...because home doesn't happen overnight.

paper-trail-7

Since downsizing I’ve been asked more than once to share how we handle all the mail, bills, school communication and other paperwork that comes into our home. In all honesty, it takes daily effort and diligence to avoid paper miscellaneous from piling up. But! We have an efficient system in place that makes the task feel less daunting, and it only requires a few minutes of our attention each day. I think the easiest way to share what we do is to document the paper trail to and through our home. Spoiler alert: IKEA is one of my favorite sources for small organizational items. Let’s get started!

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It all starts with filtering what makes it into our mailbox. When we first moved to the city we live in now, we were bombarded with junk mail: catalogs, flyers, coupon mailers, pre-approved credit offers, phone books, etc. Since then, I’ve become adept at noting unwanted mail that shows up in our mailbox then quickly going online and opting out of receiving it again. In the beginning, I was opting out of stuff quite often, but now that it’s under control I maybe opt out of mailings just a few times a year.

A few sites I’ve used to opt out of the majority of junk mail are:

www.optoutprescreen.com To stop receiving pre-approved financial offers. You can opt out for five years or permanently. FYI – If there is more than one adult living under your roof, each adult will need to opt out individually.

dmachoice.thedma.org To stop receiving unsolicited commercial mail from many national brands for a five year period. I’m all for coupons, but I only want coupons for items I would buy regardless of coupon savings. I find that most of the brands and chain restaurants represented in commercial mail aren’t places we normally frequent. Instead of receiving gobs of useless coupons by mail, we usually opt for frequent visitor cards, online coupons and savings apps for stores we normally visit.

www.valpak.com/coupons/show/mailinglistsuppression and www.redplum.com To stop receiving bulk coupon mailers from smaller brokers not registered with the DMA. Mailings from smaller brokers tend to vary depending on your location. These are two of the more popular ones in my area. If you continue to receive coupon offers long after you’ve opted out via the DMA, go straight to the source by googling the broker’s name on your mailings to opt out.

www.yellowpagesoptout.com To opt out of telephone directories in your area. (I can’t believe these still exist!)

Opting out of just these five mass mailers reduces our junk mail by probably 60%-70%. Beyond these, I’ve contacted specific companies directly to opt out of unwanted catalogs. Many catalogs can be viewed online nowadays. Don’t get me wrong. I’m a visual person and I enjoy the tactile process of flipping through a great catalog in hand and gathering tear sheets, but I reserve that guilty pleasure only for my top two or three favorite catalogs. I browse all others online which saves me quite a bit of time and money. No more reading through catalogs like it’s my homework and being tempted to buy stuff I don’t really need or have the space for.

We pay most of our regular monthly bills online automatically via our checking account which deems many physical bills unnecessary. I treat my donation to NPR as a monthly “bill” and have them automatically bill my credit card. As a result, I only receive an annual renewal reminder from them as opposed to several donation requests throughout the year. I’ve called local businesses and churches and kindly asked them to remove my address from their mailing lists. We don’t subscribe to any newspapers, opting to get our news from the radio and online sources instead. Steve and I only subscribe to a few favorite magazines each. I have a hard time reading more than two or three a month before the next issues are out.

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I recently added the KVISSLE magazine rack on a sliver of wall in the mudroom to corral unread magazines, catalogs and stray library books. Before, they kind of traveled all over the house and got lost in the mix. Now, if I have a few minutes to spare or if we’re headed out the door for a long car ride (and Steve is driving, of course) or to an appointment where we might have a wait time, I can quickly grab a glossy and go. No more rummaging around the house trying to find a magazine (I know it’s here somewhere!). No more magazines cluttering horizontal surfaces. Placing the wall rack just below our key hooks makes for a seamless grab-and-go!

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On top of filtering what makes it into our mailbox, I’m also adamant about immediately purging unwanted mail between our mailbox and the back door. On the walk back from the mailbox each day, I make a quick stop at the recycling bin and toss in superfluous junk after noting where it came from so I can opt out of it in the future.

Essentially, by the time any mail reaches our door, it has already been “screened” twice (via opting out and physical sorting) and there’s no need to sort it once inside. I know it reads like an ordeal, but once you get the bulk junk mailings out of the way and take a few seconds to flip through mail just retrieved from the mailbox while still outside, it really runs like clockwork requiring very little time at all.

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Once inside, I have a strict “no mail on the dining table” rule. One cabinet of the fauxdenza in our mudroom is designated to incoming mail.

