Cricut has long been established as the ultimate crafting tool! And while I get my craft on from time to time, I’ve always used my Cricut cutting machine primarily for organizing.

While I love my Cricut Explore Air (and am coveting a Cricut Maker for it’s ability to cut even more materials), the truth is that both machines are much more powerful than what I need for the majority of my projects. I love showing you all the ways that I create labels with my Cricut, but I know that for my organizing-loving readers, the idea of buying a large Cricut machine just to make pretty labels is both a bit intimidating, as well as potentially cost prohibitive.

That’s why I’m so excited about the newest addition to the Cricut family! Cricut sent me the new machine to check out, and it was love at first sight! The adorably mini Cricut Joy is perfect for organizing, and so much more!

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something I recommend, you’ll pay the same price, but I may receive a small commission.

This machine is the perfect mix of function and practicality! It’s powerful enough to create all of organizing and labeling projects that I’ve shared on the blog over the years, but it’s small enough to store anywhere (no craft room required) and the learning curve is almost non-existent!

Especially for organizing-lovers and moms, Cricut Joy is the perfect machine:

• Cut adhesive vinyl labels
• Write and cut labels for basket and bin label holders
• Create custom birthday and greeting cards in minutes
• Make custom t-shirts, tote bags, and backpacks with iron-on and infusible ink

Ok, so what if you already own a Cricut Explore or Maker – do you also need a Cricut Joy? That really depends on the types of projects you make, but for me, the answer is a resounding yes! Because of it’s small size and ease of use, it’s the perfect companion machine that I can move around the house as I work on my organizing projects. But it’s more than just that – Cricut Joy also has some great benefits over my large Explore Air machine:

• Cut vinyl without a mat
• Cut unique phrases up to 4 feet long (no longer limited by a 24″ mat)
• Cut repeating patterns or letters up to 20 feet long!

I do a lot of organizing for clients, and many request pretty, custom labels like those I make for my own home. Now I can tuck my little Cricut Joy into its carry case and take it with me to my clients’ houses. It’s small size, the ability to design and cut via Bluetooth connection, create long cuts without a mat makes the Cricut Joy a must have for professional organizers!

Five Creative Ways to Make Labels With Cricut Joy

As soon as I unboxed my Cricut Joy, the first thing I wanted to do to test it out was make some labels!

Last fall, I installed a new closet system in my craft room, and it’s pretty much all my organized dreams come true! But I hadn’t yet completed the very important final step in the organizing process – adding labels! I knew the closet would be the perfect spot to test out my Cricut Joy by creating a few different styles of labels for each of the bins, drawers, and containers.

I used adhesive vinyl to cut out words to label the bins on the top shelf, I created cardstock labels to perfectly fit the label holders I purchased for each of the drawers, and I designed custom stickers to label all of my small craft supplies. I’ll show you, step-by-step, how to design and make each type of label, and I’ll share a few more ideas to organize your home using Cricut Joy.

1. How to Label Bins Using Smart Vinyl

Cutting words out of adhesive vinyl is one of my favorite ways to label all around my house – including on the drawers under my kitchen sink and in my travel closet, and on the lazy Susans under my bathroom sink. Thanks to Cricut’s new Smart Vinyl designed exclusively for use with Cricut Joy, I can now create these impactful vinyl labels by feeding a roll of vinyl directly into the machine without using a mat.

Start by opening Cricut Design Space and use the text tool to type in the words that you want to cut. All you need to do is choose a font, and then set the size. You can set the font size, just like you would in any other program, but I prefer to set the size using the width and height measurements.

The bins on the top shelf of my craft closet are 13″ wide, so I set my longest label (“Infusible Ink”) to about 8.75″ long. I then noted the corresponding font size and used that same font size for my remaining labels.

It took me less than a minute in Design Space to type in the words I wanted to cut. After designing your labels, click “Make It,” and select “Without Mat” to cut using a roll of Cricut Smart Vinyl.

Of course, if you already own regular vinyl that you want to use, you could cut it to fit the Cricut Joy mat and load the machine that way instead.

