Take Photo: Ursula

Showing posts with label Ursula. Show all posts

Sunday, November 22, 2015

UHeart Organizing: DIY Sewing Kit

I am so honored and exited to introduce you to Ursula, organizing extraordinaire behind the blog Home Made by Carmona! She is the newest member of the iHeart Organizing team, and she is here today to share with us her super stylish and organized sewing kit! Whether for cleaning, lunch packing or even bill paying, I am always a fan of creating organized kits designated to a specific task. And I think that this kit is just SEW cool! Just like Ursula. Here she is now to share how she put together the dreamiest sewing kit around.

Hi IHeart readers! It is such a honor to be here sharing today! Amazingly IHeart Organizing was the very first blog I'd ever been introduced to, and it caused me to catapult headlong into the wonderful world of blogging! Haha, I feel like I've come home, back to where it all started.

Today I'm excited to share with you my DIY sewing kit and how I organize it. I feel that a craft kit, sewing kit, or even an organization kit HAS to be more than just a plain jane kit. I mean, we're creatives...we are as inspired by the materials and tools we use as much as the actual project! So I say forget run-of-the-mill, make it creative, make it beautiful, make it work like a charm for you. Oh right, plus my poor feet were tired of catching all the stray needles, so I knew a better organizing solution was in order! Haha!

My sewing kit is admittedly unconventional, but I felt it was important to come up with storage that perfectly suited my needs. Occasionally that means re-inventing the wheel (which I do probably more often than I need to)... so I started with a $20 dollar bill, and ended up with a plastic file box and several acrylic storage containers.

So how does a bunch of plain storage containers become a sewing kit full of personality, and tons of yummy sewing craft possibilities?

Well, I started with a bit of spray paint to create an ombré white-to-gold effect. Tape off the area you don't want painted, and work your magic! Need few acrylic painting tips? You'll find a few tips with my gold painted file holder here, mostly because I'm a bit of a spray paint fanatic.

I also employed the use of some fun decal stickers and rub-on-transfer letters. That definitely took things up a notch! I share how to use run-on-transfers in this DIY magnetic tin post here.

The best part is how MANY tools and materials this thing holds. Wait, "holds" isn't the right word... after all, my previous sewing kit "held" lots of things. No, this is better, this is a whole new level of organization happiness! This bad boy stores, separates, organizes, and makes my life SO much easier! No more jumbled masses of thread, needles, and whatever that weird twisted piece of metal use to be.

Three interlocking towers hold a large variety of doo-dads. I love that they interlock because it means I never lose a thing! No tiny little random plastic holders to sit and sort through. If you grab one, you've grabbed them all! It also forces me to put everything away properly, if you don't screw it back on, no lid.

The tall tower does it's part to store many of my main frequent use sewing materials. And the medium and little guy are perfect for holding specialized items that you don't typically have a lot of, but don't want getting lost in all the shuffle. Here they are separated and unscrewed...

Then there are the two large plastic organizers with compartments. I would recommend getting an organizer that has adjustable compartments. I happened to know exactly what I needed to store, but you never know what future tools will come into your possession. These two store my bead collection, my sewing machine tools, and other large miscellaneous sewing materials.

I love having a separate bin dedicated to my thread, and to my bobbins. After all, they are the rock stars that hold your seams together. ;)

Then one final piece of acrylic holds my scissors, and even an additional needle kit. You'll want to take a closer look at the needle kit, another easy little DIY well worth the effort! It is simply some rectangular pieces of felt sewn into a small book that holds all my needles.

Even those specialty needles which often require an oddly shaped storage solution have a place here!

I hope you've enjoyed the tour of my DIY Sewing Kit! It may not be your conventional sewing kit, but after discovering that the conventional wasn't working for me, this was the best solution for my needs!

You can find all of the product sources over on Home Made by Carmona here.

____________________________

"Hi, I'm Ursula and I blog at Home Made by Carmona where there is always a fun DIY project in play. I've got expensive taste and no money, I'm a neat freak who's house didn't get that memo, and I firmly believe organization has the power to improve our homes, habits, and the members that abide there! I'm so thrilled to be here at IHeart Organizing, the blog that first inspired me to start my own blogging journey."

UHeart Organizing: Bedside Organization Tips

Do you work from bed? I have to admit that I do on occasion. One thing I have realized is that having a work-from-home job can make it challenging to manage time efficiently and set "office hours". I am completely guilty from working from bed on occasion, whether I am under the weather or checking in at the end of the day. In fact, it is when I do a lot of my list making and planning for the following day and is a nice way to unwind and let go of thoughts before I head to sleep.

