I am a self confessed planner stamp & sticker hoarder  addict. But I was finding I was doing more "collecting" than using and I felt like most of that was due to the fact it was so complicated to dig through my drawers and collect all the things I needed plus since my stamps and stickers were just very disorganized in my storage I decided I need to take some time to organize them and have all my goodies in a manageable place and thus I would get to use them more. 

I love Ikea but unfortunately for me I do not live close to one. So anytime we go on vacation the first thing I do is see if one is close by and fortunately I took a vacation in January and was able to get to one close by. I had wanted to purchase the Raskog cart for a long time and finally I was able too. 

Top Shelf holds my most used planners, some pencil cases, Mambi sticker books and then my favorite washi tubes and single washi's in the smaller photo cases. 

 2ND shelf I have larger stamp sets that do not fit in the photo containers and I didn't want to take out of the original packaging. I am weird like that. I also have baby wipes for cleaning my stamps, my levenger punch and some colored pencils on that shelf. 

Prior to leaving on vacation I had purchased some storage items so that I could take some things on my trip and keep everything tidy. I went to Joann's and I purchased the following products:

Photo Keeper that has 5 internal photo boxes in it that hold 5 x 7 photos and fit the planner stamps perfectly. 

As you can see the stamps fit in the large 5 x 7 photo boxes well and I fit several in each.

I also bought a few singles of the photo boxes in a smaller size 4 x 6 to hold some washi tape you can see above. I couldn't find the link online, I purchased at the store itself. They are made by IRIS

I also bought the one shown also above that was an Artbin Essentials and it is great cause I fit at least 36 of the dew drops in it. All of these were found in the store and are not always available online from Joann's but I am sure you could find at other online sources. 

Here are some items to make a quick simple sticker book:

Binding discs or use a ring binder

Paper punch

sheets of cardstock

Adhesive for attaching your sticker sheets to paper

I started out making my sticker book by sorting my stickers by shops. Just put some adhesive on the back on the sticker sheets and lay down on your paper and you are done.  I think it would be great in the future if I set it up with tabs and sorted it as well but this time I just didn't take the time. But now I have a system that all my stickers are right next to me when I plan and I can easily find the right sticker and utilize them now. here are some pics of the sticker books I have made. 

I can't tell you how much more efficient organizing these things can make you. I hope this helps some of you get your planner groove back by getting organized!

Before I had kids, Valentine’s Day was a holiday for the hubby and I to casually spend time together. To be honest, we didn’t pay much attention to the holiday until my son was born. Yes, I would get my husband a card and a little gift and he would get me flowers, but we never really made a big deal out of the holiday. Then we had our son. And the holiday took on new meaning. It became a day for us to show love as a family. To reach out to loved ones in hopes of making them smile.

It also took on a whole new component that had never been there before. Crafts. When you have kids, holidays are all about crafts. The build-up to the holiday is, at least. Whether it’s drawing a holiday themed picture or creating gifts for others, crafts are a way for kids to participate in, prep for, and learn about the day they are celebrating.

I’ve already come clean about my Pinterest fail rap sheet. So, you know I’m not one to guide anyone (never mind a child) through an elaborate craft. But I do have this super simple Valentine’s Day craft that kids of any age can do. And, it doubles as a special Valentine’s Day card for family and friends; two birds, one stone.

You can buy the supplies at any craft store. They are even available at some dollar and big box stores. All you need are blank cards and decorative, Valentine’s Day themed stickers. If your kids are a little older you can throw in glitter glue, ribbon, paint, and other craft supplies. Then, simply give your kids the supplies and let them go to town creating their masterpieces. Not only do they get to have a fun, creative way to get ready for Valentine’s Day, they also can give their creations to loved ones as one-of-a-kind gifts. It’s a way to show kids that you don’t have to spend a lot of money on exotic flowers or fancy chocolates to show someone you appreciate and care about them.

Tip: If you’re using any kind of glue or paint, make sure to do this craft at least a few days before gifting (or mailing) to be sure that work of art is fully dry. I also use my planner to mark holidays, not just because it looks pretty, but also as a big reminder of how much time I have left to prepare. The days seem to fly by over here! I lose track without my planner sometimes, anyone else?