Organization Tips: How to Organize Your Kids’ Closet

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Declutter

Remove everything out of the closet and sort into piles. Get rid of items that your child does not wear or is not likely to use. Make sure to be ruthless here. The worn out ones can be thrown away and the better ones can be donated.

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Install a Few Hooks

If there are some items that your kid wears all the time or uses regularly, there is no reason to keep it out of reach or sight. Instead, install a few hooks on the side so that your little one can grab those things and go. On the contrary, if there are things like off-season clothes and accessories that you don’t want your child to have easy access of, go ahead and put them out of reach like on the top shelf.

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Hang Clothes in Pairs

Instead of hanging a single piece of clothing, consider matching up your child’s outfits on every hanger. Not only will it help young kids make independent clothing choices, it will also free up a lot of valuable closet space.

Lower the Clothing Bar

Reaching high clothing bars can be a trouble for little ones. So, consider remounting them to within their reach. Alternatively, a step stool inside the closet is a great idea for kids who need extra height to reach their clothing.

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Use Boxes and Baskets

Incorporate boxes and baskets of various shapes and sizes for additional storage space. They make a great storage system for toys, folded clothes, and shoes. Irrespective of your shelving options, there is sure to be something to fit. Thrift and dollar stores are usually great places to find such items on cheap.

Lastly, make sure to reorganize often. As kids outgrow things very quickly, it’s important to sort out and tidy up at regular intervals. Moreover, a clean closet can help lead to a clean bedroom. What say? Do you have any more organization tips to battle your kid’s closet? Let us know through comments.

For more kids organization tips on Stagetecture, click here.

Every part of your home should standout according to its purpose. Your foyer is the welcoming room that sets the tone for the rest of your home.  If your foyer is dark and unwelcoming there are ways to bring in color and light. One of the effective ways to enhance this area is by adding colors to brighten it up. Here are ideas to make your dark foyer brighter.

Image via: Montgomery Roth Architecture & Interior Design

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Combine similar hues

This idea aims to have a bold impression in your foyer. For instance, consider having different shades of blue for your walls, furniture and accents. This will make a stunning foyer with a cool ambiance brought about by the shades of blue. You can also try other shades you like for your foyer.

Choose bold and bright colors

Vibrant colors bring a dazzling look in your foyer. This is an exciting way to enhance the looks of your foyer. You can have pink, green, yellow and orange for walls or corners. A patterned design can create a great effect in the interior. Well-designed pattern can also provide wonderful illusions like wider space and higher ceilings.

Image via: BlueStone Construction, LLC

Consider rustic colors

Having rustic colors gives you a vintage look at your foyer. Among the popular rustic colors are brown, mocha and black. You can also have silver, gold or platinum for this idea. The vintage looks of your foyer will definitely take your guests back in time.

Any of these ideas can truly make a difference in your foyer. Just think of the best colors that would perfectly fit your interior theme.

For more home decor ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

The front entry is one of the vital areas at home. Not only that it is the first spot where visitors come to see but also serves as a storage counter. For instance, the front entry can cater your shoes, umbrellas, mails and other everyday essentials.

Since this area is used as storage, it is very important to properly organize everything. This way, you can maximize the space you have and at the same time make the area look pleasing. Organizing your front entry involves thorough planning and appropriate implementation.

Image via: Anice Hoachlander

Here are some effective ideas on how to organize your front entry:

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Deal with your paper trails

Make sure that you manage properly your mails, bills, notifications and other forms of paper trail. This can be done by having a paper tray on top of your furniture to handle the papers. You can also have the hang-on mail holder to save space. Avoid piling these papers and dispose them properly as soon as they are settled.

Consider under cabinet storage bins

These are storage bins that you can pull out is you need and hide if not. These bins can also become bench if needed. The multipurpose storage bins are used to cater newspapers, magazines and other items that can be placed in the storage bins. Make sure to sort out your items and stow away those that are unnecessary.

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Hang your items

This is a space saving idea that effectively organizes your essential items. There are items that need to be hanged like umbrella, billboard, boots and so many things you use every day. Hanging your items enable you to access and organize your items easily.

These are just a few of the things that you can do to organize your front entry. With these few steps, you can make a difference in your front entry and impress your guests.

For more home ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Your front entry at home provides the welcome scenery for guests.  When this area is attractive, pretty sure that you will have a great first impression. This should make your guests feel excited and look forward for more attractions in your home. It’s like a teaser for what they should expect in your home interior.

