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7 easy ways to update & organize kids rooms

Sarah — Wed, 15 May 2013 04:35:42 +0000

My three-year-old has an awkward bedroom.

The problem is, it’s a nursery and he’s just not a baby anymore (no matter how much I try to pretend otherwise). Since we don’t think we’ll be having any more little ones, we’re starting to think about changing the decor a bit to make it more suitable for a big boy.

What to do? I don’t have a large budget, but am looking for ways to take his room from nursery to little boy’s room.

I went searching for ideas and found 7 darling ideas that won’t break the bank AND that I can probably do myself!

Use a wagon to store & organize books. This is also a great idea if existing bookshelves are bursting at the seams like our son’s.

Use scrapbook paper to add a pop of color and cheer to the back of a hanging cube shelf. Not only does this look great – but it adds useful storage space as well for the nick-knacks of childhood.

Paint the walls a fun color and then add decals. Although I’m deeply skeptical of my crafting abilities, I think I could manage this. And this blogger Grinning Cheek to Cheek has a special discount for Wonderful Walls Stickers on her site.

Use 3 bookcases – two upright, one on its side – to create a reading bench. Simple AND what’s not to like about all that extra storage!

I never would have thought to use cloth-covered pinboards to decorate a child’s room — I always think of them in the kitchen or home office. But in reality, it’s a genius move. Not only would a row of these add a grown-up touch, but they are the perfect way to display photos and artwork too.

Spray paint an old mailbox, stencil on your child’s name — and voila — instant spot for their backpack and those little random pieces of paper. Plus it would be fun to drop in a little love note now & then too.

What kinds of simple things have you done to transform a nursery into a functional child’s room? I’ll take any ideas you have!

Tool: Grocery List Interactive Printable

Sarah — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:24:50 +0000

Who hasn’t wandered blindly at the grocery store, trying to remember what to buy?

Buttoned Up’s simple grocery list makes it easy to keep track of the items you’re out of so that when it’s time to hit the grocery store, you’re sure to be a model of efficiency. With this interactive form, you can type in your list (in Adobe Reader) & print it out OR print it out first and fill out by hand. However you use it — it’s an endless supply!

Only $0.95!

Click here to buy

Q&A Wednesday: my husband’s urgent projects conflict with mine

Sarah — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 02:04:53 +0000

One of our boot camp participants recently reached out for help, frustrated by an issue that is more common than most people realize: conflicting spousal organizational agendas. Because she’s participating in our Kickstart Boot Camp, she had a very clear roadmap to follow and was focused on allocating her time in a way that would enable her to complete the daily tasks.

Her husband, on the other hand, had gotten a bee in his bonnet about a “little” project. He felt it HAD to be done immediately. She feared it would not be so little and would throw her off track. She ended up capitulating, and the result was exactly as she feared. The unplanned project took an entire weekend day and threw her off track in multiple areas.

What would you suggest I do in this case? I’d really appreciate your input, because so often [my spouse's] priorities take over, and it’s my stuff that gets “blown off.” I really want to change that pattern and develop a better process. Any ideas?

Living with another human being is always going to be a complex dance.

It sounds like what happens now is that your husband’s priority activity usually “wins.” Maybe that happened because in the past you either haven’t had strong convictions about your own priorities or because you weren’t clear on them at all. Now that you do have clarity and you do feel strongly about them, you can feel the pinch.

Here are some ideas for finding a middle way

Whenever there’s a conflict, split the difference.
If his priority can take you off your path one time. Yours should win next time. Or 2 and 2. Keep track on the fridge or piece of paper that you keep in a kitchen or office drawer.

AND/OR

Agree to take a beat before a final decision.
Whenever you disagree, take a step back and articulate the follow-on implications of acting or not acting immediately (both sides have to do this). What are the implications if you shift gears and push your competing priorities back? What happens if he has to wait a few days before you can get to his? The implications can help you make a decision.

AND/OR

Divide and Conquer
If you can’t agree – there’s no reason why each of you couldn’t work on your respective projects solo. What would have happened in this situation had you said, “That project doesn’t fit in to my schedule today. If you can’t wait until ___ date, then you’ll have to tackle it by yourself.”

