Today it is my pleasure to have Bryn from Her Own Wings blog today sharing ways to keep your life more organized which is one thing we can all use more of.

Chalkboard paint seems like a novel idea and it’s possible you’ve grown tired of hearing about it. It’s beginning to feel a bit overdone and if you haven’t used it already, you may be resisting. No one wants to look too trendy. It’s true that is seems to be on everyone’s lips and in everyone’s home, but there are some interesting uses you may not have thought of. Using chalkboard paint in unexpected ways can help you organize your home and at Modernize that’s something we can all get behind.

1. Create a chalkboard wall calendar.

Keeping track of your ever changing schedule can be chaotic. Erasing and scribbling in your paper planner can leave things a confusing mess. There is the magic of chalkboard, it can be erased and rewritten with ease. Just cut a large chalkboard decal into squares of your desired size and label each square with numbers for the dates. The calendar can be as big or small as you want and your tasks can be written and erased as your schedule changes.

Via stylecartel.com

2. Make a chalkboard menu.

Let your family know what they can expect for dinner each week by making a chalkboard menu. Get everyone excited about the meals you prepare and inspire yourself in the kitchen. By planning your meals ahead of time, you’ll save money at the grocery store and make healthier choices. Border your menu with a frame to make it more attractive in your kitchen.

Via too-much-time.com

3. Label your herb pots with chalk.

The herb selection in your garden probably changes year to year or even throughout the season. It’s possible your pots are also rotated. Make it easy to identify and grab what you want from your garden by painting your pots with chalkboard paint. You can write the name of each herb on the pot and simplify your life and your garden. You’ll even be able to ask your children to grab herbs for you while you’re in the kitchen. It can be an easy way to teach them about gardening and nutrition. This also makes a great gift for any gardener.

Via onehundreddollarsamonth.com

4. Organize your dry goods in your pantry.

Chalkboard sticker labels are easy to find in any size or shape. There are so many uses for these labels but one that really stands out is in your pantry. Use chalkboard stickers to label the cans where you store dry goods. As your grains and cereals change, you can modify the tag. It will make things so much easier and organized in the pantry and will make mealtime a breeze.

Via shelterness.com

5. Label your tool drawers in the garage for easy access.

The garage can become a dumping ground for knick knacks, screws and tools. Any drawer space available turns into a junk drawer over time. Paint the drawers with chalkboard paint and label what is inside. It will keep you from throwing just anything in when you see the label and help you find things quickly and easily.

Via yacineaziz.com

Bryn Huntpalmer is a mother of two young children living in Austin, Texas where she currently works as an Editor for Modernize and nurtures her HGTV obsession. In addition to regularly contributing to Home Decor and Design websites around the web, her writing can be found on Lifehacker, About.com and on her personal blog Her Own Wings.

Enjoy the little things in life like staying organized and the fun of chalkboard paint.

Also if you have not already, please join me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. I would love to hear from you with any comments, suggestions, or ideas you may have.

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SchoolYearReady #Collective Bias.

Have you started with the back to school craziness in your household yet or maybe you are getting ready for it now? Schools have already started back where I live which means I also head back to school. I am also a school nurse actually which means I have to get myself organized for this time of year too.

With the school year, it seems like every Sunday evening is a great time to regroup and get ready for what all lies ahead that week. I keep a written planner to help me, but in my clinic at school it is always nice to have something hanging that is a quick reference for me and others of what has to be done.

The same is true for your family and kiddos I’m sure. Especially with not only keeping track of school projects and field trips but also all of their after school sports and activities. A great way to have everyone on the “same page” and organized is to literally use the “same page.”

I have the perfect solution for your “same page” that everyone can use and keep everyone in the same loop. The even better part about it is that you can reuse it every week and start again. The magic is all in one simple machine… the Scotch™ Thermal Laminator. Pick yours up at Walmart in the back-to-school seasonal area today too. That’s where I found mine. You would think a laminator would cost a lot, but they are so inexpensive and will be great to have around the house in the future too.

