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.
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.
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!
Those Swedes sure do love to organize. Flip through any edition of the IKEA catalog, and the first impression you'll likely get is: a place for everything, and everything in its place. But don't our cluttered, modern, go-go-go lifestyles make it seem impossible to live up to this standard? Most especially in that most dreaded place in our homes --- the closet. Chances are, if you're a Curbly reader, you love organization just as much as we do. And you may need a little help figuring out how to make your closet system work for you. That's why today we are talking all about how to design the closet of your dreams using IKEA closets.
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.
If you've ever gone on an organizing spree, I probably don't have to tell you that the cost of stuff to organize your stuff can really add up. But if you want to get organized on a budget, your best bet is to create solutions with things you already have. Things that might instead end up in the trash or recycling, so you're saving the planet at the same time. These upcycled organization ideas for every room in the house prove that with a little creativity, you don't have to spend big bucks to create an organized space.
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.
Magnetic knife racks are an excellent way to save space in the kitchen, but you might not realize that they're great for organizing far more than just knives. After finding all of these creative magnetic knife strip organizing ideas, now I want to add a few to practically every room in my house.
Our house lacks closet space, especially by the entryway... so I've always wanted a fun coat rack that I could put near the door. But if you've ever tried to buy a coat rack online, you know that it's hard to find a cool one - and the ones that are attractive usually have crazy price tags to match. So of course I decided to make one! Keep reading to check out the instructions for this super easy wood and cement coat rack.