OrganizedJen

Sigma Defining Eyes Palette

April 12, 2013 by OrganizedJen 20 Comments

I’ve been enjoying pairing videos with blog posts for my organizational topics lately and decided it might be fun to do so with some of my other types of topics as well. I featured the Sigma Defining Eyes Palette in my most recent Current Look video on TBBB. It’s kind of hard to see the palette up close in the video so I took some photos to supplement.The palette includes eight neutral based eye shadows, ranging from lighter highlighters to warm browns and cooler toned shades to create a smoky affect.

Photo Source

There are also two gel liners, one black and the other brown, as well as a dual-ended eyeliner pencil with a brightening white and a vivid sapphire blue. The palette also includes a dual-ended brush, including an E55 Eye Shading side and an E30 Pencil side.

I’ve been using the more neutral shades in this palette as well as the brown gel liner for my go-to look recently. If you decide you’d like top pick up this palette, you can receive 10% off your entire purchase by entering the code AAM2013 during checkout (good from April 1 – April 30, 2013). Sigma will also send a free gift with any purchase over $30, which right now is a travel size E05 Eye Liner brush.

Check out the video (shown before) where I walk you though my current look. There’s also information about a giveaway at the end of the video! (FYI – You must leave a comment on the video’s webpage to be entered to win in the giveaway.)

I’m considering hosting the majority of my giveaways on my blog from now on instead of through comment entries on my videos. I feel like it will be easier for me to keep track of entries and will allow people to make personal comments on my videos without the interference of a giveaway. If I chose to do this, I will always announce the giveaway in the video and of course link to the blog post in the more info bar on the video page for easy entry. I’m interested in your opinion, as always. Leave a comment if you’d like! Thanks :)

*I am a Sigma affiliate, which means I earn a commission from any sales made from the links I provide. The Sigma eyeshadow base and coordinating brush shown in the video were sent to me for consideration. I purchased all other Sigma products shown. This is not a sponsored video. All opinions are my own.*

Filed Under: Beauty, The Busy Bee Buzz Tagged With: beauty, defining eyes palette, makeup, my current look, sigma

Week In Review (April 1 – 7, 2013)

April 8, 2013 by OrganizedJen 38 Comments

Well, hello there, friends! Long time no WIR (Week In Review), right? I’m sorry I haven’t posted one of these in a couple of weeks. I did say from the beginning that I wasn’t planning on posting every single week, but I did not intend for two in a row to pass with no post. Time sometimes can get away from you, you know? If you’ve been keeping up with me on Twitter and my MHWL vlogs, you probably haven’t missed out on too much. It’s recently occurred to me that I share a whole lot of my day-to-day life with you. I’m not sure why I didn’t really consider if before. It’s a good thing I like sharing, as you well know by now!

Leftover Easter Treats

Last weekend revolved entirely around Easter with lots of food preparations and time spent with family. I am the baker of the family and supplied the family favorite baked goods as I usually do for the Easter feast. My personal favorite Easter specialty is Paska Bread. It’s so much fun to bake bread! It’s even more fun to eat bread fresh out of the oven! I plan on sharing this recipe at some point due to all of the interest in it. It’s a tasty treat and makes for beyond excellent morning toast smothered in butter.

Spring Has Sprung

It’s official. Spring is here at long last in the Midwest! Sunny days mean longer walks with Winnie and daffodil shoots peeking up in the flowerbeds. Not to mention longer days in general, which I absolutely love and appreciate. Spring always puts a certain pep in my step. The weather’s still on the chilly side, but warm enough for the lighter of my winter coats and even some fleece-only days. I’ve been enjoying wearing my new favorite American Eagle Skinny Jeans with my J. Crew boots. I also noticed I tend to wear more grey in the spring and lots of purple and green eye shadow. I hope to have a few new spring current looks up soon on TBBB [link] featuring my favorite spring makeup!

Spring also means tons of new releases and lineups in the beauty world. I lucked out and cashed in on some pretty sweet sales at Walgreens this week and stocked up on Maybelline mascaras and Wet ‘N Wild eye shadow palettes in pretty spring colors.

I Work Out

After taking a full month off running after the Disney’s Princess Half Marathon (see this post for more info) when I injured my left knee, I decided to give running a try again about a couple weeks ago. Sadly, the knee injury popped up again about a mile in. After a discouraging walk home, I decided to finally make a doctor’s appointment. Unfortunately, I can’t get in until late April, which means at least another month off running. I miss it, but I am really quite lucky that my knee only seems to hurt when running. I’ve been able to do other types of exercise, including HIIT workouts on the elliptical, yoga, and cross and strength training with my favorite Jillian Michaels and Tone It Up workout DVDs. I’m on a real exercise kick right now, which tends to grab me every spring. I’ve been aiming for a minimum of 60 minutes of exercise six days a week, including a 30+ minute cardio session first thing in the morning (otherwise known as a Tone It Up Booty Call) with an additional 30+ minute cross/strength training workout or yoga session later in the day. I’ve designated Friday as my rest day, but I still go to a 75-minute yin yoga class to stretch my body and my brain out after a long week. I don’t know how I’d get through any of my workouts without my beloved VS Pro sports bras.

