#I almost have my infinite food storage finished I just need to get the area cool enough to deep freeze the food

[arolesbianism]

Whenever I watch someone play oni I always get so caught off guard when they cut and it's like 100 cycles later but then I remembered that most ppl actually use the fast forward buttons and I'm the weirdo who sits there at normal speed just watching large scale constructions slowly inch forwards while also pausing every other minute to plan out the next 3 projects I wanna work on next

[starcrossedkaiju]

Kingslayer AU: Chapter Eight

I don’t know what to say other than I like this one. Rendog enjoyers come get your free angst!

Scott filled the pages of his sketchbook gradually at first. He sat at his window and drew what he saw, focusing on putting shapes on the paper. Many times he was unhappy with the finished product, almost ripping out and throwing away his limited space.

He had to learn to be okay with it. The next time it would be a bit better, and a bit better, until the tree he’d been slaving over didn’t look half bad.

Soon his interests turned to drawing his friends. Their faces would pop up on his pages, drowned in eraser smudges at first. Then it became easy. Like second nature, he could memorize Grian’s knowing grin, Jimmy’s downturned eyes, Martyn’s slightly crooked nose.

He drew the way he saw Ren’s piercing yellow eyes that night, the way they were shadowed by his brow.

It felt better. To have a place where his memories could stay exactly the way he saw them. Scott even pinned some up on the wall of his room.

Soon his supply of paper started dwindling, Martyn told him if he needed more drawing paper to come back and ask him for some. So he did, after Jimmy went to bed and the world was quiet under the snow.

Scott made a trip to the Renchanting base, entering through the tunnel hidden under the mountain. It took him right to the storage area. Which was dark and deserted. Only a clock ticked on the wall, everyone else must have been in the sleeping quarters or back at their bases to fend off the Phantoms.

He took a torch from the “stuff chest” and started making rounds, looking at each storage container. Food, Armor, ores, wood, stone, and redstone. Until there was a wall of chests with people’s names on them.

Everyone in the Red Army had a chest, from left to right there was Ren, Martyn, Etho, Skiz, Impulse, Tango, Joel, and then Scott.

The last chest on the right side, Scott’s name was carved on top. It hadn’t been there before. He placed his hand on the lock, wondering if he should even bother opening it. Someone had cared enough to dedicate a space for him to put things. Under the roof of Dogwarts no less.

His torch flickered and Scott decided he’d spent too long lurking around, so he flipped the lock up and quietly opened the chest. Slowly so it wouldn’t creek.

Inside there was a single stack of drawing paper. Hand-sewn like the one Martyn had given him.

Scott placed the torch down and retrieved the paper. He knew it must have been Martyn. A smile found its way onto his face, and he let it stay there. This time, when nobody was looking.

Blowing out the torch and closing the chest, Scott gathered the sketchbook and decided to just leave through the front. It was almost midnight anyways.

Up the stairs and to the double doors of the enchanting room. The book on the table rose from its position and opened towards him as he walked past. Scott still had his hand on the doorknob when he opened it and stepped out into the frigid night.

Of course he didn’t expect to see anything, so when he did see something he froze in place.

In the spot that Martyn would typically occupy, on the very top of the walls sat Ren. His grey cape was bundled around himself to keep out the cold and his pointed ears were pressed low on his head. He was facing away from Scott.

Huddled on the perch, Ren’s shoulders were shaking. Silently, he cried.

Scott stood in the doorway motionless. He couldn’t believe the scene in front of him. Ren wasn’t one to cry. He was calculating and smart, rarely loosing his temper to even the worst of setbacks. A humorous man in charge of an Army of vagabonds, he never cried. He never expressed so much as a single weakness, he couldn’t afford that.

So it really shouldn’t have been a surprise, not really, that the Red King would save his sorrow for when nobody should be looking. Under the loneliest arm of the Milky Way, coldly gazing down on him. The weight of every star in the sky on his shoulders.

It made him look small.

Scott backed away from the door and ran back to the tunnel he came from, the kind of running you do when you are convinced your worst nightmare is snapping at your heels; and maybe for Scott it was.

He sprinted home without looking back. Trying to shove the image of Ren out the back of his mind.

That night he crept quietly back into bed, doing his best not to disturb Jimmy. Who stirred momentarily before simply turning over.

Scott stared at the arm of the Milky Way through the window until he fell into a dreamless sleep.

Days pressed by, Scott slithered too and from the walls of Dogwarts under the noses of his allies and between Spy Ring meetings. The first page of his new sketchbook lay empty, because whenever his pencil hovered above that damn page all he could see was a man huddled up under a galaxy of stars that would never return his wishes.

So when he was called out on night watch to the Renchanting base, Scott snuck out with his empty sketchbook held close to his chest. He arrived to a sleeping base, aware that his shift would be over in an hour and he would get to go home when the next guard showed up.

He yawned and stared out the window, at the stars above the wall. A pencil came to his hand and he started drawing what he saw. The shape of the wall against the glowing sky. He drew it, but it wasn’t right. The image in his mind came back to the front.

A weeping man holding a million stars on his shaking shoulders, the end of his frayed cape flaring out when the breeze kicked up. Tiny compared to the infinite sky. Scott’s fingers and palm turned black with graphite as he crafted the cosmos onto that paper.

His scribbling and smudging consumed all his thoughts as he focused on making the scene perfect, the pencil dulled and threatened to snap under the pressure.

“Major,” a stern voice came from right behind him.

Scott seized up in his chair, a feeling of terror so pure exploded in his chest that his vision left him for a few seconds. He gasped and turned around with his jaw on the floor.

Behind him was Ren. Clad in his winter jacket, a hand on the back of Scott’s chair. He stared directly into the other’s eyes from behind the dark lenses of his aviators. All the color had gone from his face.

Hoping the Red King hadn’t seen what he was drawing, Scott moved his hand to close the book.

It was too late. Ren had been watching him draw for long enough to know.

“You saw me?” Ren asked, but it was phrased more like a fact. It was.

Scott’s hesitation was enough of an answer. He stared up into Ren’s glasses, reminded of a familiar time. This time was different though, and this time Scott wished he could see behind the lenses.

He nodded and tore his eyes away, it felt intrusive to be staring.

“Ren,” Scott said to the floor, but was dismissed.

“No. Just go home. Now,” the other man ordered with a wavering voice.

Scott didn’t nod, he didn’t look at Ren. He gathered the sketchbook and slammed it shut within five seconds.

He didn’t say goodbye as he fled the walls. Scott ran from Ren, and this time he felt bad about it.

Scott didn’t return to Dogwarts for a week after that. Nobody called him to the night shift, nobody asked him to run any supplies. Maybe he was grateful for that, in the sense that he wouldn’t have to look Ren in the eyes again.

Until one night he couldn’t sleep. The clouds cast a dark blanket over the sky. Scott huffed and crawled out of bed, not bothering to change out of his pajamas. He pulled his boots on and took his coat off the hanger.

A walk is what he told himself he was going on, but really he knew where he was going. He didn’t know why, but for some reason Scott had a feeling he wasn’t the only one that couldn’t sleep.

This time instead of entering Dogwarts through the underground he rounded the front, cresting the hill right in front of Big B’s house. Scott scanned the top of the wall and saw what he was looking for. He shoved his hands in his pockets and entered Dogwarts through the front door.