Image via: Island Architects

The best move to start the makeover of your front entry is to declutter the area. This will provide a pleasant view of the area. A neat front entry backdrop gives a relaxing ambiance to anyone who comes into your home.

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Here are some effective ideas on how to declutter your front entry easily:

Place paper organizers

Your front entry is often the receiving area for daily newspapers, utility bills, letters and other documents. With paper organizers, your front entry will be able to cater these papers nicely. You may use a portable file box as paper storage for easy transport from one place to another. This will make your front entry look beautiful and pleasing to the eyes.

Have a cup of keys

The accessibility of your keys in the front entry is essential. This should not affect in any way your front entry to look cluttered. You can organize your keys by placing them in artistic and presentable cup. The style of your cup or bowl should complement your design. It’s like having a multipurpose decorative item in your front entry.

Image via: Mackle Construction

Be selective with your photos

Too much of something is messy. Placing your photo frames and art pieces in your front entry is great. However, limit yourself to a decent number in conformity with your space. There’s no exact number for this but you will definitely see it if you are in a messy number.

Remember to let go of anything that is not necessary. Keeping it simple and less will make it more attractive and gorgeous.

For more home ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Talking about how to stage your home for sale on a budget, we need to know that staging your home for sale goes beyond merely cleaning the house and decorating it. It rather centers more on creating the right moods. Therefore, if you are preparing your home for staging, you should work towards making it look brighter, bigger, cleaner and also feel warmer, such that buyers will easily be drawn to it. What then happens if you are on budget and do not have much money to spend on staging your home? While you may not think people look at windows and doors, closets, and in your kids’ closets, think again. If you need help with your windows, consider getting everything fixed before you put your home up for sale.

Not to worry because listed below are some of the ways you can actually stage your home on budget without borrowing or emptying your pockets.

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House curb appeal ideas:

House curb appeal ideas are a must! Since you need to make a good first impression, you should start by making sure your yard is clean and alluring. How do you do this? By simply trimming overgrown trees and bushes, especially those that tend to make your home invisible from the street and the ones that are blocking views from the home’s windows. Ensure the lawn is mowed. If there are no flowers planted, you can go ahead and plant flowers along the walkways, preferably the yellow flowers since yellow is known to sell very well. Wash the outside of the windows and replace the foot mat at the front of the house. If the front porch light is bad, get it fixed.

Declutter:

It is not everybody that likes a home filled with much furniture. More so, when you remove some of the furniture, it makes the home look bigger and smells fresher. Remove one or more furniture from each room, including the living room. Clear out the non-essentials from the closets and drawers. Carefully rearrange the items in the bedroom closets, kitchen pantry and closets. The books in the bookcases should be pack up or properly arranged.

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Clean the house:

If you have kids or grown ups in the house, it can save you up to $300.00 or more since you don’t need to hire professionals to do the cleaning for you. The carpets should be thoroughly cleaned instead of replacing them. The window frames and doorways should be dusted while flooring, whether of wood or ceramic, should be carefully and painstakingly polished. Don’t forget to wash the ceiling fan blades and light fixture coverings.

Armed with these few tips on how to stage your home for sale on a budget, you can stage your home without worrying yourself about unnecessary expenditures. You can also paint the interior of the home and give some time to putting the bathroom in order by placing clean and sweet smelling towels in there. Wash the bathtub and replace the toiletries. With all these, you are surely going to sell off your home at good price within a short time without spending much on the stage.

For more home staging ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

January is almost coming to a close, but that doesn’t mean the organization needs to end. In fact, your kitchen is one of the most important rooms to organize. From safety, ease of use, and enjoying cooking while finding what you need quickly and efficiently are the main reasons kitchen organization is essential. Your kitchen pantry is one of those key areas that will make the difference between you dreading to cook or loving it!

Here is a DIY Saturday post from the archives on how to organize your kitchen pantry and a video to show you how.

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Original Entry #394, January 22, 2011

If you are spending more time looking for your dry food ingredients in your pantry than cooking your dinner, you need better organization. Do you find that your bagged spaghetti, cereal boxes and canned soup are not working well in the same space in the pantry?

If this sounds like you, than today’s DIY Saturday is for you! Kitchen pantry organization can help you gain more cooking than searching AND may keep old food from getting forgotten in the back of the pantry!

