Inexpensively Frugal Blog Network » Organization

{The New Home Ec} 24 Awesome Ways to Reuse Baby Wipes Containers

Heather Sokol — Thu, 03 May 2012 17:41:50 +0000

I still have baby wipe containers all over the house, even though we haven't had a baby in diapers for more than 3 years. They make such great storage containers — the toy room has stacks of containers filled with cars, puzzles, and more tiny toys than I can count. We have wipes containers in the office, the garage, the kitchen, and bathrooms. They're filled with items we use everyday, things we need to tuck away, and stuff I'd never find again if it weren't neatly stacked and labeled in the perfect container. I've put together a list of my favorite uses — and some new ones that make me wish we were still buying wipes! Check out these ideas for repurposing baby wipe containers on Babble.com...

(The New Home Ec} 20 Amazing Ways to Reuse Toilet Paper Rolls

Heather Sokol — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:22:29 +0000

A few weeks ago, I saw a post on using empty toilet paper rolls to store & organize cords. I thought it was so brilliant that I immediately started saving our empty rolls. Then, I stumbled on a tip for using one as filler for frugal holiday decor, ...
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Receipt Storage & Tax Organization

Heather Sokol — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:29:05 +0000

I completed my taxes a couple weeks ago—it took several days of almost nonstop sorting through paperwork, emails & online accounts. I actually thought it would take longer—which likely means I’ve missed some receipts & deductions. My disorganization costs money all the time!

I am so excited about my recent discovery—Shoeboxed is going to change everything this year! With this service, you send receipts, they scan & extrapolate the data to store & organize in a secure online account. Receipts get categorized so you can retrieve the information you need, when you need it. They even provide an email address to forward online receipts.

With 4 membership levels—including a FREE DIY version—you can choose a program that works for your family or business. I’m going with the Lite membership. It provides 50 scans per month & an email address for unlimited online forwards. If I go over, I can always scan & upload them myself, since that part is free anyway. The $10/month fee will fit nicely into our budget, and I’m pretty sure I’ll earn it all back next year—both in time saved & few missed opportunities.

Shoeboxed is offering a free 30 day trial right now—check it out and see what a difference organization makes in your life.

Taming the Stockpile Challenge with Coupon Teacher

couponteacher — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 21:04:19 +0000

If you are cleaning out your cupboard with Denise from Shopper Strategy, you may want to check out the January challenge on Coupon Teacher as well. I am inviting you to Tame Your Stockpile this month!

Part One: Eating from Your Stockpile—One of the best ways to “Tame” your stockpile is to use some of it! (See, I told you you can clean out your cupboard and tame the stockpile too!)

Part Two: Clean Out The Freezer—My chest freezer desperately needs defrosted and organized. My freeze inside could use some work too.

Part Three: Get Organized—Come up with a stockpile organization system that works for you.

Part Four: Fill in the Gaps—Focus on what your stockpile needs to be well-rounded and manageable. This means shopping fun!

Will you join me to Tame Your Stockpile during the month of January?

CardMobili.com: Store Loyalty Card Storage (Ad)

Heather Sokol — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 12:02:55 +0000

Photo by LVCHEN via Flickr

I have an unbelievable amount of cards in my possession. I have grocery store cards, loyalty cards, rental cards, library cards (for myself and 2 of the girls—Lorelai will be adding to my collection very soon!) and discount cards. I have plastic cards, paper cards and keychain cards.

I’d love to carry them all with me wherever I go, but I’m not a pack mule. I have cards in my purse, cards in my car’s glove box and cards I have to seek & find when I need them. I do, however, carry my phone everywhere. Yes, everywhere. Even there.

So it should come as no surprise that I love CardMobili—I can enter all of my card numbers into my account, share with the hubby on his own account for when it’s his turn to shop and download the iPhone app to use my cards at the store. Don’t have an iPhone?

No problem! It also works on Windows Mobile, Blackberry & java-based phones like Nokia, Samsung, LG and Motorola. You’ll be able to enter card numbers on the web or through your phone, then show the barcode or number at the store, when you need it. I prefer to enter mine on the web, since I’m faster at typing with a full keyboard.

