The good people at Brother sent me a P-Touch labeler (PT-1280) to try out and tell everyone what I thought; I know, lucky me! I have to say that I love organizing stuff and I love having a place for everything and everything in its place. I just think better when the area around me is nice and neat, it calms me. The reality is my surroundings are rarely like that - single crafting mom to three kids at home all day plus a dozen+ animals just doesn't make for a neat-as-a-pin kind of home and honestly I have had to work hard to find a comfort level that works for me - balancing my ideals versus reality. Anyway, one of the simplest things you can do to organize a space is to label everything. You might have a drawer for scissors, a can for markers, a plastic tub for yarn, but by putting a label on the container those items have laid claim to that space and it really does keep away the stray marker in the scissors drawer or stuffing in the yarn box because, after all, the label says scissors or markers or yarn and those labels mean business, darn it! So, onto the labeler; well, it couldn't be any simpler! I'm usually a read-the-directions-first kind of person but since I didn't have my reading glasses nearby, ahem, I just started poking around on it. Put in the batteries, add the tape, turn it on and start typing up labels. You can change the size and look of the letters which is nice plus there are different color tapes, even clear, if you want to get fancy. A little tip, when you are printing out a lot of labels, just put spaces between the words and cut them apart later rather than printing one label at a time - you'll save a lot of tape that way. It works just as well in the kids rooms as the craft room and letting the kids organize and label their own space is a great first step in learning to organize and keeping things put away in the right spot.
One day I'll share new photos of my studio. I moved all my things into a new space and it's workable but I don't have it prettied up enough to share just yet.
I can't believe people didn't know that label makers change lives. No seriously! I had one for a while and have recently upgraded. *sigh*. Will go back to support group now...
Posted by: kirst | 04/26/2009 at 10:46 PM
Gack! I love this kind of gadget. We had a gun-type label maker when I was a kid -- we would move the dial for each letter and click out our names, over and over, until the cartridge was gone. My poor sweet mother. Bless her heart, with us kids.
I want one of these now!
Posted by: deirdre | 02/27/2009 at 01:38 PM
I'm working on organization also. I would love a label maker, but i'd have to find it at the right price.
Posted by: Michelle Barrow | 02/17/2009 at 03:56 PM
I need a label maker, I think it would actually make my life soooo much easier hah!
Posted by: heather | 02/10/2009 at 10:57 AM
I guess I have to get one of this, because my work room is a completely mess! (I'm afraid this mess is more about me than about not having a labeler, but hey!, it might be helpful!)
Posted by: Camino Uribe | 02/08/2009 at 06:14 AM
I would love to have a label maker like this.
Posted by: Melissa B. | 02/05/2009 at 11:49 PM
LOL I have to tell you the first thought that came into my head. Can it spell 'clutter'? I need several labels that say clutter. Maybe that would shame me into organizing!
Posted by: Lallee | 02/05/2009 at 03:14 PM
forget the label maker! show me pics of your new studio!! i'm always on the prowl for new studio organization ideas. it seems like its too easy to get stuck in a semi-function rut with my creative space and its useful to get other thoughts and ideas to jump start my own. great blog, btw! very inspirational. you have a very unique style that i adore! thanks for being awesome. =)
Posted by: Patchwork Underground | 02/03/2009 at 10:31 AM
forget the label maker! show me pics of your new studio!! i'm always on the prowl for new studio organization ideas. it seems like its too easy to get stuck in a semi-function rut with my creative space and its useful to get other thoughts and ideas to jump start my own. great blog, btw! very inspirational. you have a very unique style that i adore! thanks for being awesome. =)
Posted by: Patchwork Underground | 02/03/2009 at 10:31 AM
forget the label maker! show me pics of your new studio!! i'm always on the prowl for new studio organization ideas. it seems like its too easy to get stuck in a semi-function rut with my creative space and its useful to get other thoughts and ideas to jump start my own. great blog, btw! very inspirational. you have a very unique style that i adore! thanks for being awesome. =)
