Different Ways of Using Roll Up Canvas Pen Bags

I needed something for my planner pens for when I'm on the go and wanted to try out something new. I thought I would give roll up canvas bags a chance and see what they're about. I ordered from Amazon and for some reason thought I'd just get one but when I opened the package I was surprised to see four! It says in the title you get 4 so I don't know why I was expecting just one, probably just skimmed through it. Needless to say it was a pleasant surprise!

A look at the 4 roll up canvas bags. I liked the off white one the most because of the beautiful vintage key and it went well with my Martha Stewart Planner as well so that's the one I chose for my pens.

There's ample space in here for a set of 12 pens, and some more. I also added white out and a regular black ball point pen. These are my essential writing tools for my planner.

Rolled up, it was more bulky than I had expected, but it gets the job done. I think it's great for travel but I would prefer using pen cup holders on a daily basis.

Then I had to try and figure out what I could do with the remaining 3 canvas bags.

For the next canvas bag I took my toddler's crayons and added them inside. These worked out great and when rolled up, weren't bulky at all. This would be perfect for keeping in the diaper bag, car, or mom's purse. If you have older children, you could place paintbrushes here instead. 

Another option is using it for basic grooming tools on a weekend trip. You'll have to place the toothbrushes and comb in such a way that they don't touch each other after being rolled up. I wouldn't use this method for longer trips, but it would work for short getaways. 

Makeup brushes can also be inserted in this pouch. It keeps everything in place nicely and the different sized elastic bands are perfect for different sized brushes. 

I'm sure there are many other ways to use this roll up canvas bag that I haven't thought of! Can you think of something creative?

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Toddler Suitcase - 2 Month's Supplies

Traveling and being abroad with a toddler can be hectic in itself, so it's best to at least have their suitcase organized. This helps me keep my sanity on trips!  Our next trip is almost two months long in a land far away, so I thought I'd show you how I packed. All of this fit in a medium sized trolley bag.

I had to stock up on his formula because we can't find this exact one over there. My son has a sensitive stomach so he can only take soy formula for toddlers. Brands other than Similac don't suit him, so I bought a pack of 6 from Amazon. It was a good deal, buy 5 get 1 free, so this was perfect for us.

Above the formula in this picture I have kept a see-through bag of all of his medical supplies and toiletries. The size is perfect for long trips. I've also kept his favorite sippy cup - he is very particular about only using this one!

Next to that I have lined up all of his clothes.

Toddler clothes that are not in Ziploc bags can get really messy because they are so small and you have to change them so often. There is too much rummaging around and clothes get all over the place. Compartmentalizing the clothes really help in keeping organized during the entire trip, no matter how long it is. I have been using this method since he was born and his suitcase never gets disorderly. Here, I have kept his onesies, shorts, shirts and pants in one gallon sized Ziploc bag each. Behind it I have also kept a pair of sandals he has that are one size bigger. You never know when he'll need it. No need to buy another one from there if he already has a pair.  

Now, on to the other side of the suitcase. Always try to choose a luggage that has some fabric in the middle that you can zip off one side completely. This can double your space and keeps everything very neat!

On this side of the suitcase, I have kept one pack of diapers and a couple of packs of diaper wipes at the bottom. His diapers and wipes can be found where we are going so there was no need to stock up on those. I have also kept his favorite snacks, interactive toys to keep him busy, a puppet book and his beloved blankie that he can't sleep without. For toddlers, it is important to take things they are familiar with so that they can adjust more easily in a new place. This is not really the case when they are infants. They can get amused easily by new toys at that point. I have a post on packing for infants if you're interested!

As you can see here, I have zipped off one side of the suitcase completely. The things on that side will not budge, and when I open it upon arrival, everything should be in the same place. I don't know who invented the one side zippered suitcase, but that person is awesome.

What are some of your essentials to take when traveling with a toddler?

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Planner Brain Dumping

Planners are used for really organizing each and every day of your life. But what if you have so much to do that your own thoughts are scattered? This usually happens with me when we are about to travel somewhere, especially overseas. 

