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Here's a way to tackle bathroom organization in just one hour. But it's best to set aside an hour where you won't be disturbed or distracted because it you don't finish the job in one session, you'll be tempted to just throw everything back where it was. Start by grabbing some boxes and completely empty the bathroom counters, drawers and cupboards. When you are emptying things out, sort into a "must have" and an "optional" pile. Throw out any expired products or broken items. Be ruthless, really consider whether you need it. Get rid of half-used products you don't like as well those small sample bottles of products from that last hotel trip. To get and stay organized, less is more.Clean the counters, drawers, shelves and cupboards. Then place decorative items back onto the countertop. Try to avoid using the countertop as storage because you'll find it gets cluttered very fast. Think about zones as you put things back. Put medicines in a medicine cabinet or out of easy reach of small children. For those products you use everyday, group like products together. Hair products together on a shelf. Bath and body washes in a basket near the tub or shower. And nail care products together on a shelf or in a clear bin. Use a clear plastic shoe box to create a first aid kit with bandages, disinfectants and such. If your vanity has a drawer, use drawer dividers to segment it into sections for often-used items by category. Tip: a kitchen utensil tray works well. Have a section for hair brushes and hair care items, makeup, shaving supplies, and nail care items. Store bathroom cleaning supplies under one side of the sink or in an area less visible. Turntables made for kitchen items work well under the sink or even on open shelves, as they make it easy to get at tall bottles.If you have additional room in cabinets or on shelves, use clear plastic shoeboxes with lids to store less frequently used items that you need to store. You'll be able to see what's in the boxes, but the items will stay orderly until you need them.
Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and safety of this information. Neither Westlake nor any contributor can be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.
Kits are sold that include tarp clamps and elastic cords. For tarps that don’t have built-in grommets, they work very well. That said, installing grommets in a tarp with a grommet tool and then using those grommets with elastic cords is a much better and more permanent solution.
The area beneath your stairs is wasted space and an ideal place to tuck a small desk, hang some open shelving, or even create a reading nook. Before starting, lay down drop cloths to protect your floor. Then use a stud finder to check for wires or pipes in the area you are going to remove. Measure the area beneath the stairs where you want the storage to go. Snap a chalk line to mark the outline of the area to be opened. Use a utility knife to score the drywall along the outline. Use a hammer to make a hole and carefully remove the drywall along your score line to expose the studs.Make sure studs are not load-bearing. If they are, reinforcing studs and headers will need to be constructed. Use a reciprocating saw to remove the studs to fully expose the area. Start by cutting through the studs at the top and then pull or pry the studs away from the floor.Clean up the underside of the stairs of dust, cobwebs and make sure it is insect free. Once you have cleaned it up you will have a rough idea of how big is the space under your stairs. On average most stairs can yield a small 6 to 8 feet of space on sides and ceiling.Measure and cut plywood or MDF to line the interior of the storage area. Attach to studs and braces with screws. Depending on the look you want to create, you could fill holes, sand and paint or you could line the area with something like bead board and trim out in trim that matches your home.
Use Vertical Space
Take advantage of the vertical space in your garage by smartly using the walls for storage. Put up rows of shelving, hang some recycled cabinets or install a specialized garage storage system to help you more efficiently use your wall space. If you want to save some money, instead of buying special bins and boxes, you can create storage containers out of things you have around the house. For example, old jars work well for screws, nails and other small items. Use a screw or two to attach the jar lid to the underside of a shelf. Fill the jar with whatever, and screw the jar onto its top. Hang on to those sturdy shoe boxes because they make good storage containers. Just remember to label the contents. And that extra laundry basket can come in handy as well to store sports gear.And don't forget about pegboard. It's great for storing your tools, and if you draw outlines of your tools it makes it easier to keep them organized and to quickly see if something is missing. Make sure to secure bulkier items to the pegboard with a bungee cord. And to maximize your vertical space,mount a row of shelves above the pegboard to store seasonal items or things you don't need everyday. Just keep a sturdy step stool or ladder handy so you can safely access overhead gear. Re-purpose a straight metal rake that may have seen better days. Remove most of the handle, drill a pilot hole through the remainder and screw it to the wall using a good strong anchor. It's perfect for hanging your garden tools from the tines.
