Thursday, January 6, 2011

Inspiration Binder

I don't know about you but to me getting organized is a wee bit overwhelming. Like you have to be organized to get organized. Do you know what I'm saying? It's that whole "You need to have money to make money" mentality. Lucky for you and me, there are literally hundreds of different organizing blog posts out there. There is hope for us yet!
I have my list of things, places and rooms that need some serious organization but I decided to start with something small. Well, it will be small when I'm done. Every month I receive four magazines. I get them as gifts every year and I love it!! I receive Better Homes & Gardens, Woman's Day, Family Circle and Parents magazines. And don't forget the occasional catalog; Pottery Barn, Ikea, Lowe's Creative Ideas... the list goes on. Each of these magazines and catalogs are great for their own reason but let's be real not everything is great in every one of these magazines and catalogs is great.
When a new magazine or catalog comes in the mail I get so excited. Maybe that's where my little chicks get it from. If you have little ones you know you can't always sit right down and devour each and every page all at one time. I started dog earring my favorite pages as I read. Then once every couple of months I'll go through every bathroom (we're being honest here) and basket to collect the recent issues. I end up with a pile like this on my dining room table.
Next, I flip right to the pages that have been folded down and cut them out. Then I separate the pictures and articles into categories. Bedrooms, Bathroom, kitchen, organization, cleaning outdoor, crafts, holidays, etc.. I have a three ring binder full of page protectors and little sticky note tabs. I haven't purchased the super cute 3M tabs because I have small post it's that work just fine. I just file my inspiration into the appropriate page protectors.
I always save the paint page in Better Homes & Gardens, you know the page.
I also make little notes on the pages. Otherwise I'll forget what the page inspired.
I love it. When there's a change in seasons or a fun holiday approaching I can pull my inspiration binder out and get some great ideas. Now I have this simple, clean binder instead of magazines spread out everywhere collecting dust. It's wonderful!
How do you keep your inspiration organized?

Blessings.


2 comments:

  1. My intentions are good, before my last move I went through almost 10 years worth of magazines and pulled out those pages. Yeah, 1/2 there, now more than 18 months later, they are still in that box somewhere in the garage and I have 18 months worth of new magazines to go through again and cut out. I rent so I maybe knowing that most of the projects are just "pipedreams" makes it easier to procastinate, but am working on it mentally and when I am ready to go one step further physically will adopt this idea. Thanks!

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  2. I do the same exact thing...I cut some of my smaller inspiration pages out and tape or glue them to a colorful blank sheet of paper instead of taking up an entire clear sleeve. I also keep a little zipper pocket in the front of my notebook that has a glue stick, a pair or scissors and one of those flat Scotch tape dispensers that allows you to refill it and it lets you pull out premeasured pieces. I usually cut those pieces in 2 or 3 more since I don't need to use that much tape to mount a page. :)

    Lorie

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