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A letter tray on the top shelf holds mail in limbo until it is dealt with at a later time. This usually includes utility and medical bills or cards for the kids. I already mentioned that catalogs and magazines end up in the wall rack. I recently added and labeled several KUGGIS boxes to house coupons and tech accessories and keep them separate from mail. The coupons are simply waiting to be taken out to a folder in the car where I’m more likely to remember to use them. The KUGGIS series is functional and eco-friendly featuring variously sized boxes made from recycled plastic bottles that can be stacked on top of each other to organize paperwork, games, out of season clothing, art supplies, small media, memorabilia, etc.

Before I brought in the KUGGIS boxes, this cabinet was one big tangled mess of mail and wires. I love that the boxes have lids to keep wiry things like chargers, earbuds and headphones under wraps. I find that the kids have an easier time finding and putting things away when bins and labels are involved.

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Bills and correspondence that require further attention eventually make their way to the kitchen desk where they’re dealt with appropriately. A recycling pull-out is located at the opposite end of the kitchen near the fridge, and that’s where we discard most paper items.

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A KVISSLE letter tray holds paperwork that we may need to access within the next month or so: forms to be filled out, receipts, recently paid bills, school calendars, school lunch menus, school pictures to be handed out, kids’ progress reports, fundraising information, etc. They’re mostly things we don’t need to see every day, but they do need to be easily and quickly retrieved when required. Each family member has his/her own tray. (Mabrey’s currently holds two letters to Santa. Ha!) I go through the trays maybe every other month and discard papers that are no longer needed. Again with the labels. I have a passionate but healthy love for my label maker.

A pair of KVISSLE magazine files holds essential oils and favorite recipes. A KVISSLE desk organizer keeps scissors, tape, my planner (#oldschool) and pens within easy reach. If you can’t tell, I fell hard for the KVISSLE series. I’ve had these pieces for more than two years. The steel + cork designs have held up superbly. They’re like brand new. I like displaying tiny photo magnets on the magazine files.

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Fortunately, we have plenty of overhead cabinetry that allows us to store important documents for longer periods of time. These are things that we need to keep on hand for a year or more: my pharmacist C.E.s, tax-related paperwork, receipts for tax deductions, vaccination records, etc. The most important legal documents (i.e., Social Security cards, passports, birth certificates, wills, marriage license, insurance policies, etc.) are kept in a fireproof safe elsewhere.

I bought the gray KVARNVIK boxes years ago and still love them. Steve is a bit of a paper hoarder when it comes to saving receipts and paid bills, so I always make sure to have a few boxes on hand for him. He sorts through them eventually. As our family grows, I’m finding that we need less decorative, more functional items in the glass-fronted cabinets. I recently purged a few candleholders I hadn’t used in years to make room for several FJÄLLA boxes. (They’re super easy to assemble, not like the IKEA photo boxes from several years back that were crazy labor intensive.) They’re mostly empty except for a few greeting cards, stamps, markers and vitamins. I like having room to grow. The BEKVÄM step stool gets a lot of action at our house. See how I customized it with paint and stain here.

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The kids’ school communication is handled much like mail. I opt to receive school newsletters and announcements via email. Layne’s school sends home correspondence once a week on Tuesdays which I LOVE. One shot and I’m done for the week! Everett’s teacher utilizes a classroom text messaging app just for parent-teacher communication regarding class parties, field trips, fundraisers, special events, volunteering, etc. What does end up coming home is sorted and dealt with as soon as possible. I have no tray or bin in place for daily school communication or homework. It’s either in a backpack or being tackled. The boys have the routine down. They hang up their backpacks and immediately get out any homework and their school communication folders. They tend to their homework and eat a snack while I sort and deal with school notices.

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We have one catchall basket in the laundry nook for stashing random items that don’t really have a place elsewhere or were left in pockets of dirty clothes. Right now its contents include origami stars, paper airplanes, paper poppers, several pairs of sunglasses, a baggie of loose coins and a tennis ball I caught from an Andy Murray service fault earlier this summer. (!) Yep, Andy Murray’s DNA is in that basket. I originally stuck a smaller bowl in this spot, but it didn’t take much for it to overflow. I grabbed the larger, taller FLÅDIS basket on my last trip to IKEA so now I can catch all the tennis balls! Haha.

I hope that gives you a little more insight into how we tackle the paper trail in our home. A few key takeaways:

*Opt out of superfluous mail.

*If possible, sort delivered mail before bringing it inside.

