Brought to you by Brother
congratulations Lois who won this giveaway! Thank you everyone for entering
Recently I shared this post as I started to get organised with my Brother label maker. Over the holiday break I tackled some of the biggest problem areas of the house. The linen cupboard and the craft room. Tell me I’m not the only one that needs a little help in this area but in a weekend I had both sorted. Well the craft room is a big project but I did half of it so am happy.
I tackled the craft room. Well part of the craft room. The bit just as you walk in the room and stuff gets dumped. That right hand cube had mail and stuff that was on my kitchen counter and over the last term as I was busy with the craft stall stuff just got dumped.
Step 1 was make a coffee, I needed something to get me through.
Step 2 was to work cube by cube. I just couldn’t pull everything as there would be no floor space so I worked one cube of the wall unit at a time and worked out what I needed. I also just used what I had in terms of storage containers proving that this doesn’t need to be a difficult or expensive exercise. Just some time up your sleeve. And this will save money in the long run because who knew I had so many pairs of scissors or white thread. Usually they go missing but I’m thrilled to have spots for them.
Step 3 was to put like with like and make my labels. This was probably the biggest job as things drift into other containers and I have a tendency to run out of time and shove things somewhere, close the door and leave my craft room. Having everything labelled and in the right spot is going to seriously cut down the time I spend hunting around for things when I actually get some time to craft. And I liked using the Shadow font for these labels just for something different.
even the label maker got it’s own shelf for me to put stickers, tapes and labels for school and home.
and the plastic tubs which store my knitting stash all got a sort out, cull and were labelled too. I know that there are more glamorous ways to organise your yarn stash but the containers keep moths out and the stash sorted.
And while on a roll from the craft room I decided to tackle another big problem area in my house. The linen cupboard. Also known as that place at the top of the stairs where I hide stuff. We’ve all seen the beautifully organised linen cupboards and perfectly folded fitted sheets on pinterest. So I had a few goals with the linen cupboard. Firstly, I wanted to be able to open it up and not have things fall out on me. Second, I wanted to be able to close the doors perfectly and thirdly I wanted to have a good cull and keep the things we used and lastly I wanted it all organised and labelled so that everyone else in the family could help to keep it looking good.
Step 1 was to pull it all out, everything. Get everything out so that you can start afresh. You’ll notice that the shelves have seen better days. It was definitely time to give this cupboard a big clear out and lighten the load on those shelves.
Step 2 was to grab some garbage bags. One for stuff to throw out and one for charity. I worked my way through everything, sorting through what I wanted to keep and throw out as I went. I started folding and making spots for items and moved things around the linen cupboard a few times. Put the things you hardly use and the big bulky items up high. Every day items and things that the kids need like towels and hand towels at their level.
And no more hunting around for preschool sheets and hanging hand towels on a sunday night or monday morning. I gave preschool items their own little area in my lovely organised linen cupboard. With 2 still to finish preschool it’s nice to have everything kept in the one spot to make my life easier. And I just love looking at all of the lovely handmade things that I’ve made or been given over the years.
Step 3 was to get my Brother Label maker. I found it easier to have everything in a place that I was happy with first and then make the labels and stick them on. Another little tip is to have the label sticking on top of the shelf rather than facing out on furniture and shelving. It’s up to you but I saw it on Martha Stewart and thought it looked great.
Step 4 was take a photo and admire it. Yep, I was pretty proud that the linen cupboard looked neater than when we first moved in. Even later that night I was watching tv and thought about my lovely neat and tidy cupboard. I know, that’s a bit sad to admit. But with a busy household, just organising a cupboard gets put on the big jobs list however this didn’t take more than 2 hours and looks wonderful.
Let’s hope the bath towel section can keep looking this neat as the year goes on.
Last words of advice
Think about how you use things when you are organising and the items you want easy access to.
Labelling helps you keep it tidy and organised in the long run and also helps other members of the house know where things belong.
Use different fonts and tape colours to have fun with your organising. The kids just love the coloured ones and for the rest of the home I’ve been liking the black on white tape.
Use what you have to organise. Bowls, platters, crates, jars, bottles and old drawers all make great storage ideas so there is no need to buy more containers. Label what you have, pile things neatly and stay organised.
Garbage bags are your best friend when organising. Think about the last time that you used an item and if it’s been too long or your tastes have changed then pass it on to someone else who can put it to good use. I give some things to friends and family and the rest to charity
Keep your label maker out of reach of your children. One boy thought he’d have fun writing his name lots of times and used a whole roll of tape. Not happy. Luckily you can pick up tapes easily from shops like Officeworks, independent stationery shops and more.
