Thursday, October 31, 2013

23 UHeart Organizing: An Organized Coat Closet

With the seasons changing, so are many of the items going in and out of our coat closets.  My pro organizing buddy, Ashli from Mini Manor Blog, is here today to share how she is getting her coat closet spick and span for the colder months ahead.


Happy Halloween!!! I hope you are all having a spooky and fantastic Halloween!  Today I am sharing my solution for the scariest place in the house, the front hall closet!

It seems like everything you don't want in the front closet ends up there and the things you do want in there, like your kids shoes and backpacks end up on the floor. Then there is the matter hats and gloves, scarves and reusable shopping bags. Some wire shelves, hooks and baskets turned our closet from spooky to serene.

First we installed the wire shelves for our shoes. I chose wire shelves because I wanted wet shoes to be able to have air circulate around them and dry out.

Another small investment was buying wood hangers. Coats are heavy {especially when your husband wears a XXL} so we invested in some big sturdy wood hangers that all match. They are functional and pretty!


Next we installed two wire baskets to hold all of the hats, gloves, leg warmers, boot inserts and everything else that comes with Canadian winters.

Above the coats was the perfect spot to hold seasonal items. In the winters we keep the sunscreen, swimming goggles, beach towels and other summer paraphernalia. The little chalkboard on the front makes it really easy to find what you are looking for.  {Basket is from Michaels}


Next we installed two hooks on the back of the door.  Hooks are our best friends.  We are all way more likely to hang up our coats if there are hooks readily available!  Which has inspired my new organizing mantra "when in doubt . . . install hooks".


Lastly on the bottom of the wire shelves we bought a little wire basket add on for our reusable shopping bags. I never found anywhere to store them inside the house, but this works perfectly. I have to go into the closet to grab my shoes and coat anyways, so I never forget to bring them.


I hope this helped you un spook your home a little bit.  Have a fun and safe Halloween!!!





"I’m Ashli from Mini Manor Blog. I live in Big Beautiful British Columbia with my Husband Lee and our 5 lb yorkie Max.  I have an organizers heart, I am a bin-aholic, and I’ve never met a wicker basket I didn’t love. During the summer I can be found lounging in the garden or at the gym . . . one of those was a lie. And in the last 5 years I’ve made more then 2000 cupcakes. I want to bake, eat and organize. Hand me some eggs, flour and an unorganized kitchen, that’s my idea of a great weekend, okay go ahead throw Ryan Gosling in there too."

0 Saying Thanks to my Spooktacular Sponsors!

Happy Halloween!  Are you excited for a super spooky yet oh-so-fun sweet day?

These monthly posts always seem to come so quickly, and the so do the changing seasons.  Time flies when you are having fun right?  And for me, being able to write this blog each day is endlessly fun, which is why I always make sure to step back and say THANK YOU to those that have supported this happy space of mine in the big wide www world.


My sponsors keep this blog awake and I am forever grateful that they support my ability to write posts, work on projects and cover my blog expenses and time.  Today I am giving them my gratitude and thanks for keeping this little ol' dream of mine alive.

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IHeart Organizing readers can save 15% off any product from sugarSNAP with code iheartsugarsnap at checkout.  Offer good through today only!


  • Fridge Coasters are super absorbent "liners" {made of wood pulp board} that come in different sizes to fit all high traffic areas of your refrigerator = no more scrubbing!
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My appreciation spreads wide from my sponsors to you sweet readers!  Thank you for bringing me joy each and every day!

THANK YOU endlessly for your incredible support and for being the very best readers a gal could ask for. 


Pssssst!  More to come shortly!  Ashli is stopping in next with some major closet candy!  I can't wait for y'all to see what organizing goodness she is up to now!

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

19 DIY Decorative Storage Box Ideas

As an organizing junkie, storage boxes are kind of a big deal to me.  Especially pretty, decorative boxes.  They are so great for EVERYTHING, including desk accessories, remote controls, keys, jewelry, hair accessories, coffee pods... They not only tuck away all of those hard to store itty bitties, but they also can double as great home accessories on desktops and bookshelves.

During my recent storage room cleanup, I found a few plain boxes ranging from unfinished wood options to simple shoe boxes, and they were all begging for a makeover.  So, I did some inspiration digging and thought I would do a quick round-up of some superstar storage boxes that were made with a little DIY love.


1.  Felt Boxes

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These little felt boxes were crafted from pieces of felt.  I adore the vibrant colors and that they are small, simple and soft sided.


2.  Decoupage Boxes

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Shoe boxes will become shining stars a few times over throughout this post.  They are "free", sturdy and easy to update.  These shoes boxes were updated by decoupaging maps around the outside, although, any pretty paper would do the trick!  The addition of the adhesive bookplate label holders give the box a polished, finished look.


3.  Fabric Covered Boxes

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Look at the loveliness that can be created by combining shoe boxes with spray adhesive {or Mod Podge} and pretty fabric!  And can we talk about those stud embellishments for a moment?  Awesomesauce! 


4.  Romantic Boxes

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Take those fabric or paper covered boxes to the next level by taping around the perimeter of the lids with adhesive fabric or layering in other sweet embellishments.


5.  Spray Painted Boxes

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A combination of painter's tape and spray paint gave these white and typical boxes a bit of golden glam!


6.  Duct Tape Boxes

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Everyday banker's boxes can be turned into chic, over-sized storage with a coat of spray paint paired with decorative duct tape!


7.   Jeweled Boxes

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Unfinished wooden boxes have never looked better.  I love this one done in a beautiful emerald green paint and literally "dressed up" with jewelry!


8.  Neon Boxes

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Neon is HOT right now, and so are these great unfinished wooden boxes, which shine bright thanks to some painters tape and neon paint!


9.  Geometric Boxes

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These simple wooden boxes are also brilliantly bright with the addition of boldly painted geometric shapes.


10.  Lacquer Boxes

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Lacquer boxes are likely to remain an essential piece of storage for any space due to their classic lines and versatility.  However, true lacquer boxes can be super pricey, so why not create your own with some high gloss craft paint?


11.  Top-Tastic Box

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Give any simple wooden box oodles of character by adding a decorative object to the lid with super glue.  Make it look like it was always meant to be by using rub-n-buff or spray paint to cover both the lid and the item in the same finish.


12.  Malachite Boxes

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These beautiful malachite boxes couldn't look more expensive.  The best part is that they weren't costly at all!  Just a simple wooden box paired with high gloss paint brushed on in random swirly patterns and you have a $200 box for a total of $8.


13.  3D Boxes


Paint seems to be a key ingredient in creating the perfect decorative box, but how about taking them up a notch with puffy paint?  The subtle embellishment adds endless whimsy to otherwise typical boxes.


14.  Stained Boxes

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Hey!  That box looks familiar!  By giving the box a quick coat of a beautiful wood stain, it turned into a piece I was proud to place on my desk.  That little label holder didn't hurt the eyes either!


15.  Quarts Crystal Box

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Hot gluing a few pieces of rock or crystal to the top of a pretty box will give you have a high-end designer look on a budget.  Simply brilliant!


Thanks to all of this over the top amazing inspiration, I am challenging myself to do something snazzy with a few of the empty boxes I recently discovered.  Have you created or seen any other great storage box makeover ideas, which offer up a decorative look while only costing pennies to create?  How do you use these little gems around your home?