Pinterest is filled with organizing hacks, promising to help you achieve your wildest organizational dreams. But just how good are they? I set out to test 10 of them, and today I'm sharing the results with you. Click through to compare their versions with mine, and to read my thoughts on the functionality of each one.
If you're anything like me, you have a running list of projects you want to try. Things you save repeatedly on Pinterest, ideas you scribble down in the back of your planner, or maybe you just keep a mental list in your brain. Clothesline baskets have been on my want-to-try list for forever, and this week I took the plunge. After conquering the first one, I want to make a million of these clothesline baskets. A million! Additionally, I'm loving the simple stripe in this basket. We're exploring all things Scandinavian this month, and this basket fills the bill with equal parts monochrome and texture.
It's hard to believe, but a new year (and decade!) are here... which means that it's time for new calendars! There are tons of gorgeous, free printable calendar downloads available online, so we've rounded up our favorites in a variety of different styles. Click through to check them out and download your favorite.
It's the season of organization and purging, and it's high time to get real with ourselves. Let's talk about the junk drawer. You know the one I'm talking about. The drawer that holds everything and anything: takeout menus, a few rubber bands, hardware from that IKEA chair you bought two years ago, and an orange-handled pair of scissors. Maybe you are one of the blessed few who has managed to avoid the never-ending pit that is the junk drawer. Good for you - gold medal in adulting. If you are an actual human being like the rest of us, or just need a place to put all your tools, why not roll'em?
Working from home can be a curse and a blessing. The curse part is that you're at home and home things are always beckoning you away from work, and vice versa. One sure thing is that if you have a room to call your own, you need to make it an attractive and efficient space where you want to spend time. And if you've just blown the budget on a new furnace, don't worry, these tricks cost practically nothing.
Most beautifully organized closets have one thing in common - built-ins. Whether it be custom shelving or even IKEA installations, a little (or a lot) of construction is needed. But what if you're a renter, and you can't make any permanent changes to your closet? Are you doomed to a single hanger rod and basically a hot mess? Luckily we have some solutions that don't require a power drill. Read on for renter-friendly ideas that will keep your closet nice and tidy.
Whoever invented drawers was a genius. A compartment where you can throw your stuff inside, shut it, and forget about it? Sign me up. What the inventor of the drawer did forget to consider, however, was organization. Toss your stuff inside a drawer, and you're sure to have to dig to find it again. You can buy traditional drawer dividers and organizers from the store, but what if your drawers are too small (or too big)? You're in luck - DIY drawer dividers are really easy to make yourself.
There's nothing quite like the frustration of trying to find a shirt in a dresser drawer packed full of balled up clothes. There's no order, and everything is kind of just shoved in there. While it may be tempting to just close up your dresser drawers when they start to get chaotic, being able to have everything nicely folded and visible will make getting ready in the morning a million times easier. So, rather than just tossing that tee in the back of the drawer, fold it properly the first time so you can find it when you need it. Keep reading for the best way to fold shirts, pants, socks, even underwear!
After the hustle and bustle of the season, I find myself going into this weird funk. Our home felt like it was going to burst at the seams with all the stuff we had accumulated. The last couple weeks I've been on major purge mode to help get things feeling peaceful once more. Plus it doesn't hurt to be more organized! This simple project is all about making life easier when it comes to rearranging the home. And all it takes is breathing a...
I've always thought of my laundry room as the most troublesome room in our house. Not only is it narrow, but all of one side is taken up by a washing machine, sink and toilet. Add to that the fact that there are 2 doors that open inward, and the space starts to feel very small indeed.
I'd long ago resigned myself to having a difficult laundry room I didn't enjoy being in. Turns out I couldn't have been more wrong!
Now that I have a little one to care for, I’ve come to realize just how wonderful story time can be. Sharing books with Lauren is one of my favorite pastimes… especially the books that I used to read when I was a kid (those are my favorites!). Of course, with a well-stocked bookshelf comes the need for some nice bookends to hold everything in place. So I decided to whip up these pretties for bubba’s room, and they’re so easy to make, I just had to share these DIY mountain bookends with you too!