Label Everything
Not only will this help you quickly identify what's in boxes and bins, but labeling shelves and cabinets can also help make sure it gets put back in it's place after use.
Create Storage Zones
Consider creating storage zones based on use. For example, keep kids toys together and within reach of the kids because the easier it is to put away the toys, the more likely it will happen. Keep your tools together in one zone, your gardening gear in one zone and your holiday decor in another.
Create Activity Toolkits
Use buckets or easy-to-carry-bins to create activity toolkits that let you grab and go for DIY tasks you do on a routine basis. A paint kit with brushes, tarps, a paint pan and tape makes it easier to get a fast start. For a wall repair kit include spackle, tape, putty knife and sand paper. A car wash bucket with soap, sponge, towels, wax, windex or wipes makes it very convenient to send the kids out to wash the car.
Raised Stored Items Off the Ground
Because the garage can get dirty and wet, it's best to protect your belongings that are in boxes by storing them off the ground. Use pallets or a few two by fours or even some bricks to make sure paper boxes don't sit directly on the ground.Old metal garbage cans are great for storing bags of soil and fertilizer. Just drill some holes in the bottom so that the nutrients in the soil or fertilizer can "breathe" and store them up off the ground a bit.
What goes up, must come down. Now that the holidays are over, it's time to take down all your beautiful decorations. Here are some storage tips to make the job easier from year to year.
Not sure where you are going to put all the decorations and stuff you need to store until next Christmas? Now may be the time to put up some new storage options in your garage, basement or store room. Open shelving, extra cupboards and organizing bins may be just the thing to address your storage challenges. Don't forget to plan ahead for future purchases by leaving empty space on shelves or by buying extra storage totes.
After-Christmas markdowns are the best way to save on storage boxes, holiday decorations, ornaments and lights. So, check out the after-Christmas sales and pack away your finds for next year.
How you store them is best determined by the size and shape of the ornaments. Round ornaments fit nicely in a divided-tray ornament container like those available at Westlake. Flat ornaments can be layered in tissue or paper towels and stacked in clear shoe boxes or even in left-over gift boxes. Wrap large or odd shaped items in tissue, towels or bubble wrap and either store in separate boxes, if fragile, or in a larger tote.
If you created a special holiday display you want to re-create again next year, wrap and store the pieces together in the same storage box with any notes, instructions or even a photo. This will make it a lot easier to re-create that special decor next year.
The key to having less stress next year is to organize strings of holiday lights before storing them. Don't just throw lose strings in a box because you'll regret it next year. Storage reels allow you to store them and easily hang them again next year. You can also wind them around a flat piece of cardboard or the tube from paper towels and secure with a twist tie or rubber band. If a string was used for a specific display, or in a specific location, write that on an index card and include it with the lights. Store extension cords and timers in the same box as your lights so it's all together and ready to go next year.
You'll be thankful next year if you take the time to clearly label the storage bins. Tape an index card to the box or use a piece of masking tape to write on.
Putting together a holiday tool kit is a great way to save time from year to year and to know what you have or may need. Simply stock a toolbox or shoe box with ornament hooks, wire cutters, nylon line, narrow ribbon or cording, scissors, florist's wire, twist ties, wire ties and spare holiday light bulbs. Place your holiday tool kit in a prominent location with other holiday decorations, and next year you'll be ready to decorate with ease!
Look for solutions that allow items to lay flat against your walls or that use the area above your head, keeping the ground free. Consider some of these solutions that will allow you easy access to your things while keeping them out of your way on a daily basis:
Your new college freshman can't wait to bolt from home and begin to enjoy independent dorm life. But in preparing for college move-in day, he or she probably hasn't given any thought to those many "extras" needed to make that spartan room more livable.
