Declutter and Organize

My goal for the next few weeks is to remake my house where I can have workable, clean spaces.  I have tried in the beginning of summer but failed.  Mounds of paper (newspaper, magazines, mail, etc.) just seem to reaccumulate after I have recycled plenty.  And half started craft projects are spread out on the floor, bed and table waiting to be completed.  But I am determined.  I wonder.... are there accountability groups for this kind of exercise?

My scrapbook/scrap paper pile is on top of the list of things I need to cut down on.



Since I haven't been scrapbooking as much recently, I am using some of the paper to make notebooks.  I use my Zutter Bind It All to put it together.

I incorporated to do/to shop lists as well as little envelopes.

These notebooks are perfect to have on hand, for trips whether out shopping or on vacation (to jot down notes or places visited, keeping mementos, scrapbooking photos), for the student starting school or as a little gift for the teacher.  One little way to keep organized ;)

South Carolina vacation mini book

Where I have been?!  Well.... summer happened.  Yes, pool days, vacation and just the lazy days of summer (when I haven't been working).  I haven't been taking as many pictures as I wanted to this summer, but I did manage to put together the ones from our vacation.  We went to Charleston and Myrtle Beach last month.  The weather was hot, but the trip was a nice balance of "see, do, eat and relax."  It was a great vacation where afterwards I didn't feel like I needed another to unwind.

I had started a tradition to take my family to 2 different states each year and then hopefully go international.  I believe my kids appreciate the experience and will be better for it.  However, it has been a little struggle for me in deciding how to document our trips.  I am so behind on scrapbooking and I wasn't sure if just adding the pictures in a yearly album would be good.  I considered the digital books like from Shutterfly but I really like to embellish with palpable material.  And at first, I didn't want to have a bunch of mini books; but I think now they are the best thing since each would be unique.  Well, enough of my rambling...

I chose Amy Tangerine's The Goods Mini Book for our recent trip:





This is only the first half I'm sharing.  I have yet to do more projects this weekend and have to reschedule M's cake decorating class.

Happy crafting, happy weekend!