Storage Ideas for Everything

Professional organizers expound the virtues of finding a place for everything. It seems that the clutter that takes over our lives is caused by items that really don't belong somewhere. Hence, they are simply left anywhere.

So when you're attempting to find suitable storage for belongings, your first step will be to get organized. Begin by purging yourself of the things you don't need or don't want. Although many people won't place things they don't want on display in their home many will tuck these very same items into drawers or closets, just in case. However, since storage space in many apartments is limited it’s important to stay focused and store away only items you know you will need at some point.

In addition, there are many things we must hold onto, even though we’d rather not. Receipts, tax returns, and other personal papers are examples. You may not need these items often, but you will probably need them sooner or later. But not all items that require storage are seldom used. There are many often-used things in our homes that need a place to "live" so when we need them we know just where to look.

Here are some creative ways to find a home for many of the things that make their way into our homes:

Magazines

• Cut the top off of old cereal boxes and cover the rest of the box with Con-Tact paper, wallpaper, or other decorative surface.

• Store magazines in a tin bucket for a look that is great with Country, Traditional, or even Contemporary interiors. 

Personal Papers

• Expandable, multipocket file folders are inexpensive, compact, easy to find, and keep papers neatly organized by the categories of your choosing.

• Create a personal notebook by purchasing a large binder and pocket folder dividers. Use it to store phone lists, invitations, prescription and medical information, warranties, stamps, stationery, and any papers you need to access on a regular basis. (But remember to clean it out now and then.)

• Cover old shoeboxes (including the lid) with decorative paper, write the contents on the end of the box, and then stack them on a closet shelf.

• Photo albums, memory albums, and photo boxes are all great choices for storing photos. For photos you'd like to share more often, place them in a ceramic or wooden bowl and make them part of a tabletop grouping in your living room.

Bills and Correspondence

• Create a portable correspondence center by using a wine box or wooden crate with containers of various sizes placed inside. A wooden "toolbox" from a crafts store also works great and already has built-in dividers so you won't need extra containers.

• Purchase an inexpensive expanding file folder with at least five or six sections. Label each section to correspond with a week of the month, like this: "First Week of Month," "Second Week of Month," and so forth. When a bill arrives, slip it into the section for the week you plan to pay it. At the beginning of each week, check the folder and see what's due.

Books

• Purchase square or rectangular wicker, wire, metal, or wooden containers to hold smaller books. This will help keep them conveniently together, and the container looks orderly when placed on exposed shelving.

• If you have many large books, stack them on the floor to create a small night table next to your bed.

Clothing and Linens

• Store linens neatly folded in laundry baskets or hampers.

• Roll up towels, sheets, or blankets, and store them in baskets under tables.

• Place them in a trunk that's being used as a coffee table, at the foot of a bed, as a side table, or as benchlike seating.

Kitchen Storage

• Place cooking utensils in porcelain or ceramic bowls, vases, pitchers, and mugs.

• Hang (or nail) a piece of lattice on the wall and add hooks for hanging things like pots, pans, pot holders, towels, and even large cooking utensils. It's inexpensive and removable and stops these items from scratching up your kitchen wall. (And you'll free up drawer and cabinet space.)

• Keep spices in matching, simple glass containers (like Ball jars), and they'll be so attractive you can leave them right out on the counter. (For smaller quantities, baby food jars work great, too.)

Read more...

Some Inexpensive Home Decorating Ideas

Home decorating is not something that requires a vast fortune in order to do. Nor is it something that must be accomplished all at once. The ideal manner to decorate a home is one step at a time, one room at a time. This makes the process much less stressful, more enjoyable, and imminently more affordable. Some great ideas are to start small then work your way up.

Paint is one of the least expensive things you can do to a room that will have the most immediate and profound impact on the overall look and feel of the room in question. By selecting the paint colors and painting the walls before anything else is done everything else can be done in order to match the colors you have placed on the walls. More importantly, paint is something that the average person is capable of doing on their own rather than being forced to hire experts in order to get it done. Any home improvement project that you can do yourself will save more money than you can imagine along the way.

Once you've managed changing your walls, you may wish to change your window treatments. Roman shades are an excellent choice as they are rather simple to make (which would leave you only the cost of the fabric and supplies) but they are not the only option. I would recommend some sort of curtains as a form of window treatment as they are much more personal than the typical mini blinds found in so many homes today. Curtains or Roman shades can be purchased to match the colors on your walls and should not be a terribly expensive investment.

Flooring has in the past often been out of reach of those seeking to casually improve the look of a room. New technology and materials have made new flooring a valid option even for those who are on seriously limited home decorating budgets. Laminates are a good option for those who love the look of hardwood but cannot afford the expense of materials and/or labor for these floors in their homes. Laminates can often be installed by even those with limited skills and make a very noticeable change in the look and feel of a room. Peel and stick tile is another option for those whose budgets will not accommodate laminate flooring. Check out the options and the prices at your local home improvement store. You just might be amazed at what you can afford.

Rather than purchasing new furniture to make an impressive impact on the look of your living area, try furniture covers. These can often be purchased in shades that will match your new décor and are much less expensive than new furniture leaving money for the little touches that matter so much in the overall look of the room. Besides, when friends and family walk in and see the changes they will be shocked and amazed. They may even be convinced that you do in fact have new furniture.

Mirrors are excellent tools to use when decorating a home. More importantly, they are rather inexpensive for the most part. Mirrors also lend the appearance of a much more wide-open space than having no mirrors would accomplish. If you have a fire place, strategically located mirrors can spread the warmth and coziness (if not the heat) of a fire throughout the room making the room as a whole seem like a much more enjoyable place to escape the winter "blahs".

