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I'm sure you are all very familiar with Morris (@morristhe9livescat), the orange tabby 9Lives® Cat - one of advertising's greatest icons! This year he is celebrating his 50th Adopt-i-versary! Morris made his debut in 1968 when Bob Martwick, an animal talent scout discovered him at a shelter in Hinsdale, IL. His charming personality landed him the official spokescat position with 9Lives where he went on to become one of the most famous cats and starred in over 50 commercials and appeared in a film with Burt Reynolds. Morris's Celebricat status didn't stop there! He visited countless schools to promote animal kindness and in 2007 he launched Morris' Million Cat Rescue® to save those animals in need of forever homes. He never forgot his humble beginnings as a rescue cat. He and 9Lives continue to bring great taste and balanced nutrition to the table all over the world and he will not rest until every cat finds their forever home. This cute video does a great job highlighting Morris and his success as the 9Lives Cat!
Morris's adopt-i-versary reminded me of when we drove Macy Cat all the way from her country home in Ohio to her new digs in Boston (she truly is a city girl at heart). My family adopted her a few years prior but she didn't mesh well with the other cats which is why L and I scooped her up! She lived with us in the city for three years up until we moved her out to New Hampshire. With all of the changes and exciting additions going on around here (we added 8 more paws this past year), we thought it would be the perfect time to set her up for success this summer by finally organizing "her" drawer in the house.
We have a bureau by our door that houses frequently reached
for items which includes leashes, collars, grooming supplies, treats, pet food, hats, gloves and other miscellaneous items. Macy’s drawer
(along with all the others) have been slightly neglected and became a throw all
for random pet items. We keep Macy Cat's litter box and dry food upstairs in the laundry room so that Thing 1 and Thing 2 keep their Scoobi-Doo noses out of it, however, her wet food, grooming supplies, toys, extra bowls and any medicine are all corralled in one of the bureau drawers.
I completely emptied and vacuumed out the drawer, removed any clutter and then cut some wrapping paper down to use as a drawer liner. While Macy Cat may never actually look in this drawer, I will, and having the exciting drawer
liner will certainly brighten my day every time I look at it.
I played tetris with a few different containers before I was
able to find the “perfect fit”. It’s nice having a spot to put her grooming supplies
somewhere separate from her wet food and extra bowls.
I had this organizing project in mind, and was brainstorming ideas on my 11 hour drive home from a weekend camping/running trip. I stopped to pump gas and saw a Dollar General in the same plaza, swooped in and picked up some of Macy Cat's preferred wet food, 9Lives! We stocked her drawer up with Meaty Pate with Chicken and Tuna and Super Supper (Coupon for $0.50 off when you purchase 4) along with a few other flavors that we already had on hand.
Every time I open this drawer I get a big smile across my face - thanks Morris! After all, 9Lives celebrates and champions all cats! You might also enjoy checking out Morris's Cat Pack!
How do you organize your pet supplies?
In the spirit of Macy Cat and Morris, I wanted to share a Pet Care printable that will make things easier for you and your pet sitter.
I wanted to pop in and share how we keep all of our tax documents organized throughout the year and come tax time.
Come tax season, everything that we need for the year lives in this zippered pouch where I throw miscellaneous paperwork as it comes in throughout the year. I have used these zippered pouches for multiple organizing projects in the past and I love that they are semi see through which makes it easy to see the contents. I like that they zip shut so that no loose paperwork can fall out, and I like that they all around look nice. I have used them to store paperwork, pictures, cashed checks, and have been using the smallest version to toss our pay stubs and important receipts that will need filed this year.
It is more efficient for us to to throw all of the paperwork into this folder throughout the year and sort it come tax time opposed to sorting it as it comes in. We don't have that much paperwork coming in at this moment in our lives so this system works well for us and keeps everything corralled in ONE PLACE. We don't own or run a business and we don't own a home, so our paperwork is limited to our W-2's, our retirement contributions, student loan interest and any donations.
Should we ever transition to using an accountant rather than filing ourselves, all of the paperwork is collectively in one spot and we're not searching for documents last minute. When we get to the point where we need to itemize more things and save more receipts we will use an additional zippered pouch specifically for receipts.