Here is a You Tube Video from HGTV to help you organize your kitchen pantry.

Tips for organizing your kitchen pantry from DIY Network

1.) Figure out how to organize the pantry staples.

The most frequently used items, the basics, should be at eye level.

Nearby should be the items that work with the basics to make fabulous dishes.

2.) Organize items according to function.

Store baking products all together with some sweet spices, and keep the savory spices and herbs with similar marinades and sauces.

Specialty items that add that special touch can be grouped together, or place them with items it’s used with.
Pantry items such as garlic and onions, which have a much shorter shelf life, should also be together.

High shelves and out-of-the-way nooks can contain those items that are rarely used. To see everything at a glance, use risers on pantry shelves, or stack cans of the same items on top of each other to avoid moving cans to see what’s underneath.

3.) Clear everything out of the pantry.

4.) Organize the pantry in a way that works for cooking.

Look for the basics: the canned broth, tomatoes, beans, dried pasta and rice used for dinner. Put them at eye level, and stack them so everything is visible at a glance.

5.) On a nearby shelf, place items used to cook those basics: extra-virgin olive oil and canola oil are a couple of good examples.

Keep a variety of vinegars, soy sauce and flavor ingredients like mustards, ketchup, sauces and mayonnaise. Try keeping a four-pack of wine in the pantry; it adds better flavor to foods than cooking wines, which can be bitter.

Keep kosher salt, pepper and savory spices together. Dried herbs loose their potency after about six months on the shelf. To test them, open the jar and sniff: if there’s no smell, there’s no taste to them. To get the most taste out the dried herbs, crush them in your hand before adding them to a dish.

Organize your kitchen pantry today, and see how much time and food you will save!

For more kitchen & bath ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

The movement to live a greener, more earth-friendly lifestyle is growing. There are lots of little things we can do to reduce our carbon footprint. We can make more of an impact by thinking big and concentrating on our own environment. If we make an effort to green even just one or two rooms of our home, it can make a big difference. The garage is a place where we use a lot of hazardous chemicals and store our equipment and junk. It’s a good room to improve. Here are some suggestions on how you can green your garage.

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Recycle Junk

It’s a good idea to clean out your garage and get rid of all the equipment and other “junk” you’re not using anymore. Don’t just throw it out, though, or you will be contributing to the buildup in landfills. Consider listing your junk on sites like Freecycle.org, and you may find someone who needs or will use it. You can also take your junk to a scrap yard, where it will be repurposed, and you could even get some extra cash for bringing it in.

Image via: Martha Stewart

Eco-Friendly Cleaning

When cleaning your garage, use old rags rather than paper towels. It’s even better if the rags are made from organic cotton, microfiber or hemp. Consider using natural cleaners like baking soda and vinegar rather than harsh store bought cleaners.

Lawn Care

The pesticides and fertilizers you use for your lawn and garden can be very hazardous to the environment, not to mention you’re storing poison in an area of your home. Switch to eco-friendly, natural or organic options. They work just as well and will limit the damage you do to the nature around your home.

Garage Door

Your garage door uses a lot of energy, and it can also allow lots of cold are in during the winter. Insulate your garage door to prevent cold air from coming into your home, thus raising your heating bill. It is even possible to make your garage door solar-powered. At the very least, try to limit the amount of times per day you raise and lower the door.

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Properly Dispose of Materials

You likely have a lot of old oil, gas and paint cans sitting around your garage. It’s a good idea to get rid of these hazardous materials, especially if you have young children or pets. The toxic waste is no good to keep sitting around, but when you dispose of it, make sure you do it properly. Never just pour them out or throw them away or you will be introducing toxins to the environment. Contact your local recycling or hazardous waste center to get instructions on how to safely dispose of these materials or where to drop them off.

Your Car

Your garage houses one of the biggest ways you contribute to environmental pollution everyday – your car. To help make your car more fuel efficient, make sure it has fresh oil, clean air filters, and properly inflated tires. Also, leave the car in the garage more often by carpooling or walking more. You can even consider buying a hybrid.

Equipment

Equipment such as lawn mowers and leaf blowers can use a lot of gas and energy. Do regular maintenance on your equipment so it is kept in top shape. Ill-maintained equipment will be more inefficient and require a lot more fuel.

