*Update* Congrats to these three winners! Email me your address and I’ll get the pretty folders in the mail! Cajungal01, Mother Hen, and Anna
My kitchen is in the center of my home.
It is a hub of activity.
It’s where you can find me, Cooking blogging up a storm in my apron. It’s also the place where everything lands: bills, school papers, mail, magazines, coupons, books, etc
And it drives me crazy.
My hubby bought me this great desk. But it’s stuffed full of crap, I mean, crafts. Freudian slip, there.
And since I have a deep love for baskets and boxes and pretty things, I decided it was time to get organized in my kitchen. Have you seen the gorgeous file folders out there?
I bought some.
I thought about attaching this to the wall in my kitchen:
Staples
But it doesn’t give me that lovin’ feeling. And so, I thought about sitting one of these file holders on my counter. I love these:
Rose Lane Cottage
Anna Griffin
Levenger
The Container Store
But I have limited counter space, what, with all the cooking preparation.
This is what I came up with:
Because a $9.99 feed trough from TJMaxx, in the kitchen? Yeah, that speaks to me!
Where will you put your pretty new file folders? Let me know, because 3 lucky readers will be receiving a set of them! I have some beautiful ones! Just leave a comment, one only please, and I will choose some winners Sunday at noon.
Wow, I get to be first!
I love the feed & grain trough. I'm a country girl. My kitchen looks the same as yours. Everything lands on my island. I didn't even know they made pretty file folders. Very cool!
I also didn’t know they made those, very pretty. Could definitely use something to hold my stuff other than the kitchen table.
What a great idea and giveaway!
Good luck to al the ladies playing. 🙂
Love those. I would put them on my home office desk. Thanks for the giveaway.
Those are so pretty! I’m a compulsive, ummm, dedicated organizer, so I would put them on top of my fridge next to my organizers for my cookbooks, or in my office/workout room! 🙂
I adore the rose lane cottage holder, as well as the ones with lids, but then you can’t see the pretty file folders! I’d stick them in something to be found later right next to this place I am sitting, where there is a big pile of things I need to do and sort and keep handy! 🙂
Wow, these sure beat the plain manila folders that I use. I’m pretty sure I could be inspired to be organized with these. Thanks!
Hmm…either my office or the kitchen. Those are the paper magnets in my house. Very cute! Thanks for the giveaway. 🙂
I would love to win these pretty file folders! I would assign them something very special. I also love the holders, too, but you’re right about counter space!
Those are so pretty! Lets see, I think they would go in the basket I keep on the kitchen counter. The basket is where I throw everything so the files would be great! Thanks so much for the givewawy.
I actually have a wall-mounted and a desk file folder system.
My file folders are ugly though. Plain old folders.
I like your feed trough. It’s cooler than all the other ones.
You are one smart whippersnapper! I love using unconventional items as simple solutions.
Great giveaway.
I’d use them for my daily lessons for homeschool.
Have a fabulous weekend.
In an effort to prepare for a new baby (who is not even conceived yet), I’ve been on a pre-pregnancy nesting frenzy. There are so many places I would put new file folders but the first place they’d go is in my husband’s part of the living room where he has a hanging file holder which is filled with ugly manila folders and random pieces of paper.
Thanks for giving me so much inspiration!!
Those look way too cool.
Oh..gorgeous file folders. I am an office-supply-ophile…
I can’t even step into Staples. I would find myself loaded up with paperclips, file folders, pens…ahhh…all sorts of writing instruments!
I need to find a place to file my bills. I would place them next to my computer.
Loved the colors!
I should use them for homeschooling, but they’re so pretty, I might have to use them for my decorating idea files.
Then again, maybe I should just use them for bills. Hopefully the pretty factor will encourage me to pay them!
Whatever the use, I’d enjoy them.
Thanks for the giveaway!
LOVE the trough! What a nifty idea! I am partial to the “rustic” country look myself. Anything that looks like you could feed an animal with belongs in the kithen.
I live in a home with a husband and three boys…so I think I’d have to hang those effeminate file folders from the ceiling in every room of my house.
Everybody needs balance.
On the desk in my kitchen where I stick all my crap, Oops… I mean Crafts. 🙂
Love your new trough…
Been thinking about the same organizing ideas .. since my home office is off the kitchen and I would like to have some unforimity around here, but what goes with the old world look?
I love those adorable file folders! I hate how the bills pile up on our counter too. I hate clutter! But…I love TJ Maxx! Seriously. It’s right next to Target in our town and I have to avoid that whole shopping complex. I can’t go in either store without buying SOMETHING.
Adam and I frequently discuss moving to other cities (we aren’t going to…but we talk about it often.) All I stipulate is that we are within 15 minutes from a Target where ever we move. I feel like that about TJMaxx too. I can always find unique stuff there.
The ‘office area’ in my bedroom! Too cute. Loooove the feed trough.
So pretty.
I love that ordinary things can be made so feminine and appealing… those almost make me want to go through the huge plastic container from Walmart stuffed full of all the things you mention on your counters!
