Round Up Ideas:  Our Best Home Fall Organization Tips

Bedroom Maintenance

Image via: Outdoor Rise

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Let’s begin with the bedroom. Now for many of us the bedroom is our fortress of solitude and relaxation. However, it is also our very own storage closet because with all of the demands of the day it becomes the dumping ground for our clothes, shoes, documents, dishes, etc. There is some trouble with trying to keep organization within the bedroom. So here are some fall bedroom organization tips, to help with this issue.  Begin with giving everything a place.  Having designated areas for everything will help to tame the clutter build-up. This idea can range from adding more hooks to the door to hang clothes or having baskets on your night stand or dresser to hold the TV remote or keys or act as a hamper for dirty laundry.

Cleaning and Clearing out

Image via: California Closets

This type of fall maintenance is when you have the opportunity to clean up and clear out any summer items that will no longer be in use during the fall. These items could be children’s toys, garden furniture, barbecues, or any other misc. items and store them in the garage or shed.  That way they are out of sight, out of mind and most important out of the way.  This suggestion also means time to clear out those dust bunnies that may have created a civilization in your interiors.  Some light cleaning and dusting around the home will have to happen especially in those rooms that will probably have less usage during the cooler months.  And it doesn’t have to stop there, just take a look at our past article, Maintenance Tips to Prepare your Home For Fall.

Search and Find

Sometimes, you just need to survey your home and find out what needs to be fixed, updated or replaced. Look at your vents, weather stripping, roofs, doors, windows, furnace and fireplaces to see if they are in working order. These are the things that can help your family stay warm or if not properly fixed or updated can affect the cost of your energy bill for the worst. It won’t take much but it always does well to inspect.  Take a look here for some other ways to perform your fall home maintenance to make your home right for the Fall season.

Image via: Update Southlake

Curb Appeal

Now, don’t forget about the outdoors because they can be just as important as the indoors as well. Think about it, the first impression someone gets from your home is the outdoors. This time to help spruce up your fall curb appeal survey your home’s exterior and see what actually needs to be changed. Perhaps, you may need a fresh coat of paint on the shutters or any exterior architectural features of the home. Maybe you just need to clean out those gutters, replace the mailboxes or add in some light fixtures when the daylight savings time ends.  You may even want to lay down fresh planters to match the season.  Don’t let the inside of you home out shine the outside.

Cleaning up can seem like a drain but it does help out.  Especially, when you need to get ready for the change in seasons like the fall season.  If things aren’t taken care of then it can not only lead to safety issues but also financial issues as well.  So just go ahead and bite that bullet and jump into your fall organization.  Also, Stagetecture readers can you think of any other ways you like to organize your home for the fall?

For more home organization tips on Stagetecture, click here.

Kids Bathroom Decorating Ideas

Image via: ABID Kolkota

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Choose a fun color palette

Little ones don’t want their bathroom to have a spa look- that calming and tranquility bit is not their thing. They want a place that’s full of color and fun. So don’t be tempted to give their bathroom a mature palette just because it makes you comfortable. Consider pairing neutrals with contrast such as white plumbing fixtures and shocking green backdrops, or colorful stripes in a jaunty pattern. If you have older kids, make sure to involve them in the decision making process, however add your limits as necessary.

Image via: Southern Home Ideas

Opt for small plumbing fixtures

Believe it or not there are plumbing fixtures that are ideal for toddlers and smaller children. While it may not be a very inexpensive option, it does make a world of a difference. You can also consider a new shower head, faucet and handles of the sink. And while you are it, don’t forget cabinet handles and drawer pulls that come in various kid-friendly themes.

Image via: Vethan

Ensure their bathroom is safe

When it comes to decorating a bathroom for your child, safety should be most important. However, it does not have to be ugly. Functional items can work hand in hand with decorative pieces. Make sure that the bathroom tap is not very hot and opt for stick on colorful non-slip pads. A non-tipping step stool with non-skid feet in a bright color is also a great way to add color while maintaining safety. Also, window glass should be tempered but you can dress it up with printed curtain.