I ❤ Harry Potter

I’ve been on a huge Harry Potter kick since we visited The Wizarding World of Harry Potter At Universal’s Islands of Adventure on our most recent trip to Orlando. Don & I have watched an HP movie every weekend since, finishing up with the fifth (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) just last night. All of this HP goodness really makes me want to read the books again. I have way too many new reads on my bookshelf to do so at the moment, but I feel like I will probably venture back to the HP series sometime this year. I decided to take a Sorting Hat type of quiz online a few days ago to see what Hogwarts House I would be placed in if I were ever to attend. I’m a Hufflepuff! Fun times! You can take the quiz too (here) if you’re interested. I’d love to know what your results are if you care to share!

Cake Is Good

We celebrated Don’s sister Emily’s birthday this past weekend. Our family loves to get together, celebrate life, and eat delicious food together. Does it get any better than that? If you watched my vlog from party day, you’ll see that Emily has really popped even just since Easter. Baby Girl’s arrival is only one month away! I’m incredibly excited to be an Auntie again and even more excited for Emily and her husband Dave to begin their new roles as parents. That is one lucky Baby Girl! I’ll definitely keep you posted when she does make an entrance. In the meantime, I’ve already started daydreaming about all of the cute outfits I can buy her and tea parties we can have in a few short years. Auntie’s are meant to be spoilers in the best way possible.

I’m actually on a plane as I write this, heading out to the family abode in Utah for a couple weeks of R&R and catching up on projects, correspondence, and quality time with Winnie. I hope to check in again next week with another WIR. In the meantime, you can find me all over the place, links always on the right sidebar here on OrganizedJen.com. I hope you all are having a great day! Thanks for stopping by

Filed Under: My Housewife Life, Week In Review Tagged With: baking, birthday, cake, Easter, family, Harry Potter, makeup, sorting hat, spring, week in review, week recap

Home Office: Desktop Organization

April 7, 2013 by OrganizedJen 293 Comments

The third installment of my Home Office Organization series on OLJ features my desktop. I’ve struggled with an overly cluttered desktop for awhile now, so my main focus was to clear off as much as possible. I kept a few of my favorite personal knickknacks for display and designated several desktop organizers as functional storage.

Pottery Barn Bedford Corner Desk Set with Corner Hutch (photo source) & Pottery Barn Wingate Rattan Swivel Desk Chair (photo source)

I mentioned my Pottery Barn Corner Desk Set in my last post, which featured my Desk Drawer Organization. I also have the matching Corner Hutch for it. This connecting piece has three main areas, featuring a drawer on the left, a computer pedestal in the center, and slotted organizer on the right. The hutch includes a power strip with two outlets, two phone jacks, and a power switch in the back of it (where there is a rectangular hole in the picture shown above). I keep a larger power strip plugged into this to charge all of my backup camera batteries and my laptop. I use the drawer on the left side of the hutch to store computer cables and accessories and the slotted organizer on the right to corral office supplies I use often such as tape dispensers and a stapler. This elevated storage option keeps my iMac, external hard drives, and modem up off the main desk and provides useful extra counter space. I have a Wingate Rattan Swivel Desk Chair from Pottery Barn, which I’ve personalized with cute owl pillows from Target.

Pottery Barn Daily System Magnetic Whiteboard Calendars & Corkboard (photo source)

When I originally worked on my office organization when we moved into our house in 2007, I put up components of Pottery Barn’s Daily System as wall organization. I have two of the Magnetic Whiteboard Calendars flanking a Corkboard on the wall over the righthand side of my corner desk and Bedford Lateral File Cabinet. I was experimenting with an all electronic agenda system at the time and was using the whiteboards for a visual two-month calendar at a glance option. Once I switched back to using a Filofax agenda I found I no longer used the whiteboard calendars. Rather than replace these pieces I decided to just cover them using Tranquil Pool Gift Wrap I found at The Container Store. I now use this space to pin up invitations and announcements as well as sentimental momentos with magnets. It’s an easy and cost effective way to repurpose something I no longer use into something I currently love.

Sychronocity Stolkom Letter Sorter (photo source), Pottery Barn Bedford Photo Caddy (photo source), 5 Days A Week Mousepade (photo source)

Sychronocity Stockholm Letter Sorter (photo source), Pottery Barn Bedford Photo Caddy (photo source), 5 Days A Week Paper Mousepad (photo source)

There are a few desktop organizers I use to help me keep on top of important paperwork to file, bills to pay, and my week at a glance plan. I recently purchased the Synchronicity Stockholm Letter Sorter from The Container Store to help store bills, receipts, and things to file on a weekly basis. Every Friday I allocate time for bill paying & filing when I go through the entire contents of the sorter, attend to bills, and file all of the documents into their more permanent homes (see my post about my Filing Organization for more information). This small purchase has already made a huge impact in not only my desktop organization but also in helping me keep track of small papers and receipts that would previously get lost in piles on my desk.

I’ve had the Pottery Barn Bedford Photo Caddy (on sale now!) since I first purchased the desk. I didn’t change what I store in it during my latest reorganization, but I did clean it up a bit and added some decorative vase fillers to keep my pens, scissors, and mini screwdrivers upright in the front three slots. The filler I use is by Ashland and can be found in the floral department at Michael’s or other craft supply stores.