At Grammarly grammar checker we love to encourage a culture of sustainability. Using our digital tools before you print saves paper.

For more eco-friendly ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Whether you are getting ready for Autumn or you are trying to dig yourself out from summer’s end. Today’s Guest Blogger gives you tips to declutter, purge and get your Autumn home ready!

Do you feel that? It’s the cool autumnal breeze blowing in from the west. Autumn has finally arrived and it’s time for a bunch of seasonal changes to be made to our lives. Summer’s finally over and it’s time to put away all the beach, water, and outdoor gear. Wait? Where are you going to store these things? Summer has been a wildly addictive and unpredictable ride that’s lasted three months. You haven’t had time to think about where you’re going to put all your summer things. Don’t fret – we have some ways that can help you make some extra room in your home and prepare you for the upcoming fall and winter seasons. Let’s talk about the 3 main ways that you can organize your home and prepare for fall — organize, build, and cheap self storage.

Organize

Organizing your home can be one of the most dreadful tasks if you have let stuff build up for a long time. To be honest, summer can be addictive fun and sometimes we get lost in it, but that’s okay. Fall is a time for change and the first change that you’re going to make is to reorganize your home. The first rule to organization is to separate the “keep stuff” from the “junk stuff”. Warning: fight the urge to keep everything! We all find reasons to keep our stuff, but it’s time to stop this hoarding-like activity. If you haven’t used an item in a year, chunk it. Discard old bathing suits, that rusty kayak in the garage, and that slip-n-slide the kids never use. If you can’t let go of things like this, there will be no room for those new stylish interior decorations you bought specifically for autumn. Once you find the items you want to discard, put them in a worn box and ship, sell, or throw them away. There are services that can help you sell or donate your items such as Goodwill and Craigslist.

Build

If you’ve completed a full organizational sweep through your home and you still don’t have enough space, it’s time to come up with some creative ways to make more space. One way that you can do this is to build shelves into existing spaces in your home. Adding a shelf or two to the garage or in the foyer can really add some extra storage space that’s stylish. Autumn is naturally associated with warm colors like brown, dark red, and dark yellow. You can find wood and materials for your shelves that match these colors. It can make your house look great. Another way to build some more space into your home is by altering existing pieces of furniture. Maybe you wanted to add another drawer to that dresser? Perhaps, you wanted to add some extra shelves into your office desk? These are some viable options that will allow you store more things.

Cheap Self Storage

As a last resort, you can rent a cheap self-storage from a storage facility. There are many different options to choose from and they all have different features. Make sure to do your research and find out what’s

best for you.  If you stick to these guidelines, preparing for the upcoming fall season will be a cinch.

Margot is a guest post writer on the subjects of homes and lifestyles.

For more autumn ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

When I first started Stagetecture, home staging was the root of its beginnings. When considering to put your home on the market, you must embrace the idea of having your home staged to emphasize the amenities of your home, and appeal to buyers.

Today, my Guest Blogger gives tips to help you stage your home, without spending a fortune. These steps will help you think like a homebuyer, so in turn you can sell your home quicker!

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In this competitive real estate market, it’s essential to do all you can to sell your home. However, taking these steps to improve the look and feel of your home doesn’t have to cost a lot of money.

Think Like a Buyer

It’s important to remember that a buyer is going to be interested in the details of how your home looks, both inside and out. Start with the outside when it comes to staging your home to sell. First consider the landscaping. Does the lawn need to be mowed, or are there weeds that need to be plucked? Could you add plants to your flowerbeds or spare pots for some extra color?

Next, inspect for dirt and cobwebs, cleaning away grime that has built up over time. Borrow a power washer to spruce up your siding and shutters, and take time to clean the windows to allow a maximum amount of light into your home. Clear away dirt, leaves and grass from your front door, and lay out new welcome mats. These steps are inexpensive, but can make a good impression on a potential buyer.

The Best Light

Showing your home in its best light requires using any existing natural light to your advantage. Once the outside of the windows are clean, take time to wipe away dirt and grime from the inside of the windows as well. Open any curtains or blinds to let in as much free, natural light as possible. This will also help you to see what needs to happen next.

Clean Up and Declutter

The presence of natural light will help you notice the dirt and grime built up around your home due to the realities of everyday life. Thinking like a buyer again, go through your home and deep clean, including carpets, closets and the pantry, trim, and upholstery. While going through these nooks and crannies in your home, use the opportunity to clean out the “junk” that’s built up over the years. Pack up what you want to move with you, then load the rest up to give to an area charity.

