Desk Organization: Design Notebook

I know what you're thinking. Probably something along the lines of... "I thought this was a homesteading blog?". And it most certainly is! My homestead includes my house. Why do I always feel the need to apologize for a post about decorating on a homestead blog? Apparently I must have a hang up about this, but the truth is... God is a god of order and beauty. And He created that desire within each of us. So, no more apologies... just know I'm craving some organization and beauty right now; no doubt the fact that it's the middle of winter has something to do with it!


And since today has been raining and I'm in the midst of purging my office and reorganizing, it has occurred to me that a design notebook would solve a big issue in my office area... 

The Problem: My files are stuffed! and one major file that is always overflowing and hard to get into is my tear file for magazine pictures that I keep for inspiration and ideas (okay, really it's several files, but who's counting?). Because it's so stuffed, I actually avoid it. I'd rather not look through the pictures because it's such a mess. And what's the point of having an inspiration file if you never get into it? 

The Solution: A notebook! I love notebooks. While some things are better in a file, other things are better in a three ring binder, like magazine pictures that inspire me. This way I can pull it out easily and browse through it when I need some ideas. And when I tire of a picture, it will be easy to remove. That way the file always stays fresh. 

As I was purging these unruly files, I realized that my tastes or needs had moved beyond most of the photos I had been saving. So I got rid of those and the ones that remained I slipped into plastic sleeves so they don't keep getting bent up and wrinkled. 

You can purchase these sleeves in bulk at a large warehouse store like Costco and save a lot of money. Besides, keeping these on hand is a great idea. They hold a ton of things including those little product brochures and paint samples that I like to pick up at the home improvement centers.

Now, doesn't that look nicer than a messy file?

Desk Organization: ACTION and TICKLER File

I love organization. Simply Love it. No, wait... LOVE it!! But I have one area that I've struggled with forever trying to keep clean and organized. My desk. Yes, those who have read this blog for the last year or so know that I've blogged on it before, vowing to keep it clean and that by writing it on the world wide web I would be held accountable. Hmmm... it's a bit better, but I'm not there yet. 


I'm sure 99% of this is due to my habits when I'm actually at the desk itself. I come here to create... create pictures, create blog posts, create ideas, etc. And somehow, I never leave any time to actually organize and clean the desk. When I'm in that creative mode, I fill every second until I must leave it all, thereby doing what I want to do, not necessarily what I need to do.


But I want an organized desk! In fact, I'm desperate for it! I know I'll be even more creative and productive when I'm not surrounded by clutter - which drives me crazy, by the way. My family would say it actually makes me irritable. Oh, I've felt doomed to live like this forever! But I know there must be a solution out there, somewhere...


My newest endeavor? An ACTION and TICKLER File...

It's really two different kinds of files that I've combined into one basket on my desk - all for easy reference. Keep in mind this is not the same as my regular files which are in drawers below. This is for getting into several times a day, kind of a stopping off point for all that paperwork that clutters my desk. This is where I'm beginning because the paperwork really is the main culprit. 

You're probably thinking "Girlfriend, you're going to file that stuff twice now! Are you crazy?" Well, if it gets me to keep papers from becoming piles on my desk, I guess so. And if I end up looking at that paper and saying to myself "Just file it now", then hey... the battle's won, right? Here's two reasons why I really think this might work: 

1) it's pretty  

2) it fits how I work 

I like pretty. I like pretty almost as much as organizing. So, I'm thinking this might keep me motivated. And second, the key for this desk organization method to work is if it fits how I'm already doing things when working at my desk! Any method I establish must take into account how I handle papers naturally. 

This is huge. I'm old enough that I'm not likely going to change certain habits enough to break out of this cycle without it meeting those habits half way. So if I tend to be in a hurry and just drop a paper on my desk while rushing off to cook dinner, I need an easy place right on my desk to drop that paper. I've tried just a paper basket, but then the papers get all mixed up and I have to go through each one just to find what I'm looking for. However, I naturally tend to make messy piles of various things - a pile of recipes, a pile of bills, a pile of magazine articles,etc. With the ACTION file, it's quick and easy for sorting and dropping.

Let me break down the ACTION file for you. The lovely sunflower folders in front have different labels:

• Act

• File

• Pay

• Respond

• Use

• Copy 

Other ideas you could put on these files might be:

• Complete

• Wait

• Decide

• Send

• Do

• Read

It's up to you. If I added a "send" file, my letters would never make it to the mailbox. I know myself pretty well. I naturally put them in my purse, so I'm not going to change what I already do since it works fine for me. And to me, some of these seem redundant, so I don't use them, but use what works for you. Think about how your brain thinks and how you work at your desk. 

Next, I plan to schedule a regular day to go through my ACTION file and make sure it's cleaned out weekly. This is the new habit I must initiate. 

Now let's talk about the TICKLER file... 