You can also purchase Scotch™ Self-Sealing laminating pouches that don’t even require a machine. How neat is that? I personally love having the machine so that I can now laminate just about anything I want to that you can think of. I don’t know why, but laminating is super fun to me.

I have designed a printable for your weekly schedule to help everyone stay more organized. How cute is that chalk look?

Once you put it through the laminator, your sheet is now like a dry erase type board and can be reused. But be sure to use dry erase markers and not permanent markers. Once the weekend comes, you are ready to wipe it off and get ready for another great week.

I placed mine on a clipboard and hung it on a cork board with a dry erase marker hanging up as well to make it handy for anyone in the family to add things as the week progresses. You could also use different color markers for each child if you really want to stay even more organized.

Hanging on my cork board as well are some Post-it® flags. These would be great to really highlight a special event or task that is of high importance to help you not forget.

If your family has a command center to keep things organized, this would be the perfect addition.

I think the chalkboard look is absolutely adorable so how could you not print it.

Print yours HERE. Then start the laminating, and your family is on the track to a chaos free school year (Fingers crossed).

Let me know in the comments below what idea you would have for using the Scotch™ Laminating products. I would love to know how else I can use my laminator. If you are wanting more ideas, then come see what others are making HERE.

And be sure to enjoy the little things in life too even when some weeks you seem to barely be above water. They are only little for so long.

Also if you have not already, please join me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. I would love to hear from you with any comments, suggestions, or ideas you may have.

P.S. Please share this post with others if you enjoyed it and found it helpful. We love when you pass on goodness to others.

Now that Spring has sprung, I am definitely in the mood to get the house cleaned and organized. There is no better feeling than getting rid of junk and things you don’t need any more making your house cleaner and more spacious.

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t always organizing and cleaning. As a child, my bedroom had to be neat and tidy with everything having a specific place to go. I have many fond memories of even organizing the shelves in Wal-Mart or Target as a young girl and not even getting paid for it. My sister and Mom would be shopping, and I needed something to keep me occupied. I think back now and just laugh at what a nerd I was, or maybe still am.

Not only do I like organization, but I love colors and making things pop with bright colors. So this pantry makeover is inspired by exactly these two things. I love the pantry makeovers I see that are so uniformed and elegant, but I just couldn’t do mine without adding color.

So let’s take a look at the before pictures, and yes they are quite horrible I have to admit. Please just excuse the mess and now I have at least done something about it right? I hope you like the new look too.

At least my pantry was fully stocked just not organized or pretty at all.

I also wanted to challenge myself to keep this makeover to a budget. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to use some of the beautiful matching canisters I’ve found, but I couldn’t bring myself to pay that much for them. That’s when I decided to take a trip to the Dollar Tree and see what they had. They usually have the largest selection of plastic bins and tubs.

I found these green plastic baskets for only $1 each. The pink and blue smaller baskets came with 3 in a bunch for $1.

For grains, rice, seeds, etc. I found these small clear canisters. I love the way they look uniformed but didn’t cost me $10 each like most other retailers.

The set of stainless steel canisters pictured below were actually my great-grandmothers. I remember after she passed away, there were so many great things of her that I loved and couldn’t wait to use in my house one day.

Although I have different canisters, stainless steel and clear, I love the vintage look of using different pieces. Some of the ones below were ones that either I already had or bought at a yard sale. The bread box was also a wedding gift to us that I have loved so much.

Getting reorganized doesn’t have to be expensive or some proper thing. Use what you already have and buy a few other inexpensive things to go with it.

The kraft sticker labels were also a great find from the Dollar Tree. I got two different packs with different designs and can’t wait to use them to organize other areas of my house.

To bring all the colors together, I got different designs of scrapbook paper with bright colors and floral patterns. I placed scrapbook adhesive squares on the back of each sheet and then placed them on the wall above each shelf. The paper stayed easily and added that extra pop of color.