Scott climbed the ladder and balanced himself as he walked over to Ren, who was sitting with his legs dangling over the side of the wall. His jacket was pulled tightly around him. Scott didn’t greet him when he sat down, Ren had seen him coming a mile away.

Ren didn’t look at him, he breathed in heavily, then sighed out a burst of vapor into the cold air.

“You couldn’t sleep?” Scott started the conversation this time.

“Wouldn’t matter if I could. I’m on night watch,” Ren said after a beat of silence.

Scott nodded, turning his head to the dark sky, “it’d be nicer with some stars, hm?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Ren trailed off. He stared at his shoes.

“Okay I’m sorry, I’ll just-“ Scott made to get up and leave but Ren interrupted him.

“No, wait, you can stay,” Ren pulled on the sleeve of Scott’s elbow.

Scott nodded and pulled his knees closer to his chest. A pocket of clouds had moved, creating a window that let the moon gaze upon the Earth.

“Do you stargaze a lot?” Ren asked, this time he looked at Scott.

He wasn’t wearing his sunglasses.

“I try,” Scott replied, “there’s this huge book I found uh, In a village library a while ago. It has everything you can possibly see from down here in it,” he mused.

“Have you ever read one?” Scott asked.

“Uh, an astronomy book?” Ren’s eyes flicked to the left in thought, “I mean I’ve seen them. I haven’t read them. You like astronomy?” he asked.

Scott nodded, then pointed north, into the cloud cover, “you can’t see it now, but Ursa Major would be right over there,” he said.

Ren looked over like he was trying to imagine it, “you like Ursa Major?”

“Easiest to remember,” Scott said plainly.

“I’ll bet. S’ like a namesake,” Ren rested his chin on his palm, “I wish I had a constellation with my name,” his ear twitched on his head.

Scott’s metaphorical ears perked up, “Oh well, there’s one kind of like that,” he said. Ren’s actual ears perked up.

“It’s called Canis Major. It means Great Dog, or Big Dog,” Scott pointed south, “it will always be easy to see on a clear day. One of its stars is called Sirius,” he explained.

Ren nodded, “I’m familiar. Brightest in the sky, right?”

“Yeah. That’s right,” Scott replied.

“Canis Major huh?” Ren repeated. Scott nodded.

“Canis Major, and,” he looked over at Scott, “Scott Major,” Ren nudged the other on the shoulder.

“Right,” Scott said, and suddenly the sky didn’t feel so heavy anymore.

Not when you have a friend to share it with.

[wicked-game-black-butler]

Sorry it's taken me a while to speak up, but if you still have spaces, I have a question and a request. My question is this; what's your favourite arc of Black Butler, and why? For my request, I would like to ask for Undertaker x Reader (female) please. As for headcannons, here we go; 1) First meeting 2) Admitting feelings 3) First time having sex 4) Favourite things to do during sex 5) Finding out S/O is sick 6) Ways he gets S/O 'in the mood' ;)

@jasminewitch-blog  No worries, there’s no need to apologize.  Thank you for your interest and for following me.  I hope you enjoy the headcanons for everyone’s favorite mortician.

As for your question, the real answer is that I love almost all of the arcs of Kuroshitsuji because each arc had something about it that really sparked my interest, or had development for a character that I wanted to know more about or wanted to see grow, or made me consider deeper questions about humanity and life in general.  That being said, it was difficult to choose, but ultimately I think I’d have to choose The Green Witch arc.  I enjoyed it for multiple reasons, but the top reasons were: all of the servants were present and were able to showcase their abilities and strengths, rather than mainly being a comedy piece (which I am fine with, btw, but I like the contrasting duality between how they’re usually depicted and when they show why they deserve to be Phantomhive servants); Sebastian’s true nature and abilities were brought to the forefront again in spectacular fashion (whether it’s confusion at his tears or when he begins to act on his right to O!Ciel’s soul when it appears he’s retracting on his revenge or when he burns down the lab and we get to see his reveling in being able to flex his demonic powers-I’d be lying if I said that the last one doesn’t make me a little weak in the knees); and that with the addition of Sieglinde to the story, we finally have a female character who is O!Ciel’s equal in both intellect and determination and I really like their dynamic and I’m always for strong female characters in stories, no matter their age.

 Now as for your request, you’ll find it underneath the “Keep Reading” line.  I wanted to be safe and hide it somewhat since some of them are NSFW. (That is, if it shows up this time.  I triple checked that I had added it to the Vincent request, but it disappeared into the void when I posted it...oh well)

Undertaker/Fem!Reader

The circumstances under which you met Undertaker were not ideal.  You had been born into poverty on the East End and it was by some cruel miracle that you had survived until adulthood.  Your days were riddled with anxiety over basic necessities- where your next meal would come from or how you were going to keep warm in the winter.  It was difficult given there were three mouths to keep fed in your household.  So you did what you could to help provide for your parents and yourself, scraping by on thin soups and coin you earned from performing odd jobs here and there for those of the self made middle class who weren’t pretentious enough to let your background overshadow your skills with a needle.  It had been a bittersweet relief when the fever took your parents.  You had loved them, of course, but you couldn’t ignore the inherent practical advantage to having two less bellies to fill, two less aged ones to care for.  However, that relief was short lived when the realization struck you...you now had no home, no protection, and no food.  If you didn’t act quickly, you would be dead within a week or worse.  That was how you had stumbled upon the Undertaker’s shoppe.  You had been searching about for any odd job you could perform, any seamstress who might take pity on your plight and take you on for a day or two in exchange for a warm meal and a corner in their back storage room where you could rest your weary bones, when you heard the pleasant sound of humming coming from down the alley.  Curious, you slipped in between the two buildings and followed the humming to where the back door to the Undertaker’s shoppe, which was propped open to let in the warm summer breeze.  You cautiously glanced around the corner of the to see the back of a tall, robe clad man as he stood by a table where he appeared to be tending to someone’s body.  You were about to continue on your way when, as the man stepped out of the room, having been called by the sound of a bell that had chimed from somewhere inside the building, you spotted a heavily jeweled necklace.  Your eyes grew wide as the sun glinted off the precious jewelry.  That would get you enough money to eat for a week and provide a dry, warm bed for you to sleep in.  So, without a second thought, you rushed into the room, snatching the necklace and fleeing down the alleyway before the man could return.  This went on for two months.  Every couple of weeks, you would stop by the Undertaker’s shoppe and swipe something of value from the room.  They were corpses, anyway.  Why did they need such embellishments?  All it took was one time.  One time when you were too confident, too desperate to refuse the large ruby broach that sat on the table, almost begging for you to take it.  As your fingers wrapped around the cold stone, a firm hand gripped your shoulder, and that was it...you had been caught.  You begged the man not to take you to the police, that you were sorry but that you had no other choice.  Before you could stop yourself, your life story came rushing from your lips until, with cheeks wet with tears, you finished your explanation.  It was after a few minutes of consideration that the man told you he had a proposition for you.  Your stomach sank, fearing the worst, when he explained that his work kept him far busier than he would have liked, given he had a special venture he had recently taken on, and could use the help of someone who had needlework skills.  So, he offered his silence and a room in the living area above his shop, in exchange for your skills and your complete silence regarding anything you saw whilst working for him.  Not having many alternatives, you hesitantly accepted, silently wondering how you could have gotten yourself into such a mess.  With that, he led you upstairs to a small room that was to serve as your quarters, excusing himself to retrieve some sheets and blankets for the currently bare bed.  As he made to leave, you called out to him, giving him a heartfelt thanks before asking him what his name was.  At your question, a knowing smile spread his lips, answering you could simply call him Undertaker.

