UHeart Organizing: Last Minute Grocery Store Gift Box Ideas + FREE Printable!

The kids are counting the number of sleeps until Christmas, and it's getting closer and closer!  The excitement is building, the days are getting busier, the snow is falling... {in Wisconsin anyway}.  It truly is the most wonderful time of the year.

But what about those last minute moments where your heart sinks because you have somewhere to be and you don't have any ideas for a gift?  Not a fun feeling.  Good thing my friend, Serena of Pretty Fluffy, is here to share some incredible gifts that anyone would be smitten to receive.  And the best part is that they are all things you can find at your local market!

Uh-oh. Christmas is 5 days away. Now while I know that all the readers of IHeart Organizing would be super organized for the holiday season, you can’t always be prepared for the unexpected. Yep, I’m talking about those last minute gifts. Neighbors inviting you to surprise festive drinks, forgotten books club/mother’s group/street parties, work Christmas get togethers….sometimes you need a last minute gift that won’t break the budget or require a trip to the shopping mall in the insanity that is the few days before Christmas.

So today I’m sharing with you my last minute grocery store gifts-in-a-box ideas for the holiday season {that aren’t a tin of peanuts or a dollar store candle!}

All you’ll need is one trip to the grocery store, some easy DIY and these bonus printables from yours truly to get a gorgeous, thoughtful and personal gift in no time at all. Plus, these gifts can be made in bulk for groups, classes or relatives – no parking dramas, no mall bustling, no waiting in long queues guaranteed.

THE HOT CHOCOLATE GIFT BOX
A warming winter treat with a personal touch!

You’ll Need:

• Gift Box {can be store bought, or simply wrap a leftover postal box in gift wrap}
• Tissue Paper
• Cellophane Bags
• Ribbon
• Hot Chocolate Mix, Marshmallows, Candy Canes, Cinnamon Sticks etc
• Plain White Mug {from grocery or dollar store}
• Sharpie
• Recipe Card. Download Here.
• Plain white card stock.

To Make:

1. Print out your recipe card onto card stock and fill in the details of your favorite hot chocolate recipe. {Ensure you have included the ingredients in your box!}
2. Place your hot chocolate mix, marshmallows, candy canes, cinnamon sticks etc in separate cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon/twine to seal.
3. Write your personalized message or label on the mug with a Sharpie and then bake at 350F for 30 minutes. Allow to cool.
4. Simply pop your hot chocolate goodies in your gift box on tissue paper, along with personalized mug. Your recipient will now be able to enjoy a tasty hot treat in their personalized mug.
5. Wrap your box with ribbon.

NOTE: As PinterestFail will tell you, the Sharpie method of personalizing mugs can wear off after a while. If your recipient really loves it, they will need to hand wash their mug to keep the message safe.

THE COOKIE BOX
A hit for kids and kids-at-heart, this gift keeps giving throughout the year.

You’ll Need:

• Gift Box {can be store bought, or simply wrap a leftover postal box in gift wrap}
• Tissue Paper
• Ribbon
• Cookies {Home-made or store bought – no judgment here!!}
• Recipe Card. Download Here.
• Plain white card stock.

To Make:

1. Print out your recipe card onto card stock and fill in the details of your #1 all time favorite cookie recipe.
2. Simply pop your cookies in your gift box on tissue paper, and include your personalized recipe. Your recipient will have a yummy holiday snack, plus the recipe to make them themselves all year round!
3. Wrap your box with ribbon.

THE CUPCAKE BOX
Perfect for the sweet tooth, use our free printable to pass on your own homemade recipe.

You’ll Need:

• Gift Box {can be store bought, or simply wrap a leftover postal box in gift wrap}
• Tissue Paper
• Ribbon
• Cupcakes
• Recipe Card. Download Here.
• Plain white card stock.

To Make:

1. Print out your recipe card onto card stock and fill in the details of your top cupcake recipe.
2. Simply pop your cupcakes in your gift box on tissue paper, and include your personalized recipe.
3. Wrap your box with ribbon.