Oooo, I love office supplies, and some pretty file folders would absolutely make my day!
How fun! A marvelous giveaway. I really like the rustic/country look. Please enter me in your drawing. Thanks,Cindi
jchoppes[at]otmail[dot]com
Oh how I want the pretty folders, Kristen! When my kitchen is not under construction anymore, I will put them in the office we built into the kitchen!
I have a gorgous wooden basket my son bought me a few years ago that right now is hidden in the bathroom with junk in it. I could see it sitting on my desk with the lovely file folders in it.
This is a very nice give away, thanks for giving us a chance at it.
icedream(at)iwon(dot)com
Count me in!
Love those file folders. Not sure how I would contain them but they would make the mess o’ files covering the kitchen table look much prettier!
I think I would try to find a basket that I could set them in and use them for my MOPS stuff. They are such cute folders! I hope I win!!! Thanks!
Since we homeschool, I am always in need of file folders. I have a small shelving unit in my dining room where I plan on storing some of our school things. Having pretty file folders would make it more pleasing to the eye.
I like how you chose to store yours great idea!
Making things pretty really does add beauty to tasks that must get done, doesn’t it?
It’s supposed to rain all week here. We’re going to make your crayons!
I have this thing I do with a boz and fabric to make the box all “pretty”. I keep my reciepts in that. But, there is a shelf in my dining room that has ugly folders because I did not know they could be so pretty. They are in a wire basket, and I can say I would enoy having a bit of pretty in there.
I have a lined basket but I don’t have pretty files like yours!
Great idea for a giveaway!
Since I am a Pile Queen (wow that was a bit of acceptance) I would love Any of the above. I would use the pretty file for my foster parent info, and my homeschool stuff.
I would use the pretty boxes to organize the many piles of ‘stuff’ that I have sitting at various locations within my home!
My pretty new file folders would move. I am a student, a middle school teacher, a wife (of five years TODAY! Yay!), a mom of two little ones, a volunteer with our church praise band (led by my hot hubby) and with the high school youth of our church, and oh-so-many more things. I have to keep uber organized if I want to keep my sanity, and these adorable little things look great to help with that. They would travel from work to home to church with the paperwork I need to keep organized. If I kept them just for my home files, though, they are simply too cute to go in the file drawer; I do slightly lust after the Container Store and the Levenger file boxes you pictured…forgive me, Lord! 🙂
My husband just doesn’t understand my love affair with organization and office supplies. My sister does though, and I guess that is all that matters! (perhaps it is one of those recessive genes?)
Hmm…I think I would keep mine in a basket on my desk. That would be perfect!
Hello just visiting your blog today. The title caught my eye and the content is so encouraging and funny!
If you can’t laugh at and with your family…then what is life all about?
Have a great weekend!
In the kitchen, just like you! I’m working on building my “command center” and was actually just trying to think of a way to sort my pay it, shred it, file it, do it papers! Love the pretty! If it’s pretty I’ll use it for sure! thanks!
Niffer
Feed & Grain!! Sooo cute! I didn't know that here were Vera Bradley file folders. Thanks for sharing!!
This is so weird. Hubby and I have been looking for folders or something to keep sheets of music in that is neater than what the music is in now.
You see, I started singing Praise & Worship at my church and I inherited an old beat up manilla folder with all the music inside of it and no organization at all. I actually feel weird carrying it around since it represents praising God, but doesn't look very nice at all. We've been looking, but had not found the perfect idea yet.
Then I saw your post and I don't even care if I win. You've made me realize there are a ton of choices out there and that all I need to do is pick just one and have fun with it.
Thank you!
Simply,
Loula
You SO inspire me with your decorating & organizing. I really want you to decorate my house!
I need some sort of filing system in my kitchen so I could actually find that missing countertop (I know it's under there!).
I would put my pretty files on my shelf for the kids school work!
My file folders would go on the wall above the dishwasher. Love the idea. And these would surely make it fun.
happened upon you today – so glad i did –
maybe i can finally my kitchen organized too
with a 1200 sq foot house and 5 kids, i can use all the help i can get!
I think I would hang something on my wall in the bedroom above my desk. Could def used some serious help organizing that area!
Oh my…. where would I put files? I thought about putting something on my fridge, actually! Or set something down on my desk (I love that black wrought-iron type thing you have pictured)!!! We’ll see, we’ll see!
I had no idea there was such a cool set of gems in the world. I need to get out more.
I would put them in my in box to sort my to-do papers (which is really a basket from a home decorating MLM).
Mine will be in my house silly. (if I should be a lucky winner I will have to look at it to see exactly where it will fit best!)
but my office is gaining in popularity so I can see it everyday all day!
Happy weekend to you.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a place for everything and everything in it’s place. I’d have to get some sort of wall hanger/feed trough to put on the wall above my printer.
I have a basket that is waiting for files…right now it is a mess of paper and bills. Not pretty to look at.
Thanks!
They are so pretty, I would need to go buy a container just for them. The file drawers just wouldn’t do it.