As with many things with your relationship with Undertaker, the confession of his feelings was sudden and fairly unexpected.  It had only taken a few short weeks for you to realize that you felt something for him and six months to know that those feelings were true.  He was odd, both as an employer and a person.  You would often catch him mumbling things about balances of chemicals and temperature and the like before disappearing to the cellar for hours on end-a cellar you were forbidden from entering.  He would often answer your questions with cryptic sayings, which would leave you more boggled than when you had first asked the question.  And he seemed to enjoy his work...a little too much, given that he dealt with death every day.  But you soon accepted his quirks as part of his eccentric personality and found yourself comfortably settling into life with him.  In all your time with him, he had never done or said anything untoward, never asked for you to repay him with sexual favors, something you had continued to fear would occur even a month into your employment.  In fact, he had never so much as touched you and, though you found the desire for him to do so growing with every day you continued your lives together, you appreciated his respect of your person.  Undertaker had not given much indication as to his feelings towards you, both romantic or platonic. Just a phrase here or there that would rekindle the spark of hope within you that maybe, just maybe there might be a whisper of a chance he would return your feelings.  However, almost a year into your employment, not a word of true confirmation had been spoken and that hope eventually died.  As despondent you had been at the realization, you took comfort in the fact you had a roof over your head, a warm bed, a full belly, and protection from a man who didn’t take advantage of your situation.  That was infinitely better than the alternatives of starvation or having to sell your body you were faced with but a year ago.  So to say you were caught off guard when Undertaker finally confessed his feelings for you was quite the understatement, especially given the circumstances under which it happened.  A customer had come in, demanding to speak to Undertaker directly.  He seemed to be one of the more unsavory clients from the Underworld who would occasionally visit, either for information or either needing to use his trade.  Undertaker had been working in the cellar all afternoon, so when the client continued to insist on speaking to him immediately, you found yourself at the top of the cellar stairs, calling down for him.  After several tries, he gave no acknowledgement of having heard you and, despite your better judgement, you began descending the dark staircase.  With each step the air became thicker, laden with chemicals to the point that by the time you had reached the halfway point, you had to cover your nose and mouth to stop your coughing.  That was when he cornered you against the wall, his voice low and threatening as he asked why you were there.  You stammered as you explained the situation, to which he sighed and ordered you back upstairs.  Shaken by his behavior, you sprinted back upstairs to the shoppe, quickly mumbling to the client that Undertaker would be with him presently before hiding yourself in the mortuary for the rest of the time the shoppe was open.  After your work was finished, you did all you could to avoid him until you had safely, and uncommonly early, retired to your room for the night.  Awhile later, a knock came to your door, Undertaker’s weary voice requesting that you let him in.  Not wanting to anger him further, you obeyed his wishes, cautiously coming to sit beside him on your bed.  After a minute or two of tense silence, he apologized for his actions and explained that the reason why he had forbade you from entering the cellar was because of the special work-dangerous work he was doing down there.  He looked down, thumb rubbing over one of the mourning lockets that was always on his person, as he continued saying he reacted so strongly earlier because you reminded him of someone he used to be close with, someone he had loved.  He pressed on, silver locks still covering his face, as he confessed that he had, in fact, come to love you as well and he never wanted to see you harmed by the dangerous things held within the cellar.

Even after having confessed his feelings for you, things did not progress quickly between the two of you, at least not physically.  Undertaker would touch you now, oh god, how he loved to touch you.  Every moment the two of you worked together, his hand would be somewhere on your person-your hand, your arm, your shoulder, your back.  He seemed to take comfort in finally allowing himself to ground his being in your presence.  On occasion, you would even kiss.  But his actions never moved beyond the realm of loving tenderness...and you had reached your limit.  However, you had resolved to extend him the same courtesy he had shown towards your person and never forced the issue.  But, you realized as you stared up at your bedroom ceiling, chest heaving as your body relaxed in the wake of your climax, you didn’t know how much longer you could last without his hands being the ones to work you over the edge.  It was after the accident that things changed.  You had been unintentionally careless with a bottle of embalming chemicals and it broke, slicing and burning your hands in the process.  Lady Dalles said that, thankfully, the damage would not be permanent, but it would take some time to fully heal and regain the function of your hands.  So, to spare you from having to overtax your hands, Undertaker began assisting you with daily tasks, including dressing.  A few weeks after the accident, he had joined you as he would in the evenings to help you out of your day things and into your nightwear.  In those weeks, your daily dressing and undressing began to become increasingly tense, each day he would take a little longer, his touch lingering on your skin a few breaths more, and you found yourself wishing you could see his damn eyes so you could know what he was thinking.  One of those nights, your ritual continued as always. Except there was something in the stiffness of his stance, the faltering of his warm breath which fanned over the back of your neck and shoulders, the intense focus he seemed to be giving your reflection as your breasts swelled within the confines of your corset with every breath you took that told you that tonight would be different.  A gasp escaped your lips as his fingers ghosted across your shoulders and trailed up the sensitive skin of your neck.  Your heart thrummed with eager expectation as you watched his reflection as he leaned against you, his hands coming to grip your hips as he lowered his lips to the curve of your neck, whispering against your skin that he was sorry, but he couldn’t resist any longer before placing a searing kiss on your flesh.  Things quickly escalated, ending in the tangle of your sweat slick bodies lying together in mutual post coital bliss, the floor of your room littered with garments long forgotten.  It was a night of many firsts for you, but the part you came to treasure the most was the first view you had ever gotten of his enchanting, phosphoric eyes.

Undertaker’s love of physical touch is, if anything, amplified when you have sex.  He cannot get enough of the feel of your soft skin beneath his fingers, his lips and he is vocal in reminding you of that.  That being the case, one of his favorite things to do for foreplay is for you to restrain his hands in some way, depriving him of being able to touch you while you in turn explore his body with the same care and attention he would show yours.  You work him up into a dizzying state of anticipation and longing until he can no longer bear it, easily escaping or breaking his bonds, no matter their construct, before eagerly grabbing hold of you, driving you wild with the same skill you had executed on him.  He appreciates your vocal nature as well, having an undiscovered praise kink.  There’s nothing that will make him come faster than your moans of pleasure as you’re in the throes of your orgasm, screaming his name, praises of how good he makes you feel falling from your lips like a mantra.

You find Undertaker’s ineptitude when it comes to knowing what to do with you when you’re sick as endearing as it is frustrating.  When you asked him about it one time, he shrugged his shoulders and explained he hadn’t worried about such things in some time and, given he now worked exclusively with the dead, he had lost whatever knowledge he had gained about treating the infirmities of the living.  So, whenever you become ill, you have to be direct in communicating what you need.  However, once he has instruction, he is more than willing to provide you with what you asked.  His tries, but his bedside manner just isn’t the best.

