coupon organization ideas & some printables ♥

so let's talk coupons 

:) 

such a touchy subject for some, i know 

... if it works for you, great.  if it doesn't then that's great too. 

i started using coupons last year, (as in planning & checking flyers)

and found i really save some money if i stick to it and stayed organized... 

by being able to see which coupons i have and applying them to what is on sale every week

here are some supplies i use to keep everything going with this system ...

sharpies - index cards - post-it tabs

binder, binder labels, binder bands 

(from Staples) (thank you Martha)

and baseball card protectors - not pictured

and of course a super cuter pencil case (from my instagram gal pal here)

(totally not necessary, but way more fun if you have a cute pencil case)

now let me start off by saying i'm not a die-hard couponer

i don't buy things just because they're on sale or because they're free even though we don't use them

 ... and i don't go to 14 thousand stores every week  just to get a bargain. 

i generally shop at Target & our local grocery store, Wegmans

... and i am brand specific. for some things.

when you've found a soap that doesn't irritate your skin or a shampoo that works great for you hair

i think you should be brand specific ... just be smart about buying those particular items when they're on sale, and preferably when they have a coupon circulating ... double savings!

we also have a few heavy duty shelves in our basement that hold over-stock ... 

so when something is on sale and i have a few coupons for it,

 i'll buy 2 or 3 instead of just one since i'm getting the item at such a discounted rate 

(most weeks i buy 2 or maybe 3 newspapers to get extra coupons -

the cost of the paper is minimal compared to what i'm saving on product)

... for instance, we use dove soap, a coupon comes out for dove products once every few months. when it does, it's usually on sale at one of the stores i shop in. so with coupon & sale combined, buying a few boxes will get us through to the next coupon and sale week (most times i always have some left, so i just adjust how many i buy for next time)

i also like to keep a clipboard (hanging on the shelves) with a list of all the products we use and how many we have left ... so when i see that coupon for soap, i can just check the list to see how many are left, and then how many to buy

did you know Target has their own coupons? online... yup!

Target lets you use their coupon combined with the circular coupon! 

(well, they do here anyways :)

and if that item is on sale as well ... it's a huge savings.

i love Target sales... so i take a few extra minutes when i'm making my grocery list, to go check their coupons and see if any can be combined with what i have ... i save a bunch in the end

so back to the binder ...

i started out by making some dividers and printed these on heavy card-stock

and i wanna share them with you!

(download & print your own here)

then used my post-it tabs to label the sides for easy filing

use a 3-hole punch to tuck them into that pretty binder :)

slip a few pages of baseball card protectors in between each divider and you're ready to cut!

some categories have only one or two coupons in them, but i know right where to go when i get to the store and find that the yogurt is on sale this week, even though i didn't see it in the weekly flyer

most of the coupons i use are for food items, paper products & health/beauty supplies

i make some of my own cleaning products, laundry detergent & fabric softener

so i don't have much of a need for cleaning coupons, even though i have a section for them

:)

i also carry a small coupon folder in my purse that holds every day coupons

 (i only bring the binder when i'm doing my major grocery shopping trip)

craft stores, restaurants, or just general shopping coupons are all tucked into this cute little aqua organizer right inside my purse for easy access, or when i'm on a spontaneous lunch date with the hubs and remembered i had a coupon for wherever we're eating (which almost never happens ... i always forget to use my coupons when i'm shopping & having fun ... guess i'm only in coupon mode at the grocery store for some reason :)

(oh, and at the craft store ... i do remember at the craft store

i'm there waaaaay to much to not remember to use coupons on stuff ... oy)

so hear ya go ... this is how i do coupons

:)

i actually thought this was going to be a really simple post

but a lot goes into using coupons ... and trying to decide how much time you want to invest into things based on what the results are, is also important. 

