how my wine and shopping habits helped jumpstart spring cleaning

Oh man, am I excited to see March. Have you noticed all of the spring cleaning articles and pins lately? This is the time of year when I add "clean" to my daily to do list, but rarely ever implement a new organization system or create something that will help keep my quarters tidy all year long.

Enter 2013. I officially caught the spring cleaning bug yesterday. Using Darling Magazine's spring cleaning advice, I decided to split each area in need into zones that I can tackle one at a time. Yesterday's focus was on the bathroom.

The area under the sink has been a disaster zone since I moved in over two years ago. I never organized it with much intention, and so it quickly became a mess of all things hair, makeup, and cleaning supplies. I couldn't even take a "before" picture to document its transformation, it was so bad. 

I targeted the main culprit behind the chaos: too many hair appliances with no place to call home. My curling iron, wand, straightener, and blow dryer were in a constant cord-tangled battle. I'd seen a brilliant solution for this problem using PVC pipes on the back of the vanity doors, but really wanted something that would work without using any type of adhesive since I'm renting. A few other musts for this project included using materials already in my possession, and needing very little Home Ec skills to get the job done. 

This is where wine and shopping come in to play. Who else has those super convenient six-pack wine carriers stashed somewhere in their pantry? I decided this CVS bag was the perfect solution to my vanity clutter issue. 

The only problem was figuring out a way to keep the bag from toppling over once the curling irons went in. I grabbed the delivery box from my recent ShoeMint purchase and started cutting away at the cardboard flaps. Six large pieces and some folding later, I had found my super easy (and very little measuring needed!) solution.

Now everything has a place. I'm so happy with this thrifty and easy solution. Added bonus: my hair products are more easily accessible in the bin next to the CVS bag instead of constantly being thrown about the space under the sink. I hope to use my products like the PHYTO hydrating cream more often now that I can always find it right next to the blow dryer.

it's planner time

Yesterday I received my second save the date of the 2013 wedding season. For now, this only means one thing - it's time to start looking for next year's planner. The Type A personality is out in full force today you guys.

Most planner owners struggle with the same general issue when it comes to picking their paper BFF for the year:  finding the one with the perfect mix of functionality, space, size, and aesthetic. Don't worry, I've done a lot of the hard work for you this time around. Here are some of my favorite planners I have found for 2013...

This planner from Etsy shop Letter C design includes touches of whimsy, simple and convenient weekly & monthly layouts, and six {really} cute cover designs to choose from. 

This self-proclaimed multi-tasker planner is from See Jane Work. It includes pages with lines & check boxes, graph paper (side note: did anyone else love using graph paper notebooks for all their high school courses?), and weekly appointment pages. 

It's personalized, chevron, ombre, AND you get to choose a layout option. Not to mention there's a back pocket (third image) for stashing important stuff. I always have random bills and photos sticking out of my planner - a pocket is the perfect solution. Coming to you from Etsy shop plum paper.

Here's another pretty chevron option with large spaces for each day. I love the "diary style" ribbon to keep your place. This Breast Cancer Awareness planner can be found at Blue Sky. This layout is similar to my current planner from Paper Source which I've been very happy with.

The owls were what first got me to click on this planner, but the inside is just as intriguing. Part planner, part journal, and you can start using it at any time since the dates are filled in by you. From yet another Etsy shop, Notbook Notbuk. Isn't Etsy the best?

For the minimalists, a way cute monthly version of the planner above from Letter C design. I'm thinking this would be perfect for a blog editorial calendar. Not that I have one of those, but maybe by 2013 I'll be ready for one. PS: doesn't Letter C design do an amazing job styling her planners? I feel like if I buy it my desk that I don't have and my life would be so clean and organized. SOLD. 

How do you stay on top of your busy schedule? Are you a hard copy person like me or have you moved on to a fully digital calendar? If you are a planner person, I'd love to hear which ones you've used.

//Image credits in text.//