What is a TICKLER file? According to Google, it's a collection of date-labeled file folders organized in a way that allows time-sensitive documents to be filed according to the future date on which each document needs action. Mine are the manilla colored files in the back of the basket. There are 12 monthly files (or rather files that act as dividers) and 31 daily folders. I actually used the kind of folders that are closed on the sides so that items don't fall out, but you could use regular manilla files. Each file gets a number on it to correspond with the day of the month. 

How do you set it up and how does it work? Whatever the month is, that file acts as a divider and goes in front. Then all the days of the month come behind it (in order, of course), and behind these comes the rest of the months. On the first (file #1), when the day arrives, you look in your file to see what you placed in there to do that day. When the day is over, move the file behind the divider for the next month (in this case, it went behind March because it's February right now). Each day, you go to the next file that is now in front, just behind the monthly divider, and check what you have in there that needs to be done that day. When the day is over, move it behind the next month, keeping them in order. 

Can you give me an example? Anytime something comes across your desk that will need action on a specific day or sometime in the future, choose the date you want to view it and put it in that daily file. If it's three months from now, just add it to that monthly file. For example, I need a registration paper on June 23rd for a conference but it's mid February right now; I'm doomed to loose it if I don't have a plan. So I file the registration paper in the June file. Then when May 24th arrives and I've moved the 23rd file behind June, I can add that paper to the 23rd file or better yet, wait until June first arrives and check for any papers that have accumulated in the June file and sort them into the various dates for that month. Does this make sense?

I had forgotten that I actually used a TICKLER file when I worked at an insurance office years and years ago. And it was wonderfully helpful. I just wish I had thought of using this at home sooner; it came to mind when browsing for desk organization ideas and I happened upon Cathy Anderson's site Just Organize Your Stuff. (And to the reader who reminded me a few months ago about her filing system - Thank you!!). You can download or purchase her pre-made filing systems or you can make your own. 

Well, now that I've got that done, I'm off to purge and reorganize my regular files. Ughh! But it will feel so good when it's done! I've got some more ideas, so hopefully a few posts will follow.

Do you use an ACTION or TICKLER file? Please tell us how it works for you!

Winner: Ramsign Classic Enamel Sign

Thank you to all the readers who visited Ramsign Classic Enamel Signs during the recent give away and checked out their wonderful collection! And thank you to Ramsign for hosting a fabulous and unique give away!

Want to know my favorites?

Or a sign like this that would read "Wipe Your Feet", but in red. I love red! 

And the winner?

Erin of Amateur Hour!

Congratulations, Erin! Email me your address and I'll connect you with Ramsign!

Wanna Barn Hop?

Yes I do! In just one week, the first ever "Homestead Barn Hop" will begin and you won't want to miss out! Join along in "Cultivating the Homestead Community" with...

• Jill @ The Prairie Homestead
• Kendra @ New Life on a Homestead
• Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead
• Amy @ Homestead Revival™ (that's me!)






You'll have an opportunity to Link Up and share what's happening at your own homestead with posts relating to anything and everything homesteading, such as...


• gardening
• cooking and recipes
• canning
• animal husbandry from chickens and goats to cows and horses!
• beekeeping
• sewing and quilting
• skills you are acquiring
• and anything else homesteading related!


So get your camera and click away all this week. Be sure to pick your favorite photo for your link up image, then write up a fun and fabulous post and have it ready to go on Monday morning, February 21st. (Be sure to add our cute Homestead Barn Hop picture to your post so others can join in the fun and everyone will know you've linked up!) Then mark your calendar for each Monday thereafter as we dosado our way from homestead to homestead meeting new friends, finding an abundance of terrific new blogs to read, and gleaning an assortment of great information. 


Don't forget - next Monday! See y'all there!

Sunday Blessing

 "He has brought me to his banquet hall,

And his banner over me is love."

~ Song of Solomon 2:4

Photo Credit: holmanphoto

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser...

 "Abide in Me, and I in you...

 "My Father is glorified by this, 

that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.

 "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.

 "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; 

just as I have kept My Father's commandments 

and abide in His love.

 "These things I have spoken to you 

so that My joy may be in you, 

and that your joy may be made full.

~John 15:1, 4a, 8-11

May you find joy as you abide in His love today!

Fruitless Fall

I really don't know how to condense all the wonderful information I've gleaned from Rowan Jacobson's book Fruitless Fall into one blog post. And just so you know right off the bat, we're talking bees here; colony collapse disorder (CCD) and the bees themselves. I've learned more from Jacobson's book than I have from classes and the internet combined!

Fruitless Fall actually reads more like a mystery novel than a science book, so it's easy to take in all the facts. I guess it helps that I'm interested in the subject, but each chapter has you on the edge of your seat like a regular "who done it" thriller. The only negative thing I can say is that Jacobson is clearly an evolutionist (which I'm not - no surprise there) and I find it highly ironic that he details the life of a bee in such depth that only a hands-on Creator could have designed such a magnificent insect; he glosses right over that and talks about the evolution of the bee (John 12:37-40). But if you are confident in your Biblical Worldview, I highly recommend this book.