 ... i've found now that i have a bit of a system in place, it's a lot easier to think about using coupons to save on groceries.  once you get into a routine and figure out what works best for you then stick with that ... it might be more couponing, it might be less.  

i also try to meal plan at the same time, which is a whole other long post ... 

a doozy of a post :) but i hope to share that as well ... i'm working on it a little at a time.

my binder system is slowly taking shape :)

they all live on the counter in our kitchen/office area

and i'm currently working the household & meal planning binders

i'm kinda crazy with planners ... i love them ♥ 

and i really big fat heart my Jen Jones planner from here :)

i'll talk about that a little bit in my meal planning post

i also have a Much Ado About You printable planner from my IG bestie here

that i use more like a journal & scrapbook for me

kay, now just for fun ...

 i made you guys a cuteified grocery list

cause planning a trip to the grocery store, with coupons, 

is way more fun with a cute grocery list ... yes. it is.

download your super duper it's gonna be a fun week to grocery shop grocery list here :)

it actually looks just like everything else i do

notes everywhere, little things here and there ... all over ... random

yup. that's me :)

do you coupon? tell me about it in the comments ... i wanna hear please.

much love ♥ and gladness in my heart

linking up here:

A Crafty Soiree ♥ Yesterday on Tuesday

Whatever you Want Wednesday ♥ Free Pretty Things for You

live laugh linky ♥ live laugh Rowe

Party Time ♥ the 36th Avenue

Weekend Wrap-Up Party ♥ Tatertots & Jello

Sundae Scoop ♥ i heart naptime

Party Junk ♥ Funky Junk Interiors

Junkin' Joe ♥ the Cottage Market

diy pennant bunting & a summer front porch ...♥

as i work my way through fixing up our house, i'm slowly discovering my decorating style

and slowly discovering what works & feels best for our family

and realizing it's not about perfection, it's about using what you have

to make it an inviting & welcoming place to live 

♥

i've always dreamed of having a wrap-around front porch with a swing and a pretty 

spindle-ish wood screen door ... so even though our front porch is small, 

it's still fun to spruce it up a bit for summer

sometimes i sit and watch the kids play (they usually don't know i'm sitting there)

or i read there in the morning, after the bus leaves 

(unless it's raining) 

(or if it's too hot)

 (we don't have consistent weather here ... at all)

but it's quiet, and peaceful

the bunting was an easy project ... just cut the pieces to size, sew a pocket and thread some jute through the pocket ... or hot glue directly to the jute

this rocker was on the curb one night before garbage day ... a long time ago

i love it, it's my favorite. i've painted it lots of different colors

this year it got the mint green treatment :)

i hope to find some odds & ends to add to this little wall near the rocker

maybe a mini side table too ... the welcome sign was actually a mirror

with some chalkboard spray paint to cover the mirror

and some almond colored paint around the frame ...

it takes on a whole different look

welcome to the porch! :)

the azalea's are in full bloom this week

that means summer is almost here

the girls will cut a few branches off every couple of days

and put them in a vase near the kitchen window for me :)

well tomorow's friday! that means yard sales! fun fun fun :)

be back soon with some info on my coupon system...

happy weekend 

linking up here:

A Crafty Soiree ♥ Yesterday on Tuesday

Whatever you Want Wednesday ♥ Free Pretty Things for You

live laugh linky ♥ live laugh Rowe

Party Time ♥ the 36th Avenue

Weekend Wrap-Up Party ♥ Tatertots & Jello

Sundae Scoop ♥ i heart naptime

Party Junk ♥ Funky Junk Interiors

Junkin' Joe ♥ the Cottage Market

kitchen cabinet re-org ... ♥ part two

i hope my last post inspired you to crack away at problem areas in your home! :)
so on to the bottom half of the kitchen/office are

for starters this was the junk drawer

'cept we had two other drawers just like it elsewhere 

it was a catch-all for random stuff

this is the cabinet below the junk drawer

oy.

