Archive for the ‘Tips’ Category

7 Tips for Running a Successful Blog Campaign

Tuesday, February 21, 2012 @ 10:02 PM
posted by mrscaz

The one thing that I have found since starting the kids belts business is that advertising is expensive and it’s very hard to track the ROI (Return on Investment). I used to do Google Adwords. Really it was a waste of money. We weren’t getting any more sales than without it. The difference came in running blog campaigns.

Did you know that only 27% of searchers will even click on a Pay Per Click ad? The others look at organic searches and don’t pay any attention to the ads. I know. I’m one of them. So then you have to look at how many of that 27% actually translate into sales. Do the math. What are your keywords? How many people are searching for those keywords? What is 27% of that number? Of that number, how many will buy? (Hint: don’t think optimistically. Be realistic.) Word of mouth is still some of the best advertising out there. Blog campaigns work, at least they have for me and Dapper Snappers.

7 Tips for Running a Successful Blog Campaign:

  1. Go Where They Go I’m sure there are sites similar, but I have always used Tomoson to run my blog campaigns. I really like it because, well, it’s free. But on top of that it’s a place that brings bloggers and promoters together. You don’t have to spend hours searching out bloggers. You can set up your campaign and the bloggers come to you. Tomoson will even do the initial vetting for you based on your criteria. You then have the opportunity to approve or deny the bloggers who have applied. Once approved, you send them the product.
  2. DON’T PAY You should never have to pay for a review. There are tons (literally tons) of bloggers out there who will review your product just for receiving a sample and maybe offering to give them a prize so they can offer a contest for their readers. I remember the first review I ever had done for Dapper Snappers was with 5 Minutes for Mom. That review cost me $50 and while it was a good review, Dapper Snappers was in its infancy and $50 was hard to come by for us. When I told other mompreneurs about it, they all looked at me like I was crazy for paying for a review. But hey, at the time there were no instruction manuals (still aren’t I guess, that’s why we share our stories!)
  3. Research Once you have set up a campaign in Tomoson (or whichever site you choose) be sure to research the bloggers who have applied. While it is nice that you have a deluge of bloggers wanting to review your product, some of them may not be a natural fit. We have 3 main criteria that we look at before we research them further; 500,000 Alexia Rating or lower, 500 Facebook Fans, 1,000 Twitter Followers (we even look at the ratio of how many followers they have versus the amount of people they follow). Yes, we look at numbers (gasp!). While we don’t expect immediate sales from blog reviews, we do want viewers (helps with brand awareness) and SEO boosts. There was a recent blog post that asked “Are Corporations Killing Mom Bloggers?” The blog states that when corporations rule out the smaller bloggers because of numbers that they are missing out. While that might be true to a certain extent, as a blogger and a corporation, we not only want SEO with link backs, but we want readers as well. We just want the best for our company.
    Once they have met those criteria, we have then take a closer look at their blog. Are they well spoken? Do they use actual photos of the product in use or the stock photos that were provided? In past reviews, did they write more than 3 lines about the product? Is your product a good fit for their site? Do their readers fit your demographics? All of those questions will lead you to how a review of your product will look on their site.
  4. Give the “Key” Word Everyone with a website has certain “key” words that people use to find their product. For example our big one is “kids belts.” To utilize this group of key words, we need them hyper-linked back to our site. Choose words that fit your product and focus on pushing those words to your site (even in your own blog). If your product is baby socks, then use something as generic as “baby socks” as your key words because chances are, that’s how people will find you on a search engine. When you set up the criteria for your blog campaign in Tomoson, require them to use at least one set of key words in their review.
  5. Follow Up This is a big one. Just because a blogger has agreed to review your product does not mean that they will hop right to it (some will, mind you, but some won’t). They are people too! Life sometimes gets in the way and some of them may need a gentle reminder. And if their review is lacking, by all means tell them so they can fix it. Make sure they’ve stuck to their end of the bargain.
  6. Go for the Gold (Customer Service) Make sure that you are timely in not only sending out the samples to them, but if you have offered a prize for a contest, be sure to get that out quickly as well. Remember, this person is reviewing for a living. You especially want to handle them and their readers with kid gloves. (Customer service should be key regardless, but you know what I mean!)
  7. Be Prepared (to NOT be reviewed) I know that sounds crazy. They applied to review or even contacted you to review your product. You sent them the sample and then…. well, nothing. No replies to emails, no returned phone calls. They just fall off the edge of the earth and you “gifted” them your product. Don’t get discouraged. It happens to the best of us. We have been left hanging by a local newspaper (Orlando Sentinel Moms at Work), Daily Candy, and Chesapeake Family. You will also get double dippers. A Blogger who reviewed your product in the past and then they hit you up and want to review them again. We have had more than a few of those, proceed with caution.

