Organize with Me!

“On my honor I will try”…. 😊.

Love that scouting is still a thing and that you do crafts with your troop! Yup, I was in Brownies and Girl Scouts and did a year of Cadets wayyyyy back in the 1970’s. I still have my sash and badges and pins. I just found my brownie hat and little leather coin purse not long ago along with the red tie. Oh the memories! I will look thru my craft room today and start a box for ya!

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

Once upon a long time ago I was a boy scout leader. My meeting night bag was a big sports bag...about the size of that one. The good news about a sports bag is that it is squarer than an ordinary shoulder bag and, if you shop around, also has some compartments. A zipper also means that if it falls over, stuff doesn't fall out, and if it's raining it stays dry.

Wow. So what do you do with your "spare" time? 🤪

👋👋👋❤

Are you part of a buy nothing group on FB? Ask for stuff over there. :)

Excellent job! Well done! That will remove the last minute going to the meeting stress!

I can’t find your business address. Can you give it to me?

Check your local thrift stores. Ours gets lots of stamp and scrapbooking supplies.

Ask your scout parents for stuff

I just always bought craft supplies with my own money. Do a little online search and see if you happen to have a craft supply thrift store. We have one here in my town that is solely dedicated to all things creating. It's where folks donate stuff like stamps, fabric, ephemera, scrapbook paper, markers, beads, thread, etc.

I know you use buy nothing - I've also seen people ask for or offer up specific craft items on there! For example, I often offer up small terracotta yogurt pots that people can drill small holes in and use to plant seedlings.

That is so good! The stuff all in one place is so handy. You grab the bag and go. Good video

I’m proud of you for reusing some of the bins you had in the basement. So often, and I’m somewhat to blame for this too, but people think if they buy all new stuff to help them organize that will be the answer. And we know it’s not. Keep up the good work, girl! You’re an inspiration to many of us.

No storage where you meet? 😔

Thanks for being a girl scout leader. It’s a great organization.

SWAPS: Special Whatchamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere. I love making swaps. You do not want to see my craft room and GS supply pile. My daughter was a Juliette in 1st and 2nd grade. Then, I started a troop of Brownies when she was in 3rd grade. Our first meeting was the cookie parent meeting. I, however, was flying back to Chicago for my sister's funeral. I asked our SUD to hold the parent meeting and for her 5th-grade Juliettes to work with my 3rd-graders. I followed my daughter as she moved up levels. She earned her Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards.
I am now back at it as a co-leader working with the Juniors. I will be following this group as well. The leader's daughter is at my level, and I work well with her.
The girls made rainsticks for Outdoor Art Explorer last year. I wasn't there, but I did plan it.
Also, I don't know where my brain was the other day, but I do know that your husband's name is Andy, not Adam.

Erica, you can use old greeting cards, wrapping paper, etc for your craft projects.

Thank You ❤Your such an encouraging person, I see myself as an all or nothing kind of person. I remember first time I saw your channel and you were going thru the basement and it was overwhelming to me (this is how I feel now) and the video was reminder to do one shelf, drawer or area at a time 😮 I don’t see progress but you remind us this is in progress🌺

Have you considered getting together with an activities director in a local assisted living facility or nursing home to have them help gather tissue boxes and etc. then the girls could do crafts with them to earn badges plus put smiles on the faces of the elderly. A win, win for both.

I used to be a Girl Scout leader many years ago.

Birthday card’s valentines cards. Gift bags from new baby or Halloween bags. Bet there’s loads of them sitting in drawers

I have tons of supplies which I could send your way. Are there any specific projects you will be doing in the next few months? Is there a way we could chat so I could send you stuff you need vs just doing a dump shipment that would end up as clutter? Lmk! Em.

It feels GOOD to get something accomplished - even if it's only one shelf! Well Done!

I was thinking that you may be able to use the fancy paper napkins for your tissue box project. They are easy to find just about anywhere and reasonably priced. This could be an option for you. You are such a hard working woman, and you are making great memories for the young ladies of your troop. Thank you for all you do.

Use old magazines - see if you can rustle up some from neighbors, doctor's offices, etc. Old wrappings from presents, gift bags, and decorations from parties (left-overs). Left-over holiday napkins, plates, etc. are cool too, you can cut out shapes or the printed content and repurpose for decoration. The pretty parts of cards. You can also do a tie dye on paper using the paints, then cut them out to size/shapes.

