Archive for clothing
Perfectly Savvy Finds – Modular Hauler
Posted by: | CommentsI’ve featured the modular hauler before, but I’m using yet AGAIN on vacation and I’m still finding new ways to use it.
The Modular Hauler features separate zippered compartments to store…well.. anything and everything.
Our vacation this year was a road trip and I packed a compartment for each of my kids with their clothing and one for shoes and toys. We stayed at multiple locations, so upon arrival I gave them their cube and they unpacked. I could then use the emptied cube for grocery shopping, the beach, laundry, day trips and various other errands. They are incredibly versatile, durable and sturdy.
I’ve also used them to pack for air travel. Simply pack each cube and then toss in a duffel bag. At the end of your journey the clothing is already separated and easy to find.
We’ve had ours for about seven years and I can tell you that it has been worth the investment. I have not been paid a dime to write any of this – I just love the product. I’ve linked to it via the Container Store below, but you can also find it at a number of other places, including Amazon.com.
New Ideas for an Old Ladder
Posted by: | CommentsI love to repurpose and lately I’ve been seeing a lot of clever ideas for utilizing old ladders. A little paint and a little love might be all you need to bring new life to an old ladder in your basement. Let’s look at a few ideas:
Ladder in the bathroom for towels and toiletries
Ladder in the laundry to hang clothing
In lieu of a hutch in a small space
For artwork = so clever
Purses and other accessories
4 Tips for Bedroom Organization
Posted by: | CommentsOne of my readers asked for ideas to organize and contain bedroom clutter. Her husband’s shirts are bursting from the dresser drawers and the room is full of furniture.
The bedroom, of all places in your home should be a place where you can go to relax and find a little peace. If your bedroom is cluttered or chaotic, then it can be impossible to begin and end your day with a feeling of calm. Let’s take a looks at 4 easy tips for clearing the space and keeping things easy to find.
1. SORT through your clothing and accessories. Keep out of season clothing in storage, either under the bed or in a basement. Rotating through your clothing can be time consuming, but it allows the opportunity to get rid of clothing you don’t wear and reduces what you have in your dresser drawers.
2. THINK about placement of clothing as you return it to the drawers. Shirts go together and place them by color to make them easier to find. For example, all short sleeved blue shirts belong together. Utilize drawer organizers for socks, shirts and underwear to separate clothing. I’ve assembled a nice collection for you at Pinterest.
3. EXAMINE your room to see if you have the right furniture for the job. Some furniture is big, bulky and does not have efficient storage space. Adding big furniture to a room may not be the right solution for your space. Eliminate two bulky pieces and replace with one more efficient solution. Armoires can be incredibly versatile pieces to consider as you look at your space. I have some examples below of using furniture in new ways. The armoire for accessories is very clever and shows just how versatile certain furniture can be.
4. CLEVER spots for organizing your things do exist. Under the bed, behind the door, hooks shelf dividers can be utilized to make items easy to find.
I always like to leave you with a little inspiration to begin your project.
Source: marthastewart.com via Kristin on Pinterest
Kids and Air Travel
Posted by: | CommentsHelen Nutter just inquired if I have any advice on traveling with kids. Oh I most certainly do! I live on the east coast and my family is in the midwest, so there are frequent trips to see grandma. Both of my girls have been traveling since they were 3 months old, and I’ve never had an overwhelming incident. My advice is to plan ahead and be ready to roll with all the bumps in the road, (and air). Flights will most certainly be delayed and kids will get grumpy, so be prepared! Here are a few quick tips to help prepare for your trip;
Consolidate suitcases. Don’t pack a bag for everyone because it winds up being very expensive and too much to juggle. Figure out a way to wash clothing on the other end of your trip so that you can pack lightly. I highly recommend using smaller bags within your suitcase (or duffel bag – our preference) to separate clothing. EBags has a fantastic line of packing cubes and I’ve also used SpaceBags. I use one or two for each of my girls and then they can unpack their own clothing when we arrive. I’ve also used the MountainSmith Modulars. Pack a cube for each kid and then toss them in a duffel bag. I have examples for you at the end of the post. The small cubes work perfectly for chargers and other gadgets. Leave room in the top of your bag so that you can tuck a coat in before sending it off. A coat is just one more item to juggle when you go through security, so get rid of it.
If you have generic luggage then put a brightly colored luggage tag on the handle. There are bag straps as well, but I’ve seen those get caught on things. I found some bright lime green tags at Target that make my bags easy to spot.
Plan activities for the flight. Videos can get very boring on long flights so make certain you have other activities planned. Play Doh will get confiscated by the TSA – lesson learned the hard way. Paper Dolls, (especially the ones that are magnets) are perfect for the flight because they won’t fall all over the place. I bring stationary and we write letters to friends. American Girl has some wonderful arts and crafts for plane travel. I don’t have boys so I welcome comments from readers that have ideas. Stickers and scratch art also work well, especially during take off and landing when the tray must be upright. I always make some of the activities new – items that I’ve purchased especially for the trip because they’ll spend more time with it.
SNACKS! Small bags with a variety of snacks help to fill the time. Don’t forget to purchase drinks after going through security.
