Organization Inspiration

Hi friends!  Did you have a good weekend?  I hope so.  I had a busy, busy schedule- most of it was prepping for my half-marathon on Sunday morning.  And now that's done, whew!  My legs are little sore but I'm quite pleased with it all.  After some rest (and a very cold ice bath), I wrapped up the weekend with a lovely concert and dinner with friends.  Remember my talented friend, Emily?  Her yummy dinner party inspired this post on organization and etiquette.

So when looking for inspiration for today's post, I went back through images of Appleshined bookshelves; they make this organizer a happy girl.

Holy moly, after working with my client, they organized this bookshelf all on their own!  I love the color-grouping with the books.  And the wall shelves are from CB2.

Remember this bookshelf from the Art Studio?  It houses all her instructional/copy books.  And I love the creative accents on top.

This dollhouse-shaped bookshelf was so cute in the girls' playroom.  And the wicker baskets made it more functional.

This is one of my favorite, whimsical shelving sets.  Staging the little things in your apartment or office with personal accents gives a more meaning to your space.

Again, I used wicker baskets to maximize the shelving space for more than just books in this playroom.  It's a great way to house smaller toys and clunky objects.

Tell me, Appleshiners, what's your favorite inspiration for an organized bookshelf?

Architectural Digest Home Design Show

Recently, I visited the Architectural Digest Home Design Show, not just to look around but also to support my very talented friend, Dwayne, and his gorgeous interior design firm, RDYC.  He was selected by DIFFA for their Dining by Design exhibit- congrats!

It was fun afternoon (especially since it was particularly cold and rainy outside) and I wandered about, finding plenty of organization inspiration and snapping a few photos along the way.

Of course California Closets had an enviable closet display.  I really like the natural, wooden shelving with glass shelving and cabinets- it's so light and airy.  I could totally see myself getting ready in that closet.

I like these little stools.  The soft colors are so pretty and they could double for an end table or extra seating.  Multi-tasking furniture is key for small space organization.

How gorgeous is this shelving unit?!  My taste usually doesn't go towards earthy elements but the simple beauty of this piece is stunning.  And the height allows for more shelves = more organizing solutions.

Shadow box shelving units are all over the place but I've never seen them assembled like this before!  They made the most of a corner space, taking storage vertical and maximizing wall space.

Remember my post on using a frame to hold sunglasses?  This company has a streamlined version of that concept.  Board by Design makes an iWear Rack so compact and attractive, you could place it right by your front door and never forget your sunglasses again.

I had a lot of fun with this little weekend activity.  

Tell me, Appleshiners, what are you up to this weekend?

Time to Rise and Shine

Holy moly, I'm just gonna put this out there- I've been getting up suuuper early for the past two weeks and it's starting to catch up with me.  I usually consider myself a morning person, provided I get a full night's sleep.  Yet, somehow, I talk myself into staying up too late every night.  It's like I just can't get enough of my already very long day.

But, alas, I need my sleep.  When it comes time to rise and shine, I get a little help from my alarm clock.  And not just any 'ole alarm clock.  But a really amazing, sunrise alarm clock that gradually increases it's 'natural' light, nudging me awake.  It's pretty fantastic and second only to the actual sun (because I haven't figured out how to set it to 6:15am on the dot).

Funny looking thing, isn't it?  Yet such a happy way to wake up in the morning.  And starting your day off right is a good beginning for a productive day.

Tell me, Appleshiners, what gets you going in the morning?

PS- Here are some helpful tips to getting things done when there aren't enough hours in the day.  Or maybe it's one of those days that you'd rather relax instead.

Picking the Right Storage Bench

One of my favorite tips for keeping a small space organized is finding a piece that can multi-task.  Using a storage bench for your entry way, mud room, bedroom or any other room is like adding an extra closet to the space.  And we all know how precious closet space is.

This classic, wooden bench has built-in cabinets.  Place it in your dining room, as it's perfect for hiding servingware and extra place settings.

(via Organize.com)

The tailored look of this nailhead upholstered bench is a gorgeous choice for a sophisticated bedroom.  It can serves as a linen closet, housing your extra blankets and second set of sheets.

(West Elm)

I like this subtle color this fabric can add to a room.  And the deep chest can store all your board games, perfect for family night fun.

(via Home Decorators Collection)

Talk about multi-tasking: this bench has both cubbies underneath AND shallow storage on top.  You can even pick out your own baskets or bins to add color and streamline the organized look.

(Real Simple via Bed, Bath and Beyond)

 A storage bench that acts as a true seating area.  The grander scale of this furniture would make a lovely statement in your foyer and use the underneath bins for shoes, outerwear accessories and the kids bags.

(via Brookstone)

Tell me, Appleshiners, how would you use a storage bench?

Cool Furniture for Small Spaces

Look at me, hanging out on that cool couch....that turns into a bed!  It's my dream come true: the ultimate space saver that's both practical and trendy.  

In the past, this type of bed was a dark and dowdy contraption (with a name that rhymed with 'urphy').  Nowadays, Resource Furniture has transformed the hideaway bed into a modern living room layout.  And they didn't stop there; they have console tables that stretch to seat 14 people, bunk beds that double as an office and coffee tables that triple as a desk for one or formal seating for 10.  