That's great how you sorted out what you want to take to every meeting.

For some reason you pulling up this empty bin made me laugh so hard. Erica from the first videos would have tripped over herself to get more bins.

At least you'll have a huge hoard of them for your next move. I'll just bet those Navy movers will be significantly happier than your previous movers.

You are a wonderful person. How do you make time for all you do with your family. Wonder women is your new name. ❤

That's better! ❤

Use seasonal wrapping paper or discontinued wallpaper from the DIY store. It's cheap and there's loads of it on a roll. Plus you can get some really lovely designs 😊

What about different color tissue paper from the dollar tree for the picture things?

Well done 👏

Well, maybe let the girls create flyers and letters and put them in the mailboxes in their neighborhood. They can ask for crafty stuff, go around next week to collect it and leave thank you pictures or swaps? 😃

When I was in Scouts as a kid, the leaders would let the girls know if there was something needed like milk cartons or tissue boxes, etc. We were always told never to buy anything of course but to ask family if they have supplies they would be willing to donate. It actually worked to help us stay interested in the projects, allowed us to work on communication, helping others (bring more than one because another scout couldn't)- etc.

Good job! Scouts will be a lot easier for you now.

Love this one drawer / shelf at a time !

May I suggest … Ask the girls if they can save tissue boxes and bring in left over craft products. 😊 I’m sure their parents would love to get those out of their house .🏡

Dont forget if you get some punchers you can punch out stars and shapes from other items to make embellishments.

What about old wrapping paper bits for the Kleenex box frames?

One thing my co-leader does is bring a file box (clear) and has a file for each girl. Parents pick up paperwork and the girls badges at the end of the meeting. You could have a file in there for your stuff as well (future handouts/badges,etc)

I am new to co-leading this year. Last year I helped significantly, but didn’t have the title. 😊💚 We are a very active troop and it has been an adjustment for me time wise. We too meet bi-weekly. Homeschooling and taking this on is no joke.😂

Also, hello fellow Girl Scouts!!🎉💚

You could look up old fashioned images on the web and print them out.

Hi Erica.
I love your approach if one thing (shelf, bag...) at a time.
By doing it that way, you appreciate the work you've done more. And see the positives ' befores and afters'.

Oh! The stained glass thing - instant memory burst! We used to do just regular paper and texta’s (markers?) then you use a cotton ball and wipe baby oil over it to make the paper more translucent as well before you tape it to the windows ❤

Ephemera - wine bottle labels are sooo pretty now - get the parents to check the bottles for interesting ones and just hot water in the bottle then peel off the labels and stick to baking paper etc - you can trim them up to just the pretty bit without the booze info! 😅 you’ll be amazed at what grocery labels look like once you start to really notice them 😂 then you’ll never stop noticing sorry!
Soft drink bottles often have old school designs too - think kombucha etc. and send a shout out to your neighbourhood group for the used pages of calendars etc. I’d say you might get enough tissue boxes that way too - given the boxes are flattened for use perhaps flattening them now to store could save you some space as well (esp if you get more than you need right now oops)
I’ve seen people use the little tags from tea bags as ephemera. Check “junk journal ideas” as a search term for ideas of unexpected items that work.
Pages out of a beat up classic book - think alice in wonderland etc.
also for your first aid practise pop into the local fire or ambulance station and ask if they could keep the bandages slings etc out of their first aid boxes when they expire next time for practise items. Or if someones mum or day works like for the road authority or something they just get thrown out - can’t use the dressings but I’m sure theyd put aside the non sterile/time based items. Actually Andy! Andy should be able to source some for you from work that’s expired.
I’ll leave you be now but good job on the reorganisation! Im impressed!

Way better, great job👍

Have their moms participate by sending four pictures for the tissue box. You shouldn’t have to stress all the time on your own. I realize it’s probably drop girl off and disappear for two hrs but asking for items from parents isn’t and shouldn’t be hard. The pictures could be vintage of the grandparents parents or pets. Or pictures of the troop. Whatever they decide to put on the tissue box it is a cute idea. Great job at being a leader

If you could still use some acrap ookong/craft items, i have a bunch i can send you if youre interested

Housewife, mother, homeschooler, Girl Scout leader, crafter, gardener…kids in gymnastics, karate & swim lessons. A successful “Minimalish-ist” and amazing role model and inspiration. 🙂
(Cadet here. 👍)