A couple months ago I saw that Alejandra from Alejandra.tv used the same pouches as file folders to house her tax documents and then filed them away in her file cabinet. I thought that was genius, so I ditched the manila envelope method that I was currently using and made the switch to use only zippered pouches.
I considered putting everything in a large binder, however I like the idea of keeping everything separated by year. These aren't something that we are going to reach for frequently, however in the event that we need to refer back to them, they are easy to access.
I like everything to have a place and I do not like having extra paperwork lying around the house. I believe (and I could be wrong) that you're supposed to hang onto your tax documents for 7 years. With that being said, I have 7 envelopes for each year and then a working envelope for the current year. After the 7th year, the files are stripped and the documents are destroyed.
I use colored file folders with fasteners to corral our W-2's, pay stubs, returns and other important documentation from each year. We only have two files in each zippered pouch, however we have the option to add more down the road should we need to expand. Each file is labeled as to who it is for and the year.
On the right side of the file I keep the state and federal tax returns documents and on the left I keep supporting documentation which includes everything that I have collected over the course of the year that is reflected on the return.
Once we finish our taxes for the year, it is stored away with the last 6 years where it will live for the next 7 years until we need to cycle it out and destroy it.
I hope this was helpful for anyone looking for some organizing inspiration during tax season! How do YOU organize your taxes?
Welcome to December! The month of everything holiday related and all of the craziness that comes with it! I thought it'd be fun to share my holiday binder and the system that works best for us when December hits our house!
I use the 1" Better Binder for most of my organizational binders. They do come in a variety of colors, however I prefer to stick to one color (white) so that it doesn't become to busy looking. I put a piece of my favorite Holiday wrapping paper in the front and in the window located on the spine with a label. I keep all of these "organizing" binders together so when they're lined up on the shelf, they have a seamless look but I am able to quickly differentiate them by the window.
I was pleasantly surprised that the pocket on the inside of the binder was enclosed and has a band that keeps it shut. I keep a handful of holiday stickers, labels and cards that come in the mail as well as extra holiday stamps here. We do send out personalized holiday cards every year, however, it's nice to keep some generic ones on hand in the event that we run out of the personalized ones or are looking to send a card to someone we don't know that well. This is also a great place to keep return address labels.
All of the pages that I used for this planner are apart of the Christmas Planner that I designed last year. I printed them all on shimmer card stock to make them even more durable. I am constantly flipping through this binder so having these printed on card stock has been a game changer. I considered putting each of the printables into sheet protectors but figured it would be a pain to keep taking them them in and out every time I needed to work on a page.
The first page in the binder is a running "to do" list where I can quickly jot something down and refer back to it later. This binder sits out in our kitchen for the majority of November and December so it's important that everything stays in one place and I don't have multiple sticky notes laying around the house.
Right behind that page is a calendar of December where I write in important dates and reminders. I tend to use the calendar on my phone the most however it's nice to have everything written out on one page to serve as a secondary reminder to make sure that we aren't forgetting any special dates!
I have five different sections in this binder, "general", "gifts", "cards", "decor", and "recipes". These dividers are the Avery white plastic ones that I covered in wrapping paper, labeled and then covered in a Scotch laminating sheet. I did this to help secure everything and make sure it stays together. What's also great about these is that you can jot notes down on the other side and then erase them as well.
In the general section I have the holiday budget sheet to help keep track of all of our expenses throughout the season. I haven't filled this in yet. Usually we end up charging everything and then crying about it later.
I have a holiday checklist that covers up to four weeks before Christmas. It includes a variety of tasks from purchasing stamps, cards and wrapping paper to charging batteries and clearing space on our memory cards. I usually end up penciling in a few extra items as well!
We don't have kids, however, I do keep this "letter to Santa" form in here as well. This is great for kids to jot down a few of their Christmas wishes including what they want, what they need, what they'll wear and what they will read.
