Enjoy The Latest Magazines From Home with Next Issue Canada

You might know this about me already, but I am a HUGE magazine junkie! I mean so HUGE that they really need a NEW word for HUGE. So huge that there really should be a "Magazine Junkies Anonymous" group and I could be president.  I have been a junkie for years and magazines can be found in every nook and cranny in our house!. This habit started when I was in University when I was looking for something light to read that was not a text book or academic...and magazines became my new best friends for light reading, inspiration and information.

I love the visual beauty of magazines and all of the short articles and tidbits contained within.

Rarely do I ever leave a grocery store without a copy of one of my favourite magazines...of which there are many. And this turns into a huge cost over time...along with the never-ending clutter of stacks of titles everywhere.

Well no more! I am now addicted to Next Issue Canada! 

I am enjoying ALL of my favourite magazine titles, plus many more, at a fraction of the cost!

I honestly think that this is the best thing since sliced bread and let me share how you could be enjoying Next Issue Canada too!

Next Issue is an app that can be downloaded quickly and easily to a tablet or phone.

This app gives you access to more than a hundred of titles and for a small fraction of the price you would pay at the newsstand. 

In as little as 5 minutes, Next Issue Canada can be downloaded, providing access to more than 100 titles for as little as $9.99 per month.

And there are several titles for every reader in many different categories to enjoy such as:

Food: Food Network, Diabetic Living, Everyday with Rachel Ray, Vegetarian Times

Gardening: Organic Gardening, County Gardens Magazine, Successful Farming

Sports: Men's Fitness, Runner's World, Sports Illustrated Kids, Golf Magazine, Surfer, Ski, 

Hobbies: Automobile, Backpacker, Bike, Car & Driver, Popular Science, Popular Photography

Parenting: Today's Parent, Family Fun, Parents,

Travel: Coastal Living, Conde Nast Traveler,  

Decorating: HGTV Magazine, Dwell, House Beautiful, Elle Decor

Fashion: Vogue, Glamour, LouLou, Marie Claire, 

Financial: Money, Bloomberg Markets, Fortune

AND MANY MORE!

Here are some of my favourite magazines that I have been enjoying with Next Issue Canada:

The latest issue of Chatelaine...I can't wait to read what Dr. Oz recommends for 5 healthy new habits!

This brand new issue of Better Homes and Gardens where I want to read the article about easy-growing perennials to learn and make plans for my garden this spring.

I have been a SJP fan for year,  and I cannot wait to read about what she has been up to in this article in InStyle.

All You  is a brand new magazine to me and this article about making ends meet without money looks so interesting!

And Rolling Stone has featured Philip Seymour Hoffman this month and I can't help but want to read this piece about one of my favourite actors.

Next Issue Canada is offering a FREE 30 day trial for anyone who would like to try this amazing app on their tablet or phone.

You can choose which package you would like...starting as low as $9.99 for unlimited access to 100 titles, plus many back issues for each title.

If you think about how much the cost of one magazine is at the newsstand, that is a steal of a deal in my opinion! I know that I am definitely saving about $30-$40 a month since I started using Next Issue Canada. I love the convenience of being able to read my favourite magazines almost anywhere, whether at home or out.

I also love the fact that I can finally get rid of the stacks of back issues lying around our house while knowing that I can access all of my favourites on our iPad or my iPhone.

Sign up to join Next Issue Canada and you can start enjoying all of your favourites too!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Next Issue Canada. However, as always, I only partner with brands/services that I use in my own home and love. All opinions are 100%  mine.

5 Great Tips For Organizing Your Home Office + $500 Giveaway of Organizing Products

One of my goals for January was to get my little office nook back into an organized state, because recently it has been as messy as a bowl of spaghetti....no lie! I was so anxious to start this project, that I neglected to take a 'before' picture of it, but trust me, it as a big pile of mess with stacks of paper covering the desk and the lower shelf. When you work from home, as I do, a home office that is both organized and functional is an important part of having a productive day. I was more than thrilled when Fellowes Canada contacted me and asked if I would like to try their new line of home storage and home office products...because I knew that my messy space needed some help in gaining order again. I want to share with you some tips for getting and keeping a home office organized.

In our home, there is no actual room for me to have an office. All of our rooms are used, except for what was a giant nook at the top of the stairs that I claimed as my own little office space.
Before I claimed it, there was nothing there. And first I added a desk with a hutch, but found that the hutch was useless, so I removed it and added some economical shelving with brackets from Ikea and shelves cut to fit from Home Depot. This laid the foundation for the whole space. Which brings me to the first tip.....use a desk and shelves. Shelves take advantage of vertical space, so you use less floor space for storage and hence...less mess on the floor.

