Preserve Your Memories - Theme #1

Announcing our first challenge theme for 2014!!

 All of the posts for the month of January are going to revolve around ways to preserve your memories, whether they are photos, videos, journals, etc.  I am guessing that you have taken photos & videos and kept journals because they are memories that you want to remember and preserve so that they last a long time.  It is SO sad when these memories are lost or ruined (which happens a LOT!) when there are so many things you can do to prevent that from happening! So lets not let another moment go to waste.

Here is everything we covered for this month:

Task #1 : Convert any old VHS or Camcorder Tapes
Task #2 : Organize Photo & Video files on your computer
**TIP : 2 ways to keep your digital photos under control
**TIP : 4 ways to take more meaningful photographs

Task #3 : DO Something with your photos
**TIP : What to do with your NON-DIGITAL photos
**TIP : Turn your old scrapbooks into a BOOK
Task #4 : Record Your History As A Couple
Task #5 : Interview Your Kids! 25 Fun and Random Questions

Get Organized in 2014!!

It's a new year, which means a lot of us start thinking about resolutions.  I don't know about you, but I'm tired of ending the year and realizing I didn't complete anything on my list!!!  So, I'm not going to do a list this year.  No more lists!  haha   My only goal is to take things one step at a time and if I accomplish some things, great! If not, well, I can keep trying in the next year. ;)

 

So my plan for this blog is to have a different theme each month.  And during that month I will try to accomplish anywhere from 1-5 things within that theme.  I am hoping all of you out there will join me!   How much anyone is able to accomplish really does depend on your life at the moment...whether you are working or if you have little ones at home, etc.  So don't feel bad if you only get 1 item done that month!!  And if you miss an entire month, that is ok...you can just start fresh with the new theme for the next month. 

 

If it helps you to be accountable to someone, I am happy to be there for you!! You can email me your progress, or leave comments, etc.  I would LOVE to hear from you...even if it's just to vent your frustrations!   I would be happy to help in any way I can.  So spread the word and let's get everyone going on the ORGANIZE IT CHALLENGE 2014! 

 

I hope you will FOLLOW me by email (on the right sidebar) so that you can stay updated on the theme for each month! Here's what we have done so far:

January -Preserve Your Memories 

Remove Your Shoes sign

 When we moved into our new home, I wanted something cute to put in the entry way that reminded people to take off their shoes.  I am a big fan of personalizing any home decor that you can (especially art for the walls, as you can see from my canvas in the entry way) and so I had my friend take a picture of my daughter holding up a pair of shoes.  We then put "Please remove your shoes!" using photoshop.  I printed an 8X10 and then framed it for the entry.  I was really happy with how it turned out and have received a lot of compliments on it! For once I can take credit for this idea, even though there are tons like it all over pinterest now.  But I actually had this done 4 years ago, before pinterest was even created!!  haha

This is definitely something you can do yourself...just simply taking a picture and if you can't add the words directly TO the picture, you can put them on the frame or something.  Some other ideas are to take a picture of all your kids bare feet:

 This would be a funny one...we found this shoe tree on our way to Zions National Park.  We stopped to take a picture for fun, but I decided it could make a fun shoe sign for my entry way! haha

Plastic Bag Storage

 I used to keep all our plastic grocery bags under the sink.  They get a little out of control.  IKEA came up with a genius contraption...a Plastic Bag Dispenser.  Only $1.99 at IKEA.   I decided to put mine in the pantry.  It's very well hidden and a great use of space that wasn't getting used.  I have seen these Plastic Dispensers used for so many things....you will be seeing more of them on my blog soon!

EASY shelves for bathroom!!

Once again, this is NOT my idea.  I saw it on pinterest and I was going to give credit to the person who I pinned the idea from, but when I clicked on the pin, it was no longer linked!

I was SO excited to do this because we do not have a lot of counter space and yes, we have drawers, but I must be really lazy because I find it difficult to get hairspray out of the drawer and then put it back in when I'm finished.  These shelves are only $3.99 each from IKEA.  But I don't think they always have them in stock.  I tried to do this a year ago and was so disappointed to find that they didn't have any available! 

You have to put it together when you get them, but it's super easy to do.  No extra tools required.  I plan to paint them a darker color, but it's not happening any time soon, so I decided to just get the post up.  Our counters stay much clearer now.  I'm very happy with them!!

 

I also bought extra spice racks to make little book shelves for the kids.  My kids like to read in their bed before going to sleep.  The problem is that their books get lost in their beds or they get tossed on the floor.  So these little shelves worked so perfect.  It gives them a place to keep their books that they are reading and they don't get lost!

The enemy of completion

 

I haven't posted for a LONG time!

50% because it has been a really rough year for me.

50% is because of the above quote.

I am a perfectionist.

And so, I have many ideas ready to post, but can't post if I don't have every picture ready and every piece of instruction detailed exactly right, etc. 

BLAH!

So for those that visit this blog, I'm sorry.

But good news! There should be some posts coming up very soon!

 

A word of advice from me:

Don't let PERFECTION get in the way of your projects getting finished!

You can get them done!

Just take everything one step at a time.

Good luck!