I have enjoyed getting organised with my Brother Label Maker and as a special little gift to you I’m giving away 1 Brother Label Maker and tape to my readers.
Just let me know the first area of your house that you will tackle if you win!
Entries close 21 January 2016, giveaway is open to Australian residents only, full terms of my giveaways can be found here.
Thank you for the chance to enter this lovely giveaway!
I’d definitely first tackle my messy-busy-working-mum of 3- craft/sewing corner and then my two little pantry cupboards!
My daughters bedroom!! It needs some serious organising
I would definitely start on my linen cupboard maybe a declutter first as how many sheets do I really need? It would be a huge help to stay organised.
Boy could I make use of the label maker. The first place I would tackle is our study. We have paper everywhere and I’m not sure where to start now. Very close second would be my craft area. I don’t have designated storage so trying to organise the limited space I have is essential to my sanity. I’m certain that I could give this labeller a work out.
I do loooooove a label maker and last year updated from my 15 year old basic to a bells and whistle Brother P Touch. One tip I have is that colour tapes can get expensive so buy clear tape and cover it with coloured washi tape. Works great on organising things just not on lunch boxes that go in the dishwasher!
I’d head straight to the toy cupboard. With four kids all of different ages, we have a wide toy range, which needs a far more organised approach !!
I really need a label maker! First job to tackle would be the pantry. I organised it a few months ago using washi tape to label everything as we don’t have a label maker (yet) and now all the washi tape is starting to peel off.
I need to tackle my kitchen cupboards and a Brother Label Maker would make the task so much easier!
I just bought the tupperware pantry set so can’t wait to get all my cooking stuff organised.
My linen cupboard is a complete mess so that would be the first area to sort out if I had a label maker!
I really should say my craft room, but as we travel and work a lot of the time, it would be great to label containers for the pantry in the caravan ?
Our large laundry used to be our kitchen so has lots of cupboards, but they all seem to be filled to the brim! Art & craft, wrapping paper, my old work paperwork (stopped working 5 years ago), dog food and some of my sewing materials are always bursting out of the cupboards….let alone the cleaning products!! I’d love to tackle my laundry when our children return to school! The mammoth task will also keep my mind off missing my baby who starts school this year. ??
My family would love one of these our old dymo just stopped working !!!
We would reorganise the playroom and linen cupboard first !
Yours is great inspiration
I would use it at home in the study , pantry and linen cupboard and then take it into my classroom where I have moved into a kindergarten classroom and I’d label away in there!
Thanks
RIP my old label maker. My new one would get its first workout ON MY 17yo SON with some subtle reminders closeup. Eventually, my kitchen cupboards, linen and toy shelves would have some words added to them to help my poor weakling children who do not comprehend “like with like”!!
I sorted my linen cupboard recently. Instead of having neat piles of sheets, pillow cases and duvet covers I sorted them into bed sets. I placed each bedset into one of the pillow cases and stacked them that way. Now when it comes to changing the beds I can just pull out a bed set and throw it on the bed for each person to make their own bed. When I fold the clean laundry it all gets sorted again into the bed sets and stacked away again. Saves a lot of time trying to match up the correct sets.
not sure where I’d start … probably the linen cupboard then the bedrooms …
As a mum in a household of boys our youngest with special needs labeling is a godsend if I have any hope of things returning to their proper homes.I have done the laundry,linen cupboard and Lego so far but designing labels on the computer,printing,cutting and laminating is time confusing and stressful.I have been dreaming of a label maker, especially after reading about yours and How you love it.My first adventure with it would be my sons room as it is long overdue for a makeover and labeling would encourage his independence which is our therapy focus for this year.
Good luck with your little girl starting school. We recently changed to a new specialist school with our son and it has been one of our best decisions ever- just stock up on tissues for yourself for the first drop off and go grab a coffee straight afterwards. Enjoy your milestone year ahead.
The pantry or the linen cupboard. Both are in a terrible state a d I plan attacking them with vigour when school goes back and I only have the baby to contend with. It’s go ing to be an epic task for sure.
The linen cupboard. It’s a total mess and I try not to open it.
My daughter is a hoarder and is moving into a new apartment in the next few months. This label maker would help her to get off to a flying start in a much smaller space and her first target would be her pantry. Thanks for another great competition Corrie
My pantry, school stuff and the girls hair stuff!!! We Can never find anything in our house because no one puts it back where they found it!!! And also phone chargers! We have a lot of phone chargers and cords ‘stolen ‘from bedrooms in our house
I would start with my pantry. With young children the shopping just gets put away as fast as possible before they start pulling out food from the shopping bags or things start to defrost. My pantry is therefore just a dumping ground and really needs to be organised with labelled storage jars and labelled shelves for certain items so hubby and I can find what we need.
