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Spring Organization: Workspaces

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I’m so pleased to introduce our newest columnist, Sarah Simpson. She’s going to be writing on organization and simplification of your life – something we all need. Please welcome her to Try Handmade and let her know of any topics or shops you’d like to suggest to her in the comments!

Spring is here! (I bet so many of you have been dying to finally get to say that). What better way to lose those winter blues and clear you mind than to get your workspace de-cluttered and organized? Organization doesn’t necessarily have to mean sorting your belongings into those horrid plastic bins. It can be functional, beautiful, and…earth friendly!

The desk caddy pictured above, by PegandAwl, is handcrafted from reclaimed wood from antique floors in Philadelphia homes built in the 1800s. Holes varying in size are drilled to hold all kinds of office supplies and keep them within easy reach. Use it at home to sort crafting supplies, at your work office for pens and pencils, or even in your garage to organize tools and hardware.

One of my favorite office “must haves” right now is a good old fashioned chalkboard. Chalkboards are EVERYWHERE right now. They’re convenient, they’re adorable, and they’re very easy to make. Just about anything with a non-porous surface can be painted with chalkboard paint that you can pick up from your local home improvement store. Having a visible “to-do” list near your workspace will de-clutter your desk and your mind. Check out these beautiful handmade chalkboards made from re-purposed cabinet doors from FunkieFinds.

Whether you use your workspace for office work or as a studio/crafting space, your most often used items can be sorted and organized so you always know where to find them. To add some color and flair to your space, use an assortment of handmade pottery dishes from TheMudPlace to organize paper clips, thumbtacks, beads, and so on.

You can find so many unique items online, at flea markets, and at seasonal crafts shows to help create a well sorted workspace in no time. Use your imagination and design a custom space that allows you to keep everything in order with as little effort as possible.

Organize Your Pretties: Jewelry Displays

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I find that one of the most difficult things to organize is my never-ending pile of jewelry. A jewelry box is functional, however, I have found that openly displaying your jewelry can be even more beautiful and can even serve as a piece of artwork within your home.

The handmade jewelry organizer pictured above is from a wonderful shop called BlueBirdHeaven based in Louisville, Kentucky. The artist, Jessica, is a sustainable architectural designer who is the original creator of these jewelry displays made from vintage printer’s drawers. She is passionate about finding ways to reuse the distinctive and beautiful things that surround us. Visit her shop to see all of the different colors and styles available to fit any decorating scheme.

This whimsical little butterfly jewelry display can be found at Hook and Line. The idea for the artist’s designs came from her daughter’s growing love for jewelry and the need for a place to store it all. You can display all sorts of earrings styles on this simple picture frame style organizer. What I love about pieces like this is that you can see all of your earrings at once, so it makes selecting a pair that matches your outfit incredibly simple. No more digging through jewelry boxes, no more searching for that missing earring.

This last jewelry display helps you to organize not only your earrings, but your necklaces as well! Frank and Marla of New Dimension Wood Design have a jewelry display line called Jewelry Holders For You where they specialize in their one of a kind, elegant displays suitable for home use or in a boutique setting. Frank is a professional wood craftsman with forty years of architectural woodworking experience and creates truly beautiful works of art.

Find these and many other jewelry display ideas online, or have fun coming up with your own unique designs! As always, feel free to share your ideas with us!

Playing Hooky

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Okay, okay…I’m not encouraging any school ditching or anything…I’m talking about decorative wall hooks, of course! Adding a few hooks to an area in your home that accumulates a lot of clutter is a great way to get organized in a hurry and can be used in any area of your house.

The personalized spoon hook rack pictured above is a lovely example of hooks that can be used at the entryway of your home to organize and sort each family member’s belongings. This piece has been handcrafted from a dark, weathered wood and vintage teaspoons personalized with your very own information and can be found in the shop of jjevensen.

