Maija's Mommy Moments

I make no secret of it online or in “real” life – I am madly in love with Mabel’s Labels and have been for the last almost 9 years (gasp!) since becoming a mom for the first time.

I use Mabel’s Labels on all of the regular things like coats, boots, bags, lunch boxes, mittens, hats, shoes, especially dance shoes!

But in an effort not to lose many of the important things and to become more organized Mabel’s Labels can be found all over our house and I thought I’d share some of the interesting ways we use our favourite brand of labels.

Video Games and DVDs: We take these everywhere with us.  Especially on long car rides.  This means they end up at houses of friends and family and in piles amongst their own kids’ games and movies.  By labeling them with the small Tag Mates I’m never worried about leaving them behind.

Junk Baskets: It took me almost eight years of motherhood to figure these out but now I’m a convert.  You know all those things your kids bring downstairs to play with and then leave lying around?  Instead of constantly stepping on those little Lego pieces or Barbie shoes I just pick them all up and toss them in the junk baskets on the stairs.  It’s the kids’ job every time they head up the stairs to take their junk baskets with them and put their toys away where they belong.  If the junk baskets get too full I hint at my children that perhaps they have too many toys and it’s time to purge.  Needless to say the junk baskets get emptied at least once a day!  Using the Sticky Labels makes it easy for anyone to tidy-up the family room (even my husband!).

Mommy’s Stuff: Mabel’s Labels have come out with Mom and Dad Packs with some really cute (can you say bacon) icons just in time for Mothers’ Day and Fathers’ Day.  I have labeled my company issued smart phone (can you imagine trying not to confuse your own phone with everyone else’s tossed on the boardroom table at the regular staff meeting?) and my camera lens cap.  I cannot tell you the number of times I have put that cap down only to have someone return it to me and ask “where did you get that cute little label?”  Another thing I label – all casserole dishes and serving spoons before potlucks and school functions because of course the sticky labels will go through a sink full of dirty dishes, the dishwasher and the wash machine without coming off!

Homework Cups:  I make sure that all three kids have homework cups ready and waiting for the after-school madness.  Of course only Sugar Plum has “real” homework and by having a labeled homework cup I know she has everything she needs (ruler, pencil, eraser, etc…) to do her homework while I am making dinner or cleaning up dinner or dealing with any other part of the after-school/after-work madness.

Boots: Of course, I know what you’re thinking… this is hardly an “interesting” place to put Mabel’s Labels BUT we’re using the placement of the labels to help the little kids learn how to match the right foot to the right boot.  For example, you can see in the picture I’ve put the labels on the outside wall of the boots so Bugaboo and Sweet Pea know that their boots are on the right feet when the labels are on the outside.  I’ve also put them on the inside wall so the labels “touch” when they put their feet together.

As a bonus and because I love you, I’m going to let you in on my not-so-secret Absolutely Favourite Place to put Mabel’s Labels – in the hands of new moms.  Mabel’s Label’s have become my go-to baby gift.  After all, isn’t that our job as experienced momma’s – to let new moms know about our favourite tips, tricks and products?

If you’ve never ordered Mabel’s Labels what are you waiting for?  If you haven’t checked out their site in a while you really should take a moment to peruse their newest icons.  Especially the Mom and Dad ones since we’ll all be looking for gifts for moms, dads, grandmas and grandpas soon (and they are only $9.50 a pack and available until June 18, 2012).

Happy Labeling!

PS: Think these photos look photo shopped?  They are! First because I’m still not ready to share our children’s names online and second because the Mabel’s Labels website has a really cool feature where you can build your labels exactly the way they will look before you order them (with names, icons, colours and all!).

Disclaimer: I was not paid to write this post.  I was however sent a small token of appreciation from the amazing Mabel ladies after pledging my undying love time and time again and having ordered at least a dozen combo packs and loot bag combos for all the teachers and daycare workers during the holidays throughout my mommy-lifetime.  I’m also headed over there right now credit card in hand because honestly what dad wouldn’t love bacon icon labels