Karissa Tunis

Picking Days – Time Management for Parents to Reduce the Overwhelm

Being a mom is very rewarding, and yet it is also the hardest job in life! Weather you are a stay at home mom, a work from home mom, a work out of the house mom, a single mom, a married mom, a caregiver, or any other combo; trying to juggle life and raise a little one has its challenges! But don’t get me wrong, I would not change it for the world! But I got to a point where I needed to find a better solution for how to organize my focus, which is why I began implementing this strategy that helps with time management for parents.

A few years ago, I tried to come up with a system that would allow it all to feel a bit more manageable. Through lots of trial and error, we have found a system that works for us in this current phase of life. We still don’t get it right 100% of the time. But I can honestly say that I feel better in control of my time now than I did a few years ago….

4 Simple Steps to Organize Your Kid’s Closet

The start of a new year, and the beginning of a new season, often make me think about organizing. Two of my favorite places to start are my children’s playroom and their closets. Once these are finished, my life seems to be in much better order, and our morning routines seem to go much smoother. Below are my 4 simple steps to help you organize your kid’s closet. These strategies have become a way of life for us now, and the result has been truly time saving! …

Organizing Our New Toy Room!

When we moved into our new house, I knew that the toy room was going to have to be one of the first projects that I tackled. Since the toys had been in storage for a little while, the boys were eager to find all of their old favorites. And since school had just let out, I wanted them to be able to have a functional playroom to help keep them occupied over summer break. Organizing the toy room was top priority!

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No time to cook? Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken is an easy, delicious solution. The chicken is rubbed with spices and flavored with your favorite sauce. Super affordable, and very easy to make for busy weeknight dinners, or even for your favorite dinner guests!

To make ahead to freeze, simply prepare the ingredients in a gallon freezer bag, label, and store in the freezer. To serve, thaw the bag in the refrigerator overnight; then dump contents into your slow cooker and follow the directions below. …

How to Organize Kids’ Stuff at Home

I have always been a pretty organized person. I kept a clean room growing up; and as a young wife I like to focus on a neat and tidy home. Both my husband and I are actually a bit obsessive when it comes to neatness. Then we had our first baby and began wondering how to organize kids’ stuff at home… especially when they’re little!

Do you know how much “stuff” comes along with a baby?!

It was everywhere and on every surface…we had to settle for organized chaos. A few years later, we had another child. In the midst of our “organized chaos”, we were still feeling stressed with all the toys, clothing, arts/crafts and general “stuff” laying around. I needed to be strategic about how we organized so that the mess wasn’t impacting our well-being.

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How to Install Contact Paper and Easily Revamp Your Closet

The beginning of a new year offers a fresh start. So it’s only natural to want to get organized for the year ahead! When I looked around our home for areas in need of organization, my youngest son’s closet was high on the list. It was a disorderly mess with bins of collected school work and keepsakes that were overflowing and didn’t belong. After they were sorted through and removed, this left his closet full of possibilities. Keep reading to learn how to easily revamp your closet, and how to install contact paper, all on a small budget!

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This article is written by Pamela Rineer
For more on this topic, check out the full Get Organized collection

The Start of a Closet Makeover

Next, I cleaned out the closet completely to start with a blank slate. Once clear, it needed a pop of color or design. I wanted this makeover to take one day, and get done on a budget. Knowing this I had two options – paint or wallpaper.

I headed to the closest Target to find a peel and stick wallpaper in a fun design. I found most wallpaper options were on the pricey side. My friend mentioned that I should just use contact paper and a light-bulb went off! So I picked up three rolls of contact paper in the kitchen department that were on sale for around $17 total, half the cost of one roll of wallpaper at the same store!

DIY Tip – It pays to shop around and think outside the box! I’ve even seen some great contact paper at the Dollar Tree!

Once home, I got straight to work.

Tools Needed to Revamp Your Closet

Scissors

Utility Knife

Contact Paper

Measuring Tape

Laser Level

Pencil

Revamp Your Closet Carefully

First measure the closet to get the dimensions.

When I purchased paper I bought three rolls. I still have about half a roll left, but it’s best to have more than not enough.

Work the wall bottom to top.

I think it may have also worked fine to do it from top to bottom. So start at either end, but just not in the middle! And knowing that this was a closet, my goal was simply better than before – not perfect.

Do not assume your walls or trim are straight.

Use a laser level to get a straight line. Then line the wall with your pencil – the width of your paper from trim up.

Begin Applying the Contact Paper

Begin by peeling a few inches of the contact paper off the backing sheet, and attach it to the corner of the wall level to your pencil line. Be sure to leave an inch or two overhang on the side and bottom edges. This will give you a perfect line, and offer a clean cut. Only unroll the contact paper off the backing a few inches at a time, peeling off and reattaching as needed for wrinkles and bubbles. Work your way horizontally across the wall.