Use these bathroom decorating ideas for small hands and creative minds. However, make sure not to go overboard, because as much as we wish, they won’t be the same age forever. And their craze for a particular theme will soon wane.

Spring Dessert: Orange Cupcakes

Image via: Betty Crocker

Preheat oven to 175 degrees C (350 degrees F). Line 2 dozen muffin cups with paper liners.
In a large bowl, beat together the orange cake mix, whipped topping mix, creamy salad dressing, ¾ cup orange juice, eggs, and orange zest with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute or until moist. Scrape the sides of the bowl using a spatula, then increase speed to medium and continue mixing until well blended, approximately 2 minutes more. Fill the prepared muffin cups about 2/3 full of batter.
Bake in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the pans to cool for 10-12 minutes before placing them on the wire rack.

Total time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Yields: 2 dozens

Ingredients

1 packet orange cake mix

¾ cup creamy salad dressing

30g dry whipped topping mix

¾ cup orange juice, freshly squeezed

3 large eggs

2 tablespoons orange zest, grated

1 jar marshmallow crème

1 cup butter at room temperature, unsalted, divided into two

1 cup vegetable shortening, divided in two

1 tablespoon orange zest

¼ teaspoon vanilla essence

2 drops orange food color

4 cups confectioners’ sugar

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees C (350 degrees F). Line 2 dozen muffin cups with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the orange cake mix, whipped topping mix, creamy salad dressing, ¾ cup orange juice, eggs, and orange zest with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute or until moist. Scrape the sides of the bowl using a spatula, then increase speed to medium and continue mixing until well blended, approximately 2 minutes more. Fill the prepared muffin cups about 2/3 full of batter.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the pans to cool for 10-12 minutes before placing them on the wire rack.

Image via: Gluten Free Canteen

Procedure to make cream topping

1. In a bowl using an electric mixer, beat the marshmallow crème, ½ cup shortening, and ½ cup unsalted butter until creamy and smooth. Top each cooled cupcake with ½ inch thick layer of cream topping. Use a knife to spread the topping flat. Make sure that about 1/2 of the cupcake shows below the cream topping.

Procedure to make orange butter cream

1. In a bowl, beat ½ cup shortening and ½ cup unsalted butter until light and fluffy. Mix in 1 orange zest, ¼ cup orange juice, vanilla essence, and food color until well blended. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth.
2. Transfer the prepared frosting to a piping bag with a large star tip. Now pipe a decorative layer of orange butter cream over the cream topping on the cupcakes.

Reminiscent of those childhood popsicles, these orange cupcakes will make you feel like a kid again. Try them and let us know if they are good enough to be a part of your spring dessert recipe collection!

It is said that when you are feeling low,  to cheer up and turn that frown upside-down.  Well, why not try this idea or concept for livening up your interiors?  Simply take key areas of the space and give it a turn or flip and see how it works.  Think of Alice in Wonderland, remember how everything was backwards and abnormal?  The book or film caused you to think out of the box and try things that weren’t the ordinary which is the point. Let’s take a look at some upside down ideas and see if we can become inspired.

Table Contents

Image via: Too Stinkin’ Cute

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Table center pieces are always a focal point for the dining area.  What if you took the wine glasses and made them the vase for the flowers and candle holders for the table all together? It is that easy, take some wine glasses of different or similar designs and cut the tops of bloomed flowers.  Turn the glasses over and place the flower tops under the cup then add colorful candles to the tops.  This will add color and vibrancy to the space.

Wall & Chair Art – Flipped Upside Down

Image via: ZeroEnergy Design

“Your feet belong on the ground like your chair”, rings constantly in our ears from our parents but what if we took what was mean for the ground to be walled.  Talk about Wonderland, the chair has been split in half and cemented to the wall upside down and turned into a book shelf, coat and hat rack.  You can even, for fun, take the chair and glue just the legs to the wall with the seat of the chair facing upward with a table sitting in front of it.

Light Fixtures

Image via: The Design Files

A spot of tea for anybody? Turned tea cup lighting fixtures are great for adding history and design to any room they are in.  The scene almost looks as if the suspend tea cups are floating in the air in a topsy-turvy pattern, creating a whimsical effect for the space. Now if only the Mad Hatter and March Hare were present…

Wall Art

Image via: Olioboard

Of course, just moving and rearranging the pictures on your wall adds great contrast and difference to the space.  Take the pictures that you have and turn them side-ways, upside down, left, right create disorder within order.  The way the photos are set up in the image above forces your eye down and creates the illusion that the images themselves are fallen down adding motion and depth to the room.

Now see turning things upside down can make the entire space seem more animated and extraordinary.  Search and discover ways to turn your space upside down and try them out.  Be inspired, creative and have fun with it.

For more home decor ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

All 3 of my children have been collecting Box Tops for Education for the last 6 years or so. I remember when my middle son, now 14, but when he was in 2nd grade was in tears because I had thrown away a granola bar box that had a Box Tops for Education on it! He was so upset, and I had to go dig through the trash to get it…. ewwww!   — Awww, what we do for our kids!

For those of you who don’t know what Box Tops for Education are:

“Box Tops for Education has helped America’s schools earn over $475 million since 1996. You can earn cash for your child’s school by clipping Box Tops coupons from hundreds of participating products. Box Tops also offers easy ways to earn even more cash for your school online.” – Box Tops 4 Education

 

The importance of giving back to schools:

The great part about the Box Tops for Education program is that your direct participation earns your child’s exact school money for education. You will enter your child’s school information and all your rewards will go to their school. Awesome, yes?

So I was excited to pair up with Jingit, a program that pays you to shop for your favorite brands and your child’s school get’s rewarded too! For those of you who aren’t familiar with Jingit:

“With Jingit, you can earn real cash, instantly for watching ads online; or checking in and shopping for select products at your favorite stores; even for giving your feedback to leading brands by taking brief surveys. In return, those brands get your attention!”

 

Google+ Album – See how to use Jingit!

What a win-win for all. So I loaded the Jingit app on my iPhone, shopped at Walmart and bought General Mills foods that my kids already love. Take a look at my Google+ Album here.  See my trip, what I picked up, and how easy it was for my daughter’s school to earn Box Tops, and me, money.

It was an enjoyable time being able to get rewarded for items I would have purchased anyway! My son inhales the Totino’s Pizza’s (hey he’s a teenage boy) – and my daughter loves the Gogurt and granola bars. General Mills cereals such as Honey Nut Cheerios and Cinnamon Toast Crunch are favs at my house too!

Want to learn how you can get started – here you go:

Here are the steps for you to start earning!

1.) Sign up here: —> Jingit Signup

2.) Download the Jingit app for your iPhone or Android: –> Jingit download app

3.) Start shopping! Go to Walmart. Check in with the app and scan the barcodes on any 4 participating General Mills’ back-to-school basics products that are listed on the screen once you get to the store.  Then “cha-ching!” – you’ll earn a little real cash, in real time. And 4 Bonus Box Tops will automatically be donated to your selected school.

4.) Visit Walmart.com to engage with General Mills products, and look for banner ads with a Jingit curl from these same brands. Some locations may not feature the same ads. Once you get home, make sure to “check in” at home, by scanning your products again to earn more money, and to have the Box Tops for Education donated to your child’s school.

Lastly, log in to your Jingit dashboard and see how much money you made. You can also watch videos, learn more about other products you can earn with and share with your friends on Facebook , Twitter and Pinterest. I was excited that I made $6.00!

Thanks Jingit, Walmart, and General Mills. My daughter was excited to donate her Box Tops to school the next day.

I am a member of the Collective Bias Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and Jingit #CBias #SocialFabric”. All experiences and opinions are my own.

For more back to school tips on Stagetecture, click here.

If you’ve ever had to move from a house before, probably one of the things that you dreaded most about it was moving all of your stuff out. Just packing up your kitchen alone can be a project that takes a couple of weekends.

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So, if you’re about to put the house that you are currently living in on the market, you may be considering selling it already furnished. Aside from the furniture and other things being one less thing that you’ll have to worry about, there are actually some pretty substantial “pros” that come with making that decision; there are a few cons too.

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Before you make your final decision, we have enclosed three of each:

Pro. You don’t have to pack.

OK, you will have to pack some things. After all, no one is going to want your old books and probably not your dishes, either. But, if your couch and bed are in really good condition, you can definitely save some time and money (in moving expenses) by leaving those things behind.

Con. You will have to purchase furniture all over again.

Even if you don’t feel like packing the items up, if once upon a time, you made the effort to purchase the pieces, then that probably means that you like them. And, if you don’t pack them up and take them with you, that means that you will have to buy furniture all over again.

Pro. You can ask for a bit more with the selling price.

A tenant who doesn’t have to buy furniture is a tenant who doesn’t have to spend money on those things. Some people don’t have a houseful of pieces and so if they like what you have in your home, you are actually doing them a favor by leaving some items behind. This means that you can up your asking price just a bit.

Image via

Con. You could keep some potential buyers away.

On the other hand, there are some people who want the freedom of being able to decorate their own place. So, you may actually keep some prospective buyers at bay with an already furnished house. One way to keep this from being too much of a problem is by marketing the home as an “either or”; that you’re willing to sell the house already furnished or with the furnished removed, pending the best offer.

Pro. You can negotiate rooms.

Studies support that there are actually more prospective tenants who are looking already furnished homes than people who want unfurnished places, but that doesn’t always mean that a potential buyer wants all of the furniture that you have to offer or that you’re ready to let all of your items go. If you love your bedroom furniture, but you can do without your living room sofa and chairs, then state that when people come to view the house. It’s a smart way to get “the best of both worlds”.

Con. Once you’ve sold it, it’s gone.

Whether we’re purchasing some Las Colinas real estate, some Raleigh real estate or even some property overseas, sometimes, we’re so excited about what lies ahead of us that we’re not really thinking about the things that we’re leaving behind. Although it may be more convenient (and sometimes more profitable) to sell a furnished home, there may be certain pieces of furniture that you want to hold on to, even if it’s just for sentiment’s sake. When it comes to making your final decision, be honest with yourself about what you can part with and what you honestly cannot. Because after you’ve sold it, it’s as good as gone!

For more moving tips on Stagetecture, click here.

You might not have the worst yard in the neighborhood, but if you have yet to add anything more than the sod and the single tree that came with the house then perhaps it’s high time you thought about doing a makeover. It’s not all about aesthetic appeal, either; by making your space more usable, turning it into an outdoor extension of your home, you can virtually increase your square footing and create a more desirable property (an especially advantageous strategy for anyone thinking of selling in the near future). So here are just a few tips for anyone looking to upgrade their outdoor space and make the most of every square foot of property.

Image via: Bhg

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Assess your backyard

A good place to start is by assessing what you’ve already got. If the lawn and the existing foundation (trees, shrubbery, etc.) are in good shape, if a little boring, then you probably don’t need to replace them; just give them a good trim (you might have to hire a service if you have tall trees, and you should probably do so once every year or two). Anything dead should be removed post haste (down to the roots) since it could pose a significant hazard in the case of a fire or storm, for example. And if there are dead spots on the law, either re-seed the area or simply get a few cuts of sod if you don’t want to wait for new growth.

Landscaping tips

Now that everything is ship shape it’s time to get down to the real work of landscaping, and the first order of business is to create a plan. You can find all kinds of templates and inspiration online, but all you really need to do is measure your yard so that you can draw a scale schematic. From there you can figure out where you want to place planters (or islands), decking, a patio, a water feature, pavers, or other items. This will help you to determine the best layout for your exterior space before you ever put shovel to soil.

