Happy Memorial Day!  I hope you’ve all had a good weekend.  I found this picture of my three kids from Memorial Day years ago.  They look so little!  This day means a lot to our family with my grandpas and uncles and dad all being Veterans and I know so many of you feel the same.  I love that there is a day we can stop to remember and honor them all.  We have enjoyed the past two days so much just slowing down and spending time together as a family.  Catching our breath before the last two weeks of school!
Aside from honoring our veterans, getting some rest and spending time with family and friends, I love to tackle organizing projects over long weekends like this one! Â Sometimes there are projects that just feel too big and overwhelming to start during the week when time is so limited. Â My closet is one of those projects that I have been putting off for a long time. Â I have ‘half way sort of but not really’ organized my closet more times than I can count and it is a space that has been driving me crazy for a while now. Â Time to finally give it the makeover it deserves! Â I snapped the pic above with my phone after pulling out my first drawer of clothes. Â We’ll call this a “before.” :)
Quick tip that helps me when I organize clothes: Â Pull everything out of your drawers and categorize clothes in piles before you put them back. Â Why? Â Because sometimes this helps you see better how/where to put the clothes back. Â Maybe you don’t need the full drawer you’ve been using for gym clothes.. maybe they can be combined with something else in a better spot in your closet or dresser. Â Maybe it makes more sense to keep certain things together you hadn’t thought of before. Â If you just re-fold and organize clothes in their same spot and don’t pull them out you sometimes miss better solutions and “homes” for your clothes.
For example I realized after pulling everything out and categorizing my clothes that I could put some of my winter stuff together in one drawer to save space. Â I used to have a full drawer of scarves (seriously why? Â I live in San Diego!) but after purging scarves I didn’t wear last winter I had room to add my Christmas pj’s and a few other cold weather items.
I only finished a small section of our closet (there is so much work to do in there it’s scary!) but it felt so good to just get started. Â Now I can make a list on my current project printable and finish the rest during smaller chunks of time when they pop up. Â Hopefully I’ll have more progress to share with you over the summer!
Here are a few past organizing projects that are perfect to tackle over the weekend if you need a few ideas! Â Click the link below each picture for the full post and details. Â If you have a project like my closet that feels overwhelming and you keep putting it off, get out a timer and set it for 30 minutes and just START. Â You’ll gain momentum and be cruising before you know it. :)
{ORGANIZED DVD’S}
{ORGANIZED OFFICE SYSTEM}
{KIDS SCHOOL WORK – what to save and what to toss!}
{ORGANIZED PANTRY}
{ORGANIZED JEWELRY}
{ORGANIZED KIDS’ CLOSET}
{ORGANIZED DECOR CLOSET}
{ORGANIZED LINEN CLOSET}
{ORGNAIZED BATHROOM DRAWERS}
{ORGANIZED TRAVEL SUPPLIES}
Also I recently shared 20 EASY WAYS TO SPRING CLEAN – quick organizing projects you could definitely tackle over a weekend. Â (You can find family room sources HERE.)
We are going to a BBQ at a friend’s house tomorrow and I’m planning on making this Feta and Tomato Dip! Â Perfect party food if you need a quick idea for any upcoming summer event.
I’m also thinking I’ll make some patriotic pretzel hugs. Â They are always a hit with the kids! Â Plus they are sounding pretty good to me right about now too. :)
*affiliate links used below
I was doing a little on-line sale shopping tonight and saw that this favorite top is marked down!
So is this favorite swim suit and this one that is similar.
And my favorite white tassel earrings are also on sale! Â Picking them up in another color. Â I shared other favorite clothes from the Nordstrom sale in my last post too. Â Of course while I was shopping the sale I ended up finding some cute things that I couldn’t pass up that weren’t on sale. Â Never fails! Â I’m sure my husband will be thrilled to hear that one. :) Â But how cute are these five tops!?
