Box it up!

I'm having major after holiday blues.  November and December are filled with so much joy and fun that January is always a big old stinker for me.  It's hard to get back in the swing of things and I know I'm not alone since I've been reading many other blog posts stating the same thing.  Its comforting to know other bloggers burn out as well from time to time.

 

Anywho I just took down my tree this week and I feel like my house is so empty now.  It's the perfect time to get organized again.  Throwing out old mail, magazines and other junk that collected during my holiday bliss period is always refreshing.  I like to take January to get my act together and get ready for another semester of school- this one being my LAST.  Woohoo!

So in the spirit of getting organized for the year here is a roundup of my favorite storage boxes.  They come in all shapes and sizes and can be a new home to just about anything under the sun. 

 

1. / 2. / 3. / 4. / 5. / 6.

 

 

Happy Belated New Year Everyone!!

Store it

Being a renter has its advantages and certainly lots of disadvantages.  For someone who loves design, like myself, the whole not being able to make permanent changes is really annoying. On the other hand though, would I really want to spend lots of $$$ to make personal changes when I'm just going to leave in a year or two?   

In the meantime, the longer I live in my apartment the more I know for certain what is on my list of must haves for my own place.  Like with many apartment dwellers one of the items that tops the list is STORAGE.  Given that I see apartment/condo living for us in the future and extra bedrooms may not always be an option, storage is key!

Seriously,what I wouldn't give to have built in bookcases & cabinets next to my fireplace and in the office. 

Nuevo Estilo Magazine

Lonny Mag

Lonny Mag

Lindsay Coral Harper Designs

Ivy and Piper Magazine

Christina Murphy via House Beautiful

House Beautiful

House and Home

Elle Decor

Barrie Benson Designs

All that storage space for books and things in the cabinets- I don't know what I would do with myself.  I cant wait till I don't know what to do with myself!

Happy Friday everyone!!

dispenser fun

Having so many school supplies around my apartment is forcing me to be more creative with my organizing.  While shopping online for some new desk things (and looking for more ideas on the best way to organize a TON of stuff in a TINY space) I started searching for a cute tape dispenser. 

Who knew there were so many fun choices out there. Here is a roundup of my favorites (starting with the one I covet the most)   

1. Iomoi Elephant  2. Lucite Dispenser  3. Ducky  4. Poppin 5. Blue Whale  6. Brass Train  7. Sewing Machine  8. Froggy  9. Natural  10. Magnetic Dispenser  11. Bunny  12. Brass Whale  13.  Metal Box


Do you have a fun tape dispenser at home?


HAPPY FRIDAY!!

A new use for...

I've spent more money on organizational and storage items for my apartment than I would like to think about.  Its maybe a sickness- there is just something about going to the Container Store and getting all matching jars for my pantry.  Again, a sickness I told you.

But you don't always have to shop at the Container Store to get storage and organizational tools.  I found this restaurant supply store online and with a little creativity you can organize on a budget!

These are just a few of my favorite regular kitchen supply items and how I would use them

a plain old cookie sheet can be used for lots more than baking

making a magnet board for your office or organizing a drawer

Living in New England its guaranteed to snow every year.  That means boots and dragging snow and salt into the house.  Place a lined cookie sheet next to the door as a dumping ground for your boots.

Who couldn't use more glass jars around their house?  I love these simple jars and I would use them in the kitchen pantry, in the linen closet to store small items, in the laundry room to collect loose change and other items left in pockets, in the office to store supplies (wouldn't rolls of tape look so much cooler stored in a glass jar rather than the ugly paper boxes they come in) and numerous other places.  Buying these in bulk is a great way to save money on them as well.

I've been a little obsessed with bakers twine lately.  I told my husband I wanted a twine sampler for Christmas and he thought I was on drugs.  Needless to say I didn't get it, but I really do still want it.  Using sugar dispensers would be a great way to store it so that its ready in a moments notice.

Acrylic risers are a great way to increase shelf in your pantry or closet.  I love how Martha used them in her medicine cabinet shown here

There are so many different wire baskets available at restaurant supply stores.  These can be used in any room in your house.  The handled ones might be my favorite.  I would use them to store extra toilet paper or in the pantry for potatoes or onions.

I am trying to use less paper products at home. I've made reusable rags and floor cleaning pads and on my to-do list is to make some napkins out of scrap fabric.  This acrylic napkin holder would be perfect for a pantry to organize any reusable rags or napkins.

This sugar packet holder is super cute and it would be perfect on a desk for supplies or on a dresser for jewelry.

While these plain white cups aren't as pretty as Martha's they do the same job.  I would line the drawer in some colorful fabric to make up for the colorless cups, and then go to town organizing all my jewelry.