In the gifts section I keep the gift list right up front. We write down everyone that we will be shopping for this season and then include what we intend to purchase them and the price. When that item has been wrapped I check the box, and then when it is given to the recipient it gets another check! If we are purchasing several gifts for one person, we will just write their name at the top and then list the items that we have purchased. This is great to help keep track of gifts purchased for children. This list is from last year, so all of these people have already received these gifts, however I do like to keep lists from past years around to refer to.
On the following page I have a list for stocking stuffers. Similar to the "gift list", we will write who the stocking is for, the item, price and then we will check it off when it has been purchased and wrapped.
Right behind the "stocking stuffers" page I keep this mini sheet protector filled with $25 gift cards. I like to keep a variety of different gift cards on hand in the event that someone catches us off guard with a gift and we want to reciprocate the gesture. Plus, who doesn't love gift cards!? They're one of our favorite items to receive because they're small, compact and you get to pick out exactly what you want. I cut some kraft paper to size to fill the sleeve so that everything looks neat. What's great is they won't fall out because of the flap on the page protector!
In the cards section I keep a list of everyone I send holiday cards to that year. Each sheet holds 20 contacts. What I tend to do is go through out master contact list and write names (or highlight) of whom we will be sending a holiday card to. I usually don't write the address because it's stored right behind it and I keep the addresses saved on my computer so that I can print the address right onto the card. When the cards gets sent out it gets a check!
Tiny prints has kindly gifted us with holiday cards for the past couple of years which is where we receive our personalized picture cards. I always order them in 5"x7" size so that we can frame them and put them out on display year after year for decoration.
In the back of this planner I keep an additional copy of each holiday card in this recipes page protector to refer to year after year as well. I love how every picture encapsulates our lives from that year. Our picture from 2014 was taken when we lived in Boston so we snagged a picture up on our roof deck with the skyline in the background. Even though we still lived in Boston in 2015, our picture from that year was actually taken at my parents house in our matching holiday sweaters!
For this year's card we moved out of the city so we posed in front of our house with Macy Cat. She's so photogenic! I love having all of our holiday cards from past years stored back here. They're easy to access and fun to look through! I can't wait to continue to add to this collection and watch how our little family changes. I keep these stored in the very back of the binder because the sheet protectors extend farther than the dividers and I did not want them to cover the dividers up.
Also in the cards section I keep a "Thank You" sheet for any gifts, baked goods or kind gestures that we might receive. We just quickly jot down their name, address, what they gifted us with and then check off the box when the card has been sent. If you want you can even take this entire sheet with you under the Christmas tree and along to all of your family celebrations to make sure that no one is forgotten!
The Decor section is the smallest section in this binder and that is probably for the best. We currently only have two Christmas tubs which is largely thanks to the limited space that we had from living in Boston. Now that we have more space to store items like Christmas decorations, I'm sure that number will multiply! Our two tubs are already bursting at the seams. I use the same weathertight containers to store everything. This includes camping gear, adventure gear, things from high school, ski gear, linens, wedding stuff, seasonal clothes... you name it! However, if you're staring at 6 Christmas tubs amongst a sea of other tubs, how are you able to differentiate as to what is where? I print off this inventory sheet, fill in the number of the box, where it is stored and the contents that it consists of. I then photocopy this exact sheet, cut the squares out and then stick them into a label pocket. (For the purpose of this post, I filled out all six boxes to demonstrate how this system works)
If I can't find the box that I am looking for, all I have to do is refer to the binder for it's location and contents. If I'm looking for something in particular (ornaments?) all I have to do is look over this page and see what box they are stored in.
The first page in the recipes section is the dinner menu! We use this to draft our Christmas feast and to ensure we aren't forgetting anything. I'll write the item that is being prepared as well as the ingredients that are needed. I can then take then this entire page to the grocery store with me and check all of the ingredients off the list to ensure I have everything.
Our kitchen turns into a small bakery throughout the month of December. We love to try new recipes and bring them to work functions or holiday parties. We will go through and jot down when there is a holiday party, what we plan on brining as well as the ingredients that are needed. In addition to preparing plates for holiday parties and events, we also like to put together little boxes filled with a variety of treats for our associates at work so those cookies are included on the list as well.
