Week 5 - done

I'm in the process of selecting recipes to use on my new meal planning menu board but the board is ready to go.

I like cute magnets.

I laid out the calendar on paper first, then used the pin striping to mark it on the board. I printed the months, the dates and a few general menu planning titles for when I'm away, planned a night out or planned to stop by the folks place. The recipes will be in colour so I thought I'd keep the rest white. I printed these on card stock, cut them out and covered them with packing tape to laminate them. I then applied a small piece of magnet to the back. I keep the extras in a small container that I also attached magnets to and keep on the side of my fridge. I'll also keep the recipe titles I don't use in a month the same way. 

Week 5 - Start - Meal Planning Calendar

Up for this week is part of a larger project to get my food purchases in order. I've already organized my coupons, now to plan meals and grocery shopping. I usually bring my leftovers to work for lunch but I've been slacking on making dinner so no lunch or lots of PB&J. Don't get me wrong, I could eat PB&J every day for a long while before I got bored with it but a little variety is nice.

Source: robbygurlscreations.blogspot.ca viaBrenda on Pinterest

First up is to make a calendar for my fridge to plan my meals out on. I saw this pin on Pinterest and wanted to make one similar but much smaller.

Here's what I bought to get the job done. A small magnetic whiteboard with a strip of cork, magnetic tape and clear packing tape for the recipe titles, and pinstripe tape from Canadian Tire to mark out the calendar. The photo album will be used to hold the recipes once I've selected them.

Week 4 - Done

Well for a quick project, It took a little longer than I expected only because I have nowhere to spray paint at home.  It's too cold to do it outside so I took it to work and did it there after hours. 

I decided on purple (big surprise) and the edges are black and silver although the silver doesn't show up in the picture. Weird. 

I also spray painted the hooks silver as they were gold which isn't a favourite of mine.I pre-drilled the holes for the hooks and drilled a shallow hole in the back to hang the holder from a nail. I was going to add a design to the front but figured it would get covered up once the bracelets and anklets were on it.

Here's a before and after of where I hung it. All in all it was an easy project, if not as quick as I was expecting.

Week 4 - Start - Necklace/Bracelet Holder

I'm a bit busy this week so I decided to go with a quick project.

I have this earring holder one of my Aunts made me and a necklace holder that my Grandparents made me that both work well to contain my jewelry and since it's on the wall, I wear it more often.

The necklace holder is getting a bit crowded as I decided to add my bracelets to it as well. What I need is a separate holder for them.

While browsing at Michael's after Christmas I found their section of unfinished wood plaques. I picked out a small one that I thought would work. I have cup hooks left over from another project that will work, as well as spray paint to make it pretty. I haven't decided on which colour but I have a few options. I'll also get to try out my new drill. I never thought I'd need one in an apartment but lately I keep having to borrow one so I added it to my Christmas list this year.

Week 3 - Done

Here's my new coupon binder. It's big enough to hold my Entertainment Book as well which means I may actually use those coupons this year.

I have nephews, they sell me stuff like coupon books and chocolates for their school. 

If I were to make another one, I'd forgo the monthly planner refill and just get dividers. There are many templates for pages on the internet or you can make your own.
Actually I did just get dividers for next year, but since I opened the refill package I can't return it.

I ended up with 15 categories for my coupons and labeled all the pockets.

Along with the 15 categories, I have a spot for coupons that need to be filed, a spot for ones to use soon and ones I plan on using my next shopping trip. I also have a place for fast food coupons, Canadian Tire $, general store coupons like for Michael's and Old Navy and coupon policies of stores I shop at often.

I customized an Excel monthly calendar for next year and created a weekly meals planner and shopping list divided into similar categories. I added a zippered pouch to store a small pair of scissors and a pen.

I also made a list of all my coupons in an excel file that I can update and print out so I know what I have. Sounds a little obsessive I know so we'll see if I keep it up. I can also organize them by expiry date so I can decide whether to use them or at least leave them on the shelf in the store so someone else can use them.

Week 3 - Start - Organize Coupons

So my coupon organizing project this week will hopefully help me with my menu planning project for a future week.

I coupon. I'm not an extreme couponer. I'm not sure you can even do that in Canada like you see on TV. I'm not a stockpiler either, unless there's a really good deal and it won't go bad before I use it and I have the space in my tiny apartment to store it.

I currently have a bunch of coupons I've gotten from inserts and online stuffed into a small accordion file that I keep in my car. If I don't leave it in my car, I forget it and I usually forget it in my car as well.

I never said I was a good couponer!

I looked at a bunch of storage ideas from binders to big accordion files and even bigger boxes and settled on a variation of the binder idea. I want to be able to take it into the store but not look like I've come from school. I picked up a half sized binder (8.5" x 5.5" ) and pocket protectors and a day-timer monthly planner refill.

It's a bit bigger than the accordion file, but still portable. Lets see if this will work for me!

Week 2 - Done!

Gosh, there was a table underneath all that stuff!

Now there's a place for books in my bedroom, the place I read the most.

 And all my crafty stuff finally has a home!

The whole living/dining room looks bigger without all that stuff. The bench and chair went to my brother, the other table got taken apart and thrown out, and these new cubby style book shelves from Canadian Tire are a perfect fit. I also got new drawers for paper, a card organizer I turned into marker storage for my Spectrum Noir pens and a few boxes for the less pretty craft supplies. All in all, I'm pleased with the results.

I can't wait to mess up that table with a project!