I toss many of work belongings in an open basket next to my bed, but I am swooning over Ursula's bedside office solution. Ursula's blog, Home Made by Carmona, is jam packed with inspirational DIY's and organizational ideas. I love seeing where many of those ideas are formed. Here she is now!

Hello there IHeart Organizing Readers! It is lovely to be here again!

I'm so excited to share with you my latest project. I've decided to "treat" myself and give my master bedroom a makeover...finally! And boy was it a dramatic makeover! You know how it is, you leave the bedroom for last since no one else sees it. Well the reality is that my bedroom often acts as my office (because truly nothing is lovelier than blogging from a cozy bed), as well as a sanctuary. When you are a homeschooling mom to three energy filled girls, a getaway at the end of the day is mighty important! Now that my bedroom has gotten a makeover, it's time to move my work materials back in and make my side table function at peak capacity so I can stay on top of my work.

If you also like to handle work (or hobby) related tasks from your bed, here are a few tips to keep you on track and organized at your bed side.

DIY CALENDAR

Art is beautiful, but have you ever thought it could also be functional? To keep on track nothing is more helpful than a quick glance calendar. One you don't have to pull out of your purse, or a drawer to know what the big appointments/reminders are.

Because it is framed in glass, one option is to write notes on it with a dry erase marker, and the other is my favorite choice, sticking little post-it notes with reminders!

Making your own Simple Art Calendar is easy, but if you like mine, you can learn how to get these printables here, and find all the steps to make your own. Because it is not by day-of-the week, but rather by date, you never have to change it.

INSPIRATION BOARD

Maybe because my little world is driven by what inspires me, or maybe because I just like pretty things, I believe every work space (whether in the bedroom or office) should have an inspiration board. This is where you can pin the things that help define your style and motivate your vision. Or if that isn't your thing, it is really just a corkboard, so pin up your to-do lists, shopping lists, and more.

KNICK-KNACK & SUPPLY STORAGE

I confess, I'm only as organized as my knick-knacks! They happen...it is just inevitable. Some of them are necessary little office items I need for work and play, others are those random odds-and-ends from the last couple projects that I haven't yet figured out what to do with. Give them a nice little home...a limited time home, but an organized one!

Think outside the office supply store when seeking organizing solutions. I went digging in the kitchen supply department for my knick knack holder, a.k.a. wooden egg crate.

WRITING IMPLEMENT STORAGE

Again, it is helpful to think outside of the office department when searching for the perfect storage solutions. Bathroom tumblers make great writing implement storage. They have little rubber stops at the bottom, so if you wanted to place them inside a side table drawer they won't move around. I also love using sleek kitchen dishes as a catch-all for side table items such as change, keys, etc...

LETTER HOLDER/MAIL ORGANIZER

According to a survey I read recently, most people either do their bills from their office at work, or from their bedside. That means you will need a letter holder, something to help organize your mail and keep the bills from getting lost until they can be attended to. I made this wood cut mail organizer from a log... Simple, modern, chic, and effective!

HIDDEN STORAGE

Take a tip from my husbands bedside table. Sometimes you just need storage to be hidden behind closed doors... Well, closed drawers. Give up the top drawer of your bedside table for that magazine you haven't had a chance to read yet, your journal, and more. Before, his side of the bed would get very dusty (and he wasn't happy if I moved his stuff to dust), and now we keep his things in his top drawer and the bedside table top free... Well, minus a clock and a few dishes to collect his keys and change. It is a huge improvement!

I hope these tips help you craft your bedside into the perfect "work away from work" space, or at least help you get in perfect order to meet all your needs!

UHeart Organizing: 7 Steps to an Amazing Cleaning Closet

Although most of you are probably more excited about the fact that it is "Shark Week" this week, it has also been a bit of "Closet Week" around here. I organized my portion of our closet last week (and oddly enough was even able to inspire my husband who has now emptied his side of the closet out), and have been sharing more specifics of the process. Keeping in theme with closet week, today's super brilliant contributor, Ursula of Home Made by Carmona, is here sharing a closet she recently cleaned out. But this is not just any closet, she cleaned out her cleaning closet. And it is beyond lovely. Cleaning closets and cabinets can be so helpful in terms of keeping a clean home, but if they are messy, then they won't do a good job inspiring you to keep up with daily chores. She has definitely gone above and beyond to create the most delightful closet imaginable, and I hope you all love it as much as I do!

Hey there awesome organizers! Ursula here, from Home Made by Carmona, back to share another great project with you.