I’ve seen apps that use the phone’s camera as a barcode scanner, which could be pretty handy when new cards come along. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for that update in the future. However, I would have used the web for this first entry session anyway—it’s just faster for me since I had to enter more than 25 cards.

And, that is why I don’t carry them all around in my purse! With my phone in my pocket, I’ll still have access to my cards everywhere I go. The service & application are free, and very easy to use. I’m setting the hubby up with his own account, too—his poor duct tape wallet could use a little relief from all those cards.

How many cards do you think you have?

I was compensated for writing this post, but all opinions are 100% my own.

Organization: The Key to Savings

Guest Post — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 12:38:08 +0000

Have you ever paid a hefty late fee because your mortgage statement was buried under heaps of coupons or pyramids of free sample packs of gum?

Missed out on a great investment because you didn’t know about stock market holidays? Or paid a fine for an overdue library book, simply because it was hidden under piles of BOGO ads from 2006?

You’re not alone in your battle with clutter.

Disorganization clogs the pipelines of many homes. It’s frustrating, it’s expensive and it destroys household budgets. Studies have shown that 98% percent of moms are disorganized. Actually, I made that last part up; it’s probably more like 56.

Baby Steps

It doesn’t make much sense to clip coupons and pour over weekly circulars, only to have your savings eaten up by late fees. Starting today, make a vow to stop wasting time and money, searching for coupons, invoices, cell phones and keys. Throw out those ancient magazines and piles of junk mail that occupy prime real estate on your office desk. Empty those overflowing trashcans and wastebaskets and stop playing hop-scotch with the heaps of catalogs sprawled across your office floor. Organization is the key to saving money and it’s really not as difficult as you might think.

Got Mess? Don’t Stress!

Feeling overwhelmed by clutter is the number one reason moms give for not being organized. Honest! Don’t become frustrated by the task; remember, we’re taking baby steps here. Focus on one room or even one corner or one closet at a time. Some folks are at their best when working in lengthy sessions; others work well in spurts of 5 to 15 minutes. Know yourself and know your limits. Whatever your style, make a promise to work in that space until the job is done. Remember Aesop’s fable of The Tortoise and the Hare? Well, the same lesson applies here; slow and steady sets the de-cluttering pace.

De-cluttering 101

The De-cluttering Pace

Bring a large trash can, cardboard box, and laundry basket into your chosen space.
Old magazines, junk mail, trash and all items that serve no earthly purpose, go into the can. If it’s broken and you’re not going to fix it, get rid of it.
Pass along things you don’t use; they only serve to take up physical and mental space. Useable items you haven’t touched in the past year go into the cardboard donation box—if you don’t want the items someone else will. Be sure to take donated items to your favorite charity the next day.
Be super critical about the items you choose to keep. Things you plan to keep, but go elsewhere in your home, belong in the basket. Put these items where they’ll be used most efficiently and keep them there, when not in use.
Don’t rethink your decisions! Leave donated and items declared trash in place.

Pretty simple, right?! The secret to saving money is being organized. Make it a habit to toss things you don’t need and put things you do need in their proper places. Remember, you are the de-clutter fairy. So, take your sparkly wand, clear the clutter and watch your budget grow!

Bonus: Clean Your Microwave in 5 Minutes or Less

Does the inside of your microwave look like a petri dish? Go green and go clean in five quick and easy steps.

Fill a medium sized microwave safe bowl with 2/3 water and 1/3 vinegar; dip a dishcloth (or paper towels) into solution and set aside.
Place bowl in your microwave and heat on high for 3 minutes.
While waiting, take your dishcloth and wipe down the outside of your microwave. In a minute or two the vinegar solution will start to boil, and the resulting steam will loosen the grubby goo on the inside walls of your microwave.
After the timer sounds, remove bowl using oven safe gloves and set aside.
Take your dishcloth and wipe down the inside walls of your microwave. Rinse cloth and repeat as necessary. (If your vinegar solution is not too hot, dip your cloth into mixture, then wipe down walls).