1. Use A Desk and Shelves Above As A Foundation.

Having shelves above the desk is so practical. It keeps things within arms reach and mess off the floor. The 3 shelves in my office nook cost less than $50 to install and earn their keep by providing a huge amount of storage space for  things like printers and office supplies. If you have to, clear everything out of your office space and start fresh.

2. Install A Lamp. 

By installing lamp, the work space is better lit and makes the space functional for doing tasks. No one wants to work in a dimly lit area. Plus, a lamp just makes a space feel cozier and more like a place that you want to hang out.

3. Use A Comfortable Chair.

A comfortable chair is a must for any desk. I prefer a chair that has wheels and an adjustable seat. This makes working more efficient as you don`t have to contend with aches and pains that force you to leave the office before you are finished working.

4. Add Functional Organizing and Storage Products.
Using the right storage and organizing products is key to keeping a desk/office space tidy. It effectively provides a home for everything and works wonders at keeping visual clutter at bay.
Let me share with you all of the amazing Fellowes Canada products that helped me tame the clutter that was taking over my office nook. They are not only easy to assemble and very affordable, but look great in my office and contain the clutter like nobody's business!

Magazine File Boxes. To me, they are must in any office. They keep books and magazines organized, and if you keep the tall side facing outward, they also help reduce visual clutter.

Office Bill Organizer. I love, love, love this. It not only gives me a drawer to store things away, but also 4 slots for holding bills, greeting cards, pictures, business cards and all those little pieces of paper that need a home. And this unit can fit perfectly on a shelf!

Office Drawer Organizer. This 2 drawer item is another piece from this line that I absolutely love. It completes me! It gets clutter OFF my desk.  Did I mention it keep me organized? And this unit can also easily fit on a shelf or bookcase too.

Inside, I have storage room for things like envelopes, labels and other office supplies.

Stackable Storage Boxes. This lines includes assorted boxes for any kind of storage. I like keeping supplies in here that I don't use often, but still need to have in my office nook. I like that the boxes look neat and tidy on the shelves and how they keep messy piles at bay!

Files Boxes. This line also includes file boxes, which I keep in a nearby closet. These boxes are available in both letter and legal size and are perfect for holding files of business papers.

The legal size/stackable boxes also have the viewing windows so the contents inside can be seen, which make the box multi-functional for both files or other things as well. And if you look to the left, you can see these boxes also have comfortable handles for lifting.

Literature Sorter. Although I don't need one of these, there is one available in the line to match the other pieces so you can have a cohesive-looking office space.

So, no matter what your needs for home office organizing and storage, Fellowes Canada has a full range of products for every need.

5. Accessorize and Add The Pretty.

The last thing to add to make a home office feel organized and welcoming are a few accessories that add that personal touch that make it your own. In my case, I have added baby pictures of my kids, some flowers, plants and a pretty lamp. These are the thing that I find comforting as I sit at my desk working. I also find that when things look pretty, you want to keep things organized and looking nice because it feels so good to work in that kind of atmosphere.

 

I have to say that I have worked both from an office for 12 years, and from home for a few years. When you have a home office space that is clean, functional, organized and looks pretty, there is no better place to work! And this line of products from Fellowes really helped me to achieve exactly the kind of work zone that I love.

And now here's the BEST part!

Fellowes Canada is going to give one lucky reader a fabulous prize of $500 worth of drawers and boxes to use in their own home for organizing and storage projects!

This is the best giveaway that I have ever had on Echoes of Laughter!

{Canada Only}

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The home office products can be found at  Staples and at Walmart.

Don't forget to visit my other home organizing project using Fellowes Canada products HERE.

To learn more about Fellowes Canada line of organizing products for the home and office, be sure to follow their Facebook page HERE.  For your next home organizing project, you can find Fellowes Stackable Storage and Under The Bed Boxes at Amazon.ca here, here, here, and here

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Fellowes Canada. However, as always, I only work with companies whose products I love and use in my own home.


This post is linked to these parties:
Inspire Me Please, Home Stories A to Z,

Organizing with Stylish & Affordable Home Storage Solutions

After Christmas is when, like many people, I get the itch to purge belongings and re-organize every room in our home. While trying to find new homes for Christmas gifts, it soon becomes apparent that good home storage items are a HUGE help in making every space earn it's keep.Our home is not  big, so every closet and under-the-bed space is valuable storage space. And when looking for storage items, I like things that are not only functional & affordable, but stylish and attractive to look at as well. Recently, Fellowes Canada sent me some items from their brand new home organizing & storage line to try out. I have to say that I love this new line for organizing things in our home. And I like it much better than the plastic items available and let me tell you why!