Here are the simple, step-by-step instructions:

1. Click “Make It” in Cricut Design Space.
2. Select “Without Mat” and choose “Smart Vinyl” as the material type.
3. Load a roll of Smart Vinyl into the Cricut Joy by feeding the end of the roll into the machine with both hands until the rollers grip the material. The machine will pull the vinyl through the machine to measure that the material is long enough for the selected design.
4. If it’s not already in place, insert your blade into the machine housing.
5. Select “Go” to begin your cut.
6. When the cut is complete, click “Unload Mat” in Design Space.
7. Use scissors or a paper cutter to cut each word apart, then peel off the excess vinyl around the words. Use a weeding tool to remove the vinyl pieces from the inside of letters.
8. Apply a layer of Cricut Joy Transfer Tape over each of the vinyl labels and burnish (rub) with a scraper tool to ensure the transfer tape sticks to the vinyl.
9. Turn the labels over, and carefully remove the vinyl backing sheet, leaving the letters stuck to the transfer tape.
10. Center a label on your bin, and use a scraping tool to apply pressure to ensure the label is firmly adhered to the bin.
11. Carefully peel off the transfer tape at a 45 degree angle.

These bold, graphic labels are perfect for the bins at the top of my craft closet, making it easy for me to know the contents of each bin at a glance!

2. How to Create Custom Stickers Using Smart Label Writable Vinyl

As much as I love creating simple, cut out word labels using adhesive vinyl, I was intrigued by the new Cricut Joy Smart Label Writable Vinyl and was excited to try it out.

I have all of my small craft supplies and office supplies organized into small, square, lidded boxes. To label the lid of each of these clear containers, I designed round stickers in Design Space and used Cricut Joy to write the words and draw the icons, and then cut a circle around each label.

Design Sticker Labels In Design Space

1. Begin by using the shape tool to draw a circle and set the size to the desired sticker size. Set the “Linetype” to Cut.
2. Add text inside the circle, selecting the desired font, and setting “Linetype” to Draw.
3. Click “Image” and use the search tool to find an icon to match the label. {I subscribe to Cricut Access for use of all these images.} Set the image “Linetype” to Draw.
4. Check the Layers panel on the right to ensure that each layer is properly set to Cut (for the circle) and Draw (for the text and image). Then select all three layers and select “Duplicate.” Now you can quickly change the text and image for your next sticker. Duplicate and repeat as many times as needed to create all of your stickers.
5. After completing each sticker, select the three layers (circle, text, and image) and click “Attach.” This will ensure that these layers stay together, positioned exactly as you want them.

After completing the design of my sticker labels, I was ready to draw and cut with Cricut Joy. In Design Space, I clicked “Make It,” and select “Without Mat,” and selected Smart Label Writable Vinyl as the material.

Step-by-step sticker drawing and cutting instructions:

1. Click “Make It” in Cricut Design Space.
2. Select “Without Mat” and choose “Smart Label Writable Vinyl” as the material type.
3. Load a roll of Smart Label Vinyl into the Cricut Joy by feeding the end of the roll into the machine with both hands until the rollers grip the material. The machine will pull the vinyl through the machine to measure that the material is long enough for the selected design.
4. Design Space will prompt you to insert a Cricut Joy Pen into the machine housing.
5. Select “Go” to begin writing/drawing.
6. When the drawing is complete, Design Space will prompt you to remove the pen and insert the blade. Once the blade is inserted, click to proceed with the cut.
7. Once the cut around each sticker is complete, click “Unload Mat” in Design Space.
8. You stickers are now complete, and can be peeled off of the backing and applied.

I was worried that the written labels would smear or scratch, but the writing felt dry immediately and seems like it will be extremely durable. I just love the way these sticker labels look on my small craft containers!

3. How to Write & Cut Cardstock Labels Using Cricut Joy Mat

A couple of months ago, I purchased some adhesive metal label holders that I planned to affix to the front of each of the drawers in my craft closet. Using Cricut Design Space, I was able to quickly design perfectly sized inserts for these label holders.

Design Label Holder Inserts In Design Space

I started by measuring the label holders to determine the exact size for my finished labels.

1. Begin by using the shape tool to draw a rectangle and set the size to the desired label size.
2. Add text inside the rectangle, selecting the desired font.
3. Select the rectangle layer and set the “Linetype” to Cut; select the text layer and set the “Linetype” to Draw.
4. Then select both layers and select “Attach.” This will ensure that these layers stay together, positioned exactly as you want them.
5. Next, select “Duplicate” to create more identical labels. Duplicate as many times as the number of labels you want to make. One by one, “Detach” the a rectangle/text pair – change the text for your next label, and reattach. Continue this process until you have the right text on each label.