*Create a drop zone that isn’t the dining table (or kitchen countertop) to avoid misplacing important mail.

*Use open filing systems for documents needed on a short-term basis. Try a wall rack for unread magazines and catalogs.

*Use lidded boxes or bins for documents needed for longer periods of time. Store important legal documents in a fireproof safe.

*Label trays, bins and boxes to make organization foolproof for the whole family. (I have a Brother P-Touch label maker and love it!)

*Treat school communication like mail. Check with your child’s school to see if they offer an online newsletter or other non-paper communication.

*Tweak the system as your family’s needs change. Keep empty bins on hand and devote one basket to random stuff.

*RECYCLE!

Do you have any tips to share for tackling and organizing the inevitable paper trail?

I am a brand ambassadör for IKEA. This post sponsored in part by IKEA. I received product and payment for this collaboration. IKEA is a registered trademark of Inter IKEA Systems B.V. and is used with permission. The views, ideas and opinions expressed here are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support this blog!

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

75 Comments

12.October.2016

We have similar routines when it comes to paper organization…I still loved reading this. On a side note, my label maker just bit the dust. Do you have a favorite one you’d recommend?

12.October.2016

1. Pinned your outfit
2. Love your haircut
3. I love you for this paper post. My desk is currently lost under loads of unwanted financial offers and what not. Thank you!

12.October.2016

This is amazing. I had no idea you could opt out of pre-approved credit offers and those coupon flyers!

12.October.2016

Thank you SO much for posting those opt-out links. I’d estimate at least 80% of the mail we receive goes straight into the recycling bin, so I’m looking forward to coming home to an empty mail box soon!

12.October.2016

I absolutely loved this post Dana! Organizing my space leaves me feeling inspired and invigorated, which is exactly how I felt while reading how you tackle your paper trail. Thank you for sharing your personal tips and tricks, I can’t wait to put them to good use :)

12.October.2016

I just went and unsubscribed from all the links you provided, thanks! Turns out I had done so about 5 years ago, but we’ve moved a couple times since and our new house has been getting lots of junk mail recently. It was a new build and a new purchase so we got put on every list in the area for junk/ads.

Another question – why do you call it a fauxdenza? I always thought it was strange, what’s fake about it? The fact that you partly built it? or that it’s wall mounted? Seems real to me! :)

12.October.2016

Great post! Organizing makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I swear, I consider it a FUN hobby. HA! On a side note, loving your hair. Adorable :)))

12.October.2016

Wonderful post! You introduced me to a couple new opt out websites … thank you!

12.October.2016

Thank you so much for taking the time to share this! This week was supposed to be my organize papers week, and I still haven’t gotten around to it. This post was timely for me!

12.October.2016

You are so dang cute, girl! I have missed your face lately. Love these organizational tips. I am also in process of purging the junk and adding storage. Can you have too many bolga baskets, really? Never found the bins and baskets so useful since having a child. Also, I know that as an Ikea ambassador you occasionally give your recommendations, ever get requests for all the Ikea gaffes? As much as I love Ikea, I have a number of things (mostly options we made in our kitchen) that I would never do again based on product quality, functionality and personal preference. Wondering if that is a topic anyone besides me would be interested in delving into…

12.October.2016

By all means take more blog holidays (blog-idays?) if it means posts like this!
Who knew you could opt out of junk mail (short of calling each company)! My life will forever be changed! Thanks Dana!

12.October.2016

Oh my gosh, thank you! I have been trying to figure out how to unsubscribe from all of our junk mail for ages! Now I just need some sort of organization method for mail that actually matters. Baby steps!

12.October.2016

Love this post! You inspired me to unsubcribe to mailings, something I’ve been meaning to do for a while.
For email clutter, I use unroll.me which has helped a ton.

12.October.2016

Thank you so much for sharing the opt-out of junk links. I signed up immediately! I loathe all the junk mail I receive. Who knew you could opt-out of it?! Thanks again. I loved this post. I hope you’re well. xo

12.October.2016

Thanks, Dana! What a great post. You made it so easy for me to opt-out of mailings I don’t want to receive. Most of these went straight to our recycle bin. I love the thought of not receiving these anymore! Love your organization tips too. What a great skill to pass along to your children.

12.October.2016

Ok, I love every inch of this post, but can we talk about your arm situation! Get it! I’m inspired.

12.October.2016

Great tips! I have to say my favorite part of the post is your haircut – so cute! Off topic, but can you recommend your favorite comforter from IKEA? Ours is a couple hours away, so I’ll be ordering online without getting to look at them in person.

