Organizing Jigsaw Puzzles

Part of my New Year's Resolutions was to organize my house better. As a parent to both a three and a one year old, the constant battle we are having are toys. However, the worst of all the "toys" are the millions of jigsaw puzzle pieces that we own.

This kid of mine LOVES puzzles:

With puzzles comes all of these annoying boxes that become very hard to store, lose shape which causes pieces to fall out of the side, and then we have lost pieces. 

One day as I was on facebook, I saw an ad on the side for a photo box organizer. (Like the one time I actually look at that sidebar!) It was something similar to this:

I had an idea that this might be just what I need to organize these puzzles. This box opens up and contains little boxes (originally designed to hold 4"x6" photos) but all I could think of is PUZZLE PIECES!

Let the puzzle organization begin! I first decided to make sure all of our puzzles had all their pieces. We put them together and I marked the back of each puzzle with a different symbol. If they ever get mixed up, it will make it easier to tell them apart. 

Next, I took all of the puzzle boxes and scanned the image. (You could just cut the box instead, but I wanted it to be more uniform.)

I printed the images out and trimmed them up.

Then I affixed them to the inside of each box and filled them with the jigsaw puzzle pieces.

The results are wonderful. All the puzzles fit great and it's a nicely organized way to keep the puzzles together.

Looks a bit more organized to me, how about you?

One problem area of my life solved! If you have a great toy organization tip for kids toys I would love to hear it, just comment below!

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New Year's Resolutions

I hope everyone has started off 2014 with a Happy New Year! Every year (almost) I write a blog about my New Years resolutions and end up usually failing...but why break traditions this year right!?!

With that being said, here are my 2014 New Year's Resolutions:

1. Lose the last 10 pounds of baby weight.
I have to say I was a little apprehensive on whether or not to put this picture up of me. It's a little embarrassing, but then again-- this is what happens when you gain 60 pounds while pregnant.

This is what a year of mostly calorie counting and working out 5 times a week can do for you. The last 10 pounds always seems to be the hardest, so I will be finishing up this round of Total Insanity (I have 12 days left), then onto a hybrid workout of Total Insanity/P90x for 60 days, and then I plan on training for a half marathon to run in June.

2. Build this table.

This super cute table is from Shanty2Chic and I couldn't be more in love with it. We have 39 trees ready in our basement to make this table. Really, we had to remove 39 trees from our yard last summer and we had some of the trees milled into boards for us. We just need to get on making this table! I need the husband's help because each board is a full 2 inches thick and I can't lift them myself!

3. Get organized.

Like most Moms, I feel completely unorganized.

Between all the kid things, the dishes, the toys, the puzzle pieces, the dog, the laundry....did I mention the puzzle pieces....my life is all sorts of unorganized. My goal is to try to organize one area of the house a day a few times a week. Take little steps to hopefully a more organized life.

4. Be More Present.
As my friend Greta over at Modern Garden wrote today, the goal of being more present is my daily life is really my top priority.

I need to learn to turn off the electronics, close the books, quit making lists in my head, and just be there more for my kids and my husband.

5. Climb the highest free-standing mountain in the world.
Yeah, I know crazy goal right.

Plans are in the works and as long as my husband's schedule works out and the kiddos do fine with the Grandparents this will hopefully be me in the fall of 2014.


Well that's it, only a few short 5 resolutions. Who knows if I will keep them, but I hoping some of them will come true! Happy New Year!

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