Why I'm Currently Unavailable...

I started teaching yesterday. My classroom is nuts. Not the kids, but the classroom itself.

It's so unorganized. It's driving me crazy. And somehow, I have managed to not spend my last two nights there all night long and made it out by 5:30. Amazing. I don't know how I'm getting through each day with all of this nuttiness surrounding me. Take a look.

that bookshelf needs help...majorly

notice the red background paper falling off the wall onto the floor...

It's just so plain...empty...but cluttered at the same time. I took these pictures last Tuesday when I went in to see my classroom before the Thanksgiving break. It looks a bit better now, but I'm not close to being done. I can't wait to show you what I've come up with.

But until then, today's the last day to fill out the reader survey and enter to win one of five $50 Erin Condren gift certificates. And look for a sweet new giveaway tomorrow and new fonts on Friday. =]

P.S. - When my classroom finally gets in order, I'll be coming home at a decent time...meaning I'll be able to get my home back in order. I have a wonderful two week break for Christmas in 3 weeks, and will plan out my 2012 monthly challenges. I'm so excited to help you all get organized next year!

Organize: Under The Kitchen Sink

So many readers have been asking about organizing under the kitchen sink. This hasn't really ever been an issue for me - and maybe because I don't access it a ton. (I should clean more than I do.)

The space under my kitchen sink isn't that big. I have an obnoxiously large sink with no divider (which drives me nuts...hence why I don't do the dishes by hand). I also have a food disposal. Not much room left. Here's what it looked like under my sink before "cleaning" it out.

I have two caddies under my sink. I don't ever take them out to tote around the house with me, so I suppose a regular plastic basket would also do. I do like the compactness of the caddies though. I sort everything under my sink and put like items together.

This small stackable shelf is my favorite thing under the sink. It makes towels and cleaning accessories easily accessible and fits nicely in the front of my space.

please excuse the ghetto tape job on the wall...lol

There's not much to it for my under the sink space, but here are some tips for you...

• Use command hooks to hang what you can on doors or the wall - it makes things easily accessible and doesn't take up valuable surface space needed for cleaning supplies.
• Purge - seriously. Get rid of what you have extra of if you don't have the room to store it under your sink. Or store it elsewhere. This space is meant to be easily accessible and not to store every odd and end you can't find a home for. Since sinks can be leaky or troublesome at times, you don't want to have to haul out a ton of junk just to wipe up a drip.
• Look around your kitchen for drawers/cupboard space you could store things in that don't need to be under the sink. If I had an extra drawer, I'd be storing my towels there rather than under the sink.
• Keep cleaning supplies in a container/basket/etc. - if they leak, they won't ruin the cabinet. Also, if you need to remove everything from under the sink because of an issue (such as a leak), you can do so a lot faster since everything's containerized.

the towel that hangs on my cabinet door...love it

For more ideas and tips, visit the posts the following blogs have previous written on this topic:

• A Bowl Full of Lemons
• Ask Anna...
• Delightful Order
• Organize with Sandy

P.S. Thank you so much for all of the ideas for the 2012 monthly challenge - I have a ton of ideas to get us organized in the new year. Please, keep them coming if you have more ideas!

Have a Wonderful Weekend! - & a Coupon

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving today and if you did any Black Friday shopping, you were successful in snagging some great deals. Chris and I did a little bit of shopping today - but we didn't start until 10:30 am. Nothing too great.

I'm super busy this weekend, working on projects at home (that will be on the blog next week) and trying to get my classroom/curriculum in order. (Let me tell you, it's all a mess.)

And while you're enjoying your weekend, get organized with printables from my etsy store...& save 30% on your entire purchase by using coupon code TURKEY11 at checkout. (It can even be used with clipboards & clearance items.)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Free Printable: Black Friday Shopping List

In spirit of this week's "events", I've created a new free printable: Black Friday Shopping List. I won't be going out into the crowds on Friday, but I'll be shopping online for sure. =]

* download the full color version * download the all black version *

Happy Thanksgiving!

Blog & Etsy Store and Holiday Planner Binders

In case you couldn't tell, I love binders. I think they're the easiest way for me to organize paper because:

• it's easy to see everything
• it's categorizable
• I can punch holes in the paper
• I can easily throw things away/replace things

My favorite binders recently have been from Target by greenroom. They're $6 a piece, which kills me (especially since I already have about 15 extra sitting around) - but they're beautiful, sturdy, and have the 3-ring clip on the binding. But if it's not a long-term binder, I'll just use one of the Avery ones I already have, which are also really great products.

Yesterday I created two more binders: one for my blog & etsy store and the other for my holiday planner.

Here's a peak inside:

holiday planner set available here

attached label with paperclips so I don't waste the envelope for 2 months

categories: calendars, cards, gift ideas, gifts bought, home

excuse the poor lighting in the following pictures!

blog & etsy store binder

categories: stats, orders, blog planners, etsy planners, ideas

stat calendar - I have one for my blog & one for my store

order log - the leaves are to hide buyer names =]

etsy store planner for the month

I have more docs in this binder, but I just haven't started to use them yet. I may end up putting this set in my store later on.

And here's where these new binder sit...with my loan binder and home management binder.