I don't suggest buying candy in bulk if you have my self control, but these stackable dispensers are great.  In a pantry to hold nonperishable or packaged items or in a workroom/craft room to hold supplies, I would love a stack of these.

(Photos BHG, Martha Stewart, Good Housekeeping, Twine holder and Restaurant Equipment Solutions)

My favorite labeling tools

So as I was putting together this list, I obvi thought of more than 3.  So here are a few of my favorite labeling tools that I could not live without (see previous post for my favorite storage containers)

Brother P-Touch Label Maker - No words needed, everyone needs a label maker.

Avery Shipping Tags - I asked my mom to get me a box of these for Christmas and she thought I had lost my mind.  She was like, seriously a box of 1,000 tags will make you happy on Christmas morning?!? It did, and I have already found so many ways to use them around my apartment.  Paired with clear labels made from my Brother P-Touch label maker these are organization perfection! 
Tag punch - I love this punch because it allows me to make tags in any color paper I want.  I use this to make gift tags for presents, wine bottle tags, and it came in handy when making favors and other items for my wedding.  Actually this thing is worth its weight in gold as I could not have finished my wedding favors without it.

Metal Rim Tags - I used these to cover the hole on my Ikea Knuff wood magazine holders.  They are the perfect size and if you get the prestrung or split key ring kind they are useful for labeling so many things.  (I also used these to label to the metal baskets in my linen closet, see yesterdays post for more on the metal baskets)

Sharpie Permanent Marker - Every home should have a box of these, they are perfect for addressing shipping boxes, labeling storage boxes for the basement, and are a lifesaver when it comes to moving boxes!  Buy a box of them, I swear they disappear more than socks in the laundry.

Fine tip Sharpie Markers and regular craft Pentel Markers - You might not need both sets of these markers but I love having the options of using the fine tip Sharpie or the craft markers.  Plus both look so neat and pretty in their own Container Store box labeled MARKERS.  Yes, I have issues.


Clearly you don't need all 3 types of tags or both sets of markers.  One of each would do just fine to help you get organized.  But, the label maker is without a doubt my favorite tool.  I might love it even more than spray paint, gasp! 

Use any of these labeling items paired with yesterdays favorite storage containers and you are well on your way to an organized and happy home!

Time to get organized

We all know that the new year is time to start over and get organized, and keep those new years resolutions.  I know many people make at least one resolution to get or stay organized and most January magazines have one section all about organization and cleaning. 

With that being said, I thought I would share some of my own easy, not too difficult organization ideas/tools that help me stay (somewhat) organized 

Knuff magazine holders - I love these things and they help me corral my ever expanding magazine collection (I am my own worst enemy when it comes to this, I would advise others to rip out what they love and throw the magazine away, but I just cant seem to do it myself).  Anywoo, I have a ton of these  painted white, added a label and stashed on the bookshelf. 

Airtight Glass Storage Jars - I couldn't live without these in my pantry. I think my love of jars in the pantry started from my Grandma, she always had everything in jars with neat little labels that made it so easy to find what I was looking for at her house. These airtight ones are perfect for keeping bulk items fresh. I use them for: rice, crackers, snacks, cereal, dried pasta, grains, oatmeal, and so many other items.  I highly recommend them, plus they could make your plain pantry look like this.

Anchor Hocking 2 Gallon Jar - Same reasons I love the airtight containers I love these ones too.  I use these all over my house to store things such as: my headbands, bar soap in the linen closet, paint decks and chips in my office area, and so much more.  They do sell these at Crate and Barrel, but the cheapest place to find these bad boys is Wally World.

Wire Basket - I use these in my linen closet to store rolled wash clothes and rolled hand towels.  They make my linen closet so pretty to look at.

Plastic Shoe Box - I know I have posted about these before but I love them that much.  They are a whopping $1.89 each and if you by a box of 20, they are only $1.69 each.  I probably have a total of 50 of these babies in my apartment and they are a storage lifesaver!  Not only do I use them in my closet to store off season shoes, but I use them in my linen closet to store meds, first aid supplies, extra toothbrushes and toothpaste, my overflow of makeup, and other odds and ends.  They stack neatly and in only 6 boxes I can store an entire 3 shelves worth of items.

Large basket - I've also blogged about this basket before too.  Its large, sturdy and holds ALOT.  From throw blankets to wood for the fire these are so useful.

Wine Box- One free item on the list, woohoo!  Head to your local Trader Joes or liquor store and ask if they have any wood wine crates they are looking to get rid of.  I use two of these on top of bookcases to store school books and binders full of class notes that I just cant throw away.  I actually have used them alot and am so glad I didn't toss them.

Tray- Clearly I have an obsession with trays and boxes as I have blogged about them over and over on this blog (here, here and here).  Trays are a major organizational tool in my apartment and I love how they make messy areas neat looking. 