A newer addition to my desktop organization is the 5 Days A Week Paper Mousepad by Knock Knock.* I’ve been using this lately on Sunday evenings to contemplate the upcoming week, including any tasks I’d like to complete and appointments I have scheduled. I love that it doubles as a mousepad, which makes it super easy to check in with every day. It really satisfies the planner in me!

Although it’s not technically a component of my desktop organization, I wanted to share the dog bed I keep under my desk. My dog Winnie absolutely loves to curl up in her cozy Tiger Dreamz Luxury Faux Fur Trundle Bed. The corner desk is actually quite deep, leaving ample room underneath to house two simplehuman Stainless Steel Step Bins, which I use for rubbish and recycling, as well as this cozy, plush dog bed. You’ll often find Winnie snoozing under my desk when I’m working on something. She loves her own special space and I love having her near me.

I go over my desktop organization in much more detail in the video (shown below) if you’re interested in a closer look. Check back next week for a look at my cable management!

I’m excited to be hosting a little giveaway to accompany this post! Knock Knock was kind enough to reach out to me and asked if they could send me some products. I am happy to be able to give away two of the 5 Days A Week Paper Mousepads to one of you!

Follow the directions on the Rafflecopter widget below to be entered to win. The giveaway is open internationally and will run until Sunday, April 14, 2013 at 6 PM CST. There will be TWO winners. I will contact the winners directly via email in addition to announcing them on this blog post. Good luck!

*** GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED ***

Congrats to Marie E. & Jamala F. on winning the Knock Knock Mousepad Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*I am not affiliated with any of the brands mentioned in this blog post or coordinating video. Knock Knock graciously sent me three 5 Days A Week Paper Mousepads as a gift to use as I pleased. I decided to keep one to try and give the others away to two of you. All other products shown were purchased by me. Knock Knock did not ask me to review or feature their products. All opinions are my own.*

Filed Under: Home Office Organization, Organized Like Jen Tagged With: desk, desk organization, desktop, desktop organization, home office, home office organization, organization, organize

My Morning Skincare Routine

April 1, 2013 by OrganizedJen 62 Comments

For the second installment of my updated skincare regimen on TBBB, I am discussing my morning skincare routine. Check My Nighttime Skincare Routine post if you missed it for product details and the accompanying video.

Origins Checks & Balances Frothy Face Wash (photo source), Origins United State Balancing Tonic (photo source), Origins A Perfect World Age-Defense Skin Guardian (photo source)

I like to cleanse and tone my face right after I wake up in the morning. Not only is it refreshing but it prepares my skin for the day ahead. I turn to the trusty Origins line in the morning just as with my nighttime routine. I start by cleansing with Origin’s Check & Balances Frothy Face Wash. I think of this cleanser as “toothpaste for the face,” due to its appearance, slightly minty scent, and its ability to make my skin feel so clean and refreshed. I follow up with Origin’s United State Balancing Tonic, which I apply in a light, sweeping motion using Shiseido Facial Cottons. After briefly fanning my face to allow the toner to set, I apply a light layer of A Perfect World Age-Defense Skin Guardian as my morning serum to my face, neck, and décolletage (I finally figured out that word!).

Origins Starting Over Age-Erasing Eye Cream (photo source) & Origins Starting Over Age-Erasing Moisturizer (photo source)

I follow up the serum with moisturizers. I prefer using lightweight moisturizers in the morning, but I still enjoy products that effectively penetrate and hydrate the skin without sitting on top of it. I’ve been using the Origins Starting Over Age-Erasing Eye Cream for several years now in the morning with great results. I like using the Starting Over Age-Erasing Moisturizer in the late fall, winter, and early spring months.

Origins Plantscription SPG 25 Anti-Aging Oil-Free Cream (photo source)

I like to switch to oil-free moisturizers with sun protection for the late spring, summer, and early fall months. I’m looking forward to trying out Origin’s newest moisturizer, the Plantscription SPF 25 Anti-Aging Oil-Free Cream* as we transition to late spring.

Dior Creme de Rose Smoothing Plumping Lip Balm (photo source) & Rosebud Salve In A Tube (photo source)

Dior Creme de Rose Smoothing Plumping Lip Balm (photo source) & Rosebud Perfume Co. Rosebud Salve In A Tube (photo source)

I take care of my lips as part of my overall skincare regimen. In the morning I choose between one of two lip products. I use the Dior Creme de Rose Lip Balm if I am going to be heading outside directly for a walk or run because it has SPF 10. If I’m not going to be heading out immediately, I apply the Rosebud Salve in a Tube. Both of these lip products are a bit on the heavier side, but sink in nicely and are effective moisturizers first thing in the morning.

Origins No Puffery Cooling Mask for Puffy Eyes (photo source) & LUSH Ocean Salt Face & Body Scrub (photo source)

There are a few additional skincare products I thought I’d mention that I don’t use every day, but are still an important part of my skincare collection. I use Origins No Puffery to combat puffy eyes. A light layer of this around the eye area does the trick. I apply it after serum, let it dry completely, and then follow up with eye cream and moisturizer. I keep a tub of LUSH’s Ocean Salt in my shower for the occasional exfoliation. A little bit of this applied with extremely gentle pressure is all I need for a refreshing scrub. I use Ocean Salt about twice a week.

Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream (photo source) & Origins VitaZing SPF 15 Energy-Boosting Moisturizer (photo source)

These last two skincare products aren’t necessarily part of my first-thing-in-the-morning skincare routine, but I wanted to include them because they are part of my overall skincare arsenal. They also just happen to be two of my all time favorite Origins products. I generally do a cardio workout first thing in the morning (after my morning skincare routine) and then follow up with a cross or strength training workout later in the morning. I shower after this second workout. I like to moisturize my skin after being in the shower. The GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream has a light consistency with a highlighting effect. If you’ve watched any of my beauty-related videos, you probably already know that I absolutely love Origin’s VitaZing. I consider this to be a part skincare, part makeup product. It acts as a nice daytime moisturizer that works on my skin year round. I appreciate that it has SPF 15 for sun protection. The best thing about VitaZing, however, is how it evens out my skin tone so well. I rarely feel the need to apply any foundation or tinted face products other than a bit of powder after applying this moisturizer.

Origins was kind enough to send me five VitaZing moisturizers to give away. Details for how to enter to win are included at the end of My Morning Skincare Routine video (shown below).

** If you’d like to be entered into the giveaway, you must leave your comment on the video’s webpage. You can get to the webpage by clicking on the title on the top left corner of video shown below or visit TheBusyBeeBuzz channel page and select the video directly from there. Comments left to this blog post will not be entered to win.**

*I am not affiliated with any of the brands mentioned in this blog post or coordinating video. Origins graciously sent me the giveaway products shown in the video. Origins also sent me the Plantscription SPF 25 Anti-Aging Oil-Free Cream as a gift to try. All other products shown in this blog post and video were purchased by me. Origins did not ask me to review or feature their products. All opinions are my own.*

Filed Under: Beauty, The Busy Bee Buzz Tagged With: beauty, LUSH, morning skincare, morning skincare routine, origins, skin, skincare, skincare routine

My Nighttime Skincare Routine

April 1, 2013 by OrganizedJen 582 Comments

I get a lot of questions about my skincare routines and decided an update was due on TBBB. I split it up into two videos, one for my nighttime routine and the other for my morning one. I’m including photos and links to all of the products I am currently using and loving in my nighttime skincare routine here. Stay tuned for my morning skincare routine post, coming up next.

Shiseido The Makeup Facial Cotton (photo source), Lancome Bi-Facil Double Action Eye Makeup Remover (photo source), up&up Makeup Removing Cleaning Wipes (photo source)

I start off my nighttime skincare routine by removing my makeup. I don’t wear makeup every day, but on the days that I do, I use Shiseido Facial Cottons with Lancome Bi-Facil Eye Makeup Remover to neatly remove my eye makeup. I purchase both of these from Sephora. I love the up&up Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes from Target to remove any face makeup. I do these steps before cleansing my skin.

Clarisonic Plus Sonic Skin Cleansing System (photo source), Origins A Perfect World Deep Cleanser with White Tea (photo source), Origins A Perfect World Age-Defense Treatment Lotion (photo source)

I absolutely love Origins products, which I have been a loyal fan of for the past several years. I like using the Origins A Perfect World Deep Cleanser to wash my face at night. On the days I’ve worn makeup I use a Clarisonic Plus face brush to get a gentle deep clean. This really works to get all of the makeup off my face. You’d be surprise what comes off with the face brush even after using makeup remover! I use the sensitive skin brush heads for my Clarisonic, which I typically replace every two to three months. I’ve had my Clarisonic for several years now. I originally purchased it from Ulta, but I’ve also seen it for sale at Sephora and department stores. I follow up the cleanser with toner. I use the Origins A Perfect World Age-Defense Treatment Lotion (which acts as a toner) and my favorite Shiseido Facial Cottons to apply this to my skin.

LUSH Grease Lightning Tea Tree Cleanser (photo source) & Origins Plantscription Anti-Aging Serum (photo source)

I use LUSH’s Grease Lighting as a spot treatment for active breakouts and as a preventative measure on parts of my face that are prone to breakouts, such as my chin, upper lip, and forehead. Tea Tree oil is a natural antibacterial agent that works great as an acne spot treatment. I use a very small amount of this (a little goes a long way) and let it dry compltely before applying my nighttime serum, Origins Plantscription Anti-Aging Serum.

Origins Eye Doctor Moisture Care for Skin Around Eyes (photo source) & Origins High-Potency Night-A-Mins Mineral-Enriched Renewal Cream (photo source)

I prefer to use thicker moisturizers at night. Skin does most of its repairing while you sleep, which gives the products a chance to have a deeper effect. I love Origin’s Eye Doctor and High-Potency Night-A-Mins, because they are rich creams that absorb nicely into the skin without feeling thick or oily on my face.

LUSH Mint Julips Lip Scrub (photo source) & Honey Trap Lip Balm (photo source)

I consider taking care of my lips to be an important part of my skincare routine. I like to exfoliate them every other night using LUSH’s Mint Julips Lip Scrub. I follow up with the Honey Trap Lip Balm for a great overnight lip treatment that isn’t too thick or oily, but still has great staying power. I use this on the nights I don’t exfoliate as well.

Bliss Steep Clean Mask (photo source) & Glitzy-Glam Waffle Weave Head Band (photo source)

I use the Bliss Steep Clean Mask twice a week to keep my skin feeling soft and looking radiant. I also want to mention the Glitzy-Glam Waffle Weave Head Bands, which I use throughout my entire skincare routine morning and night to keep my hair off my face and out of the way.

