Get OverOrganized! Free Printable Calendars

If you love to organize and over-organize like I do these printable may be for you.

When our girls were still young I had so many events, school functions and not to mention my own work schedule to keep track of. First I started with the monthly, then weekly then daily calendar/list. It is so nice to have a detailed list for the family to refer to.

I know what you're thinking; Isn't there a calendar on your phone?
Well yes, there is. But I can't seem to get anyone in the family to look at it. Seeing this on the fridge every day seems to get the point across.

You will notice that I have the weekend at the end of the week; not beginning on the traditional Sunday. I do this because many of our scheduled trips and events last from Friday to Sunday night and I like to just lump them in together. In my mind the week days are a block of random events and the weekend is it's own block of time. Am I alone in this?

It took some getting used to but I love it this way.

I also like to paperclip any invites, event flyers or specific coupons to the weekly page it applies to. This way all of what I need is in one place and ready when Monday morning arrives, rather then creating clutter on my fridge.

Once I have printed off a years worth of pages, I clamp together and glue with padding compound. This can be found on Amazon or at your local craft store. Simply clamp the pages together with clips and paint the glue along the spine. By morning it will be dry and ready to hang. 

DOWNLOAD HERE

Monthly Calendar       Weekly Calendar     Work Week List

GIVEAWAY!

No, we aren't giving away a lamb. I just thought this little guy was too cute not to show off!

But read on for the real deal. 

Things have been bustling around the place for months and now we are in the middle of our lambing season, as you can see. We are up to 13 with hopefully a few more sets of twins to come.

I'm not one for New Year resolutions and try to make changes as I go. Every year I try to get a bit more organized just as I did with my monthly to do/goal list you can see HERE and you can always download my files and instruction manuals HERE

Now to get my work day doing I have created the Work Week Check List that helps keep me focused on my personal business goals.

In the chaos of the holidays this has really helped. Though I work outside the home several days a week I am able to create a quick list of small things I can accomplish before I leave for the day.

**********************    So here is my first GIVEAWAY!    ************************

 I'm giving away 2 - 55 week pads to help you and a friend organize your week days as well as an 8 pack of my berry postcards, Hagrid's Lawn notecard, gift tags and a few more goodies for you both!

E N T E R      H E R E

40 Days 40 Bags Challenge

It has begun; The giant wave of families taking part in the 40 bags/40 days challenge. Last year I was able to gather up about 10 bags. Grocery bag size. Not the one you see below. When I saw this ad from White House Black Shutters  I almost had a heart attack. That's a big bag...

In all fairness I started my major decrapifying in January when I posted my monthly To-Do List.

Then I got a little neurotic when I organized my files and instruction manuals. My excessive need to label everything  may be a problem but I figure it's a good problem to have. In fact, our office has remained completely clutter free since our new filing system has been in place (happy dance!)

One really awesome thing about the To-Do List I made is that I really do feel more focused and I get way more down. It keeps me accountable and if I don't get everything done on it that's ok too. I just move it to the next month and try to tackle it then. Extra things come up to fix or clean as well so I try to write those down when I think about it just so I can feel better about myself when I cross them off. It's not cheating; it's motivation. 

For a while I have wanted to make a detailed cleaning list for the entire house that I could use on a weekly or monthly basis. Partially so I wouldn't skip from room to room and never really finish the job and also as a way for me to assign tasks to other family members. This is what I have so far but it's a work in progress. 

Sweeping and dusting are daily chores from fall to spring because of our wood stove, gravel driveway and the general farm-ness surrounding us.

So, I will again take part in the 40 day challenge but this year I am taking it one step further in organizing my daily life.

LABEL ALL THINGS!!

just kidding...not really

 Let's face it; we can decrapify all we want in the short term but it's how we manage the crap we keep that rest of the year that counts.

Would a simplified/streamlined cleaning list be helpful for ya'll?  

Organization: File Lables

Another snowy weekend for us Oregonians! It was perfect timing actually, I didn't have anything scheduled and El was home with the cold/flu that seems to be hitting everyone around here. 

 So it was back to the stacks of paper I am still sorting for tax time.  Since I'm on a huge organizing kick  I made up these color coordinated stickers so even hubby can find things quickly.

Above I have everything color coordinated and then divided into cabinets below.  I have a Pottery Barn obsession so I think that's why I chose this font. Click HERE to download it free.

I have created a template with some of my most used colors which you can download and use with Avery # 5160 labels or print out on a regular document. I have a Bramblefield color scheme going here and I don't think my brain will rest until all things coordinate. This could be the beginning signs of OCD. 

Click HERE to download more organizing fun!

Organization: Instruction Manuals

It all starts with just one thing. One new item to your home, one new piece of paper or one piece of paper you are trying to find in a giant mess. And then it happens: The world stops turning until you end the chaos once and for all.

My latest organizational whirlwind came when our old HP printer started acting up (only when I was in the middle of a big project of course) and our new printer was delivered. I brought the warranty papers and disk to the office to file away and found the mess above.

Because we have so many instruction manuals and so many appliances (in our personal home and our rentals) I made the labels with a place for the location of the machine/appliance.

