I read yesterday that somewhere in North Dakota the snow and wind chills registered at 52 below zero.  If you’re snowed in like half of North America, make the best of it, and get your deep clean on.  No need to brave the snow and sleet to go out and buy chemical cleaning products.  Got lemons, vegetable oil, white vinegar and baking soda ?  You’re in business. 

I’ve read a few books and done a lot of research online over the last few days on natural cleaning agents.  I am now a virtual Cliff Clavin on the use of household products for all natural cleaning.  Of course, this is spoken by someone who believes just about everything she reads online.  Like this internet shocker from Erin, did you hear ? Scrunchies are back. 

But come to think of it, if you’re snowed in, a scrunchie might make a great dusting tool, wrapped around the tip of a toothbrush.  Just close the blinds so your neighbors don’t catch you on camera holding such a relic of bad fashion.  Of course, that’s assuming anyone still owns a scrunchie.  I think some gals still do.  But if you ever leave your house wearing a scrunchie, do not admit this, because I might have to defriend you on Facebook.  

Lemons are not just for cocktails, my friends. Oil and vinegar are not just for salad dressing.  Baking soda is not just for making cakes and removing odor from the fridge.  These handy household kitchen staples work wonders as natural cleaning agents. 

Lemons

Wipe half a sliced lemon onto cutting boards to freshen and clean. 

Toss peels in your garbage disposal and rinse with hot water to freshen up your kitchen sink in no time. 

Clean grout stains by mixing lemon juice with a few tablespoons of baking soda. 

Out of bleach ?  Need to whiten whites in the wash ?  Add a few tablespoons of lemon juice to your rinse cycle instead. 

Mix the squeeze of a lemon with a full spray bottle of water for a quick all purpose cleaner. 

Got ants?  Squeeze lemon juice at their entry point to repel them. 

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Ha ha.  Got you on that title. 

Filing, fun ? Filing paperwork is about as fun as doing your taxes or getting a root canal.  Filing paperwork is zero fun as my daughter would say, especially if you’ve let it get way out of control, like I have.  Filing is the exactly the opposite of fun.  That is, until you come across some very pretty organizational tools. 

Hello my lovely. 

I saw this deliciously darling file tote at the local stationery store and had to have it.  Notice how it knows how chic it is by calling itself a “pretty file tote”.  Kind of like that 80’s Pantene commercial where Kelly LeBrock used to say “Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful.” 

I don’t hate you “pretty file tote”.  No darling, I adore you, especially after you saved me from such wicked despair. 

Self proclaimed “pretty file tote” inspired me to tackle what was tormenting me for months – a ghastly pile of paperwork to be sorted.  I’ll spare you the photo of what my haphazard box of disorganized papers looked like a few days ago.  Let’s just agree It was the definition of a filing nightmare.  Besides, if I showed you, self proclaimed “pretty file tote” would gasp audibly and refuse to be associated with such a mess.

Enter attractive office supplies, and my dearest darling love – the Brother label maker.  

I had a pretty good plan awhile back.  I was really good at discarding junk mail the moment it crossed the threshold.  I separated and recycled it the minute it came through the door. 

The leftovers were the true problem.  I had a mediocre system in place before, “Bills” here, “Catalogs” there.  I had all the birth certificates and legal documents kinda sorta pretty much organized.  But way too much miscellaneous paperwork was slipping through the cracks.  The “mail to be sorted” multiplied like rabbits overnight.  It became my nemesis.  I would pass by it late at night, fist in the air, and mutter through gritted teeth “Curse you, vile mail to be sorted box”.  Yes, I hated it that much. 

My previous system was like any invention.  Often it takes the first edition to reveal the kinks in the design in order to work them out.  I think I’ve finally worked them kinks out. 

I’ll agree to reveal my plan, but you’re all sworn to absolute secrecy.  Never mind that I’ve published this for the world to see.  Details.   

First, I highly recommend you arm yourself with a label maker.  As you can see, we have a mutual attraction to each other.

I love my Brother label maker.  He had me at hello.  

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I don’t know about you, but after the fun and festivities of Christmas, I start to look to the calendar, and think of ways to improve the balance in my life by decluttering my home.  Come January, I can’t help but focus on simplifying everything.  After all of the rushing, decorating, baking and eating that comes with the holidays, I want nothing more than to clean, get rid of clutter, and get organized !

I want to live by the words of William Morris:  “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”

So I’ve decided before I start up on any more home improvement projects next year, I’m going to dedicate five days in January to achieving some sense of order at home. 

It’s ambitious.  I’m not sure if I can even accomplish it, but I’m sure going to give it a try.  

Tackle a closet, a room, or your entire house !  Won’t you join me in this grand attempt to declutter, organize, and start fresh  ?

