A study carried out in Australia said that 4 out of 10 people feel anxiety, guilt or depression about the clutter in their home (source), whilst research performed in the UK by NEC-Mitsubishi suggests office workers are hit by “Irritable Desk Syndrome“, part of which can be due to a cluttered desk. Fear not, as help is at hand. Read our simple tips below, then enter the competition which follows this blog post to get your hands on one of ten Brother PT-1000s!
Arts / Crafts / Hobbies
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/evelynishere/3123831911/
Bonus tip: Colour code each type of item you’re storing, it’ll make them a lot easier to find in the future.
- Organise your scrapbook (as above) or decorate your diary/journal
- Containers for organise glue/paint/string/pins etc
- Greeting & birthday card making
- Photo albums
- Sewing and knitting supplies
Kitchen Labelling
Make your spices easier to read
Bonus tip: Reorganise your freezer once a month to keep it tidy. Also, make sure your oldest items are together at the front.
- Clearly label containers whether you’re storing them in a pantry or freezing them; the P-Touch TZ Tape range is designed to withstand hot and cold temperatures. Also, labelling food types that are difficult to distinguish (flour, for example) means quicker and easier identification.
- Label jars and spices for more kitchen efficiency.
- Utensil compartments
- Add the date of freezing to perishable food – this way you ensure your food is eaten whilst the quality is still high (not to mention avoiding illness!)
Garage / Shed
Photo with permission from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tristanhorn/198612107/
Bonus tip: Add warning labels to chemicals / poisons – safety first!
- Toolboxes / parts boxes – keep each section clearly labelled so you know what goes where
- Racking / Shelving
- Storage containers – a lifesaver at Christmas and other events
- Keys
Computer Area / Home Office
Make this sort of clutter a thing of the past!
- Plugs, wires & USB cables – no more disconnecting the wrong devices!
- Files and folders – keep on top of taxes, reports, drawers and more
- Peripherals; ideal for memory sticks, portable hard drive
- Serial numbers & IP addresses – great for networked printers
- CDs / DVDs
Children / Back to School
Labelling with children can be fun and educational
Bonus tip: If your children share toys that are very similar, make sure they’re labelled to prevent squabbles (or in some cases, all out war!)
- Toyboxes & lunchboxes
- School clothing (this requires an iron-on fabric tape, a prize included in the competition below)
- Pencil cases / stationery
- Exercise books
- Sports equipment
Garden Labelling
A clearly labelled garden can soon be yours!
Bonus tip: Get your kids involved by putting their names on pots of seedlings – make it fun!
- Label plant pots to identify the seeds you’ve planted
- Stick labels to tags and identify different types of flowers
- Garden tools
And now for the competition!
We’ve got 10 Brother PT-1000s to give away, these slim handheld printers are ideal for all the tips we’ve shared above, plus anything else you can possibly think of! Each labeller will come with 2 tapes (including the fabric tape we mentioned earlier).
To enter, simply post a tip that makes you more creative, organised or inspired; whether it be for home, at work or in any of the arts and crafts you make. The 10 winners will be chosen at random. If you use Twitter or have your own blog, tweet/link to this post and you can earn additional entries and therefore increase your chances of winning. Good luck!
PS: This giveaway is not limited to participants in the UK, everyone is welcome to enter! The competition closes July 31st at 10am British Summer Time (BST). Winners will be contacted by email.
This competition is now closed, thanks for all the tips and entries! The winners will be notified soon.
July 28th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
I set a timer for 5 minutes and speed clean each room in 5 minutes or less. This way the clutter never gets bad and it makes deeper cleaning on the weekends a whole lot easier. Thanks!
lisalmg25 at gmail dot com
July 28th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
I Tweeted this giveaway too. http://twitter.com/lisalmg/status/2896641172
Thanks!
lisalmg25 at gmail dot com
July 28th, 2009 at 10:48 pm
I keep active items, like unpaid bills, birthday cards to send, etc. in a pile on my desk with the next item to handle on top. I try to handle one item a day, to create a habit. Otherwise, I occasionally forget.
July 28th, 2009 at 11:49 pm
Wanting to have a clean household keeps me inspired. This would sure help!
July 29th, 2009 at 2:14 am
I love to put labels/tags on all my scrapbook supplies. Makes it easier to find things. This machine would make it soooo much easier. Nnitabugg@gmail.com
July 29th, 2009 at 3:04 am
I design jewelry and keep my supplies in cabinets made for screws. I have labels all of the drawers so that I can more easily find my supplies.
July 29th, 2009 at 4:46 am
I make a rubber band ball and keep it in the drawer.
July 29th, 2009 at 7:11 am
I keep my closet color coordinated so that everything always matches!
July 29th, 2009 at 11:04 am
I love labeling all my stuff so it will help me keep my things organized and neat!
July 29th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
What makes me organized is that i i have rubbermaid totes for just about everything from kids toys, school papers, bills, and decorations.
July 29th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
THANKS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
July 29th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
I and my friends save attractive matching clear glass jars for storing;
nails, screws, and the like
seeds from flowers and veggies
dried spices
hair supplies>>>>>>>You get the picture!
Then I make attractive five sided long narrow shelves acording to size of jars and need>>I leave the front side short of the bottom so I can see what they have inside the jars. Some I paint, some I stain. and some I leave natural! According to the location, I hang them with pictures>>inside closets>> with cooking supplies>> above my bathroom towels>>around gardening things>>with my tools>>ect.
UNTIL TODAY, I NEVER THOUGHT HOW COOL THEY WOULD LOOK WITH LABELS>>YOUR LABELS!!!
Soooo, thank you for the contest and the ideas spinning in my head>> hope I win, it will change my obsessive-compulsive life…..
