Home Helper

Here is a fun idea for storing small objects, and a great way to re-use coffee cans!   ...read more

I love simple, homemade gifts that are unique, serve a purpose and look like they took a lot longer to make than they actually do! To that end, I found a great idea on Keep It Simple for DIY bubble magnets. After I saw this project, I just had to recreate it for my desk. See below for my take and how to replicate it! ...read more

In 2012, I want to keep my home and family organized, so I went all out with calendars, to-do lists, and an amazing resource binder. I knew by starting the year off with all the right tools, I’d be setting myself up to keep what could otherwise be a pretty tough resolution! FedEx Office® was the ultimate one-stop shop for getting everything in order. I used them to make all the items that I hope will make 2012 my most productive and organized yet!

Holidays bring up many special memories from the year and seasons past. I enjoy looking at photos during the holidays to remember those times with family. Unfortunately, with each year that passes the details of the memories seem to fade. This holiday I used old family photos to create photo napkin holders and photo candles as a fun way to share memories and enhance the décor of our holiday dinner table. ...read more

Sometimes it’s the small stuff that makes a big difference in your day. Shave a minute off a task here, another minute there and suddenly you have time to get to the things you really want – like spending time with your family or sitting down with that book you’ve been meaning to start. The “small stuff” time saver I’ve added to my routine lately really is small in size. It’s a rubber stamp I had personalized with my address so I could speed up the process of getting my mail out the door each week, and I think it will come in very handy in a few weeks when I start sending out dozens of holiday greeting cards!  

 

One of my most-dreaded household tasks (besides cleaning bathrooms, of course) is the weekly trip to the grocery store. It feels like it takes forever to plan the meals and prepare the list. Then I inevitably forget at least one item that we needed and find myself headed back to the store in just a few short days. Sigh. 

I love lists! Top ten lists, best-dressed lists, and more. To-do lists? Well, they’re not so much fun. (Blogger Leah likes them – she’s sharing her reasons why later this month.) However, our Out of Office blog team recently saw some adorable summer to-do lists for kids. They include things like building forts, having a water balloon fight, going to the beach…things every kid should do in the hot summer months to have fun and stave off boredom.

The bloggers behind We Are the Champions and eighteen 25 both made delightful versions of this. Since I’m past the days of fort-building and water ballooning fighting, I got to thinking about other ways I could use the lists. Solution: A decorative piece for my kitchen with a list of all the local restaurants my husband and I want to try! ...read more

You know the old adage that you can fix anything with duct tape? I feel the same way about lamination – everything is better once it’s encased in plastic. Think about it: you want to keep that priceless finger painting from getting torn? Laminate it. Need to preserve an old photo? Laminate it. Want to write on something, but still be able to reuse it down the line? You guessed it…laminate it! This attitude has even earned me a nickname among my fellow Out of Office bloggers – Leah the Laminator.  ...read more

It’s May, which means we’re officially in “National Moving Month” – a nod to the start of the “moving season” in the U.S. when approximately 35 million Americans pack it all up and move cross-town or even cross-country. Bet you didn’t even know there was a National Moving Month!

The last time I moved, we hired movers to help us pack up and get everything to the new house. It was nice, for sure, but every move before that was a total DIY project. The packing process usually began with driving all over town to beg grocery stores for their empty produce boxes. I thought I was getting a great deal, until the already-worn boxes collapsed on me mid-move. Since then, I’ve learned that it’s much better to invest in some quality, sturdy boxes to tote around your valuables. ...read more