Do You Have Junk Drawer Problems?

I know we all have them and we all know what they can turn into at any given moment. I am going to show you how I organized mine.

 I will tell you what has always worked for me and how I would like to upgrade my organization in the future. Read on.......

......I have two drawers in my kitchen that measure 12in. wide by 21 in. deep.

These two drawers are what I refer to as my “JUNK DRAWERS!”

I keep a varied amount of goodies in them, ranging from lip gloss to gorilla glue, pens, sewing needles etc. I am sure you get the picture.
Let me show you what I mean………

Drawer #1 has my writing pens, pencils, calendar, phone book, fast food menus etc. You get the picture don’t you?

Drawer #2 has more crafty related items, glue, chalk, scissors, tape, paint brushes, batteries and the like. Oh yes, and Bubble Gum tape,it is the best. I say it is for the kiddos, but I love it too!!!

So how in the world am I going to get a 3’x5’ pile of goodies back in the 12in. x 21in. drawers?

• categorize like items
• purge
• contain items in appropriate size containers (I used what I had on hand so I could get done.)

Drawer #2 

Drawer #1

Surprise for you and me! I made it all fit!!!

WHAT WORKS FOR ME

(Click on images to go to web-site)

drawer dividers:

Drawer dividers are a must for me. I have used what I already had, but if I were to upgrade I would get these from the Container store.
Stackable bamboo drawer dividers:

Single layer bamboo divider:

A less expensive option:

I keep all of my take-out menus in a zip-loc bag.


Below would be my upgrade:

Take out menu holder

Contain all paper clips, rubber bands, tacks, stick-pins:

I don’t like these items on the loose in an open container.  I have used old film containers with lids to store these small  items and it works great for me.

 

Another way to keep the junk drawers from getting junky is to NOT let the other people that live with you ever, ever touch them!!

Of course, I am just kidding on that point!

I hope this helped a little bit to motivate you to get going on your organizing.

"Enjoy the Process" Of:

Getting Organized!!

Kathysue

Color of the Year!? Not For Me!!

 This is not another post about this years “Color of 2011!”

“In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Honeysuckle derives its positive qualities from a powerful bond to its mother color red, the most physical, viscerally alive hue in the spectrum.”

Did you read the part about, “perfect to ward off the blues?”

I for one do not want to ward off the blues.

In fact the color of the year for me, personally, is going to be BLUE!!

 

I have decided to add more blue and white to my home this year.

I have been a big fan of blue and white porcelain and when I did a post on Carolyn Roehme, I knew then that I had to have more of it  in my life.

Just look at how beautifully blue is displayed by Carolyne Roehme

 

 

I already have several blue and white pieces in my home…….

My summer dining room.

Kitchen counter lamp.

 

Vignette on my mantel.

I have several other pieces, but I think you get the point. Blue and white are not a new love, but an old friend that I plan on keeping in my life.

So the next question is how do I plan on adding more blue and white in my home for 2011?

This is what I would like to do, I am not sure it will happen this year, but I am  a planner and a dreamer so what the heck!!

Before I purchased the sofa that I have now, which actually has the color honeysuckle on a natural linen base in a floral design. I had a blue and white striped sofa.

I had the blue and white sofa for ten years. I had it for so long I thought I would go in a completely different direction (Bad choice on my part.)

I have had this floral sofa for six years and I have tired of its pattern. I now want the blue and white striped fabric back in my home.

A new sofa in this fabric! This is actually the same fabric that I had on my other sofa so it is not really new to me, just a good old friend coming back for a visit!!

It is not that I dislike honeysuckle. I have had it in my home for the last six years or so and I want to go back to my love of blue and white.

I will be adding some honeysuckle with the blue and white. I think bright pink looks amazing mixed with blue and white.

Below is a wonderful example of how beautiful honeysuckle can look with blue and white porcelain.

Carolyne Roehm

For those of you that adore Honeysuckle I thought you might enjoy a few more pictures of the 2011 color of the year with blue and white ( My own personal choice for MY color of 2011.)

To be honest I really love small doses of honeysuckle (bright pink) when it is mixed in a blue and white room to warm the room up.

 Decorpad

This is the picture that I used in my, “What is on my Mind post.” I had one reader comment and ask me what I was I thinking of when I looked at this picture.

Sue, now you know. I love the combination of the blue and white mixed with black and white and a dash of pink!

Joanne Barwick designer from Traditional Home Magazine

This is actually the fabric that I am in hopes of getting for my sofa.This image was also in the post, “What is on my mind!” It represents my love of blue and white striped upholstery fabric.

Nate Berkus Home Office

 

Lonny Magazine

So, there you have it! With the addition of more blue and white I will be keeping a sprinkling of Honeysuckle pink in small doses.

How about you all? Will you all be adding the color Honeysuckle to your decor? You know I already have a touch of it, but I am going to concentrate on more blue and white in my world for 2011!

What color would you name as your own personal color choice for 2011?!

“Enjoy The Process” Of:

Discovering the colors that you love and adding them to your home for 2011!

Kathysue

The winner of the $75 gift card from the container store is:

Sally from
 Divine Distractions!

What Is On My MIND!!!

This time of year makes all of us start thinking about the things we would like to do or change in the upcoming year.

Often we have a running list from years past. We also have new things to add to this years list.

We designer types are always spinning with ideas that sometimes can become jumbled in our brains. Or, at least that happens to me.

My mind has been spinning this past week and I have started writing several post about what is on my mind.

Blogging is a wonderful way to keep track of my thought process, however my mind can be a bit jumbled with thoughts from time to time!!

Of course family and friends are always in my thoughts, but no changes needed there, I love them no matter what!!!

Here are just a few of the thoughts  I have been thinking. They are in no particular order.

 I think you will be able to tell by the images where my mind has been going, all over the map!!

 

 

 

Meg Braff

 

 

Scalamandre Baldwin Bamboo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jacob Zwiegelaar 

So tell me, does your mind work like mine?

Can you figure out from the above images what I want to do to make changes in my life and in my home?

“ Enjoy the Process” Of:

Thinking about all sorts of productive things.

Kathysue