There you have it, my tips for running a blog campaign. It may seem a little tedious, but in my opinion, it has the best return on investment. It doesn’t cost much (cost of product and shipping) and it gets your name out there. I read somewhere (I can’t remember where, of course) that it takes the consumer an average of 17 times hearing/reading/seeing a name brand to build enough trust in the brand to purchase it. What can it hurt to get bloggers to help you out with that?

Blessings,

Common Cents Mama - Kids Belts - Toddler Belts inventor

5 Tips to Writing a Successful Blog Review

Tuesday, February 7, 2012 @ 04:02 PM
posted by mrscaz

About once a quarter or so, we do a blog campaign for our various kids belts or adult belts. There are a couple of reasons for this; one is to increase brand awareness and the other is to help with SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Plus, it is nice to hear what people have to say about our products. We have done about 6 blog campaigns so far and one thing I have noticed is that blog reviews range from one end of the spectrum to the other. There are great reviewers out there that take the time to really use the product and go into detail what they think about it and then there are others who write two lines and then copy and paste text from our website and that’s it.

As a manufacturer, I thought I would share with you what I like to see in a blog review of my product (I’m pretty sure other manufacturers feel similar).

  1. First and foremost, mention the brand name and the specific product you are reviewing. I know that sounds like common sense, but you’d be surprised. It doesn’t have to be in the first sentence, but early on in the post would be good.
  2. Include at least one (preferably more) picture of the product. Ideally, we would love to see you (or whoever the product is for) actually using the product instead of using our stock photos. Your readers know you and trust you and when they see you using it, it puts more value to your post.
  3. Be honest about the product and tell your readers what you think. We want to hear what you thought of the product. Is it user friendly? Are there enough choices? Would you recommend it? Does it do what it’s supposed to do? The more detail you give, the better, and a “how to use” would be fantastic!
  4. If we have provided you with keywords to link back to our site, please use them. SEO is very important to us and our website. That is one of the main reasons we do blog campaigns. One link back will do, but 2 or more is great, too.
  5. Tell your readers where they can purchase the products (use the coupon codes we provide you with, readers love savings!) with a link to the website. Take the guess work out of it for them and make it as easy as possible for them to find the product.

I know those seem really simple, but it seems like there are some bloggers (not all mind you, I’m not making a sweeping accusation here) out there that do it just for the free product and do the bare minimum for the review. As a business owner, I do go back and read every review that is written for Dapper Snappers. It’s important to me to get the feed back as well as have our brand be represented as professional as possible.

Bloggers and businesses have a symbiotic relationship. We need each other. The blogger wants more followers so they can get big time advertisers (or a few other ways to make money blogging but still follower dependent for best results) to supplement their income. The business needs an affordable way to get their products in front of their target audience and get better SEO.

To achieve success on both parts, the business sends the blogger free product and (usually) allows the blogger to run a contest for more free product. The business absorbs the cost of at least 2 products and the separate shipping for each. If they are like us, they may also offer a coupon code, which sucks up even more of the profits. The blogger gets free product and more followers in exchange for writing the review post.
There is still a lot of debate about who’s using whom and some have even gone as far as to ask Are Corporations Killing Mom Bloggers? But that is a post for next Tuesday: Business when we will be discussing tips on how to vet bloggers for successful product campaigns.