Unlike the prior two labels that I created using adhesive vinyl, I wanted to write and cut these labels on cardstock to insert into the label holders. As a result, I needed to use a mat for this Cricut Joy project. I cut a 12×12 piece of cardstock down to two pieces to fit the mat.

In Design Space, I clicked “Make It,” and selected “On Mat.”

I then selected Medium Cardstock as the material. Since this was my first time cutting cardstock with my Cricut Joy, I was concerned about whether the pressure would be enough for a clean cut of the paper, but it came out perfectly.

Step-by-step label drawing and cutting instructions:

1. Click “Make It” in Cricut Design Space.
2. Select “On Mat” and choose “Medium Cardstock” as the material type.
3. Place a piece of cardstock on the Cricut Joy mat.
4. Load the mat into the Cricut Joy by feeding it into the machine with both hands until the rollers grip the mat.
5. Design Space will prompt you to insert a Cricut Joy Pen into the machine housing.
6. Select “Go” to begin writing.
7. When the drawing is complete, Design Space will prompt you to remove the pen and insert the blade. Once the blade is inserted, click to proceed with the cut.
8. Once the labels are cut, click “Unload Mat” in Design Space.
9. Use a spatula tool to carefully remove each label from the mat.

Writing and cutting these labels with the Cricut Joy made this project so quick and easy. They look much nicer than if I hand wrote them, and it was so much easier than printing the labels on my home printer and then trying to measure and cut them to just the right size.

The labels slid perfectly into my label holders!

I know that over time, the contents of my craft drawers will probably change as I use up certain supplies and purchase new supplies for different projects. As a result, it was important that I could easily update these labels over time.

Now that I have the size of these labels saved in my Design Space projects, I can update the labels quickly and easily in the future.

I used these same adhesive holders to add labels the bins filled with all of my papers and rolls of vinyl.

4. Create Vinyl Icon Labels for Small Drawers

A few years ago, I purchased a box with small drawers to organize all of my family’s tech chargers and cords on the corner of the kitchen counter. In this blog post, I shared the step-by-step instructions for designing these icon labels in Cricut Design Space.

My husband now wants some similar labels for the drawers in his office, so I plan to take my Cricut Joy and iPad with me to his office this weekend. It will be so convenient to design, cut, and apply them as soon as I finish organizing his drawers. In the past, I would have had to make notes, come home to cut the labels on my larger machine, and then go back to his office the next day to put them in place.

5. Custom Vinyl Labels for Computers and iPads

My boys each received a Chromebook for Christmas last year, and while we’ve been doing school-at-home during these recent months, they are using them daily. Since their computers are identical, it leads to frequent arguments about whether little brother has picked up big brother’s computer and vice versa.

Recently I used my Cricut to create some custom backpacks and t-shirts for a fabulous charity that benefits foster kids. My boys loved the geometric rhino and barcode guitar that I used for this project, and begged me to make something for them with the same designs.

I plan to cut both designs on my Cricut Joy using black adhesive vinyl – I’ll apply the rhino to the corner of my older son’s Chromebook, and the guitar to my younger son’s computer. Arguments solved!

Cricut Joy is Perfect for Organizing & So Much More!

If you’ve been thinking about purchasing a Cricut for labeling and home organization, Cricut Joy is the perfect machine! It’s small enough to store anywhere and so easy to use! I especially love the ability to design and cut from my iPad, connect via bluetooth, and cut the Smart Vinyl without a mat. It’s perfectly portable around the house, and I’m excited to take it with me when organizing for clients as well!

The post Five Ways to Get Your Home Organized With Cricut Joy appeared first on Blue i Style.

For years, we didn’t have any usable storage space in our utility room, so we were storing all these cans of paint in a very haphazard manner. Some leftover paint was stored on shelves in our detached garage, which was a bad idea since the garage is unheated and allowed the paint to get to cold in the summer (and probably to hot in the summer as well). And all the leftover cans from the builder were stacked up in boxes on the floor of our coat closet, which was definitely not the best use of that space!

