These tribal chic “Kilim” cubes not only look great, but provide extra storage and seating. A matching pair would make a great addition to your living area and could serve as a coffee table, sidetable or tucked under a console. Printed in a red or brown Southwestern jute fabric, these cubes are available in 18″ square or 16″ square. The larger cube has brass nailhead trim and a hinged opening for storage. Available at Horchow.
Do you like this look?
Is your pantry an eyesore? Are you buying duplicate food items because you don’t know what’s inside? Has your pantry had any unwanted visitors lately {i.e. ants}?
photo source: BHG KitchenBathIdeas
If you answered yes to any of the questions above, it is time to organize your kitchen pantry. Does this seem like a daunting task? If so, here are five steps to help you organize your pantry with beauty and function:
photo source: BHG KitchenBathIdeas
photo source: Martha Stewart
Second – Clean
Clean the pantry shelves and floor with a damp towel.
photo source: La Dolce Vita
Third – Assess
Determine the group of items {cereals} that you use most frequently. With a post-it-note mark that box number one. Proceed to number all boxes from most frequently accessed to least. Also make notes on items that are out-of-stock and need to be replenished.
Fourth – Make it Pretty
Use decorative storage containers to hold certain items {i.e. tea, rice, flour } and to help you maintain a clutter-free pantry. I particularly like baskets, tins and jars to hide unsightly items. If you opt for plastic, buy BPA (Bisphenol) free containers. BPA is a chemical in many polycarbonate plastics that may breakdown and add harmful chemicals to food. Avoid types 3 and 7 plastics because they may contain BPA.
There are so many adorable ways to label the container like the DIY glass-etched storage jars above from Martha Stewart. It’s also important to determine the type and size of container needed before beginning this project.
Have you organized your pantry? If so, what tips do you have for keeping your pantry organized?
Is your child’s bedroom or playroom overrun by toys? Now that the holidays are behind us, this is the perfect time to take action and organize your child’s play items.
Toys collections seem to add up quickly and the visual clutter created may be an issue. In an article on Parenting.com, Katy Koontz explains that, “[Too many toys] can have negative effects on kids’ psyches. For toddlers and preschoolers, an overload of playthings can be overwhelming and distracting.” Simply put, by reducing the number of toys in your home you will not only prevent accidents, but may also improve your child’s health.
The first step in organizing is to get rid of any unused, broken or duplicate toys. One way is to give back and help your community by donating gently used toys to women’s shelters where toys are needed. Another way to purge toys would be to sell them either on eBay, at a yard sale or through a local consignment store. If there are toys you can’t part with and have sentimental value, one option is to ship them to a grandparent’s house to be played with on special visits.
After you have gone through the process of reducing the amount of toys in your home, evaluate how you store toys. If you have limited storage space, I strongly encourage investing in vertical storage units or shelving. Pottery Barn Kids has some great storage wall systems that would be ideal in most playrooms and could be easily scaled down for a bedroom.
If you’d like to conceal your children’s play items, this Under the Big Top Storage Tent from Land of Nod is a darling and affordable {$119} option.
This Jenny Lind Bookcase at Land of Nod caught my eye. Love the intricate woodturnings!
If you do decide on having a shelving unit, one nice way to store smaller toy collection such as dolls or cars is in a bin, box or basket. Land of Nod has some stylish vintage train cases and colorful suitcases perfect for housing small trinkets. If you are looking for personalized storage bins, the Macbeth Collection also has some great options.
Another storage solution is a toy chest or bench. Serena & Lily’s custom upholstered bench would be perfect at the foot of the bed or under a window. This tufted bench flips open to store toys, stuffed animals or spare blankets. It’s available in any fabric from Serena & Lily’s extensive line.
Available at Target, this three-piece stacking storage bin set is a great option for keeping toys, games or sports gear neatly organized. The bottom bin has wheels to easily move from room to room.
Storing children’s items under your child’s bed is another storage option, but can be a dusty one. Posh Tot’s storage chest for Sam Beds is a great alternative to storing items neatly and dust-free.
Once you have found a storage systems that works for you and your home, the next step is to keep organized by setting up a daily schedule to put toys away after use or before bedtime. Ask toddlers and older children to help clean-up and reward them with hugs, kisses and praise – rather than food, TV time or more toys.
Do you have a toy storage system that works in your home?
Toys, toys, toys. We have a lot in our home. Most are dolls with all the super small accessories, puzzles of all sizes and princess dress-up clothing. I am constantly working to keep it all organized. Therefore, we have a house rule that if something comes in, something must go out and be donated. It helps keep the volume down, but I am always looking for stylish ways to store and organize all those little Calico Critters, purple ponies and glittered tiaras.
The MacBeth Collection to the rescue! This darling custom home and accessories line fuses functional home storage and organization with high-design. “The products are not just about storage – they are an extension of how we want to display ourselves and our homes to the world,” says Margaret Josephs, Founder and Owner of MacBeth Collection. And it’s so simple too – just pick your product, design (over 200 patterns), and add an cute icon or monogram for a one-of-a-kind look to compliment your decor.
Here are my recommendations to a client for her little girl’s blue & pink bedroom (I had so much fun pulling this all together!):
So cute! Love the pail for storing crayons or other art supplies. A series of bins would be great for organizing dress-up clothing and accessories. The large oval tub would be perfect way to show off all those stuff animals neatly.
Lovely. Here are several patterns that would look great in a little girl’s blue & pink bedroom. I’m curious to find out which one my client will like best. My favorites are the Blue & White Harlequin (middle top) and Chain Link Pool (bottom left) designs.
I love how the MacBeth Collection offers monogram and icon options. Such a great way to further personalize one’s space. I am going to recommend that my client monograms her daughter’s storage accessories, but any of the four icons above would work stylishly too. Isn’t that seahorse darling?
Who says home storage can’t express your personal style!
*all images from The MacBeth Collection
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