Small Space Organizing VII

Step 1: Start with a Clear Vision • Determine what you want from your room or space. What functions will it have to perform, and then what would it be nice to include, if it were possible? • Use pages from magazines and pictures gathered online to create the inspiration for how you’d like your room to look. Sleek and contemporary? Cottagey? Traditional? • Ask yourself how you’d like your room to feel. Welcoming for guests? Spa-like for yourself? Comforting for your kids? • Add up all these elements and now you have the criteria to make decisions about what to keep and what to toss. proceed to step 2 Harness the Internet in the quest to purge: Try selling on Facebook Marketplace or pay it forward by giving things…

utensil caddy YOU NEED • 4 clean, empty same-size metal cans, labels removed• Fabric scraps• Scissors• Fabric Mod Podge decoupage medium• Brush• Rectangular wood scrap, slightly taller than the cans• Bradawl (hole-boring tool)• Paint in desired color• 6 small screws• Screwdriver 1. Measure the height and circumference of the cans. Cut four rectangular pieces of fabric to fit the dimensions, adding ½ inch to the height and width. 2. Coat a can in decoupage medium. Press the fabric onto the can, aligning the top edge of the fabric with the top of the can. Smooth the fabric where edges overlap. Fold excess fabric over the bottom of the can. Leave the can upside down to dry. Repeat for remaining cans. 3. Paint the wood scrap and let dry. Meanwhile, use…

Make the entryway supremely functional, yet aesthetically pleasing. If you don’t have the space or budget for built-ins, freestanding cabinets and storage benches work very well. Keep your decorative style in mind when selecting secretaries, armoires, sideboards, or chests to serve as entry storage. Put walls to work with handy hooks to catch would-be clutter and enrich the zone with select decorative objects. Put down a rug for warmth as well as to catch tracked-in dirt. Ordering Take-Out What to plan for and how to make it work when it comes to entry storage: HOOK IT Designate a pegboard for smaller items, like jackets, house keys, dog leashes or handbags. Plan for larger hooks, well secured, to hold bigger things such as overcoats, backpacks or gym bags full of gear.…

Shelves WHY THEY WORK: They offer a winning combo of storage and decorative display for small to medium to oversize objects. WHERE TO USE THEM: Every room can benefit from shelving; your space will dictate whether it is wall-hung or sits on the floor. Floor units can also be used to divide rooms, so look for ones that open to both sides, or place two units back to back. HOW TO CHOOSE: First, think function: What you practically need to store will dictate the height, width and depth of your shelving. Then it’s simply a matter of picking your style. Baskets & Bins WHY THEY WORK: These hold-everythings can turn chaos into order in seconds. WHERE TO USE THEM: On shelves, in cupboards, under beds, in the trunk…these work everywhere!…

Dividing Space, As Easy As… 1 This open-cubby style shelf offersstorageaccessible from two sides and can be filled with baskets as needed to create privacy. 2 A basic rolling rack creates helpful hanging storage in closet-starved spaces. We like this idea for dorms and other shared rooms. 3 If all you’re after is privacy, hanging a lightweight curtain is a quick and easy way to get the job done!…

STYLE TIP Stuck with a dingy fridge? Peel-and-stick wallpaper will disguise it in minutes, and then just peel it off if you move. STYLE TIP Baskets are a nice way to corral odds and ends while making use of overcabinet space. Though it’s only 560 square feet, this one-bedroom corner unit brims with natural light and has a marble fireplace and hardwood floors. But there were still things for its would-be renter to get over, like the dated kitchen’s mismatched cabinets and Formica counters. Luckily, she had a vision: “All you have to do is ask the landlord if you can make changes,” she says. “People move in and end up paralyzed; they don’t realize they can improve them.” Accordingly, she signed the lease. Of course, there are no-nos when…