I don't know what the universal size of a recipe card is so I decided to draw up some of my own where I can jot down the ingredients and directions. I keep a couple of these blank cards in the binder so that I can easily cut them out and fill them in with the next best recipe.
I have several of these half page protectors that I use to store recipes. The recipes section is in the very back because of the size of the sheet protectors. I like to keep all of our Christmas recipes in one location which is why I opted to use those. I cut a piece of kraft paper to go in the back of every sleeve so that it is easy to look at and through. Each protector has a flap which prevents the contents from falling out. Whether I'm using a recipe card, a cut out from a magazine or a print out from Pinterest, they're all separated and easy to find. I don't have many recipes that aren't baked goods so I opted not to label the dividers. They are, for the most part, all desserts so all I have to do is flip though quickly until I find the one I'm looking for.
That is the end of my holiday binder tour. Everything is packed in and won't fall out, nothing in this binder is going anywhere! This binder does not get packed away with all of the other holiday decorations. It lives on the shelf with all of my other binders so that I can easily reach for it throughout the year!
While sorting through our new IKEA hack of a cabinet the other day, I came across a couple organization solutions that I had put into place and felt as though their functionality was worth sharing with you. One of which is how we keep all of our greeting cards organized.
Prior to the system that we have now, I used to throw everything into this jazzy box and slapped a swanky label on it. It wasn't the worst system, however it wasn't as functional and efficient as it could be.
The container that I used for this project is made by IRIS and is actually a photo storage box that I purchased form the container store for around $14. Out of the two sizes that are available (4"x6" and 5"x7"), I used the one that was made to hold 5"x7" photographs. I have seen inserts for this same container at Michaels and on Amazon, however I have been unable to find the entire set. IRIS also makes a larger container that is made specifically to organize greeting cards. It comes with 6 or 7 plastic inserts that can divide the box into different card categories. I noticed though that the inserts didn't stay in very well, so if a certain section was overfilled it would push the insert out of place. I prefer this photo box method because it is more compact and each card category is separated by containers.
I'm also a fan of how easily these stack on top of one another. As you can imagine, I have a small supply of these which makes storing them a breeze.
I taped a chart to the interior of the lid that has our friends and families birthdays and anniversaries with the date and year of each event. This is helpful for when I'm writing a card and am trying to figure out how old they are turning or how many years of marriage they are celebrating!
There are six different compartments in this container. While I may have preferred a few more, six is just fine and works just as well. I labeled each section with clear label tape, adhered it to some fun washi tape and then put them in order of use. We tend to reach for blank cards and thank you cards the most, followed by birthday cards, congratulations cards, mother's and father's day cards and then sympathy and get well cards.
I originally wasn't going to include a mother's and father's day section, however I almost never have those on hand when I need them, so having a container for them serves as reminder to make sure I have them in stock for when those holidays creep up on me! The congratulations section works as a mixed bag for weddings, babies, graduations and anniversaries.
I pick up most of my blank and thank you cards form Marshall's which means I usually have a collection to choose from. I typically just wrap a rubber band (or a hair tie in my case) around them or clip them together to keep the different cards separated.
I also always try to keep some more "manlier" cards on hand as well.
In the last container, which is also usually the most empty, I keep a book of stamps, a pen and extra clips. It's always nice to know that there are stamps in the house! I hate when I go to send a card and we don't have any.
So far this system has been working out extremely well for us. Whenever I need to write a card, all I have to do is refer to this container... all of the resources are right in front of me!
L and I have a room in our house that wears many hats. It is a space that serves as an office, dressing room and storage. One wall has two racks of clothes, another wall has a bureau, the third wall has my all time favorite storage containers stacked to the ceiling, and the last wall had a small bookcase filled with all of our office supplies. Unfortunately, that cluttered and dark bookshelf was the first thing I would see every time I walked into the room making it a huge eyesore. Because this space (which I lovingly refer to as my woman cave) is undergoing a makeover so that it will eventually be a cozy and bright oasis, this bookshelf was the perfect place to start!
If you want to skip past reading this post in its entirety, I made a short clip that shows the project from start to finish with all of my mistakes along the way!