I had been itching to get our paint situation under control, but I first needed a place to put it all.  We finally found a way to add shelving to our tiny utility room, so with those shelves in place, I was ready to embark on Project Paint Storage.  The first step was to gather all the paint into one place. Wow, that’s a lot of paint!

Once I saw how much paint we had, I realized that I needed to do something more than simply moving all the cans downstairs to our new utility room shelving, so I started doing some research {in blogland of course} to find alternate paint storage ideas.

I quickly learned that mason jars had become the favorite way to store leftover paint.  And while I can see the appeal, because the paint looks oh so pretty in those little jars, I knew that wasn’t the best solution for me for a couple of reasons. First, a standard size mason jar holds 16 ounces (or 1 pint), and the majority of my paint cans contained more than a pint. Second, I just don’t trust myself with glass when it comes to something that could be so devastatingly messy if the glass were to break.

This second concern was of particular concern to me because our new utility room shelves are attached to the studs, leaving a gap between the studs large enough for a mason jar to be pushed right off the back of the shelf where it would end up crashing down onto the cement floor.

But I liked the concept of transferring my paint to different containers, and I liked the idea of those containers being clear so that I could see the paint color and quantity within each. So I asked the internet, “Can you store leftover paint in a plastic container?” Turns out, the answer is yes! In fact, some paint brands have begun switching to plastic cans.  After a little shopping, I found the perfect plastic canisters! This post contains affiliate links. If  you buy something I recommend, you’ll pay the same price, but I may receive a small commission.

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In addition to being plastic, rather than glass, these canisters have several major advantages:
(1) they come in both 1 gallon and 2 quart sizes (ideal for the quantities of paint I need to store);
(2) they have screw tops that create a nice seal;
(3) their overall square shape allows them to be lined up side by side while taking up considerably less space than a standard round paint can;
(4) they have a great built in hand-grip that makes them easy to lift and pour with one hand;
(5) the canisters can easily be washed out and reused for a different color of paint in the future; and
(6) the price can’t be beat!

A few important notes:  I only transferred my latex (water based) paint into the plastic canisters. I have read that oil-based paint will eventually eat through plastic, so I don’t recommend storing oil-based paint in plastic canisters like these.  Since oil-based paints suffer the same woes from rusting cans, instead consider using glass to store leftover oil-based paints.  Additionally, I will only be storing my latex paint in the utility room. I have a detailed post where you can read about how to properly store and dispose of different kinds of paint, including latex, oil-based, and spray paint.

As I transferred all of our latex paint out of their original paint cans and into the plastic canisters, I needed to create labels for the canisters to capture all of the details, including the paint brand, color name, color number, and sheen. At the same time, I also created a paint reference chart to keep all the details in one place, as well as a simple custom paint deck that I could take with me shopping when matching decor to our paint colors.

Rather than printing pretty labels with all the paint details already included, I instead opted to create a simple label template upon which I could hand write the details. This was a forward thinking decision, because I know that, realistically, the next time I buy paint and transfer the leftovers to a canister, I won’t want to take the time to print out a custom label. Instead, I can print extra blank labels now and have them ready to write the details in and stick it to a canister when the time comes.

I printed my labels on glossy sticker paper, then, using the round border as a guide, I cut out the round labels just inside the black line.

And guess what?  I’m sharing this cute paint label template with you! Just click here to download the full-size (four labels per 8.5 x 11 inch) template as a JPG file and print your own labels. These labels are perfectly sized to fit the lids of the plastic canisters, but are also an ideal size for placing directly on the top of a paint can (more on that below).

Once my labels were cut and ready, it was time to start transferring paint.  At this point you may be asking yourself, “Why go to all this trouble? Why not just leave the paint in the original cans?”  They say a picture is worth a thousand words – so here is my best answer to that question:

Not only does it look gross, but that rusting can is certainly no good for the paint!  And that particular can of paint was not even very old.  If I were to leave all the paint in the original cans, the cans would continue to rust and ultimately ruin the paint. My online research indicates that their is really no good solution to stop cans from rusting, so transferring the paint to another, air-tight storage container will prolong the life of the paint. Read more about proper paint storage and how to determine if paint has gone bad.