THE PET BOX
Who say’s the family dog has to be left out at Christmas? Here’s a fun grocery store gift for our furry friends.

You’ll Need:

• Gift Box {can be store bought, or simply wrap a leftover postal box in gift wrap}
• Tissue Paper
• Ribbon
• Dog Treats
• Recipe Card. Download Here.
• Plain white card stock.

To Make:

1. Print out your recipe card onto card stock and fill in the details of your favorite dog treat recipe.  You can find the Gingerbread treat recipe pictured above and many more in Pretty Fluffy’s eBook ’52 Weeks of Treats’!
2. Simply pop your treats in your gift box on tissue paper, and include your personalized recipe.  Now their pooch can enjoy year round treats!
3. Wrap your box with ribbon.

So there you have it! Four easy ways to give last minute gifts that won’t break the bank or require a last minute shopping expedition this Christmas.

Want more? Here are a few more ideas for last minute grocery store gifts-in-a-box:

THE TEA BOX. Fill with assortments of the latest must have brews.

THE NAIL BOX. Fill with various nail polishes, files and moisturizers – perfect for nail addicts!

THE GINGERBREAD BOX. Fill with ready made ginger-men, icing pens and decorations to allow your recipient to create their own gingerbread men!

THE OUT-OF-TOWNERS BOX. Fill will mints, amenities, and a handy personalized local guide of things to do during their visit.

THE CHOCOHOLICS BOX. Fill with chocolate dipped berries, truffles or home made sweets.

THE EMERGENCY BOX. Fill with an assortment of batteries for the kids Christmas present toys, and some head ache tablets + berocca for the adults suffering a Christmas hangover.

THE WRITERS BOX. Fill with cute post-it pads, pencils and erasers for the aspiring author.

THE GREEN THUMB BOX. Fill with packets of seeds for fresh herbs and flowers, plus gardening gloves for the keen gardener.

THE KIDS BOX. Fill with crayons, and lolly bags to keep the little ones happy.

THE BAKERS BOX. Fill with cupcake liners, sprinkles, measuring spoons and spatulas for the masterchef.

THE BEAUTY BOX. Fill with your favorite loofahs, body scrubs and moisturizers – perfect for pampering!

Happy Holidays IHeart Organizers! Here’s wishing you all a safe and happy Christmas season! xx

"I am Serena Faber Nelson, a television producer, writer and fluffy dog owner.  Obsessed with home décor, fashion, lifestyle and dogs – I set about creating Pretty Fluffy as a go-to guide for the modern pet owner.   Featuring a range of stylish products, celebrity pooches, DIY projects and handy hints, Pretty Fluffy is a daily stop for smiles and inspiration, giving readers the tools they need to enjoy full and happy lives with their furry friends. 

My greatest loves include fresh peonies, Dirty Dancing (Nobody puts Baby in a corner), Banoffe Pie, spending waaay too much time on Pinterest, and hugging random dogs at the park.  I currently live in Sydney, Australia with my husband, Andy, and my 11 year old Border Collie, Soda. As a long time fan, I am super excited to be joining the IHeart Organizing Team!"

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UHeart Organizing: A Bright + Organized Entry

Although my friend, Serena of Pretty Fluffy, typically chats about organizing for pets {she is the biggest pet lover I know}, she also uses her organizing skills all over her home!  I am gaga over her newly organized entry, it is just so darn pretty!

 

The entryway is every home's mission control. It needs to multi-task every day, offering a stylish greeting to guests, an organized dumping ground for keys, phones and everyday items, and that last chance 'have I got everything' moment before you walk out the door.

Surprisingly for such an important area of our homes, it's the last thing we think to style and organize. Case in point? Me.

This was our entryway. An old hall table with very little storage which led to purses, magazines, shoes, mail and who knows what else dumped in a ultra-messy way. Not exactly what I wanted to be greeted with when I walked through the door.

I had done a half-hearted attempt of organizing the chaos with a bowl for our mail and keys, but as you can see no-one really bought into that theory. What this space needed, was a complete overhaul.