AND/OR

Address the elephant
Consider that his imperative to act may be driven by a fear that if it’s not done NOW it somehow won’t ever get done. Help him let go of that fear by working with him to schedule the task in the near future.

Do you and your spouse ever disagree on organizational priorities? How do you navigate that?/

Organize a photo “book” for a trip in a jiffy

Sarah — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 11:52:30 +0000

Do you have good intentions of making photo books for each of your big travel adventures? I know I do…but somehow once you’re back in “real life,” the task of putting one together can seem daunting.

That paralyzing feeling of “overwhelm” is the main reasons we’ve put together the Photo Organization Boot Camp. Because really, you CAN get your photos off of your hard drive and into the real world where you can enjoy them even if all you have is 15 minutes a day. The key is daily, bite-sized steps (and someone holding your feet to the fire to get it done).

Of course, it also helps to have some smart organizational shortcuts up your sleeve too — like these travel keepsake kits.

The genius team at Martha Stewart (who else!?) have a great idea for creating a displayable keepsake kit to hold maps, ticket stubs, and other fun mementos is an awesome alternative. Easy, gorgeous, and practical.

How do you organize your travel mementos and photos? Got any tricks or good project ideas?

What % of your clothes do you actually wear?

Sarah — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 19:42:13 +0000

My eyes were drawn in to an article on the Wall Street Journal today titled A Closet Filled with Regrets.

The opener made me stop and think about what’s in my closet…

Only about 20% of clothes in the average person’s closet are worn on a regular basis, says Ginny Snook Scott, chief design officer of California Closets, the designer of customized closets and storage spaces. That’s especially the case for women since “men tend to wear more of their wardrobe, as they stereotypically have less,” she says. “They tend to have less than 10 pairs of shoes that they rotate fairly well, whereas women have four to five times that amount, on average.”

I’m pretty minimalist when it comes to clothes and shoes, so I know that I’m wearing significantly more than 20% of the clothes I own. Nonetheless, I could immediately think of a few items in my closet that I regret purchasing…a clingy dark blue patterned shirt that makes me look exhausted and fat, and a pair of ridiculously high peep-toe shoes in a shade of gray that goes with exactly nothing both come to mind.

And yet, years after they were purchased, they still remain. Technically, I recognize they are a sunk cost, and holding on to them in an attempt to amortize the cost over time is totally irrational. In fact, Professor Schwartz, author of The Paradox of Choice, and I discussed this very issue in-depth during a recent Podcast about how too many options wreak havoc on our organization.

Is the culprit a good sale?

Both of my most regretted items were purchased on sale. Most of the items I’ve purchased on sale in the past fall into this category as well, now that I think about it. Why? Because the issues I thought I could live with in the store turned out to be deal-breakers once I got them home.

An antidote to buying

I like Tyler Tevooren’s strategy, mentioned at the conclusion of the article, for ensuring he doesn’t make any more purchases he regrets:

Now if he sees something in a store he might want, he will wait 10 days, to see if the feeling passes.

It’s a strategy I might just have to try…

How about you? What’s lurking in your closet that you don’t wear? What strategies do you have for keeping this from happening?

37 reasons to love a good spring clean

Sarah — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:50:57 +0000

Are you a spring-cleaning enthusiast or a serial avoider? While strong cases can be made both for and against a massive stem-to-stern cleanse, what is always true is that taking simple steps to incrementally clean and organize your living environment gives you outsized rewards compared to the effort you put in.

I took a little informal poll among friends, family and Buttoned Up fans to see just how many benefits we could capture. In the end, I settled on thirty-seven great reasons to get moving on those spring-cleaning projects right now. So if you’re lacking a little in the motivational department read on!

1. You Breathe Better.

If you’re one of the 20 million Americans who are allergic to dust mites, giving your home a thorough dust will provide relief from runny noses, itchy eyes, and even from asthma attacks.

2. You Get Some Free Aromatherapy.

There’s nothing quite like the fresh scent of a home that has been thoroughly cleaned. But did you know some scents in cleaning solutions can also help your mood? Lavender is used to calm the mind and lower stress. The sunny smell of lemon is actually infectious; its scent is seen as an antidepressant. And pine scents will not only help clear your lungs of phlegm, but are frequently used to combat stress and fatigue.

