Momma Told Me: My Mom Is The Best Giveaway Hop: DYMO LabelMaker~ 5/7

My Mom Is The Best Giveaway Hop: DYMO LabelMaker~ 5/7

Please Note: This giveaway item was provided by Penny Wise Office Products, in addition to a review unit, in exchange for my honest opinion and review. Regardless, all thoughts and images are original, honest, content represented in the fairest manner. This giveaway is part of the Fashionista Events My Mom Is The Best Giveaway Hop, brought to you by Still Blonde After All These Years and Modly Chic.

Momma Told Me: Every thing has a place and every place a thing.

Spring is officially here, and with Spring comes that nagging ~~urge~~, feeling of obligation, to organize and tidy up for the ongoing year. I wish I could say I observed this habit in Momma, growing up, but she had a knack for keeping my little hands busy with a duster or filing cabinet, no matter the season. Personally, I never minded much; I found organization to be particularly fulfilling and therapeutic. Whenever Pop would receive a parts order for work (his job title requiring him to tinker and repair a variety of commercial appliances), I would willing offer my time to meticulously check off each and every item received. Sometimes these were giant rotors, others they were hundreds of individually packed O-rings of varying sizes. Yes, everything had a place in our home, and I found comfort in singular truth. Unfortunately this is not so much true in my own household today. I wish I could be as much of a Wonder Woman as Momma, but alas my 2 bedroom condo seems overrun with piles and projects I hope to attend to 'someday.'

There's the old adage about offending a wife/mother by gifting her a practical item for Mother's Day. The way I see it, it's not in the type of item, but the quality received. For example, receiving an old model Hoover with a tedious turning point, excessive hoses, and clogging brush head (in my humble opinion), as opposed to a beautiful yellow workhorse like the latest Dyson. When you gift a woman a practical, or utilitarian, object for any special holiday it's always best to first most consider if the object will instantly make her life easier, through innovative design and intuitive use. If the answer is yes, then this item along with a simple bouquet of flowers will likely be the key to a tickled Momma. I know whenever Jay makes any form of gift purchases for me I am also always looking at the bottom line. I usually have a good idea how much was spent; and since our money is ultimately combined, savvy buying decisions (even in gifting) are essential. That is why we love to shop the Penny Wise Office Products catalog. Not only is this a beautiful full color catalog of every home and work office need, but a great way to get a heads up and the latest innovations and take advantage of FREE Shipping.

Call it the 'Type A' in me, but I have longed for a simple, yet proficient label-maker ever since I heard the gentle click of my Pop's device, back in my tweens. For me, high school was categorized by a high level of obsessive organization; intended to mange the several ~~addictions~~, collections, I carefully curated. I recall the teachers in school often had label makers too, and there was something simply exciting about bring able to 'slap a label' on something. Penny Wise recently sent me a DYMO LabelManager 280 for a feature here on Momma Told Me, and it couldn't have been a better selection for my basic needs. While many label makers can be found in the Penny Wise Office catalog, I love this particular model best for it's versatility in charging options (included AC adapter, or PC/MAC charging cable). I also love that there are 3 simple steps to set up; insert the battery, insert the label cartridge, and connect to the computer to charge and update necessary drivers.

The DYMO LabelManager is incredibly easy to use; while it's true some may want the fuss and frills of smiley emotes and multi-ink cartridges, I use mine to label, and label alone. The physical size of the unit is a little bigger than I'd anticipated, though the device is fairly lightweight, and still handles well with one hand. The front face features a flat screen with hidden buttons beneath printed icons and symbols. The bottom half of the screen is a raised button keyboard with fairly large letters (easy to read), and operates much like a classic cellphone text pad. When the unit is turned on the main screen displays a plain black and grey LCD prompt which features a charge indicator, USB connectivity, font size, and additional options tabs. Out of the box the LabelManager will function immediately for basic font labels with common punctuation (including accents and numbers). The software can be added to through a PC connection to include additional fonts and even smiley symbols. If this is desired I suggest navigating the label maker through the included on (computer) screen program window.

I'll admit, my computer (Windows 7, HP Laptop) did not want to install the drivers automatically. I disconnected the device 3 times, then went to do a manual driver search through the DYMO website. This seemed to work much better and the proper programs/drivers installed instantly without issue. The DYMO LabelManager 280 handles labels at 1/4", 3/8" and the included 1/2" width, though the font has over 20 size variations and even the 1/2" tape can be cut to fit your project's needs. I was a bit concerned about the ease of peeling the label from the backing, but DYMO uses a simple 2 piece peel system that always ensures a fuss free application. The LabelManager 280 includes a limited one year manufacturer's warranty, when registered upon activation, and software updates are provided free through the lm280.dymo.com website. In all, I am impressed with the initial ease of use that will have Momma marking items in no time; with the option to expand on technicalities down the line.

What Daughter Says: The LabelManager will make getting organized this Spring a breeze!