If you have children then I’m sure you are always looking for ways to keep their belongings in order. This adorable customizable little unit from bluebirdheaven fits perfectly in a child’s room. Hang their jackets, hats, or towels to keep the necessities at hand. While you’re at it, check out bluebirdheaven‘s shop for some fabulous vintage printer’s trays altered into jewelry organizers. *swoon*

For a more contemporary look, check out the handmade creations of PIGandFISH. Their beautiful creations turn art into functional pieces for your home. This geometric design and combination of colors is absolutely stunning and would fit nicely with most decorating schemes. Browse around their shop for several different designs and colors.

For a little handmade charm, try the more simple key and accessory racks by prettylovelypainting. Sometimes less is more and a little hand painted detail goes a long way. Made from recycled wood, these key hooks would be great at the entry way of your home to hold your keys or in your bedroom to hang your jewelry.

If you have an eclectic vibe in your home, you are going to love these cast iron hooks by monkeyandsquirrel. They have all kinds of handmade goodies and home decor in their shop, but these horse head hooks are my favorite! Available in slate blue, evergreen, and antique yellow, these iron hooks will add a little interest and pizazz anywhere you choose to put them.

The materials you can use to organize your belongings are limitless. When creating your own hook system, don’t be afraid to get creative with your materials like the artists represented above. Comment below and share some of your own ideas with us!

Organization for the Little Artist

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Teaching children about the techniques and pleasure of art is a truly wonderful thing. Finding ways go keep their own art supplies in order…not so much. Here are a few handy items to keep their paints, pencils, tools, and even their completed projects in order.

The bright and cheery art clips pictured above are handmade with child and earth in mind and are available in a variety of colors and themes. These wooden clips, created by Wanda at Maple Shade Kids are eco-friendly and can be used to display inspirational pictures in a creative workspace, hang projects to dry, organize papers, and so on. Take a look at their shop for additional designs and other adorable items for your child’s room.

In whatever area you choose to designate as your child’s creative space be prepared to have containers around to sort supplies that will be used on a regular basis. The art bucket shown above features a convenient handle for easy transportation and individual side pockets to hold up to twelve markers. Mom N Mia Quilts designs these handy little buckets for your creative toddler. Don’t worry about spills – they’re machine washable!

If you already have designated buckets for your supplies, don’t forget to add labels. Created by the graphic designers at The Sticker Hut, these mini chalkboard labels give you the freedom to erase and re-label over and over. Let the kids get creative and write out the labels themselves. They add a little personalization and simple creativity to your space.

Share some of your idea with us!
Link to photos of your child’s creative workspace below.

Simply Shabby: Redefining Your Bathroom

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A clean bathroom is a happy bathroom. A stylish one is even happier.

This week’s post is a little “how-to” session on creating a well organized, shabby chic style bathroom. While everyone has a different style preference, I believe that adding a few rustic, natural elements is just good for the soul.

First off: take time to pamper yourself. Make your bathroom a place to relax; a sanctuary. The handmade soaps pictured above from DirtyDeedsSoaps are beautiful and come in a variety of scents and colors. Display them in a decorative dish or arrange several in a crate as shown in the photo for a creative accent of color in your space.

If space allows, add a chair or bench to your room. Furniture adds a bit of luxury to a bathroom. You can use it as decoration, holding stacks of neatly folded towels and baskets of toiletries, or you can use it functionally as a place to sit and lotion your legs or to paint your toenails after a relaxing bubble bath. Keeping with our shabby chic style, this handmade bench made from reclaimed wood, from brandmojointeriors, serves as a perfect example.

Burlap accents have been making an appearance in a variety of decorating styles lately. It adds a bit of texture to your decorating scheme and compliments a rustic theme perfectly. Check out the creations of Mary at hoganfe handmade originals. She sells all kinds of handmade accessories for your home (and even your wedding!), including the adorable organizer bin below. Use them to organize and sort your odds and ends or use them to hold a festive floral arrangement.

You will soon enough notice a Mason Jar trend in my posts…I simply LOVE them! They fit well with any decorating style and have limitless organization possibilities. I have some things in the works for future posts, so stay tuned! In the meantime, check out GneissSpice‘s bathroom magnetic storage solutions. Use them to store your cotton swabs, make up applicators, hair ties, bath salts, and much more.

Create your very own handmade-inspired retreat with these few simple steps!
What sort of organizational solutions do you currently use in your own bathroom today?