I always pack a spare outfit for the kids to bring on the plane. Spills happen. Pack something small like leggings or sweats that won’t take up valuable space.
Put all medications (epi-pens, or any liquids) in a plastic bag and keep it handy to pull out when you go through the security line. I keep my “liquids bag” by my laptop so that I can pull both out together. Musts for me are wipes, hand sanitizer, chap stick, tissues and lotion, (small travel bottle).
Pack a couple of the plastic bags from the grocery for trash. I also pack a small cloth bag or canvas tote to bring onboard the plane. Seating on a plane is tight and it might be difficult to wrangle all the arts and crafts into your carry-on. If you bring a small cloth bag that will roll up inside your purse or carry-on, then you can toss extra items in there at the end of the flight and sort it all out later when you arrive at your destination.
I’ve found a couple of packing lists that you might find helpful. Onebag.com helps you keep it light – remember that you’ll almost always overpack so try and pare down. Here is their list. Simplify 101 has an “okay” list too - it will at least help get you started. Hmm… maybe a travel checklist needs to be my next project. Would that be helpful for any of you?
Travel by savvyspaces featuring tumi bags
What's hiding in the cupboard?
Posted by: | CommentsNow that the kiddos are back to school, it is time to focus on organizing something not associated with a backpack, kids clothing or back to school lists. Enough already, let’s move on! What do you have lurking in the depths of your cupboard or pantry? Is it time to do a little sort, shuffle and purge dance in your kitchen?
Here are a few ideas and tips for organizing your cupboards;
1. As always, the first step is to clean it out and edit. Check expiration dates and get rid of things that you can no longer use. Also, donate unexpired items that you won’t use to a food pantry.
2. Use glass or clear containers to store opened items such as sugar, flour or pastas. Don’t crumble half used bags in the back of the cupboard where they can’t be seen.
3. Use elevated shelves for the back row so that you can see what you have and items won’t get buried or lost.
4. Use lazy-susans, pull down spice racks and handled totes to allow for easy access.
5. Most important – don’t over buy. Normally if a product is priced 2 for $5.00, you can purchase 1 for $2.50.
6. Empty the shelf or cupboard completely, wipe it down and replace items with “like” things together. Baking goods together, spices together, cereals together. This will make it much easier to see what you need before going to the grocery.
7. If it seems overwhelming, then take it one cupboard or shelf at a time.
Perfectly Savvy Finds
Posted by: | CommentsHello my Savvy Friends! I’ve come up with some fun little finds that just might help you organize your summer travels. As a side note, many sites are having travel sales right now so it is a good time to save a little on new packing gear.
- Let’s begin with what I consider to be a travel ESSENTIAL, the packing cube. I have a full set from E-Bags.com, but Eagle Creek also carries a nice line and I noticed they were on sale at Sierra Trading. I use my cubes to separate my kids’ clothing so that it is very easy to unpack. I can’t say enough about how versatile the cubes are and I consider them a must for my family travel.
- Next, shoe bags. Of course you can use plastic bags, but I do love this cute little pick from Tumi.
- The Quickload carry-on bag from Bean looks brilliant. This may be a new addition to our travel repertoire before our summer vacation.
- Jewelry portfolio = must have.
- Eagle Creek Mother Load Suitcase. This suitcase looks amazing. Has anyone tried it?
- If a car trip is in your plans for the summer, I highly recommend the MountainSmith Modular Hauler. We use our hauler quite frequently. It is perfect for clothing, toys or other essentials. It is highly durable and versatile.
Click on the image below and it will become interactive so that you can see where I found everything.
Happy Travels!
Kristin
Perfectly Savvy Finds
Posted by: | CommentsHello Savvy Friends. This week I’m featuring a few items that can be used to clean-up, spruce-up, and organize kid clutter. My criteria for selecting items was simple;
1. It had to be easy for kids to use. Nothing too complicated or overdone.
2. It had to be versatile enough to grow with the child. I hate throwing money down the drain on fancy bins and baskets that only work for a year or two.
Are your ready?
1. Let’s begin at the top with two different sets of clear bins. The handled bins can help contain anything from crayons, markers and other art supplies to hair brushes, accessories and baseball cards. The larger totes are perfect for papers, folders and even little figurines.
2. Heading clockwise you’ll find the Busy Box. I love this versatile system. It has three separate compartments that stack on top of one another. I use mine for dolls and doll clothing. You could also store electronic gear, headphones and other equipment. It is on wheels so it is very easy to move around.
3. In the center there is a great solution for hallway storage. From balls and sporting equipment to stuffed animals and butterfly nets. A quick solution to picking up that hallway clutter.
4. Don’t forget to utilize your space behind the door. This great little colorful sorter will hold magazines, school papers, chore charts and artwork. Easy to find and ready to go.
5. A large clear toy box can be used for stuffed animals, sports gear, extra pillows and sleeping bags, purses and out of season clothing.
6. Bins with color can help you distinguish ownership. Blue bins for Billy’s things and green for Sally. Cute and stackable.
What other possibilities do you see here?
Have a great weekend!
Kids Room by savvyspaces on Polyvore.com