All 8 of these items help organize and keep my small apartment neat.  I don't know what I would do without any of them.  Even if organizing seems like a huge project, try tackling just one closet in your house at a time.  I promise with some $1.89 boxes you can give it an overhaul in no time. 


Come back tomorrow to see 3 labeling items that I also couldn't live without.  They go hand in hand with these containers and take organizing to the next level.

Extra Space

Storage space is limited in my small apartment,  especially after bringing home all the wedding gifts that people so generously gave us.  I feel like my walls are caving in on us sometimes.  And yes I STILL have 12 boxes of individual china place settings stacked on my kitchen table that are driving me NUTS. (note to self, find a new home for them this weekend)

Anywho back to the point- more storage needed.  I registered for these awesome fluffy towels, I love them, they make me feel like I'm at the spa.  But who knew they would take up twice as much space in my closet?!? Actually I should say, who knew my old ones were so crappy.

Closet space is like gold around my apartment and these new towels are taking up alot!  Enter the over the door storage shelf

LOVE this idea!

That Martha, of course all these photos are from her.  She has the best ideas.

I like storing extra supplies over the door too.  All my Extreme Couponing hording products could have a new home.

A little less pretty and a little more towels and this would be perfect for me

I also like this towel bar idea.  Unfortunately I don't think the husband would hang the towels properly (by properly I mean folded in 3rds the long way and then folded in half to hang, you know what I'm talking about right?) and the messy look might would drive me nuts.  I think I might have to stick with the hooks that we have. Bummer.

I do think that some over the door shelves are in my future though.  I have to find some cute wood brackets now. (second note to self, find cute wood brackets this weekend) 

Happy Weekend everyone!

(all photos from Martha Stewart, except the 3rd one down from the top.  That one is from House and Home)

Inexpensive organizing

Living in an apartment does have its perks, it often leaves me wish I had my own place that I actually owned so I could make all the changes I wanted to and not feel like i was wasting my money. 

One of those things is kitchen cabinets.  I know I'm not alone in this either, because apartment kitchen cabinets are usually less than desirable and not super functional.

For example, here is my pots and pans cabinet

WTF- gotta love that huge panel the landlord needed to cut in the back too- so pretty.

A disaster to say the least.  But, without knowing how much longer we are going to be in our apartment I was not about to go out to the Container Store or Home Depot and spend money on upgrades for cabinets I dont own.

If I could wiggle my nose this is what my pot and pan cabinet would look like

or this one, since Martha does everything perfect.

Getting my cabinet in order without spending money seemed imposable. 

While at my parents house last week I went downstairs to my Dads wood shop and gathered 3 pieces of wood from his scrap pile.  They just happened to be the perfect size for my cabinet.

4 nails later and I had this

It's not the sturdiest thing around, but its just about as wide as my cabinet so I was not worried about it tipping over.  

With some leftover drawer liner I covered the plywood top

Once I had the cabinet empty I slid in my new shelf and then put everything back all neat and organized FINALLY!

I pulled the drawer liner off in one part so you could see that it went on the top.  Now that I'm seeing this picture I should paint the raw wood edges of the shelf white (note to self, put that on the to-do list)

So happy that my cutting boards have a place to slide in, the cookie sheets are right next to them, and the pots and pans are all organized on the wood shelf AND a shelf riser in the back.

With everything organized it made me want to cook!  Come back later this week to see what I whipped up.

Closet Score

I must have a thing for bulletin board boards in my house.  I keep finding more of them every time I go on one of my cleaning fits...I mean don't you all find random things when you start cleaning and organizing like a crazy person? 

Anyway that's besides the point, the point is I found another one last night and I think its the next victim due for a makeover in my house.  Its an old frame found in the basement of my Grandparents house that ended up in my closet and it needs an upgrade now.  Of course I had to go online for some inspiration and found some great ideas.

 

 

  

 

 I did the board above for my kitchen with another closet score with just burlap and some left over nailheads from my chair project.

I think my favorite might be this framed ribbon board.  I love how all the ribbon is all over the board creating a piece of art in itself.  

How do you like your cork / ribbon / tack / bulletin / message board to look?

(photos from Country Living, Martha Stewart, and House and Home)

One thing after another...

I feel like I have a list a mile long and no time to do that list. I know you all know how I feel, so I'm not going to look for sympathy. But this is my blog and I feel like bitching so I'm going to. I am feeling overtired and feisty and I just want to crawl back into bed and hope the never ending to-do list goes away.

I know that's not happening so I figured I would procrastinate a little longer and look for cute to-do lists online to make me feel better.

from Vale Design

Save me List from Amazon

One thing list from HERE

from HERE

I know these aren't to-do lists, but these folders are really cute and would make my day right about now

And my personal favorite is this list

love it!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

(lists not sourced are from Paper-Source)