3. You Gain More Energy.

Clutter isn’t just ugly to look at – it is exhausting. Why? Because every time you see it you are reminded of how much work you still have to do. Outer order eliminates that tension. When you clean up, you free up the mental energy you were devoting to thinking about all the work you still had to do.

4. You Lengthen the Life of Your Valuable Things.

Well-maintained things simply hold up better over the long run when they are well cared for.

5. You Improve Your Safety.

Sleep more soundly knowing smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms have fully charged batteries and that important documents are organized so you can get to them quickly if needed.

6. You Get a Happier Start to Your Day.

Outer order leads to inner order. When your closet and dressers are organized, you start they day feeling calmer, more in control, and happier.

7. You Gain More Time.

Sadly the average person wastes at least 30 minutes, and often 60 minutes, looking for things they know they have but just can’t seem to put a finger on. That adds up quickly. What would you do with two extra weeks of time a year?!

8. Healthier Skin.

Old cosmetics harbor bacteria and other nasty things that can cause dermatitis (little red bumps that look like acne), pink eye, and even cold sores. Your skin will thank you for getting rid of makeup that’s past its prime.

9. You Get to Say Goodbye to Winter.

Relish the thought that you can skip the coats, mittens and gloves before heading out the door. Enjoy cooking while it’s still light outside. Leave the windows open and let those fresh breezes clear out stale air.

10. You Are Reminded of What You Have and Appreciate It.

It’s easy to lose sight of what you DO have when things are a mess. When you deep clean you get to reconnect with the reasons why you fell in love with your home in the first place as well as items that truly mean something to you.

11. You Strengthen Your Delegating Muscle.

If you live with others, enlist the help of housemates to get the spring-cleaning chores done. If you need tips read this Buttoned Up post on delegating chores effectively.

12. Everything Sparkles.

Sparkling glass and polished metal are just plain pretty.

13. Your House Is Grandma-Ready.

Enjoy the satisfaction you can get only when the house is cleaner than a surgery theatre in a hospital. Use it as an excuse to invite grandma over.

14. You’ll Increase Your Home’s Value.

Taking the time to create effective storage areas in your home pays dividends when it comes time to sell.

15. You’ll Have to Do Less Cleaning Later.

Often in spring-cleaning you tackle the root causes of clutter and dirt build-up. That means a little elbow grease today pays dividends in the long run.

16. You’ll Enjoy More Light.

Squeaky-clean windows, dusted lampshades, and fresh light bulbs to replace dead ones all mean a brighter, cheerier home.

17. You’ll Keep the Handyman at Bay.

Six simple maintenance steps on your fridge will prevent almost 100% of refrigerator breakdowns and eliminate those service calls.

18. Finding Something You Thought You Had Lost.

19. You Get to Cross Lots of Tasks Off Your List.

There’s nothing like blazing through a spring-cleaning list, gaining momentum after crossing off each task.

20. You Can Do Things You Can’t Do During Winter.

The mere fact that you can throw open a window is wonderful. So is spending an hour or two outside cleaning windows. Relish the fact that you finally can.

21. More Color!

Flowers, brighter sheets, pillows and throws come out of hiding and brighten up tired rooms. It’s enough to put a smile on anyone’s face.

22. You Gain a Happier Commute.

Cleaning out your car is a dreary affair in winter. But once the warm weather arrives, it’s fun again. Just as getting dressed when your closet’s organized, driving to work is more enjoyable when your car is spic-and-span.

23. You Get the Motivation to Work Out.

When you see all your summer outfits doesn’t it make you want to fit into them (without the rolls hanging out) – and inspire you to get back on the exercise bandwagon?

24. A Walk Down Memory Lane.

As you dust picture frames and put away wayward items, you’ll invariably come across something that reminds you of that time…

25. You Get Exercise Without Exercising.

Burn calories while you clean!

26. You Get a Better Night’s Sleep.

When you turn your mattress, it holds its shape better over time, which means better zzzzzs for you.

27. You Can Take a Tax Deduction.

Donating unwanted items gives you something to deduct next April.