Are you as obsessed with binders as I am? How do you use binders at home/work/school?

Etsy Store Update: Prices Dropped

According to my reader survey, less etsy store updates. Deal. (And thanks for being honest!)

Sales have been amazing over the last month, and I feel it's now time to drop prices as I reevaluate my goals/aspirations/etc. for my store. Now that everything is 100% editable and clearance items are about gone, I have changed the pricing on all single documents to $3.50 (down from $4).

Clipboard prices have dropped from $13 to $10.

The Holiday Planner is now for sale in my store for $15 as well.

If you have any ideas for a printable you want that I haven't yet created, please feel free to contact me and I can create something for you. I've done this several times already for customers and everyone has been happy with the outcome.

Winners for All 3 Giveaways That Ended This Weekend

Peggy D.

Denise @ A Sprinkle of This

Mandi @ Finding Home,
Sarah, & Becca

And just in case you didn't win the Thirty-One Organizing Utility Tote, and want to purchase one, my consultant is going to leave the online party open until tomorrow.

Things to know if you're going to buy...

• I am hosting a party, online, through 8 PM (MT) Monday, November 21.
• If you want to order and live in Canada, please email me (tiffany @ thenesteffect.com), and we can work out shipping since Thirty-One doesn't ship to Canada. I will help you out. =]
• If you do make a purchase through my party, my wonderful consultant, Jessica, has offered to give buyers a $5 credit (on a future purchase) to off-set the drop-ship fee of $4.
• There's a special right now: for every $31 you spend, you can get a Littles Carry All Caddy for just $1 ($12 value) - add this item to the cart last so that it will show up as $1 in the cart.
• Please visit my post about the party to see how I use my favorite Thirty-One products.

What I'm Working On This Week

I don't have a post for today. At least not yet. Maybe I'll have one later when I come home during my 3 hour break from the preschool. But I have a lot on my mind as I write this post of things I need to work on this week.

creating a holiday planner -- like this one:

Source: thecandlands.blogspot.com via Tiffany on Pinterest

finishing up my table skirt:

creating a blog & etsy store binder

creating a free black friday shopping printable

creating a calendar for my classroom...I really don't want to buy one. I like this idea:

Source: countingcoconuts.blogspot.com via Tiffany on Pinterest

coming up with classroom jobs - like these:

Source: whattheteacherwants.blogspot.com via Tiffany on Pinterest

read Organizing For Your Brain Type

organize my kitchen - and possibly create something like this:

Source: infarrantlycreative.net via Tiffany on Pinterest

Help Me Help You...

First off, I am just amazed right now. The Nest Effect averages about 2,500 page views a day. Until yesterday...when it hit 7,500 views...and so far today 23,500 views. Thank you Pinterest. Apparently my October Project is a huge hit.

I've received emails and comments from readers asking me if I'm going to do something like this again or if I'd create worksheets like I did for the October Project for each month of the year. Sure, why not? But I need to know what y'all need help getting under control and organized. I'd really like to have a monthly project for each month in 2012.

Help me help you and leave a comment letting me know what you need to tackle in 2012. I'm sure you have ideas that I haven't thought of. I will create free printables to share each month for each project. Getting things under control will help me as well now that I'm not home all of the time like I was a few months ago. My home has become a war zone. lol

So please, leave a comment and let me know: what do you need help organizing? Tell me the area/room/topic/etc. Tell me what is bugging you about certain spots in your home. Let me know - no matter how big or small you think the project may be.

If I can get enough feedback from y'all, I may choose a comment to receive all of my editable documents from my etsy store.  

The winner, chosen by Random.org on 12.17.11, is #6 - Rhonda! Congrats!

Even Better News...

I've done it. I finally have my dream job. On Monday I received a phone call from the principal at the school I did my student teaching at last year - they have an immediate opening in a 2nd grade classroom. I interviewed yesterday afternoon, and was offered the job last night. I am so excited!

Expect to see some classroom organization tips (which will most likely be easily transferable to your home) very soon! According to those who have filled out my reader survey, there are a lot of teachers out there searching for classroom organization tips.

I start my new job on the 28th and I couldn't be happier. (Plus my new hours will be better, giving me more time blog!

Giveaway & Thirty-One Party Reminders

I promise, I'm not going to remind you 30 times about these giveaways ending like I did last month (my bad). Check out the giveaways I still have running (the end dates are below each button) - you can click the button to go to the giveaway & enter.

ends 11.30

ends 11.20

ends 11.18

And for the Thirty-One party...

Some have been confused, so here's a clarification.

• I am hosting a party, online, through Sunday, November 20.
• If you want to order and live in Canada, please email me (tiffany @ thenesteffect.com), and we can work out shipping since Thirty-One doesn't ship to Canada. I will help you out. =]
• If you do make a purchase through my party, my wonderful consultant, Jessica, has offered to give buyers a $5 credit (on a future purchase) to off-set the shipping cost of $4.
• There's a special right now: for every $31 you spend, you can get a Littles Carry All Caddy for just $1 ($12 value) - add this item to the cart last so that it will show up as $1 in the cart.
• Please visit my post about the party to see how I use my favorite Thirty-One products.