Thursday, April 7, 2011

{Party Tip} Invest in Sturdy Containers

{Some of the party tips I write about might sound like I am stating the obvious. But you never know who might not have thought of it or who needs a little nudge in the right direction. So many times I read simple ideas and think "ah-hah! I can't believe I never thought of that before!"}

I consider myself an organized person and clutter control freak, but with kids, I have definitely had to learn to let some of that go. I don't know about you, but the week or two before a party, my dining room becomes the control center and everything gets stacked on the table and the surrounding areas. This drives me crazy, because it is one of the first rooms you see when you walk into our house. The unorganized piles of party goods were driving me crazy and a few months ago, I vented on Facebook. A reader wrote back and said she likes to store everything in categorized bins. Umm, of course...why in the world had I not thought of that before?!

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So, last week, while I was prepping for the cutest Little Blue Car party, I went to The Container Store and stocked up on 5 of these heavy duty storage containers in various sizes. I could not be more happy with my purchases! I was able to sort through everything in my dining room and place it in a coordinating bin. This felt sooo good! PLUS, everything was packed away and I wasn't panicking that my two young and very active boys were grabbing things off the dining room table!

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I bought one, 33 gallon clear storage tote , 3, 22.75 gallon clear storage totes and one other size that I do not see listed online. On a side note, The Container Store is currently having a storage sale and these large totes are included!

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Here is a quick picture I took of some of the totes packed and ready to go. I can't tell you how much easier this made my life on the morning of the party! I packed all of the transportable desserts in one bin, the containers for the dessert table in another and so on.

Thank you dear reader for turning on a light bulb in my head!


13 comments:

Unknown said...

OMG! I can soooooo relate! I am the same way, but mine is in my empty livingroom(don't have furniture yet. I'm worse than you, my party piles starts adding up before, and continues after the party! I need to unload and pack them away. The bad part is that I had my husband clear out some storage bins in the attic, and have yet to use them! Ok,so you just lit the fire under my a$$.. I'm getting to it! :-) Great post!

Lemon Drop Team said...

These bins are wonderful!! I use them when I'm packing for weddings and style shoots. I agree Natasha, great post! :)

Elizabeth said...

This is such a great post! I learned this after my first couple of parties

Hallie Fullagar Mills said...

SO TRUE! This way nothing will get too broken traveling to and from

Unknown said...

LOL! I have about 50 small ones in my office for all my supplies!!!!!

Lili said...

i use them for xmas decor storage too (the XL sizes)!

Melanna said...

I hadn't thought of this! I've bought bins for storing things that can be reused at future parties, but I didn't ever think to have bins for pre-party prep. Good idea!
I'm in the middle of baking a million cookies for a baby shower on Saturday. I was just saying to my husband that in our next house I want a butler's pantry so that I can prep (and hide) all my party stuff and still have a functional kitchen for every day life stuff (like dinner!)

Kelly Lyden said...

OMG - the pillows look AMAZING!!!

Enchanted Expectations said...

Great Post. I am with you on this. My husband hates when it's party time and attempted to invest in a great craft table for it. However, of course I still use the dinning room table. I too have invested in some totes, but this post makes me want to get even more.

Tracey said...

What an awesome idea. Thanks! x

Unknown said...

Another planner tip: rolling luggage! There's nothing better than NOT having to lug heavy awkward storage containers from your car to the site.

Michelle@Everyday Celebrating

Christina @ Cookies are my Canvas said...

THAT is an awesome idea!! Reeeally wish I would have saw this fabulous tip last week as I was trying to organize myself for my daughter's Wizard of Oz party! Love the tip, too, of rolling luggage!
*Ü*

Andrea said...

I use bins, too. When company comes over during my party planning phase, I can just carry the bins into the master bedroom in one fell swoop, then bring them back to the dining room afterward. Easy peasy:)

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