Dollarama

• Dollarama Deals - Bamboo Cutting Board, Fabric Storage Organizers, 3-Tire Storage Bins

  I found the following deals at Dollarama in Vaughan, Ontario yesterday:

  This bamboo cutting board was $3 and is made with 100% bamboo. It’s a medium size board (13.4×9.5×0.6 inch) that is great for smaller cutting jobs.
  

  I found a few storage organizers, too. They had square fabric bins (11x11x11 inch) for $2 each, a 3-tier fabric closet organizer for $2 and a large fabric storage box (13x6x11 inch) for $2.50!

  This 3-drawer organizer was $2.50 and could be used for organizing so many different items.

  They also had these mini organizers (5.5×3.5×5.0 inch) for $2. They are great for small items like office or craft supplies.

  Have you found any deals at Dollarama lately? Please let us know!
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• Kitchen Supplies to Buy at Dollar Stores

  

  Something that many parents anticipate with both excitement and dread, is the day their kids leave home - either to go to college or to move into their first apartment. This is a daunting time for the kids as well. They are going through one of life’s most exciting and challenging transitions.

  It can also be one of the most expensive transitions. Not only is there rent to pay, and food and basic provisions to purchase, but there are also rooms to furnish and decorate, and let’s not forget - learning all about cooking and cleaning!

  Since so much human activity is centered around eating, one of the most costly spaces to organize is typically the kitchen.

  Before heading to your nearest organizing store, though, be sure to check out your local dollar store. For a little more than $10, you can purchase four complete place settings for dinner. For $30, you can equip yourself for your cooking and baking needs.

  All you’ll have to get elsewhere are some pots and pans, appliances, and a decent can opener (this is one dollar store purchase that I do not recommended).

  The table below shows some examples of what kitchen goods you can get at Dollarama.

  Before you head out to do your kitchen shopping, make a list of all the things you think you will need. Make the dollar store your first stop, and you will find very few items on your list that you have to get somewhere else.

  What kitchen items do you purchase at the dollar store?
  3 comments

• Dollarama Deals - The Graty, Gyro Bowl & 3-Tier Storage Cart

  I found the following deals at Dollarama in Vaughan, Ontario this week!

  The Graty - an “as seen on TV product” that sells for about $8 in stores. Get it at Dollarama for only $2!

  This storage cart has 3 tiers and was only priced at $3. I’ve seen similar carts retail for at least $10 in department stores such as Walmart.

  The Gyro Bowl (a kid-proof, spill-proof bowl) is $10 on Amazon.ca, but at Dollarama, you can get the exact same one for only $3.

  Have you found any deals at Dollarama lately? Please let us know!
  6 comments

• Dollarama Stick Tile Review

  We bought a “fixer-upper” 3 years ago. I love the house, as it has a huge backyard, backs onto a park, and has a lot of potential. Well, as it turns out, it was a bit more of a fixer-upper than anticipated. We first needed new windows and a new roof before we could even think about tackling the cosmetic changes we wanted.

  So, we have had to be creative. A lot of the flooring in the house was in disrepair. And a lot was downright gross! So, given that we would be renovating, I did not want to replace the flooring with anything too expensive as it would just be removed in a year or two (or three, or ten… ahem).

  The solution? Dollarama stick tiles!

  I first put the flooring down in the kitchen, as I knew that the kitchen renovation was going to be done first. I was very impressed. It held up beautifully and was very simple to install. No fancy tools, simply a pair of scissors (that will get very sticky and likely ruined), a ruler, and a pencil.

  I then tackled our very, very yucky bathroom floor. I wasn’t sure how slippery the tiles would be, or how well the glue would hold up with the humidity and moisture, but guess what? Not one single problem - and it has been a full year!

  My latest project was the basement laundry room. This room, truthfully, I was just going to leave be. It has cement flooring and will remain unfinished. But it was just so icky, so I knew I had to do something.

  This tile was only 3/$1 at Dollarama. I used 26 tiles in our laundry toom, so my cost was only $9 to do the entire floor!

  I wondered how these stick tiles would hold up around the drain and thought I’d give them a try. Now, I know the floor is supposed to be level, so my plan was to lay down the tiles the best I could and then super glue any parts that wouldn’t stay down.

  I don’t think you will see this plan in very many home repair books, but for my purpose - it worked! This picture is from when the flooring is done, but before the super glue:

  The Dollarama stick tile is so easy to use. I started with the drain and easily cut out a hole in the middle of a tile simply by tracing the drain with a pencil onto the tile and cutting with scissors. The tiles stuck very well to the bare cement.

  I would highly recommend considering these tiles for many rooms. Home repair and renovation can be very costly, but with a little work, and smart purchases, you can save a bundle.

