Clear the Clutter - The Bread Bin Solution

Anyone else hate counter clutter?  You know, the stuff that always gravitates toward your kitchen counters...typically, it's appliances, dishes, snack containers, overflow from the pantry, etc. that are the culprits.

Well, we were starting to get the case of too much counter clutter...and I don't want to blame it on our new paleo habit, but it kinda started as soon as we started snacking on dried fruits and nuts, instead of processed snacks with bulkier pantry-sized packaging.  So, my hunt for a counter-friendly solution began!  And, we ended up with a sleek looking bread bin that stashes all of our more paleo-friendly snacks...

It's sort of like a garage for our snack stash.  Every caveman wishes they had one!

(the "Paleo"way of eating models what hunter/gatherers would eat - like meat, eggs, fruit, vegetables, nuts; you avoid all processed foods, added sugars, dairy, and wheat/gluten products)

Isn't she sleek and pretty on the exterior?  I found her at West Elm - they're available in-store only.  Now, look what she's hiding on the inside...

It's an oxymoron that it's called a "bread bin" when we can't eat bread...but it serves a fine purpose keeping the snack clutter at bay.  (Don't tell the strict paleo's that we eat dark chocolate occasionally...shhhhhh, only on Sundays)

And, you can see that our counters are looking a little less haphazard!  Yay to that!!

(note: the toaster has since been removed as it no longer serves a purpose...I miss waffles)

Here are a few other well-rated and pretty bread bins/boxes that I found while on the hunt...in my caveman skirt. (ok, not really)

Sources: 1. Zuccor Genoa Brushed Stainless Steel Bread Box, red cover ($35) - Amazon // 2. Polder Retro Bread Box/Bin, white ($30) - Amazon // 3. Zuccor Napoli Stainless Steel Bread Box ($40) - Amazon // 4. Enamelware Decorative Bread Box ($70) - Amazon // 5. Bliss Home Nigella Lawson's Living Kitchen Bread Bin, black ($125) - Amazon // 6. Roll-Top White Bread Box ($56) - Organize-It // 7. Wesco Grandy Bread/Storage Box, silver ($100) - Amazon

Any one else have a bread bin on their kitchen counter?  What clutter sins do you use it to cover?  Which of the bread bins/boxes above would go best in your kitchen?  Happy hiding!

How to Make a Book Sling

I finally made it - a Book Sling!  After loving and pinning it on Pinterest forever ago...  I've seen them in several places, so I don't know who made the original "book sling", but I first saw it {here} on Erin's adorable blog, Domestic Adventure.  And, I believe the original DIY tutorial can be found {here} on Megan's inspired blog, Penny Carnival.  I totally winged it on my book sling, but it turned out great so I'll share my tutorial with you below...

Materials:

Two 5/8" inch poplar dowels (from local hardware store)
Two double curtain rod holders (from local hardware store - around $5 each), screws and wall anchors included
1/2 yd fabric (my fabric was 37.5" wide, which worked swell for my desired width of a 35" sling, but gauge it on your measurements)
Thread to match your fabric
Sewing Machine
Sissors
Pins

Instructions:
1. Measure how wide you want your book sling to be - keep in mind that it could sag in the middle if it's too long.  This will dictate the (horizontal) width of fabric you'll need.  Cut the fabric accordingly, leaving room for a 1.5" finished edge.

2. Grab a few books that will go in your finished book sling to help you measure out the desired depth of your sling. This will dictate the (vertical) height of fabric you'll need.

Make sure books all across the size spectrum will fit nicely...you don't want it too shallow for your large books or too deep for your small books.

(Note: Make sure to allow for about 2.5" of fabric on both long edges to fold over and create a 1/2" finished edge and a 2" pocket that the dowel will slide through on each side.)

3. At this point, I pinned and sewed a small 1/2" edge along the long sides of the fabric, to create the finished edges to work with.

4. Next, fold over the ends of your fabric on the two short sides, then pin and sew finished edges.  This time I folded over about 1.5" of fabric, which will keep the inside of the fabric from showing on the edges of the finished sling.

5. Now it's time to create the pockets for the dowels to slide through.  I folded over about 2" of fabric on each long side, then sewed right along the line of my original 1/2" finished edge to create the pockets.

6. Now that the sewing portion is complete, measure your finished sling fabric and cut your dowel rods accordingly, allowing about 1.5" of dowel to stick out from both ends of the sling fabric. For example, I cut my dowels at 37" for an approximate 34" fabric sling, which left room for the hardware at the ends. I used a simple wood saw to do this, but if you have a table saw that would work wonders.

7. Next, slide your cut dowels on through the finished pockets.

8. Measure out and hang both of your double curtain rod holders.  If studs aren't available based on your sling length, then make sure to use the provided anchors.  (Remember, little people make try to hang from this cool new book-holding contraption!)

 9. Finally, slide your sling into the holders and tighten the screws to hold the dowels sturdily in place.  You're officially done with installation!