Undertaker isn’t often in the mood for sex, which he explained has nothing to do with his desire for you, but rather his body’s condition doesn’t allow for frequent sex.  At first you hadn’t believed such an odd explanation, fearing he had found something about you that displeased him, but just hadn’t worked up the courage to tell you about it.  However, there was once when you had managed to fuck two days in a row and after the second time, he had quickly fallen asleep and remained in a slumbering state...for three days straight.  You had begun to worry, frequently coming up to check and make sure he was still breathing.  Fortunately, the third day he awoke, rather disoriented and ravenously hungry.  It had taken the rest of that day to nurture him back into his normal self and it was then that you realized he had, in fact, been telling you the truth.  So when he is in the mood, he likes to draw it out as much as possible.  The whole day will be spent with him touching and kissing places that he knows will work you up, whispering the things he’d love to do to you if you weren’t working, but never proceeding beyond teasing until you’ve closed the shoppe for the day.  If he’s feeling particularly adventurous, he will disappear underneath your skirts while you’re still working in the shoppe and will tease you with his tongue until you almost climax, but will stop just before you do, giving your cheek a quick kiss before whispering in your ear that good things come to those who wait.

I hope you enjoyed those headcanons.  My apologies for some of them being pretty lengthy, but I wanted to give some context to some of them and I got a little carried away, lol.  But thank you again for your support and for following me.  I appreciate it so much!

Also, if anyone else is interested in a “100 followers celebration” ask, feel free to send one over.  There are still three available. For guidelines, check out the post I made about the celebration or you can reach out to me directly. 

*Note: Credit goes to Kumaqi for the incredible Undertaker cosplay that I used in the creation of the moodboard. (https://twitter.com/kumaqiii/status/925669701266563072)

[bloggerthanwolves]

Log #9 - Fear and Fortune

Now this is a good find. A zombie dungeon, right up at the surface - that’s infinite bait. The chests had five string in them, but what’s more important is the chests themselves - storage!

Speaking of bait, I need a fishing hut. And for once I realize that the fishing hut should just be my house, not a separate thing - I’ve burned a lot of daylight on pointless walking.

Before that was finished, I had a bit of a close call in the original home. Turns out the slabs I placed outside meant a skeleton could pop an arrow at me if they jumped. Patched that just in time.

With short term food taken care of, it’s time to get some iron, which means caving.

Caving in BTW is more difficult for a few reasons:

1. Stone stratification. There are three layers of stone. The second layer can only be broken with an iron pickaxe (although ores can be picked out with stone), and the third layer requires a diamond pickaxe or greater to break (although ores can be picked out with an iron pick).

2. Regular torches last twenty minutes before going out, and becoming unusable. This puts a great deal of time pressure on caving, and means that you never conquer a cave - you just get what you need and get out before the way you came in is cast into darkness again.

These, combined with other BTW factors like the respawn mechanics and near-to-death debuffs make caving terrifying.

This cave intersects multiple ravines, leading to dropoffs like this one.

Sometimes you get lovely one-block-death-nightmare holes like this.

Another intersected ravine, this one even deeper - its bottom reaches the third strata. I’ll be back for this one. For now, I’ve got 27 iron, as much as I need for a pickaxe.

Now is a good time to talk about the pick/axe/hoe dilemma. The pick takes three ingots, the axe takes two, and the hoe takes one.

The pickaxe allows you to mine ores from strata three stone, break strata two ores in a fraction of the time, and lasts as long as six to eight stone pickaxes.

The axe allows you to chop logs into planks. This unlocks doors, fences, signs, a safer building block, and the second tier of storage if you have sugar cane. It can also break several important blocks without damaging them - axles, gear boxes, and chests.

The hoe allows you to till dirt, and get hemp seeds from tilling grass blocks. Hemp plants can be ground in a mill stone to produce hemp fibers, which can be used in (almost) any recipe in place of string, making it a safe an reliable source of stone tools, as well as being used to make the windmill, gearbox, and axles.

One caveat to the hoe: Unless you harvest a hemp plant with shears (two iron ingots), the plant will be fully destroyed and the dirt will be untilled. This means that without shears, hemp farming is slow and painful.

The axe and hoe are the “defensive” choices, focusing on improving the state of a settlement without requiring any big risks. The pick is the “offensive” choice, requiring deep cavediving to make it useful, but potentially extremely rewarding, granting access to great quantities of iron and coal, as well as diamonds, gold, and redstone.

In the past, I have always chosen the hoe and axe as my first tools, my playstyle broadly being risk averse.

This time, having found a cave deep and dark enough, I went for the pickaxe.

I’ve returned, and this time I mean business. Time to descend.

Logs are great for staircasing in caves - the fact that they float means you can avoid spending stacks of materials just to get down.

...but more immediately noticeable, there’s another dungeon, right below me. That would have totally stopped my hopes to explore here - it’s at the wrong angle for me to tackle, I can’t tunnel around due to the tier 3 stone, but I had a clever idea. Remember how cobblestone is affected by gravity?

Dungeon sealed from above. Now, I can safely make it to the bottom of the ravine...

And nearly die to a couple skeletons. But I sealed myself off in time. Given that health regen in BTW is about half a heart per thirty seconds, and that torches only last around 20 minutes, this is actually a tough tradeoff - how long can I afford to wait?

I left at around five and a half hearts, when all of the debuffs were gone. I continued on my way, mining some iron ore when...

It happened again, and this time I cut it even closer - 1.5 hearts! I let myself regen a bit higher than last time before venturing out again.

Despite the insane risk, the loot was good - iron, coal, even some gold, as useful as it isn’t.

A third dungeon, this one skeletons. This would be extremely useful as an infinite supply of bones, if it wasn’t buried in the third strata past a nightmare ravine cave. 

A couple more turns, and I broke out into this area -

This was a striking scene. An open chamber, full of pits of lava that illuminate everything even as they threaten instant death. Not to mention - redstone! That was one of my main hopes for this venture. Now I can make a compass, and try to get back to Liminal, or True Spawn, or something - as long as it’s not random wandering.

Despite that, I pushed further. Getting down here wasn’t easy, so I needed to make the most of my time. And I still hadn’t found what I was really hoping for.

There they are - three exposed diamonds, exactly what I need.

I made a beeline for the diamonds and then immediately started making my exit - I’m not about to become a parable of the follies of greed.

When I say “making my exit,” I don’t mean retracing my steps through the cave. It was a long and winding path I barely remembered, and the first half of it was probably dark again. I dug a staircase straight to the surface.

Sunlight!

And here I am, back in the same field that had the cave entrance, with my haul to show for it.

[greg38mcall]

Our Laundry Room Today

First, I want to thank you for all of the great feedback on the sweet and simple nightstand drawer before | after post. I am excited that those smaller projects are just as fun for you as they are for me! I have a few more small scale organizing projects up my sleeves that I can't wait to tackle and share. Today, I wanted to give you an update on our laundry room!

In my last laundry room update a few years ago, I excitedly shared a peel-and-stick wallpaper that I had just installed. Shortly after that, a funny thing happened. The wallpaper began to give me this strange, unsettling feeling. I was so in love with it when I found it, but then I became stuck. I attempted to source finishing touches for the room and it all seemed to compete with the paper. After awhile I began to resent the busy pattern and colors and the more I thought about it, the more I would get a pit in my stomach. I would try to convince myself that I was being ridiculous because the paper was really beautiful, and it is just a laundry room after all. I know that decor is just decor, but in the same breath, I truly believe that our surroundings impact our emotions. Just because I loved the colors and design of the wallpaper, doesn't mean it was right.