See why I didn’t have a choice!? Â I especially love the Running Late is my Cardio tee. Â Pretty much sums up my life story. :)
A few favorites I own that are marked down this weekend..
Some fun patriotic things I bought for the 4th. Â Can’t wait to add these red tassel pillows outside!
I own these four rugs and they are all marked down today! Â (Recently ordered this one for the theatre room and love it!)
And these are my favorite sale items from the Nordstrom Home department. Â Such cute stuff! Â Clearly I’m having a love affair with navy rugs at the moment.
Enjoy what’s left of your weekend friends! Â If you need me, I’ll be in my closet.. ruthlessly purging so that I have room for the new clothes I just bought. Â #andthecyclecontinues
;)
Happy Memorial Day!
Thanks for all the great project ideas. However, I will not be attempting any of them this weekend. School’s out for me and I told myself I could have a few days of play before I got involved in any projects. And I’ve been relaxing really hard. Yay! After today, then I need to get serious and your ideas will come in handy. I think our pantry will be on the list (although it’s not nearly as pretty as yours. I think deep cleaning the kitchen will be on the list, too. But I’ll think about those tomorrow, one more day of relaxation and honoring our fallen servicemen and women, first. Thanks so much, Erin! Two more weeks! You can do it, you CAN do it! Hugs! :)
Good for you Jeanne! So happy you are able to take some time off to relax and enjoy! Hugs right back and happy Memorial Day! :) xo
Love the shelves at the top of your clothes closet. That is usually a wasted space in most closets.
Everything in your house is so neat. So much space. Sometimes I feel like things are just piled in our house.
Thanks for sharing. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Thank you Audrey! I know.. those shelves are nice but I haven’t quite figured out the best way to use them yet! Hopefully soon. :) Enjoy your weekend too! xo
SO excited to see progress of your closet!!! Your organisation is truly inspirational!
Thank you so much Ange! Fingers crossed I can get it finished. For some reason my closet has been the hardest space for me to keep organized! xo
Hey Erin – I’ve been following your blog from some time now and just have to tell you thanks for all the organization inspiration. I’ve always been organized (I’m much older than you) but you have inspired me to new levels of organization. I always felt that the Container Store was too expensive but since following you, I’ve learned that the store is actually competitive with other stores (Home Goods). So imagine my husband’s reaction when we visited store about a dozen times in a month! But he is now totally on board and goes off in the store on his own searches for solutions for our home or motor home challenges. I’ve also caught your addiction for the label making machine. OMG if anyone opens my cabinets they will think I am OCD…and maybe I am! I am now labeling even temporary containers! Thank you for your blog – I know it is a lot of work for you but much appreciated! I hope you receive as many blessings as you give. One last thing that has nothing to do with organization – it was you post about parenting – you are wise beyond your years and your children are very blessed to have such a wise mother. Blessings to you and your family!
Beverlee your comment was so incredibly kind! Thank you! I’m with you on the Container Store and label addiction! I’ve definitely had months when I’ve been more times than I can count! Love that your husband found something he can look for there.. I need to make that happen! SMART. :) I think the two of us would get along famously. Your kind words about my blog and organizing/parenting posts completely made my day! So thoughtful of you and that means a lot to me. Thank you again! xo
After reading this post, I couldn’t help but think about the book that I just read, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing”. Have you heard of it? If not, check it out!! Some of it sounds kind of corny, but it has turned me into such a minimalist and I love it! I now love to clean and organize, even more than before. Hehe. I’m a San Diego native and I love seeing other amazing families in the city I love! thanks for sharing your life with us!
Hi Tawnie! Oh yes! That book is a long time favorite of mine! It made my 2016 favorite things list.. number one! I wrote all about it here:
https://www.thesunnysideupblog.com/2016/11/2016-favorite-things-gift-ideas-everyone-list/
I agree.. that book makes you just want to toss everything! So fun. :) Thank you for your sweet comment! xo