Reading Fruitless Fall will give you a detailed look into the life of a bee that even most 'how-to' books skim over. That alone would make this worth the read. But add to it the carefully researched look into the demise of bees as a result of CCD and you'll gain a better grasp of what bees are up against in order to survive. It's truly amazing that they still exist! Even more amazing are the parallel's Jacobson draws between the life of bees and that of humans in relation to the food they consume. 


So, I know you're on the edge of your seat wondering what actually causes the dreaded CCD in bees. Should I really tell? I hate to spoil it for you. Okay, here's what I'll do. You get the book and read it, which you can get from your local library or purchase a copy by clicking my link or from my right side bar under "Books I ♥" (thank you very much!), and I'll slowly trickle out information here at Homestead Revival™. Really, I don't want to spoil a good thriller for you and there is so much to say on this issue, one post would be way too long. It's still cold outside and a great time for a good book! And for those who are not intending to become beekeepers, you need to read this, too! It's an excellent book for everyone who enjoys food of any kind, because bees are part of the work force that bring you those tasty almonds. And you won't believe what's going on! Think of this as the "sweet" food version of Food, Inc.


What do you think causes Colony Collapse Disorder? Have you read Fruitless Fall?

Why Become A Beekeeper?

After two years of great anticipation, my first bees are scheduled to arrive April 19th! Naturally, I'm excited, but nervous as well. Beekeeping has changed over the years and what was once a fairly simple hobby has become quite a challenge in order to stay ahead of bee deaths from Varroa mites to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). But make no mistake about it, this adventure has already been amazing and I can't wait to learn more!

Photo Credit: harold.lloyd

As a child, I was terrified of bees, so the very thought of me becoming a novice beekeeper is quite hysterical. But I'm not one to be deterred if I want something bad enough and beekeeping has been on my mind for some time. Two years ago, I jumped in the car with a few friends I had gathered up and headed to a bee club in Southern California to learn the basics. Because we were able to get into the hives and look around I conquered the first step in becoming a beekeeper: overcoming my initial fear. And now that I've been reading and learning about bees, I'm totally captivated.

Photo Credit: retro traveler

Words can't begin to describe how I've been able to see the hand of God as a magnificent Creator by learning in-depth about bees. From the individual worker to the colony as a whole, God is in the details. And it would take me pages upon pages to describe it all, so instead of drowning you with a fire hose of information, I think I'll let it trickle out a little at a time over the next few months as I set up my bees in their new home.

Photo Credit: Printemps ete

Reasons To Become A Beekeeper


• Honey: Without a doubt this is the sweetest reason for beekeeping! Honey is a wonderful by product of bees that is repeatedly mentioned in the Bible as a blessing:


"and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror and with signs and wonders; and He has brought us to this place and has given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey." ~ Deuteronomy 26:8-9


Many claim that eating local honey helps curb allergies to local plant triggers, and this is one of just a few sweeteners that has actual nutrient value. It doesn't cause blood sugar levels to spike as dramatically as refined sugar, and it can be used in your home for everything from baking to canning.

• Pollination of garden plants: Between 80 - 90% of our plants require some kind of animal pollination with bees accounting for no less than 15-30% of that service. Without bees, over 100 crops would not be pollinated and as a result, we wouldn't have a large portion of the foods we currently enjoy. And now, with the current trend of vast monocrops, bees have made themselves indispensable (more on monocrops and my opinion in another post!) Your own vegetable and flower gardens will benefit from having a nearby hive of honey bees feasting on the nectar and pollinating your plants.

• Repopulate bees: Like I mentioned earlier, beekeeping use to be rather simple. And to a degree, it still is. But in the last few years, beekeepers have had to battle diseases that were virtually non-existant just 30 years ago. Between Varroa mites and Colony Collapse Disorder alone, beekeepers in the last few years have lost as much as 50% of domesticated bees. By having your own backyard hives, you are giving bees a chance to live in a natural habitat as opposed to being trucked across the nation to pollinate monocrops, as well as living in smaller groups (as opposed to hundreds of hives in one orchard). It's kind of like not exposing your kids to colds and the flu by keeping them away from large crowds. Yes, they can fly around and still get it, but it just makes sense to have them in areas with smaller numbers. 


• Fascination: This isn't just a "project". It's more like a hobby. Something fun that you really can get into. Bees are both simple and yet complicated. And because of their "society" mentality, they are unique from almost every other insect. By watching bees and keeping a hive you'll have hours of good clean entertainment!


If you keep bees or if you're planning to do so, please share why you decided or plan to become a beekeeper.

This post has been linked to Farm Friend Friday