I love how the boxes are sturdy and easy to fold and assemble. I used the Fellowes Banker's Boxes for years in an office, and after you get the hang of folding one or two, the rest are a breeze to assemble. If you need to break them down and fold flat for storage, that is easy enough  to do as well too!

The heavy duty wall construction is designed for holding most needs....be it clothing, shoes, purses, craft supplies, files or dishes.

I love how the under-the-bed boxes are just the perfect size for storing seasonal items...like summer clothing.

With their sturdy construction, I can also store delicate things like seasonal dishes in under-the-bed boxes too.

That way, I know they are safe and protected in an easy-to-reach location.

The window is perfect for seeing the contents of the box for easier organizing.

And the comfortable black handles make stacking the boxes and putting them on shelves or into closets much  easier.

The covers are easy to put on and take off the boxes...unlike plastic totes where I have either jammed a finger or broken a nail while trying to open or close them.

And I love the manageable size of the boxes too. They are not big, awkward or bulky to move into and out of spaces such as closets and shelves. I find rubber totes terribly awkward & heavy to lift and move around, so these work much better for me!

And the Fellowes home decor line of storage is attractive to look at too! This white & black pattern can work in any room!

And I am not the only one crazy about Fellowes Canada new home storage line...my teenage daughter wasn't long claiming boxes for her closet  because she also loves organizing with stylish and fashionable boxes too.

Besides all of the wonderful things that I discovered about these boxes like sturdy construction and comfortable handles, I also liked the fact that they are a really affordable option and can help keep any organizing budget well in check. So whether you are organizing a room, closet or shelves, these boxes will do an amazing job in any room in your house!

If you are looking to try out these boxes for your next organizing project, you can find Fellowes Stackable Storage and Under The Bed Boxes at Amazon.ca here, here, here, and here.

To learn more about Fellowes Canada line of organizing products for the home, be sure to follow their Facebook page HERE.

PS-Stay tuned because in a few days, I have another exciting organizing project to share with you and a FANTASTIC giveaway for one lucky reader of $500 worth of Fellowes Canada organizing products.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Fellowes Canada. However, as always, I only work with companies whose products I love and use in my own home.

This post is linked to:
Inspire Me Please,

Organizing A Kitchen Into Zones...

 

Today, my friends, we are going to talk about organizing the kitchen. But not just organizing the kitchen, but organizing the kitchen into ZONES  that group like tasks together to make working in the kitchen easier and more efficient.

To do this, first we must look at what tasks are performed in the kitchen most often, and then designate zones for those tasks and organize the zone so that it has everything needed for the tasks. Sound complicated? It's really not!

Let me share with you the zones in my kitchen.

 On this side of my kitchen, I have 3 main zones...the baking zone, the breakfast zone, and the food prep & cooking zone.

Let me take you through each zone so you can see how organizing by zone works. 

 The baking zone...it's where you create delicious things....hopefully!

 I bake a few times a week, so this zone is necessary for our kitchen.

{If baking doesn't happen in your kitchen, then you definitely don't need a baking zone.} 

This is how my baking zone is set up: everything I need is within easy reach and I can stand in one spot and grab everything.

As a baker, I highly, highly recommend placing flours & sugar on the counter...it just makes baking so much easier and enjoyable then having to lug out containers out from dark corners! 

You can see that I have everything I need....mixer, flours and sugar, mixing bowls, etc.

 Here is the 'baking drawer'. All the measuring diddly bops are in here, along with cookie scoops and spatulas. I like 2 sets of measuring cups and spoons because I bake a lot and I often make a few things at a time and I find having 2 sets works best for me.

 In the cupboard above the mixer is this basket of baking essentials that I just have to pop out when I am mixing up some yummy recipe. It holds: vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and salt...things needed for almost every baking project.

 

 The next zone I want to share with you is the breakfast zone.

 We use the toaster every day and the blender is used often for fruit smoothies in the morning. 

 

Directly above the blender is the cupboard that holds things that go on toast.

We didn't always have a breakfast zone per see...it was the last zone I created.

For a long time, I kept peanut butter, etc.,  in our pantry, which really made no sense whatsoever. Every time toast popped, you had to go into the pantry to get something.

So I moved the peanut butter and jam, etc. next to the toaster.

So now when the toast pops...the butter, peanut butter and jam is right there.

