Quick reminder…we are having a PAR-TAY this week…
In my previous home I kept track of everything that I did decor wise in one notebook. The people who moved in our house were so grateful to have everything in one place. Since my brain doesn’t have a great long-term memory bank, it was helpful when we moved into this house. I actually had to call the lady who purchased our house in Washington to ask her for a paint color I had used. Glad I wrote it down!
It is really easy to do and does not take much time and will be invaluable to you down the road. Believe it or not you will not remember your favorite paint color five years down the road. Ok maybe you will…but I won’t. So I write it down.
I always pick up an extra paint chip card for all of the Behr paints (OF COURSE!) that I use. Then I tape them in my book. If I have a different brand mixed into Behr paint I will have them print out two formula stickers and I stick one in this binder. I organize the information by the rooms in my house. I write in there ANYTHING that I want to remember such as…
* when and where I purchased an item
* cost of items
* a swatch of the fabric used
* contact information for the companies who made items in my decor
* the paint/stain color name and chip or formula sticker
* the finish of the paint
* where I purchased knobs or hardware and brand name
Here are some sample pages…
Also in the back I put all of my appliance directions and warranty information. I protect them with sheet protectors. Below is the copy of my laminate flooring information.
Do you organize all this information in one place as well? It has proved worthwhile over and over again to have all this information in a binder. If you haven’t done this yet, it is not too late to gather all the information together.
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Oh my goodness! I have an idea binder, but I never even THOUGHT about a binder like this!
I am a sucker for organization and paint chips (my husband thinks I have an addiction to color samples)!
I'm going to have to start one!
I'm actually starting a journal. It will be full of the colors I have used as well as colors I love and ideas that I want to keep track of.
I really love your idea about asking for a second mix label to keep in your binder, I'm going to have to do that!
Oh friend….you are amazing. I dream of these kind of binders but they never make it past the first page. MUST.START.NOW! 🙂
Becky,
I need to do this sooo badly! Thanks for the inspiration!
Traci
I am in shock & awe…I can't believe I've never thought of doing this before! Your pics of sample pages has me salivating!! HAHA
Again, SO impressed with your skills 🙂 And thanks for sharing 🙂 Now I don't feel so alone in my dorkiness (I mean that in a good way!! HAHA).
I have a binder full of appliance info leaflets, booklets, etc. but I think the addition of paint chips and fabric swatches is an awesome one! Thanks for inspiration — I just love your blog!
Oh, I have one of these!!! Great idea!!!
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That's a really great idea!!! you have been inspiring me like crazy to get my house in order!
That is a great idea! I need to do this!
Okay, this is really, really smart. When we were building this house I had a big accordion folder with lots of this type of information, but I've never thought about keeping a running binder like this! Wouldn't it also be fun to keep notes of how much you spent (or didn't spend, as the case may be) on decorating projects? Just think how much fine it will be one day years from now to look back on what was hot in the early 21st century. 🙂
You are my hero!
you rule!!!
don't we all have "idea binders"? but a "what i did" binder is great!
wouldn't it be cool if one day your idea binder and your "what i did" binder were exactly the same???
we can all dream!!!!
I have a binder for my ideas, but I never thought about doing a binder for the few things I've actually accomplished. 😉 I have a file folder upstairs somewhere with appliance info., but it would be nice to have everything together.
This is amazingly impressive.
Thanks for inspiring all of us… especially those of us who are "organizationally challenged!"
In my dreams I am that organized. In my life, it doesn't even occur to me to do stuff like that! Not that my home is all that decorated HAHA! Probably the only thing I do is write which room a paint was used in on the can! Oh, and I keep the stir sticks so I can have an easily findable, and good size, sample to take with me shopping.
Are you as great as you seem ? I really admire you a lot !!!!
Wow what a great idea! We are just starting on this place so I can start fresh! Now maybe I should start an ideas binder as well.
Do you keep sketches of room sizes, furniture placement, etc in a binder as well? I have problems visualizing so have been rather timid about the process.
MUST actually DO this!!!
Yes that would be fine.