Organizing all that paper- part 1

Today it has been 2 years since we moved into our home!! Happy Anniversary to us!! Sooo it is only fitting that I blog about our home. One of my favorite things about the kitchen is the built in desk, I have always wanted one of those :) I didn't anticipate what a clutter magnet it would become though. It has been a work in progress to find a system that works for our family, I have tried several things & think I finally found "the one" maybe it will work for yours too!!

The first thing I really wanted to do is to paint the wall above the desk with magnetic paint, I love to be able to put things right where we can see it but... it does accumulate lots of visual clutter, which makes me a little crazy!

BEFORE.....

I also had my file cabinet full to the brim with the kids information,schedules, ideas from magazines, plans for house projects, etc, etc. I found the way that I had everything even though it was "organized" in their own file folder- it just wasn't working!! I found several ideas about putting all these papers in binders, so I thought I would try that. I loved it! I could easily access it, everything got it's own tab but the standard white binders were... boring. So I changed it up a

bit!!!!

Piles of papers

Lots of magazine ideas

Binders and office supplies

I cut out my scrapbook paper to size on the front, back and spine of the binder. I alternated the red and teal- my favorite colors right now to decorate with! I have 5 binders- HOUSE PROJECTS (all things going on with the house. I have a tab for each room and what we are planning on doing to it & the cost break down, also when I see an idea in a magazine that I love for that room I cut it out and put it in there too), IDEAS (this has all my craft ideas, vacation ideas, sewing ideas, etc), RECIPES (anything food related that I find in magazines that I would like to try), DAY-TO-DAY (all the kids info- sports, schools, music, meal planning, anything schedule related), ANDY'S (which includes projects that I work on for my husband's company. Then I found the magazine holders at Target and used those for my cookbooks and cooking magazines. I absolutely LOVE to be able to have such easy access to all this information, have it be super organized and have it look nice as well!

On the desk I put a couple the binders that I use everyday a long with this tabletop file holder with my new system for incoming papers. I will tell you all about it in detail tomorrow!!! By the end of the week you will be able to see the finished product of my desk!! I can't wait to show it to you!!!