I was so excited to go to their event this week and take a grand tour of the showroom.  My most favorite piece was their beautiful sofa which happened to turn into a bed.  Fantastic!

First, you have to remove the many throw pillows (their fabric selection is gorgeous and plentiful).  And note the ample storage space underneath the couch.  Very cool.

Then simply pull the shelf down to open up the bed.  It acts as the support for the frame and the best part is, nothing on the shelf gets disturbed.  Even those glass vases remain untouched when the bed is fully functional.

And there you have it!  One, two, three steps from a cushy sofa to a snuggly sleeping arrangement.  It's a Queen size bed, too, and I swear that mattress is more comfy than the one at my apartment.  (Or maybe I was just giddy from the demonstration.) 

Regardless, it's a great way to save space in a small apartment, guest room or vacation home.  And it's sleek, efficient and easy on the eyes. I had such a lovely time at their event and can't wait to see what design they'll come up with next.


Tell me, Appleshiners, where would you use a bed like this?


PS- I hope everyone has a happy holiday!  If you're planning on joining family and friends for a yummy dinner, use these great carriers to get your food there unharmed and in style.

If you're hosting a get together, here are a few ideas for extra seating in a small space.

If your list of things to do is overwhelming, take a few deep breaths and follow these tips on how to make the most of your time.

And, most of all, I hope you have as much carefree fun as she does here.  Happy weekend, everyone!

Shoe Hangers Without Shoes

When organizing, I always talk about grouping 'like with like'.  Using bins, baskets, drawers or other receptacles are a great way to contain your materials but sometime it helps to be a bit more creative.

Here are a few ways to use shoe hangers for organizing things other than, well, shoes:

(bhg.com)

(iheartorganizing.blogspot.com)

(icanteachmychild.com)

(Heather Weston)

And look at this great idea to use a shoe hanger as a planter.

Tell me, Appleshiners, how would you use a shoe hanger for something else?

Appleshine: Moving to DC

Happy Monday, friends!  I hope your weekend was fabulous and full of springtime activities.  I had a great couple of days with friends, food, run club, a birthday party, a movie (can you guess which one??) and a season premiere party.  I guess that's what happens when the weather warms up- my weekend fills up, too!

However, before the fun began, I helped a client pack up his apartment and prepare for a move to Washington, DC.  Needless to say, he had a ton of things to take care of.  While he was out running errands, I helped sort, organize and pack his belongings.  All that remained were pieces too large for me to handle on my own so I left them for the movers.

When my client got the call from DC, he had literally just moved into a new apartment.  By the time he moved out on Sunday, he had lived there for 23 days.  There wasn't much need for him to unpack; yet he hadn't found a sense of organization in his new space either.

To start the packing process, I gathered all like items together and kept them in a logical location (clothes in the bedroom, electronics by the desk, towels in the bathroom, etc).

Then I assessed the need for boxes- what size and how many?  Wardrobe boxes are great (at least 2 per full closet), always use small boxes for heavy items (like books), grab a few large ones to pack odd-shaped items and count on medium size boxes to contain most everything else. 

Resist the urge to throw things into a box and be done with it.  Packing a mess is much easier than unpacking a mess.  Take the time to label boxes with room + contents and wrap padding around delicate items.  You don't have to fold every shirt as it goes in the box, just make sure all the shirts are in the same box.  When you get to your new home, you'll find it much less stressful to deal with well packed boxes.

Tell me, Appleshiners, do you have any packing tips?

PS- Here's a look at the kitchen I unpacked.  Even though I hadn't packed the boxes, they were well organized and made it easy to put everything in it's place, like this!

Appleshine: Girl's Bedroom

Well, ain't that the truth.  Everytime I've helped a client Appleshine their space, there has been a discovery of some long lost item, something they'd given up for dead.  When I organized this girl's bedroom, it wasn't just about finding lost things; we did lots of clearing out, throwing away and rearranging furniture.  

As many young children do, she had kept every trinket and treasure that had been given to her.  Most children don't know (or are waiting for permission) to move things out of their space once they're done using them.  Kids, if you let them, are great with purging because they're so eager to grow up and let go of 'baby-ish' things.

After we sorted and moved out plenty of items, I rearranged the furniture.  The main goal was to gather things from off the floor and give them a home.  The drawers and baskets weren't being used; once we designated homes for all her toys, books and trinkets, it was really easy to keep the floor clean.  As it turned out, she didn't choose to keep over half the items that had been lying around.  Good job!

Tell me, Appleshiners, was your room messy or clean while growing up?

Appleshine Anatomy: Dressing a Bed

As I was day dreaming about bed linens from Serena & Lily, I happened across their ingenious design tool that lets you compile all the pieces of a grand bed set.  You can mix and match their crisp white linens and bold print duvets to your liking.  Kinda gives a new meaning to 'sweet dreams'.

I love how they offer complimenting designs for everything from euro shams to duvet covers and accent pillows to headboards.  Creating a comfy oasis for sleeping, dreaming, reading or just lounging is one of my favorite decorating daydreams.  

Tell me, Appleshiners, how do you like to dress your bed?