For smaller instructions and warranties I put them in a folder and label the outside. I have a few of these now because I like to keep even the instructions for watches, alarm clocks and such. It seems a bit neurotic but you never know:) 

And two hours later I have this to show for it. I know it's not much but you know they say that a cluttered drawer means a cluttered mind. I'm living proof of that.

So Click HERE to download the sheet of labels and share the joy of organizing with a friend!

Are there any areas of your home you struggle with? 

A Well Planned Year

I spent Monday wandering around the house with the remains of a lovely winter flu trying to organize and clean the house a bit. I found that this is not possible without and organized mind.

Not sure if I have mentioned this before but I am a pathological list maker. It all started when my sister Johanna showed me as a 12 year old, how to make a list of all that needs to be done with the estimated time it will take next to each item. This revolutionized my world and though I don't  always adhere to the timeline I do get quite a bit done.

So, after I made a third trip through the  house looking for the hot cup of coffee I set somewhere, I decided to go to the studio to whip these up for the year and for YOU!

So plan out your month or, if you are feeling as ambitious as I, your entire year.

Click here to download 12 month's of organization!

New Year, New Calendar

So this morning I am getting a jump start on the new year, making plans for the blog and my shop. I always try my best to map things out but seeing Secret Agent Josephine's new calendar was the kick in the pants that I needed.

Click HERE for the download. It's not totally complete yet but it can get you going before it's available in her shop.  And check out her new book. Oh, the talent!

It's funny how long the list of to-do's gets once I've had my second cup of coffee!

I'm planning several new series but your ideas are ALWAYS welcome!
What do you think I should paint this year?

Away from my desk...

This week is going to be a weird one for sure. I am helping out some friends at my old job (it's been about 6 years) and will be away from my desk and sitting at another one.

 

Day two and it has been so fun to see old friends and meet new ones. Catching up makes me feel old. All of our kids who once hung out in the office, begging for candy out of the front office dish and feigning thirst so they could play with the water cooler, are now in college. Eak!

 

This is also the place I met Mark. Well, not here but through someone I work with. It was blind date about 11 years ago. She said " You're funny and he's funny...so I think your a good match" Turns out we were! Maybe some day I will share the entire story. OK, my side of the story at least. :)

 

 

I also promised a pic of the new printer stand but I guess this will have to do.  You can see the regular printer/scanner is on the bottom. This tray pulls out onfull etension slides while the upper fine art printer is stationary. It fills the corner so nicely with no wasted space. Mark is so cleaver.

 

Though my room looks over the side garden I still have to have flowers with me always. My favorite is this orange and red tulip that only sends up one or two each year.

 

Catch up with you all next week!

 

Projects, Painting and Pantries!

I'm downloading my photos from my phone this morning and without knowing it we have begun many projects here at Bramblefield.

Mark is working on a top secret project in the dining room but I can show you what I have been up to.

 The garden is all a bloom with Snow Drops, Daphne and Daffodils. 

 This is my latest painting underway in the studio: a bright twist on an old motif. Should be available in print in my shop within the week. 

 And here is a peak into my pantry. The ethereal glow in the after shot was purely a mistake...or was it? Along with many others I am observing lent. Last years I attempted the 40 bags/ 40 days. I don't think I had 40 bags but it was a worthy effort. This year I have categorized the home into 40 areas to organizing them. It isn't easy but I imagine when I am done my life will be seamless and efficient when I am complete. Ha! Just kidding.  So far I have filled the back of my car twice with goodies to give.

I have also given up caffein...and I'm still mad about it. 

-Elizabeth

The Studio

Bramblefield is quite a home! This year I have so many improvements and artistic touches planned. From finishing up the dining room mural and stenciling "wallpaper" in the guest room to re-inventing my master bedroom I am so excited to share it all with you.


This week I want to highlight where all of my creative ideas come to life:

My Studio!

I call it the studio because it sounds so much more sophisticated. Indeed, I do create all of my artwork here and design away on my computer but it is also where I schlep around the laundry, fix anything broken or torn, and once upon a time sweat to my workout videos with Gilian Micheals.

Just like the rest of the house it began as an empty shell. The only thing I had to keep me company were the washer/dryer and water heater. Our old dining room table was converted to my temporary crafting and painting table but because I was so limited in space I brought my lovely projects out to our very large (12' long) dining room table. Mark disliked this very much and began calling it "Crapft" stuff. I didn't realize at the time that taking over the house with my paints and paper would motivate him to create such an awesome room for me. Hee Hee.

Beyond the wonderful cabinets and drawers my countertop storage has had to be pretty creative. Below: Ikea aluminum containers for scissors and all of my goodies I send along with etsy shipments, An Armour Box I snagged from Mark's shop filled with old decorative flower pots.

To get my creative juices flowing I always keep pretty things around me. It could be a vintage emblem from and freezer lid, images torn from a magazine, or old license plates. For this I cut sound board in squares and covered them in fabric. With this easy design I can change the fabric whenever I want and it only takes a minute.

