Our donation box.

As I've been going through a lot of stiff around the apartment, I've been getting rid of a lot of things.
We got a little basket type thing to put in what we don't need/want anymore.
I really try and stay away from donating things to places that are just going to make money off of them. So instead, I first give my friends a chance to pick out what they want, next, and its final step, is to a friend of the family. Ms.Tina runs a closet out of her house for people who need clothes for themselves and their children. Almost like a food pantry but for clothes.
It's a wonderful thing that she does and I would much rather people get these clothes for free that REALLY need it instead of a store making money on it.
Ill also donate to a crisis center or a woman's shelter.
I usually donate my 11 mo olds clothes to the teen parenting program at the local high-school.

Of course we try to empty the box ASAP or else we will end up taking stuff out of it :p

Not sure if you should get rid of something? Put it in a box out of sight for three weeks. If you find that you don't need it for something, its probably time to get rid of it.

animal food storage

I'm not going to lie, I'm a relatively lazy person. So you can imagine that after some time, walking across the house to get the pet food and then walk back to put it away got pretty irritating.
My solution?
I have the cat litter,food, and dog food all in three separate containers and keep them very close to where the bowls and litter box is located. GENIUS!

De-cluttering your closet.

In most house holds its the woman that has more clothes than all the people in the house combined (guilty)! So I took the time last night to de-clutter my closet. I took everything out and layed it on the bed.  One by one I tried on every bit of clothing that I own.
I've started following the 10 pound rule. If something is too small but I can fit into it in 10 lbs then I keep it. If its further away or I don't like it anymore it goes in the donation box!
I removed 4 grocery bags worth of clothing from my closet!

It's so nice to reach into my closet and pull something out that I know fits instead of searching and removing almost everything from the hangers.

Enjoy your revamped closet!

More room in a little apartment.

We were decorating our bedroom and simple thought, used a small dresser as a night stand.
Now we have storage for clothes and a bed side table :)
We also got a small writing desk for our computer. Plenty of storage space without taking up a lot of room!
LOVE IT!

Update - 10/16/12:
To save room in our kitchen cabinets, we have a blue 8 door stand bought from Wal-Mart for like $20.
We use it for all of our sons formula,snacks ect. :)
Tell me your space saving ideas :)

Save money doing laundry!

So I read a post on Facebook(I'm not sure of the site,ill give credit once I find it :p
She gave two tips.
Use the appropriate amount of detergent, and cut your dryer sheets in half.
Who would have thought! :p
It definitely made a difference in my household.

Share your money saving laundry tips :)

DIY Halloween ornaments.

Last year after Christmas I went to a craft store and bought a couple of plain plastic ornaments.
After making my Halloween candles I came across these ornaments in the craft box so I figured "why not?"
I haven't perfected the technique yet but here's what I did.
I took off the top of the ornaments and put in paint. Replaced the top and shook it around like a mad man. After the paint coated the inside I sat it upside down so the excess could drip out. I was a little anxious so I didn't really let it dry. I put the tops back on and drew with sharpie on the outside, strung white ribbon through the tops and attached it to my apartment door. :)
I came home from work that night and some spots shone through clear ,remember, I didn't really let it dry) so I adjusted it and all is well.
They look super cute.

Some ideas on how to keep a relationship fun.

1. Plan a date night. With kids it can be hard. My old man and I make a point to go out at least once a month just the two of us. We like to go to the sweepstakes and have dinner so we put money in a jar to save up some :)
2.  DON'T BE SO SERIOUS! yes, you are adults, but why always act like it? We tend to talk differently with our friends than to the person we are with. Why not talk to them the same?
3. Touch more. I'm not talking about anything dirty, but even when sitting on the couch lean into him/her and just touch them.
4. Cook together! I am a horrible cook so when we cook together we have a great time!

5. Do something the other person wants to do. Seeing the person you love doing something they love is a beautiful thing. He/she will love teaching you how to do whatever it is. Then later on, you have something to talk about over dinner.
6. Be spontaneous! Go dance in the rain, give a random kiss on the forehead, go do something you normally wouldn't do.
7. Don't get too comfortable. Not knowing how you get that beautiful is half of the excitement. Don't pluck, shave, wax, color, or do make up in front of him.
These are just some thoughts, please feel free to add more :)

9 Simple tips for living in an apartment.

My boyfriend and I recently moved into an apartment together. Here are some things we do to make living just a little easier.

1. Stay organized!
With a small space its easy for things to get messy and hectic. Make sure there is a place for everything and everything in its place.

2. Watch for apartment deals!
Our complex takes $200 off of one month of rent if someone moves in and refers us! If I see a friend is looking for a place, I refer them immediately!

3. Unless you have incredible storage(or a storage unit) then you should downsize. Those clothes you've been saving for two years because you are going to fit into them? Donate them! You would be surprised at the extra room you have if you just get rid of the things that you don't really need.

4. Introduce yourself to your neighbors. Luckily we ended up moving into the apt above my co-worker so we were already friendly. But can you imagine living by someone you dont get along with?

5. Pay your bills when you get the money! Almost all places will let you pay a bill before the due date. If you pay it right away you have the extra money to save or spend as you please. If you wait until the actual due date its likely that you will be worried if you have enough because you spent it on other things.

6. If you don't already have an animal, don't get one yet. Most places have a required pet deposit for each pet. Ours was $200 for our cat.

7. Don't be afraid to decorate! This is your home! You will be here until the lease ends or longer if you choose. Why not make it homie and enjoy?

8. Be crafty and imaginative! Chances are, you don't have the spending money that you hope to have(we don't :p  Or the extra space for that matter. So make your holiday decorations. Figure out new storage shelves you can incorporate. Make your own cleaning products! Anything to save a $$

9. Relax! This is likely the best time of your life :)

Simple doggy supply organization

We got a puppy recently and well, this dogs things are everywhere.
To keep everything in a central location, here's what I did.

First off, the treats. I used an empty baby formula can (empty and clean). I wrapped the can in cute cardstock and "wired" his name out of pipe-cleaners. Glued them all on and held in place with rubber bands.
I made the name a little too big but I like how it turned out.
Next I found a basket that matched with the color scheme I'm doing.
Put in the can with treats, doggy bags, and leash and its all together where I can find it. 
:)

Soon it will be going on a shelf by the front door.

DIY Halloween candles

my boyfriend, son and I moved into our own apartment and money is a little tight. With Halloween coming up I figured I would try and make my own decorations instead of trying to find money to buy them. So here’s what I did. I took baby food jars (empty and washed) painted them with acrylic paint, waited for them to dry and drew spooky things on them. After all is done and dry, pop in a tea light candle and POOF! Cute Halloween candles to spruce up the place. I'll have pictures up soon :)
Just added one picture. Hopefully ill have individuals up later.

***it also may help to add a spray glaze or protectant over top of the finished product. Because we used acrylic paint, its starting to scratch off so a spray protectant is recommended. Looking forward to seeing what you guys make or any other ideas!