Easy Living Solutions

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Schools open in a few weeks - But before we book our Champagne Brunch .....

Fabric Bins, Fun, Lightweight, Not Expensive!

A New School Year!

For some, it’s a relief to have our little (and not so little) ones back in school/college and we welcome the fall routine. For some, it’s a time for first’s - First day in kindergarten, middle school, high school, college, senior year etc. It’s always busy and as much as we try to remember everything, something will always be last minute. So, to avoid a catalogue of last minute chores, I’m starting the back to school countdown. It already started in SC and GA last weekend with tax-free shopping. Now we have purchased new items we need to make room for them in the closet to avoid over crowding. Take a look at uniforms, after school activity kits, shoes, sneakers and light jackets. What fits? What needs replacing?

Time to be organizing, donating, and gifting!

When organizing a youngster's closet think small; small bins, small stacks and light weight baskets so that children can find what they are looking for without making a huge mess. Label the bins or have your child draw a small illustration, to make locating items easier and have your little one involved. Put toys and books on the open spaces or in baskets to make clean up fast and friendly. If your children share a space, make a custom area in the closet for each child, using name signs or color coding hangers and bins.

Where To Find These Bins!

Target, Circo Canvas Bin – Orange
Home Depot, Martha Stewart Living High Fabric Drawer
Amazon, Fabric Drawer
Target, Hippo Fabric Drawer
Walmart, Storage Bin
Target, Parakeet Green Fabric Drawer
Home Depot, Martha Stewart Living High Fabric Drawer
Home Depot, Martha Stewart Living High Fabric Drawer

(P.S. - hold on to the unwanted shoes for a special event I'll tell you more about on August 15th - it's worth it!)

If your child does not have a uniform to wear, consider putting outfits together and labeling them Monday-Friday to save time and stress in the mornings. You can buy dividers likes these on line and personalize them with the days of the week!

I found these at http://www.lbcliving.com/ore-closet-divider-set-fairies-berries.html - How Cute!

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Organizing Project - Cluttered Desk, Small Space

Small area to work with

Problem: I share an office with my husband. I only have a small desk, it's overcrowded and not very feminine. I run my business from here but work out of the office for the most part, so I don't need a bigger space. I just need my space to be more be more functional.

Solution: Remove the wooden cabinet and lamp - they are very masculine. Replace with stackable Martha Stewart Desk Organizing Items, using the cream, to blend with the desk but accent with the teal to make it pretty! With everything housed in the tower we have reclaimed 60% more desk top space. With the final touch of a pretty lamp that projects a much better light, we have a solution!

Source: Staples - Martha Stewart Stack+Fit Desk Accessories. We used the drawer base, two filing trays and an organizer bin on the top in cream, then accented with teal lever arch files to which we added stick on metal bookplates. The lamp was the clients own.

See Below:
There are more options available, but we didn't have the space or need them as the clients desk also had three shallow drawers we could use.

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Back to School/College Shopping. Want to save an extra 6% this weekend?

Vera Bradley Fall 2014 - Backpacks .... a d o r a b l e !

It’s that time of year! Everywhere you turn stores are offering deals and promotions in an effort to win our business to buy the items we have to buy for our students returning to school and college. According to Brad Tuttle, of Time.com/money, you can save an additional 4% - 6% (depending on the state in which you shop) on your back to school supplies! “Every year around this time, states host sales-tax holidays, in which the usual sales tax is waived on a wide range of purchases. In most cases, tax-free purchases are limited to back-to-school items such as computers and traditional school supplies like notebooks, protractors, and pens, but clothing, footwear, and accessories are typically on the table as well".

South Carolina - August 1-3, with sales tax exemptions for all clothing, footwear, school supplies, computers and electronics, college dorm supplies like pillows, blankets, and shower curtains, and even delivery charges on all of the above

Georgia - August 1-2, limited to $20 school supplies, clothing priced at $100 or less, and computers capped at $1,000”

Check out the full article for a list of other states that participate at http://time.com/money/3047694/sales-tax-holiday-back-to-school/

Not sure what you need for your K-12th grader? Go to http://www.school-supply-list.com/ enter your zip code and identify your school, for a list of essential school supplies.

Love the Vera Bradley fall collection?

Pop in to The Scottish Mill Shop at 1200 Fording Island Road Bluffton, SC 29910 to check out the new fall designs. We are open Mon-Sat, 10 - 5:30 I'm there on Thursdays and would love to meet my readers!