  Have you ever used these Dollarama tiles? What did you think of them?
  1 comment

• Office Organization - Organizing Desk Drawers

  I’ve been in desperate need of office organization for my brand new office for months now, but I’ve been putting it off. It just seems like such a huge task to furnish and organize an entire office from scratch!

  But - I am ready to get it done now because I am tired of never being able to find anything in my work space.

  The first thing I tackled was my under-desk cabinet (which is not going to be going under the desk until I get my cords organized under there). I bought this from IKEA and it stores so many of my small items that I use on a regular basis.

  In drawer #1 I have a $1 cutlery tray that I use to organize my pens, pencils, staples & stapler, highlighters and dry-erase & permanent markers.

  Drawer #2 contains 3 dollar store baskets (the small ones were 2/$1 and the larger one was $1) that hold sticky notes, tape dispensers and my much-loved label maker.

  The cardboard box is actually from a 12 pack of bottled water. I use it for scrap paper.

  In drawer #3, there are a bunch more dollar store bins (the clear ones were $1 each, the coloured and white ones were 3/$1 I believe). They house my calculators, pencil crayons, markers, crayons, business cards, business magnets, thumbtacks and paper clips.

  The little white dish is also from the dollar store - I’m pretty sure it was 3/$1 as well.

  Finally, in drawer #4 I keep my mailing supplies and extras. There are lots of envelopes, my cheque book and the 3 green bins (3/$1 at Dollarama) hold mini sticky notes, stamps, erasers and small odds & ends.

  Drawer #5 is empty because I’m not too sure what I want to put in there yet. I’m thinking I may put my extra computer cords in here, but I’m still thinking about it!

  So, that’s it! This is how I organize my small office supplies in my desk drawers. Having all of this stuff off of my desk top is so fantastic. I just wish I had done it sooner!

  How do you organize your desk drawers? Do you use dollar store bins? Please share in the comments!
  3 comments

• Dollarama Bacon Storage Container Review

  I purchased this bacon storage container from Dollarama for $1 a few months ago because I was tired of using zip-top bags and having to throw them in the trash when the bacon was finished.

  I really loved the idea of using a container for bacon so that I don’t have to throw out any more bags.

  After using it for a few months now, I can easily say that this bacon container is a great buy. It keeps my bacon fresh (the lid closes easily and snaps shut) and is easy to wash clean.

  Want to share your review of a dollar store product? Share here!
  4 comments

• Dollarama MicroFibre Mop Review

  Lovely spring has finally arrived. And with 2 big dogs and 3 kids, that means, among many other things, we’re about to encounter some very muddy floors.

  I purchased this microfiber mop from Dollarama for $3 (the packaging spells MicroFibre). I like using microfiber cloths, as I find they really grip the dirt and pet hair, so I thought I would give this dollar store mop a try.

  I have been using the mop for 1 month now, at least every other day. Here are my findings:

  It works well on:

  • Laminate flooring
  • Vinyl flooring

  The good stuff

  1) This mop is durable. The ringer is made of a sturdy plastic clip. At first I did not think it would hold up, but so far, so good.

  2) It has a very convenient “twist to wring” function. Using two hands, the mop easily wrings out water, leaving your hands clean and dry.

  3) The mop removes the muddy paw prints and footprints quickly and easily. It also picks up sticky apple juice spills, spilled baby food, and other daily messes.

  The bad stuff

  1) If you have pets, this mop may not be for you. It does not pick up pet hair very well. I was hoping it would, as my microfiber cloths are excellent at picking up hair, but no luck. This mop clumps the hair and leaves it in wet hair piles on the floor (yuck).

  The little amount of pet hair it does pick up gets stuck in the mop and will not rinse out. For that reason, it is necessary to sweep my floors before mopping (or buy another mop).

  2) The twisting function of the mop is very loud. This may not be a big deal for most, but if you happen to do your mopping wearing a sleeping baby in a sling, it is worth mentioning.

  3) The mop gets caught on sharp edges (under the edge of the stove for example) and creates pulls on the micro-fibre mop strands.

  4) Finally, the mop looks grungy pretty quickly. After my one month of using the mop it looks worn and dirty. That being said, it still cleans the floors well (other than pet hair!).

  So, in short:

  • The mop is durable, convenient, and removes dirt and mud easily.
  • It does not pick up pet hair, is loud, gets caught on things, and looks grungy quickly.

  The Verdict

  I would highly recommend this mop to individuals who mop infrequently, or to families who need a mop for small areas or to clean regular daily spills and messes.

  If you are searching for a mop to use on a large floor regularly, this mop will show its wear quickly. As well, if you have pets, it will be necessary to sweep well before using this microfiber mop.

  All in all, this mop is a good value for your money, as long as you are pet-free.
  3 comments