Without a big budget to complete this task, I first set about seeing what I could use already in my home to transform my entry space.

My first 'aha' moment came when I noticed our old Expedit sitting sadly in our study. Filled with broken boxes, old books and dated files it's been on my list for a while to clean out and repurpose.  Bingo!

With the addition of some new legs, I had found my entryway skeleton. Now she just needed some dressing up.

HIS + HERS ENTRY STATION 

My first dressing task was establishing a streamlined, organized place for everyday items such as keys, phones, wallets and mail.

I found these Martha Stewart desk caddies and knew the drawers would be perfect for keys, phones and wallets, with the top making a perfect 'His and Hers' mail box. To add a splash of colour and to avoid confusion, I printed up a simple chevron pattern in grey which I affixed with double sided tape to my husband's tray, and then mine in pink. I customized the back of the trays, drilling a small hole in each - big enough to pass through a charge cord so our phones could charge up at the entryway station.

With my purse popped just below, and a mirror stationed above for last minute touch-ups, I've got a go-to area whenever I'm getting ready to walk out the door.

INSPIRATION STATION 

Moving on, I needed a way to display invitations, cards, our monthly calendar and weekly notes that often got lost in the clutter. While my husband and I often use our phones for keeping track of meetings and work schedules, we always use a monthly calender to make sure we're both aware of birthdays, upcoming travel and big events to keep an eye on.

By adding a new lick of paint to an old pin board I'm able to display our calender along with our favourite cards, invitations and the like. Organized and inspirational, our entry pin board now starts my day with a smile.

DAILY CHALKBOARD 

While the monthly calender keeps us organized on a large scale, I needed something for little reminders such as 'Don't forget to pick up the dry cleaning before 5pm!" For this task I repurposed an old photo frame, by removing the glass and replacing with a small sheet of wood paneling painted with chalkboard paint. Whenever we have to share a daily reminder we just pop it on the chalkboard.

We also now like using it to write little messages to each other - a great way to share a bit of happiness with each other during our busy weeks.

LAPTOP + MAGAZINE STATION 

The next step was a place for our larger items - namely our work laptops and reading materials. I really wanted something versatile, yet inexpensive. A six pack of DIY magazine holders did the trick!

With a designated spot for magazines and papers, it really clears the clutter from the entryway surfaces. Plus, by affixing a cable clip to the side wall, I had a ready made laptop docking station hidden away with no messy cords.

PET STATION 

Of course, what would an entryway in my home be without some pet friendly elements. A cute hook attached to the inspiration board keeps the dog's leash in easy reach.  A basket of flip-flops and slippers ensures that whether we're racing out the door for a walk, or getting ready to stay in and snuggle up on the coach, our feet are happy!

Last but not least is a dog bowl positioned in the perfect place so I never forget to keep my pooch topped up with fresh water. {To make your own DIY dog bowl like the one pictured see my tutorial here}

SHOPPING STATION 

The final thing I needed on my list, was a place to pop those pesky receipts, coupons, junk mail and little bits and bobs that had become quite good at overtaking the entry.

Rescuing these used pink boxes from storage, a bit of a clean up - including new labels and ribbon handles - had them good as new.

To do my bit for the planet, I designated one box for 'Recycling' - a place to put junk mail and used envelopes, instead of throwing them in the trash. The second made the perfect home for our environmentally friendly shopping bags, and a spot to keep items that needed to be returned or exchanged at the store. Never again would I go to the shops only to discover I'd forgotten them!

The final piece was a small filing system for our coupons and receipts - a handy system to keep track of our spending and saving with no mess or fuss.