When you get to the other side, use your utility knife to cut off the excess paper leaving a straight, clean edge. Use a squeegee, cloth, or smoothing tool to remove wrinkles. Puncture any bubbles with a pin and smooth.

Step 1

Take your roll and again peel off an inch or two of the backing, moving up, begin lining your second area of the wall. Contact paper may not have an exact repeat. Meaning the pattern doesn’t repeat itself perfectly. Which is why I probably wouldn’t use this on a wall in my living room. But, for closets, it works great. The repeat on the contact paper I was using didn’t line up seamlessly. However, it is now hardly noticeable.

Step 2

Continue to repeat the process as you move your way up the wall. Because the closet I was working in already had a wire shelf and rod, I didn’t want to remove it. Working a few inches at a time and unrolling the paper as I went across the wall I stretched the paper over the shelf bracket. Once sealed, I used a utility knife to cut around the bracket and smoothed out the edges.

Step 3

To apply the paper behind the brackets and under the shelf, I cut the paper into three small manageable sections. I used the utility knife to cut around screws and shelf brackets, as well as cutting the excess paper below the shelf.

On top of the shelf I used the shelf as my guide to unroll the paper in a straight line, again using the utility knife to cut around brackets.

Step 4

Repeat the hanging process as you move up the wall and on each side, removing and reattaching as needed. Making sure to smooth wrinkles and bubbles as best you can.

Step 5

When complete, it was time to organize. The first thing I did was purge! Everything that was too small, unused, or belonged in a different home was removed. Clothes that were too large were stored in empty drawers under the bed for later use.

Reorganizing Your Closet

Before, the hanging organizer was underutilized, now it’s perfect for getting a weeks worth of clothes ready for my early riser.

I purchased the same inexpensive shoe rack and soft baskets that we use and love from this closet makeover here.

The basket on the shoe organizer holds socks.

One unseen addition are these Olivia and Aiden air purifying bags. I added them to the entry closet a couple weeks ago and noticed a vast improvement in the smell.

The whole makeover took only 2 hours to complete. Now everything has room to breath and looks great. I hope this inspires you to use contact paper as an easy alternative to add a fun, inexpensive pattern when organizing closets in your home!

Ready to tackle another DIY project?! Check out DIYIdeaCenter.com

For more on this topic, check out the full Get Organized collection

Featured Contributor: Pamela Rineer

Pamela Rineer lives in Lititz, PA with her husband, two boys, and very large goldendoodle. With a love of real estate, design, and money management she began renovating their homes on a budget. Now, settling into their fifth house, she shares simple DIY’s for all things home.

Instagram: @pamelarineerinteriors
Facebook: @pamelarineerinteriors
Pinterest: @pamelarineerinteriors
Website: pamelarineerinteriors.weebly.com

Free Daily Planner Printable for Parents

Parents wear a lot of different hats on a daily basis. But something as simple as this daily planner printable for parents can make life easier! It helps to prevent things from slipping through the cracks. And it helps you to stay focused on the things that are most important (including your own health and happiness). Print as many copies as you would like below!…

New Year, New Goals – Family Conversation Starters

We hear all the time how important it is to open up the lines of communication. Communication improves relationships with partners, friends, & coworkers; but we can’t forget that it also improves our relationships with our children.

Taking the time to have a genuine conversation with your child can be so much fun & so insightful! It also helps to build up a great family bond, which is why we are offering a few family conversation starters to go a long with each curated collection of content.

Save these to your phone or print them out, but use them as a starting point for fun & interesting family conversation 🙂

For more on this topic, check out the full New Year New Goals collection

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How to Make Resolutions Stick All Year Long

New Year’s Day is not the only time to think about change, because every day brings a fresh start. Of course, since my focus is parenting and family, my questions for you are – “What could be better in your family, and how will you get the ball rolling?” And, “By the end of the year, what would you like to see already in play?” These questions can help guide us into setting a new parenting goal, or making a New Year’s Parenting Resolution. But you might be thinking “Great questions! But how do we actually make these resolutions stick all year long?” Well, keep reading below to find out! …

New Goals Printable for the New Year

Take advantage of this free New Goals Printable. Print out several copies, and place them in your most important places. I always keep one in our financial binder, my To Do planner, and my note keeping journal. That way my goals are always in the forefront and I’m more likely to accomplish them. One thing to note, I don’t focus on themes, words, or target dates. But, those are options if you find them helpful. I find that if I keep it simple, I’m more likely to accomplish all my goals by the end of the year, and sometimes more!

If you need a little help coming up with some new goals, or even a New Year’s Resolution, check out Goal Ideas for the New Year for some fresh ideas and free inspiration to help you get started today! Setting goals and working towards them is a good way to stay dedicated and disciplined; and it will help you continue to move forward in life.

Happy Goal Setting!
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