To determine what kind of counter and drawer space I needed as well as how I wanted the room to flow I spent many hours taping off imaginary shelves and tables. I would sit as if painting or typing to see where best to place the printer and file cabinetry. I looked like a crazy lady.

One cabinet in particular was dictated by the mammoth sink that would be placed above it. The room was actually designed with it in mind. Our previous home had a charming but dysfunctional kitchen with a 12" deep counters that barely gave you enough room under the upper cabinets to place a mixing bowl. But the sink. Oh this sink was to die for! 6 feet of white cast iron artistry. A shallow sink with two ribbed sides for drying dishes. It took six strong men to move it into the shop and wait for its new home. When it came time to bring it into the room it was just our little family that moved it in and hoisted it up, wood crackling beneath its weight. I can not for the life of me understand how we made it in without dropping it on toes.

The upper cabinets house all of those little treasures for crafting I can not live without as well as my loose paper, bottles of paint, fabric and laundry accessories. Continuing down the north wall is my massive file cabinet with full extension slides. This holds all of my ephemera, art books, paints, pens, tapes, you name it. Below is a slot for rolls of craft paper and yard sticks. I have a weird thing about collecting old yard sticks. Mark created a special narrow drawer within the cabinet to hold my watercolor paper while underneath it I can load the full extension drawer with paints, brushes and ink. 

As you can tell from the photos, the fir has really become red and rich in color. The walls are painted a basic taupe so it doesn't reflect or interfere with anything I might be painting.
The baskets below right are from Goodwill (GW) and cost .99 each. They are tough and I have used them for so many things but their final home is now on hooks on the wall so I can easily access my ribbons and string.
I also have a thing for the inside lift out compartments in tool boxes. They hold all of my little tinys.

 The counter tops are a generous 36" deep; big enough to hold my largest pieces of paper with my computer set to the back. Mark at this moment is working on a new shelf for my printers. This will revolutionize how I do things!

Around the corner I had the counter jog up so I could stand at my cutting mat and paper cutter. There are so many times I just need to sew, cut or paste something on the go and do not want to sit. Just in case thought I have a great vintage stool that I found at St Vin for only $8! Underneath is my latest experiment. I recently found a folding plastic table (not pictured) for the sewing machine I usually just bring out when I want to do a project. It seems lately that it was frequently in use for repairs and my new line of lavender sachets so I decided to keep the girl out with me. We'll see if it just gets in the way. Hidden behind the large cabinet is the hat water heater. The TV above was once used to play my workout videos on but with the finished basement it is now only used to watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade on once a year. It's safe there until I find I have more things to store and need the space. :-) 

In all magazines they show the space before and after making it look like a hurricane came through and with the clever use of storage boxes it will remain organized and zen. Not so with me. This is what my room NORMALLY looks like. The above pic was taken just after a holiday craft show I was getting ready for. Believe me, it doesn't take a show to make this room get messy in a hurry. My sisters and I joke that we all have a "shove" room. It's where you shove everything when company comes. This is it my friends: My creative area, my haven from the chaotic world and..my shove room.

I would love to hear your questions and get your feedback! What is a must have for your creative space?

The Organized Home and Other Lies I Tell Myself

Today it is cold in my part of the world. The moist, angry cold that settles in your bones. I fight back with three pairs of socks, a constant cup of steaming tea in my hand and the warmest sweater I own, which happens to the the ugliest one I own. This helps with the cold but repulses my husband and creates the need to pee every 10 minutes. Tomorrow promises to be twenty degrees warmer so I wait, and organize my home in anticipation of the warm spring and the lambs that will be here any day.

The word "Containerize" makes my hear leap for joy! I am the kind of person that labels her linen closet. At night I dream of coordinating boxes labeled in calligraphy. Roll out drawers under the sink with all cleaning supplies in matching bottles. Binders documenting family trips, yearly garden planting charts, vaccinations for the family pets...Oh the list goes on! 

But alas, I am not rich and containerizing has to come in a more creative form.

Bellow you will see an average tool box. Cleaned and scrubbed it is perfect for my millions of colorful threads bequeathed to me after my friend moved from a roomy house to a teeny-tiny condo. And yes, I color coordinate them. Is there any other way? 

Next is a solution to an old hoarding habbit. For several years I have either subscribed or been gifted magazine subscriptions. At the end of every year I take a pile with me, usually as we drive to Portland to see family during the holidays, and I clip and strip these little puppies of art, food and gardening ideas. This keeps them in check but until reaping day I hold them in a hodge podge of magazine boxes I have simply recovered with craft paper. The labels are printed on a cream paper with the "Pottery Barn" font which you can find for free on dafont.com, then glued to a piece of black linen cardstock before being placed on the box.

Though I no longer subscribe to all of these magazines I still keep the labels on just in case they find their way to my mailbox again.

*Disclaimer* Not all magazines were purged in the reaping mentioned above. I find it impossible to harm any of my Fine Gardening or Countryside's.

Please believe me, I do not have the most organized home and it is far, far from clean. But as I wade through the laundry and scrape gunk from the floor I hope to share what I learn and what makes life a little bit easier and sometimes prettier with you.

-Elizabeth