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The following is a guest post from regular contributor, Sharon at Mom of 6.
Hi everyone! I’m so glad to be back today at Org Junkie talking to you about how to set up some summer fun stations in your garage! You and your kids are going to be spending a lot of time outside in your yard this summer, and it would be really great if your kids could access the toys and games that they want to play with without having to come and find you to help get something down from a high shelf, or help them dig out their bike from the depths of an overcrowded garage, or help them locate their favorite pink soccer ball. Which is why I think setting up several “fun stations” in your garage is a great thing to do before the official start of summer!
Before Setting Up “Fun Stations”, Remove Dangerous Items!
The first thing you’re going to want to do is remove anything dangerous that you might have been storing in the garage during the winter months when the kids weren’t in there quite so often. Things like gas containers for lawnmowers, fertilizer for outdoor plants, and any other type of hazardous chemical should be relocated to a shed, basement, or somewhere else that is not accessible by the kids.
Fun Station #1: Bikes!
My kids love riding their bikes so it’s important that they can each find their own bike and helmet without having to move 100 things to get to them. And before we had “designated parking spaces” for each bike- that’s what used to happen. A child would find his/her bike, ride it, and then just park it in the closest spot they could find just inside of the garage door. And the next child would do the same, and before long we couldn’t even walk into the garage because everything was piled up right at the front!
So we purchased these bike stands from Amazon and have them lined up on our garage floor. The kids each have their own parking space so they know right where they can store their bike, and they hang their helmets over the handlebars so they can find it each time they want to ride.
Fun Station #2: Balls!
We have two of these great wall organizers for hanging balls, and the cool thing is that the kids can toss their balls into the top of the bins to put them away, but they can also reach through the vent in the mesh side panel to easily access the ball that they want- no help needed from Mom! We hung these bins at kid-height so they can access them on their own.
Fun Station #3: Scooters and More!
My husband created “scooter parking” by installing a few pieces of wood (leftover from another project) into wall studs, so the kids can just hook their handlebars over the wood “arms” and the scooters stay put. He also used a couple of narrow pieces of wood nailed across garage studs to create containers that hold baseball bats, lacrosse sticks, golf clubs, and any other tall unwieldy pieces of sports equipment. The kids can easily get to them and return them when they’re finished.
Fun Station #4: Activities and Toys
I love using bins in the garage to store all of the kids different equipment for activities and toys such as rockets, baseball mitts, jump ropes, rock and bug collecting supplies, etc.- everything that they would want to play with is in a bin and the bin is labeled so the kids know exactly where they need to go to find what they’re looking for, and exactly where to put it when they’re finished.
Fun Stations #5: Sidewalk Chalk
My kids love to play with sidewalk chalk and they can spend hours creating elaborate murals all over our driveway. So at the beginning of each summer I like to make sure that our sidewalk chalk bin is full of new chalk that the kids can use to create their masterpieces.
Fun Station #6: Bubbles!
And it wouldn’t be summer without blowing bubbles, right?! But the problem with bubbles is that they can be so messy, and kids who are excited to refill their own bubble containers can end up spilling out an entire gallon of bubble solution all down the driveway, as you watch your money going down the drain, literally! So I wanted to create a bubble refill station for my kids that would be spill proof and fun for them to use, and save a little money over store-bought bubbles. Here’s how I did it:
I took a use an empty container of liquid laundry detergent, the kind that has the spout on the bottom and a twist cap on top, and I thoroughly cleaned out the inside. I then created my own bubble mixture based on this recipe from my favorite science guy, Steve Spangler- which makes enough to fill this 1.7 gallon container.
Homemade Bubbles Recipe
16 cups of water
1 cup of Dawn dishwashing detergent (Steve says that Dawn works best!)
1/2 cup of vegetable glycerin
Pour each of your 3 ingredients into your laundry detergent container, and gently swish it around to mix it. Allow your bubble solution to sit overnight which allows the products to bond together which produces even stronger (and bigger!) bubbles.
Make bubble wands out of chenille stems (pipe cleaners). You can shape them into circles, figure eights, diamonds, butterflies, hearts, etc. I like to have my kids dispense a very small amount of bubble mixture into large flat plastic containers, just enough so that the bubble wand is fully immersed in the liquid. The kids can easily refill their plastic container as needed- and the cool thing about using a liquid laundry detergent dispenser is that they have to actually push the button on the dispenser to allow the bubble solution to come out! If they tip over the bubble solution- it won’t spill out, and there is no way to accidentally leave the nozzle open the way that you can on beverage dispenser- so it’s pretty “kid-proof”! If you’d like a copy of the bubble station label, you can download it and print it in a 5×7 size. I ran mine through my Xyon laminator/adhesive machine to make it waterproof before adhering it to the clean detergent bottle.
So if you follow me on Facebook and Instagram then you already know that last week I shared how Target is now finally in Canada (!!) and how excited I was to go check out the store last Friday. It’s not in the same town as I am but in the city a couple of hours away. I wrote that I was most excited to check out the 3M Command hook display as I had a feeling it was going to be amazing after having visited a US Target last fall.