12.October.2016

I just love your (organized) home. We downsized to a more custom home 9 years ago and it’s not been a problem. I’m, also, very organized. I go barefoot all the time, too. Maybe there’s a connection?!

12.October.2016

I need this post SO BADLY!!!!! Thank you.

12.October.2016

Great post and I see in your time out you went to the hairdresser!

12.October.2016

Husband of 37 years just died
Looking to downsize organize
Thanks

12.October.2016

Excellent advice. I’ve been struggling with the paper stuff for years. I really like your advice. This weekend I will be tackling the unsubscribing sites!

12.October.2016

Scanner! We scan all EOBs, bills, and anything else that we need to keep on hand that we can’t get electronically in the first place but don’t necessarily need a paper copy after it’s been handled.

12.October.2016

i need to have you come organize me.

12.October.2016

Thank you! I’ve wondered FOREVER how to stop getting coupons and phone books, but I’ve never done anything about it. Thanks for such a useful, informative post!

12.October.2016

Enjoyed this post! But my reason for the comment is to tell you that you look amazing! Love the hair, arms look great, and your pants look so good on you. Where are they from?
You must do a post on how you stay in shape and what your favorite/staple pieces are in your
I know you worked out to TA but I’m curious if you’ve changed things up. Thanks for keeping your blog fresh and inspiring!

12.October.2016

Oh wow, thanks for all the flattering words. Pants are from J Crew Factory Outlet. They were less than $20. I’d love to do a fashion post or two each month, but I’ve always been afraid that it’s not my niche?? Anyway, I think I’ll just throw caution to the wind and go for it. I got a little bored doing just TA, so now I do TA, tennis and running. Not all at once, just a mix to keep things interesting.

12.October.2016

The older I get, the shorter my hair gets :)

12.October.2016

Aw, thanks. I hadn’t planned on going so short, but one bad haircut led to lopping off a few extra inches. I think I love it though! Do you mean comforter or duvet cover? For comforters, I actually have two for each bed in our home: a lighter one for warmer weather and a thicker one for colder weather. (We’re in Ohio.) I like that IKEA rates the comforters based on warmth. For duvet covers, I’ve used the OFELIA VASS in a guest room before and love the subtle texture. The boys have the BJORNLOKA on their bunks and love them. (So much so that I used their linen duvet covers in Mabrey’s new room.) Honestly, I don’t love their linen options. They always feel too heavy to me. Hope that helps!

12.October.2016

Absolutely! Sounds like a great post idea.

12.October.2016

I guess because it’s really IKEA kitchen cabinets topped with plywood…not a true, freestanding credenza. Sometimes I don’t make sense.

12.October.2016

I linked to mine at the end of the post. It’s a Brother P-Touch. I love the font – something most people don’t even think twice about but it makes me happy :)

13.October.2016

Wow Dana!
Until I reached the end of this post, I never guessed that you were sponsoring a product. That’s how honest your post sounded.
I think it’s great that you are a brand ambassador. Congrats!

13.October.2016

Yes definitely do fashion posts. I’m sure I’m not the only one who keeps coming back to see your personal style as well as your interior design style. You have a good eye for both. Also do I spy a nice discreet charging station in the Fauxdenza? That’s another discussion I would love to see between you and your readers for ideas. My countertop drives me mad with all our devices charging away.

13.October.2016

You know what you have done is great if people love and want to use it.

1. You look amazing and love the hair as most everyone else has said. 2) this is perhaps the most valuable post I’ve read all year! Before I even got through the first part I had clicked all the links and opted out of everything that drives me insane everyday. Thank you, Dana!

13.October.2016

thank you for the post, i just recently moved and the junk mail is constant, so i unsubscribed using all of the links you provided.

13.October.2016

Do you keep any magazines after you read them? Or do you rip out pages? That is my organization issue right now. Any tips?

13.October.2016

If anybody gained rights to the IKEA ambassador its you, your house is oozing IKEA. I agree with everybody you look great and great haircut. Anything can be your niche, if you wrote it I would read it. Go for it and mix things up around here, maybe it would be good for you. On another note I am really looking forward to the flip house updates. And the space you rent too. Just come back and blog more will ya?

13.October.2016

Although I completely get the self*tweaking, I just miss your voice.

13.October.2016

This is quite possibly *the* most helpful blog post I have ever read. The lidded basket to hold all the kid paper junk, etc. is genius! That kind of stuff drives me insane!