But I waited on it. I lived with it for almost two years and really tried to make it work and be sure I wasn't acting impulsively. I felt that guilt we all do when we invest in something and don't want to be wasteful. I refused to remove the paper until I could find a way to save it to reuse or pass on. Peel-and-stick paper usually comes packaged on a glossy paper backing, and after some digging, I found a wide freezer paper that is plastic coated. Turns out the freezer paper is the perfect way to take down the adhesive paper from the wall, roll it up, and save it to be reused in another way. In fact, our laundry room paper has already been repurposed in my niece's bedroom lining a bookcase and we all couldn't be happier about that. All of that said, I still feel a combination of embarrassment, frustration, and guilt each time I take a design misstep or change something. As the queen of being hard on herself, I have been learning to give myself some slack and simply challenge myself to look at those situations as learning opportunities. Creatives evolve and change stuff all of the time. It is how we grow and stay invigorated! Guilt be gone because this wallpaper swap was a really good change for me. I didn't intend for this post to get too heavy but I also think it is important to share all of this because I know I am not alone. Many of you are like me in that you aren't trained designers, you just enjoy chipping away at making your home a place that reflects your style and makes you feel good. I hope that this can be a fun place where we bond over that together. If you try something and you don't love it, life is too short to live with it. Change is good! So with that, let's look at where our laundry room is today. I am not calling it a "reveal" because it is not done (no room ever is), but I will say I am finally feeling really good about the progress and excited to live with things as they are for a while. It has truly become a room that I look forward to going to and gives me this warm fuzzy content feeling.

Once the floral paper came down, I began to look at a variety of alternative peel-and-stick options to replace it with. Nothing was feeling right, but I was convinced that with my indecisiveness and my history, a temporary paper would be the best and most non-committal option. Then I came across a Farrow and Ball Lotus wallpaper on eBay for a really great price. Two full rolls for $100 less than the typical cost of one single roll. And being that I was only doing one wall, two rolls would be plenty. I pulled the trigger because it just felt so much more in line with my ultimate vision for the room. The last paper was colorful with an extremely busy pattern. I still wanted pattern and color but now knew that a tonal option would probably give me a similar effect without overwhelming me this time. It would still offer visual interest, but wouldn't compete with all of the other elements in the room. Although the new wallpaper is installed with a paste, I reminded myself that anything can be undone. No risk, no reward. We installed the new wallpaper about five months ago now and I still get happy butterflies every time I walk into the room. It feels so much more refined and timeless while still offering something interesting and beautiful. (We followed this wallpaper installation tutorial here.) After that, things very slowly started to fall into place. And although the rest of the changes we made were not big ones, they were still impactful.

For example, I realized that the open glass doors of the paint cabinet were visually competing with the open glass cabinet doors over the sink. Having multiple door styles in the room really created a weird imbalance, especially because the space is small and windowless. I initially tried to add a frosting to the inside of the glass, which helped, but eventually just primed and painted them so that the cabinet could just sort of fade away and hide the clutter behind the doors (I wouldn't normally do something like that on a nice piece of furniture, but this cabinet was DIY'd by us years ago and serves the purpose of storing all of our paint supplies, so it was a nice fast fix in this instance). There is a lot of white in this space which is good being that there are no windows, but I have been keeping my eyes open at thrift stores and on FB Marketplace for an interesting old cabinet to bring in another layer of character. When we first DIY'd our built-in wall, we partnered with Home Depot to come up with some custom storage for our laundry room. We have never stopped loving the storage that the entire wall offers; we use it for cleaning supplies, beach gear, seasonal items, sewing supplies, laundry hanging, and now even for feeding our pups. We modified it a while back to add some decorative shiplap backing and laundry baskets, which gave it a fresher look. Five plus years in it had become clear that we could have initially used a better method for making the cabinet doors. The doors we originally constructed were quite heavy, built from MDF, hung with external hinges, and weren't perfectly square. So this summer we built all new doors!

The new doors are infinitely better. They cleaned up the look of our built-in and the panels are now truly inset (I plan to share how we built them soon). We also installed concealed hinges which makes such a wonderful difference. At that same time, the entire unit received a fresh coat of paint, trim, caulk, a new acrylic hanging rod, and a built-in feeding station. Yes, yes, and yes!

Isn't that hanging rod lovely? I have been so inspired by my friends Grace from A Storied Style and Kristin from The Hunted Interior, and their use of acrylic for hanging rods, handles, window hardware, etc.., that I had to find a place to do the same. I found an inexpensive piece of acrylic on Amazon, as well as the mounting hardware. We added three total brackets to be sure the rod could hold the weight of our clothes, and so far so great!

The counter is a piece of butcher block that is extremely solid and ties to the floating shelf above the washer and dryer.

For the pup feeding area, we researched the best eating height for our dogs and installed a pull-out shelf that we cut to insert their bowl inside (we used a basic white laminate shelf paired with these drawer slides). The bowl is just floating in there so it can easily be removed and washed at the nearby sink after feedings.

Originally I wanted to store their food in the drawer below, but pet food really should be stored in its original packaging or an airtight container that can be easily cleaned. So now the drawer just holds all of their supplies, which also works out really great! Their food is sealed in a rolling bin in the tall cleaning cabinet.

The wire baskets continue to function really well for our family. We use them when the clothes come out of the dryer to bring the folded/hanging clothes back to our rooms to be put away. The larger woven basket is for linens for delicate wash items.

As we continue around the room, I added a pair of really pretty brass hooks to hold towels and beach/summer gear. I use hand towels all over this room for cleaning the feeding area, drying the bowls after washings, wiping down the washer door, and of course for general hand drying. Multiple hooks are a must!

The art above the hooks is a print from Juniper print shop; the colors are so great and it reminds me of many scenic drives that we have taken over the years.

The room is all white so that the wallpaper can be the star. But the back of the door was begging for something, so it received a coat of Benjamin Moore's Newburg Green. It is a stunner of a color and I want to use it again and again. I also added an over-the-door organizer for the iron and ironing board. We still need to change all of the hinges to black throughout the entire lower level.

Our washer and dryer are Maytag and they have been workhorses for us for over ten years now. As a family of five, we do laundry every single day so we couldn't be happier about the amount of use we have gotten out them so far. We lowered our hookups and built them in a few years ago and it was one of the best things we could have done. The folding counter has been such a game-changer to my laundry routine; I absolutely love all of the space there is to spread out and fold piles of towels or to layout my sweaters to air dry. Being that the units are now built-in, I am a little nervous for the day the washer/dryer goes out and we have to upgrade. I will be sure to share what that process looks like should that happen down the road (no jinxing it!).

The counter we selected is holding up great, no bowing or wear and tear from the daily use. Of course, I would have loved to have installed solid surface counters, but these were so much more budget-friendly and serve us perfectly well.

Laundry detergent and whitener are stored in lidded glass canisters...

While the smaller essentials such as dryer balls, delicate wash, stain remover, and a lint brush, are all stored in a handy wire basket.

I continue to be a superfan of the deep stainless sink; it has been used for dish washings, mop bucket fillings, stain soakings, and paint supply cleanings. It cleans up so nicely and is everything I could ask for.