When it came to actually transferring the paint from the cans to my plastic canisters, we sat each canister in a cardboard box to protect our kitchen counter from any drips or spills, then we simply poured the paint from one container to the other.

One by one we transferred the cans of paint into the canisters and labeled the top of each canister with a sticker indicating its contents, including the brand of paint, paint color, and sheen.  I peeled the backing off of the sticker paper and placed each label in the center of the canister lid, pressing down around the edge to create a good seal.

Alternatively, if you don’t have the time or desire to transfer all of your paint to new containers, you could place a sticker label directly on top of the paint can lid.  Often times, after we’ve poured paint into a paint tray several times, paint drips down the side of the can making it impossible to read the brand or paint color.  By placing a label on top of the can before storing it away, you wouldn’t later be guessing about the contents of the can.

Once all of my paint was transferred into the canisters, and all of the canister lids were labeled, I was thrilled with the results. Now a quick glance allows me to see the color of the contents and the approximate quantity. Best of all, however, is that my paint is no longer at danger of being ruined by rusting cans.

A comparison of the old paint cans to the new paint canisters lined up on a shelf in the utility room illustrates the efficiency of my new leftover paint storage solution.

Related Posts You May Find Helpful:
How to Properly Store, Dispose of, and Recycle Paint & Paint Cans
The Best Way to Organize Paint Supplies
How to Add Storage Shelving to a Utility RoomSpray Paint Storage & Organization

The post How to Store Leftover Paint + Free Printable Paint Labels appeared first on Blue i Style.

The boys had been begging to share a room for quite a while, so back in the spring we converted Cooper’s former nursery in to a super fun shared bedroom, complete with the coolest storage bunk beds. It’s a pretty small room, but we managed to create dedicated play space, and we packed in tons of storage, including hidden behind the doors of this cute Eiffel Bookcase.

This bookcase is a bit on the shallow side, so the style of bins I normally buy for organizing toys {these and these} were too deep. But I found these gray felt bins that are just perfect for the space.

But as you can see in the photo above, it’s a bit overwhelming to look at these twelve bins with no labels. How the heck does anyone know what’s inside? Good question. No one did, and so for the past few months, these baskets became a disorganized mess. It was frustrating the kids because they couldn’t find the toys they wanted, and it was frustrating me because it make cleanup much harder.

Of course, it’s my fault, because I should have labeled the bins when we first finished the room makeover. But it was one of those situations where I was so relieved to have the major decor and DIY projects in the space finished, so details like labeling the bins behind the doors were left for later.

One of the reasons I initially put off this project was that I wanted to come up with a plan to make these labels quick and easy to update, knowing that over the years what’s inside each bin will change many times as they outgrow toys and games, and get new stuff.

I decided I needed to finally make this a priority, and once I came up with a plan, it only took me a few minutes to execute. Here I am kicking myself for not just spending five minutes to create these labels months ago!

Let me introduce you to my new favorite way to create easy-to-update labels – self-adhesive business card pockets paired with scrapbook paper!

I picked out a variety of colorful scrapbook papers {to coordinate with all the color of the other side of the boys’ bedroom}, and I cut each 6″ x 6″ sheet of paper into four business card sized pieces.

I stacked up each matching set of paper labels, and tucked them inside one of the clear pockets, creating twelve sets in all {one for each toy bin}.

…and stick it onto the bin.

The post Organizing Kids Toys with Labels that Are Easy to Update appeared first on Blue i Style.

Since I knew exactly the size I wanted, I used the Edit tab on the far right of the screen to set the exact dimensions.

I then changed the color of the second rectangle to white, to make the two easy to tell apart.

I dragged the smaller, white rectangle on top of the original, larger black rectangle.

I selected “Center” from the “Align” menu.

This perfectly centered the white rectangle on top of the black, creating an even border all the way around.

Next, I clicked on the “Slice” tool on the Layers tab.

This had the effect of separating the black board showing around the white rectangle from the remainder of the black rectangle, allowing me to drag them apart.

I used the red X in the top left corner to delete the center of the black rectangle, leaving just the border that I wanted.

Now I was ready to add the text inside the border. I began by clicking “Add Text” on the left menu bar, and then typed in “Dressing Room.”

I wanted to use a different font than the default on, so I click on the “Edit” tab on the far right side of the screen, and then clicked on the Font drop down menu. I scrolled down and tried out a few fonts until I found one that I liked.

