each of the tiny drawers.
Actually, the drawers are empty for the moment, well, except for the top left - that drawer holds a few cards that came with the Willow Tree figurines I have. 
When I was redoing them I threw away or gave away most of the contents within the few drawers I had stuff in.  Hey, I hadn't seen them for months and didn't seem to miss them, nor could I figure out what I'd want that stuff for later.  That only works on occasion you know - I mean throwing stuff away. It made me happy! :)

Colorfully Covered Tiny Drawers

This from Living Beautifully is pretty cute lookin' -  These cheery colors and designs would brighten up any room.  What a way to repurpose!

This lovely look inspired me...

Do you remember this photo from an earlier post?

Do you see the little drawers at the right - the shelf unit and the chest unit below it?

I like the colors, but they were a bit dark and I was tired of that combination ..., so ..., 

That look became this look -

Can you see the difference?  They are a bit more cheery now ...,

 

I left the shelf sections the same painted cream color and glued paper on the front of each drawer.  And, I only used scrap pieces - awesome huh?!?!?!

The hardest part was getting those little knobs off.

Sanding the drawers to give them an antique look was easier than taking those off.

I put paper on the top of the chest of drawers, but did not on the top of the shelf unit.  I didn't want to take it off the wall and since we can't see the top of it I didn't think it needed covered.

 I love their new colors!

I think there is one more thing I need to do before I can call it done - I left some of the knobs their original dark color, but painted all the blue - that green peg on the shelf should be blue too.

I think the others can stay the color they are. 

It doesn't look so bad in person, but in the photo above I really notice it and I don't like it so much.

Now maybe I'm done with my stuff room?????

Well ... until something else inspires me!!!!!

Scrapbook Paper Holders

It's Show and Tell Time!

This is not a paid advertisement - it's just a review of one of my favorite things.
This is one of those things that I'm grateful for, because it makes life a bit easier in simple ways.

Today's favorite thing is a holder for scrapbooking paper.
I like to have my paper at eye level and at my finger tips.
Cropper Hopper paper holders!
(This is the exact item I purchased.)



Image from Amazon

 I first thought I wanted wooden cubes, but it was hard to find wooden cubes the right size, and they seem to take up too much space, though they are very durable.  
(Just look at how much room the sides take up in the photo below - over two inches of paper space wasted for each two boxes that sit beside each other.)

Image from HERE

 (I have to say, the color of those cubes in the photo are pretty cool.
Just found the image online to help show what I was trying to say.)

I used to use plastic milk crates, but they take up too much room and have those holes in them that destroy the paper, and they bulge way too much.



The Cropper Hopper plastic sides and dividers take up some space because there are several pieces to one unit.  But those sections help hold the paper up straight instead of bending over too much, and I'd still want something to help do that in the cubes.

I've been using two of them for several months now and they have been strong enough to hold a shelf on them.  I do have a lot of paper to help them from bowing too much though.  Because I have found that they are working great for what I am looking for I just purchased and set up two more to make it sturdier - 4 total now.  I am very happy with it!



(okay, please excuse the paperwork all over - that's just life at my house - I guess I haven't found just the right spot for some of that stuff ... yet.  My scrapbooking area doubles ... triples ... or adjusts as necessary for other things too.)

I also use some clear(ish) plastic holders.
(Not sure what brand I really have - and I have two different brands - but I can't tell if one is better than the other anyway.) 


Image from Amazon

They are nice to have between the black paper holders.

I do not use mine as shown in the upper photo, I turn mine as shown in the next photo so I can slide the paper straight out instead of up. (Up is not an option for me because of the shelf I have above them.)

This next photo shows how they are used together.

Okay, you've probably noticed by now that I am somewhat of a paper collector.  I'm just so addicted to cute paper.  And, I better buy it now so I can have it when I need it.  Ya!  But, I might need it later for something better than what I want it for now, so I better not use it yet.  Oh No!  ... Oh Yes!  ... I am that type of person.  I'm trying to overcome that bad habit.  Really I am!  Sometimes it works and sometimes I have to try a little a lot harder.   And, oh my goodness, sometimes there are great ... I mean GREAT sales on paper that I just cannot ... really CAN NOT pass up.

I just acquired a few more packages of paper that I purchased for our family reunion craft.  Yes, I had to purchase more instead of taking from my stash, because it was just easier that way..., you know, to get the right colors and kinds.  Then I had to stuff those left over papers (and there were several) into my stash here.  Sad huh?  (I'm really smiling though!)  Once I get caught up with my scrapbooking I'll have used up several pieces - I do have a lot to catch up on. 

You've probably also noticed that I like to keep my paper grouped by color as much as possible.  Even my scraps - yip, I save my scraps of paper ... and, I use them. :)

My paper scraps live in a lovely little freezer basket that came from my in-laws home when we cleaned it.  Gotta love it! I can see right through to each paper even down in the bottom.  And that piece of history basket is always visible to remind me of some wonderful people. 
It's coordinated by color but is not stacked neatly as you can see! It's just stuffed in with similar colors surrounding it.
(I did put a piece of cardboard in the bottom to give it a flat surface for the paper to rest on. It's working wonderfully.)

So, what does my scrapbooking area look like you wonder? 
This is it - the first half of My Stuff Room.

 Go into the room and look back at the area and this is the view you get.

It's not a large room - or at least it is a stuffed room, which makes it not seem so large.  (I think it is about 7 feet wide.) My sitting area is just large enough for my chair and me.  But most everything is right around me ready for use, when I need to use it. 

Behind this view is the other half of my stuff room.  That half contains my holiday decor and party/wedding decor, my un-used for the moment house decor, platters and trays, vases and flowers, tables cloths, tables, chairs, and oh so much more stuffed into it.  I have cleaned and organized it a couple times, but I also have kept stuffing things in.  I guess I'll just say that I'm glad to have this stuff room to stuff stuff into. 
My stuff room has had it's much needed overhaul. Now I can move on to the next project.

(And to think that this post all started because of some great little paper holders.)



Organizing Cart

It's Show and Tell Time!

This is not a paid advertisement - it's just a review of one of my favorite things.
This is one of those things that I'm grateful for, because it makes life a bit easier in simple ways.

I am occasionally a scrapbooker!  It isn't a daily event until I start catching up, and then it becomes a daily project for weeks and possibly months, depending on how much time I can spend on it each day.  There are so many little pieces that need contained ... and in an organized way so that I can find it when I need it, even if I don't know that I have it.   So this favorite thing has almost become a necessity.

6 drawer cart. Image from Amazon

A few years ago I purchased two 6 drawer units and one 3 drawer unit - somewhere on sale - before Amazon, or at least before I knew Amazon. 

I don't use the wheels - I stack them on top of each other.
(Tricky, I know, but it's working for me and has worked for a few years now, without it toppling over on me or anyone else.  It is in a room that kids usually don't go very often.)

It's hard to see in the photos, but one side is up against the wall and the back side is up against another set of drawer units, bigger than these (someday I hope to trade those bigger drawer units, not pictured, out for a set of shelves).  The front has just a little very little help with the door trim to keep it from coming forward if it ever decided to do that.  So I guess it is somewhat secure.

Here you see the unit on the floor with the middle unit sitting just above the birthday box/drawer.
It seems to stay in place for me - maybe it's because of all the weight in all the boxes/drawers.

Here is the three drawer unit sitting on top of the middle unit.

 Mine stand just over 5 feet tall when they are stacked together.

Of course, I have labeled each drawer to identify it's contents.

I love the way they contain little things that need a safe place to live - stickers, clip art, ribbon, tags, cards, paper. I like that I can slide the box/drawer out and set it on the table or floor to search and find the right piece for what I'm working on, then they neatly slide away - out of the way, for the next project, theme, or season.

And, I love that the lids help keep the dust off of my precious purchases when not in use. :)

We do seem to live in a dust bowl at times.

What is your favorite scrapbook supply keeper?

Bunting, Envelopes, and Pretty Paper Liners, ... oh! and Lace & Ribbon

Cute Bunting!  Cute Envelope Liners!   Cute background for their add! From 100 Layer Cake

File Cabinet

Need a change of scenery, but must keep the old file cabinets:

DIY at Laughing at the days to come


Mrs. Lee's Kindergarten

Love This Craft/Work Room

The pictures of the room on this site make me covet just a bit. oops! It should be what My Stuff Room looks like! Traveling at the Speed of Life

This is just one of the great photos found there.

Clever Clips & Clamps

Simple Solutions. unplggd

Can Caddy

Create a pleasant place for things. Tin-can Caddy


Consider the use of buckets and pvc pipe and other larger items for a larger scale storage place for taller things. (posters rolls, yard sticks, dowels, rods, twigs and sticks you want to save for later use, canes, umbrellas, etc.)

Fonts for Free

Jen, at



shares her favorite fonts and her sources.

Her Site