There is no doubt that our success is mostly due to great reviews from mom bloggers (a good product helps too). We wouldn’t be where we are without them. That being said, we get exploited by at least 1/3 of bloggers we employ. This doesn’t even include the bloggers that received free product but never bothered to write the review. That’s not going to keep us from continuing blogger relations. It just makes us more picky.

That’s just my two cents from the perspective of the business owner.

Blessings,

Common Cents Mama - Kids Belts - Toddler Belts inventor

10 Tips to Stay Motivated

Friday, January 27, 2012 @ 01:01 PM
posted by mrscaz

It’s almost the end of January and can I have a show of hands from all of the people who are still sticking to their New Years Resolutions? Hmmm… Ok, well on that note, I thought I would blog about staying motivated. The one thing that I have learned in this kids belts business is that anything that is worth it, takes hard work, dedication and motivation. “If it was easy, then everyone would be doing it.”

10 Tips to Stay Motivated

  1. Make sure the goal is yours. I know that sounds silly, “But, Chelle, who else’s goal would it be?” There are so many times that we set a goal based on someone else’s ideas. “You should be a doctor.” “You should lose weight.” “You should open your own business.” Granted all of those things might be nice, but if you don’t want them, your goal is doomed to fail from the get go.
  2. Be clear about the payoff. Don’t just set a generic goal, “I want to run a 5K.” Make it a specific goal, if it’s to run a 5K, search out the 5K’s in your area and pick one. Sign up for it and make your goal to run that specific 5K.
  3. Make a list. Whatever the goal you have set for yourself is, I’m pretty sure that there are steps you need to take to get there. Make a list of those steps so it’s all laid out there for you.
  4. Set small milestone goals. Is your goal to get a new iPad, but money doesn’t permit? Set small goals, saving $10 a week is easier than coming up with a few hundred or worse putting it on a credit card and then paying interest. If your goal is losing weight, don’t focus on the big number, take pound by pound. Trying to lose a pound a week seems easier than saying “I want to lose 50lbs”.
  5. Focus on the good. Don’t bury yourself in the set backs. I read something the other day that put that into perspective, “Saying oh, I already ruined my good eating today so I’ll just eat junk is like saying, oh, I just dropped my phone on the floor I’ll just smash it until it breaks.” Funny, but true. Don’t let one setback trip you up.
  6. Make it fun. I know that I am more apt to do something if it’s fun. Whatever your goal is, find a way to make that the best part of your day. If your goal is to learn a new language, check with your friends, they may be interested and you guys can make it more of a game.
  7. Take a different approach. If what you are doing doesn’t seem to be working, change it up. You have heard the saying, “There’s more than one way to skin a cat” while that is a bit gruesome, it’s true. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting something different. If your goal is learning to cook and all you are doing is messing up recipes from a cookbook, try something different. Sign up for a cooking class in your area, check out online tutorials, get a friend who can cook to show you some techniques.
  8. Reward yourself. When you hit your small milestones, be sure to reward yourself. When you lose that first 5lbs, treat yourself to something (non food related) you like to do (manicure, massage, shopping, going to see a new movie, etc). 
  9. Have an accountability partner. Let’s face it, when we tell someone we are going to do something, the guilt from that alone makes us more likely to stick to it, but also a good friend will be your cheering section. They will pick you up when you struggle, they will motivate you when you need it and they will celebrate with you when you have made it!
  10. Make a list. Wait… didn’t we already do this one? “Is she just checking to see if I am paying attention?” No, I’m not. This is a different kind of list. Make a list of the consequences of not completing your goal. That’s right, all the bad stuff. Now I know that the world won’t end and it won’t cause a zombie apocalypse, but there will be consequences for not completing your goal. Weight loss goals, if not completed, have a negative effect on your health: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, etc. You never know, seeing what NOT FINISHING your goals looks like in black and white might be all the motivation you need.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of ways to stay motivated, but hopefully some of them will trigger something for you and keep you motivated. I’d love to see what motivates you. Please feel free to share!