I guess you could say I did a lot of homework when deciding what type of furniture I wanted, but I was most intrigued by the versatility and affordability that the Ikea Besta system offered (this is not sponsored, btw!). When planning this project out in my head I knew that I wanted it to be bright, mirrored, chrome, I wanted it big enough to house our printer, I wanted it to have adjustable shelves, I wanted to have the option to add to it down the line, and most importantly I wanted it to be a cabinet with closing doors so that I could hide the mess clutter. I also wanted it to be somewhere under the $300 mark. It was no surprise that I couldn't really pin down what I was looking for. SO... to Ikea it was! ...and when I say "to Ikea" I'm referring to the website because I can assure you there are no Ikea's east of Boston where I now live.
Because it's Ikea, you do have to order all of the parts individually. Don't assume that the doors come with hinges, or the cabinet come with feet and a support leg... those are all extra pieces that you should add to your shopping cart. I purchased:
The total for all of the products used for this project cost me $281 (not including any shipping expenses).
I love the look and brightness of mirrored furniture which is why I really, really wanted to incorporate it on this cabinet. I took both of the HANVIKEN doors to a local glass shop and they kindly cut two mirrors to size and glued them onto the doors so that they were flush with the trim. I was thrilled. If you don't have a local glass store, I'm sure Lowe's or Home Depot would work as well, however you may need to glue the mirrors yourself.
The Besta cabinet comes with what I believe to be flat "feet" that you can screw onto the bottom of each corner so that the cabinet is not sitting directly on the floor. I knew I wanted it to be lifted a little and I knew I wanted the feet to be chrome to match the handles so I purchased two packages of NANNARP legs to dress it up a little. I do plan on eventually adding another Besta cabinet on top which is why I also purchased the support leg to help give it a little stability should I add on to the cabinet down the road. This isn't really necessary, however I would like to add to it eventually.
The next customization that I made was dressing up the two panels that slide in the back of the cabinet. I wanted it to have a little pizazz as well as tie into the chrome accents that I was adding to it. I purchased come metallic wallpaper from an online store, aliexpress, which I have never heard of before... but was pleasantly surprised by the speedy shipping. I definitely purchased way more wallpaper than I needed for this project but am sure I will be able to find another use for it down the road. I glued it down with some 3M spray adhesive which ended up making a huge mess. If I were to do this again, I would try to use something a little more controllable and less messy. This stuff gets everywhere. By the end of this I had glued every speck of dirt from the floor onto my fingers!
Unfortunately, when I went to slide the panels into the back of the cabinet, they kept catching and ended up ripping. This made me very sad... especially after the whole 3M glue fiasco!
SO! Back to the drawing board I went, this time I covered the entire panel except for where it would be sliding on the sides.
I ended up putting wallpaper on both sides of the panel which meant that the back of the cabinet got a little facelift! What a beautiful surprise, I love it!
I wanted the cabinet to have a little bit of a dramatic flair which is why I purchased these 15" Liberty Steel Bar Pulls from Home Depot for the front of the doors. They also tie in nicely with the feet and wallpaper that I added to the cabinet earlier.
I'm no master measurer, however once I figured out the correct measurements for one of the doors, I stacked them on top of each other and drilled through both of them to get a consistent and even measurement. This probably isn't the most proper measurement technique, however, it worked for me!
It was important that we use this new space to store our printer, so we drilled a small hold towards the bottom of one of the panels to feed the printer cord through to the outlet.
I haven't quite organized it how I would like to see it organized, however, here is an idea as to how we are able to store all of our office supplies so that they are out of sight, yet still functional! The lower left shelf has a container filled with cords, cameras, cables... you name it! The lower right shelf has our printer, binders and my favorite zippered poly envelopes. Above that I have several sterilite containers filled with paper, envelopes, ink, manuals, pen, paper, tape, etc., and the other top shelf is a mixed bag of other random items (greeting cards, notepads, stapler, labeler).
I'm pretty please with how everything turned out! My only complaint would be that the door on the left is slightly higher than the one on the right and it's my own fault. One day when I am feeling ambitious I will fix it by loosening the screws. Over all though, I am loving the clean, crisp and bright aesthetics that it brings to this multi-purpose and slightly busy room.
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