Albert, they don't come apart when they are completely planted next to each other and under soil. You can't use them as self-contained pots! If you look at the last picture on the first post, you can see them in the lasagna pan and kitty litter box. There is no way for them to fall apart.... that is until you take them out to plant. Then they might, but by that time you're done anyway! My husband built me a cold frame out of PVC pipe. Inside the cold frame, I have a couple of skids/pallets to keep the containers up off the ground. (A couple of years ago I had my containers on the patio and some slugs found their way inside! The nerve!!) The total cost for the cold frame was about about $20.00. It comes apart for easy summer/fall storage. Living in a condo, the neighbors wouldn't like to see me set up my old recyclables in full view on my patio. I have to at least try and be descrete... well somewhat anyway! (complain to me, they WILL be rewarded with a w/s plant)

Or...you could order the impress aluminum labels from the manufacturer for a very good price at http://www.amekron.com I find that they hold up way better than the flimsy ones from other suppliers that have only a single hole for the stainless steel wire. Since I've been using the Amekron labels I haven't lost one. The old ones have littered my landscape as they inevitably fall off after a few years because the wire works its way through the thin aluminum. Charley

It really is like a 2nd job! Right there with you on the schedule, etc...I try to organize a bit each day so that I'm not overwhelmed by it at the end of the week but that doesn't always happen ;) Spreadsheets are super helpful - in a dream world I would scan everything in so that I don't have the giant binder of receipts It's my first reno but I think that living under construction is just how it goes. I am attempting to keep all of the project stuff in one room so that it doesn't take over my entire house. I found Houzz.com for my inspiration "tears" so I don't have my huge binder full of inspiration - can just use the computer and print out - saves one file at least. :)

Karen, welcome to the group. jcs7, I'm a teacher, too and could always tell the kids who are indepdent at home. I still have 3 in elementary school, so all papers in the backpacks go on the kitchen table when they get home. Field trip/permission slips are put aside on my control journal so I deal with them after dinner. Everything else is either an "atta boy" and in the trash, something for our art corner or they can put it up in their room with a push pin. Homework is back in the backpack when finished. We have a funky hallway area and that has become where we post the artwork. It has a bookshelf that the top is reserved for those clay and papermache projects. My calendar is made by More Time for Moms. It is 16 month calendar so I can write an entire year's events as soon I get the calendar for school, scouts, etc. and then I don't have to keep the schedules. The boxes have enough room that I can put down "field trip/need sack lunch" and still have other events listed. There is a packet at the back if I really need to keep something. I also keep a hanging file for each kid in the same place I keep my medical, household type stuff. If it's something I think I may need in the future then I put it there and I purge that stuff every fall. Part of keeping this stuff in control is to learn that every paper is not a keeper. I put away beginning of the year examples and then another one at the end of the year because it's nice to see the growth. Otherwise, we really don't keep daily stuff. If they do want to keep it, their bedroom is a good spot and if it becomes too much, they have to decide what goes and what stays. I have to say that "out of view" doesn't work for our family. When we remodeled this house the contractor wanted to put up a wall next to the fridge so you wouldn't see the fridge. It was so ingrained in having our calendar on the side of that fridge there was no way I could have a wall there and no calendar. With the calendar out and easy to get to, all six of us check it constantly. We know now-if it's not on the calendar-it isn't going to happen. Can you at least designate the inside of one cabinet for the calendar and have a big pocket there? Gloria Here is a link that might be useful: mom's calendar