Blessings,

Common Cents Mama - Kids Belts - Toddler Belts inventor

It’s Sinus Season Somewhere-10 Tips for Beating Sinus Pressure

Monday, January 23, 2012 @ 10:01 AM
posted by mrscaz

What’s new, you ask? Sinus Season… at least it is here in Florida. I’m thinking that it’s because we have had a handful of cold weather days and no rain to speak of this winter. In fact, the high today is supposed to be 81. Yes, 81 degrees in January. Please don’t be jealous, it is wreaking havoc on everyone’s sinus’ here at the kids belts factory, especially the hubby, the mother-in-law and my assistant.

In light of that, I thought I would share 10 natural ways to reduce sinus pressure. Isn’t that thoughtful of me? Now, I just hope they read my blog…

  1. Use a humidifier or vaporizer.
  2. Take long showers or breathe in steam from a pot on the stove.
  3. Drink lots of fluids, which will thin out your mucus and may help prevent your sinuses from getting blocked up.
  4. Use a nasal saline spray
  5. Irrigate. I know that sounds bizarre and if you have never used a neti pot, it looks even weirder, but the water washes out mucus and other debris – including allergens or germs – while keeping your nasal passages moist.
  6. Use warm compresses on your face. Sitting with a warm, wet towel on your face may relieve discomfort and open your nasal passages.
  7. Prop yourself up. At night, lie on a couple of pillows. Keeping your head elevated may make breathing more comfortable.
  8. Avoid eating mucus producing foods until the sinus congestion or sinus pressure is totally gone.
  9. Use your right thumb and index finger to grasp the skin between your left thumb and index finger. Press gently to find where the muscles make a V shape on the top of your hand. Massage this small indentation with firm but gentle pressure for 10 to 15 seconds; repeat on your right hand. Do this as needed. Pregnant women should not use this technique; it may stimulate uterine contractions. You can also massage your face directly. Firmly and gently press your index fingers above the center of each eyebrow or between them. Massage for 10 to 15 seconds and repeat as needed.
  10. The zing of certain spices opens clogged sinuses and promotes drainage. As condiments, use hot salsas or chutneys that contain chiles, or sprinkle cayenne pepper on your food.

Hopefully some of those tips will help out with the sinus pressure you may endure and save you a little money since you can avoid buying those costly medications.

And now… off to the beach. I did say the high is 81 today and the kids are in school, so here’s to a little me time! (And if you believe that, I have some ocean front property in Nebraska to sell you.)

Blessings,

Common Cents Mama - Kids Belts - Toddler Belts inventor

 

10 Tips to Healthy Grocery Shopping

Friday, January 6, 2012 @ 12:01 PM
posted by mrscaz

It’s a new year! 2012 already? That happened way too fast, but I am a bit disappointed because I was sure that by now we would all be driving flying cars and using teleporters.

But I digress, back to the new year and new resolutions. This year I resolve to have the best year in kids belts history! That should be easy because I only have to compete with 3 years and while they were great years, I am certain that this will be the best. That’s not my only resolution, like tons of people out there, I am making a resolution for health. Maybe I should be more specific, good health. I’m not looking to lose mounds of weight and be super model skinny thereby making my head look hugely disproportional to my tiny frame, I just want to be healthy. In my search for healthy-ness (shhh, I can make up words if I want…), I thought I would pass along some healthy shopping tips that I picked up.