Definitely the linen cupboard. So over cramming stuff in and slamming the doors shut (even though they don’t then shut properly thereby driving me crazy every time I walk past it) and then being scared every time I have to put something else in because I just know things will fall out the minute I open the door.
The first area I would start with would be my pantry and kitchen cupboards. These areas always seem to get messed up as soon as they are sorted.
We recently moved house and I am yet to tackle unpacking the bulk of our bedroom. I am in desperate needing of a post maternity / breastfeeding clothing cull and would love to label my soon to beautifully organised wardrobe. I would then continue labelling the other unpacked cupboards before they can get messed up by the kids!
I was so inspired by your label-maker post I immediately asked my hubby if I could have one as a wedding anniversary (10th Jan) present even though we don’t usually do presents for that:) The first area I would tackle if I won a label maker would be my girls’ bedroom (1.5 and 3.5). We recently moved them into the same room to enhance their bonding as sisters but I’ve found setting up their clothes a challenge. I have a system in place now, but labels would make life so much easier, especially for their Nanna who looks after them on Fridays. She loves to help with the washing when I’m at work but never puts the clothes in the right spot, clothes end up in the wrong drawers (she knows I have a system but hasn’t learnt it, and thinks it’s helpful just to put them in drawers!), and too often I find myself pulling it all out and having to reorganise. I’ve also reorganised my linen cupboard recently and sewing boxes earlier this week – labels will make those systems last for a lot longer before chaos sets in:) On a slightly different note, I saw a different brand label maker at Coles this week on special, and for some reason didn’t want to buy it, I wanted the one that ‘Retro Mummy’ had reviewed. So there you go Brother, looks like sponsored marketing works!:)
I’m a teacher, so the first area I tackle wouldn’t actually be at home, it’d be at work! I’ve wanted s label maker for ages, but suspected that if I started, I wouldn’t stop!! Love to have things very organised ?
I can see many uses for the Brother label maker. First off my craft area including all the little divided compartment boxes for things like buttons and beads. I can also see the labels coming in handy for my ProjectLife album, card and embellishment storage. Also my pantry is in desperate need of a makeover including my little spice jars and condiments.
I’d tackle my herbs and spices if I was to win this prize.
I use so many when cooking and having them all labelled and knowing what they are would make my life and cooking easier.
Next up would be the kids lunchboxs for school.
What a great idea Corrie, but personally if I was the lucky winner, it would go to my husband, the handyman, for use in his shed. He certainly needs some help.
Oh my craft room, definitely…. I periodically attack it, tidy up and then can’t find things!!!! Labels are such an obviously good answer for this! thank you :}
Like you my 2 worst areas of organization are my craft goods and the linen closet. As I have Homecare to help in the house, labels would be great for the linen cupboard!
congratulations Lois you are the winner of the giveaway! I’ll be in touch now for your home address to get this out in the mail to you this week:)
Most definitely my craft room, it needs a huge clean up which I intend to do within the next two months as I need to buy those pidgeon holes like you have and some containers to fit into them. Every time I am looking for a particular fabric I rummage through plastic bin containers which drive me nuts. A label maker wold be perfect so I can label the containers or sections just as you have.
How cool does your sewing room look now! If I won this labeller, it would be a toss up between the shove-everything-in-and-close-the-door-quick crafting supply cupboard or my daughter’s den of iniquity/bedroom! Both could use a massive intervention
I would love to tackle my pantry. So many containers with the product name ripped of the original packaging inside. I could figure out which was plain or self raising floor the other day! This would be a big help
I definitely need to tackle my sewing room! After the last minute frantic sewing before Christmas it is in serious need of a work over! Cheers LynS
The pantry. Definitely the pantry! All my good intentions go out the window within weeks of tidying it up as no one seems to know where to put things back correctly. And of course it doesnt help that we have a corner pantry with those awkward shelf shapes that mean my containers never sit square in there either!
I’d love to have a label maker to help organise my spare room which I’m setting up as a study. I was made redundant last year and I’m feeling overwhelmed with papers etc everywhere relating to job searches. I’d really like to feel in control again.
My son’s room (especially his LEGO collection)… we have a container stacker all ready… now we just need to sort and label! Thanks for the chance to win!
My pantry is a nightmare when the kiddies are back at school I need to tackle it head on 😉
inspiring as always Corrie! My study would be the first place I’d tackle, it’s a mine field! A shared space with a very neat & tidy husband and three small girls who like to do with ‘making’ regularly!