I moved into my new desk space in my home office/library last night, and it feels like a whole new world.  Throughout this remodel process, I was committed to the idea that I was not going to use anything industrial to hold my office supplies.  That aisle at Staples filled with black plastic letter holders and ugly paperclip dispensers makes me shudder. 

Months ago, I began collecting pretty little containers to hold my supplies because I wanted to surround myself with things that inspire me.  I pulled from thrift stores, antique stores, and discount stores to achieve a high end elegant look, without the cost. 

Here’s a peek at some of the non industrial containers at CG Central.

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Sneak Peek of Final Product:

There are many ways to cover a corkboard with fabric – this I have done, but I was curious about making a fabric covered magnetic board, so I started poking around online.  In doing my research, I saw that there were not a lot of fabric covered magnetic boards out there, but I did find some where the crafty creator is actually cutting steel for inside of a frame. Perhaps I am lazy, or just a bit chicken when it comes to cutting metal, but I just wanted to cover a magnetic board that I found at the local office supply store. 

Supplies:

1. 18” x 24” magnetic dry erase board from office supply store
2. Heavy duty nickel sized magnets from hardware store (not from office supply, those are too weak)
3. 5/8 yard of cotton fabric of choice (the thinner the better, but not transparent)
4. Decorative brads (or shells, or glass rocks, or whatever you choose to glue to your magnets.)
5. Decorative ribbon for “frame” and for optional hanging. 
6. Hot glue gun

Start by ironing your cotton fabric to remove any creases.  Then lay your magnetic board on top of the fabric.

Begin gluing the fabric to the top of the magnetic board.  (Note: This is easier to do if your fabric has some sort of pattern or stripe that you can follow to align the fabric as you glue.)  Then glue the bottom, and then glue the sides.  Go slowly, because you don’t want any puckering and you want your fabric pattern to be straight. 

My magnetic board came with tiny brackets for hanging on the wall, so I cut into the fabric where I wanted the bracket (16” apart is the width of most wall studs).  Then I glued around the bracket to solidify the fabric edging, and to secure the bracket in place. 

While your glue on the board dries, take your magnets and hot glue the brads on top of the magnets.  [Note: these magnets are powerful, and dangerous around small children, so I would not do this project around, or for, anyone under the age of 5]. 

Allow your new magnets to dry, and turn back to the ribbon “frame” on your magnetic board.  Lay out your ribbon, and glue it slowly, while you trim up the corners.  Apply glue underneath all of the ribbon and let dry. 

Optional:  If you do not want to use the brackets to hang your board, you can add a ribbon trim, like pictured below.   Make sure you use a lot of glue to secure the bow in place.  [Pretend the glue is collagen, and the bow is Meg Ryan’s lips and pump away !  Sorry Meg, I still love ya.]    

So here’s how it looks when it’s complete.  Total time is about 90 minutes. 

Idea Gallery:

Gal’s Office: Do a larger version of this with a dramatic patterned fabric and elegant ribbon, and use antique buttons or scrapbook “jewels” for the magnets. 

Guy’s Office:  Cover the board in slate gray, and make magnets out of polished rocks.  Or would he prefer beer bottle caps? 

Boy’s Room:  For a pirate theme, find a fabric with a map pattern, and make magnets with gold coins.  If your boy loves cars, make a “racetrack” on the board  with gray or black ribbon, and find miniature cars for his magnets.  Zoom zoom.

Beach Style:  Find a cotton linen fabric, then make magnets with shells or sea glass. 

Kitchen:  Find a fabric that compliments your kitchen, then make magnets out of miniature food items found at your local craft store,  or from anything metallic that matches your hardware.

Mudroom/Home Organization Center:  Anything goes.

If you do this project, send me your photos and I will post them !

Oh, and check out these different style handmade magnetic boards on Etsy. These are very chic.  Also, look at Little Birdie Secrets version of a magnetic board.  And also her separate post on fabric covered button magnets.  Love them!

There’s just one teensy problem. While they look nice on the wall, they are practical only if secured into a wall stud. Well, wall studs are typically 16″ apart, or sometimes, just randomly spaced (if you own an older home). How to make a statement and actually put it to use? Secure the chosen letters to a wood background.

Here’s what I did. I had a piece of smooth scrap wood left over from the remodel. I spray painted it green, let it dry, then I had Mr. CG screw the letters to the wood. Then Mr. CG secured the wood directly to the wall studs. Ta-dah! Instant organization and charm for my mud room. Here’s mine:

Here are some other alphabet wall hooks available online:

From Anthropologie:

For $16 For $8

For $12

From Sundance for $10:

From JCPenney, on clearance for $5:

From Antique Hardware & Home, on sale for $3.19 each