13.October.2016

Thanks! I mean comforter. There are 18 (!!!) options on the IKEA website! Sometimes when there are so many choices it’s hard to make one. Ha!

13.October.2016

Dana, thanks so much for these tips, especially the websites to opt out of mailings! I ended up using 3 of the 5 and after keeping an eye on our mail will likely head back to dmachoice with a list. Big fans of IKEA over here (our nearest is in New Haven, CT, about an hour and change away) and am currently trying to come up with a plan to revamp our entryway. We too have 3 kids, all girls, all under 10, so we have backbacks and coats and shoes etc that need to be corraled and I’m not happy with the way it’s been looking for the last 6 years. Love the wall-mounted magazine rack idea, but for school papers, etc… Also, echoing others comments, love the hair-style!

13.October.2016

I loved this post! It’s so practical, and once again, I think you nailed writing a sponsored post without sounding overly “ad-like”, which I love. I always find your sponsored posts to be super useful. I am already re-thinking how we handle our paper trail at home. Thank you!
I couldn’t agree more with Sonia (above). I love your simple outfit here and would love to see you do more fashion posts. Throw that caution to the wind, Dana! Now I’m just hoping I can find the olive pants for myself! ;) And congrats on the killer arms and hair. LOVE!

13.October.2016

Thank you for such nice words. Really. I appreciate them so much.

13.October.2016

Got it! Thanks for the feedback.

13.October.2016

I only keep issues that have several stories that stand out to me AFTER I’ve read them. I’ll tear a few sheets here and there…maybe a dozen a year?? I will not keep a magazine if after I’ve closed the back cover, I can’t remember one great thing. If I can’t remember, it’s not worth keeping. That being said, I have maybe two dozen magazines on hand that I’ve saved over the years. Only my absolute faves!

13.October.2016

Yes, that is a charging station. It was a must-have when we were building the fauxdenza. We cut a hole in the back of the cabinet to gain access to a wall outlet, then added an adapter for even more outlets.

13.October.2016

LOVED this post! I can’t tell you how much i hate junk mail. I just never had the energy to contact every single business. The waste of paper and money bother me. I just followed ALL of your links and opted out. THANK YOU!

13.October.2016

Lovely post! Your hair is adorable! Wondering what you do with the craft paper products? Supplies and finished pieces of the kids artwork? I feel like I’m drowning in craft clutter!

13.October.2016

It is so difficult to combine function and aesthetic and you do it so flawlessly! It’s the kind of design I love and it’s so rare to find detailed inspiration. Thanks for sharing a peek inside your cabinets. I LOVE all your posts like this! Can’t get enough!

13.October.2016

Thank you for all the wonderful tips!
What do you do with all your kids “art” papers.
(Meaning ALL of it, not just the special ones?)
I sneak and recycle constantly, but it’s everywhere, and
It’s driving me insane.

13.October.2016

Thank you so much for the opt out information. I just completed them all. And I agree with the readers above that advocate a fashion post. Anything you write, I will read. Thanks again!

13.October.2016

Awesome post!! I love all the paper organizing details! Can you please do a post about how you organize the insides of your kitchen cabinets next? Keep up the great work!

14.October.2016

Scanning and taking photos of things before recycling is our secret weapon! We keep hardly any paper at all. And those opt out links really work!

14.October.2016

Oh man, this is such a great post…I love the label-maker idea, it reminds me of my dad..(who also used to alphabetize the pantry and spice cabinet!! : ) I love organizing and BEING organized but right now I am feeling a bit overwhelmed in this area of my life – it’s mainly our home office that bothers me but the school stuff tends to pile up as well. It makes me feel stressed out!!! You are so on top of it with such great take-aways – thank you!! Also, I’m glad to see you’re back (gosh, I’m so out-of-sorts these days and I always look forward to your posts!) and I love that you took a break for yourself. Look forward to seeing what’s been going on at the flip house..; )
xo Leah

15.October.2016

THANK YOU!!!! I’ve been thinking about how to do this lately so this was perfect timing for me!

15.October.2016

Hi! This is amazing. My fiance and I lament at the amount of wasted junk paper every time we check our mail box. I’ve just unsubscribed us from everything and plan to call into certain companies to cut back on unwanted catalogs as well! Thank you for cluing me in to all of these resources!