My pantry. With the switch to a gluten and dairy free diet for my littlest, the number of
ingredients I keep on hand has exploded!
Loved reading about your re organising I would re organise my linen cupboard which, I kid you not , is bursting at the seams and definitely needs to be re organised and linen no longer being used needs to be donated then i need to set up an area for my craft have already tidied up my sewing box – actually purchased a
New one my old one was a Tupperware box
believe it or not. We are doing a total de clutter which seems to go on and on lol
I would love to be able to tackle my craft cupboard. All those messy bits everywhere could finally be sorted out!
My office! We’ve just moved into a new home and I have discovered that there are ten boxes of ‘stuff’ that belongs to the office! A Brother Label Make will help get it sorted!
My craft room is a disaster but my pantry is worse! I’d love to get them both sorted.
Thanks for the chance to win a labeller! I have just declutter end and sorted my study/scrapping room and linen cupboard. Would love a labeller to go ahead and label where everything is and belongs now that everything has a new home and place! ??
My Pantry so all the family would easily find what they need
I have a walk in cupboard I affectionately call the Hell Cupboard, it is also my filing cabinet . boxes of unorganised paperwork. Including things like school notes from 4 years ago. This would be a perfect push to get in and organise
I would love a label maker
Like you i am a fan of organisation but sometimes have to stuff things away when at the last minute I run out of time !
I would sort my craft and my pantry
After seeing your previous post on the Brother label maker I purchased one yesterday. The kids have enjoyed labelling their school items. I think I might tackle my upstairs linen cupboard too!
Mission: study
Aim: needs to be transferred to a baby boys room
Presently: a shared space, and the study isn’t winning although it’s trying so hard
Outcome:a beautiful bedroom for a 1 year old to enjoy that includes cupboard space. And a creative space for our study in another room that looks tidy.
Winner: Brother label maker of course will help make each space it’s own.
The Brother label maker would never sit still, I would label all my sewing and craft supplies (a place for everything and everything in its LABELLED place), followed by the kids clothing for school (maybe some might even come home!) then anything that looks like it needs a label will get one (and maybe even some that don’t).
Kitchen, this way with any luck, ‘Mans Eyes’ will be able to find things too!!!!!
Garage. There’s just so much sh!t in there, I really need to get on top of it, sort it all out. Label maker will certainly help get me moving in the right direction.
I would start on my pantry. It is like taking your life in your own hands going in there!
I’m a teacher so I’d start with my reading shelf for levelled readers, then it would stay at home x
The pantry so my husband can stop getting his sugar and salt mixed up!
If I were lucky enough to win I would organise my laundry cupboard. It is full of so many random items, ranging from batteries, spare candles and torches to general household tools, swimming gear, stubby holders, lightbulbs, cloths and pet items. I cannot stand clutter and that cupboard is the epitome of clutter. I need to establish some sort of order. There is nothing worse than needing something and knowing it is in a certain messy cupboard….somewhere!
A brother label maker would be the ultimate tool in creating organization within my home. What an awesome prize.
I would tackle the kitchen first
Tackling the spare room, disaster
Labeller helping me find things faster!
Room to move and breathe, please
Brother, I need rescuing, my mind at ease
My kitchen! how much fun to be able to see whats put into the tubs that soon overtake the cupboard!! Great or better storage and freshness, giving me more room!
The Tupperware/plastic cupboard – that is a serious black hole in my house!
Hey was great to read this post. I try to do decluttering/organising jobs in the holidays. I’m half way through my linen cupboard and not culling as much as I should (such a horder?) and have made labels by printing the words on paper and laminating them! Anyways thanks for the opportunity to enter this comp. I would use it to help organise my sewing room cupboard – not a pretty sight at the moment (that hoarding issue again?)
Oh where do I start! Im going to say the kitchen, because my pantry is in need of some serious help! no more sugar instead of salt, no more flour instead of gluten free flour, no more chocolate instead of almonds, oh wait that’s just me who does that, maybe not by accident!
I would *adore* a label maker in my house!! I have an autistic little peep and a label maker would help with the MOUNTAIN of OT, speech, physio games, schedules, equipments & stuff. That’s not even mentioning the spare room, kitchen, laundry, linen cupboard. The list goes on…..and on…..and on
My daughters room. So many different collectible toys. Lego, LPS, Party Animals, Shopkins, Kinder Surprise Toys. I am organised she is not. Time to pass on some healthy habits and label places/cubbys, containers for her treasured items to go. When everything has it’s place this mum will have a happy face.