As far as the faucet goes, although there is a pull-down nozzle, there is very little spraying power so that will probably get swapped out at some point. The faucet itself is of high quality and a really beautiful option. Sidenote: Aren't those flowers absolutely beautiful? They are the prettiest colors and I clipped them straight from our yard. #staysummerforever 

I shared the organization of the sink cabinet here, and how we installed a decorative toe kick here. That decorative toe kick still makes my heart race; little details are so important.

The cabinet above the sink holds all of our frequently used home maintenance items; lightbulbs, extra paper products, sewing boxes, puppy linens, stain remover, etc...

Last but not least, how sweet is that little wooden rail of hooks? That is another DIY and I will share that tutorial soon as well. It was incredibly easy and inexpensive and it turned out to be one of my favorite accessories in the entire space.

Bit by bit, one project at a time, our laundry room has evolved and changed so much over the years. This room is used multiple times per day so it is nice to have it fully functioning and feeling more complete. Chores are definitely more enjoyable when you are feeling good in your surroundings!

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Laundry Room Wall/Built-In Color: Benjamin Moore Simply White

Laundry Room Door: Benjamin Moore Newburg Green

from IHeart Organizing http://www.iheartorganizing.com/2019/09/our-laundry-room-today.html

[carlenefitness]

Back in Action

I’m almost not sure where to start. I miss and have missed motivating others to change their lives by changing the way they feel about their bodies and I have been out of the light for a moment. One of the things that didn’t get derailed in the great upheaval of 2016 was my commitment to myself. I continued to dig inside myself for a better version, to ask others for more knowledge, to challenge my preconceived notions of what I was capable of… to sit alone with myself when that’s the last thing I wanted to do.

In some ways, I feel that I lost momentum, and in other ways I’m not sure if I’d ever ESTABLISHED that momentum. I re-read my last drafted post and it was drafted as a guest write from my number one support: my husband, Nick. I just published it as I found it all to still hold true. Over a year and a half later and lots still holds true! 

I took a leap of faith and anger last February (2016) and left the San Francisco Bay Area for Texas. Nick needed a breather from life, from me, from California and I was afraid of what that meant for my long term future. I didn’t feel, at the time, that I could afford to stay in California, though looking back I know that’s a story that was easier to let escape my mouth than saying: I am so heartbroken here and I don’t know how to shut it off. Nick had struck s nerve in me with his insistence that some people just want to and should live alone as I incredulously disagreed with him for such a preposterous statement that’s not evidenced very often in nature: “You should have to live alone! You’ve never lived alone. Maybe then you would understand.” And there it was. The challenge was before me and I was going to show him, and you, and EVERYONE that even if I weren’t with him: I would be okay. I’ve always had a fear of being alone. Of being worth leaving alone… I am hard to keep up with be intimate with. I am guarded, I have high standards and expectations and I am blunt. On top of it all: I am sensitive. A little like throwing rocks in a glass house.

Before leaving I made it priority to finish up a beautiful tribute tattoo to my favorite hounds from my time walking dogs with the infinitely talented Haley Adams (who is now the owner of Castro Tattoo, stop in and see the girl!) Haley was the drop of hope I needed during this time - as I bit my lip and explained what was happening in my disheveled life she enthusiastically recommended Austin, Texas. Then, as I was breaking the news to one of my honored dog’s parents (WILSON!) they eerily ALSO enthusiastically recommended Austin, Texas where they had gotten Wilson before landing in The Bay. Finally, I randomly opened up conversation with a “friend” on Facebook because his posts were providing me with comfort. We had never met, but I asked if he would like to hang out. I was feeling…. disconnected. When he gave me his phone number: it was an Austin prefix. I guess that was the third hint I needed.

But TEXAS?!

Oh, fuck it. What was I doing anyway?

So, I put our stuff in a storage unit, re-homed my good friend JackCat and I headed east, thinking to myself all along that I would probably actually end up in sunny Florida. I have such an affinity for Florida and I feel like my life hasn’t been SO FULL of happiness since I left. At the end of the day, however, I am in charge of that happiness and it’s a decision you sometimes have to make hourly.

Time was something I was trying to escape. I knew that the only thing that would really put some distance between the pain of where I was and my happily ever after was time. I played lots of games with myself to “pass the time”. Games like prepping 3-6 weeks of food at a time or fiscal fasting for 5-10 days at a time. Games like seeing how long I could go without doing laundry or how long I could stand to be in the Texas heat. I had a countdown running at nearly all times. I sometimes felt like I was wishing away my life. Radical honesty: I sometimes was. 2016 taught me the value of time. If it’s important to me: time is not an excuse.

Flash forward a year and I am back in The Bay with lots on my plate. For now, lets leave it here. In 2016 I managed to run two Spartan races, a Sprint and a Super. This year I would like to finally Trifecta! I managed to prep myself to compete and place in two NPC shows in the Women’s Physique Division - both preps were very easy and again exposed me to TONS of information and great people! I got a pretty handsome dog who almost PERFECTLY replaces the brindle bully that died my first year in Florida (Lily girl!). I also managed to find work with Dell that I actually enjoy - this is by-in-large due to the really wonderful people I work with which has allowed me to take the financial necessity out of teaching classes and get back to my root reason for doing it: I love it.

2017 is off to a pretty stellar start, too. I have decided to invest MORE time and energy toward doing the thing I love. Specifically that’s teaching and taking Les Mills classes. I’ve done the Advanced Instructor Module for both BodyPump and BodyAttack and I recently finished GRIT initial training. The 3-2-1 punch of this saturation alone has already made me a much more mindful instructor and I am loving the direction my professional acumen is headed in fitness. I had found that in 2015 I couldn’t find a Les Mills “home” and I ended up compromising my own standards to “make ends meet” by teaching countless classes that I don’t enjoy teaching. The thing I loved the most became something that broke my heart. This year I have decided to stick with the things that make me happiest. I was prepared for my opportunities to be diminished with this mindset but the opposite happened. 

So: hit me with it! What would you like to hear about? Where are you in your fitness journey? I’m slowly getting back into my vision for CarleneFitness and I think blogging is a great way to start! Last year was pretty uncomfortable but I feel like I’ve grown tremendously. And that’s the best advice I have: get uncomfortable quick in your life. The payout is tremendous.

[greg38mcall]

The Best of the Best: Practical, Everyday Storage Solutions!

I am back with the final post of a four-post series that I have put together with the best of the IHeart Organizing best. It's been a long time coming to take everything I have learned over the years, whether it is working in my own home or working with others, and compiling it all in a single place here on the web. The four-part series includes: Gearing Up for Your Next Organizing Project with a FREE Printable Kit! Need helping getting started or prioritizing where to begin? What is the plan of attack? What is currently working well and what isn't? What storage do you need? Trying to get rid of things, but finding it hard to decide what to keep and what to pass on? I have put together a great printable kit to help you prioritize, sort, and navigate your way through your next organizing project(s), which includes a total of TEN free printables! FIND THAT POST HERE! My Top Organizing Tips! Instead of digging through years of my archives to find individual tips, I am going to compile the best of the best in a single, very informational post! It's going to be a whopper and a really great resource for projects of any size. FIND THAT POST HERE! Labeling 101: Quick & Easy Labeling Techniques I have tried almost every type of label on the market, from vinyl to label makers to stickers and chalk markers, and they all have their place. But what are my tried and true favorites? What do I reach for with almost any project due to time, cost, practicality, and ease? I will be sharing three labeling techniques that haven't failed me yet, and that you won't need any fancy tools to utilize. FIND THAT POST HERE! Practical, Everyday Storage Solutions! If I have learned anything from raising three boys and organizing along the way, it is that storage can be expensive and that our needs are constantly evolving. Gone are the days where I purchase pretty bins and baskets to decorate with. Although I will always appreciate beautiful storage, it has to be versatile and it has to last! With that in mind, there are a few storage products that I have found that continuously work hard for me in a variety of situations, so they end up being the types of products I gravitate toward when working on any new projects. For the final post in the series, I am putting together the ultimate storage source list with tips and products that I have fallen in love with over the years. So let's dive in with part four of the four-part series: Practical, Everyday Storage Solutions!