Once I’d picked a font, I adjusted the size several times until I liked the way the text fit inside the border.

Now I was ready to cut this custom door label. I clicked on the “GO” button in the Cricut Design Space software, connected by computer to my Circut Explore Air, and cut the label from black vinyl.

Once I had the positioning about right, I began peeling the transfer tape and label away from the backing.

I tore away about 1/3 of the backing, being careful that the transfer tape didn’t yet stick to the door.

Holding the transfer tape away from the glass, I used a level to ensure that the border was still perfectly straight.

I then placed the left end of the label against the glass, and used a scraper tool to burnish (rub) that portion of the label onto the glass.

I then removed the painter’s tape and carefully began removed the remainder of the backing.

I continued using the scraper tool to smooth the rest of the label down moving from the center to the left side, removing the backing little by little.

Once the entire backing was removed, I went back over the entire label again, pressing it down firmly to ensure that none of the letters would peel off when I removed the clear transfer tape.

I began slowly removing the transfer tape. If the border or letters begin peeling up when you start to remove the tape, stop and burnish again with your scraper tool before continuing.

Once the transfer tape was all removed, I had a few small bubbles in the vinyl on the letter R.

After smoothing out as many bubbles as I could using the vinyl applicator tool, I then used a thin needle to poke a tiny hole in the remaining bubbles to release the air underneath, and again smoothed down the vinyl.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. As always, all opinions are my own.

The post How to Create a Custom Door Label with Cricut appeared first on Blue i Style.

This post contains some affiliate links. If you buy something I recommend, I may receive a small commission to help run this blog, but you pay the same price… win/win!

After adding our shiny new metallic floor and rows up one rows of white bins in the garage to create a clean and streamlined look {a far cry from the chaos our garage used to be}, I then wanted to bring in some color to make it a fun and creative space for our DIY projects. And what better way to add color than with paint chip cards?!

I stopped at my local paint store and grabbed a wide variety of paint swatch strips {making sure to get more than I needed so I’d have extras on hand for later}. I also bought a package of long thin adhesive labeling pockets {the size made for labeling the ends of binders}.

Once I had created all the labels I needed for the garage, I simply slip each one into a labeling pocket and then peeled the pockets off of their backing and affixed them to the center of each bin and drawer.

Of course, these paint chip labels aren’t just great for the garage, they would be perfect for labeling containers of toys, in a craft room or office, or in any other organized space where you want to add a little pop of fun and color, like the pantry or linen closet.

The post Paint Chip Labels appeared first on Blue i Style.

Thank you to Cricut for sponsoring this post, and thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible. As always all opinions are my own. This post also contains affiliate links.

Let’s go back in time one week so I can show you how I was dealing with this problem previously. You know that I’m a fan of using baskets to organize, but I’m also the first to admit when a basket just isn’t getting the job done. This was one of two baskets full of charging cords and small electronics that were junking up my kitchen counter, and digging through the baskets to find what I needed was driving me crazy!

I brought the Moppe home, sat it on the counter and started filling up the drawers to test it out. It was the perfect size for everything I needed to organize, so it was time to get creative and decide how to make these drawers look nicer in my kitchen. I started by giving the outer frame a coat of stain, and then spray painted the drawers using left over paint from my garage pegboard.

The stain and paint immediately made my mini chest of drawers look pretty, but it’s the labels that really give it a polished look. This is one of my best organizing tips – LABEL EVERYTHING! Not only do labels allow you to add a little extra style, they also make it easy for everyone in the house to find what they need {and it takes away any excuse for people to not put things away}.

There are so many ways to create DIY labels, but one of my favorite ways has always been to use my Cricut electronic cutter. Until recently, I was still using the original, decade old version of the machine. But a few months ago, my friends at Cricut sent me the updated Explore Air machine to try out, and wow!

With my old machine, I was limited to cutting with the fonts and graphics available on Cricut cartridges. But with my new machine I can cut anything that I can dream up! Not only can I use all of the fonts on my computer {as I showed you on the custom wood sign I created for my garage} – I can also upload my own designs and use Cricut Design Space to covert my JPEGs into cutable files.

