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Get Nested: Meg Answers Your Questions, Round #2

by on Nov 16, 2010

Hi everyone, and welcome to round two of our question and answer series on Get Nested. Thank you to everyone who sent in questions, I hope my answers are helpful! Stay tuned tomorrow, as we’ll have one more round of answers coming up!

Luisa asked: I have recently moved out the flat I used to share with my uni mates to my first very own tiny flat! I’m quite happy with most of the things in the new house although there’s still some painting to do here and there and I need to unpack a few more things, but what I’m finding difficult is to arrange my craft/painting material. I have quite a lot of it! I went recently to the local flea market and I bought a couple of vintage metal tin boxes (they are very plain brown colour – not very exciting) but the size are perfect for some bits and pieces I need to store. My question is: how can I turn those tins from sad army muddy-brown to cosy, pretty and colourful?

Good question. My answer to craft organization is CONTAINERS, CONTAINERS, CONTAINERS. You have that covered, so now you need to cover them, or paint them. You could get several little testers of paint in bold colors similar to these color block cabinets from Home Sweet Home.

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Or you could Faux Bois them as Tiffany did. You could use some great plaid or striped vintage wallpaper, a cool patterned wrapping paper, an old article from an old Time magazine, anything really. To attach paper to metal you need to use a spray adhesive that you can pick up at your local hardware store.

Michelle and her sweet little 2-year old daughter need help with this: My daughter Kayleigh just grew out of her crib so we bought a toddler bed from Ikea and her room looks really cute right now…..however, her toys are pretty crazy.  They are all over the place which annoys me AND my daughter (she’s a neat freak).  Right now we have a big box full of stuffed animals and a big tupper ware box with stuffed animals and toys thrown into the closet!

Michelle, I am with you and Kayleigh, clutter drives me nuts! Until the toy chest is ready there are a lot of options here. My mom found a cool net for some of my stuffed animals and attached it to a corner of my ceiling so I could see them. Low enough for a grown-up to be able to pull a favorite friend down. Bins, containers and baskets can help divvy up different genres of toys. This is a great way to bring some culture into the room with hand-woven baskets from all over the world to hold stuffed animals and make cleaning up a breeze (always a good thing).

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I love this open basket in Mark Ruffalo’s kid’s room filled with stuffed animals (lower right corner). You can use smaller, color-coded containers for art supplies, bigger bins for dolls, animals, play food. A great example of using vintage artifacts as functional, organizational pieces is Holly Matthis Interiors putting wheels on old crates to store toys under a bed.

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Moveable, with a changeable chalkboard label, this is a really industrious, idea and much more aestethically pleasing than a plastic box. When Kayleigh isn’t using the toys she can just put them back and scoot them back under the bed, or table, or whever you tuck them away.

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Open cubbies low to the floor are great for Kayleigh to be able to reach her books and toys herself. In the corner or up on a dress you can vintage suitcases to store off-season clothing, blankets or toys.

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I love that Kayleigh knows what she likes and already has her own style and clean and orderly taste:) Take Kayleigh to flea markets or vintage stores and shops and whatever containers, bins, or anything that can be made into a vessel she is drawn to, go with. Follow her instincts and taste to use things she likes as part of the function of her room. (P.S. Milo & Gracie send licks and wags, Kayleigh!)

Elle sent in this qestion: Due to a failing economy I still live with my parents at the age of 27. I’ve lived in the same small room for 24 of those years. Over time I’ve learned how to compact everything in a neat, organized but not so pleasantly looking way. My main problem is having an area for my studying, as well as my sewing, and my craft making without my room looking like I’m a pack rat. Really I need to make my room function like a house with many rooms. Have any ideas as to how to do this? (ie: storage, decorating, functionality). Many thanks!!!

While Andrew White inquired: How can I work with sucha  small area (60 square feet)?

Elle and Andrew, so many people need to have one space serve as multiple functions. The best way to do this is to:

1) Clean out as much as possible. I am all for having supplies and know how hard it is to cut down. Try to be ruthless about what you save and what you get rid of. Know the expiration dates of supplies so you aren’t holding on to anything you can no longer use. Clear out any clutter first and foremost. When you kow what you have, put things in different piles to assess how much space you’ll need to store them.

2) Make lists
while you are organizing and deciding what goes where. For example, the vintage fabric in antique trunk, felt in shoebox, colored pencils in old NKOTB lunchbox. Working it out ahead of time helps make sure that supplies are in the appropriate size container so that no space is being wasted.

3) Label the containers or have a master list. There is nothing worse than being in the middle of a project and not being able to locate an essential tool. Label all of your containers. Always. Or keep a list somewhere so you know where those tiny hook and eyes are or where those drill bits reside.

4) Make sure everything has at least one function.  In a live/work/craft space you can’t afford to use much space on decor, so make sure your aesthetic design also serves in functionality. A cool ottoman that has storage, a table that has stools tucked underneith, a rad cigar box that holds your tea lights, use everything you can as a functional piece and start thinking in terms of dual-purpose. 

5) Have one big focal point. Sometimes people feel intimidated to do one large design piece in a smaller room, or a room being used to serve a lot of purposes, but I say go for it. Bring in a bold statement to draw the eye where you want it away from your office and work area.

6) Use curtains to block off work space when you are relaxing. In order to really kick back, I ned to not be looking at everything I feel like I should or could be doing for work. SO tuck all of that away when the day is done. Containers, bins, curtains, whatever it takes to give yourself a nice, clean place to chill after crafting and working. I hope these help!

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Stephanie Soika asked on the Get Nested facebook page:

 

I just moved into a new 3 bedroom apt, but don’t have much money to furnish, what things can i do to try to furnish and warm up my home?

You can personalize you home with a few accessories instead of with expensive furniture. Favorite photographs, prints, pieces of art are a great start. Take some favorite fabric and make bold new pillows instead of buying a new couch. Plants warm up any space, and choosing fragrant flora light rosemary or lavendar make your home smell welcoming as well.

DIY projects are usually set up with budget in mind so there is a wealth of them to check out and do yourself with what you have or can find for a reasonable price. For more of my how-to videos of projects for your home you can check out Decor It Yourself and Craft.  The Reclaimed Wall Treatment cost us under $20 and completely transformed our space. You could do this to the wall, or as a bedframe or coffee table. A cheap weekend project that adds warmth and texture to a room.

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Search the Curbly archives for projects using vintage, re-purposed furniture and look for pieces at yard sales and thrift stores with the projects in mind. You can invest in a few killer paint colors you love and re-vamp some old pieces into brand new ones in your specific taste and color pallette. I love this dog bed made from a side table.

And lastly, reupholstering an old piece like this chair cost as little as $5-20 and is a great way to customize your own furniture and make a statement.

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Crown Moding Meltdown, I would LOVE to help with your nest dilemma, but really think I need a photo to fully understand what you are asking. Email one to [email protected] and I’ll do my best to help from there. I can’t really say one way or another without actually seeing it. Once I do, I’ll weigh in for sure!

Thanks for reading, everyone. I hope the answers were valuable. Stay tuned, as we’ll be publishing our final Q&A tips and suggestions this Thursday!

Love,

Meg

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