Craft a Better World: Make it Monday!

Hello friends! Today is the first entry in the Make it Monday series. A few weeks ago, Tip Junkie featured several closet/clothing organizer projects. I liked all of the projects, but probably relied mostly on this one when I designed mine. This project is super-simple. I love it for a couple of reasons. First, when Baby K came along, I was overwhelmed by the task of organizing the generous amount of clothing that was given to us. I wish I had had some of these nifty things. Second, anyone can make these little closet dividers. There are no special skills or talents required. They are cheap, they are partially recycled, and they make great gifts. What more could you ask for?

I made these for a friend in my MOPS group right after I read Tip Junkie's feature. I am going to a baby shower in a couple of weeks for another friend and I thought you might enjoy learning how to make some too!

First, you need to make a template. Here's how I made mine:

I didn't take pics of this the first time around, so I'm showing you how I did it by
using a piece of paper. I made my actual template from a piece of corrugated
cardboard. Trace around the canister of nuts.

Add straight lines down the side. I wanted a rounded top with a squared-off
bottom. You definitely want the bottom part to be heavier than the top
part so it will hang correctly. Draw a line across the bottom edge.

Cut out your template. Use an object with a smaller circumference to
draw a circle in the middle. Make sure it's large enough to go around a
closet rack. Trace around this smaller circle.

Cut a line up the center of your divider from the bottom edge to the
inner circle, then cut out the inner circle. On the right is the
cardboard template I made the first time around.

I know that's a little tedious, but you only have to do that part once, then you can use the template over and over again. You can make yours any shape you like. Just remember to make sure that it's a little bottom-heavy so it won't flip flop when you hang it in the closet. Moving on to the actual dividers:

Start with some (empty!) paperboard packaging.

Using your template as a guide (clearly my template was made from
a Capri Sun box!), cut six pieces of paperboard that are a little
larger than your template.

I cut each of three 12"x12" scrapbooking papers in half to
end up with six 6"x12" pieces of paper.

Fold each piece of paper in half lengthwise. Spread glue across
one side of a piece of paperboard and stick it to one half of a
piece of paper. Smear glue on the other side of the paperboard
and fold the paper up to laminate the paperboard. Repeat with
remaining pieces of paperboard and paper.

Before you move on to this step - make sure the glue has dried.
You will be much happier with the result. Ask me how I know ;-)
Now trace around your template LIGHTLY with a pencil.

Cut along your pencil line. Start adding your labels. If I had cool
handwriting, I would do these by hand. Since I don't have cool
handwriting, I used stickers. I make a set of six dividers: 0-3mos,
3-6mos, 6-9mos, 9-12mos, 12-18mos and 18-24mos.

I used numbers and letters from 2 packs of these stickers.
I have a lot of stickers left for another project.
Once I got the stickers on the dividers, I decided to go
around them with a red marker to make them stand out a little more.

Ta da!

Cost for this project:
3 sheets of scrapbook paper @ $0.59/ea = $1.77
2 packs of stickers @ $1.39/ea = $2.78
Total: $4.55 + about an hour of my time (includes making the template)

These look really cute packaged up in a cello bag with lots of curling ribbon. For my friend at MOPS, this was enough. I don't know her very well, but still wanted to give her something to express my congratulations. For the friend who will get these car-themed cuties, I will probably still pack them in cello, but then use them to decorate a box or bag containing an additional gift. We're practically family, so I want to do something extra special for her. Anyway, I don't think you can beat a custom handmade gift for under $5. Enjoy!

And now for today's spring cleaning assignment: to tackle two of my kitchen drawers - my silverware drawer and my junk drawer. I'm only allowing myself 20 minutes to do both of them. Here's the before pics: