Friday, October 26, 2012

Home organization made easy


Pigsty. Black hole. Hurricane went through here. A mess. We’ve all heard the descriptions while growing up, and probably still question why our parents demanded that we clean our bedrooms. There are safety and hygiene concerns, sure, but we can’t deny that sense of satisfaction when we see how much space we have, and how open and bright things become. Below are seven minor alterations you could try for organizing your bedroom while still keeping the place uniquely “you.”

1. Opt for Storage Under the Bed 
Get more mileage out of the horizontal space in your bedroom with storage under the bed.  It's a great extension of your closet, allowing you to rotate your seasonal items or even store bigger, bulkier items like backpacks, purses and blankets. Plus, the storage is hidden if you have a bedskirt. Stick a label on the outside of each drawer so when you peek under the bed you'll know exactly what you're looking at. Short on linen closet space? Another idea is to keep extra sheets for your bed here.

Or try one of our beds with built-in drawers.




2. Tame the Shoe Pile 
One of the quickest fixes to a bedroom closet overrun with shoes is to invest in a shoe rack. Bags tend to sag and take up valuable hanging space, which most people can't afford to give up. Plus, an expanding tiered shoe rack below your clothes keeps them accessible and away from dirtying or staining materials. If you have a mountain of shoes, don't throw anything out! Get all 20 pairs of identical black heels lined up nicely. If you enjoy abundance, often in about a year you'll give in to those 20 pairs and be ready to let some go.
3. Get Your Jewelry in Order 
If your necklace collection has outgrown its jewelry box, but you don't have enough for a jewelry armoire, try a hanging organizer. These organizers usually come with or snap onto a hanger and have plenty of clear pockets so nothing gets tangled. Earrings, rings, bracelets and even watches will all have a home here. Added bonus: Having it in your bedroom closet encourages you to wear jewelry more often.
4. Create a Reading Nook 
Rescue your reading chair from clothes and magazines by adding proper organization to a bedroom's reading nook. Next to a comfortable chair, place a side table with drawers and/or shelves to keep piles of books off the floor. Keep one shelf for library books and another for your permanent collections. Magazines are best grouped in a magazine rack. To promote an uncluttered feeling, make sure you have fewer books than fit the space. If you read in bed, you can use a small bookcase as your bedside table.

For this idea, try one of our arm chairs.



5. Make Your Bed Every Day 
Remember when Mom used to force you to make your bed each morning? She was practicing the basic tenet of staying organized. Don't think of [organization] as 'putting things away,' but think of it as positioning [something] for its next use. Treat your bed as the sanctuary it is by positioning it for use every day. If you spend three minutes each morning to tuck and fold, you'll develop a habit of keeping order in the room, which may translate into motivation for picking up the pile of clothes on the floor.
6. Take Proper Care of Specialty Garments 
If your closet is a haven for vintage clothing or your wedding dress, take steps to organize them by making sure they're cared for. Get everything professionally cleaned, then choose hanger or box storage. If hung, get a quality hanger and wrap the dress or garment in muslin. If boxed, make sure the cardboard is acid-free and wrap each fold or crease in the clothing with acid-free tissue paper. Be sure to hang or store out of the way of your regular wardrobe, and check every year for damage.
7. Toy-Proof a Child's Bedroom 
To tidy up toys, purchase some canvas clothes hampers or crunch baskets, like those from the Container Store. They're soft for your child and great for concealing clutter. Use different sizes for toys, like a smaller one for books and art supplies and a larger one for balls or stuffed animals. Involve your child in the organizing process — you can even turn it into a game — so he or she will be more likely to tidy up after playtime.


Click on the link for more information: http://www.hgtv.com/organizing/quick-tips-for-organizing-bedrooms/index.html


And Check out our website for more great inventory options: www.homedecorliquidators.com/

Friday, October 19, 2012

Brightening a room with kitchen carts and mirrors

With fall in full color and winter fast approaching, light becomes a precious commodity, especially if you’re prone to seasonal affective disorder. You can help counter it by brightening a room with cheerful furniture, glass pieces or mirrors, and by de-cluttering the feel of your space by investing in some new storage pieces. To do this, try some of our kitchen carts and mirrors.

