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Simple Tips and Tricks for a Clean and Organized Kitchen

September 20, 2016 by

For most people, the kitchen is one of the most popular rooms in the home, as you use it as both a gathering space and a place to create healthy meals throughout the day. While your kitchen withstands quite a bit of activity, these simple tips will show you how to keep it organized without much extra effort.

  1. Add wall-hanging storage systems. Hanging shelves and rods with hooks on the walls creates extra storage while freeing up precious floor and counter space.
  2. Add hooks under shelves. If you run out of room on shelves and in drawers, add hooks under the cabinets to hold things like mugs and utensils.
  3. Purchase wire refrigerator shelves. You can even get the inside of your fridge organized by adding store-bought shelves that simply sit right on top of the current shelves.
  4. Create dividers. To organize pans and cutting boards that frequently fall over, add vertical tension rods between shelves in your cabinets.
  5. Organize the spice cabinet. Corral spices by placing them into glass jars of equal height, then labeling them with what’s inside. You can even add a lazy Susan for easy access to each jar.

5 Essential (and Renter-Friendly) Storage Products for Small Kitchens [The Kitchn]
26 Kitchen Organizing Tips from Real Cooks – Twitter Style [Simple Bites]

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How to Squeeze Every Inch Out of Your Closet Space

September 6, 2016 by

If you have a messy closet, your whole room can feel off, and putting outfits together can be difficult when you can’t find what you’re looking for. Organizing your wardrobe can be a little overwhelming, so follow these tips to achieve an orderly, well-maintained closet.

  • Donate or get rid of any clothing items that you haven’t worn in more than two years.
  • Keep out-of-season clothes in large plastic bins and place them under your bed or on high shelves to make space for items that you’ll be reaching for during that time of year.
  • Use a shoe hanger to place over your closet door to free up some floor or shelf space.
  • Hang your most worn items at eye level where you can see them.
  • Keep your folded clothes and accessories neat and tidy by using shelf dividers.
  • Hang hooks inside your closet for extra storage space. These are great for jackets and will clear up a lot of space for your clothes.
  • Color-code your clothes so you’ll know exactly where everything is when you need it.

20 Ways to Organize Your Bedroom Closet [Apartment Therapy]
The Experts Spill Their Tips For A Clean, Well-Organized Closet [Who What Wear]
How to Organize A Lot of Clothing in Very Little Closet Space [Lifehacker]

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How to Bring a Touch of Home to Your Apartment, Even If You’re Miles Away

August 2, 2016 by

If you recently (or not-so-recently) moved cities, you may want to incorporate decorative items that showcase your hometown pride into your apartment. Whether you're from the next town over or miles away, these online stores offer state- and city-centric items that will show your guests where you come from.

Jelligun
This shop creates pairs of state prints that not only feature your home state, but also your current state. A heart logo marks the city where you're from and the city where you currently live, so you'll always feel like both places are represented in your home.

Covered Bridges
If your style is more rustic, hang a piece of reclaimed wood wall art in the shape of your home state. Each one is customized with your chosen state and the size that you prefer, so you can fill any empty wall with a little piece of home.

TravelSigns
Whether your favorite hometown landmark is your city's baseball field or your alma mater, this Etsy shop creates replica highway signs with the exact number of miles between here and there. You'll also find signs for the highway that leads back to your hometown.

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Design a Gallery Wall These Pro Pointers

June 7, 2016 by

A gallery wall can elevate the style of your space and really make a personal statement about your life and style. However, the process takes time, preparation, and patience. Here are some tips to help you build your own gallery wall!

  • Pick out your frames and create diagrams to help play around with some layout ideas.
  • Lay out your frames on your floor before hanging them on your wall to measure everything out.
  • If you find purchasing prints to be too pricey, use your own photography, pictures of family, or restore old photos to place in the frames for a personal touch.
  • You can also hang up empty frames and collect pieces of art over time so you won’t have to splurge on a lot of pieces all at once.
  • Use one large piece to start your collection, then use different sizes and orientation of the pieces to fill space and keep your eyes moving.
  • If you’re going for more of a classic look, use a nine-square grid layout with even space between each frame.
  • Use sturdy frame hangers to protect your walls and your photos against scratches and nicks.

​How To Create A Gallery Wall [Pottery Barn]
How To Create a Gallery Wall on a Budget [Apartment Therapy]​
The Guide To A Well Hung Gallery Wall [Emily Henderson]

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How to Decorate Your Apartment Using Wallpaper

May 3, 2016 by

Have you ever considered using wallpaper to decorate your home at Marquis at the Woodlands? Wallpaper scraps and temporary wallpaper can be used for DIY projects in pretty much every room in your apartment. Follow these unique tips to add some style and color to your space!

  • Add some brightness to your lamp shade by sizing a piece of wallpaper around the lamp and using hot glue or tape to place it on the shade.
  • Spruce up your dresser, bedside table, bookcase, or any other old piece of furniture by using modern wallpaper to accent its drawers or shelves.
  • Using removable, damage-free wallpaper, cover the wall behind your bed. Voila! Instant focal point that demands attention.
  • Create a focal piece of artwork for your apartment by framing a large piece of wallpaper to hang on your wall.
  • Make coasters to place on your tables out of small scraps of leftover wallpaper.
  • Use wallpaper to line the bottom of any serving tray and polish it for a creative way to showcase your food.
  • Line the drawers in your bathroom with wallpaper to add a splash of color that is quick and easy to clean.
  • Get creative in your kitchen by dressing up your refrigerator with a retro style temporary wallpaper.