16.October.2016

Sorry to butt in, I just thought maybe I could help a bit. My husband and I just bought our first IKEA comforter and duvet cover. After much research we went with the Sotvedel comforter. It’s 75% duck down and we compromised with the medium for winter and got the cooler one for summer. It’s amazing! It’s getting cold here in WY at night and I usually use socks when I sleep. I haven’t had a need for that any more. We also bought the Gaspa duvet cover which we love equally. Just thought I’d throw in some info for you, but I’m sure Dana will have more advice for you!

17.October.2016

Love your outfit!! those olive pants are incredible. Might be a silly question, how are those pants with thongs? I have a pair from Banana Republic a low rise version and they seem to reveal the secret to much. Just thought I’d ask how they were with thongs. Thanks for all the inspirations!

17.October.2016

Great post! Could you share the fire-proof safe you use?

17.October.2016

This is so great! I had no idea you could even opt out of junk mail so I just spent a few minutes taking care of that. Thanks for providing the links and helping me attack our own mail monster! I’m already adding a few things to my Ikea shopping list for our next trip so we can get a handle on sorting mail:D

17.October.2016

All good but my favorite part of this post? The Andy Murray DNA!!! My 6-year-old mistakenly rushed the court after Andy deafeated Milos Rancic in Cincy last summer. The usher accidentally let him through the gate with Murray’s coaches! This was the first time my little boy was trying to get an autograph with the other kids and he ends up on the court, alone! We screamed for him to come back but he couldn’t hear us over the crowd and the usher wouldn’t let me get him! Sadly, Andy didn’t notice him, but he did get air time on the ESPN and watched his buddy, Marin Cilic, beat Andy the following day in the finals. ;-) Love the cincy tournament, so much fun!

Thanks for sharing the your tips Dana!

18.October.2016

Loved this one. Came back a few times now. Opted out of all those lists (THANK YOU!). I’m on board with your post, but am I alone in getting loads of artwork and journaling from school that might be keepsake material? What do you do with the stuff you’d like to keep for your kids? I have a sort of system utilizing a binder, but still find myself not able to purge enough. Its the one area I find hard to downsize.

18.October.2016

I have SERIOUS issues with paper problems all over my house – the struggle is real. I sincerely appreciate this awesome post and will refer back to it as I work my way through the mountain that is known as my office. Do you shred unnecessary documents? You mentioned recycling but with identity theft I am curious. Thank you!

18.October.2016

THANK YOU! You’ve just done 80% of the work on my home office organizing to-do list! BUT what about the kids art? I have piles of these precious (some glitter or pasta coated) originals. How do you handle that adorable “clutter”?

19.October.2016

Separate post?

19.October.2016

Yes, we have a shredder for handling personal documents. Honestly, we don’t use it as much as we should :/ When Steve sifts through all the papers he saves in the lidded boxes, he busts out the shredder for one big purge. The shredded paper goes into the recycling bin.

19.October.2016

Haha, so funny.

19.October.2016

Oy, ours is over a decade old! It was a wedding gift from a friend. Such a great idea, right? We probably wouldn’t have thought to buy one so early on in our marriage. The brand is Sentry. Hope that helps!

19.October.2016

Art and craft supplies are in the base cabinet to the right of the desk stool. A few things are stored up top in the glass front cabinet as well. Finished pieces are saved and displayed on the fridge, fridge side panel or even Mabrey’s play fridge (ha!) for a week or so then discarded. If it’s an absolute favorite (mine or the kids’) it may stay up longer and eventually gets transferred to a tote in the attic where I keep memorabilia. Still, we only keep maybe 1-2 pieces per year. My kids create A LOT of stuff. We can’t keep everything. Some of their creations get passed on to family members. I recently brought one of my favorite kid creations down from the attic and had it framed. It’s displayed in the boys’ room now (it’s one of Everett’s creations).

24.October.2016

Just a little tip I get about 8-10 magazines a month all free from a coupon site I follow. From Shape to Better Homes. I read the ones I have time and donate to the library every other week when we go. We really take advantage of our local library as we don’t have cable so we get both movies and tons of books so I feel like I’m giving back in a small little way:)

25.January.2017

Loved this post. Will take many of your suggestions.

A very important and unrelated question, though — where did you get your gladiator-esque sandals from? I have a nearly identical pair from Target that I LOVE, but they’re finally falling apart after 3 summers of frequent use. Yours look more robust, and I’ll need to replace mine for this summer!

08.February.2017

thank you for such a thorough post… i’m curious where you got the wood box-sort-of-container, the one sitting on your counter, to the right of your lamp that has a pair of glasses on top?

07.May.2018

I also pinned your outfit and your hair! :)