My favorite projects always incorporate a sprinkle of organization, a smidge of decorating, and loads of DIY projects to make it budget friendly. One thing, however, I do not relish is cleaning... isn't that interesting? To love organizing but hate cleaning? It is a bit of a conundrum for me, which is why today I'm taking on my cleaning closet! After all, what better way to motivate you to accomplish your cleaning work than to organize and beautify... Whatever helps get the job done!

My cleaning closet was not functioning well for me. My girls were tossing things in there without having any rhyme or reason to the madness. It was quickly becoming a disaster... When it wasn't "tidy" (like in the picture below), the cleaners would start piling up on the closet floor, with the brooms and mop thrown on top. Bugs were making homes in there and crumbs could collect from dirty rags... Yes, in the CLEANING closet (seriously ironic). It got bad guys. So bad.

After a few basic organizing techniques, and several DIY's, this closet is working much better for us, and no longer causes me to shudder! As a matter of fact, while taking pictures the girls kept coming in to grab the broom, then the vacuum, and finally I gave up waiting for all my tools to stay in place and took photos while the mop was missing. At least I know they return items without prompting, and know where to put them (yay for tags and labels!).

In order to turn this disaster around, I employed 7 simple projects that made all the difference! Now it is beautiful, effective, and even motivational.

7 STEPS TO AN AMAZING CLEANING CLOSET

1. Turn a door into usable storage space by attaching shelves

Sometimes finding a custom shelf size is hard to come by, so I made these DIY corbel shelves for under $5 per shelf! Gorgeous, and so easy to make! Just in case you'd like to make your own, I'm sharing the entire how-to here so you can create shelves that makes the most of your door width.

2. Make it beautiful and add a little bit of personality

I'm all about practicality, it's one of the most important things to help me get and stay organized. But making it beautiful is very important! I don't know about you, but I feel all kinds of unhappy and guilty when I leave a beautiful space trashed. There is just something motivational and inspirational about a beautiful space!

3. Add a towel rack (or a few) and then dress it up!

The beauty of installing a towel rack is that you now have a place to hang rags that aren't quite dry. Don't think that is the only use however! You can hang anything from a towel rack when you add the right accessories! So whether you employ a towel rack, or a multi-hanging rack like mine, take the time to "dress" it with a few cheap shower curtain hangers. Just tweak them into a smaller better hanger with pliers. Now you can hang all kinds of miscellaneous items from your rack, items that can't be draped over the bar.

4. Add lots of hooks!

I do add tons of hooks for easy hanging, but not in a haphazard way. Take inventory of all the things you need to store in your cleaning closet, then draw a little diagram of where each item can go. Also be sure to measure the height and width of your cleaning implements before installing hooks... You want everything to fit perfectly, and all the space to be used effectively!

5. Get gorgeous cleaning tools

I love HomeGoods for amazing cleaning implements! They are typically made from natural earthy materials, and hullo, so cute! Of course, you can always add interest to your existing tools and bottles with a little spray paint and sealer (as with my ombre broom handle, and the spray bottles below).

6. Label everything for organization purposes

If you haven't learned by now (because I swear Jen is the queen of gorgeous labeling), you should add tags to anything nondescript, and add labels that tell where everything should go. That way there is no second guessing by other members of the family!

I add a label above each shelf with a general description of item types that may go in that shelf... but then I can narrow it down even further by saying what goes where on the shelf by using chalk board paint on the front! Use a chalkboard wet marker to write, it is eraseable when you want to change it.

7. Have a great plan of action to go with your new space

One of the most important items housed in this cleaning closet is the room-by-room cleaning checklists I created. No more "Mooom, am I done cleaning this room yet?". Sigh. These checklists really helped, and I hope they will help you too! You can download them free here and get your home spic and span.

I hope you have gained a few great ideas for how to help put your cleaning closet in order, and with a little bit of effort it can aid our families in "getting their clean on" too! If you would like, here is a full source list for each of the items used in creating my closet. Happy organizing!

________________

UHeart Organizing: DIY Acrylic Drawer Dividers

First, thank you again so very much for your comments on this week's blogiversary post. I have been really moved by all you have had to say, and I look forward to many more years with you all. #bestreadersever

It is always funny when the contributors and I fall into the same organizing wavelengths. It happens quite often and always causes me to grin big when we are on similar paths with our ideas (great minds think alike right?). I recently shared how we DIY'd some wooden, adjustable dividers from our son's armoire drawers (yet the concept could be used in any drawer). Today, Ursula is joining us from Home Made by Carmona, and she is sharing her stunning acrylic version of adjustable drawer dividers. The best part, no major tools are required and they will turn out incredibly lovely. Acrylic anything gets my heart racing, and this project was no exception.

