Ikea Tray Mod Podge Makeover

I've had this IKEA tray for a while now.  It's pretty basic and not very pretty. So, yesterday I decided to finally spruce it up with the help of some Mod Podge.  This is my first Mod Podge project and I'm so excited it went well. Here's some pics to catalog what I did!

Original Tray - $7.99 at Ikea

Can of spray paint in Jade

Mod Podge Matte, Mod Podge squeegee and disposable foam brush

2 Pieces of Scrapbook Paper from Michaels (your choice of design)

So, all I did was do a quick sanding of the entire tray and dry wiped it off to get rid of any dust.  Then I used some painters tape and some paper to protect the bottom of the tray so it stayed white while I spray painted the wooden part of the tray the Jade color.  It took me several coats.  I may try to do a base coat first next time. 

Once it was dry I removed the paper and tape from the bottom of the tray.  Then I worked to arrange the scrapbook paper on the tray in the most flattering way possible, cutting it to fit as necessary. Once I had it the way I wanted I started to adhere it. I began with the smaller paper pieces and used the Mod Podge Matte to adhere them to the bottom of the tray, making sure to line up the edges with the tray.  It only takes a thin layer of Mod Podge applied with the sponge brush to adhere. As I did this, I was careful to remove any bubbles using the squeegee. I continued this process with each piece of cut paper until I was finished. Then I applied a thin layer of Mod Podge to the entire top of the paper, using the squeegee and some paper towels to wipe it off the painted wood part as needed. Then I let that coat dry for about 20 minutes, reapplied, let dry and reapplied again.  I think I ended up doing 3 coats. 

Here's the finished product! 

  

So much cuter than the bland IKEA tray I had originally! 

This was so easy! I'll definitely be doing it again! In fact, I already have a project in the works using fabric on a bookshelf for toy storage that I hope to be posting not too long from now. 

Happy crafting!

Orange You Glad I Said Flowers?

This isn't so much an organizational fix, but it's still a "fix" that helps save you money.  Our family loves oranges, especially Jackson.  If we find a good batch of oranges (sometimes hard to do), we'll end up going back for more and more and more. 


On a related note I love my kitchen sink to smell good.  Not chemical good, but citrus good.  Sounds weird, but garbage disposals can get quite smelly. I've purchased these "Plink My Sink" balls and they're pretty great, but relatively expensive for what you get.  

Almost $5 

So I've personally started to use the orange peels instead.  I mean, they just end up in the trash anyway, so why not put them to good use!  I bet many of you already do the same thing. Just do a coarse chop (don't put large pieces of peel down or you'll have major issues!) and put them in a small container beside your sink. Then just put a pinch in the disposal when you clean your sink.  It makes your entire kitchen smell awesome!  Lemons and limes work too!  

You know what else makes your house smell nice and even look nice...fresh flowers.  Putting a vase of flowers on my dinner table just makes me happy and makes me feel better about the state of my house, even if other areas are messy.  I LOVE hydrangeas.  I have two bushes in my front flower bed, but they are just starting to bloom. These beauties were at Trader Joes, three stems for $5.99.  The roses are from my rose bush...FREE!

Kitchen Organization - To The Wall!

I live in a pretty small home with a small galley kitchen.  This wouldn't be so bad, but I also happen to be a huge kitchen gadget addict and a hoarder of lots of spices.  Even though I love to cook, cooking in my kitchen was starting to become more of a chore than an enjoyment.  I always felt stressed about it.  I could never find anything.  The cabinets, the fridge, the counter tops - always cluttered.  

When you have a small space with limited storage (and no pantry), you only have one option.  Go to the wall and go up.  So I accomplished this last weekend by taking a trip to the Container Store (my personal favorite store EVER!) and to Costco.  

We're going to start a series of post of my kitchen reorganization project with making use of wall space.  When you have a small space with limited storage (and no pantry), you only have one option - go to the wall!  So I accomplished this last weekend by taking a trip to the Container Store (my personal favorite store EVER!).   


I forgot to take a "before" picture of my kitchen, but I have one from when we purchased the house, so here it is.  At least you can see the wall before the paint job and the installation of the shelving.

And here's the finished project...

(Side bar - Funny story about this project.  I had no intention of painting initially, but my hubby tried to install this rack while I was watching Jackson and thought the stud was a little to the left (it wasn't), so the shelf wasn't centered.  So there were these huge holes in the wall from where the anchors were placed.  So we got a drywall patch kit and a can of paint.  Best mistake ever! I love the paint on this accent wall.) 

Items Purchased

Can of paint in Pyramid Gold

Elfa Door and Wall Rack System

(click here)

I purchased this on sale and believe it was about $90 total for all the components (2 spice baskets, 3 shallow and 2 deep).  This not only installs on the wall but can install over the door, so if you do have a pantry and want to maximize the space, it would be awesome on the inside of your pantry door.  

What's also amazing is that you can remove the baskets easily and take them with you. Just lift up and they're off!  Great for the spices if you want to take them off to work with them. 