Ohmygoodness! I would dive head first into organising my sewing room! I make cat beds & cat toys to help raise funds for animal rescues here in Perth (Cathy’s Cat Beds on facebook) & it currently looks like a tornado has gone through there. I have material all mixed up & out of order thanks to hurriedly making Joey & Possum pouches for the injured animals from the Harvey/Waroona bushfires last weekend & I haven’t been game to go back in there since & try to put some order in place.
A Brother Label Maker would be a GODSEND! With my memory, I usually find what I’m looking for in the last place I look, it can get quite frustrating to say the least!
I definitely need to organise my Pantry and linen closet – a label maker would make the job much easier!
I would be soooo excited to win this…I love the pink tape with white writing!! I would label my daughter’s school things first (it is her first year of school) then I would tackle my pantry once school goes back ☺
my kitchen pantry
I would definitly tackle our trickly “pantry” drawers. Having labels on all the tops/lids of the jars, containers and packets would make it so much easier to find things, and hopefully reduce the chance of buying 2, 3 or 4 more packets of things!
Our laundry as there’s things in there that would be better off in the sheds that we have such as paint, light fittings and garden stuff.
Straight to the office for me! We have just built a house and we are awaiting some inbuilt cabinetry and a desk. It’s just boxes and boxes at the moment. I can’t wait to be organised so I have a clutter free space to do my uni assignments while the kids are occupied
The kids playroom has me tearing my hair out. I have separate cubes for the toys, but they always end up in a jumble. Lightbulb moment- Not sure why I haven’t thought to label them before!
Directly to the handicraft supply in my daughters house. Its a mess. a total mess!
I know that you can fill the Brother Label Maker with tape that you can iron on clothes! My house project would be to label all the school and sporting uniforms so I never have to replace a jumper/tshirt/shorts again!!
I would attack my teenage son’s room. Despite having grown up in that room, he still doesn’t know which draw holds what. And apparently it’s easier to dump all his stuff on his desk, than to decide which is the right spot. A Brother label maker will save him from straining himself. And hopefully even save me from having to “find” something that is sitting right in front of him!
I’d start with the kitchen, lots of jars and containers I could label.
Our Foyer area. With four kids at school with similar shoes, I’d be able to label the shoes for each child, and also make their own little labeled areas for bags, hats and the aforementioned shoes. No more cries each morning of “I can’t find (insert item)” or “That’s mine not yours!”
my linen cupboard for sure
Great prize! Love to be organised for back to school. Brother can do multiple tasks fonts, frames, styles and symbols to personalize our storage bins. ! This is going to be perfect for organizing our pantry, office, the kids school supplies
With 4 boys I can see a time schedule happening ….that Im allowed on! lol. Great for all the boys school projects and labelling everything for back to school.
I tend to keep everywhere else in the house neat except my bedroom, it’s like I don’t care about myself as much as the family!
The first place I’d tackle is my craft area(s). I’m pretty sure I have a few craft areas that need to be organised and consolidated. Craft supplies breed when you’re not looking.
Kitchen just in time for the three boys to go back to school with their name on everything ?
I can see lots of little labels covering my house and hopefully it can be useful to the kids not to just throw things anywhere, i would use this in every room of my house from the kitchen herbs to labels on the herbs in the back yard, my cluttered laundry would love this as would my linen cupboard and the kids rooms, so many uses, great for back to school lunch boxes, drink bottles, pencil cases, bags, books etc,
I’d love to sort my craft room. It always takes forever to find whatever embellishments, paper, stamps, inks I need for a project that I sometimes just give up trying to make a card etc. It usually takes longer to find the stuff that I need than to make the actual project.
I’d tackle hubbys messy garage nuts and bolts everywhere and always a saga when he can’t find what he needs in a hurry. How calm our household could become with a label maker
I’d start with the kitchen. My son is trying to be more independent with making his own meals and snacks, but with his severe food allergies, I always have to keep an eye on him.
With the Brother Label Maker, I could make sure all his foods are labeled to make his selections easier.
I am Decluttering my house this would make it so much easier. My mum passed as oldest in family of five,I was given all mum’s treasures as rest of family interstate they
didn’t want anything.Have sent lots of items to charity.I have to be strong and let go.
Thankyou Brother Label Maker to the rescue.
The kids playroom, that way they wouldn’t have to open every box and leave toys everywhere just to find one thing
The fishing room…yes I now have one of those! My partner has recently moved in and his he has thousands and thousands (I’m not kidding) of lures, all manner of fishing accessories, bags, tools and the list goes on. The room is bulging and flowing into the family room. It needs to be boxed and labelled to save my sanity!