I hope this pantry makeover has inspired you to do some Spring cleaning and organizing without having to break the bank at the same time. Enjoy your Spring and all the beautiful colors it brings with it.

Also if you have not already, please join me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. I would love to hear from you with any comments, suggestions, or ideas you may have.

Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.

This is your year to not only dream up goals, but I want to show you how to use your planner to assist in achieving your goals. My planner has become my best friend and cheerleader with helping me achieve my goals. Instead of thinking of New Year’s resolutions, I like to think of goals I have for a new year with a fresh start.

In order to achieve those goals and be conscious of remembering them throughout the year, I MUST write them down! Our lives are busy enough without trying to remember what our goals were at the beginning of the year.

Writing your goals down also makes you more accountable and responsible to work toward them. I can’t even tell you how many times I have said, “I will start doing _____________ Monday” and then Monday comes and I never start it. When I make a point to make a list and write the goals down, then I am reminded and not as likely to just blow it off.

It’s important to write our goals down, but it doesn’t just stop there. If you are setting some pretty big goals like running a marathon, then it would only make sense to write down steps to help you achieve that goal such as a training plan and meal plan.

The perfect way for me to stay on track with achieving my goals and not become frustrated is to USE THAT PLANNER. I shared earlier this week how I keep my life organized using my planner and washi tape.

Part of that planner, is writing down not only my goals, but things I need to do to achieve those goals.

In the back of my planner, I have my goals written down on a piece of scrapbook paper and taped down with washi tape. Gotta love the extra fun that washi tape brings.

Underneath that piece of scrapbook paper, I write down ways to accomplish my goals as a plan.

Tackle your goals week by week. As a part of my weekly calendar, there is a notes section where I write down those things that I need to do to keep my goals.  The weekly part is just a way that breaks it down and helps you overtime to stay focused. Then every day I am reminded what I need to do. I will also make daily list to keep with me that are handy little reminders.

Don’t beat yourself up though if you don’t get everything done that week. The great thing about planning weekly is that you can get back on track the next week and make up for it. Just try not to keep a habit of that.

It is a great feeling to be able to check things off your to-do list. It will feel even better as the year progresses and even at the very end of the year, and you have stuck with it to achieve your goals and accomplish great things!

Now I would love to share my goals with all of you and plans I have set in place in order to do so. Hopefully this will help you have a better idea of how I plan. Some of these are more short term that I can accomplish in a month or so and others are long-term to work toward the entire year.

I have color coded them to show how they coordinate with each other according to the key that I keep at the back of my planner.

Goal: Make Bible study a priority and quiet time with the Lord.

Plan: Begin a new devotional.

Goal: Begin Bible journaling.

Plan: Spend time during Bible study/devotionals to journal.

Goal:  Read one book every month or at least 12 books this year.

Plan: Spend at least 20 minutes 3-4 times a week reading.

Goal: Develop a healthier lifestyle.

Plan: Use meal planning.

          Exercise at least 4 times per week.

Goal: Learn calligraphy.

Plan: Spend time each week or every other week practicing.

Goal: Become more proficient with Cricut.

Plan: Create a new project or use new material monthly.

Goal: Practice with sewing machine more.

Plan: Find blogs and online tutorials.

Goal: Utilize blogging notebook.

Plan: Keep updated regularly or monthly.

Goal: Learn and make printables for blog.

Plan: Find blogs and online tutorials.

For this week I planned the following to work toward my goals. As you will see, I am not necessarily working on every single goal every week. I usually plan for what I think that week will allow based on my schedule.

*Check on journaling Bible at Christian bookstore and online.

*Start 1000 Gifts Devotional.

*Workout 4 days.

*Read for 20 minutes for at least 3 days.

*Read with Mark at least 3 days.

*Make meal plan for next week.

*Make pinterest board for calligraphy tutorials.

I hope you will find that writing your goals down and having a plan to use in your planner will help you as much as it does me. Good luck with your goals this year too! It is never too late to set some goals that you would like to accomplish this year. If you haven’t already then jump in now. Enjoy the feeling of accomplishment and enjoy the little things in life too.