Artwork, candles, vases, and floral arrangements can be purchased one piece at a time in order to give the room a more polished look. Once you've decorated one room in your home with these budget tips in mind you can move on to other rooms in your home and incorporate the same ideals as you go. Remember that decorating your home doesn't have to cost a fortune but it will require some patience and planning on your part. With this in mind, there should be nothing to stop you from heading out today and getting to work on your new home decorating plans.

Read more...

Using Baskets for Home Decor

There are very few things you can add to your home décor that will have quite the versatility of baskets. Baskets are not only decorative touches, they also blend well with almost any décor and in most cases are quite willing to suit dual purposes as both decoration and much needed storage.

Below you will find some clever ways to use baskets. Enjoy!

1) Mail sorter

Try hanging a row of baskets near your entryway. As you are walking into your home while sorting the mail slip the appropriate piece of mail into the corresponding basket. Have one basket for each family member and drop the junk mail into the wastebasket you've placed just below the row of baskets on your wall. This way everyone has easy access to his or her mail and junk mail is handled as well.

2) Kitchen organizer

There are many jobs in the kitchen that baskets pull off beautifully. One such job is that of napkin holder. There are actually baskets by a famous brand that are the absolute perfect size for holding napkins for the dinner table. Additionally taller baskets make excellent holders for kitchen utensils that need to be within easy reach of the stove. There are even small baskets that make excellent holders for small jars of frequently used seasonings such as salt and pepper. Keep your eyes open the next time you're in the kitchen and consider all the great ways baskets could help out.

3) Knitting supplies

Larger baskets are excellent tools for taming the beast that can easily become your supply of knitting tools and notions. Limit your collection to one large basket and eliminate the things that will not fit. This keeps you on top of your knitting supplies while keeping them out of site and protected from dirty baby paws.

4) Umbrella holder

This is an excellent use for a basket if you have one of the proper size. Place it on the floor next to your coat rack or closet or in your entryway and you will always have ready access to your umbrellas when bad weather comes your way.

5) Magazine holder

This is one very common use for baskets but one that should very well be mentioned.

6) Toy box

This is perhaps a favorite among parents who are fortunate enough to have an extra empty basket at any given time. Anytime unexpected company shows up this is an excellent tool for quickly gathering all stray toys and getting them out of sight.

7) Office supplies

There are many baskets that make excellent organizers and holders for office supplies. From pen and pencil holders to those that are ideal for paper clips, sticky notes, and liquid paper there are many baskets that are almost ideal for a home office.

8) Laundry hamper

This is yet another great use for a basket. They are able to breathe by the very nature of their design so that if for some reason a wet wash clothe or damp towel gets thrown in it doesn't necessarily spell ruin for the whole batch of laundry.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of the virtues of baskets but a good place to start the next time you are having an internal debate about whether or not to invest the money in a good quality basket for your home decorating needs.

Read more...

A Moroccan Theme Home Decorating

A Moroccan theme is a beautiful addition to almost any home decorating plan. With the beautiful colors, rich textures, and lush fabrics there is no doubt as to the reason that this style of decorating is becoming so popular around the world. These are some of the most beautiful and in some ways the most exotic styles of decorating that you will find around the world.

The Moroccan style is quite lovely and includes many bold colors and textures to keep not only your eyes occupied but also your other senses as well. The good news is that it is bold enough that it is still relatively new as far as decorating styles within the US goes. This means that you aren't likely to have the identical interior décor of your neighbor, friends, or cousin down the way. Even if they adore what you have done and want to imitate it within their own homes, chances are they will not choose the exact designs, patterns, colors, and textures that you have chosen since there are so many fabulous things from which to choose.

Mosaics are perhaps my favorite touch from this part of the world. They are beautiful and very versatile. They can be used for almost anything. I have seen stunning tables, trays, light fixtures, candle holders, wall sconces, and wall art that was made from mosaic tiles. In fact, this style of artwork (or whatever you might wish to call it) is growing in popularity in the states exponentially in recent years. People are often trying to imitate the style or at the very least purchasing products that incorporate the style.

Fabrics used in Moroccan design and home décor are among some of the most stunningly beautiful fabrics you will find in the world. In fact, many people decide on this sort of theme for the fabric alone and even many who have passed on a Moroccan theme for their homes have still managed to squirrel away some of the fabric in order to create beautiful pillows and curtains. The fabrics are worth taking a look even if you aren't seriously considering incorporating this style of design into your home decorating plans.

The furniture when selecting this style of design for your home is very ornate and beautiful. Moroccan craftsmanship is not to be under stated, as it is very lovely. Now for some, the furnishings are a little much but the other touches of Moroccan décor are perfectly inline with personal preferences. If you are one who feels this way it is not an uncommon feeling. While the work is beautiful it can definitely be overwhelming. However, there is nothing wrong with taking the design aspects you like from the Moroccan style of home décor and not borrowing those you aren't perfectly delighted with.

One thing that very few people complain about however is the rugs. Persian rugs are by no means inexpensive but they are most definitely worth every penny paid for them when they are made well. These are some of the most highly prized and sought after rugs around the world not only for the richness of their colors but also for the intricateness of their design.

Be sure to consider the value that a Moroccan decorating style could add to your enjoyment of your home. While it isn't for everyone as a whole, there may be bits and pieces that are absolutely perfect for you.

Read more...

It's Been a Long Silence

4 years passed by.  The last time I updated this blog was somewhere in 2007.  Not to look behind.  Now is the time to move forward.  I'm preparing some new stuffs for my decor blog.  :)  Perhaps a new ideas or a new concept for someone, or just the same old ideas for someone else. Nevertheless, it's time for sharing on the knowledge that we have. 

Read more...