7 Wallpaper Craft Projects (That Don’t Involve Walls) [Reader’s Digest]
10 Uses for Wallpaper Scraps [This Old House]
9 Unexpected Ways to Decorate With Wallpaper [Good Housekeeping]

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Budget-Friendly Ways to Decorate Your Home at Marquis at the Woodlands

February 2, 2016 by

While you can’t make permanent renovations in a rental, there are a number of ways to add your own personality to the space in a truly budget-friendly way. Here are just a few ideas for decorating your home at Marquis at the Woodlands — even if you’re on a budget!

  • Spraypaint large, wall-sized canvases (or a series of two or three) from the local art supply store in bright, bold shades. This is an easy way to add a pop of color to your walls that mimics the effects of a new paint job, and it makes it affordable to create your own simple artwork.
  • Mix and match furniture from the local resale store to create a kitschy, cool effect that looks straight out of a design magazine. This is also a great way to save a good bit of money on big ticket items, such as sofas and lounge chairs.
  • Bring in elements of the outdoors to create a warm, natural look throughout the home. Fill vases with stark branches, add seashells to small bowls, or fill a large jar with pinecones for seasonal dwcor.
  • Create your own headboard by simply covering a flat, wooden board the size of your bed with a high quality fabric. Leave the top open and stuff it with pillow filling, and then add tufted details or nailheads along the outer edges.

32 Budget-Friendly Home Decorating Ideas [Country Living]
Budget Decorating [HGTV]
20 Low-Cost Decorating Ideas [Real Simple]
20 Thrifty, Frugal & Inexpensive Decorating Ideas [Apartment Therapy]

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Clever Decorating and Storage Ideas for the Bedroom

May 5, 2015 by

Between trying on clothes every morning to tossing and turning in the covers every night, the place that should be your sleep sanctuary can start to look a bit more lived-in than you’d like. Here are some smart tips for decorating and storing your essentials in your bedroom.

  • Add a wall-mounted nightstand. Maximize the square footage in your bedroom by installing a wall-mounted nightstand. You could even use a shelf with an attached drawer.
  • Mount a cabinet above the bed. To really free up floor space, consider forgoing a traditional headboard in favor of a flat, hanging cabinet mounted just above the bed.
  • Add light curtains. While many people prefer light-blocking curtains in the bedroom, these can make a room feel smaller. Choose light, gauzy options in a neutral color to bring more openness to the room — and help you spring out of bed in the morning!
  • Add an under-bed “dresser.” Buy a bed with built-in storage, or slide lidded storage containers under your bed. Either is a good option for storing out-of-season clothing, blankets, and other bulky items.
  • Add a desk at the foot of the bed. Create a bedroom workspace by investing in a skinny desk facing the end of the bed. It can also double as a vanity.

Design Dozen: 12 Clever Space-Saving Solutions for Small Bedrooms [Apartment Therapy]
169 So Cool Headboard Ideas That You Won’t Need More [Shelterness]
12 Bedroom Storage Ideas to Optimize Your Space [Decoholic]

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Where to Shop for Organic Bedding Online

March 3, 2015 by

If you’re dedicated to living simply and naturally in all aspects of your life, your loyalty to organic products doesn’t end with the foods that you eat. Organic bedding is another great way to use safe, sustainably produced products that are better for both you and the environment. Here are three wonderful websites where you can buy organic bedding.

Coyuchi
Coyuchi is a Northern California company that creates home textiles that are made only from products found in nature. Each of the items in the brand’s bedding collections are made of 100% cotton, and they’ve gathered quite a dedicated fan base over the past 20 years.

West Elm
While West Elm isn’t an entirely organic company, the popular home goods store carries an impressive line of organic bedding that’s both soft and durable. These pieces include duvet covers, sheet sets, and pillow shams made of 100% organic cotton matelassé, and each item is certified organic by the Global Organics Textile Standards to meet strict harvest-to-market criteria.

Plover Organic
If you want to decrease your carbon footprint, Plover Organic is the perfect place to shop for stylish, sustainable home textiles. All of the bedding pieces are made of 100% organic cotton grown from non-genetically engineered seeds in soil that’s entirely free of pesticides, so you can feel good about each product from start to finish.

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4 Shoe Organization Tips to Reclaim Your Closets

April 1, 2014 by

From high heels to running sneakers, shoes have a habit of overtaking closets. They tumble off of shelves, get lost under the bed, and fill the entryway with unmanageable clutter. Here are four simple tips to help you tackle your shoe collection for good.

  1. Turn them into a display. If you have a too-big shoe collection and a too-small closet, make the most of your addiction. Treat your shoes like invaluable art by displaying them somewhere unexpected, like along a windowsill or in a credenza.
  2. Maximize space with flat shoes. While boots or heels can be clunky and hard to store, things even out with flats and sandals. These shoes can help you save a bit of precious storage space, so invest in a hanging shoe rack with flat pockets, or tuck them into an unused drawer.
  3. Stow fancy shoes away from the others. If you have a pair of expensive heels or leather tuxedo shoes that you only wear on special occasions, keep them in clear shoeboxes on a high shelf to make room for everyday pairs.
  4. Create DIY storage. Shoe storage units can be expensive, so why not get crafty and create your own? Bend some wire hangers to hang flats and sandals from sturdy cords.

25 Ways to Store Shoes in Your Closet [HGTV]
Shoe Storage Tips [The Container Store]

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