So there you have it - my Bright + Organized Entry Before and After. I have to say I'm loving my new entry space. It makes saying 'Hello' and 'Goodbye' to my home effortless and efficient. But before I leave you, I want to share my top 5 top tips for organizing and styling your entryway:

1. Plan for your needs. Before you change anything start making notes of what your entryway is missing. Just as every family is different, every entryway is different. Mine was for a young couple and their fluffy dog. Yours may be for a family of five, or a couple with a new baby, or a single girl with roommates. You may not need a laptop station or spot for the dog leash - what you may need is an area for the kids' school bags and homework; a place to store the diaper bag; or a space to discard your fabulous heels.
2. Take a note of where the clutter is coming from. I had BIG problems with the mail, keys, and electronics in our entryway - as well as the issue of shoes discarded throughout our home. By dedicating organized areas for these items in your entryway, you make it easy to stay on top of the clutter monster.
3. Try to keep purses sitting on shelving rather than hanging. A purse maker once told me hanging a handbag by its straps can stretch the handle causing it to wear out sooner. The same goes for coats. Hang them on a hanger on the back of a door rather than hooks, to ensure they keep their shape.
4. Add a bit of luxury to your entryway. Because of its need to be functional and efficient, this can be easily forgotten. But remember your entryway is the first thing you will see when you come home every day. I added a decorative mirror that I had been lusting after for 7 years - no joke! A small posy of flowers {fresh or fake}, a scented candle or a comfy pair of soft slippers to slide into to the end of the day can make all the difference when you walk in the door.
5. Make your entryway reflect you and your family! My entryway has its fair share of the colour pink and dog related elements - it's pure me. Your entryway needs to be all about you. When planning your entryway, put up your children's artwork, work to your favourite colours and let the space make a statement about who lives there - you!

Now over to you! What tips do you have for a stylish and organized entryway? What would your dream entryway be?

"I am Serena Faber Nelson, a television producer, writer and fluffy dog owner.  Obsessed with home décor, fashion, lifestyle and dogs – I set about creating Pretty Fluffy as a go-to guide for the modern pet owner.   Featuring a range of stylish products, celebrity pooches, DIY projects and handy hints, Pretty Fluffy is a daily stop for smiles and inspiration, giving readers the tools they need to enjoy full and happy lives with their furry friends. 

My greatest loves include fresh peonies, Dirty Dancing (Nobody puts Baby in a corner), Banoffe Pie, spending waaay too much time on Pinterest, and hugging random dogs at the park.  I currently live in Sydney, Australia with my husband, Andy, and her 11 year old Border Collie, Soda. As a long time fan, I am super excited to be joining the IHeart Organizing Team!"

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UHeart Organizing: A Pretty Pet Toy Storage Solution

Some of you may have pets.  Some may have kids.  Some may consider your pets your kids.  Like us.  Sometimes I just let people know I have five kids, since I have three boys and two furry pups.  And for me, taking good care of our pooches, and organizing for them as well, is extremely important.  So I frequently find myself turning to my favorite pet blogger, Serena from Pretty Fluffy for inspiration and ideas.  Here she is today to share how she has gained control of her pup's toy situation in a pretty, creative and very simple way.

Pet Toy Box Organization in 3 Easy Steps

Hello beautiful IHeart readers! I am super excited to be here today and completely floored to be sharing my ideas with such a creative and generous community. Here we go!

When people first get to know me, they quickly soon learn I have two great loves in my life - Dogs and Organization. {Apologies my dear husband!} The problem with having these two great loves? Well, they make as good a combination as mashed potato and chocolate. GREAT on their own, but together? Not so much. You see dogs care very little about organization. Their world is a tornado of dirt, hair and paw prints. And there's no better example of this than a pet's toy box.

The first thing you get told as a pet owner is to keep your new puppy or kitten happy and stimulated with a good swag of toys. So you buy a storage container, pop in the toys and congratulate yourself with a margarita for a job well done. But lo and behold, over the course of time the toy box starts to resemble this:

Yes, this was my dog's toy box. My secret shame. A complete waste of space in our high traffic living room area, filled with toys covered in dirt, slobber and in a constant state of disrepair. Other than being a complete eyesore, it was also taking up a lot of my time picking up ALL the toys throughout the yard and house, and returning them to the toy box, only to have to pick them up again the next day. But what to do? Well, I set out about creating the perfect pet toy box system in just three simple steps!

