New York Renovator

01 Aug

Quick Tip: Make Organization Easy

Posted by: Mrs. M / Category: Quick Tips, household tips, ideas

I cannot believe that it is already August!! Where did the summer go? I still have to take the kids out to the beach, as I promised, before we get back into the school routine. We homeschool (more like an umbrella school, where the kids learn lessons at home and attend school once a week to take tests), but we stick to a “typical” school schedule, with summer vacation and breaks for holidays. I have four kids with stuff everywhere! It takes me a good four to five days to collect all the books, supplies, backpacks, and other stuff… and then I have to label it all! I label everything mostly for my sake, because I can never remember who has what backpack or pencil box or calculator. My grandmother labeled things for me when I attended elementary school. She used the old DYMO labeling device– it was a mechanical, manual labeler with a dial for letters. When you pressed the handle, letters were embossed onto a colored plastic strip. Remember them? Such technology was amazing to a young gradeschool kid! And those labels were very handy because I tended to lose track of things… :S

I find myself continuing the tradition. But I don’t use those old plastic strips anymore (they always fell off after a while, anyway). Nowadays DYMO uses modern technology, ink and has some beautiful color labels to choose from. Kids love special things with their names on them– I know I did!I love the new little handheld thing– it’s like a mini-printer and you can put labels anywhere. I think it’s perfect for back to school. These labels are also great for clothes hangers, toolboxes, bins, spice jars– anything! And it’s not like using permanent marker, either– if you are like me then you constantly reuse containers (or change your mind about what’s going in them). I have always had lots of black scribbles over the lids. With DYMO labels, you can just print out a new label and place it over the old one. Nice!