10 Healthy Grocery Shopping Tips:
  1. Shop the perimeter of the store. That’s where the good fresh stuff is located. The produce section, fresh meat section and dairy section are the best places to shop for clean eating.
  2. LIST LIST LIST Take a few extra minutes before you go shopping to plan out your weeks worth of meals and make a list. If you have a smart phone, there are so many free apps out there that are specifically for shopping lists. The really neat thing about those apps is that they will also organize your list for you into sections so in the long run it makes the shopping trip go much faster! (I like the ShopListFree app. It’s very basic, but also user friendly.) Some of the apps even include pricing, so you can keep it budget friendly!
  3. Focus on Fiber Officially, fiber is a type of carbohydrate that the body can’t digest. Most adult women should shoot for over 20 grams of fiber a day; men should shoot for over 30 grams. Some great sources are whole fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads and breakfast cereals, and all manner of beans. You should choose foods that list whole grains (like whole wheat or whole oats) as a first ingredient. Bread, cereal, crackers and other grain foods should have at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.
  4. Avoid Overly Processed Food Box mixes and canned food, while they are convenient, are riddled with sodium. Try to avoid boxed food altogether and if you must get canned food, always opt for low/no sodium choices.
  5. Buy Lean Cuts of Meat There are so many choices out there now with chicken and turkey (ground meats, sausages, cutlets, etc…) that it’s much easier to make substitutions. Beef and pork aren’t too bad in moderation, but you definitely should get the very lean cuts.
  6. Dairy Opt for low-fat items. Cabot has some really great low-fat cheese options (Cheddar, habanero, jalapeno and pepper jack). Skim milk is a good choice and if you are going for yogurt, opt for Greek yogurt. It packs more of a protein punch and has little to no fat. Plain Greek yogurt also makes a wonderful substitute for sour cream.
  7. SAY NO TO IMPULSE JUNK Resist impulse buys while standing in the check out isle. Don’t let those candy peddlers win! You don’t need the candy bar or that bag of chips. Put it back…
  8. Resist the Twinkies Ok, it’s hard to jump into healthy eating, so if you are going to pick up some not so healthy treats, limit it to what you can fit in the top of the buggy (you know, where a small child usually sits). Then when you get in line to check out, re-evaluate those choices and ask yourself again if you really want (NEED) it.
  9. Don’t Meander Shop with a purpose. When you aimlessly meander through the store, you open yourself up to more impulse buys. You also fall into the stores sales traps, the end caps. The end caps are where bad food goes to tempt you and the store pretends that they are “practically giving it away”. Usually, the deals aren’t that great anyway. Just walk away.
  10. Don’t Go Hungry A huge mistake is to shop when you are hungry. Everything looks good when you are hungry and when you are hungry your stomach is telling you that you NEED it all. So save yourself some trouble, eat before you shop. You will thank me later.

So, that’s it. That’s my miracle list for healthy grocery shopping. I know that its not an exhaustive list by any means, but it is a start. I hope you can use at least a few to make your 2012 the healthiest ever!

Blessings,

Common Cents Mama - Kids Belts - Toddler Belts inventor

My New Obsession

Monday, November 21, 2011 @ 12:11 PM
posted by mrscaz

I am a creator (not the Creator, just a creator), I like to create and invent things, thus the Dapper Snappers kids belts, and I found a site that totally feeds my need for creativity. Have you hear of it? It’s a little site called Pinterest.

In case you haven’t heard of it, it’s really one of the coolest sites out there. It’s basically an online pin board. Other individuals “pin” things that they like and you can “pin” things that you like. For example, say you do a really cool craft at home that you want to share, or you come across a delicious recipe that you found online, you can pin it. That way you can share your idea or your find with everyone else.

The coolest part? They are all sharing their ideas, crafts, recipes, humor, and so on and so forth with you!

Here’s one idea I found that I know my kids will LOVE. Light Sticks in the bathtub for a change from the standard bath. How cool is this?

And how about this one? A cute little take on a homemade candy jar.

There are also some really handy ideas for home decorating. I came across this one for how to layout photos for your wall and thought, “Now, why didn’t I think of that?”

I know those are all artsy craftsy types of things, but there are also tons of practical tips too. Did you know that you can remove soap buildup from glass shower doors by sprinkling a few drops of water onto a used fabric-softener sheet and scrubbing? For a quick and efficient spot remover mix one part Dawn dish washing liquid with two parts hydrogen peroxide; pour or spray it directly on the stain, and watch it disappear like MAGIC.

Needless to say, I can spend hours on this site just scrolling through all of the pins. There are so many categories and there are constantly new pins. It never ends! I feel like I have been sucked into a black hole of creativity and there is no way out and really, I’m ok with that because this kind of like my heaven.