Spice Racks

Three Shallow Bins

Deep Bins (perfect for oils, and larger items (even 2 liter sodas fit on here!)

I also bought a couple Elfa hooks to hang some necessities in easy reach...

Perfect to hang my measuring spoons and my grater... 

...and my oven mitt!

The final piece to bring it all together was the "Kitchen" sign, which I purchased at Kohl's for around $7.  As my mother said, without this sign, it would have looked a little too utilitarian.  The sign made it come together perfectly!

I loved this rack so much that I think I'll eventually buy another (or several) to use in other spaces. Would work amazing in a linen closet where you store toiletries or even in a laundry room for laundry supplies, or cleaning items. 

I do recommend the Elfa units.  They are much more solid than cheaper versions you might find in other stores.  Just wait for a sale!  

Makeup Bag Clutter

My makeup bag was always a mess.   But It was time to wash my makeup brushes, giving me a perfect opportunity to organize my entire bag. By the way, please wash your make up brushes at least once a month if you don't already - a lot of skin issues can be solved by simply keeping your brushes clean - use a soap made for them (click here to see what I use), or just a little baby shampoo/wash).  To dry, I like to use the dish rack and place them brush side up in the utensil area and then turn on the fan (we have a small fan on the kitchen counter).   

My makeup bag is a "Sonia Kashuk" that I purchased at Target for no more than $20 several months ago.   

Here's the BEFORE picture of the worst compartment...

And, here it is after...drum roll please.....

I went to Michael's and looked in their jewelry storage section and purchased some "Lock Tight Stackable Compartments" (click here) and some "Interlock Inner Compartment Sets" (click here).  These were super cheap (on sale in the Michael's store).  Don't think I spend more than $4 on the three packages I purchased.  I'm giving my hubby the remaining boxes to store his flies (he's a fly fisherman).

Then I decided it would be nice to have some labels, so I got out my trusty label maker...

This particular section of the bag was for eye shadows, brushes, etc. so I labeled the shadows by color group and the liner pencils and brushes. 

And here are pics of the other bag sections...

I love this bag.  It has this nice covered pouch for brushes!)

 It also has a zippered pocket inside the top in which I put lipstick and mascara. 

The final section has foundation an blush.  

Just go find compartments that work best for you.  You can even use ziplock bags, but this never looked "neat" enough for me. A better idea is to use recloseable bags like these (http://www.consumercrafts.com/store/details/catalog/jewelry-storage-reclosable-bags/1115-03) that you would also find at a store like Michael's or AC Moore. 

Happy makeup organizing!

Why Get Organized?

I've been thinking about my first blog entry - what should it be? An overview of some great products that help with organization, some tips and tricks, some pitfalls of organization?  That's all coming, but I think it's important to begin at the beginning and discuss the importance of organization.  Why even care?  Here are just a few reasons...


Change Behaviors!
Having a good organizational system is important because the systems we adopt help create behaviors.  If you have a good system, your behavior often will follow (i.e. a good filing system leads you to file things right away, thus reducing clutter).  If your system is incomplete, behavior may be erratic, unpredictable, and frustrating, etc.   You can have all the best intentions in the world to get organized, you can set all kinds of goals - but until you put the right systems in place, you are likely to remain frustrated.  Sure, you may be okay for a little while, but unless the system works (i.e. helps creates the behavior you want), things will eventually break down and you'll be back to square one. (By the way, sometimes it takes some trial and error to find the system that works best for you.)


Bring Peace (Less Stress)!
Secondly, systems and organization are important because of the peace it brings to our lives.  We were not meant to live in chaos.  It's unhealthy - physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  A Princeton University Neuroscience Institute study found that chaos (in this case, clutter) restricts your ability to focus and process information.  It basically serves as a distraction - an annoyance. This annoyance can eventually wear you down until you become frustrated and stressed. And of course, we all know stress has negative effects on us emotionally and even physically, including things like weight gain! (They found a link between weight gain and clutter...who knew!)  


More Time!

Thirdly, systems and organization give you back the time you've been wasting!  Time is precious, especially in our culture where there are so many demands and distractions.  How much time do you spend trying to find items in your home?  How much time do you spend cleaning and putting things away?  How many things have you forgotten?  Again, if we put the right systems in place, we can accomplish more in less time, locate items quickly and easily, etc.  This means that we can now spend more time with family, have more free time, feel more accomplished, less stressed and more in control of our lives. 


If you've accomplished an organizational project you know the kind of satisfaction it brings.  Even if it's hard work initially, it's so worth it when it's all said and done.  Why?  Because we thrive in organized, less chaotic environments. They make us feel good! They makes us feel more in control!  


Organization (or the lack thereof) affects every area of our lives.  So, let's get the weight of the clutter and disorganization off our shoulders and decide to live differently...to change our behaviors, bring peace and add more time to our busy lives.  I hope this blog helps you get inspired to live a more organized and systematic life.