Organizing the (Somewhat) Hasty Way

I've read many, MANY books on organization over the years, in an attempt to bring myself sanity. Or something. I've found that they all have their methods, but the basics boil down to the following:

1. Like goes with like.

The spices should be in one cabinet. The measuring cups and spoons all in one place. All the instruction manuals should live together in harmony. And so forth.

2. Real Estate--location, location, location.

Frequently used items should be the easiest to get to. Moderately used items should be moderately easy to get to. Rarely used items should be on top shelves, in attics, in the back of closets, etc. Sometimes this takes a little evaluation, but it makes for a more efficient home.

3. When in doubt, toss it out (don't hoard it!).

If you're unsure about how useful an item is, box it up and put it away for six months to a year. If you don't use it, you probably don't need it, but maybe someone else could.

4. Be flexible, be firm--do your maintenance.

If a location or a system isn't working, take the time to evaluate it and think of ways to improve it. Don't be afraid to change it, BUT don't ignore it.

5. Communication.

LABEL EVERYTHING. Then no one has an excuse for putting things in the wrong place.

Also:

Set goals--take care of your organizing in small chunks at a time. It's very easy to get overwhelmed.

Pace yourself--be content with achieving a little bit. A little bit is better than none at all.

Get rid of stuff--as you sort through a room, have three boxes labeled Keep, Toss, Give Away. Sometimes I'll add a To Be Fixed box, but that's it. Everything should fit into those categories. If you're undecided, go back to Rule #3.

And last, but never least:

Take a moment to enjoy your accomplishment!

How to Fold a Simple Gift Bag

 So the Dollar Store carries fun wrapping paper, and I picked up a ton of paper on clearance after Christmas at my favorite Hobby Lobby, and suddenly I'm awash in paper and remembering that I don't actually like to wrap gifts! Oh, the silliness.

But my daughter had a birthday party coming up, I didn't want to spend exorbitant amounts on decor and gift/treat bags and so forth, and the pins I found on making your own gift bags out of gift wrap just weren't quite cutting it for me. So I worked it out on my own. Or I stood on the shoulders of giants and worked out a simpler way. One of the two.

You'll need:
- a roll of wrapping paper
- scissors
- a glue stick
- pinking shears


First, cut a piece of paper into a 12 inch by 15 inch rectangle. My wrapping paper came with the fun little squares, so I didn't have to pull out the ruler. Yay! If you keep your rectangle at a 4:5 ratio, you'll end up with a proportionate bag. Trust me.

Now, fold your rectangle over by a third (on the long side). That is, in the case below, I made a fold in my paper at the 5 inch mark, or thereabouts, on the 15 inch side.

Glue stick time! Run your glue stick up and down the printed edge farthest away from the fold. (And remember, folks, always keep your cap on your glue stick to keep it from drying out.)

Now fold the other edge over to OVERLAP the edge you just applied glue to. RUB FIRMLY to help the glue stick. (Ha! No pun intended.)

I love using a glue stick. The glue dries so quickly! Anyway, now fold your bottom edge up by a third. In this case, I folded the bottom up about 4 inches. Crease it well.

Now comes the origami-like part: Open up the two bottom edges of your bag while maintaining that first fold. (Yes, you must stick your pinkie out to accomplish this properly.)

Align the crease you see in the triangle that's forming with the crease on the inside of the bag, then firmly press down the edges of your triangle. I like to smooth mine out with my thumbnail.

Do the same on the other side. Then take the top part and fold down a flap JUST OVER the middle line.

See that little line in the middle of the bottom of the bag I'm making here? That's the line you want to cross (not those pesky lines in the sand...). Firmly crease your edges.

Now fold the bottom up to overlap the first flap that you made. Crease it, then open it out slightly and apply glue liberally wherever the two flaps meet each other, meet the paper, etc. You want this to be sturdy (well, as sturdy as gift wrap and a glue stick get, anyway).

Now, see that little diamond created by your flaps? Use it as a guide. Fold the side edge of your bag along the middle of the diamond (you can see the crease I made to show you). Fold it all the way to the top and crease it well.

Now, to make your life easier, flip the bag over and make that last fold go the other way.

Repeat on the other side.

Crease your folds really well--these will be more noticeable and need to fold in other directions to give the bag its shape. 

See? That's a beautiful crease. (My nine-year-old is taking the pictures at this point, using my phone, and neither of us are photographers. Obviously. I'm still teaching her the fine art of focusing.)

Reach into the bag and push it open.

Now the magic happens! Open out all the folds you made on the side and push the middle in a bit, just like a real bag.

I prefer the pinch-and-crease method, myself. 

Now press down on the sides and make those folds fulfill their destinies with a good, solid crease!

Et voila! A treat bag! (Focusing lessons are SO on the list for that child.)

It took more time to read this blog than it did for me to make the bag itself--it really isn't hard, with a little practice. You can get creative and attach a handle or bows or decorate it with stickers or what have you. Personally, after making eight gift bags in an hour, I was done. But this qualified as a Hasty Craft, and so I share it with you!