But first I have to tell you how beyond shocked I was to discover, after putting my Facebook status up, that there are STILL people out there that do not know what Command hooks are. Ummm what? Please say it isn’t so!! I feel like I may have done an injustice to the world over these last 7 blogging years by apparently not getting the word out properly. I must do better. And no 3M isn’t paying me to say any of this although I have worked with them in the past which was pretty cool. I simply consider myself the biggest fan there ever was.
Now let’s take a minute shall we to check out the display of Command hooks I had available to me in my local Walmart . Not very exciting to say the least.
Although in all fairness they did just recently get in a floor display of a few more. But look closely, not a clear hook in sight.
You see all the old style white hooks now come in clear. I only knew about them because awhile back 3M did sent me a bunch to review. And it was love at first sight because now I don’t have to have a big white hook staring back at me if I don’t want to.
Anyway I headed to Target in anticipation of seeing rows upon rows of hooks and more hooks including those coveted clear hooks. Boy I was not disappointed because here is the beauty of choice. Choice upon choice upon choice. I couldn’t even fit the entire selection into the picture.
Pure gloriousness I tell you.
And that my friends is what I call a swoon worthy moment. Besides baskets, Command hooks are my #2 ultimate organizing tool.
The beauty of the them for those that don’t know (and I’m crying for you right now) is that you can put them up anywhere you need a hook but can remove them without damage to your wall should you change your mind. And believe me I change my mind. I almost never organize with a permanent solution. That would be weird to me. Next year I may decide I need a new system and want to change every thing around which I can easily do and re-use the hooks somewhere else. I do not want to worry about covering or fixing holes in my walls, I am much to lazy for that nonsense. Plus there are places you can’t use a permanent hook or nail, like in my vehicle. They are awesome for renters too!
These hooks come off easily with no lasting effects. I’ve used them for years. AND I just want to say that I have never had a hook leave any damage to my walls. If they do damage your wall I can almost guarantee to you that you aren’t using them right. I’ve seen it happen. You’ve got to follow the directions people! Here’s a quick one minute video on how it’s done. Also make sure you are using the right weight hook for the heaviness of what you want to hang. Super important!
I’ve written about how I use these hooks all over my home many times before but I’ll share the links with you again just in case you missed them. I must get the word out or I will cry if I hear one more person say they’ve never heard of them. It’s very traumatic for me.
So check out below some of the ways I’ve used them and then go check out your own Target store for selection galore! You can thank me later :) Oh and nope Target isn’t paying me either….I think I must be doing something wrong ;)
And in my vehicle to hang my garbage bag. Everyone MUST have a garbage bag in their car!
There you have it, just some of the ways I use these beautiful babies.
Now who shares my love of the 3M Command hook and picture strips? How do you use them in your home?
And for those that have never heard of them, it’s time to come out from under the rock you’ve been hiding under. You can tell us, be brave! I promise I won’t cry too much :)
The following is a guest post from regular contributor, Angie at Echoes of Laughter. This post ties in so nicely with my hairspray hoarding situation and now it’s Angie’s turn to share what item she has an abundance of. See I told you we all have our downfalls :)
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Shhh! I have a secret hoarding habit. I must confess. If you have visited me at Echoes of Laughter, then you would also know that I LOVE to organize and I have written some really popular organizing posts here, here and here. In fact, one of the reasons that Laura chose me to contribute here at IMAOJ is because of our shared love of organizing. But I have to be honest here, I do have one gnarly habit that makes me hold my head in shame.I have tried to kick it, tame it and stomp it out, but it keeps coming back. And it is this:
The hoarding of an insane pile of magazines beside my bed. {Does anyone else see the irony of the headline on the Real Simple magazine? Ha.} I am a huge magazine junkie! I love the pretty aesthetics of magazines and although I have tried to tame this addiction over the years, I have to acknowledge that reading magazines and absorbing beautiful pictures just make me happy. I must also share with you that this is only a fraction of what was in my bedroom until recently.{I just carted off 3 bags to be donated.}
So, I have had to be very strict with myself and give myself a good talking to! No more messy piles of magazines in the bedroom Angie! Enough already! I have decided to limit myself to only 10 magazines at any one time.in the bedroom. By having a messy magazine pile in my otherwise tidy bedroom, it makes the whole room feel cluttered. And I don’t like that feeling. The bedroom should feel peaceful and calm, right?
So, after my self-directed lecture, I got to work and gave myself just 30 minutes to get that mess cleared up and out to my car to find a new home.
And here is the end result. Just a nice little pile of only a few magazines. This is so much more soothing to look at than the messy pile on the floor, don’t you agree? My husband is very happy!
How about you? Do you have any secret hoarding habits or not-so-secret hoarding habits that you would like to share? I know for some people, it can be things like socks or Tupperware in the kitchen. And if you do have a secret hoarding habit, what have you done to try to tame it and make it manageable?
Wishing you a lovely week!