Comment below and share with me what your goals are too. I would love to hear so we can encourage each other.

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This time of year really encourages me to keep up with my house cleaning with the holidays and people visiting which is why I am sharing a couple of recipes to make your own homemade cleaning products. They are quick and easy to mix up and are so much cheaper than buying the store bought stuff that has who knows what in it. I am all about saving money when I can. Plus I love the idea of knowing exactly what is in my cleaner and knowing it is also safe for my pets too.

There is nothing worse than having the motivation to clean your house and getting in a cleaning mood, to find that you are out of a particular type of cleaner or do not have enough to complete the whole house. If I am in a cleaning mood, I definitely want to take advantage of it and not let the lack of cleaner keep me from getting things done.

My homemade dust cleaner and all-purpose floor cleaner are the two that I go to most. Dust seems to appear magically and drives me crazy. I am constantly trying to keep my floors clean due to having dogs in my house. Therefore these are the best cleaning products for me to have around.

Both of these cleaners include white vinegar. Who doesn’t love vinegar? I remember my grandmother using vinegar when I was younger and still to this day she claims it is good for everything. I used to think that vinegar was so gross and how she must be crazy but now that I have a house to clean and keep up, I see just how smart she really is. I have actually come to enjoy the smell of vinegar now which would have seemed so bizarre to me as a child. Vinegar is also extremely inexpensive and goes such a long ways.

Furniture Polish:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• ¾ cups white vinegar
• 2 tsp olive oil

Mix the ingredients together in a spray bottle using a funnel to pour them more easily. Screw the spray nozzle back on and shake well to combine the oil with the liquid. You are now ready to spray your furniture and wipe clean with a soft cloth.

This is also a great homemade leather cleaner. It gives a gorgeous shine to what appears to be such dull leather before.

All-Purpose Floor Cleaner

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Dawn original dish liquid
• A little less than one gallon of warm water

I use a gallon plastic jug to combine and mix my cleaner in. That way I have some made up in advance to use in the future instead of having to make it so often.

Using a funnel to make it easier, pour in the warm water but not all the way to the top being careful to leave enough room for the vinegar and dish liquid and also some room to shake to combine.

*If you put the vinegar and dish liquid in first, when you add the water it will start bubbling and will be a big soapy mess making it hard to get the jug filled completely with water. It would make it easier to measure the ingredients and pour them in, but trust me I learnt from experience.

Add the white vinegar and Dawn dish liquid. Shake the jug to combine ingredients. Once the bubbles settle some, I then use a funnel to pour into a spray bottle.

Spray the floor in small sections at a time and then use a mop with a dusting cloth attached to it to wipe over the floors. I have an old Bona floor cleaner mop that I use, but it is much cheaper this way to make my own cleaner than buying the Bona refills.

This can also be a hardwood floor cleaner even though you are using water. Many people are hesitant with putting water on hardwood floors, and they should be because too much water can soak into the floors and damage the hardwood. But by using the spray bottle, you are only applying a minimal amount of water making it completely okay. You would never want to use a regular mop with the hardwood floors and this cleaner like you would do on tile floors.

Now get up from your couch and get some cleaning motivation. Most people talk about spring cleaning, but I think this time of year is a great way to motivate us to do the same thorough cleaning. We are pulling out boxes from out attics or basements with Christmas decorations which stirs up more dust and always those annoying little green pieces that come off the branches of the artificial trees.

Most of us either have Christmas parties or company coming over for dinners so this is also a great motivation to get cleaning. Just don’t break the bank while also saving money for Christmas gifts by buying expensive cleaners. Make your own and save some money at the same time.

Most of us don’t enjoy cleaning, but find joy in even cleaning and the little things because it means you are blessed to have a house to clean and a family to clean for even though they make messes.

Also if you have not already, please join me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. I would love to hear from you with any comments, suggestions, or ideas you may have.