That’s all of the products I use for the nighttime skincare routine I’ve been following recently. For more details about my routine, check out the video below. Stay tuned for a post featuring my morning skincare routine products with a coordinating video.

I’m excited to be hosting an Origins Skincare Products Giveaway to accompany this post! Origins was kind enough to reach out to me not too long ago after seeing my older skincare routine videos. They loved how big of a fan I am of their line and asked if they could send me some products. I am happy to be able to give away these four products they sent me to one of you!

The giveaway prize includes Origins Zero Oil Deep Pore Cleanser, A Perfect World Antioxidant Cleanser, VitaZing, & No Puffery

Follow the directions on the Rafflecopter widget below to be entered to win. The giveaway is open internationally and will run until Monday, April 8 at 6 PM CST. There will be ONE winner. I will contact the winner directly via email in addition to announcing them on this blog post. Good luck!

*** GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED ***

Congrats to Heather B. on winning the Origins Skincare Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*I am not affiliated with any of the brands mentioned in this blog post or coordinating video. Origins graciously sent me the giveaway products shown as a gift to do with whatever I pleased. I decided to share them with one of you in a giveaway. All other products shown were purchased by me. Origins did not ask me to review or feature their products. All opinions are my own.*

Filed Under: Beauty, The Busy Bee Buzz Tagged With: makeup remover, nighttime skincare, nighttime skincare routine, origins, skin, skin products, skincare, skincare routine

Home Office: Desk Drawer Organization

March 30, 2013 by OrganizedJen 6 Comments

For the second installment of my Home Office Organization series on OLJ, I share my desk drawer organization, which I have newly updated. I’m including photos and links to all of my favorite desk drawer organization tools below.

Pottery Barn Bedford Corner Desk Set (photo source)

I use the Pottery Barn Bedford Home Office furniture collection in my office, which I purchased when we moved into the house in 2007. The corner desk set has a roomy desktop and includes five drawers. There are two standard size drawers and three file size drawers, which offer plenty of room for all my desk storage needs!

Linus Deep Drawer Organizers (photo source) & Linus Shallow Drawer Organizers (photo source) from The Container Store

I use my favorite drawer organizers by Linus from The Container Store in the two standard sized drawers of my desk. These are the same kinds of organizers I featured in my Bedside Table Drawer Organization. I also use these in the drawers in our bathroom as well as the kitchen. They’re so versatile, durable, and easy to clean. I love that they are clear! The rubber feet on the bottom help prevent slippage inside the drawer. I use both the shallow (on sale right now!) and deep organizers in my desk drawers to corral similar items.

Clear 13-Pocket Accordion Files from The Container Store (photo source) & Jonathon Adler Blue Ocean Presentation Book from Barnes & Noble (photo source)

I use a variety of file organizers to store different sizes and types of papers in my desk drawers. I recently purchased the Clear 13-Pocket Accordian Files in both the letter and coupon size from The Container Store. I’m using the letter size one to file all of my business-related paperwork in one of the file size drawers that I newly designated as my “work” drawer. I’m using the coupon size accordion file to keep track of my business expenses. I used the month stickers the file came with to organize my receipts accordingly. Having this will make it super easy to keep track of expenses for when tax time rolls around again next year. I’m using the Jonathan Adler Blue Ocean Presentation Book from Barnes & Noble to house my inspiration boards, which are basically collages I make that help keep me motivated. Check out this post on ToneItUp’s website for more information on inspiration or vision boards.

Clear Zippered Envelope (photo source) and Clear Envelope (photo source) from The Container Store

I also like to keep track of my personal expenses as well as our household purchases. I hold onto these types of receipts for two months before recycling. I picked up two of the Clear Zippered Envelopes from The Container Store to store receipts. I store the previous month’s receipts in the zippered portion and the current month’s ones in the front pocket. At the beginning of a new month I will recycle the receipts from the zippered portion (unless there’s something I want to hold onto for a specific reason) and move the receipts from the front pocket back into the zippered part. This receipt organization helps me keep on top of our purchases and makes it a cinch to pull out a receipt for a return or to go over credit card bills. I have four of the Clear Envlopes to corral the cards that come with my beauty sample subscription services. I like to hold onto these to compare past products with current ones and having these simple envelopes to store them works nicely for me.

Silver Mesh CD Bin (photo source) & Linus Handled Bin (photo source) from The Container Store

Since I have ample filing space in my Pottery Barn Bedford Lateral File Cabinet (see my last organization post for more about that if you missed it), I am able to dedicate my file size desk drawers to other types of storage than just paper. It can be difficult to store things in such deep drawers, so I rely on bins to help corral smaller items. I use the Silver Mesh CD Bins from The Container Store to keep my blank CDs, DVDs, and empty cases all together. I use the Linus Handled Bin, also from The Container Store, to corral computer cleaning products and small electronic equipment.

Cable Ties from The Container Store (photo source) & Martha Stewart Home Office With Avery Small Elastinote Tags from Staples (photo source)

Managing cables can be a real pain, but luckily there are lots of great options to purchase or easy DIY remedies to keep cables organized and untangled. I’ve been using the velcro Cable Ties from The Container Store for years to bundle up cords and cables. They’re easy to use and the different colors makes it easy to color code. I recently picked up a package of the Small Elastinote Tags from Martha Stewarts Home Office collection with Avery from Staples. Using these as labels provides for the quick identification of cables.

