Organizing Coupons- Save Money in 2011

I have tried envelopes. I have tried purse size coupon organizers.  Frankly, I stink at organizing coupons.   I did some research, and the The Frugal Free Gal helped me.  I am now the proud owner of a coupon binder that is organized!
You'll Need:
Zip-up binder
3 Packages of baseball card holders
3 sets of dividers

This video from the Frugal Free Gal will show you how to put your coupon binder together.
http://thefrugalfreegal.com/2011/01/create-your-own-coupon-binder.html

Even though they are a bit more expensive, you do need a zip-up binder.  It makes a big difference, and you won't lose anything. 

My daughter loves helping cut out coupons (thank goodness).  My rule is that I only cut coupons that I will use.  Besides the Sunday paper, there are a few other places I get coupons.  About twice a month, my grocery store sends me coupons based on passed purchases.  This is an easy way to save money.  Target also has online coupons that you can print out.  I also make sure to keep my 40% off Justice Coupons and my Kohls coupons in the zipper part of the binder. 

Apps to Help Keep You Organized

I think my iPhone is the coolest invention ever (well that and my Nook). I always try and get free apps or 99 cent apps (call me cheap). Here are some reviews of my favorite apps that keep me organized:
My first favorite app, isn't really even an app, it is the calendar on my iPhone. I put everything here, and sync it with Outlook. I still keep a calendar on the fridge, but my phone is with me everywhere, so I always feel like I know what is going on!

I also like Stick It, 2Do and ShopShop.
Stick It simply creates sticky notes for you. I use this all the time when I'm making "To Do" lists."

2Do really is great for projects. I use it quite a bit for my job, but I've also used it when planning parties or events.  It is a more expensive app, but I have 2Do Lite, and love it. 

ShopShop is an easy, quick grocery list maker.

For traveling, I like MapQuest and AroundMe.
MapQuest is like a built-in GPS! It has been great, especially traveling in unfamiliar big cities.
AroundMe identifies your position and allows you to choose the nearest Bank, Bar, Gas Station, Hospital, Hotel, Movie Theatre, Restaurant, Supermarket, Theatre and Taxi.

Probably the app that has saved me the most time and money is RunKeeper. I used to run a new route, then have to drive it to figure my distance. This app calculates your time, distance and gives you your current pace. I use it when biking, walking and running.  It was free and worth every penny!

Since I'm a big fan of Mint.com to help with budgeting, the Mint.com app is another favorite of mine!

Terrific Tip Tuesday...Pencil Boxes

Pencil boxes are great organizers at a great price. Right now you can pick them up for around fifty cents!

Stock up...before they run out! Okay, I’m being kind of dramatic, but you wouldn’t believe how many uses a pencil box has. These are great for organizing children’s art supplies, but they are also great for organizing lots of other things. Feel free to comment and add to my list!
Here’s my list so far:
Colored pencils/markers/crayons/scissors/glue
Rubber bands
Post-it Notes (my mom stocks up on these and they fit great inside)
USB Cables/chargers
Paper Clips
Jewelry
Hair accessories
Stamps
Small envelopes
Spools of thread
Mementos (hotel room cards, concert tickets, etc) I have a weird obsession with hotel room cards, and I hate throwing them away, so this is perfect!
Make-up

Let's Talk Kitchens..Another Fifteen Minute Project

I decided yesterday I would tackle the cabinet where I store all my spices. I’m not a big fan of cooking, so my cabinet that has my spices doesn’t get much attention. I probably haven’t attempted to organize this cabinet in years!

I took everything out. I had a few things (bread crumbs, fried onions that you put on green bean casserole, gluten free flour and baking powder) that were almost empty and expired. I had to throw those items away. I found some SpongeBob tattoos that didn’t belong in my spice cabinet, as well as a baggie of Chuckie Cheese tickets. Those items were moved.

Then I divided my spices into “sweet and salty”. The sweet baking supplies went on the right and the cooking seasonings went on the left. On the bottom shelf I use my three-step shelf system. It works great because you can see what you’ve got in a deep cabinet. It works best if the shortest items are in the front, tallest in the back. I purchased mine years ago at Walmart.

The second shelf has cooking oils, measuring cups and other tall spices.

My top shelf has candles and matches if the power goes out. It also has my meat tenderizer and a funnel. I suppose you never know when you need a funnel!

I used a small basket usually for pencils and pens and put all my packet seasonings in it. This is a great way to store these!

Wall Shelf...I love this!

My daughter loved this. She felt like this was something that came from my dream scrapbook room. Here’s the deal: I had to assemble this myself and I’m pretty direction deficient. Actually, I’m horrible at directions and reading any sort of three-dimensional map or drawing. I have no depth perception aptitude!

This is my dream scrapbook room:
http://www.kevinandamanda.com/photos/scraproom/new/

It was supposed to take 15 minutes to assemble. It took me 15 minutes just to make sure I had all the pieces. There were six steps. I would screw something together, only to find out it was upside down. It mattered what direction boards were placed, because there were little tracks for other pieces to slide into. I had the entire thing put together in a little over an hour. I was very proud of myself, except the top piece wasn’t lined up right. I knew this because it was sticking out about a half an inch on the backside. It couldn’t hang from the wall this way!