i had the intention of making this whole area an "arts & crafts" station

then my craft room came along and that idea was toast :)

so it just became the cabinets with the "stuff" in it

stuff-that-was-out-on-the-counter-and-people-are-coming-over-so-we-have-to-hide-it-somewhere-stuff

so here's the after ... all cleaned up

with some help from my little friend Mr. Target

and a whole lotta indecisiveness

(like a ton of indecisiveness)

so first things first

i lined the drawers & pull-outs with wrapping paper

just like i did with the spice jar drawer 

unlike in my spice drawer, where everything kinda just sits there,

i tacked these papers down with a little double sided adhesive

since we would be sliding bins and things in & out

some of the little things that helped organize these areas were inexpensive, simple solutions.

dipping dishes found in the kitchen section were the perfect size for herding small things together ... and the metal rimmed tags keep all sorts of items from getting mixed up

take a closer look

the dishes hold spare or random keys

USB drives & memory cards

small size batteries & whatever else :)

using small pieces of washi tape, i labeled the cords

so now we know what's what, and it's in plain sight

no more searching for cords when we're in a hurry :)

the cupboard below now stores my silhouette & all of our camera paraphernalia

(which really is more than i thought we had)

when i need to use the silhouette, just pull it out and plug it in

the bin next to it holds the postage scale i use for the shop

(multiple times a week ... so having it handy, but out of sight is perfect)

extra ink cartridges for the printer, cords, and screen wipes

(cause our screens are always nasty & dusty)

(aren't yours?)

ok, so this is kind of my favorite part

i mean i just love how this whole section of the kitchen turned out

but having a place to keep all of our camera equipment

just seems like the bomb diggedy :)

the lenses, the cords, the manuals, the batteries...

these's so much of it

to not have to go here and there to find everything is just wonderful ♥

i used glue dots to affix the chalkboards on this bin 

(and to the bin next to the silhouette)

top, clockwise: the old point & shoot, lenses & flash, dslr (and it's cute camera strap)

my older daughter's camera, battery charger & extra cords 

(that the hubby told me "yes, we have to keep those")

and an expandable file for all the manuals, warranties, and other paper stuffs that go with these machines

see?? isn't it fun??

i'm just super happy with how this came together :)

what? the cute camera strap? 

oh, you like it huh?

me too ♥

my sweet gal pal Andrea over at Knitty Bitties made it for me

she's the bomb diggedy too :)

you can check out her blog here 

and check out her etsy shop and the other cuteness she's got goin' on in there :)

ok got sidetracked a little...

back to the big before & after

here it is :)

wow ... that was fun ... way alot of work ... but fun

one more post and the whole office area will be done

then on to meal plans, coupon & household binders 

and another junk drawer :)

are ya with me?? 

much love ♥

sweet parties here ♥

Weekend Wrap up Party ♥ Tatertots & Jello

Sundae Scoop ♥ i heart naptime

simplify your kitchen - kitchen cabinet re-org! ... part one ♥

i have a little secret to tell you ...

i'm a piler

yes ... a piler

as in i make piles

...

but i don't like piles

i loathe them actually

 and i don't want any more piles

like ever

i've deduced (is this a word?) from my own psychological analysis

that pilers are also people who are indecisive

right?

cause the reason the pile gets made is because

a. there's no place to put said item

b. there is a place to put said item, 

but the piler is not sure which of the many options should become the home of the said item

(ie: do receipts go in the receipt file or with the owner's manual?)

(do flashlights go with the candles in case of a power outage, 

or with electronics? ... cause they're electronic)

(right? ... are they? i mean if they run on batteries, they're electronic right?)