Before leaving for school, a trip to the local hardware store often is essential to stock up on some very important, yet often overlooked items. In addition to the computer, CD player and mini-fridge, try making room in the car for the following:
Happy Shopping!
Credit: Lou Manfredini's Tips From the Tool Box, Ace Hardware
Now, most pulls are generally on 3" mounting centers. You will need to drill new holes and look for pulls that are designed to cover the previous holes. There are also decorative plates that will cover the previous holes. Mount these plates under the new pulls.
Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Information in this document has been furnished by the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) and associated contributors. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and safety. Neither NRHA, any contributor nor the retailer can be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.
There are numerous types of extension cord reels for good cord management.
You can often create extra closet space in rooms by simply adding folding doors that hang from the ceiling. These folding doors are made of many materials and are available in different styles and patterns. Using this method, you can create storage areas in family rooms, mud rooms, garages and even bedrooms without any major construction. The entire end of a room can be converted into a closet area with folding doors. A small section of any wall can be converted into a closet area. Use either curved overhead corners or straight overhead corners for making these closets. Corners can be converted into storage areas by using overhead tracks. Use either curved overhead track or straight overhead track for constructing corner closets.
It can feel like a daunting task, but here's a way to tackle it in an afternoon. And the results are well worth the effort. Start with two boxes -- one for donations, one for items that need to be thrown out.
This is the hardest and most time consuming part of the project. Go through every item of clothing you own. Try everything on. If it doesn't fit, is out of style or you haven't worn it in the last six months, put it in the donate box. If it's really worn or damaged beyond repair, put it in the trash box.
Let seasonality and frequency of use be your guide in determining what to keep in the closet and what to store elsewhere if space is limited.
Using the same type of hangers throughout your closet will not only make it look neater, it will make it easier to get items in and out.
Put the clothes you wear most often in the most convenient and accessible part of the closet.
Hang items based on the configuration of your closet. For example, hang shirts and skirts on a low rod; hang dresses on a rod at eye level; and on the high rod hang your suits. Then within areas, sort by type and color from light to dark. Blouses, for example, can be sorted first by sleeve length and then by shade. By keeping like with like, options for a given outfit are clear at a glance.
If you have shelves in your closet, use clear or ventilated bins or nice baskets with labels to contain clothing that can't be hung. If your closet doesn’t have shelves, consider using part of your clothing rod for hanging canvas ones.
Depending on the space you have, choose between clear plastic shoe boxes that stack, a floor shoe rack or a hanging shoe organizer. If you are limited on closet space, store seasonal shoes like boots or sandals in labeled plastic boxes or under your bed, in the basement or garage.
Clear plastic shoeboxes make perfect storage quarters for neatly rolled scarves, underwear, and belts.
Use an over-the-door rack with hooks for scarves, purses or belts to make the most of the unused space behind a closet door. And pegboard mounted inside a closet door creates an inexpensive mini-dressing station.
Use a stud finder. This is the simplest, most effective way to find studs. By sliding the stud finder across the wall, the stud finder will beep and/or light up when it crosses a stud.
If you don't have a stud finder, there are several methods that can be effective in finding studs. When a home is framed, the wall studs are usually spaced 16 or 24 inches apart. If you start in a corner and measure out 16 inches and you don't find a stud, you should find one at 24 inches.
You can also try holding a flashlight against a wall and looking down the wall to see if you can tell where two pieces of drywall meet. At that intersection, you'll definitely find a stud.
Look for light switches and electrical outlets, too. Those are usually mounted on the side of studs, so that's usually a good starting point for finding them.
When you think you've found a stud (if you're not using a stud finder), confirm it by driving a thin finishing nail through the drywall near the baseboard to see if you hit a stud.
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