28. You Get an Updated, Fresh “Look” Without Spending a Dime.

When everything in your home is organized and decluttered, it’s like getting a makeover without having to buy anything new.

29. You Have a Chance to Listen to Something Great.

Never have time to read? While you’re cleaning, listen to a great podcast or book on tape. If that’s not your thing, put on your favorite tunes.

30. Seeing countertops and desktops.

It’s easy to forget how great they look when they’re empty and you actually have room to work.

31. It’ll Get Your Creative Juices Flowing.

As you focus on each room, you’ll see quickly where small tweaks, like changing the angle of a couch, can make a huge difference. Have fun while you freshen up each space.

32. That Feeling of Accomplishment.

Putting forth a significant effort to accomplish something builds self-esteem. It reminds you that you can do whatever it is you set out to do and makes you want to take on more.

Do you do a big spring clean? If you do, what do you love most about doing one? If you’re participating in the our spring clean mini boot camp, what do you love best so far?

Q&A Wednesday: what should I do with kid’s artwork & crafts?

Sarah — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:27:42 +0000

Reader Jennifer Sutton recently asked

What to do with papers & crafts from your kids from school?

It’s a perennial issue for any parent — the rate at which those masterpieces are created is pretty astounding. If you don’t have a system for organizing them, they can quickly take over kitchen counters and clog up mail tables.

I definitely share your pain. Not too long ago our kitchen counters disappeared under an avalanche of papers.

Art projects, sheets-upon-sheets of paper demonstrating a growing grasp of phonics and fine motor skills, weather booklets, chicken soup with rice poetry notes, – you name it, and it was on the counter.

The detritus of a 3-day-a-week preschool program and first grade.

As I started to tackle the mountain, my mind wandered to the hundreds of posts I have seen on Pinterest of moms painstakingly turning their children’s artwork into albums or a gallery of thumbnails (for hundreds of dollars no less).

Like this:

{image via: The Great Remember}

And this:

{image via: Apartment Therapy}

I looked back at our pile and wallowed for a moment. My urge to dump the entire lot in the trash bin seemed so harsh.

“Gosh, I must really be a bad mom,” I thought to myself.

I tried to put the brakes on the mommy-comparison doom loop that had been triggered, but as you know, once it starts, it can be hard to stop. I desperately did a mental catalog of my overbooked schedule trying to think of a time slot I could use to turn this artwork and such into a display project.

Fortunately, I was rescued by a question that flashed across my mind.

Do you really need the physical artwork in order to honor the memory of this year?

The answer was a resounding no.

I thought back to the time I had to go clean out my closet at my mom’s house a few years after graduating from college. All those notebooks from physics & AP English I thought I’d definitely go back through someday? Trash. Notes passed to and from friends in class from 3rd grade on? Ditto. Art projects? Gone.

All that stuff, while meaningful in the moment, was nothing but trash ten, fifteen, twenty years on.

And so it will be for your children too.

Tossing tired artwork most certainly does not cause the memories of the past year to disappear. You do not need physical objects to hold on to remember that your two-year-old went to a preschool program and thrived.

So rather than fetishizing the artwork, why not do everything you can to enjoy it in the moment and then get rid of it?

Here are a few ideas for doing just that:

Save your children’s artwork in a storage container or portfolio bag and whenever you need to wrap a gift, use their masterpieces. I do this for abstract pieces of work that come home from preschool. I keep a portfolio bag at the back of our coat closet just inside the door so it’s easily accessible, but out of the way. Grandparents LOVE getting gifts wrapped in artwork.

Hang a shower string from Ikea on a wall and then hang your artwork of the moment on with clips or clothespins.

Hang clipboards in a grid section on a wall in your kitchen or playroom. Then rotate worthy artwork through the clipboards.

This clever blogger cut out vinyl frames and stuck them to a child’s bedroom door. Tape some clips to the vinyl and hang the artwork – or just use tape! I love how the bright yellow frames add a lovely pop of color.

If you have a kid-height coat rack, it would be a brilliant spot to display masterpieces. If you don’t you could always do something similar in a playroom or child’s bedroom.

Mallory & Savannah at Classy Clutter have come up with a genius solution. Purchase some pre-painted trim at your local Home Depot or Lowes, have them cut all the pieces for you. Then once you are home, nail the rows in place and you have a gallery that’s ready to go!