I go over my desk drawer organization in detail in the video (shown below) if you’re interested in a closer look. Check back next week for a look at my desktop drawer organization!

*I am not affiliated with any of the brands mentioned in the video or this blog post. All opinions are my own.*

Filed Under: Home Office Organization, Organized Like Jen Tagged With: desk, desk drawer, desk drawer organization, drawer organization, home office, home office organization, office organization, organization

Home Office: Filing Organization

March 24, 2013 by OrganizedJen 10 Comments

I’m excited to be kicking off my home office organization series on OLJ with a video showcasing my filing system. Although I’m currently working through cleaning up and reorganizing my entire office, my filing system needed the least amount of work. I’ve been using this filing organization since we moved into our home in 2007. I even had a similar system for the first two years of my marriage (2005-2007), which was the start of my official status as home manager. I’ve easily been able to adapt my filing system over the years to accomodate our growing needs. I thought I’d share some of the organizational tools I use for filing here.

Pottery Barn Bedford Lateral File Cabinet (photo source)

I have several pieces from the Pottery Barn Bedford Home Office set, all in antique white. Not only are these beautiful, well made pieces of furniture, but they suit my organizational and functional office needs well. I use the Bedford Lateral File Cabinet to house the bulk of our files. I keep current files (from the last calendar year and the current one) in the upper drawer. I keep our back files in the lower drawer. This includes about six years backlog of regular bills and statements as well as documents I want to hold onto indefinitely.

Smead Color Hanging Folders (photo source) | Smead 2″ Box-Bottom Hanging Folders (photo source) | Smead Color File Folder (photo source) | Black 13-Pocket Accordian Recepit Filed (photo source)

I use similar jewel-toned hanging file folders from Office Depot as the Smead ones pictured above. I designate each of the five colors to a different category: purple for household utilities, teal for credit cards, subscriptions, & memberships, blue for finances and taxes, maroon for personal things such as health, school, and travel, and grey for receipts and brochures. I use the color coordinating non-hanging file folders as additional organizers for my travel file as well as many of my back files. The 2″ Box-Bottom file folders work great in that bottom drawer to organize larger bunches of papers. I actually have all three of these styles of file folders on hand in my closet for easy filing updates at any time. The only purchase I made in my filing system cleanup was a 13-Pocket Accordion Recept File, which I purchased from the Container Store during their Work Smart Office Sale (ends today, March 24!). I use this handy accordion file to corral our personal accessories receipts that I like to keep indefinitely. This includes anything from our golf clubs and guitars to my high end purses and jewelry. I think it’s important to keep those receipts on hand for insurance reasons and this accordion file helps keep small pieces of paper tucked away safely and in an orderly fashion.

Brother PT-1290 Home & Office Labeler (photo source)

I would be remiss if I did not mention by label maker. I actually have one on each level of my house, since I use them so frequently. The one I keep on the second floor in my office is the Brother PT-1290 labeler. I used clear 9 mm labels for the front of the cabinet and the regular black on white tape in the 9mm size for all of my folders. I love the P-Touch line by Brother and would definitely recommend it to anyone in the market for a good quality labeler. A word of warning – once you get a labeler, you’ll be labeling everything in sight!

I go over my entire filing system in detail in the video (shown below) if you’re interested in a closer look. Check back soon for the next video in my home office organization series: my desk!

*I am not affiliated with any of the brands mentioned in the video or this blog post. All opinions are my own.*

Filed Under: Home Office Organization, Organized Like Jen Tagged With: container store, file, file folders, filing, filing organization, filing system, home office, home office organization, labeler, office, office organization, p-touch

New Vlogging Camera Decisions

March 19, 2013 by OrganizedJen 37 Comments

It’s time for me to buy a new vlogging camera and as usual I am stuck on my decision. I don’t like to commit to a big purchase unless I am 100% certain about my choice. I’ve been using a Canon PowerShot ELPH 300HS for a couple of years now with great success. Unfortunately, it’s gotten pretty banged up lately and needs to be replaced. I like to buy my cameras from Best Buy, because of their great extended warranty options. Luckily, my current camera is still covered under the 2-year protection plan I originally purchased for it. The problem is that it needs to be sent in to the servicing center and I would be without a vlogging camera for 2-3 weeks. That might not sound like a very long time to most people, but in the life of an almost daily vlogger it might as well be an eternity. My parents really need a new camera, so I decided I would go ahead and purchase myself a new one and then give them whatever replacement or refurbished camera Best Buy sends back to me under my 300HS warranty. The issue now is what new vlogging camera should I purchase?

I am a Canon camera girl through and through, which makes picking a brand easy enough. I love the convenience of the PowerShot line, which features small-sized point and shoots with big features. Of course, I need a camera that shoots in HD for high quality videos. I narrowed it down to two of Canon’s newer releases. The first option is the latest version of the camera I’m currently using, the Canon PowerShot ELPH 330HS (photo source, listed at $229.99). This is so new that there aren’t many reviews on it yet, which I tend to rely on quite a bit when making big ticket purchases like this. The second option is the Canon PowerShot S110 (photo source, listed at $449.99), which packs a lot more punch into what settings it offers and capabilities it has. Initially, I wasn’t really considering the S110, because it’s quite a bit more expensive than the 330HS . The reason it is a split decision now is that the S110 is currently on sale for $329 at Best Buy where I can purchase the extended warranty I like so much for it. The 330HS isn’t offered at Best Buy yet. Plus, I know many other YouTube vloggers use and love the Canon Powershot S100, which is the S110′s predecessor. The S110 also gets rave reviews, whereas the 330HS has none as of yet.