Hi there amazing organizing lovers! Ursula here from Home Made by Carmona, excited to share with you my latest and greatest in stylish organizing.

There is nothing I hate more than having to sort through a drawer to find what I'm looking for. Any drawer, kitchen drawer, bathroom drawer, clothing drawer, office supply drawer... you name it! Ideally, wouldn't it be amazing to know exactly where everything is, where it goes, and when you opened a drawer you could see everything at a glance? Ah-mazing. Am I dreaming? Well then don't pinch me, because I'm not willing to wake up from this one!

In order to achieve this dream, half the battle is organizing the drawer in a way that maximizes the space and allows you to get a clear view of everything in it. So, today I'm going to show you how to make stylish and custom adjustable acrylic drawer organizers. I made an entire set for my bedroom wardrobe, and I LOVE them!

Why custom? Because I am not of fan of purchasing a set of acrylic organizers that don't fit precisely in the drawer and end up wasting some space. Now with these DIY acrylic organizers, you can adjust the inserts to fit into the drawer perfectly. As a matter of fact, they are designed specifically to each individual drawer!

Ready to get started?

Materials what you'll need:

Dentil molding
Plastic sheets
Wood glue
Finishing nails (optional)

Tools you'll need:

Hack saw (or something to cut molding to size)
Carpenters steel square
Vice grips
Plastic cutter (or really sharp utility knife)
Measuring tape
Paint & spray paint, painters tape (all optional)

Begin by measuring the length of your drawers and cutting 4 pieces of dentil molding to size. Be sure that each piece of molding will line up (so start cuts from the same location on each square). These will act as slots where you can insert your dividers.

Glue down the two pieces of dentil molding to the back and two to the front of the drawer. One at the bottom of the drawer, and one near the top. If you like you can use finishing nails to add a little security and hold the molding in place.

*Alteration Note: If you prefer your organizers going across the drawer rather than back to front, that is fine, add the molding to the sides of the drawer instead.

While your molding dries in place. Measure the drawer from front to back, from molding strip to molding strip. Remember, you want your dividers to be able to slide in place without being too snug or too loose, so measure from the crevice in the molding, to the crevice of the molding on the opposite side. This is going to be the length of your acrylic sheet. Then measure how deep your drawer sides are, and you'll have the dimensions for your acrylic (plastic) insert.

Place your acrylic sheet on top of a piece of scrap wood you don't mind cutting/damaging. Using your carpenters steel square (or T-square, whatever you have) and a pair of vice grips to hold it in place, you will use your plastic cutter to score the acrylic sheet in the desired size. You will want to score it 3 or 4 times in the same line... go slowly as it is easy for the cutter to wander outside of the lines you are trying to make. Accuracy is more important than pressure when scoring; remember you're not trying to cut it, you're trying to score it.

Next move it down to the edge of your wood work top, still using the carpenter square and vice grips along the score line. Allow it to overhang right where the score line is, then gently snap the acrylic by pressing downward. This part is much easier than you'd think, it doesn't take much pressure, and the break line is quite clean! Do this for as many inserts as you desire to have.

Tip: if you have a small piece that needs to be broken off, without much of an over hang, use a pair of pliers instead of your hands to break along the score line.

Now if you like, you can paint your drawer, and even add a little glam to your acrylic inserts by spray painting the bottom. I love a gorgeous metallic gold, so I am covering the tops, and spray painting the bottoms.

I love that these acrylic dividers are adjustable. Finally time to insert your acrylic dividers and get organizing!

Practical, yet stunning! My entire set of wardrobe drawers got a full organizing makeover!

Just to give you a peek at a few of my drawers, and how I organized them; notice how everything is easily visible without having to sort through it to find what you need?

You could make these same organizers using wooden inserts, but honestly I just love the look of acrylic. It is beautiful and reflective, and nothing can get mistakenly hidden by being jammed in a corner somewhere.

Whether you need small slots, large slots, or you need to change how many acrylic dividers you require for each drawer, it is easily done without having to run out and purchase a new set of organizers.

Now everything in my freestanding wardrobe is customized to my exact needs; when my needs change, everything in it is easily changed... as a matter of fact, this entire unit is a DIY build! If you like, you can learn how I turned two small IKEA rast dressers into this wardrobe you see.

Then come back, and make these DIY acrylic organizers to go with them. It will be the perfect custom combination!