We display the best work from the week or month on a magnetized Wexel frame in the playroom and keep a stash of larger paper canvases in the portfolio in our coat closet to wrap presents. Anything that doesn’t make it to either of those gets tossed immediately.

What do you do? Do you think I am a minimalist Grinch on this topic?

Laundry tip: how to reduce “orphan sock syndrome”

Sarah — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 00:44:40 +0000

We all have them.

I don’t know about you, but they are the bane of my existence. I wish I knew where they disappeared to! I KNOW both socks are there when I put them into the washer/dryer…

Happily I have a very simple solution. I got so tired of searching for missing socks a few months ago that I tried a new little trick.

I bought two mesh lingerie bags. One for the grownups hamper and one for the kids bathroom (where they tend to get undressed). Socks do not pass go, do not get thrown in the hamper, do not collect $200. They go straight into the mesh bag. Absolutely, positively no exceptions.

Then on laundry day, I toss the entire mesh bag into the washer with the regular loads (& dryer too). And you know what? It works! We haven’t had a lost sock since I started doing this. I’ve also reduced the time I spend folding laundry because I am not chasing wayward socks.

What laundry shortcuts & tips do you have? I’d love to hear!

Q&A Wednesday: how to keep personal vs. professional to-do’s

Sarah — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 23:32:15 +0000

Reader Hala Naseeb posed this question on our facebook page:

Do you recommed keeping a separate planner for each of work and personal life?

It’s a good question and at first blush keeping separate planners would seem like a logical and conscientious thing to do. But in reality, it adds a degree of complexity that isn’t necessary. It is much better to have one, central spot for keeping track of your tasks.

No matter how you end up organizing list, be sure you are clear on the distinction between a brain dump list and a to-do lists. A capture list is long. But a to-do list should only have 3 top priority tasks + no more than 8-10 tasks per day. Too many and having a list will actually decrease your productivity as your brain can quickly become overloaded & paralyzed.

How to Organize a List

We recommend keeping one notebook as your designated spot for capturing all of those tasks floating around your head (the brain dump). If you have multiple domains to manage, like professional demands and general household management tasks, rather than keeping one, big run-on list, create sections in your notebook.

Here’s Alison Lord, one of the amazing women I interviewed for our book Pretty Neat with a quick tip on this very thing:

My Approach

I personally organize my capture list in a notebook and group my running lists by the different roles I play. I’ve got six that I juggle: Awesome Mom, Wife of Gar’s Dreams, Chief Dreamer (new product/content creator) at Buttoned Up, Financial Wizard, Successful Entrepreneur, and Athlete. I divide my notebook pages into six sections and put a role title at the top of each one. Then I keep running lists in each of the areas.

Every Sunday evening, I sit down and take those running lists and pick 3-5 important tasks to focus on each day in the coming week. Then I turn those to-do’s into appointments and keep track of them on my weekly strategy itinerary. On that list, I do separate out work vs personal, with work at the top of the day and personal at the bottom.

One to-do list for both work and home = one less thing to remember & organize. And that’s always a good thing!

Do you organize your tasks by category? If so – what kind of categories? We’d love to hear!

Don’t let your type-a nature cheat your child out of valuable life lessons

Sarah — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 01:29:50 +0000

I’ve always imagined myself as a rather laid-back mom…not quite the antithesis of a helicopter parent, but definitely trending towards the other end of the spectrum. Sadly (for me) I’ve learned I have a lot more in common with those much maligned parental units who hover over their precious charges than I would care to admit.

A few years ago, Will, my first born, started nursery school. He’s a social guy and took to it like a fish to water. Naturally, my heart leapt. “See,” I said to myself. “You were so smart to encourage everyone in the family (note: Will has 3 sets of grandparents, 26 uncles & aunts, and 30 cousins) to hold him and babysit as much as they wanted – you really got him used to being with others!” I practically broke my arm patting myself on the back for raising an “independent” child.

The universe was laughing at my naivete…and about to teach me a big, fat lesson.

