Welcome 2012...Medicine cabinet ORGANIZED

Happy New year! I don't know about you, but starting New years can be kinda

hard for me. But NOT this year. I welcomed 2012 with open arms. I was ready to "get the party started." Bahahahaha!

With each new year, I'm always cleaning out my filing cabinet( its still on my "to do" list), and

trying to find "Problem areas" within our home, well, for the lack of a better term, I have just been plain ol' lazy the last year trying to fix.

So, that takes me to today. I wanted to make sure I accomplished at least 1 task this week that made me smile.

For those that know us, we remodeled our home( that blog will come later) we have now been back for over a year and our medicine cabinet was an AWFUL, UNORGANIZED, MESS! We use it everyday & something would fall on my head everyday & pardon me, but  I would say a cuss word or two( in my mind. so the kids couldn't hear) not really bad ones. Get your mind out of the gutter!

Here is how bad it was: If you are brave: Look at that mess. ewww! Disgusting. I mean, I have cookbooks, knives and medicine on 2 different shelves AND the microwave!

I have been thinking of organizing this cabinet since we moved in, but again, plain ol' lazy. yep. that is me:):):) here I'am. Ok. I confess. I have been on Pinterest. Alot.

I'm a Pinterest addict!!!!!!!!!!!

Please, before you think I need an intervention, read on. I saw THIS picture on Pinterest that

someone else had pinned and it " had me at HELLO !" & while your staring at it, wishing your cabinet was as neat and organized, please write down her blog ( a bowl full of lemons), and visit..she has many other interesting things to read. Of course, after you read the rest of mine silly thing you! HEHEHEE! I promise, its good. really good, unless of course your a sloppy pig. OINK!

Ok. Now the good stuff.

Here are the steps to making this easier:

1. Start emptying your medicine cabinet like this. Get that cabinet empty. Dust it while your at it:) I LOVE my short handle Swifter...with a soft lavender scent. Look at all that mess! ewwww....talk about getting a laxative when you only wanted Gas Ex moment. Be right back. Hahahahaaaa!

I could NOT decifer anything in this mess!There were things I threw away that expired in 2009. Really?! Am'I on the verge of hoarding too??????

Hi pretty cabinet. Say Cheese. Your on Candid Camera:)

Now, I adjusted my shelf up a few w notches, so we could easily access the bottom self and still be up high enough the kids can't get anything. I figured If I put anything up higher It might be things we hardly ever need. We have our medicines above our microwave. Which for some might be above the stove. Where ever it works for you is fine.

While snapping that photo, here is my 3yr old "helper"...she wanted to stop and say "Cheese."

I have to give her credit. Katherine handed me my cookbooks to store in another cabinet & willingly so. She has been a helpful handful today. But I LOVE her.

Back to the good stuff. Sorry. I'm easily side tracked.

2)NEXT start grouping your medicines & throwing away EXPIRED medicines. (They make it all the time.) Here are a few examples of mine. Ie: Children's medicines, Mommy's meds, daddy's meds, sinus/allergy, fever/PMS/sore throat, eyes/ears/skin, vitamins....and you get the idea. Your medicines on your counter should start looking like this. I have labels in front, when I come home with my containers, I'll be armed and ready to label.

Then I measured my tallest bottle to get an idea of how tall I would need my container to be.

Had my list in hand. Katherine and I went to get her sister and headed to Wal*Mart:)

Side note: Its so nice to go in that store with only a few items to buy with kids in tow.And NO, we didn't make it out of there without a bathroom break. For you parents reading this, you'll understand that one:)

Here is what I came home with. Heart:) I LOVE containers.

I can tell I'm getting older. I get excited over really, really, really silly items. But I love anything that simplifies our lives.

3)I took my handy dandy label maker. Oh poop! No photo of that:(

Katherine's favorite word lately has been poop. But label makers can be bought from just about any store. If you don't want to buy a label maker: print your labels out of a font you like on your computer "writing program." such as Microsoft Word. Print the labels on a card stock or regular plain white paper.  Then, cut them out with a straight edge. The neater the better:) Are you following me? Smile:)

I really enjoy my label maker. Even though my labels are expensive:( I can make a lot of labels with 1 roll. I got a great deal on the "machine" that prints them. Go figure. 'they' had to get me somewhere.

I put all my medicines in their new home and labeled each one. Here is my finished project!

Ahhh..A organized, uncluttered, labeled medicine cabinet.That makes me smile)  Even my husband bragged about what a good job I did!

Total cost : approx. $23-$25 depending on where you buy your containers.

Can you believe that most of that clutter fit in these containers? It did. Really. AND my top shelf is empty! Wahoot! I hope I have inspired you to get something that is CLUTTERED in your home UNCLUTTERED and organized. When you finish your project, hop on over and share it with us. We would LOVE to see it:)

Happy Organizing in 2012!

Smiling from ear to ear,
Jennifer