Happy “pinning” to you!

Blessings,

Common Cents Mama - Kids Belts - Toddler Belts inventor

Trade Shows – 10 Tips for the Mamapreneur

Sunday, August 14, 2011 @ 09:08 AM
posted by mrscaz
Kids expo
Having done more than a few trade shows to get Dapper Snappers kids belts into the hands of retailers, I’ve picked up a few techniques that are great tips for those Mamapreneurs getting ready to attend their first trade show.
  1. Try to see your product and displays through the eyes of the buyer. Case in point: the t-shirts on our inflate-a-toddlers we used to show Dapper Snappers kids belts in action. I had made cutesy logoed shirts for them. It detracted from the product and gave some the wrong impression. Passersby thought we were selling t-shirts!
  2. Learn how to overcome sales objections. One of our biggest battles was with buyers who would object with “What about adjustable waistband pants?” That’s a tough one, but Hubby figured it out and made toddler belt sales to those buyers easily. You may know your product inside and out, but what differentiates it from what could be considered competition? What makes yours better? Try and phrase your answers so that you aren’t discounting the competition but instead pointing out the positives of your own product. And remember; you are not just selling your product, you are selling yourself, so be confident. If you are unsure, then they will be too.
  3. Be prepared to wheel and deal. Buyers don’t just want a deal, they want to be made to feel special. They want free stuff and promises of continuing discounts. The more money they have, the more power they try to wield. But it pays to be flexible. We had a very well respected couple come buy from us. Their very presence commanded the upmost respect. I won’t call them by their first names because it just seems disrespectful. They got the deal they asked for and we landed a very big fish that even our rep at the time couldn’t land. But know what your bottom line price is. As another exhibitor put it to us, “You aren’t making Dapper Snappers for practice.” Know the cost of your product and everything it costs to get it to the customer, then decide what your “show special” will be. Free shipping is a very big seller.
  4. Network! There are endless opportunities to network. Buyers know other buyers. Exhibitors know everyone. And lots of people will come to your booth to try to sell you something. It could be an inventory tracking program or packaging or even their fabulous PR skills. Be prepared to say “no” or “please email me”. Never let them get between you and your potential customers. Most of them know better than to keep talking when they see you start to speak to a passerby. Some could keep you from your buyer because they don’t know any better or they have no scruples. Don’t let them. Oh, and you will also get to meet the press. This could be anything from industry magazines to blogs.
  5. Be prepared. Have plenty of price and line sheets, business cards, brochures, and catalogs. Bring order forms, pens, and clipboards. Make sure all your product is in pristine condition and you have plenty of samples to show. Most shows will allow a Sample Sale the last day of the show, so be prepared for people to stop by and ask to buy your samples on the spot. It’s a good idea to have a little cash on hand, and/or a mobile credit card reader like Square available.
  6. Keep your booth clean. You would be amazed at the mess that accumulates by the end of the day! Bring a little floor vacuum. Have a hidden garbage can. Don’t eat in your booth if you can help it (crumbs get everywhere and certain foods don’t have a very pleasant aroma). Make sure you have a way to keep yourself organized. Organizers for business cards, folders for orders, sticky notes, etc.
  7. Bring candy; preferably chocolate (Godiva, Toblerone, Lindt are all great ones to offer). Put it in your booth so that people see it but it’s not easy to access without coming into the booth. People will walk by and grab handfulls without even stopping if it’s in easy reach. Candy is always a great way to draw people in.
  8. Have an attention getter. We use a large prize wheel. Boy does that get peoples attention! You don’t have to go through the expense of getting a prize wheel though. You could do something as simple as a string of flashing lights, or have a video (no sound that will irritate your neighbors) playing in the background. People stop when they’re attention is grabbed by lights, movement, and sound. Use it to your advantage. Make them curious.
  9. Have an extra chair available for people to sit down. Trade shows are typically very long and exhausting. Just sitting for a moment and eating a bite of chocolate will put a smile on their faces and they will be more willing to listen to your pitch.
  10. Design your booth so that it’s open and inviting. People like to browse. The more stuff you have, the more crowded your booth becomes and then it just isn’t as inviting as it could be. Keep it simple. They’ve already been inundated by a bazillion products crowded in tiny little booths. Give them something refreshing to look at.