I took it off, and finally realized, I had to flip it over. That was it. One hour and fifteen minutes later, I did it (not including the time it took to make sure I had all the materials)!!! I put extra ribbons in one of the white canvas basket. At this point, the other basket is empty!

Then I set up my two pink containers on the shelf. The first one holds all my adhesives. The second holds all the little things I collect...event tickets, hotel room cards, etc. I also thought this would be a great place to store my 4X6 photos that are waiting to be scrapbooked. In the "old days" I would just stack all this stuff on paper trays. I like my new system much better

Caddy

My daughter fell in love with this caddy at Michaels. They have bigger ones, and I debated which one to get.

I had read that you should “go big” when buying scrapbooking supplies. However, I really don’t have tons of stuff, and I thought I would bring it home and make sure everything fit. If it didn’t, I could always exchange it for the larger size.

I had more than enough room, and I actually ended up with empty pockets! I put the markers, scissors and hole punches in the top (there are three sections). Then I put brads and corner rounders along the side. There are six pockets along the side, and I ended up with extra space. I paid $6.99 for the caddy on sale (with a coupon). I decided I got a good deal!

My Stickers Are Now Organized!

Organizing my stickers has been one of the most difficult things for me to organize. I had a binder with page protectors, and the stickers were put in page protectors by theme. However, some of my stickers were twelve inches long, and didn’t really fit in an 8.5x11 binder. Plus it was a pain to find stickers.

I got lots of great ideas for stickers from the Internet. When I went shopping, I had an idea in mind. I wanted to use drawers for my stickers. I would have a drawer for seasonal/holiday stickers, a drawer for travel stickers, then the other two drawers would be for each of my children. Since I have a boy and a girl, this would be easy.

My daughter actually found this cart at Office Depot. I liked it because the drawers were not too big. It also has six drawers, and I could use the other two drawers for my scrapbooking books and extra card stock/stencils. My husband actually got an email from Office Depot for $10 off a $25 purchase. This would make the cart $14.99! I couldn't turn down a deal this great. Walmart also has tons of options for carts with drawers.

My daughter made the labels,and organized the stickers. Even my long stickers fit in the drawer! This will be a huge help. I love it!

Organizing Paper

I got this expandable 12x12 paper organizer about four years ago at Hobby Lobby. It was regularly $14.99, but I paid $7.49 because I used a coupon. I checked today, and they still carry them! Right now they are black and cream in a paisley print pattern.

I had my paper organized by color, but it wasn't in any order and I couldn't find anything without going through each folder.

My seven year old label-making helper, changed all that! Ann Claire made all the labels and put them in rainbow order. Then she put all the paper where it belonged. Thank you Ann Claire!

This system works great for me. I would love to have shelves that store my paper, however, at this point it is out of my budget. Plus I don’t have that much paper, and this expandable file works great.

I still have lots of work left to do when it comes to organizing: coming up next stickers and everything else!

I also need to find time to get my scrapbooking done!

Do you NEED all the things you have? Label makers are NOT a waste of money!

It is hard getting rid of things!

My daughter and I have been working on her room (this is a big project that took about 2 hours)! I could have been done a lot faster if I worked by myself, but we both had fun, and she had a say in the project. I also have ADHD tendencies and had to stop to check email and facebook and play a game with my son.

We started with her dresser, under her bed, toy shelves and her closet. I actually just pile everything in one place and make a mountain! I find this easier than just doing one thing at a time, because this way you see EVERYTHING you are dealing with! Plus it makes you want to get rid of that mountain!

Before we started her drawers were overflowing (and one drawer was a junk drawer). The top of her dresser looked sloppy, and her closet wasn't bad, but it had quite a bit of stuff that wasn't being used. She also had random stuff under her bed!

I had a whole bunch of containers/baskets that could fit on her closet shelves. We decided that she could only keep what we had room for! This is a big step to decluttering. If you don't have room for it, do you really need it? If you have room for it, do you still need it? If you aren't using it, let someone else get the enjoyment from it.

She decided she wanted games/puzzles, cds, Nintendo DS games, barbies, polly pockets, costume jewelry, and purses/wallets/old cell phones. Books are in a different cabinet, so we didn't have do deal with them.

My daughter had a blast making labels for her baskets. In the middle of this project she says, "label makers are NOT a waste of money!" We kept one large basket for misc. As we were going through the mountain, she would put the things she wanted in the baskets. Once the baskets were full, she was done. That left me to decide what do with the leftovers. We are giving some things to her cousins, donating quite a bit, and some things were going in the trash.

Our end result was nothing under the bed, about $2.50 extra change in her piggy bank. We reclaimed an entire drawer which is now strictly for dance and bathing suits. Plus her closet has everything she wants with easy access. In addition, her stuffed animals are well accessorized! I found a few hats and flower leis that we didn't know what do with. Her stuffed animals on her bookshelf are now wearing them!

Step 5: Decluttering and Organizing your Small Spaces

You've made your list and now you want to get started.

