FREEBIE FRIDAY: 2012 To Do List {PRINTABLE}

We all know it's easy to make resolutions and then to forget all about them, which is why today's freebie is a favorite of mine.  

Isn't that awesome?  The girls at eighteen25 designed it and share the instructions to make your own version of a 2012 To Do List.  Just frame their printables and you've got a pretty dry-erase board that will remind you every day of what you want to accomplish this year.  And did I mention that it comes in four colors?

Now there's no excuse for not hanging one somewhere for everyone to see!  After all, a little peer pressure never hurt.

Hope you enjoyed today's pick and for more fab freebies, check out my Freebies and Printables Board on Pinterest!

FUNDAY MONDAY: Shabby Apple Giveaway!

So many of the New Year's Resolutions e-mails you sent in mentioned wanting to be more put together in 2012 so I figured what better way to kick off the year than with a giveaway from one of my favorite places to get chic but well-priced dresses - Shabby Apple!

One of the hardest parts about getting ready while you're juggling kids and pets and 10,000 other things is putting an outfit together, so what I love most about the clothing from Shabby Apple is that their designs are all one pieces.  You won't have to add a tank top or belt - if they're meant to have one, it's built in.  All you need to add is a cute pair of shoes and you're good to go.  Now that's dressing made easy!  See for yourself.

The sassy Gondola style is perfect for spring!  I love that it looks like two pieces even though it's not, and you could even wear it with tights and a cardigan now.

The ruffles on the L'Amour dress make my heart go pitter patter.  And gee, do you think I have a thing for green?

The Samarkand dress not only looks super comfortable but it's a flattering style that you can easily dress up with heels or sport with some boots or flats.

The 4.0 is an elegant 10 in my book!

The North Shore design is simple but stunning, and perfect for any summer party.

Aren't they all gorgeous?  But women's dresses aren't all you'll find at Shabby Apple.  They also carry maternity dresses, kid's clothing and now shoes, bags and jewelry too.  I've got my eye on the Egyptian Blossom cuff.

In addition to designing fabulous clothing, Shabby Apple also gives back. They're partnered with Unitus, a non-profit organization that uses micro-finance to help women overcome poverty and provide a better life for their children.  Shabby Apple donates 5% of its net sales to support women in India and each customer has the opportunity to donate an extra five dollars to Unitus every time she buys a dress.  Every $100 donation from provides at least 20 women with access to financial services to build their dream - and the chance to live a life without poverty. Clearly, buying a dress isn't just buying a dress.

If you're ready to kick-start your wardrobe in 2012, head on over to Shabby Apple and get to browsing.  I'm sure you'll find the perfect dress to put a spring in your step!

And one lucky AFOMFT reader is going to win one of her very own!  That's right - Shabby Apple has generously offered to give away one of the following three dresses.

The Ballerina:

Nothin' Like a Dame:

Or Pineapple Princess:

To enter to win, you must "Like" Shabby Apple on Facebook AND post a comment here telling me which Shabby Apple dress (it can be any of the above or from their site) is your favorite (both of these are mandatory). For additional entries:

• "Like" AFOMFT on Facebook
• Follow AFOMFT on Twitter (@AFOMFT or click the birdie icon on the sidebar) and tweet this post by clicking the graphic above or this giveaway: Kick start your 2012 wardrobe by #winning a dress Shabby Apple at @AFOMFT - so prefect for springtime! http://tinyurl.com/AFOMFT
• Blog or post on Facebook about this giveaway with a link to this post (worth 2 entries so please post two comments) and make sure your comments include a link to your status or blog post.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry (two if you've blogged about the giveaway) and make sure to include a link to your tweet, blog post, etc. All entries must be posted on AFOMFT as a direct comment to this post. Comments on Facebook will not count as entries. This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only and ends January 15th at 11:59 pm EST. The winner will be selected by random.org and announced on AFOMFT on January 16th. If the winner does not contact AFOMFT within 48 hours, a new drawing will be held so be sure to check back to see if you've won!

And that's not all!  Readers of AFOMFT can save 20% at Shabby Apple by entering code NEWYEAR (does not apply to the Sidesaddle line).  Happy shopping!

Images: Shabby Apple

FREEBIE FRIDAY: Printable Weekly Meal Planner

It seems like every year, I resolve to be more organized and every year I fail.  Why?  Well, it's a pretty big goal overall.  Be more organized how?  Do I mean keep my closets neat?  Stay on schedule with things?  Don't lose important papers?  Yup, I pretty much mean all of the above, so I figure this year, I need to break the goal down in more manageable components in order to achieve it.  

One way I want to be more organized is by planning meals ahead of time.  It will cut down on the amount of shopping I do and also allow me to save time by making some things in advance.  Lucky for me, Kim from Seven Thirty Three designed some fun free printable weekly meal planners!

I love that there's a shopping list on the right hand side so as you fill in the dishes you plan on making, you can also jot down anything you don't already have on hand.  

There are two options - an owl design:

Or a bird:

And you can easily print out 52 pages and have them bound at Staples or Kinkos to make them into a book so you can easily reference past weeks which were:

Hope you enjoyed today's pick and for more fab freebies, check out my Freebies and Printables Board on Pinterest!

A Resolution for 2012: Getting Toys Organized

Thanks to everyone who left comments and sent in e-mails yesterday, both welcoming me back (so nice to know you missed me!) and sharing your goals and resolutions for 2012!  I loved reading all of them.

One of the e-mails I received was from Amanda, a mom of three in Tyler, Texas, who, like me, wants to be more organized this year, especially with her kids' toys.  The problem?  Their play space currently has no closet or shelving so she's looking for inexpensive but attractive ways to store all of their stuff.  Well, Amanda, here are a few suggestions.

If you've got boys with lots of toys, this super idea from Sugartot Designs is sure to get them excited to clean up!

And they're simple to make too.  Just use the free printable patternss from Sugartot Designs to cut out felt Superhero logos and hot glue them to store-bought bins.  You'll be done in a flash!

I'm totally stealing, I mean borrowing, this fun idea from Landee See, Landee Do.

She used her Silhouette to make vinyl labels for the drawers on an Ikea TROFAST storage unit (just $39!) so her daughter always knows what goes where.

Don't have a Silhouette?  No worries!  It's easy to make chalkboard labels like these using the tutorial from Lil Blue Boo:

Or you can download these free printable toy bin tags from Lily Jane.

Need a spot to keep books organized?  Cory Connor Designs picked up a $4 wagon from Goodwill and uses it as a bookshelf.

It's cute and wallet-friendly!

Speaking of wallet-friendly, think outside the box (or bin!) when it comes to organizing toys.  Most of them are actually kind of cute, so why not put them on display?  Hit up your local home improvement store for some garden baskets to mount on the wall and you've got instant - and easily accessible - storage.

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Whether at child height, like the ones above, or filling a whole wall like this:

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Wire baskets are a unique way to keep toys neat - and show them off!

Last but not least is a project that I'll be attempting, thanks to all of the fun dress-up clothes my girls got for the holidays.  Natalie from A Turtle's Life For Me took an old dresser and transformed it into a dreamy dress up closet.

And if all else fails, let your kids make a piece of art like this one from Play Dr. Mom, and hang it by the door.

For more ways to keep your playroom perfect, check out my Planning the Playroom Board on Pinterest.

Do you have a storage solution for toys that's worked for you?  We'd love to hear about it!  And keep those e-mails on goals and resolutions for 2012 coming!