January 11, 2010

Read My Mind.

Seriously.  Someone literally just read my mind. 

I was just about to write a new post about my new "project."  I always have a project going.  Correction: 10+ projects.  ha!  I came up with my latest one a while back, but this weekend, I was actually motivated to do it.  Just ask my mom - I gave her an earful all about it. 

The project?  I'm starting 2 new binders.  Whoa - hold your horses.  And not for school. One binder will be my "Decorating/Design" book, and the other will be my "Gift/Craft" book.  I love interior design and decorating.  How many times have you flipped through a Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, Anthropologie, Martha Stewart Living, (you get the idea...) magazine/catalog and thought to yourself, "I love that room!" or piece of furniture, or paint color, or whatever??  I do all the time.  The problem is that I either make a mental note (which never works) or stack the magazine under the coffee table to be forgotten and then subsequently thrown away 6 months later.  Then...when I actually want to redo a room or piece of furniture, whatever, I am clueless.

Solution:  cut out my inspiration ideas and file them by room in pretty, clear sheet protectors in my pretty new decorating/design book!  Perfect! 

This same idea goes for my craft/gift binder.  I am constantly coming across great little gift ideas that are perfect for friends, neighbors, and little "happies."  Of course, whenever I need a quick/cute/simple gift idea, I'm once again clueless.  I also love little crafty projects, so I'm going to file these things in this binder, too.  I'm thinking I'll organize this binder by season/holiday...what do you think?? 

Anyway...the weird thing is that I honestly planned on writing about this today or tomorrow (before I forgot!), and I found this post TODAY!!  FABULOUS!  Someone must have read my mind!! They even give you a PDF of pretty labels to print out for your organizing...who could ask for more?  [Remember I love labels.  So much so that Santa brought me a label-maker for Christmas one year!]  Their idea is to organize into file folders, but I can assure you that I do. not. file.  Shocker - I know.  The label-making, organizing freak can't bring herself to file.  I like my binder idea, personally.  

Hope this inspires you, too!!  Binder or files, whatever floats your boat!

Oh and if you want to make a really simple Family Tree, with just your grandparents, parents, and your family, check out this on Martha Stewart's website.  You can download a super-cute pdf for a tree and the labels.  Here's the tree and the labels.

Other "projects" I have going...

Most are projects around the house.  I made a list of our rooms and what needs to be done in each room - from cleaning to fixin'-up.  That way, whenever we do have time to work on a project, we'll know right where to start. 

I feel productive already, just from writing about it! ha!

3 comments:

The Swanns said...

Hey Allison! Congrats on your recent marriage! I am so glad I "found" your blog (through Amber Wright's). I have enjoyed reading about what has been going on in your life! I will definitely be coming back to hear more!

Mary Mel said...

haha I really enjoyed this post because I relate to it so much! Another thing...when you are going through magazines and cutting out things you like...make sure you cut out things that you might be interested in, in the future, not just right now. Does that make sense? Haha, I have this internal debate going on all the time and it ends up being the reason I never cut anything out. I just get overwhelmed and let it get the best of me.

Like for example...You aren't interested in buying a rug for your living room right now, but you will be one day...so cut out one you like when flipping through. Anyway, I'm sure you have all of this figured out already! Have fun!

Kendall said...

I have several binders from cutting things out for inspiration! My binders include:(1) Recipes (2) Home & Holiday Decor (3) Quotes & Interesting/Inspiring stories (4) General Knowledge (how to get stains out, best products, etc. from Real Simple)

They are hard to keep up with but I catch up on them about once every six months!

Good luck!