Here's what I'm talking about:
The bag is from
Thirty One Gifts. The idea came from
this YouTube video.
I already had the same tote that she had in the video. It was sitting in my closet doing nothing. When I saw the video (thanks Nikki!) I knew I wanted to use it in a similar way. I turned it into a
"portable project tote".
I purchased this Chocolate Aston Filofax last December when it was on sale. It has been in my closet since then just waiting for a purpose.
I wasn't sure what I'd use it for, but when I saw this video and some other organizing videos I decided to use it as a "projects around the house binder". I just set it up a couple days ago, so it's in the "seeing what works" phase. So far what I've come up with is working nicely. (It's only two days old) I will do a more detailed look inside the binder after I've used it for a few weeks.
A while ago I purchased this pad of paper:
It is an A4 sized graph paper that I cut all the pages into 1/2 sheets or A5 size and punched the 6 holes in them. It sounds tedious, but it really wasn't that bad. All the paper in the binder is from this tablet. I used the week on two pages that came with the binder.
The purpose of this portable bag is so that when I'm out and about I can bring it with me. I can menu plan and make shopping lists, I can plan projects for around the house & garden, I can journal or write down thoughts, get through some of my magazines, send an encouragement or thank you note, a postcard or a greeting card to someone I'm thinking of, in other words, there's lots of things to do. I can be productive while I'm out waiting here and there.
OK, so now, for the fun part, this is what I put in my project bag:
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| I purchased this book a long time ago and came across it the other day. I thought it would be fun to start filling it out for future generations. A nice thing to put in the project tote. |
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| Here's a sample page. |
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| Top view of all the contents in my project tote. Everything fits so nice and perfect. And it's not too heavy. |
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| Here's one of the side pockets and it's contents. |
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| Another pocket for pens, hi-lighter, and scissors. |
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| This pocket contains a measuring tape, glue sticks and sticky notes. |
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| This pocket a stapler and staples. |
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| This pocket has a small tablet for list making. |
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| I found this vinyl snap front envelope in a clearance aisle at OfficeMax. I filled it with note cards, greeting cards, stamps, return address labels and post cards. |
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| I clipped together this pile of recipes that I'd like to incorporate into some menu plans. |
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| I have been awful at getting through my magazines lately, they just pile up in the kitchen. This way I have them with me and can get through them purposefully. The accordion file in the tote is handy in case I decide to tear an idea out of the magazine, I can file it right away. |
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| This handy zipped bag is from OfficeMax too, I keep store coupons in it. Handy for when I'm out or making a shopping list. I can readily check to see if I have a coupon. |
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| This Fold-And-Go Organizer with Notepad is from Thirty One Gifts also. I use it to keep my grocery lists, coupons and store sales ads in. |
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| Fold-And-Go opened. |
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| I use this ruled Moleskine for jotting down directions, phone numbers, notes, etc... whatever one might need paper for. |
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| I purchased this accordion file from Tuesday Morning a while back for another purpose in which I no longer need, so I dusted it off and put it in my bag. I use it for filing internet and magazine clippings of ideas of projects I'd like to do around my house and garden. I can go through it, choose a project and make plans in my Filofax to get it done. |
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| My A5 Chocolate Aston happily being used now as my house & garden project planner. |
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| A quick look at my tabs. I will do an update of this binder in a few weeks after using it and working out the bugs. |
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| A clipboard in case I need to have a surface to work on. |
I am so excited to have this bag packed and ready to go with me anywhere. Talk about "Getting things done!" I really feel that I can be productive more often now. Awesome!