Think about how potential buyers will go through your home, including what doors they may open and the details they’ll want to see. This will help you clean and organize what’s left of your possessions, setting them up as neat and tidy as possible!

Sights, Sounds and Smells Matter

Once the clutter is out of the way, you can use the remaining important pieces of furniture and artwork to appeal to potential buyers who look at your home. If the paint colors are too personal to your tastes, consider painting your interiors a more neutral shade, accessorizing with throw pillows, prints, and candles. Set up each room in this way to help your potential buyers “see” themselves living in the space.

Keep an eye for detail when preparing for an open house, making sure the towels in the bathroom match and are hung properly, that toys are put away, and that your home smells pleasant. Consider baking cookies or bread beforehand, or put reed infusers in well-placed areas for a pleasant aroma throughout your staged home.

These tips cost very little but can vastly improve the look and feel of your home for potential buyers. This can add up to a quick and painless sale of your staged home in this competitive housing market.

Kelly Wilson is a busy mom and freelance writer. Contact Tiffany Home Design, an expert in Portland home staging for more strategies to stage your home to sell.

For more home staging ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

For anyone who has attended, planned or had a summer wedding, you know how truly inspirational they are! Summer wedding decor can be elaborate or as simple as everyday items found in the grocery store.

Today, my Guest Blogger, Susanna Miles from Kiss Wedding, shares with us beautiful inspiration for summer wedding decorations and the simplicity of capturing weddings with gorgeous images.

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Looking for fresh ideas for summer wedding decorations? Selecting decor that suits your style and budget can feel like running a race in high heels. It’s actually easy as pie. Work these ideas into your wedding planning and get the big day of your dreams.

There’s an art to choosing summer wedding decorations. The trick is to make incorporate them with the setting, theme and color scheme. From budget to blowout there are decor ideas that suit every bride’s bank balance.

Not sure which color scheme will work for you? Here are some wedding color combinations that’ll rock your world!

Summer Wedding Decorations: Seasonal Details

It’s all in the detail, ladies! Little touches make a big difference. Summer spells holidays, sun and lazy days at the beach. Channel the breezy, beach style with colored sea glass scattered on tables. Use driftwood for reception signage.

Get fruity! Summer fruits are zesty and come in traffic-stopping shades. Lemons and limes make stunning centrepieces.

And let’s not forget other seasonal foods like granny smith apples make fab summer wedding decorations and taste great too.

Try colorful cupcakes decorated with pretty summer flowers. Or strawberries and pineapple pieces that guests can dip into melted chocolate.

Paper fans tick two boxes; they’re decorative and help guests beat the heat. Hang them up in the reception venue or give them to guests as personalized favors.

Summer Wedding Decorations: Aisle Arrangements

Aisle arrangements can bold and beautiful or chic and simple. Or you could go for super romantic, frothy florals. There are aisle arrangements for every budget and theme.

Check out this gorgeous wedding aisle décor? The couple who planned this wedding kept it simple and special by sticking to just two colors in their color scheme. And the simple arches are a total hit too!

Summer Wedding Decorations: Lanterns & Lighting

Yellow tealights channel the spirit of summer and give a soft, warm glow.

Fairy lights are a bride’s best friend. Inexpensive and sparkly, they give a reception room that fairytale effect. Planning an outdoor wedding? Wrap clear fairy lights around tree trunks for a really romantic atmosphere.

Freestanding lanterns are awesome for backyard and garden weddings. As night falls and guests hit the dance floor, the lawn is illuminated in true vintage style. Gorgeous!

Hungry for more big bridal ideas? Try these suggestions for dazzling Wedding Reception Decorations

Susanna Miles, from (kisswedding.com) and real wedding blog (kisswedding.com/blog) is a place for brides to go for simple wedding ideas that make planning a wedding on a budget a heck of a lot easier.  The Guide, the Workbook and now the eCourse however help brides de-stress by de-mystifying the wedding industry, simplifying planning, and uncovering alot of the myths surrounding inexpensive wedding ideas.

All of the elements of the K.i.s.s. brand are based on keeping it simple & special – the very things that kept me sane while planning my own wedding and thousands since.

For more wedding ideas on Stagetecture, click here.