As you go through the motions of organizing areas of your home, storage should be the last piece of the organizing puzzle. Storage baskets and organizers aren't always necessary, but they really can be a key component in keeping a simple and tidy space. Here are just a few of the consistent benefits I have seen by utilizing baskets, bins, containers and drawer dividers over the years:

Containers assign items a proper home to return to.

Containers prevent items from becoming jumbled and messy.

Containers keep items divided into specific categories.

Containers allow for easier portability/accessibility.

Containers offer a place for your eye to rest and ultimately aid in finding items quicker (by eliminating visual clutter).

A few more container-specific tips I have picked up over the years:

Wait until the very end of any organizing project to determine best container types/overall storage needs (after you sort and eliminate you may find you need less storage than you initially thought).

Always keep receipts/tags in and on your storage until you have taken it for a test run. If it isn't making your day-to-day life easier after a week or two, head back to the drawing board.

Storage is meant to aid and simplify, so if it is complicating things, ditch it. 

Think long term. Don't select items that are a specific color, are trendy, or only going to be relevant for a specific season of life. Look into products that will stay versatile as your needs evolve. I have learned over the past 15 years the types of storage that have longevity and versatility and what ends up in the donate pile. My general rule is to select products that are neutral in finish/texture; clear, white, linen, and natural/woven materials always win.

Storage can be really expensive, but it doesn't have to be! I will never be above sourcing pretty storage solutions and finding a way to DIY or hack things on a budget. Cardboard boxes can be covered in fabric, dividers can be cut from wood, cereal and shoeboxes can be wrapped in paper, modular pieces can be combined to create dream closets... A little creativity goes a long way and sometimes custom solutions are the best way to maximize and get exactly what you need.

It would only be appropriate to start with my number one favorite storage item of all time:

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Why I Love These: The Multi-Purpose Bins are easily the most versatile bin I have found. They come in a variety of widths for your varying needs, yet are extremely uniform. They are translucent so you can see the contents. They are lightweight. They are easy to clean. They have an open-top so everything is easy to put away. They are inexpensive. They can be used to file anything from papers to foods. Versatile Ways to Use These Bins:

Create categories in the fridge, freezer, and pantry: produce, condiments, snacks, breakfast items, bread/wraps, cereals, etc...

Use in miscellaneous kitchen cabinets for baking sheets, cutting boards, paper products/disposable dishware, water bottles/tumblers, food wraps/bags, drop zone items, and cleaning supplies.

Use under the bathroom sink for toiletries, paper products, and cleaning supplies.

File paperwork and magazines in the home office, or use them to corral miscellaneous gadgets/tech, and vinyl rolls/yarn/craft supplies.

Because these bins are so easy to clean, they can also be used in the garage for small tools, garden supplies, grilling utensils, small toys/activities, pet supplies, and auto maintenance items.

In the linen closet, these bins are great for categorizing first aid supplies, medication, toiletries, sheet sets, vacuum attachments, and cleaning supplies.

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Why I Love These: Turntables are known for offering easy access to your items with just a simple spin. They are especially great in narrow and corner areas when it can be trickier to access items near the back of a cabinet or shelf. Versatile Ways to Use Turntables:

Corner cabinets are always awkward to maximize, but we added oversized turntables to two lower shelves and haven't regretted it for a single second. They are so handy and I feel sincere delight every day when I give them a spin and easily grab just what I need. We use them for oils/sauces/spreads and food storage containers, but they would also work well for coffee canisters/mugs, vases/accessories, dishes, and baking canisters. (see our original DIY tutorial here)

Use these under kitchen sinks for cleaning and household maintenance products.

In the fridge so that items don't fall prey to disappearing on the backs of the shelves. I finally swapped ours to a version with a lip and it is infinitely better than one without.

Add these in a variety of shapes/sizes to make the most of awkward and deep pantry/cabinet shelves. Bottles, jars, and cans are most common, but small packages and boxes can also be stored on these handy helpers.

Add them to bathroom/linen closet shelves for toiletries.

Put them to work in home offices/craft rooms filled with paints, coloring tools, scissors, glue, small notepads, etc...

Pop one on top of the washer to hold stain remover, detergent, dryer sheets, lint roller, and a change jar.

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Pantry:

Many years ago I fell in love with these containers for all of our dried goods in our pantry. Since then, I have really reduced the number of items I actually decant on a weekly basis. I have also since discovered some comparable containers from Target that seem to do a much better job of locking in the freshness for longer periods in time. So good that I have made the switch to these for our baking ingredients as well as for beans and snacks in our coffee cabinet. Produce:

Since my last fridge post, I also swapped out our produce containers after many, many years. A few months ago I spotted these Prepworks Produce Prokeepers at our local Costco (no longer available) and I instantly appreciated that they were flexible enough to store a large variety of produce types inside of the fridge. They include detailed instructions right on the lids with the best way to get the longest shelf life for everything from lettuce to berries to mushrooms and grapes. These containers have vents on the ends that can be opened or closed depending on the contents, as well as a drip tray that can be used to add or collect moisture. I also appreciate the more compact sizes and that the containers stack and wash nicely. Leftovers: We began using glass food storage containers for produce, meal prep, snacks, and leftovers quite a few years ago, and I continue to heart them just as much today. I look for containers with snapping/locking lids, and they do such a great job maintaining freshness. The biggest perk is that the containers last forever (haven't had one break on us yet). They also wash beautifully each and every time, no more worrying about trapped food smells or red stains. Finally, many glass storage containers can quickly and easily go straight from the fridge to the oven or microwave without dirtying another container for cooking. Snacking:

We use two types of containers for snack prep each week. And although both are still plastics, they have cut down on our single-use plastic usage significantly. Each week I do a lot of snack prep for our family which includes peppers, cucumbers, berries, grapes, peas, cherry tomatoes, carrots, etc... These small reusable bags (8 oz) and these stackable containers (20 oz) have both done a great job in getting our snacks through the week while remaining portable for quick grab-and-go moments. A bonus is they are both dishwasher safe, and can also also be used for dry snacks like nuts, granola, pretzels, and crackers.

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Why I Love These: Shoe boxes are another one of those containers that will remain versatile around your home year after year. They are ideal for corralling and categorizing a variety of smaller items in any space. The lids allow them to stack, which is generally a perk for making the most of vertical shelf space. Just be careful, stackable containers are only beneficial when they aren't being used on a daily basis. Versatile Ways to These Containers: Shoe boxes work best in cabinets and closets to manage and separate a variety of items. We also like to use them in our garage and storage room on shelves for managing tools and hardware. Here are just a few ways these boxes can work some storage magic:

Shoes

Small Toys

Medications/First Aid

Small Tools

Hardware for window treatments, furniture, hooks, spare parts, etc...