Any thoughts from my fellow camera enthusiasts out there would be greatly appreciated!

** Camera Decision UPDATE **

After further research as well as considering your input (thanks for that, btw!) I decided to go with the Canon PowerShot ELPH 330HS. I’ve been watching videos from some of the YouTube vloggers that I know who use the S100 and S110 in the past few days and noticed a bit of audio interference due to the autofocus. I also read several reviews that commented on this, which helped me decide to stick with the ELPH line, since I haven’t had that particular issue with my 300HS. The 330HS isn’t available for shipping yet on Best Buy, so I decided to purchase it through Amazon. Not only did I get the camera for a slightly reduced price ($218 as opposed to the $229 list price), I get free 2-day shipping as an Amazon Prime member. I also decided to try out the 2-year accidental warranty from SquareTrade offered through Amazon for $39.40. A similar warranty from Best Buy costs $49.99. All in all, I saved a bit of money ordering from Amazon and decided it was worth trying out a new accidental warranty provider as well. I should be vlogging with the new camera this weekend! I’ll let you know my thoughts

*I am not affiliated with Canon. All opinions are my own.*

Filed Under: My Housewife Life Tagged With: camera, canon, decisions, vlog, vlogging, vlogging camera

Week In Review (March 11 – 17, 2013)

March 18, 2013 by OrganizedJen 40 Comments

This past week kind of went by in a blur. Being back to almost daily vlogging really fills out my days to the max. I don’t think many people realize the time that goes into editing videos. I know I certainly didn’t before I started making them. Editing vlogs is particularly time consuming because there are so many clips to pull together, cuts to make, and transitions to smooth out. I’m not trying to complain here. I actually genuinely enjoy the editing process and being able to share my “Day In The Life/Follow Me Around” videos on MHWL with you. I hope I’m not coming off as a Mrs. Whiny Pants, because that’s not my point at all! It’s just that you don’t really know how much time goes into making something until you make it yourself or someone shares that information with you. Anyway, back to vlogging means back to jam-packed days. I have to chuckle when someone who clearly doesn’t know me calls me “lazy” and assumes I just sit on my bum all day twiddling my thumbs. Just ask Don and he’ll tell you straight up – I basically do not stop working on things and buzzing around like the busy bee that I am from the time I wake up in the morning until I lay down to go to sleep at night. That’s how I function at my best in all honesty.

Starting New Organizational Projects

This week marked the start of my foray back into the land of organization. I am excited but also a bit nervous about my latest endeavor – office organization. I used to refer to my office as my craft room, but lately, I use it primarily for work-related reasons, so it’s officially now my office. It’s actually quite a large room (lucky me, I know!) that is a great multi-purpose space. Not only does it serve as my office in terms of my desk/computer and filing area, but I also have a dedicated grooming station for Winnie, a sewing desk, bins galore, and more shelves and cabinets than you’ve probably ever seen in one space. Let’s just say that the total organizational overhaul of this room is quite a daunting task, hence the nervousness. There’s also this strange stigma that somehow got attached to this room where I feel like I have to put all other spaces of the house before it. I think this is because it is the only space that is truly 100% my own and as a housewife I feel like I should prioritize the common areas of the house in terms of my time and organizational efforts. Plus, sometimes it’s just hard to do something that you know is just for yourself. I feel like many women struggle with making time for themselves. It’s something I have to work on every single day. Even though I’m finally at a place where I’m ready to take on my office organization (it only took me over five years to get here!), I still struggle with feelings of guilt and anxiety surrounding this use of time. I know that ultimately it will not only benefit me directly, because as Don likes to say, “Happy Wife, Happy Life!” and having a functional, organized, and clean space to work in and call my own will make me one very happy wife.

Stay tuned to OLJ for new videos tracking my office organization adventure. I hope to post the first one in the next few days.

Back To Books

Whenever I get home from vacation I usually prefer to spend my (almost) nightly tub time catching up on my YouTube subscriptions instead of reading, which is what I usually do in the bath. I don’t spend a lot of time watching videos on any given day, but I allow myself this luxury when I’ve been away from the internet for a trip or during a particularly busy time. This past week I’ve been back to books. I finished two, Neferet’s Curse: A House of Night Novella by P.C. & Kristin Cast, and Beneath The Glitter by Elle & Blair Fowler. I enjoy reading a wide variety of literary genres, mostly fictional with plot lines and character developments that really bring you in as a reader. I just posted my first book nook review in a long time on TBBB. For some reason these types of videos make me a bit nervous. I hope to become more comfortable in filming them with time.

New Spring Goodies

I’ve done some shopping in the past week, adding new clothes and accessories to my spring collection and restocking my bath and body product stash for the change in season. (I posted hauls from each category on TBBB – you can watch Clothes & Accessories here and Bath & Body Products here if you’re interested!) I’m especially excited about my recent discovery of ModCloth. I stumbled across this website during a search for a blush colored dress for an upcoming wedding I’m standing up in. I ended up buying five new dresses altogether. I love the vintage style of the clothes with what I consider to be reasonable prices for the quality. I know I’ll be returning to ModCloth for more fun additions to my wardrobe in the future!