(if the hubs is reading this post he's rolling his eyes)

(well he doesn't like eye rolling, so he's probably doing some other gesture of embarrassment)

see... my brain hurts now

back to the piles

for those of you just gettin' here :)

i decided at the beginning of the year to really go through the house and purge

just get back to basics

you can read more about that here, here and here 

and for you gals who have been following right along ...

i haven't jumped the "simplify your kitchen" bandwagon

i just left the kitchen for a while ...

to face the basement 

now that that's done ... i'm back on track

(no, there's no fancy organizing pics of the dungeon ... 

what happens in basement ... stays in the basement)

(it's not pretty down there folks)

let's get goin'!

we have a very spacious kitchen ... with lots of cabinet space

and lots of fun areas to organize

off of the kitchen is a little built-in office area 

home to our computer, printer and basically where all family household duties are managed

(finances, schedules, blogging, etc...)

come to think of it, this little area wears many hats

making it more of a challenge to keep clutter-free and organized

here is a short list:

- first aid supplies 

- houses miscellaneous household items 

- where i blog & manage my etsy shop

- shipping area for my etsy shop

- bill pay

- meal planning & couponing

- household binder & files

my challenge:

to get this area out of the pile zone!

and into a functioning command center for our family

in comes my girlie girl 

Jen @ i {heart} organizing 

every month she throws out a challenge to organize a different area in your home

and i just love how she thinks everything through for you, making it that much easier to tackle your problem areas! 

i copied her project list (from this post)

to my clipboard to keep me motivated ... turned on some music

and was off to a running start :)

since there's so much to cover in this little area of mine, i'm gonna break it down into a few posts 

starting with the upper half of the cabinets next to the computer area

so the before really isn't too bad ... 

i went through this cabinet last year and got things together

but after some time i realized the set-up would need some re-thinking

just a few things here that weren't working right for us:

1. the baskets were much smaller than the space they were in

if you've got the space for storage ... don't waste it!

2. the baskets were pretty full 

so the overflow was well ... overflowing ... everywhere else :)

3. we had to move or take some of the baskets out when we needed something in the baskets that were more towards the middle of the cabinet 

4. the amount of candy canes that were in this cabinet was ridiculous

5. and yes those mini chalkboard apothecary jars are so stinkin' cute, but they are for another project and don't belong in there ... so this cabinet started to become a catch-all!

to get this re-org in motion

i headed to my two favorite places and scoped out storage bins

(measure, measure, measure! before you go)

the wrapping paper & floral crates were from Target

(those crates are for the next post when i tackle the bottom portion of these cabinets)

and at Joanns i found the teal bins with the stripe and the mini chalkboards 

(my favorite go-to label item)

aaaaaand the cute phone case is from here ♥

(very random and not needed ... just wanted to tell you where to get a cute phone case)

since these bins would be holding heavier items 

i cut cardboard to fit into the bottom, to make it heavy duty 

then wrapped them in the paper for a little bit of cute factor :)

they fit nicely inside and i knew they would hold up better in the long run

i dumped all the first aid supplies & medicines (and gum?) on the counter 

and got rid of anything old or expired

for all of what was left i separated into two parts

first aid items: band-aids, cremes, medical tape, gauze

and cough drops

i corralled the smaller items into mason jars with white plastic lids 

then added some labels i made on the computer

(the white lids are sold right with the canning supplies)

the other bin holds the rest of the medicines: pills, cold & cough etc...

let's take a peek inside the other two! :)

thank you cards & envelopes are always great to have on hand 

(i need to be better about this!)

any extra grocery or notepads were put in here as well

the last bin holds water bottles and drink packets

the smaller baskets on top were from the dollar store ... they hold all the miscellaneous things: 

party candles, toothpicks, plastic containers, etc... 

chalk markers work great on these minis

the clothespins were from the $1 bins at Target 

... easy way to label and then change things up when needed

so that's it! phew ...  a lot of function for one cupboard!

let's do a before & after :)

next up! the lower half!

is your office area in your kitchen?

any organizing secrets to share?

let's do some more ... come back soon!

much gladness in my ♥

sweet parties! ♥

Funky Junk Interiors ~ Party Junk

Live Laugh Rowe ♥ Live Laugh Linky

the 36th Avenue ♥ Party Time!

Weekend Wrap up Party ♥ Tatertots & Jello

Sundae Scoop ♥ i heart naptime