To start, you need a platform. Our granite kitchen cart is a great choice, with its dark hue, simple, metal-lined mirrors, and its open shelves underneath provide unique possibilities for decoration or plants. If you want a lighter platform, our white and wooden kitchen cart will reflect light and help make the room brighter. If you’d rather something more stationary, try one of our nightstands. This not only provides a nice flat surface, but also extra storage space in the drawers.


Granite kitchen cart


White kitchen cart



Next, you need a mirror. The dark tones in the matrix gold mirror match well with the granite kitchen cart, and its golden hues will match the white kitchen cart’s wooden surface. The mirror will reflect natural light into the room and brighten it during the day. This tactic is clever if you don’t have many windows particular rooms, or if those windows face away from the sun.

Matrix gold mirror


Check out our website for more great inventory options: www.homedecorliquidators.com/

Friday, October 12, 2012

Furniture tips for remodeling a trailer

Got a trailer you’d like to remodel? Do you want some extra comfort for that cross-country road trip? Our furniture would fit great inside one. Try one of our couches, futons, coffee tables.





To get you started, here are a few items of ours that would fit inside a trailer and provide comfort while you travel, tailgate, or even camp.


Bicast Chocolate 2 piece Sofa/Loveseat (4170)

6783 Crossville 3 pack Occasional Set

Futon sofa bed

Check out our website for more great inventory options: www.homedecorliquidators.com/

Friday, October 5, 2012

Heading Out On Your Own? The Art Of Manliness Can Help


Know someone who is moving out on their own for this first time? Send them this article...


My little brother is in the process of getting his first real apartment, and as excited as I am for him, I feel for him, too. There's such a steep learning curve to living on your own, and after 10 years in grown-up apartments, I still have so much to learn. While there are a few words of wisdom I could pass on to him (sleeping in a closet is fine but only for about a year, the coolest streets are usually also the noisiest), he'd be much better off with a comprehensive guide…

My friend Michelle introduced me to The Art Of Manliness, and we're both hooked. I've barely scratched the surface of their impressive archives, but they do indeed seem to be "reviving the lost art of manliness". There's a beautiful, Ron Swansonesque timelessness to the skills and style they celebrate, and the topics covered are far-reaching and thoughtful.
With their Heading Out On Your Own: 31 Basic Life Skills In 31 Days series, the great minds at The Art Of Manliness have compiled an amazing reference for anyone heading out into the world — or anyone who's been out on their own for awhile but could use a little help. Some of my favorite topics are Essential Etiquette for Young Men ("Our forbearers saw no contradiction in being ruggedly manly and a refined gentleman"), Living With RoommatesCreate A Weekly Attack Plan (I love a good attack plan! Why am I not doing this?), and the Day 1 entry Develop A Self-Reliant Mentality. But really, they're all so good, and they're only up to Day 20. Though the tagline is 31 skills in 31 days, I'd probably advise my brother — and myself — to tackle one article per week. Each one is so chock full of information, they each deserve some mulling over. I have no doubt that my brother's new adult life is going to be a smashing success — but there's always A Man's Guide To Moving Back In With His Parents… While Maintaining At Least A Little Dignity, just in case.

Friday, September 28, 2012

Displaying Personal Photos: Cozy and Homey? Or Awkward?

Do you decorate your home with your guests in mind? Or with your own taste and comforts?

My older sister got married this summer, and due to a credit with her photographer, I was told that I could choose one or two of the wedding photos as a print for myself. On hearing this, the question that came to mind (besides which of the 691 gorgeous images to go for) was: Is it okay to put these things up in my home?!

The last time Apartment Therapy spoke about displaying personal photos, be it wedding or otherwise, there were a lot of opinions raised. I know many people who believe that personal photos have no place in the public areas of a home, and should be relegated to bedrooms and upstairs hallways only. I've got to admit, I've always been somewhat flummoxed by this view. After all, just how "public" are our homes really, and shouldn't we be decorating them for ourselves, not for the preferences of people who occasionally drop by?

However, when I look around my home, it seems that I've internalized this common view without even realizing it. In this digital age, I have Facebook albums and iPhoto events a-plenty, and occasionally even manage to have a photobook printed up. But these are items which I have to make an effort to peruse, not ones displayed, with pride, where I'll see them every day. Instead, my walls are adorned with prints, paintings and vintage paraphernalia, with not a single human representation among them.