Craft Supplies

Pet Supplies

Candles

Party Supplies/Entertaining Accessories

Travel Toiletries

Nail Polish/Care

Car Kits

Essential Oils

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Why I Love These: These drawers can store all of the same things as shoe boxes, but they keep things much easier to access. You can stack them, but you don't have to remove anything to access the contents inside. I prefer to spend a little more on storage drawers (vs. shoe boxes) when organizing high traffic areas. Versatile Ways to These Drawers:

Under the kitchen sink for scrubbers, sponges, dishwasher pods, dishcloths/rags, soaps...

In an office/craft room for small supplies.

In a linen closet for medications, toiletries, and pet supplies.

Under the bathroom sink for toiletries/feminine products (not just for yourself, but to keep items divided by person also).

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Why I Love These: Drawer dividers are to drawers what bins are to closets and cabinets. They are a really great way to categorize and separate items, while ultimately preventing jumbled and tangled messes. Opening a divided drawer should allow you to quickly see and access exactly what you are looking for, and will also cause a pause-and-think-moment when putting things away. I have tried a few types of organizers over the years, but there are a select few that I continue to come back to time and time again due to their versatility, sizing, and cleanliness. Office | Bathroom | Junk Drawers:

I have two favorites for these types of drawers: acrylic and rubber-coated options. Both can easily be removed and washed, both have a variety of size offerings to mix and match and create endless configurations, and both are priced fair due to the longevity and flexibility they offer. Acrylic gives a bonus of seeing through to a pretty liner, but you really can't go wrong with either. Kitchen:

Cooking utensils come in a wide variety of sizes, so I like to look for organizers that offer at least a 14" long option which should accommodate most turners and spoons. We have been known to create custom DIY dividers for most of our utensil drawers, but another great option I have been recently using on some projects are the expandable dividers.

These drawer organizers are spring-loaded and can quickly divide drawers in half, thirds, fourths... whatever you like! I have become such a superfan, and although I was skeptical if they were worth the investment, I can officially say that they are. Clothing: Again, two favorite methods for organizing clothing drawers that both work so dang well I couldn't name a favorite from the two.

One way I tackle clothing drawers it to look for soft-sided boxes, which are the ideal for the filing method while also creating general categories for pajamas, long-sleeves, short sleeves, socks, undergarments, leggings, tanks, etc...

Another way is to divide from front to back by creating channels to hold folded/filed clothing in place. We have DIY'd this method in the past here, but you can also use the longer spring-loaded options for an immediate solution.

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Why I Love These: The storage flexibility that these boxes offer is similar to that of a shoebox, but they are pretty enough to double as display/shelving accessories. They completely conceal the clutter while keeping things accessible in a decorative way. These are especially ideal on open shelves/closets but are flexible enough to work just about anywhere. Versatile Ways to Use These Boxes:

Artwork/Paper/Supplies

Office Supplies

Crafting Supplies

Batteries

Documents/Paperwork

Awards/Ribbons/Metals

Memorabilia

Tech/Cords

Photos

Entryway clutter

Media (DVD's, home videos, etc...)

Sewing Supplies

Clothing Accessories: belts, scarves, clutches, etc...

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Why I Love These: Another beautiful but practical piece of storage is an oversized lidded basket. Storage definitely has to be functional first, but when it is attractive? Such a bonus! Woven baskets are extremely timeless, so you can invest once and expect to keep the basket until the end of time. Especially oversized lidded options which look great in any room while fully concealing bulkier items. Versatile Ways to Use Oversized Lidded Baskets:

Bedrooms: They make the perfect hamper as they trap any smells while concealing the visual laundry mess. Living/Family Rooms: They are ideal for concealing bulky toys, blankets, and throw pillows. Bathrooms: They work well for holding clean or dirty linens. Entryways: They can conceal shoes, pet supplies, winter gear, or handbags. Home Office: Decoratively stash away bulky supplies like camera gear/lighting, work totes, crafting tools, gift wrap supplies, and unsightly small electronics.

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Why I Love These: Anytime space can be maximized, I am an instant fan! Walls and doors are commonly underutilized potential, and door organizers (which can generally be installed on walls as well) create a lot of storage something out of nothing. Versatile Ways to Use Door Organizers:

Kitchen: Pantry doors are eager to party with jars, cans, bottles, boxes, snacks, and spices. Family/Media Room: Add a door organizer to manage technology components, controllers, cords, batteries, photo albums, small games, and media cases. Entryway: Maximize the back of the door with storage for hats/mittens, shoes, handbags, pet supplies, keys, wallet, sunglasses, and even a mail dropzone.

Bedrooms: Install a combination of hooks, baskets, and rails to organize shoes, accessories, jewelry, and hang outfits. Works for folks of all ages! Bathroom: The back of the door is a great place to organize paper products, toiletries, washcloths/handtowels, and tub toys.

Laundry Room: Door organizers can be loaded with sponges, cleaners, stain removal products, paper products, rags, lint rollers, trash bags, light bulbs, and so much more! Storage Room: Project and paint supplies fit perfectly inside of door rack baskets. Keep all of your paintbrushes, deglossers/thinners, rollers, sanding blocks, caulk, rags, drop cloths, and spackle in an easy-to-gather-but-doesn't-take-up-a-lot-of-space location.

Home Office/Craft Room: Gift wrap organizers are all of the rage, and rightfully so! We have all scrambled to put together a last-minute gift, and having everything in a single location behind the door takes away a bit of that panic. Or maybe you don't have a full office and need to organize your supplies, ink cartridges, reams of paper, crafts, etc... in a compact way (or you just prefer not to see all of that).

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What kind of organizer doesn't talk about good, old fashioned woven baskets? I have grown to prefer natural baskets far more than any other finish for a few reasons, many that have already been discussed above. Traditional and timeless? Check. Versatile? Check. Textural and beautiful? Check. I still have woven baskets from when we built our home almost 18 years ago because I continuously move them around and find new uses for them. They are made to last from natural material. And did I mention they will always look good? OK then.

I find myself consistently heading to the same places to seek out the best deals and the nicest looking baskets. You can rarely go wrong by heading to HomeGoods/Marshalls/TJMaxx in terms of sizing, variety, and prices. Target always has really substantial, beautiful options, but can be a little more expensive. Pottery Barn and Container Store also have really lovely solutions, so when they have good coupons or sales, I pounce. And of course, you can never go wrong with the BRANÄS baskets from IKEA. The smaller size fits on most cabinet and bookcase shelves, while the larger size is a wonderful match to many of the modular units sectioned by squared openings.

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I seemed to have taken a note from The Lorax because this post just kept biggering and biggering as I wrote it. I also love that the more images I sifted through, the more I saw many of these same products on repeat inside of drawers, closets, and cabinets. Each and every one of these storage solutions has been tested by me multiple times over the years, and receive my super-sized stamp of approval. I also hope that this post was able to give you new ideas for reusing storage you may already have on hand. Versatile should always be the name of the storage game! from IHeart Organizing http://www.iheartorganizing.com/2019/07/the-best-of-best-practical-everyday.html