I'm about to take a trip that requires a lot of planning and preparing. I saw these post-its at Walgreens and thought they'd be perfect for the job:

I got one for myself and one for my husband. I believe they were just $1 each, with four different colors per letter. 

I then started pouring my thoughts onto the paper, and it really helped to declutter the mind. Just remember, these post-its are ONLY good for brain dumping, or maybe if you want to write a single reminder. You can't write much in them and they get messy because of their shapes.

After writing both of your tasks (if two) for that specific month, you will be able to assign a day to each task in your monthly view page of your planner. I think it turned out to be a great way to plan those longer, more tedious tasks. Side note: husbands will not be too impressed when you show them their monthly tasks list :P

If you're interested in a detailed review of my Martha Stewart planner, you can find it here.

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Pantry Organization on a Budget!

The pantry is one of the most accessed places in the entire house, so it's important to make sure that everything has a place! I was super excited to move into our new apartment because I would finally get my first pantry. Here's a look at how I have organized it: 

Everything in the pantry was contained using bins that were either on clearance or from the Dollar Tree. This entire section in the above picture was organized by spending around $30!

The large square fabric bins were from Target on clearance for around $4 each. They hold all of our larger snacks. I added Martha Stewart chalkboard tags to specify what to keep in each one.

 These are all reused jars. You can wash out your salsa and spaghetti sauce jars to store spices. Storing spices here is a lot more convenient and aesthetically pleasing than the plastic bags they come in!

                                   

To the left, I kept some Indian spices in containers from the Dollar Tree. Some of them are still in plastic because I need more jars!

On the right, I kept our some snacks for my husband's office in little buckets from the Dollar Spot at Target. They came with the chalkboard stuck on it already, and I thought the snacks would go perfectly in there. Easy to grab and go in the mornings!

Bags that contained a larger quantity of dry goods were placed in larger containers, also from the Dollar Store. Here I've kept different type of flours and lentils. Inside the most used containers I've inserted measuring cups for convenience. 

Then we had chocolates all over the place. Most of them are hostess gifts or from the husband :) It takes me months to finish a chocolate packet (ice cream finishes much faster around here) and I had too many of them lying around in their original packets. It looked really messy, so I took them out of their original packaging and put them in portion sized Ziploc bags. This made it look more uniform. At the back there are some drinks.

I didn't put the cereal in different containers because I felt it was easier to leave it in its original box. The rack is wide enough to have a double row of cereal boxes, so that's great.
 

This is one area I had struggled with for a long time - paper plates, cups, bowls and napkins. I found these baskets at the Dollar Tree and they keep everything really organized. Things are finally not toppling over everywhere! The chalkboard stickers were from the Dollar Spot at Target - $1 for a pack of 12. I have used and reused them many times, they continue sticking great on various surfaces.

I keep the rice on the floor because it's too heavy to put high up and reach for every time. I refill a container we got with rice once every time rather than using the fabric bag it comes in. There's a measuring cup in here as well. I've put it on a shelf riser. Underneath that, I store onions and potatoes. The box slides out very easily. 

Right above the rice is the right side of the pantry. Over here, I nailed in a couple of Wrap Organizers and they hold a lot of items. This is definitely not part of the $30 budget, but I installed it because it always remains neat and is long-lasting.

On the other side of the pantry, I hung all of my cleaning tools. Hanging them using simple nails keeps them from toppling on the floor and opens up the space in the pantry. Don't be afraid to use the wall space! There's no point in wasting it.

Finally, here is where all I keep all of our canned goods. This is another example of things never getting messy because everything has a very specific place. Although we barely ever have canned food, it's essential to keep extras in case of emergencies. We also keep shelf safe milk as backup for emergency situations.

If you add up all of the costs in total, the pantry has been completely organized from top to bottom for around $80. This beats the professional organizing systems that can cost thousands of dollars! What do you think of it? Would you make this investment?