It works so much better to have these items in the breakfast zone!

 

 And here is the food prep and cooking zone.

This is where everything needed for cooking is.

Utensil, oils, knives...etc.

 This area works for chopping vegetables to go into a frying pan or other tasks for cooking. 

 

Directly above the breakfast zone and the food prep & cooking zone are the dishes needed to plate food, or hold cereal or toast.

I have increased the space by using some portable shelving that adds another level.

I love using these gadgets for increasing storage.

And here's a tip from me: I keep reading from other sources that only one set of dishes is needed.

I beg your pardon....but I beg to differ on this one!

I think a supply of dishes is needed to get the whole family through a day of 3 meals.

If you have to reach for dirty dishes to wash before a meal is served, or dinner plates are being used for toast instead of a side plate...then you need more dishes. Simple fact.

There is nothing worse then having to stop before a meal and reach into a dishwasher full of dirty dishes looking for dishes to wash.

Who has time for that?

 

Here we find pots and pans in the lower cupboard next to the stove...within easy reach of the food prep area. 

 

This drawer next to the stove holds food wraps and baggies.

In the back is a basket with utensils that are needed, but not used very often.

 

This drawer holds utensils that are used all the time and is next to the stove as well. 

And this drawer located under the food prep area  is the spice & utensil drawer.

 {I buy a lot of spices in large Costco size bottles and they are in the pantry.}

 

The last zone is the lunch making zone. This area is closest to the fridge and provides space for putting together lunches in the morning. 

Here, I keep a basket with snacks prepared for lunches, along with  napkins.  

 

And just a step away from the lunch making zone is the fridge with these items organized for lunches. 

  The last areas I have to share are the glassware cupboard, soda stream station and the beverage center.

When organizing a glassware cupboard, it helps if the glasses can stack and the glassware is somewhat uniform in size, as opposed to having mis-matched odd & ends that don't stack at all.

Also, I like to keep mason jars with the glassware because we love drinking out of them and use them all the time for drinking, as well as storing food.

So I made the decision to store the mason jars where it makes sense in our kitchen.

 We love our soda stream, and we keep everything together in this small sliver of counter by the fridge.

We use it most often to make sparkling water, with flavored 'soda' being a treat for the weekends only. 

 And lastly, because I have such a small kitchen and counter space is at a premium, I purchased these cabinets to create a beverage station.

This area works great and it keeps traffic out of the main work area of the kitchen. It's always a good idea to have a beverage station set up closest to the area where the coffee or tea is consumed...like the dining table or breakfast nook.

I know that my kitchen is very small, and not spectacular or lovely, but I have made the best of the space I have, and it works brilliantly for us most of the time. One advantage of having a small kitchen is that it is easy & fast to clean up...which I love. And nothing is more than a step away....which is also an advantage. And because I have very limited cupboard space, all the food is stored in the pantry.

I have helped family and friends organize their kitchens and have found that although lots of people have 'organized' kitchens, they often don't have things organized in a way that makes sense for the tasks that are performed. You can set up any zone in your kitchen for the way you need your kitchen to work!  For instance, do you have a baby? Set up a baby food area where everything needed for feeding the baby is all together.

Zone organizing works! I bet a lot of you have zones already and don't even know it. You may just have to do a little tweaking to make the kitchen function a little better....you know...rethink a few things.

So tell me....will you be doing a little zone re-organizing? What zone will you be creating/re-organizing first?

To see some of my other organizing projects:
A  Breakfast Zone, go here.

 A Beverage Center, go here.

 Packing School Lunches, go here and here.

 An Organized Mudroom, go here.

And don't forget to check out my organizing boards on Pinterest:

Organized Kitchens

Organized Homes

Organized Mudrooms

Organized Desks & Offices

Thank you so much for visiting me!
xo

This post is linked to these parties; Tip Junkie, I Heart Organizing,
Skip To My Lou, Design, Dining & Diapers, Home Stories A to Z, Today's Creative Blog,
Aalderberry Hill,  Setting For Four, Inside Bru Crew Life, Chef-In-Training, Savy Southern Style, Gingersnap Crafts, Clean & Scentsible, Lil Luna, The DIY Dreamer, The 36th Avenue, Craftberry Bush, The Frugal Girls, Tidy Mom, Tatertots and Jello, Six Sisters Stuff,  Funky Junk Interiors,  Under The Table & Dreaming, Uncommon Designs, Craft-O-Maniac,  Aalderberry Hill, Someday Crafts, StoneGable, Today's Creative Blog, Chef-in-Training, Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons, Somewhat Simple,