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 30th, 2009 at 10:48 pm
I blogged about the giveaway: http://slavetoacademia.blogspot.com/2009/07/brother-pt-1000-labeler-giveaway.html
gkaufmanss@yahoo.com
July 30th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
I tweeted about the giveaway: http://twitter.com/guettel78/status/2938688084
gkaufmanss@yahoo.com
July 30th, 2009 at 10:58 pm
I’m an organizational freak so everything that can be labeled gets labeled. Problem is my label maker tore up, so lately I’ve been using the small yellow stickys!
July 30th, 2009 at 11:48 pm
JeansandTs@hotmail.com
I use a Plano Fishing Tackle Box to keep my beads or nuts and bolts or screws in. They are see through and have adjustable compartments.
July 30th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
about the only organized around here is my kitchen.
July 31st, 2009 at 12:14 am
I get my creative inspiration from going for a run. I just put on my running shoes and head out and it clears my mind and provides me with great creative impulses.
July 31st, 2009 at 1:13 am
Sometimes in order to be more creative, I imagine bragging to someone about the great things that I’ve done and why it’s really good. When I think of explaining why something is good, sometimes it’s easy to think of other ways to make it better.
July 31st, 2009 at 1:58 am
I don’t like clutter but I am also not good about cleaning up every night so I have my one little area where I stack everything I need to go through and tackle this pile once a week!
July 31st, 2009 at 2:15 am
My easy organization tip is for your hangers! After you pull a shirt off of the hanger put it at the end of your closet past your clothes. That way when you’re doing laundry all of your hangers are all set to go and you don’t have to go searching through all of your wracks of clothes trying to find empty hangers!
July 31st, 2009 at 3:13 am
I buy the large clear plastic storage boxes with lids to store my basket reed. I am a basket weaver! I have a box for each color of reed. Inexpensive organizational/storage units can help organize a craft room! Thanks! senekers@comcast.net
July 31st, 2009 at 4:08 am
To keep organized in my classroom, I keep everything grouped into a specific category. macd82 at gmail dot com
July 31st, 2009 at 4:17 am
I use seperate tote bags for my wprk and my hobbys, so when I need to take them somewhere I just grab the tote bag and everything that I need is there!
madamerkf at aol dot com
July 31st, 2009 at 4:38 am
I play upbeat music while organizing things to keep me on track and entertained.
July 31st, 2009 at 4:51 am
My tip for staying organize is if papers have been sitting in the office for a week and you haven’t even looked them just toss them. I also love to get folders to help organize and now with school coming they are super cheap. thank you.
July 31st, 2009 at 4:54 am
Nothing ever makes me feel organised, but reading always inspires me and gives me great “what if” ideas for my writing.
July 31st, 2009 at 4:55 am
I’m much more organized at work than at home. I arrange and label notebook tabs to keep track of different items and ideas. I could really use this.
July 31st, 2009 at 5:06 am
I have to have a place for everything or I can find nothing. I always make sure I put stuff back where it belongs.
July 31st, 2009 at 5:56 am
Getting the kids to help out with the cleaning around the house REALLLY helps to keep things organized!
July 31st, 2009 at 6:01 am
we keep all the kids things in storage boxes with labels on them.
July 31st, 2009 at 6:02 am
Tweet http://twitter.com/dlb1980/status/2945745322
July 31st, 2009 at 9:27 am
I use rubbermaid totes to keep the storage room organized.