 

STEP ONE - Get Sorted!

Go through your pet's toys and sort them into 4 piles – KEEP, CLEAN/REPAIR, DONATE, TRASH.

KEEP means an toy that your dog still uses, that remain in good condition.

CLEAN/REPAIR is for toys that your dog still loves, but may need to be washed {Note: many pet toys are either washing machine or dishwasher safe - just check the label} or repaired {stuffing replaced, sewn back together etc} before they can be returned to daily rotation. If you have a dog like mine that loves tearing out the stuffing of toys - this pile could be rather large!

DONATE stands for toys that your pooch no longer uses but remains in good condition. Handy Tip: There is nothing quite like giving a bunch of toys to a rescue shelter - you totally feel like Santa Claus!

TRASH is just that – toys that cannot be repaired and need to be thrown out or recycled. Remember that broken items can be harmful to your dog’s health so this is no time to be sentimental.

Once you have your piles, action all four, meaning at the end of your clean out you should be left with one pile of ‘Keep’ items and one pile of repaired and freshly washed toys that can join them.

STEP TWO - Make Your Boxes

You'll Need:

• 2 x Storage Boxes. I chose these Rattan Baskets from IKEA as they are easy to assemble, clean and low cost.
• Ribbon 
• Wood Offcuts measuring 4 x 3 inches
• Chalkboard Paint
• Tools: Drill, paintbrush

To Make:

1. Assemble Boxes {unlike most Ikea items, these boxes assemble in about 5 seconds and require no instructions!}
2. Drill two holes at the top of each wooden block about half an inch in from the corner.
3. Paint your wooden blocks all over with chalkboard paint.
4. Once the paint is dry, thread the ribbon through the holes and then again through the rattan weave at the front of the box and tie inside the box to secure. At the end, your boxes should look a bit like this:

 

STEP THREE - Create an IN & OUT System

The final step is to label your boxes 'IN' and 'OUT' by writing with chalk on the labels. Place the boxes side by side in a convenient area of your home - I chose my laundry cupboard.

From here, put all of your freshly cleaned, repaired and kept toys into the OUT box. Now for the fun part!

Every morning {or every few days dependent on how active your dog is} take 3-5 toys out of the box for you pet to play with. When it comes time to round up these toys, place them back in the IN box and swap them for more toys from the OUT box. When one basket becomes empty just erase and re-label the chalkboard boards and start the process all over again!

This system has been a life saver for me in so many ways....

1. I no longer have a messy toy box cluttering up my living space. I actually get to use that space for a coffee table! I know. Crazy!
2. There are no longer a million toys floating around my house at any one time creating mess.
3. Before I return toys to the IN box I get to check them to see if they need cleaning or repairs. Squeakers and stuffing within pet toys can be harmful to your pets, so it's good to keep a close eye on this.
4. No more toys are left out in the yard for weeks on end resulting in irreparable damage.
5. My dog LOVES getting new toys every few days and never gets bored!

Voila! Now you have a space saving toy box that keeps the everyday mess out of the way and your pet entertained at all times. Win-win!

Thanks for having me today Jen! But now over to everyone here...What are your secrets for pet toy organization? 

"I am Serena Faber Nelson, a television producer, writer and fluffy dog owner.  Obsessed with home décor, fashion, lifestyle and dogs – I set about creating Pretty Fluffy as a go-to guide for the modern pet owner.   Featuring a range of stylish products, celebrity pooches, DIY projects and handy hints, Pretty Fluffy is a daily stop for smiles and inspiration, giving readers the tools they need to enjoy full and happy lives with their furry friends. 

My greatest loves include fresh peonies, Dirty Dancing (Nobody puts Baby in a corner), Banoffe Pie, spending waaay too much time on Pinterest, and hugging random dogs at the park.  I currently live in Sydney, Australia with my husband, Andy, and her 11 year old Border Collie, Soda. As a long time fan, I am super excited to be joining the IHeart Organizing Team!"

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