10. Fill with books (or stuffed animals) and ENJOY!

Almost as cute as it is practical, if I do say so myself!  What a creative and minimal way to use that vertical wall space!  Anything that keeps books (or stuffed animals) organized and easily accessible earns an A+ in my book.  An additional book sling may be working it's way into this picture in the near future...

Book slings would also work great to hold magazines in a lobby or waiting room at work.  Oh, a book sling also doubles as a doll stretcher or hammock... :)  Leave it to the kiddos to discover that one!

Please leave a comment if you have any questions, or if I can help you out with this project.  I'd also love to see pictures of your completed book slings - send them my way at inspiredwhims@gmail.com.

Garage Sale Tips & Tricks

It's garage sale season y'all!  I see signs everywhere I look and hear the buzz walking through the gym and grocery store.  Garage sales are a great way to 1) get rid of things you don't need, 2) recycle items that are in good shape but aren't useful to you anymore, 3) motivate you to tidy up your house/garage by removing clutter, and 4) make a little money while doing 1, 2, and 3.

My moms group did a garage sale as a fundraiser a few weekends ago and I thought I'd pass on a few tips and lessons learned so you can better host or help out with a successful garage sale.  I'll start by saying that we made an amazing $500 in two days with mostly housewares, books, clothing, and kid toys/gear.  That's right, you don't have to have fabulous furniture on the docket in order to have a fruitful garage sale.  Here are a few tricks we used that really helped out:

1) Post your Garage Sale online at Craig's List.  It's FREE advertising and a lot of people plan out their garage sale itinerary based on what is posted on Craig's List.  For the title of the post make sure to include the days the sale is going on (i.e. Garage Sale This Fri/Sat!)  Post the ad several days in advance, then re-post it the night before the big sale.  In the body of the ad, keep it simple by placing the address, dates and hours, and list out a few of your hot items.  Add pictures of items to the ad if you have them!

2) Signs, Signs, Signs...and Balloons.  Ok, this one is a given - if you have a garage sale, you put signs up.  However, there is a right and wrong way to go about it.  Make sure your signs are large enough and simple enough to read while someone is driving by.  Make them bright so they stand out from the other white cardboard signs and don't forget arrows directing people in the right direction.  Put signs out on the closest busy road, then continue placing signs at each turn so people won't get lost on their way to the sale.  Put signs out at least 2 days before your sale starts, so you catch weekday work traffic and place them where traffic going both directions can see.  Oh, and splurge on a few balloons the day/s of the sale - tie them to your signs as an extra stand-out, eye-catcher for all your potential clients.

"Main Road" info sign

"Driveway" directional sign

3) Have change ready and available before your Garage Sale begins.  Go to the bank the night before and make sure to get lots of $1 bills and coins.  It's not good for your first customer to arrive and then remember you need change when they hand you a $20...yep, it happened to us because one of the girls ran to the bank right before the sale started.

via

4) Make pricing easy.  The easiest way to price items you have bulk is by category (all clothing $1 each, books 50 cents each, etc.)  For items that are unique, use colored dot stickers from an office supply store or the local Dollar Store.  Each color represents a price, like the color blue represents $10 in the photo below.  Tape a dot "key" to each table so people understand your color-coding and don't forget to have one near the cash box so the person collecting money knows the prices too.

These pricing dots just get things started...  Allow people to barter, that's part of the fun of garage sales!  And, remember, ultimately you're trying to get rid of stuff so don't be too stuffy about letting things go at small prices.

5) "Free" brings 'em in.  Have a "free" box for items with missing pieces or minor damage and clothing with stains or minor flaws.  You can advertise your "free" box on your Craig's List post as well and people will flock.  As the sale goes on, add more and more things to the box if you're really wanting to get rid of them.

6) Cookies are King.  This is prime time for a bake sale or the kids' lemonade stand on the side.  We baked some cookies, bagged them up, and then sold each bag for a $1.  We made at least $20 on cookies and used them as fodder for bargaining as well - i.e. "We'll thrown in a couple bags of cookies if you take the stroller for $10".  Few people in a captive garage sale audience can turn down cute kids trying to sell lemonade - and they'll pay more for it if a lot of other adults are around...strange but true.

7) When trying to get rid of stuff at the end, sell items by the bag full.  Gather lots of grocery bags before the sale, and as the sale starts to wind down (and you realize how much you still need to get rid of) let people stuff a bag full for $1 or $2.  Stand back and watch the tables clear out!   Those small bills really do add up and it means fewer Goodwill trips for you.

8) Finally, donate the leftovers.  This is one of the most important steps of the garage sale process. Once the sale is over, take whatever is left to your local Goodwill, Salvation Army, or other used-item donation site.  This allows everything to go to good use and prevents you from re-cluttering your garage with unsold items.  Everyone wins!

via

Does anyone else have any good garage sale tips to share?  We'd love to hear what you garage sale gurus have to say!