Outdoor room and entertaining ideas

When it comes to what you will include in your outdoor room, you need to consider the intended usage as well as your environment. For example, you probably want to have barbeques or other types of gatherings. So you should think about creating an eating area complete with a paved patio or decking of some sort, a grilling area, and enough space for a table and chairs to accommodate your family and friends. You may also want to build out a covered structure of some kind. There are a couple of reasons why this is a good idea. For one thing, it will give you shade in the summer (sure you could sit under a tree, but then stuff will be falling in your food). However, if you live in a colder climate, a covered structure can also help to protect your lawn furniture from the elements (so you don’t have to bother stacking it in the garage all winter long).

As for plants, the real décor of your outdoor space, you best bet is to talk to a landscaper or simply visit an expert at your local nursery. These professionals can give you the 4-1-1 on everything from annuals and perennials, to drought-resistant species, to creating a floral diorama and layers of color in your space. And once you’ve got everything installed, you just need to look at the shears, sprinklers, and John Deere riding lawn mowers that will help you maintain your beautiful new backyard.

For more outdoor ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

When I first heard of chalkboard paint a few years ago, it seemed like everyone was using it for kids room walls or on kitchen cabinets/walls for family checklists and a place to doodle. Today, I have seen so many creative uses for chalkboard paint that I should share just a few of them. DIY ideas for every room in your house!

Image via: Bayside Bride

From painting decorative items in your home and using chalkboard paint for organization of items, to painting bottles as cute centerpieces for your next outdoor gathering. Take a look and tell me which ones you’d live to try, or already have!

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Chalkboard paint for labeling and organizing

Image via: Centsational Girl

Keep pantry items, spices, and more organized and change whenever!

Image via: The Brides Diary

Paint for function and beauty!

Image via: The Inspired Room

DIY – Want to make your own chalkboard paint?

Image via: A Beautiful Mess.Typepad

Go ahead and get going on finding creative uses for chalkboard paint in your home!

Watch Stagetecture’s You Tube Channel for more DIY ideas

Easy Easter Kid’s Craft – Paint Chip Easter Egg Garland

Image via: Crafting Ideas

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Original Entry #499, April 17, 2011

Easter is next Sunday and you still have time for beautiful decor to brighten your home. I found this great one from At Home with Kim Vallee for using paint chips that you probably have lying around from your last painting project! Check out the ideas here, and while you are it, vote at the link below to help a fellow craft blogger get more gigs!

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You can use this to print and cut out an egg template. I used Home Depot’s Behr paint chips, which have 4 colors per card, and cut them in half eliminating all white except for the line between the two color shades.

I traced the egg on the back of the card (so there wouldn’t be any residual pencil marks on the front) and then cut them out.

Lastly, I punched two small holes in the top of each egg with an extra small hole punch and threaded them onto a piece of waxed cotton. The cotton did a great job of preventing slippage.

When I was visiting New York last week for New York Fashion Week, the ability to move around the city quickly and efficiently has always been a challenge. Many natives and tourists take to the underground subway system daily to avoid hopping in a cab…. or dreadfully – driving!

Image via: Trendland

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Today I ran across this article in Trendland about a concept to make a unused trolley terminal into a incredible green space. It’s an ingenious concept that will enable commuters to enjoy a ‘central park aesthetic’ below ground. Here’s more about this project:

‘Inspired by the amazing success of Chelsea’s High line, architect James Ramsey and Dan Barasch introduced the Delancey Underground project, aiming to convert an unused trolley terminal beneath Delancey Street (just under the Essex Street Market) into an extraordinary subterranean public park– nicknamed the “LowLine.” Local businesses, residents, community leaders, and political stakeholders alike have voiced considerable enthusiasm for the idea. They are now focused on increasing this broad public support, and are preparing in earnest to make this vision a reality.’

“…it also represents cutting edge design and a new generation of green technology. It is at the heart of a broader global discussion about the potential of remnant urban infrastructure, and the need for cities to re-invent the meaning of space– above and below ground.”… Trendland

What an exciting project, I can’t wait to see it come to fruition. It’s always nice to see out of the box thinking, especially in high density urban areas. There is no excuse not to bring a touch of green into every piece of the world… especially underground!

For more green living ideas on Stagetecture, click here.