These areas are pretty small and you can try the pile system where you donate/sell/keep/trash, but in reality the easiest thing to do is to either keep it or pitch it (recycle it)!

Remember these are your small areas. Areas you can do in 15 minutes like junk drawers, sock drawers, areas under sinks, or a shelf in the linen closet (WARNING: this can lead to the entire linen closet needing to be cleaned out, so I'd suggest the linen closet when you have more than 15 minutes).

*Take a before picture!

I just did under my bathroom sink, which is probably the most unattractive part to my house! I had 4 bottles of hotel shampoo that were all sticky... TRASH. I had the ice packs that you fold in half to activate that they give you when you have a baby.... TRASH. Now maybe you are thinking, "wait, you might use those!" Well, maybe someday...but for almost 3 years they have sat under there waiting to be used, and every time we have the need for an ice pack, I just go to the freezer and get one. Now maybe you are thinking, "wait, someone could have used those!" Well, I'm too embarrassed to give the Goodwill my extra childbirth ice packs, so there is no place for them but the trash! I do not feel guilty and you should not feel guilty either! I also had 2 bottles of lotion that had about 1.5% of lotion left in them....TRASH.


I also had 4 boxes of contacts, lysol, clorox wipes, toilet paper, extra conditioner, soap, shampoo and cleaners. All of those things were staying.

This is when the baskets come in handy. It is almost better to wait and get baskets after you see what you have left; that way you get the right size.

Then you put everything away, and everything has a home.


*Take an after picture, so you can see what a fantastic job you did!

Baskets (Think Functional and Cheap)

I could spend all day drooling over the Pottery Barn Kids catalog. I love their coordinating baskets, but the reality is, I can't afford a house full of them. However, I can be just as organized at a much cheaper price. My wallet and husband both thank me for this!

Most of my baskets are from Walmart or the $1 store. I have a few baskets that are about 8 years old that I got at Pier One on clearance. Today, Walmart and Target have very similar baskets. Technically, some of what I'm calling baskets are really containers.

In picture 1, you will see that the basket on the left w/a handle is great for storing things that go under the sink. I have two under my bathroom sink. One for lotions/sprays, etc and the other has cleaning supplies. The baskets on the bottom middle are great for stacking. They have lids that snap shut. These come in all sizes! These are from Walmart. I use them for scrapbooking supplies, but they also will work great for children's toys and art supplies. The basket on the top of them came from the $1 store and I have a zillion of these. They are great for junk drawers! The basket on the right is a canvas basket from Walmart. I believe these came in sets of 2. I've had them for about 3 years now. This basket has books, and I have another one similar to this filled with Thomas the Train tracks and trains.

In picture 2, you will see more baskets that are used for toys at my house. I swear I probably have 6 of the little white baskets in the front. Usually they come in packs of two. These are great for holding pens/pencils inside a drawer. I also use these in the bathroom drawers to hold make-up and hair accessories. I like using lined baskets for toys, as well as plastic containers.

I didn't post a picture, but I also have great luck with the shoebox-size, clear containers at Walmart. They are usually just $1 and come with a lid. They fit into drawers and can be stacked. They are great for storing kid's socks inside a drawer! I also like using them for stacking things like Legos, Cars, Polly Pockets, Doll Clothes, art supplies, etc.

Step 2- Mail (aka, "Junk" and "Other")

My children love going to the mailbox to get the mail. I'm not sure why. Nothing is ever for them. I'm never excited about getting the mail, because it is all for me and it is mostly junk and bills!

In order to make this work you MUST spend 5 minutes (or less) going through the mail everyday. It also helps if you have things electronically sent to you instead of mailed (which leads to a whole different organizational system). Right now my phone bill and cable bill are the only things I get electronically.

When you get your mail, divide it into two piles. Your two piles are "Junk" and "Other". Trash/shred/recycle/throw-away the junk immediately.

Then you are left with "Other". As you open it, divide it up into piles. I have a bills pile, a file pile and then a pile of stuff I need to figure out what I'm going to do with (invitations, thank you cards, etc).

This leads to my basket system.

I also have an IN mail basket and an OUT mail basket. My IN mail basket is bills that have not been paid. The only other thing in this basket are things that I "might" need. For example, I got a 20% off from Kohls Coupon. I'm not sure I will use this, but I don't want to lose it, so this is where it goes. If I got an invitation, I would leave it in my in basket until the event is over (and I would also write the event on the calendar).

My OUT basket (pictured) serves three purposes. Any mail that needs to be filed goes right in this basket. My savings account statement that shows I earned 3 cents interest last month gets put in this basket. I don't have time to file it right now, and I don't want to lose it, so it gets put in this basket. This basket is located by the computer, and once the bills have been paid, they go in this basket (ready for filing). Then the last thing in this basket is an envelope that has receipts in it. I create a new envelope each month (the last month gets filed away). This way if I need to return something, I'll have the receipt.

I don't spend much money on baskets. I love ones that only cost $1!

Eventually your baskets will get full! About every two weeks I go through the IN Basket and pitch anything that is past. Usually about once a month, I go through the OUT basket and file everything.