This into that: You can modify everyday items into organizing solutions

Since I was a kid, I’ve always been a sucker for cute paper products such as notepads and planners.  The problem is that I never seem to use what I’ve got and always end up spending a fortune buying these kinds of items.  By the time I get half way through a notepad, I get tired of the design or I end up misplacing it.  To save money and help me become better organized, I decided to create a magnetic clip board memo pad that wouldn’t get lost and would get used. 

For my memo pad, I used index cards to note quick reminders for everyday task.  To help organize yourself and your family, you may want to create one for each member of the household.  The memo pad makes an excellent spot to display kids’ soccer schedules, your husband’s work schedule or just about anything that you need to be reminded of. 

To create this project, I went to my local craft store and purchased the following items: clipboard, ribbon (various kinds), double stick tape, white glue, scissors, magnets with adhesive, index cards, pinking scissors, decorative paper (various kinds) and a scrapbook punch (any design or letter).  To create this project, you will need to follow the simple steps below:

1. Cut a piece of decorative paper to fit the clipboard and adhere it using the double stick tape.  (I used one kind of paper for the top of the clipboard and a different kind for the bottom.)
2. Cut a piece of ribbon the width of the clipboard and glue onto the board to disguise the seam where the two pieces of paper meet.
3. Use the pinking scissors to create a square of any size out of one piece of the decorative paper and then use the punch to create a design.
4. Using the regular scissors and two different designs of paper, cut a larger square and a smaller square than the one you just cut with the pinking scissors.
5. Use the double stick tape and adhere the squares to the clipboard in a layer with the larger one first, the smallest and then the square with the punch out.  (Make sure that your double stick tape doesn’t show.)
6. Tie the various kinds of ribbon onto the top of the clipboard for embellishment.
7. Clip the index cards onto the clipboard to use as a place for the grocery list or everyday reminders.
8. Adhere the magnets onto the back of the clipboard and display on your refrigerator for easy and visible access.

You can now enjoy being organized without spending a lot.

Remember, if you can think, it you can make it.

Carleigh Carmichael is a local writer whose philosophy is, “why buy it for more when you can make it for less?”