Posted by: Patchwork Underground | 02/03/2009 at 10:31 AM
forget the label maker! show me pics of your new studio!! i'm always on the prowl for new studio organization ideas. it seems like its too easy to get stuck in a semi-function rut with my creative space and its useful to get other thoughts and ideas to jump start my own. great blog, btw! very inspirational. you have a very unique style that i adore! thanks for being awesome. =)
Posted by: Patchwork Underground | 02/03/2009 at 10:31 AM
forget the label maker! show me pics of your new studio!! i'm always on the prowl for new studio organization ideas. it seems like its too easy to get stuck in a semi-function rut with my creative space and its useful to get other thoughts and ideas to jump start my own. great blog, btw! very inspirational. you have a very unique style that i adore! thanks for being awesome. =)
Posted by: Patchwork Underground | 02/03/2009 at 10:30 AM
forget the label maker! show me pics of your new studio!! i'm always on the prowl for new studio organization ideas. it seems like its too easy to get stuck in a semi-function rut with my creative space and its useful to get other thoughts and ideas to jump start my own. great blog, btw! very inspirational. you have a very unique style that i adore! thanks for being awesome. =)
Posted by: Patchwork Underground | 02/03/2009 at 10:30 AM
forget the label maker! show me pics of your new studio!! i'm always on the prowl for new studio organization ideas. it seems like its too easy to get stuck in a semi-function rut with my creative space and its useful to get other thoughts and ideas to jump start my own. great blog, btw! very inspirational. you have a very unique style that i adore! thanks for being awesome. =)
Posted by: Patchwork Underground | 02/03/2009 at 10:29 AM
I love to see studios redone-can't wait to see yours. I need to totally re-org mine and it seems to be a running theme among others as I visit blogs.
Suzanne in CT
Posted by: suzanne urban | 02/02/2009 at 02:59 PM
I love, love LOVE my P-Touch label maker. At first I thought it was a really odd (and so stereotypically funny) gift to get from my husband for Christmas but I love it. it's perfect for my anally-organized self.
I just clicked over to check out your crochet heart garland from last year. I love it! It's so cute and the colors you used are darling. I'll be linking.
Posted by: Rachel | 02/02/2009 at 12:35 PM
I am extremely jealous! I would love to have a label maker - I dream of having a label maker. It would be great for my art and craft corner, and in the kitchen too.
Posted by: thereddeer | 02/01/2009 at 06:35 PM
Those are great! My husband has one similar too and it is very handy!
~Emily
Posted by: Emily Moss | 02/01/2009 at 01:02 AM
how cool! you are lucky to get to try that label maker! i would be going crazy labeling everything lol
Posted by: alycia | 01/31/2009 at 08:12 PM
I love my label maker. Now if I could actually keep the drawers organized the labeler would actually serve it's purpose!
Posted by: Stephanie | 01/31/2009 at 07:34 AM
Cute title, made me smile.
We have a similar label maker at my work. I really like it.
Posted by: Mel G | 01/30/2009 at 09:39 PM
I love our label maker but hubby LOOOOOOOVES it. I am constantly going around the house finding labels on things... and they don't even label what the thing is. For example, on our stereo he has put a label that says, "the voices are in here." On the tv it says, "people are in here." On the microwave it says, "let me out." lol. He's a goober. What would the world be without a good label maker?
Posted by: kristin rose | 01/30/2009 at 12:03 PM
Oh I love my label maker. Now if I can just find the time and motivation to put it to good use, all will be right with the world.
Posted by: Karla | 01/30/2009 at 08:26 AM
I have a label maker and I love it! I have tons of bins with kids stuff that I labeled so we can easily find the playdough in one place and so forth. I have some other stuff I want to label but I ran out of tape. So frustrating. I have to remember to get some! (I too love the embossing one as a kid. I see gum ones at Joann's but I don't chew gum so I conviced myself not to buy it)
Posted by: Sam D. | 01/28/2009 at 09:43 AM
So that's what I need - the kids and I seem capable of remembering where things go, but that's sadly beyond the capabilities of my husband... He'll put my screw drivers away in the cutlery drawer. It's not even logical. How do you even start to train someone like that? But... he can read. Maybe labels would work.
Posted by: UK lass in US | 01/28/2009 at 09:32 AM