It's a new year. Now that the dust has settled, you want to maintain the great start you've accomplished. That means you gotta make like Elsa in Frozen and just "Let it go! Let it goooo..." That's right, I've caught the purging bug, and I'm talking about getting rid of clutter. After the materialist pressure of the holidays, it always feels good to go through your home and do a quick purge. This January, take on this cleaning challenge and get rid of the unnecessary. Don't think, just act. Here are a few things you can go ahead toss without guilt or a second thought:
You've decked the halls, hung the stockings with care, wrapped and unwrapped the presents, and it's no wonder if you're all tired out. Hopefully now that Christmas is over you finally have a bit of time to relax. Maybe you already know exactly how you want to spend the week between Christmas and New Year's, but here are 10 ideas for how to unwind in case you've forgotten how.
There are a lot of fall activities and flavors that I can take or leave, but one thing I get excited about when the summer heat subsides is tea. On a cool, rainy afternoon, drinking a hot cup of tea is wonderfully cozy. (I think I just realized why tea is so popular in the British Isles.) My growing tea collection was a mess until I figured out the best way to store tea. If you're a fellow tea-lover with an unruly stack of boxes and tins of tea, here are some guidelines and ideas for how to keep your tea organized.
I got a text the other day from my mom. She was asking me if I wanted a collection of magazines that she had held onto from my childhood (if you're curious, it was a collection of Cricket magazines from the late 70s). Then I got another text -- my mom had found an old photo that she wanted to share with me. Then four more texts came my way, each containing a picture or memory of something from the past. It was clear that she was doing some deep cleaning.
When I asked her what she was up to, she replied, "Have you heard of Swedish Death Cleaning?" Um, excuse me??
Now that people are putting up their Halloween decorations, picking apples, and making holiday plans, it's also time to face some fall chores. Wait, don't go! I know no one likes doing this stuff, but some of it's really important, and you can reward yourself with a trip to the pumpkin patch and an apple cider hot toddy when you're done. (Bribery: Not just for children and pets.) Here's our checklist of fall chores that you responsible adults out there won't want to forget.
Has this happened to you? You come home and open your front door, only to immediately get hit with a whiff of something nasty? Ick. Chances are, that unpleasant odor was your kitchen trash. It's inevitable. Trash can odors are going to happen, but there are things you can do to fight the stank. Today I'm sharing a quick trick for eliminating trash can odors, plus some other pointers for keeping the smell at bay.
We're lucky enough here at Curbly to have a dedicated office space to work from. Nestled just along the divide between Minneapolis and Saint Paul, our airy studio has hosted many meetings, photo shoots, popups, and has even has doubled as an art gallery for second graders. When Curbly HQ first moved into the building in 2016, the entire space was renovated, from new flooring and lighting to a fresh paint job. Every corner of the studio was considered... well, almost every corner. Our small utility closet has remained untouched until now, and boy oh boy, has it been in need of some TLC.
I'll be the first to say that I adore those earring and necklace holders that are shaped like cacti or little porcelain animals. But they don't always hold a lot of jewelry, which means my vast collection of pendants ends up overflowing onto my dresser. So instead of using a whole bunch of little bowls that take up space, I thought I'd go down a different route and make myself a jewelry organizer that's hidden in plain sight. Best of all, I got a brand new piece of wall art to brighten up my walls in the process!
Ah, the linen closet. The junk drawer of the closet world. The gateway to a lesser Narnia. What should be a place for organized towels and blankets can so easily become pure chaos! If you're the type who wads up their sheets and shuts the door, you're not alone! Fortunately, linen closet organization can be achieved with just a little change in routine and some prep work. Read on to learn how to make the best use of the space in your home, and tame that linen or bathroom closet once and for all.