Cleaning should be a breeze. Keep your microwave from looking like a science experiment gone wrong, by using this technique at least once a week. Happy Cleaning!

We are thrilled offer another guest post from Nikola Hartmann. Nikola is a thrifty gal who believes in “Living Well For Less”. Please visit her blog, Live Well For Less and follow her on Twitter.

We have invited her to join our team—she won’t be a “guest” for much longer, but you’ll still find her awesome tips here on Inexpensively.

The Hidden Cost of Disorganization

Heather Sokol — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:30:42 +0000

Oh, I wish I were an organized person! Peter Walsh asks in his book, “What is clutter costing you?” He thinks in terms of space, peace and relationships but after this week’s decluttering experience, I’m considering the monetary costs. Earlier today, I shared a few ways to make money off the items you are purging. Now, I want to count the ways clearing out and getting organized can actually save money:

Found money: I turned up a $3 Pinecone Research check in my cleaning this week. It’s not much, but at times I’ve found $20 bills tucked into coat pockets and entire deposits that never actually made it to the bank.

More tax deductions: I do a pretty good job organizing my receipts in January but if I often wonder how many more deductions I would find if I were more organized throughout the year. I’m sure there’s a receipt here and there that have gotten stuck in the bottom of a purse or thrown away with the bag.

Easily Finding & Using Coupons: This is probably the area I do the best with. When people see me in the store, they often comment on how organized I am. Having coupons sorted & at your fingertips means you never miss a deal!

Knowing what you have so you don’t overbuy: The flip side of the Eat From Your Pantry challenge is if your pantry were always organized, you could create meals from what’s on hand all the time! On Sunday, I paid full price for a roll of packing tape—I had a shipment to mail and several game boxes to repair. Last night, I unearthed the roll I couldn’t find.

Paying Bills on Time = No Late Fees: This one is a pretty obvious one, but how many times have you paid a late fee or overnighted a check or package because you couldn’t get it together to mail it on time in the first place.

I cringe at the money I’ve wasted over the years, but we’re moving onward and upward! When I finally cracked and asked the hubby for help, I told him anything we found and any effects of the clutter just couldn’t matter. The important thing is to jump in and get started. Five boxes and a bag of trash later, I feel a lot lighter! There is still a very long way to go, but we’re making progress and every little bit helps.

This article is part of our New Year, New Budget series. We are concentrating on New Year’s resolutions and helping you find ways to tackle them inexpensively. This week focuses on the popular “Getting Organized” resolution.

New Year, New Budget: Get Organized

Heather Sokol — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:04:55 +0000

We’re kicking off our New Year, New Budget series by tackling your New Year’s resolutions. The goal is to help you make progress, while sticking to your budget. Year after year, one of the biggest resolutions is to get organized. I chose to tackle this one first because I need a lot of help myself. I won’t begin to tell you how to organize—that’s isn’t the goal of this series. Our purpose is to help you get it done, inexpensively. If it’s coupons you need to organize, I’m your gal but we’ll leave the rest to the organizing experts.

One of the first things people do is rush out and buy storage containers. I know this because they are featured in the weekly ads all month long! Flylady is fond of saying that you can’t organize clutter. You can only get rid of it, but sometimes you will need to store things. Before you buy stock in Rubbermaid, take a look at what is around you. Does your home decor feature baskets? Put them to use as mail collectors, paperback book storage or office supply containers. They have the advantage of looking good and often come with a handle for easily moving room to room as you do.

You’ll probably find several more ways to sort your stuff just by thinking green. Empty peanut butter jars are the perfect size to store crayons, marbles and other trinkets kids’ seem to collect by the dozens. Baby wipe containers snap shut tightly to manage office supplies, toys and batteries. Before you toss out the next empty carton, consider if it could replace a purchase. Of course, don’t hold on to it “just in case” or you are only contributing to the clutter you’re trying to organize.