I’m new to your blog (thanks, Google Reader, for recommending it!) and feel like I hit the jackpot today! I’m in the midst of organizing today (aka. NESTING: I’m due in 2 weeks!), and a basket with pretty file folders would look charming on my desk. DUH. Why didn’t I think of it before?! They look so fun to use I might even be motivated to USE them and not just look at them.
If I win, I guess I’ll have to make a trip to TJ Maxx!
hi! i get a big chuckle out of your blog. i would put the file folders in the schoolroom, to help contain and organize some of our mess!
I love those pretty folders! I would put them in a basket on my computer desk. Guess I will have to clean out the desk first!
I’m a teacher and used to the plain boring manilla looking file folders! I’d love to win some snazzy ones to brighten my day!
Love! what you did with your folders. 🙂
Mine would go on my computer desk. It’s funny that you are doing this giveaway (thank you). Just the other night I was dreaming of pretty file folders to organize all the papers on my desk.
I need to get organized: I’d have to find a spot! Those are so pretty!
Great idea! Forget the file folders, I want the feed and grain bin! ;0) Just kidding. I was in Staples the other day and had to have an intervention when I saw all the cute stationary, file folders, and notebooks! I am lucky I got out of there alive!
Those are gorgeous! Although I’m a little afraid of what my cabinets look like beneath the bills, recipes, magazines, old school papers, receipts…well, you get the idea!
They’d prob end up in my kitchen, too. Too many coupons and instruction sheets floating around for my liking!
Oh, and I’m posting an award for you today over on my blog – come by and check it out!
Neat! Thanks so much for the opportunity.
planetmisty@gmail. com
I would put them in our school area of the house. Very great idea’s you come up with! And I really need to head over to TJMaxx.
When the kids go back to school my goal is to completely reorganize my filing! So this would be fun. I have a desk in between the dinette and the living/family room and not very well set up…but it will be after september 🙂
I love these!!! I’d put them in my office… I have the perfect wall space for them!
I love the trough! That is an adorable idea.
For me though, I am having to go back to work for the first time in 5 years. I’ll be teaching preschool and will need plenty of folders and organization. SO…I’m either using ones like the one you showed that is orange (Levenger) or I really like the boxes from Container Store. I’ll have to color code the storage containers for the kiddos. FUN!
:0)
~robin
Woah – those are awesome!! I’m a tech writer and I’m always looking for something to “girly” me up in my field full of boys. 🙂
…even though I’m *so* not girly LOL…
What a great idea – files in the kitchen! I would put mine there too, and use one of the lovely stands you featured. Great tips.
I enjoy your blog – I can relate to so many of your stories. I would use the file folders to help keep the beginning of the year school papers organized in my kitchen. We have a little counter area where I pretend to try to be organized!
Pick me pick me…I love that holder, i am so looking for that for something like that!
I would love some of those to organize our papers! Or actually to have my hubby organize our papers…
Dee from Tennessee
Yours looks great. Mine would go in a clear holder…to show them off!
Wow! You're reading my mind! I'm getting ready to organize drawers full of paperwork & I'm making a couple of binders. I'm one of those people that tears things out of magazines that interests me to use later. Well I have lots and lots and LOTS of pages that need to be organized. Thanks for doing some scouting around for products!!!
Oh, I love, love, love office supplies. I’d sure like to win me some pretty folders!
Love your feeding trough idea! You are so crative!
Just what I need to get me going on doing something to this ridiculously bland home office where mail and “important” papers are currently on the desk, on the floor, under the printer – my filing methods leave much to be desired. SO perhaps pretty file folders would bring out the latent organzing genes that surely must be in there somewhere.
Ooh, those are pretty enough to actually file my bills in the kitchen, rather than hiding them in the upstairs office!
Even when I sort and file the stuff that lands on the table, it seems to appear just the same pile somewhere else.
I NEED those cute folders!
I would love these cute folders..I just love office supplies, isn’t that weird?
Anyway I would put up something like this up by my front door so hubby could grab the bill folder on his way to work!
I would put these folders in a copper looking bucket that sits on my counter with all kind of stuff – and the folders would add just the right touch of organized bliss!
We are in the process of moving from OK to MD so I am not sure where they would end up but I am SURE I could find a place.
I’m also new to your blog, love it. I need the folders…
Laura in Apex, NC
Well, I would frame one for in the bathroom to think of you while I …
And one would be under my pillow at night to dream of my favorite blogger. And one would be taped to my mirror in the morning to remind me of your unending beauty. Ehem. Pick me?
Where o where would I put them? Oh, in my kitchen…in my craft room…in my bedroom…in my living room…how ’bout the laundry room?
dbstout[at]juno[dot]com
I’ll probably buy one of those super cute things for on the wall. 🙂 Then the whole thing will be matchy-matchy, a concept that I adore.
yikes…will my comment still count?
in my kitchen in the “pig” is where they will go…
In my kitchen- they will look so much nicer than scotch taping all the notices and important info to my wall like I currently do. 🙂
Great ideas for organizing and keeping things cute!
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You’ve received an AWARD! Check out my blog today at see it. 🙂