And here's the thing — I love looking at other people's photos. Whether it's wedding portraits, photos from a recent holiday or old snaps from childhood, there's something about glimpsing the special moments, grand and mundane, of people's lives. They're conversation fodder, and in my opinion, help make a house feel loved and lived in. So, why wouldn't I share similar pics in my own home?

On reflection, I think I would. In fact, have made it a goal of mine to get some of my favourite images off my laptop and into some picture frames before the year is out. So now, the only question I'm concerned with is which of my sister's wedding pictures to choose (the one of her and me laughing our heads off in our parents' backyard is the current frontrunner).

But what do you think? Do personal photos have a place in the home? Do you draw the line at wedding pictures or ones of children, or is it the more, the merrier?

Read more here.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Tips To Help You Enjoy the Transition to Autumn


Are you ready for autumn? Here are a few ways to make the transition from summer a little easier!


A new season is approaching and along with that inevitably comes change: a change in light, a change in weather, a change in lifestyle. Depending on where you live it can either be drastic or just a little blip; either way there are things you can do to make the transition easier. Follow me after the jump to find out how...

Bring the Outdoors In: One of the things we tend to love about summer is all of the outdoor nature time. Well, just because you are gonna be staying in more doesn't mean you have to shut the outdoors out. Start bringing in bright, cheery flower bouquets and new hearty plants. Look for indoor plants that work double duty, like English Ivy, they are not only beautiful and can make you happy but clean the air as well.

Purify the Air: Since we just mentioned cleaning the air with house plants let's take it a step farther. With windows shutting out the cold air, less circulation, and furniture off-gassing you're gonna want to keep the air clean with a Hepa Air Purifier.

Fall Cleaning: Spring shouldn't be the only season where your home gets a fresh new face. Before you go into cuddle up on the couch nesting mode, clean up all the nooks and crannies so you can hunker down in a squeaky clean space.

Get Cooking: Stews, soups, and pies are the smell of fall. If you love to cook this is surely something to look forward to. Stock up your pantry with new, fresh ingredients so you are ready on a whim to whip up your favorite fall recipes.

Brighten Up: Since you will be spending more time indoors this would be a good opportunity to add in some new bright and lively colors to your place. Get some new throw pillows, blankets, or accessories that will keep your home happy and energizing. If you are really daring, try painting an accent wall for the new season.

Bring Out The Faves: What are your favorite things about fall? Is it a great sweater, the best boots, a warm down comforter, a magnificent tea? Well, start to place them in your line of sight so you can get excited about their appearance back in your life in the not too distant future.

Get Moving: Don't let the natural slow down slow you down. Make sure you still move your body. If you will need to move your routine inside, you should start preparing for that now. Not only will it keep you in shape, but it will help your brain stay happy and positive through the coming months.

Be Social: It's easy to just get lost in your own world once it gets chilly and holiday seasons begin but don't let it. Make dates now for gatherings, dinner parties and holiday cheer so you are all scheduled and ready to go. Read more here

Want more ideas to make autumn awesome? Check out our blog entry "Easy Ways to Decorate for Autumn" and get inspired!

Friday, September 14, 2012

Easy Ways to Decorate for Autumn

Ahh, fall. It's the season of crisp mornings, hot apple cider, snuggling into oversize sweaters...and luxurious, warm reds, oranges, and browns. We love fall!


Here are some easy ways to decorate for the season without completely redoing your whole house:

Rugs

A new rug can tie your room together in a whole new way! Doesn't the Piazza Linen remind you of the forest floor covered with freshly fallen leaves?


Throw blankets

Nothing says autumn like curling up on the couch with a big mug of hot cocoa and a warm, fuzzy blanket. The Contempo Berber throw blanket captures the season's colors perfectly.


Accessories

Let your creativity go wild with the Jemma 5 piece accessory set. Frame a picture of your favorite fall day. Arrange acorns and pine cones in the charger bowl. Fill the vases with freshly collected branches still bearing the vibrantly colored leaves of the season!


Lamps

Cast a warm glow over your room with a seasonal table lamp. The leaf motif on the Eloise table lamp fits in perfectly with autumn-themed decor.


Bedding

After a long day of hiking through the forest, hay rides, and bobbing for apples, snuggle under the covers of the Diamonte 9-piece queen comforter set.


How do you like to decorate for autumn?
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