These are only 10 of many tips to make your trade show exhibition a success. Do you have any you’d like to share? Please leave a comment!

PS. Check out this video Hubby did at a trade show for a laugh!

Blessings,

Common Cents Mama - Queen of Kids Belts

Dapper Snappers for Moms: How Do They Work?

Friday, January 28, 2011 @ 03:01 PM
posted by mrscaz

Check this out! I made a new video today to explain how Dapper Snappers for Moms work.

See? They work just like the kids belts, only they are longer. And now we also have new pictures available.

Where is the Dapper Snapper?!?!

Monday, January 17, 2011 @ 06:01 PM
posted by mrscaz

The dryer must've eaten the sock!

I’ve been making Dapper Snappers Kids Belts for 2 1/2 years now and I have lost more of them than I could count. How? Well, I think it’s the sock-eating dryer monster. I think it saw an opportunity for something even tastier than socks. Yeah…That’s what it was… Okay, maybe not. But losing a Dapper Snapper is so frustrating because you don’t know you’ve lost it until you HAVE TO HAVE IT RIGHT NOW!!!

Customers have been asking me for a solution to the missing Dapper Snapper problem for quite some time. The problem is that I’m the least organized person I know, so the solution evaded me until recently. It’s another example of ‘If something doesn’t have a where to be, it could be anywhere.’ So where oh where could I put Dapper Snappers where I won’t lose them? I think I found a rather simple solution that uses something you already own. That’s right! I’m not inventing a Dapper Snapper Keeper. I’m not asking you to buy anything. I’m not even suggesting you go out and get something you don’t already have. It’s this simple…

Make your own Dapper Snapper Kids Belts Keeper

TADA!!! See how easy that is? You can snap them around any hanger and hang them in the closet or, better yet, in your laundry room. This way you will always know where they are, because they have a where to be.

Blessings,

Common Cents Mama - Queen of Kids Belts

Where?

Monday, January 17, 2011 @ 03:01 PM
posted by mrscaz

Cluttered mess

If something doesn’t have a where to be, it could be anywhere.

I am the most disorganized person I know. The pile of papers on our counter is an amazing, mountainous amalgamation bills, junk mail, coupons, preschool drawings/crafts, and cords to unknown electronics that are probably long gone. But about a year ago, while visiting my bestest friend, I noticed something they did that was so simple that I couldn’t figure out why I didn’t think of it. Every time they came into the house, they would remove their shoes and put them in a basket. This basket, filled with various pairs of shoes, was nothing extraordinary. It was just the simple answer to a problem I’ve been battling for years. Where are my shoes??? I’m proud to say that for the past year the answer to that question has been, “In the shoe-bucket!”

The Shoe Bucket

But it wasn’t until a couple days ago that I realized that that simple organization concept could be applied to anything. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. It doesn’t have to have a bunch of compartments or labels or color-coded tabs. Keep it simple. I want my kids to get organized as well, so I took the Bug to the Dollar Tree and bought these little totes for her to store her art stuff in. Crayons in one bin, markers in another, etc. She is too much like me, in that whatever it is, it won’t get put away unless there’s a place it’s supposed to go.

The Bug's art supplies in bins

Getting organized doesn’t have to be a huge ordeal. Getting just one thing organized can save lots of time, frustration, and sanity.  Your stuff could be socks, kids belts, or emails. That is why I put Hubby to work on creating a program for me to help me stay organized in a very important part of my business. I can’t afford to spend so much time flipping back and forth between websites and emails trying to keep tabs on situations when it could all be in one place. Hubby is building me a virtual shoe bucket. I need a where for all my stuff to be to feel organized.

Do you have a where for your stuff? What’s your one thing?

Blessings,

Common Cents Mama - Queen of Kids Belts