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Apartment Living Room and Play Area Combo

The living room is the life of the home. Adults and children alike spend majority of their time in this one room throughout the day. The question is, how do we find a balance between their two spaces? Living in an apartment, there is no option of a separate play area in a different room. I've laid out some ideas in this blog post. 

Here's a look at the entire living room. Not too much of an open space but it's very functional!

This is the sitting area:

The sofa is from Rooms to Go and the chairs and rug are from Home Goods.

I just use a small ottoman with a tray on for guests. Both from Target.

Since my toddler loves to climb on the side of the sofa and play with the light switch, I kept a large sitting cushion on the bottom in case he falls off the edge. 

On the other side of the sofa, kept in a corner, are all of his toys. 

Although there are quite a few items here, they are not too much of an eyesore because they are all stored in one small corner of the room. I have stored my son's smaller toys in his infant co-sleeper, and a few larger toys around it. A large basket would have the same function.

Most people opt for using an ottoman to store their kids toys in. Sure, it looks less cluttered if you pack everything away, but here are my thoughts on why it's better not to:

1) Less convenient for the child. The child also lives in that space all day long and needs his or her own little area to play in!

2) There's always the fear of the child hurting his or her finger while taking the lid off or putting it on when they are young. 

3) Less toys fit in ottomans.

4) When cleaning up, all I have to do is pick up toys from around the living room and throw them in the bin from anywhere close! No need to go and open the lid or anything. Just pick up and aim!

5) When guests come over they understand that I have a toddler and he needs his own area. Sometimes when I'm busy in the kitchen, he's busy playing with his toys, which lets me work. If all of his toys were packed away he would probably be giving me a tough time!

6) Other children who come over love this little area.

The key is not to overdo it. More toys than this amount would make the area look too cluttered. If I get more larger toys, I will store some older ones away. 4 large toys at a time seem to be working to keep him busy.

Now for the other side of the room:

We have my son's jumperoo here. Notice how the color chosen is kind of muted compared to most baby toys. This allows it to blend into the decor a little better. He has loved it dearly for 1 and a half years now, but has grown out of it. I need to store it and replace it with something more age appropriate for him (2 years), but I'm not sure what. Do you have any ideas? A chalk board easel or teepee perhaps?

We also have the computer area in this room. We don't own a TV, so no need to worry about space for that. Finally, we have my son's old changing table at the end of the room.

I repurpose this changing table into a beverage cart if I'm hosting a party, but regularly it looks like this. On the top shelf are the hot beverage station supplies. On the bottom two are diaper changing supplies that I just pull out and use on the floor as needed. And the cute little chair on the side? His time-out area to sit in for one minute if he's throwing too many tantrums. :( Such are the ways of parenting.

Overall this is a very child friendly room and working out for our toddler! Do you have any other ideas I haven't thought of?

If you'd like links for any specific items shown in this post please leave a comment below and I'd be glad to assist. 

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Purse Essentials

A couple of weeks ago on my purse organization blog post, there was a giveaway. The winner could choose either purse essentials or stationery supplies for their prize. The winner of this giveaway chose purse essentials. I thought I'd show you what I got for her!

    These are things I feel are important for any situation:

- A compact mirror with a flat blush brush inside.

- Lip balm

- Blush

- Lip gloss

- Mascara

- Makeup remover wipes

- Nail polish remover pads

- Deodorant 

- Quarters for vending machine

- Nail file

- Mints

- Hand sanitizer

- Hand and body lotion

- Clorox to go wipes

And continuing on:

- Lint remover

- Comb/Hair brush

-Notepad

-Pen

-Pain reliever

-Band-aids

- Instant stain remover

- Tissues

- Hair clip

-Hair ties 

Here's what it looks like all packed up:

I hope she enjoyed her little prize and finds the products useful! She can obviously customize the pouch to her needs, taking out what she won't be using and adding anything else she needs! 

What else would you add in your purse essentials? I would love to hear about it!

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Loteda - Buying and Selling Children's Clothes by the LOT

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Loteda. All opinions are 100% mine.