Rather than labeling the drawers of my Moppe with words, I decided to create some simple icon labels that I cut out of white adhesive vinyl with my Cricut Explore Air.


If you want to learn how to upload and convert your images into files that Cricut can cut, I’ve got the full tutorial for you at the end of this post. But first, I want to show you how I put the custom icons stickers on the drawers, and what I organized inside those drawers.

Each of my icon labels is just 1.5 inches in diameter, and some of the icons have very fine details – so I was a bit nervous about how well they would cut. But the precision of the cuts was spot on!

After I finished weeding they vinyl from the center of each icon, I strip of vinyl transfer tape over the icons, smoothing it down to burnish the vinyl onto the surface of the transfer tape.

I then slowly peeled the transfer tape away from the Cricut mat, ensuring that the vinyl lifted up with the transfer tape.

I used scissors to cut the icons apart in preparation for applying each to one of the newly painted drawers.

I then slowly peeled back the transfer tape, ensuring that the vinyl was firmly adhered to the drawer.

From the top left, the drawers contain:

• Camera batteries and chargers
• Power banks and portable chargers
• USB storage devices / Flash drives
• Charging cords and cables
• Portable speakers and my favorite bluetooth headset
• Camera lenses and lens hoods

I am so excited about how this project turned out! It has allowed me to organize all of our chargers, cords, and even camera lenses in the place where I spend most of my working hours – then kitchen. And best of all, it actually looks nice sitting on the kitchen counter right next to our “mudroom” bench.

The stain is a nice match to our cabinets and the light teal spray paint that I used on the drawers looks great with our glass tile backsplash – both of which help the chest of drawers to blend in a bit. And the custom vinyl icon labels on each drawer are subtle but stylish, and ensure that everyone in the family can find what they need! That’s an organizing win/win/win!

Click UPLOAD IMAGES > UPLOAD IMAGE > BROWSE. Then choose the first file you want to upload from the files on your computer.

After selecting and erasing each white portion of the icon designs, I clicked on the “Preview” button. The dark gray area that remains shows my design as it will be cut by the Cricut machine.

After resizing each of the images, I clicked on the GO button and proceeded to connect my Cricut Explore Air to my computer, loaded the mat, and cut the icons from my white adhesive vinyl {as shown above}.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine. Comments submitted may be displayed or featured on other websites owned by Cricut.

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I turned the labels over and covered the back of the paper in a coat of Mod Podge to act as glue.

I then pressed the labels on the chip board, smoothing the paper down to get rid of any bumps or ripples.

When properly set, the back of the eyelet will look like the photo below.

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Without labels, our pantry would just be a sea of matching white bins. I would have a pretty good idea of what goes where, since I organized it to start with, but imagine my poor kids and husband! They would never be able to find things, and certainly wouldn’t be able to help put groceries away without things quickly becoming a disorganized mess!

It only took one of the ten decal sheets in the package to label all of my drawers, leaving me with nine more sheets for the future {and I plan to use some of those extra sheets to help my boys make holiday decorations for our windows}. By using window decals to label the drawer fronts, I am assured that the labels will stay firmly in place until I choose to remove them, but will be easy to remove when the time comes.

CANISTER LABELS.  I addition to the baskets and drawers, I also used quite a few plastic screw top canisters in my pantry organization. When filling these canisters, I discarded the original packaging, but I wanted to retain the important information {like best by dates}. Since the contents of these canisters will change frequently as we use up items and purchase refills, I needed the canister labels to be very easy to updated.

Since the canisters will need to be washed from time to time, I opted to label the lids rather than the fronts of the containers. This way the canisters can be popped in the dishwasher, and the lids can be quickly wiped down. To create these canister labels:

(1) I used some colorful adhesive backed vinyl, which can be purchased at any craft store {mine was left over from prior projects {like this one, and this one, and this one};
(2) I cut traced circles on the backing of the vinyl, cut them out, and stuck them to the top of the canisters;
(3) Then I used a chalk marker to label the contents and the “best by” date.
(4) The chalk marker quickly wipes away with a damp cloth, and the labels are then ready to be marked with the new contents and date.

FREE PRINTABLE PANTRY LABELS! Are you ready to get your pantry organized with some pretty labels? To get you started, you can download the labels that I used for our pantry baskets! Happy organizing!

   

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