Unique Ideas to Help with Organization in the Bedroom

12 Friday Oct 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, Guest Posts, Jim Klossner

Tags

Cahill, Functionality, furniture, Gadget, home and garden, interior design, Jim Klossner, organization, Shelves and Panels, Storage

The bedroom is the most prone to clutter because it isn’t just where we start and end our day. For many people the bedroom is also where they work, engage in their hobbies and interests, study, etc. Here are some simple yet effective ideas to get you started in organizing your bedroom and keeping it clean, spacious, and clutter-free.

Think Vertical
So often when we walk into a room, we visualize the arrangement of furniture, and the space each piece would take, horizontally – as in, we are more commonly concerned with footprint than height. Think vertical, and you will see the storage and organization potential of utilizing heights and the vertical spaces in your room. Use hanging closet organizers. Instead of going for a wide shelf, why not go for a thin and tall one? Ditch the space-consuming photo frames lined up on your dresser and go for a film strip wall decal where you can display your pictures.

Photo Credit: East Side Bride – Robert Reck for The New York Times

Set Up a “Gadget Garage”
Cellphone and laptop chargers, earphones/headphones, data cables, iPods and tablets — these are things most of us use every single day so we end up taking them anywhere and everywhere. To minimize the wire and electronic clutter, set up a charging dock instead of bringing everything with you. If you REALLY can’t go for a couple minutes without your cellphone or laptop, put a storage bench near the wall outlet/charging dock. You can use this as storage for your game consoles and peripherals, etc.

Photo Credit: TechnGear

Storage on Wheels
Whether you’re a college student, young professional, or a mom, there will always come a time when you just have too much stuff and nowhere to put them in. More often than not, these stuff end up on furniture surfaces or the floor. If you’re out of shelf space for your books and magazines, you can put them on sturdy, wooden platforms with wheels so they don’t end up in a messy pile and will still be easily accessible. This will also make them easier to move around when you feel like rearranging your room every once in a while.

If you want a more secure storage, there are “rolling drawers” that you can get which will fit perfectly under your bed or side table. These are among the most common areas that go underutilized, yet could provide the perfect storage space.

Photo Credit: West Elm

Wall-Mounted Shelves and Panels
Not only do hanging and wall-mounted shelves save you precious floor space, they actually look way more trendy and stylish than your typical standing shelves. If you want to put up a workstation in your bedroom, you can just put a cheap but sturdy table against the wall, install/mount open shelves above it, and voila – you already have a place for your desktop/laptop and desks for your books and documents. Make your white wall-mounted shelf even more stylish by attaching it to a gold or colored chain that extends up to the ceiling.

Photo Credit: Decoist

Photo Credit: The Luxe Home

Arrange by Functionality
Arranging the things and furniture pieces in your bedroom by function not only helps in organization, it also shows you the corners and areas of your room that go unused — freeing up space and giving you better storage and design options. If you spend a lot of time on leisurely reading, set up a little reading nook in one side of the room with a comfortable chair and put all your bookshelves in that area. Put your full-length mirror, coat/bag racks, and accessory stands near your dresser, since this is the area where you try on different ensembles on a daily basis.

The basic idea is to, as much as possible, have the things you would need for any activity located in the same area. This lessens the tendency to clutter because you wouldn’t be walking around the room grabbing (and discarding) the things you need.

Photo Credit: Design Various

Written by Jim Klossner

Organization Tips

18 Friday May 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Crafty Ideas, Everyday Design, The Home

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

cleaning, mail, money, office, organization

Now that the warmer months are among us its time for Spring cleaning and to get organized. Here are some tips to liven up your space, clean out the clutter and take on a new season with ease.

Keep your home free from clutter by creating a space for everything. Utilize the space you have and make the most out of it. Keep closets in order by storing items you rarely use on top and important products at eye level.

Keep notebooks and other office supplies neatly
stored for easy use.

Even the dog can get organized! Keep all your pet’s
toys in a colorful bucket or bin so they aren’t all over
the place.

Keep magazines in a decorative stand and you won’t hesitate to put them away.

A vintage inspired catch-all holds papers and journals safe and neat under a coffee table.

Use clear containers to see what you have and label items if you rather have stuff hidden away. Add some unique elements, like using ribbon to tie sheet sets together. Recycle old jars to keep detergent in. Replace packaging so items look more refined and fresh.

Colorful boxes add a nice touch to the top of a bookshelf while office materials are safely stored away.

Labeled boxes are a great way to store items because they look neat and are very accessible.

Your Mail & Money

Get rid of all that junk mail by visiting Ecocyle and devote a space to store a shredder. When junk mail comes in, just shred it right away.

Create a shredding station where junk mail doesn’t
have a chance!

Create a space for incoming and outgoing mail and devote five minutes everyday to look through it. Keeping it by the shredder is a smart idea!

Keeping tabs on your bank account balance is smart and responsible. Why not make it easy and fun by using free programs like Mint or Manilla? Having everything in one place is key.

Keep a calendar for bills only. Use different colors or those snazzy star stickers for each of your accounts, and it will be even easier to keep track of when payments are due.

Food

Setting up your week by meals makes grocery shopping and dinnertime much easier. Plus, I guarantee you will save money. Pick one day a week to plan out your meals, and only purchase the ingredients you need for that week. Less food will go to waste and you will know ahead of time what’s in store.

Keep snacks in clear containers in the pantry so you know when you run out. By storing the healthy snacks lower, you encourage both you and your kids to pick them over sweets. This will also add uniformity, color and neatness to the pantry.

Clear jars brighten up the pantry when filled with dry goods. Plus, you can see when you need to buy more.

By keeping labels on food items facing forward you can see what you have. This keeps products organized and you won’t get stuck buying things you already own.

Follow these few tips and you’ll be on your way to a more stress-free and organized season in no time. Make your projects fun and get creative!

DIY Wedding – Quick Tips

30 Monday Apr 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Advice & Inspiration, Weddings

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

diy, diy weddings, events, journal, organization, research, weddings

Planning a wedding can be very stressful if you aren’t prepared. As I plan my own DIY wedding, I thought it would be great to share some things I’ve learned as well as give tips and advice for all you newbies out there doing the same. Even if you’re not getting married, you can share this info with someone you know who is or even use it for other events you plan on having in the future.

The first thing you must figure out is your budget. Having a large budget for your big day can make things easier because you can hire help and choose places that include it with their services. However, what happens if you don’t have a lot of money? DIY weddings aren’t as scary as you may think. If you’re prepared and ready to get creative, then it can be a blast.

Being organized is most important. Having a folder or journal will certainly help in this department. Keep all papers together and use the journal to hold inspiration that you find along the way. Cut photos from magazines, write down ideas and create a checklist of things you need to get done so you stay on track. Try to create a timeline of when you want to get things done and stick to that schedule. This will make all the difference.

{You can read more on keeping a wedding journal here}

Then, start figuring out what you need. Sometimes it’s not necessary to have certain things. Maybe having a DJ doesn’t really fit your budget. Fine. Remember, there is no right way to have a wedding. It’s your day and it should reflect who you and your fiancé are. It’s just silly to feel pressure when this is something you should be excited about.

{Unique centerpieces don’t have to be pricey. There are a lot of affordable flowers you can use and tons of different ways to present them. Think of other items you include so you don’t spend tons on flowers.}

{Incorporate items that mean a lot to you so the even is more personal}

Now its time to do some research. I did months of it before I was even engaged! Now that I have 3 weeks to go I feel confident in my decisions. Looking into venues, caterers, flowers, décor and favors is a lot to do and it will take up a lot of your time. But it’s supposed to. You will feel comfortable knowing you looked into all your options and chose what is best for you in the end.

For some fabulous spaces to have your wedding or any event, check out my posts on NY Venues: The Five Boroughs & Long Island.

{Wedding magazines are great for inspiration but don’t hesitate to look in other places too}

{There are so many great blogs out there for inspiration. Definitely take the time to search through some of them for ideas}

{Always test the food you plan on serving! We have decided to go with cupcakes instead of a cake and you bet we tried them first}

If you stick with these tips, it will surely help you along your journey. Always try to get the best deals and don’t overwork yourself. By starting ahead of time, you will get it all done before the wedding and that will be a huge relief. Just breathe and stay focused and your DIY wedding will truly be unique and amazing.

{Check out my Pinterest Boards for tons of ideas and inspiration}

The Art of Organizing

11 Wednesday Apr 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Art & Design, Crafty Ideas, The Home

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

art, crafts, creative space, decorating, design, interior, office, organization, organize creative space, space, studio

Everyone needs a space where they can let their creativity flow without disruption. Whether you’re an artist or not, spending time in a creative corner is healthy for the soul. It’s a place where you not only get quiet time, but space from the rest of the world. Who wouldn’t want that?

I wanted to share some tips on getting your creative corner organized and ready to inspire. Hopefully, you can find the time to escape the real world and get going on some masterpieces.

Everything Has Its Place
Giving supplies and materials a place of their own is key to an organized work space. You should know where everything is at all times, so you can just reach for something when you need it. You can do this in a fun and creative way.

Instead of using traditional methods, let your style be the inspiration. For example, I love vintage things, so I use old crates and boxes to keep supplies. Not only do they create a cohesive look, they represent who I am and the things I love. So, I’m organizing and showcasing my materials at the same time.

At an Arms Reach
The stuff you need most should be close at hand. It gets annoying to have to walk across a room to get something when it can be closer. If there isn’t enough room or storage within the area, create it yourself.

If you have a desk without drawers, stack cubes underneath or on the side to hold items that are large. For tinier items, take the same idea but think smaller. Stack shoe boxes or containers on top of your desk like shelves. Design them any way you like. Also, use drawers to their fullest potential and store items you need at close range.

Instead of hiding rolls of wrapping paper, try putting them in a small bin or basket. Find something that will add to your space, so you’re showcasing the paper instead of hiding it. This will add more texture and color to the area and inspire you to buy more cool wrapping paper.

Surround Yourself with Smiles
Always surround yourself with things you love. This is very important. You want your creative corner to be a space where you can relax and be happy. I display lots of little trinkets that make me smile, so when I look at them, I’m comfortable and calm. Everywhere I look, they’re looking back at me.

Find items you simply adore and give them a new home. Working and creating magic with them by your side will make all the difference.

Create Pictures
Everything on your desk should look as if it was meant to be there, not accidentally thrown there because you couldn’t find a place for it. Think of your space as a film made up of pictures. If it helps to use a viewfinder or a camera, go ahead.

Create scenes with the objects that surround you. Set up small displays and allow them to come to life. This act alone will inspire you to create more. In fact, think of this as an exercise to help you view things in a different light. With little versions from your imagination, your work space will shine as much as your artwork does.

Let the Light Source Lead the Way
Make sure the light by your desk is not too bright. You want enough glow to see details but not necessarily the whole room. Imagine you’re on a stage and the spotlight is on you — only the light is the glow of the sun and not fluorescent. This will keep you relaxed so your ideas can flow easier.

If you take these tips and see them through, I promise you can have an amazing art space in no time. Remember to think out of the box and do what makes you happy. There is nothing like working in a space that is organized, fun and clean. Not thinking twice about finding something saves time, patience and lots of aggravation. Relax, smile and get to work!