Those of us with children know how quickly they grow. And growing quickly means going through clothes while barely having worn them. Buying a whole new wardrobe every couple of months can be really expensive. If you go the alternative route and go to garage sales or consignment stores, it can be really time consuming. That's where Loteda comes in.

Did you know that on average, US households spend $804/year per child on clothing? Loteda is such an interesting concept because it helps you buy or sell children's clothes in by the LOT. That means no need to try and sell the dozens of clothes one by one to try and make some cash. 

All you have to do to sell clothes is take a picture of each one, write down the brand name and condition. Loteda will choose a competitive resale price based on the original retail value, condition, and number of pieces in each lot. They will send a prepaid shipping kit once the lot sells. You just send the clothes back and receive 90% of the resale value just like that!

How easy is it to organize your children's clothes when using this method?! You can read more about How to sell here.

Shoppers can save money as all items are on a discounted price, and save time by buying a season's worth of clothes in one transaction. Returns are easy if you feel the seller misrepresented the quality/condition of the clothes

Sizes are Newborn - 5T/5, and all clothes are Gently-used. And the best part? I've got a discount code for you! 

20% off your total purchase. Use code: Summer20. Expires 8/31/2014
  Would you use this kind of system, or is it out of your comfort zone? 

For more details, check out this video!

Mom Purse Organization plus Sonia Kashuk Giveaway!! [CLOSED]

When my son turned 1 and a half years old, I took the plunge and decided not to bring his diaper bag with me everywhere, but leave it in the car instead in case I needed something. I know, not a very deep plunge, but still. I needed to keep his essentials along with mine in one purse now. I used a spacious Michaels Kors bag to do this. Here's what it looks like when you open it:

When I first started using this purse for both of our items, it was a huge mess with his clothes, toys, snacks etc everywhere. To be neat, the key is to compartmentalize everything. I got pouches for different things in my purse. There's also a convenient chain in this bag to hang keys from so you don't need to search on the bottom every time.

Let's get started with the breakdown: 

I love this striped pouch from J.Crew. It unfolds to become a decent sized fabric bag that can hold many items. Useful if you don't have enough hands to carry all items! Usually the case when you have a child with you! It folds again when you're done into a neat square pouch.

I got this small pouch from the Outlet Mall (excellent place for deals!). Rolling my son's clothes in here makes it much more organized than just throwing it in the purse.

Then of course, my wallet and sunglasses.

On the very bottom of the purse I stack one of his diapers, a disposable changing sheet and a very useful flexible wipes container, which is really slim and holds just enough wipes for a few trips. On the side I keep a container of his snacks, healing ointment and an interactive toy for endless fun (i.e. something to keep him quiet for 3 minutes tops).

 Finally, we're getting down to my last few personal items. A notebook and pen to jot down anything I want to remember. And a pouch from the Sonia Kashuk line. It fits perfectly in purses and keeps everything in its place.

A look inside. It's not clear unfortunately, but there are many pockets inside so that everything has a set place. There's even a zippered pocket hidden on the inside.   

Here are all the items I can fit into that small pouch!  The green cardholder holds all of my gift cards and some rewards cards. I also keep extra plastic bags folded into triangles in my purse. There's a post about it here.

And finally, a little gift for one lucky reader! I bought an extra Sonia Kashuk pouch, but I can't decide what stuff to keep inside! According to this post, it would only be sensible to keep purse essentials inside. But I thought it would be so much more FUN to keep studying, home office or planner essentials instead. Colored pens, fun post-its and other such items. So I want the winner to choose! Comment below what you would prefer if you won, and I'll get to shopping after the winner is chosen! I will be using Rafflecopter. Good luck!

This is my first ever giveaway so unfortunately it will be in the United States only, as I don't really know what to expect. Apologies to international readers! 

Also, those under 18 will need parental permission because I will be needing your address to send the prize.

Giveaway ends on July 20th 2014

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a Rafflecopter giveaway