July 29th, 2009 at 9:58 pm
I keep my drawers very organized, and make sure I know where everything is at at any given time. To others, it may not seem organized, but to me, everything is exactly where it needs to be. I also keep a few pens and pencils in every drawer, for I can have easy access. There’s so many simple things you can do to be more organized, just have to have the gumption to do it!
July 29th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
I have colored containers for everyone in the house. Everyone has their own color so we always knows who everything belongs to. My young boys already know their color.
July 29th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
Get plastic totes and organize the kids toys in them. Labeling would make them even better.
July 30th, 2009 at 12:06 am
I have a in box for each person in the family so we can keep organized.
July 30th, 2009 at 1:01 am
I love organizing and a labelmaker woulf help me a lot.
July 30th, 2009 at 1:53 am
Great prize! I have just planted a potted garden on my porch with some annuals, some perennials, some plants from seed. This would be great to label them with so I treat them right.
July 30th, 2009 at 1:54 am
Nice contest.
July 30th, 2009 at 2:42 am
I arranged the clothes in my closet by color. In monitoring my bills, I make an excel file and key in the amount and deadline, once I paid the bill I highlight it to show that it’s paid already. I also label the expiry date of medicines at home for safety purposes.
July 30th, 2009 at 2:53 am
What makes me more organized is cleaning and organizing together with my husband. Then no one ever has to ask how to find anything and it makes it more fun!
July 30th, 2009 at 3:00 am
I put things, such as documents, DVDs, books, etc. into alphabetical order.
July 30th, 2009 at 3:04 am
what makes me organized is having to pick up after 4 children
July 30th, 2009 at 5:19 am
I put all my old canned goods in the front and the newer in the back of the pantry. I have a file cabinet labeled with insurance items, bills, household equipment, mortgage papers, and so on. This keeps things organized.
July 30th, 2009 at 5:22 am
http://twitter.com/kngmckellar
tweeted!
July 30th, 2009 at 9:10 am
Extra money and a store with a colorful selection of yarn (no wool I’m allergic) makes me creative. I crochet blankets.
July 30th, 2009 at 11:35 am
What inspires me when I craft is ‘embossing’. I always think it’s neat and so lovely
July 30th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
I like my creative crafts but I can’t even begin them if I have a mess in my craft room. I find keeping all the small bits and pieces in stackable plastic boxes is best. Adding a label like these would be so much better for organization.
July 30th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
I love to keep lists of everything.
July 30th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
I could use this in my classroom. Exercise inspires my creativity and helps me think out solutions to problems.
July 30th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
b AMBIDEXTROUS
July 30th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
My husband would be very gratified to have his stamp albums labeled. Thnaks for this offer.
July 30th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
I like to put my craft items in plastic shoe boxes with a label on the outside of the box. That way I can pile them up and still know where everything is in my closet. It also helps my daughter keep my stuff organized. I also do this with her things as well.
July 30th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
I could really use this. I usually just mark things the old fashion way marker and tape. I home school my daughter so this would be an awesome way to help me better organize her schooling supplies.
July 30th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
My organization tip is to get a magnetized list on your refrigerator. I write down when I’ve used the second to last thing or I’m running low of something. That way if I’ve used up something I don’t buy very often, like salt, it’s on the list and I don’t have to make an emergency run to the grocery store.
July 30th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
cool contest
July 30th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
This one’s a tricky slippery slope because I find that when everything’s clean and organized…I am naturally more creative. I cannot think when my workspace is covered in stuff/papers. I lose all motivation.
Thanks!
July 30th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
I keep myself organised with a pair of whiteboards! One has a monthly calendar which is updated through the month and copied back into a journal at the end, the other tracks dinners, important notes and projects.
Between the two (and hubby!) I’m organised enough to get through the days!
July 30th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
I always sort the mail as soon as it comes in so I know where all the bills are.
July 30th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
I get inspired by going for a hike in nature. There’s a wilderness area near my house and I go for hikes with my dog up there. It’s so peaceful and away from the city I find it truly inspiring.
July 30th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
im a big fan of labeled totes for keeping the boys clothes organized between seasons
July 30th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
Walking around a craft store, craft fair or browsing an on-line craft website gets my creative juices flowing. I try to stay organized, craft-wise, by using plastic bins.
July 30th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
i got so tired of never having the time for my crafts,,,, i now keep a daily calendar, and at least twicw a week, i open up 2-4 hours, just for crafts. it has so helped, because now it is part of my day, and nothing else is scheduled for that time.
July 30th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Every time I look at my room, I ask myself what would a guy I like say if he saw my room all messy. That inspires me to organize my room and keep it neat and tidy.
July 30th, 2009 at 9:14 pm
My organization tip is to use clear bins to organize your garage. Put everything in like minded bins and if they’re clear you can see what you have in them and be able to grab what you need more easily.
July 30th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
your pantry needs this so that you can label dates on food when you place in there that right now its all just thrown in
July 30th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
being disorganized drives me crazy. i can’t stand not being able to find what i’m looking for. this is just what i need to get everything in order.
July 30th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
I listen to music while I clean – it’s relaxing!
July 30th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
I could really use this for my crafts
July 30th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
The biggest source of my clutter and lack of organization was my huge amount of documents and paperwork (receipts, tax info, contracts, coupons, important letters, owner’s manuals, etc.) that I had lying in every room, cabinet, and drawer of my home, so the best tip I used was to invest in a fire-proof file cabinet with hanging files so I can have one secure, central location to put all of my miscellaneous papers and booklets where I could access them easily. Thanks for the giveaway – a labeler would be a godsend!
gkaufmanss@yahoo.com