Comments on: Organizing: 101

By: Pattie T.

Pattie T. — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 23:22:00 +0000

I only just discovered your blog, so have been reading the archives. Like rug’s bug, I scan in most things. It’s a great way to organize (and share!) photos and text featuring decorating info on rooms I like, items I want, etc. I upload the photos to my iPod (sometimes using my current favorite room photo as the wallpaper on my iPod), so I can take it with me to shops to show the sales people EXACTLY what I’m looking for. It’s great! And it definitely cuts down on the clutter.

By: Fabulous Finds Studio

Fabulous Finds Studio — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 21:19:00 +0000

Hi Rhoda. My magazine collection looks just like yours…so sad! I can’t bear to tear up some of the magazines so they just sit in magazine racks until I move them to a closet. If I can bear to tear them apart then I file the pages in file folders and eventually move them to a notebook (like you did). My newest idea is to scan all of the pages and organize then into folders on my computer. This is going to be a big job but it will help cut down on the clutter around my home! Good luck!
Julie

By: Sandy

Sandy — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 04:35:00 +0000

Hi Rhoda – yip! I have a binder with the plastic sheet protectors that I’ve used for years for recipes. Looks great. Hey, you’re human – girl! Who has everything put together perfectly? LOL.
Sandy

By: Carolina Mama

Carolina Mama — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 03:28:00 +0000

The lamp is terrific. And thanks so much for sending me the ideas to follow up with your Crock Pot recipes. Can’t wait.

By: melissa @ the inspired room

melissa @ the inspired room — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 02:48:00 +0000

I am sitting here surrounded by a few hundred magazines. Problem is, I need so many different types of inspiration for my work that I cannot bear to part with most of them! I am seriously thinking about scanning some of the best photos and just storing things on discs. Some magazines I love most everything in them and some just a couple of things. I do pull the things I like and recycle the rest. But I still end up with a ridiculous amount to hang on to!
And recipes? Oh boy. I don’t want to talk about it. Actually, I used to use recipes all the time now I rarely do. I probably only have a handful I ever really use. When I need one I can just go to allrecipes.com and find something suitable. I am thinking to pare down on what I keep and toss everything else. Someday.
Happy weekend, Rhoda!
Melissa

By: Penny @ Lavender Hill Studio

Penny @ Lavender Hill Studio — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 02:04:00 +0000

Special magazines I keep in a magazine file holder…others I keep for a few months and then I go through them tearing out pages of interest. Those I file in folders according to catagory, like garden/kitchen/shabby/country french, etc. Then recycle the torn mags and give untorn mags to the library. Recipes, I store in plastice sleeves in a binder according to type…
Penny

By: Nan

Nan — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 21:19:00 +0000

LOL, I think my magazines look a lot worse than that! I have no tips for them. I tried file folders by topic….like mantles, kitchens, etc. But,I got behind in this strategy. I used to have……….are you ready?…….20 years of Bon Apetit. I now keep 2 years.
I have started to keep more recipes on the computer. You can always scan your recipe cards.
Monday night, our ladies group in our neighborhood is having a magazine swap. I could bring enough for everyone.
Hugs,
Nan

By: Lynda

Lynda — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 21:14:00 +0000

Magazines are my weakness too. After hoarding scads of them for a few years, I went on a mad binge and ripped out anything that I wanted to save and recycled the remainder. The clippings are still in a box but I’m planning to paste them into my inspiration journal so that I can go back to them. I’m going to really try not to let the magazines pile up and actually do something with the box of clippings. Recipes are another story. *sigh* Good luck with your organizing … I’m going to read all the comments to see everyone’s ideas! ~ Lynda xo

By: OKGardners

OKGardners — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 19:01:00 +0000

I come from a long line of hoarders from the Depression era. Sigh ...

My Dad piled up LIFE magazines and every type of Car magazine they printed. I have "lovingly" convinced younger male relatives to adopt some of Dad's old car magazines. (Dad died in 1991) In the meantime, we have rented a storage unit for $100 per month to store all this "debris"... so maybe you understand how CRITICAL this issue can get. (I can think of better uses for the $100 per month.)

I found that I was beginning to hoard magazines myself and I decided that I did NOT want to pile them up. (See Flylady.net for reasons) I got rid of tons of them by distributing them to hospital waiting rooms, Dr. and dental offices, and nursing homes. They all welcome the magazines to fill a lot of waiting and/or lonely times.

We cannot keep it all... believe it or not. Don't live in clutter (see Flylady.net again). Her quote: "You can't organize clutter, you must get rid of it!" She is right.

However, if you like a photo or article you see, cut it out and keep it in an organized manner. (I'm still working on that project myself.)

By: Kim

Kim — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 17:34:00 +0000

I love magazines too – have you thought about scanning the pictures of the ideas that you love and saving them to a CD. You could create a CD with ideas for each area of your home. I am not a techie but I think it would work and would be a great way to store and revisit them – the recipes CD’s would work the same as well. Love your site and often read it for inspiration.