Angie’s blog, Echoes of Laughter, is all about filling your home with love and laughter. She loves creative projects, organizing & decorating, cooking, baking, and all things domestic. Angie lives in Alberta, Canada, with her husband and two great kids.
Many of you will know that I work with a company called OpenSky. OpenSky is a online social commerce site that provides a fun way to shop for unique finds with your friends, anytime and anywhere.
Three years ago OpenSky contacted me about working together to bring my readers a store front full of my favorite organizing goodies. There was something about that email that made me follow up by email and then eventually to speaking with them directly over the phone. I loved their concept and knew immediately that I wanted to work with them. They were a brand new company just starting out back then and now 3 years later have more than 2.5 million members! OpenSky has been amazing to work with and I am really proud of the collection of terrific organizing products we’ve been able to source and bring together in one place. You can check them all out here!
I am considered an “insider” on the site, someone that curates fantastic organizing products for others to see and buy. Nothing gets me more excited than to discover and support new amazing products from really great small businesses that are passionate about what they do.
OpenSky also really believes in supporting the small to medium business which is why they have just recently made it possible for any US based small business owner, in a wide range of categories, to become a merchant on OpenSky. If you would like to share your brand with 2.5 million engaged shoppers than this might be just the opportunity your business has been waiting for. This is the exposure you need to take your business to the next level! You would own your “shop” on OpenSky just like in real life, but with fewer headaches. OpenSky provides the tools you need to reach your customers where they shop and socialize. Already over 1000 merchants have come on board!
If this is something you are interested in, this video from OpenSky Founder and CEO, John Caplan explains more. If you have trouble seeing the video you can find it on youtube here.
And here is one from a current merchant who is very happy with the partnership he has with OpenSky. If you are having trouble seeing the video, here is the direct youtube link.
In case you can’t tell, I’m really excited about the opportunity this affords new and small businesses. Are you ready to get started? If you have a US based small or medium business, or perhaps even an Etsy shop that you’d like more exposure for, then go here for all the details and to sign up now! It’s going to be great!
I am so happy to be here at Organizing Junkie sharing my super simple scarf solution. As with you, Laura has been a huge organizing inspiration to me.
If you’ve begun the process of packing away your seasonal clothes, you are probably updating some of your organizing systems as well.
I did this last month and when I got to my scarves I knew I needed to create something better.
I’m a gal who doesn’t feel her outfit is complete without a light scarf. I love them!
I’m a busy working mom who loves to have fun with my fam on the weekends, so I needed a system that could be created quickly. PLUS it had to accommodate my laziness. I tend to toss things into piles if I don’t have a system that is easy to access and intuitive to use.
Organize Your Scarves With Plastic Cups
(who’d a thunk?!)
You will need:
- contact paper
- plastic cups
- hot glue gun
- rectangular plastic bins
Step 1:
Follow Laura’s PROCESS. Weed through your scarves and figure out which are the keepers, the donate-ables, consign-ables, and see-you-next-year-ables.
Step 2:
Place some pretty contact paper in the drawer to protect the surface.
Step 3:
Hot glue plastic drinking cups to the contact paper.
Step 4:
Hot glue larger – rectangular – bins to the contact paper to store large scarves.
Step 5:
Roll your scarves and put one in each cup (or a couple of the large ones together in the rectangular bins). Initially, I was concerned that rolling my scarves would hinder my ability to follow through and keep this space organized, but I am happy to report that is not the case. Rolling my scarves is super easy!
And that’s it! So quick and easy, right?
Tips:
Be sure to measure the height of your drawer and the cups to make sure everything fits nicely. If your scarves stick up to far, you’ll run into problems closing your drawer, which defeats the purpose.
You will also need to play around with folding and rolling your scarves so they nest perfectly inside the cups, but this is not hard (even for a scatter brain like me).
Use any extra room in the drawer for odds and ends storage.
I have been using my “new” scarf drawer system for about a month and I must say, I LOVE it! My scarves are simple to access and easy to see which makes my life so convenient!
I think this system could also be used to organize other things like bracelets or kids craft supplies. I’d love to hear what you organize using cups and contact paper!
I hope you give this a whirl and enjoy it as much as me!
Deana’s blog, yourhappystuff.com, is dedicated to helping busy women break though overwhelm and jumpstart their happiness by creating organizing systems that work in the fastest and most affordable way possible. Deana lives with her husband and three kids in Lincoln, Nebraska. When she’s not organizing, Deana loves to cook, read, and hang out with her family.
We have two of these great wall organizers for hanging balls, and the cool thing is that the kids can toss their balls into the top of the bins to put them away, but they can also reach through the vent in the mesh side panel to easily access the ball that they want- no help needed from Mom! We hung these bins at kid-height so they can access them on their own.
If you get a chance, I hope you’ll stop by to see me at Momof6 – a place where I write about organizing your home, using a family calendar, creating household routines, hosting at-home birthday parties, and holding a DIY summer camp! You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter (@sharonmomof6), and Pinterest!