Kids Room Organization + Storage Solutions

We all struggle with finding good organization solutions, especially if you're a mom or a down to the bone neat-nick (I happen to fall into both of those categories).  It's important to many of us to streamline our stuff and tidy things up, especially during this Spring Cleaning time of year!

This kid room organization post was inspired by my dear sister-in-law who asked me for some good ideas for creating more usable storage in my sweet niece's bedroom.  Here are the ideas and items I found to be most inspiring for creating a less-cluttered kid-friendly space:

pic from bhg.com

There are two great ideas in this room! 1) A small tension rod across the top of a bookshelf holds up curtains that can be closed to hid cluttered shelves or tied open after a good room-cleaning, 2) Spray paint some inexpensive metal cookie sheets to match your child's room, then hang them on the wall and use magnets to hold up pictures or artwork (a great idea for a kitchen too...)

I love these inexpensive rolling under-bed storage bins (only $19) from Walmart.  The chalkboard panel on the front allows you to label the bin so the contents aren't a mystery.

pic from DomesticAdventure

This is a brilliant DIY concept that would be really easy to create - book slings made of fabric, wooden dowels, and double-curtain rod holders...all items that can be found at your local hardware and craft stores.  Easy instructions for this great project can be found {here}.

Bins and boxes - two critical words for easy organization.  Here are a few unique ones I've found that are both decorative and useful:

 Why not round?  These Ikea Kvarnvik Boxes (3 for $20) remind me of cute hat boxes

 These large Striped Strapping Floor Bins ($17 each) from Land of Nod would be great laundry hampers

You can't go wrong with polka dots!  These Ikea Pingla Boxes (2 for $5) are sturdy and very affordable

I admit it...I'm a sucker for these brightly colored metal lockers ($184) from Amazon.com.  If I could incorporate them into a master bedroom, I would. :)  They're probably more appropriate for the kiddos...hmmm, or maybe a laundry room?

pic from CozyCottageCute

Dressers are great storage options for so many things.  Don't limit their use to only folded clothes - use them to store books, toys, crafts supplies, and more.  The pictured dresser was refinished with a new paint job, knobs, and cute house numbers.  You can find some great dressers to fix-up on your local Craig's List - a little elbow grease will result in a custom piece perfect for your space.

Need a good catch-all for all those tiny items like crayons, hair ties, the tiniest Legos, or Barbie accessories?  This Lazy-Susan ($35) from Pottery Barn Kids fits on any desk, dresser, or sink-top and allows your child to see what he/she is looking for.

pic from StrawberryChic

This is a super cool DIY project to hold pens, pencils, markers, and crayons.  Simply find a piece of wood (it could even be a rectangular piece of lumber) and use a drill bit to drill holes the size of your writing tools.  Instructions for making your own rustic pencil holder can be found {here}.

Storage ottomans are great for a kid's room.  They can hide away toys, be used as extra seating, and can easily fit beneath a window - valuable space that is usually wasted because we don't want to block the light or a view. Here are a few of my favorites:

This Tufted Grey Storage Ottoman ($146) from Overstock.com is beautiful, and would likely last far into adult-hood - a piece they'd want to take with them when they move out.

A decorative fabric Storage Bench ($196) from Target.com can be used in a bedroom, an entryway, or as a coffee table in a living space - an extremely versatile piece.

This Woven Storage Cube (only $51) from Amazon.com is a great option that is inexpensive and translates to other spaces in your house.  The rush weave is very durable and will last for a long time, even when "durability tested" by little ones for years on end.

pic from Design*Sponge

Another great homemade book/magazine storage idea - a pegboard with bungee cords offers a cool way to display your child's favorite reads.  I think this would be great for a teenager - it looks hip, cool, and industrial. Details on how to make this can be found {here}.

Hooks are a great way to get clothes and coats up off the floor, or help your kiddo plan ahead by setting out an outfit for the next day:

This modern looking Ikea Tjusig Rack ($10) offers streamlined style.

A whimsical over-the-door hook solution - Umbra Birdseye Multi-Hook ($25) from Amazon.com.

Finally, some ever-important shelving solutions...

This Ikea Ikea Ekby Alex wall-hung shelf ($50) contains two drawers for extra storage.  It would serve as a great bookshelf or even as a bedside table when hung next to a bed at the same height as the mattress top.


You may ask, what can you do with this simple Ikea Lack Wall Shelf ($7)...

Well, here's a great idea - hang several in a zigzag pattern to create a shelf like the red ones shown below:

pic from HyphenInteriors

This room also features one of my all-time favorite, classically simple shelving options - the Expedit Shelving Unit series from Ikea (starting at $40), shown in detail below.

This unit can serve as open shelving, or Ikea makes several bins that fit perfectly inside the cubbies for stashing stuff.  Worth checking out as I've seen designers use these inexpensive shelving units even in high-end design because of their functionality and clean lines.

Hope these kids room storage ideas and items have got your organizing juices flowin'.  Do you have any creative storage ideas you can share with us?  Please let me know if I can help you find a custom storage solution for your unique space.  I'd love to help!