Don’t get caught up in buying a bunch of systems, storage units and books thinking it will finally be “just the thing” to organize your life. Although, I did find a ton of help from It’s All Too Much and have read it on more than one occasion. Just remember, your local library is a great (free) resource if you need a little guidance in your quest to tame the clutter. You can make progress on your resolutions, without adding to your budget, if you use the assets already available to you. In fact, you can actually make money on your clutter. Watch for more posts this week as we share a variety of ways to sell old books, gadgets, clothes and more!

Getting Ready for the New Year

queenoffree — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:52:37 +0000

Seasons Greetings Money Saving Lords and Ladies! Here in the Queendom, we hope that you had a very Merry Christmas and have fabulous plans to ring in the New Year come Thursday night. The Princesses, King and I had a relaxing and fun-filled Christmas (let’s just say that I certainly LOVE the Eldest Princess’ “big” gift – a Wii Fit Plus). Today, I’m refocusing, cleaning up a bit, and trying to think about the new year. In order to start our year off on the right foot, I’m doing a few mundane things which I think will yield great results.

1) Cleaning up and cleaning out. The extra trash from Christmas is already at the end of the drive but over the next couple of days, I’ll also be gathering several things to donate to Goodwill before the end of the year. We itemize our taxes so I take the painstaking task of listing just about every item we donate with great joy. Too small clothes, unused toys, gifts, and other household items will be exiting my house. Our small home, my cluttered mind, and our accountant will all be thrilled.

2) Scouring the Pantry and Freezer. No, I’m not using baking soda to clean (although it might not be a bad idea), I’m sorting through the cabinets, fridge, and freezer to see what foods are left from this year. On the cooking list today: 2 bags of dried beans, a box of pancake mix that I’ll prepare and then freeze for the Eldest Princess’ breakfasts over the next couple of weeks, and dethawing a bag of frozen chicken to prepare tomorrow.

3) Lists, lists, and more lists. I’m finalizing and revising my 40×40 list (40 things I want to accomplish by the age 40) with some specific goals for the new year. I’m also beginning a new series on Queen of Free during the new year called “Buff on a Budget” where I’ll share some fitness tips and ideas that keep you in shape without expanding your budget’s waistline. So I’m taking inventory of the fitness items we already have – weights, DVDs, resistance bands, other equipment for both inside and outside – so I’m ready to take on the world come Friday morning.

As the old adage goes, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. I’m putting some meat on my dreams by giving them a deadline and turning them into goals. And in order to achieve those dreams and goals, I’m doing easy and kind of boring tasks this week in between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. What are you doing to prepare for the New Year?

We regularly share with you our our tips, deals, coupons and free offers. Each Monday, we will share the best of what’s out there. This list may include valuable offers and coupons each week, but are not necessarily product recommendations. If you are looking for specific recommendations, please see our product suggestions or the Inexpensively Store.

Reusable Bags & Coupon Organization

Heather Sokol — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:01:07 +0000

You see reusable grocery bags everywhere now, and they come in a variety of colors and styles. The bags usually only cost around $1.00, and hold much more than the plastic or paper bags traditionally used. I am slightly addicted to the bags and have amassed quite a collection.

I own a bag from practically every retail store I’ve ever stepped foot in. I have devised a way to use my massive collection of grocery bags to work for me. The environmental benefits are obvious, but these can be an easy organizational tool too. I use my weekly coupon clipping system along with my grocery bags to make saving money even easier.

I set aside one bag for each store where I shop regularly (usually, this is a bag I have actually purchased at said store). They are good not just to carry groceries home, but to sort coupons. Most bags have an insert designed to provide a hard base for your purchases. I have attached a paper clip to the insert to hold my coupons and shopping list; everything I need is in one place when it is time to shop.

During weeks when I plan to visit more than one store (sometimes, I just can’t resist the deals), I put my grocery list & a set of coupons in a bag for each store, keep them in my car and stop at the store fully prepared as my schedule allows. I save time, money, and the planet with one simple, organizational system.

Originally published at Blissfully Domestic