Spring Treats

I look forward to the return of McDonald’s Shamrock Shake every March. Even with my hyped up expectations, it never disappoints. A vanilla shake that’s dyed green for St. Patrick’s Day with a hint of mint? Sign me up! One a year and I’m happy as a leprechaun with a pot of gold! Another treat reappearance this week was the return of Donut Saturday. I always instagram my #DonutSaturday pics and actually went back through my feed to see when my last donut was. Nine weeks ago! I knew it had been awhile, but that’s just too long for this donut fiend! I think they’re back to stay for a while now.

I can’t wait for spring to officially arrive this upcoming week. I know the Chicago weather won’t comply (does it ever?), but it will be nice to know that we’re officially in the season. As much as I love winter, by the time March rolls around I am more than ready for spring. I’m considering signing up for the Self Drop 10 spring challenge this year in an attempt to amp up my workout routine now that I’m not worried about my knee anymore and find new, healthy recipes. I’ll keep you posted!

*I am not affiliated with any of the brands mentioned in this post. All opinions are my own.*

Filed Under: My Housewife Life, Week In Review Tagged With: donut saturday, ModCloth, new clothes, organization, projects, reading, shamrock shake, spring, treats, week in review

First Look at Sigma’s Resort Palette

March 18, 2013 by OrganizedJen 18 Comments

Before I get into the real focus of this post, I’d like to start off with a bit of a disclaimer. Most of you probably already know that I am a Sigma Beauty affiliate and have been since the summer of 2012. What that means is every time someone buys something using my affiliate link I receive a commission from that sale. I like to point this out with some frequency, because I think it’s important to be very clear when it comes to affiliations or sponsors in the online social media business world. That being said, I also like to emphasize how I try very hard not to allow my affiliate status affect my opinion of Sigma products. I do genuinely like the majority of Sigma’s line or I wouldn’t have accepted their offer to become an affiliate in the first place. I’ve had most of my Sigma brushes for a couple of years now and genuinely believe that they rival my other favorite MAC ones in quality and price. As a Sigma affiliate I do receive some perks that I can share with you, such as monthly discount codes and first looks at new product launches. Since I am not currently associated with any other company, Sigma is the only one I have the ability to share things like that with you. I never want you to feel like I am trying to push things on you or really sell them. I’m just sharing something I have access to and would do so with other products if I were able to. When I give you a “first look” at something, it is different than a review because I haven’t had time to test the product and develop feelings towards it yet. I hope this helps clarify these types of posts for you and gives you a good idea of my attitude towards affiliations in general. Now, on with the post…

Today, Sigma Beauty launched its Resort Limited Edition Makeup Palette, which includes eight eye shadows, one blush, one liquid highlighter, and one dual-ended eyeliner pencil. The packaging is much smaller than more recent Sigma palette launches like the Defining Eyes and Paris palettes, which makes it easier to store and travel with. As a frequent traveler, I think Sigma would benefit from making their packaging even sleeker in the future, but this one isn’t so bulky that I’d rule it out altogether.

The eye shadows range from warm neutrals to bright “ocean-like hues” giving it a nice spectrum of colors that would work in a variety of summer settings. You could definitely pull out a more subdued everyday look from this selection with plenty of choices for more fun color pops for nights on the town.

In addition to the eight eye shadows, the palette also includes a blush, Heavenly, which is a gorgeous subdued coral. I can’t wait to try that paired with the included liquid highlighter, Luminesce. A dual-ended eyeliner pencil is also included in the palette, with a rich warm brown called Earth Goddess on one side and a bright blue called Daydream on the other. The eyeliners fit in with the general workable theme of the palette by providing a more natural option as well as a fun pop of color.

I’ve enjoyed all of the Sigma eye shadows I’ve ever tried and find they offer nice pigmentation and even application. I have yet to give this palette a try, but I think I will get a lot of use out of the more neutral tones as we move from winter to spring and add in the brighter colors when summer comes along.

The Resort Palette retails for $42 is available now on the Sigma website. Enter code SAVE2013 for 10% off your total purchase this month. This discount code expires March 31, 2013. Sigma includes a free gift with every purchase of $30 or more. Check my Facebook Fan Page for updates on new monthly discount codes in the future.

Let me know if you’d be interested in seeing product swatches for these types of posts in the future.

* I am a Sigma Beauty affiliate and receive a commission off any sales made through my affiliate link, provided above. The Sigma Resort palette was sent to me for consideration. All opinions are my own. *

Filed Under: First Impressions, The Busy Bee Buzz Tagged With: beauty, cosmetics, first impressions, first look, makeup, resort, resort palette, sigma, sigma beauty

Sigma Defining Eyes Palette

Week In Review (April 1 – 7, 2013)

Home Office: Desktop Organization

My Morning Skincare Routine

My Nighttime Skincare Routine

Home Office: Desk Drawer Organization

Home Office: Filing Organization

New Vlogging Camera Decisions

Week In Review (March 11 – 17, 2013)

First Look at Sigma’s Resort Palette

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