Somewhere around week 2, the teacher pulled me aside at pickup with a grave look on her face. Apparently my sweet little 3-year-old socialite was at a total loss whenever it was time to clean up his toy mess. In addition to being an extrovert, Will is also very aptly named. That’s not-so-secret code for a total terror when it’s time to do something he does not want to do. She kindly asked me what our clean-up routine was.

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I was the clean-up routine. The devil on my shoulder snickered “Yes, miss I-like-everything-put-away-just-so, your anal-retentive need to control both how quickly and where toys are put away qualify you as the worst kind of helicopter parent: the kind that stunts your child’s growth.”

Life Lesson #624: Organize Yourself

Yes, as I realized a little bit too late: it’s often easier and faster just to get your kids organized yourself. But you are only cheating your child out of valuable practice time if you insist on doing so. Pray tell, whenever will they learn to pick up after themselves/organize their things/manage their own lives if you don’t let them take a long time and make a mess of it when they are very little? Children as young as 18 months are able to help with basic things, like putting away toys. So, the sooner you start establishing organizational habits, the better. Take a lesson from my stupidity and build in an extra 10-15 (yes, that long) minutes around key activities like playtime, bedtime, and lunch packing time, and use those minutes to allow them to try out (and fail at) critical organizational basics. Their teachers, and someday they, will thank you.

Buttoned Up » Home

7 easy ways to update & organize kids rooms

What kinds of simple things have you done to transform a nursery into a functional child’s room? I’ll take any ideas you have!

Tool: Grocery List Interactive Printable

Who hasn’t wandered blindly at the grocery store, trying to remember what to buy?

Only $0.95!

Q&A Wednesday: my husband’s urgent projects conflict with mine

Here are some ideas for finding a middle way

Do you and your spouse ever disagree on organizational priorities? How do you navigate that?/

Organize a photo “book” for a trip in a jiffy

How do you organize your travel mementos and photos? Got any tricks or good project ideas?

What % of your clothes do you actually wear?

Is the culprit a good sale?

An antidote to buying

How about you? What’s lurking in your closet that you don’t wear? What strategies do you have for keeping this from happening?

37 reasons to love a good spring clean

1. You Breathe Better.

2. You Get Some Free Aromatherapy.

3. You Gain More Energy.

4. You Lengthen the Life of Your Valuable Things.

5. You Improve Your Safety.

6. You Get a Happier Start to Your Day.

7. You Gain More Time.

8. Healthier Skin.

9. You Get to Say Goodbye to Winter.

10. You Are Reminded of What You Have and Appreciate It.

11. You Strengthen Your Delegating Muscle.

12. Everything Sparkles.

13. Your House Is Grandma-Ready.

14. You’ll Increase Your Home’s Value.

15. You’ll Have to Do Less Cleaning Later.

16. You’ll Enjoy More Light.

17. You’ll Keep the Handyman at Bay.

18. Finding Something You Thought You Had Lost.

19. You Get to Cross Lots of Tasks Off Your List.

20. You Can Do Things You Can’t Do During Winter.

21. More Color!

22. You Gain a Happier Commute.

23. You Get the Motivation to Work Out.

24. A Walk Down Memory Lane.

25. You Get Exercise Without Exercising.

26. You Get a Better Night’s Sleep.

27. You Can Take a Tax Deduction.

28. You Get an Updated, Fresh “Look” Without Spending a Dime.

29. You Have a Chance to Listen to Something Great.

30. Seeing countertops and desktops.

31. It’ll Get Your Creative Juices Flowing.

32. That Feeling of Accomplishment.

Do you do a big spring clean? If you do, what do you love most about doing one? If you’re participating in the our spring clean mini boot camp, what do you love best so far?

Q&A Wednesday: what should I do with kid’s artwork & crafts?

Laundry tip: how to reduce “orphan sock syndrome”

What laundry shortcuts & tips do you have? I’d love to hear!

Q&A Wednesday: how to keep personal vs. professional to-do’s

How to Organize a List

My Approach

Do you organize your tasks by category? If so – what kind of categories? We’d love to hear!

Don’t let your type-a nature cheat your child out of valuable life lessons

Life Lesson #624: Organize Yourself

Anybody else stunt their child’s growth by hovering too much (or by failing to reign in their inner control-freak?)