Need a Gift for your Guy?
October 17, 2012
With the holidays rapidly approaching (Halloween kicks off the season in just two weeks), it’s time to start making those lists and checking them twice. I find that men are the hardest to shop for. We gals will be happy with pretty much anything new (shiny or not), but guys can sometimes be a challenge. If your significant other wears ties on a regular basis, or even if he just has a lot of ties for special occasions, why not pick up a tie rack for him for Christmas?
There’s something in it for you, too, after all. And by that I mean a more organized closet, which in turn means more space for your stuff, who doesn’t love that?
One of my favorite gifty style tie racks is the Motorized Tie Rack. This handy tool has a modern look and takes up just five inches of space on the closet rod (about the size of two hanging garments). It is battery operated and with the touch of a button it rotates, giving you access to up to 64 ties and 8 belts (that’s enough space to last even the most tie obsessed guy a life time). It even has a light for when he wants to pick out clothes while you are sleeping in the dark. The light is automated for turn on and shut off. Plus, it gives you more gift ideas and options down the road for many holidays to come (ties, anyone?).
Holiday Shopping Tip: In your calendar or daily planner, keep a page tabbed with each family and friend’s name on it so that while you are walking around stores or around your house, as you think of a gift idea, you can make note of it. This makes it so much easier when the time to shop for presents comes around.
Using Floating Wall Shelves as an Art Gallery
October 16, 2012
Now that the kids have been back in school for a few months, I am sure a lot of my fellow parents are facing the same dilemma as I have. Art and creativity are a huge part of early childhood learning, and as a proud parent I love to put my children’s talent display whenever and however I can. The issue I run into as a father of three is that there is simply not enough refrigerator space to display all the wonderful works of art!
A wonderful example of post-modern art from my son. He calls it “Dad and Me and Dog Walking”.
One issue with using the refrigerator as your de-facto home art gallery is that the works of art tend to get food stains on them, or fall to the ground and are crumpled under the feet of a hungry kid. Additionally, my oldest has enrolled in a pottery class and there is no way to stick a paper-machete NBA star to the refrigerator.
One great way to add a little bit of display space to the home is to install a floating wall shelf. These are great options for displaying smaller items because they do not take up floor space, which most tables and shelves have been known to do.
What is great about wall shelves is that they can also add a touch of décor to the room. Personally, my home has a Mid-Century modern interior theme, so finding something that was sophisticated and contemporary was important. The Floating Wall Shelf worked perfectly for what I was looking for – it has a sleek, floating style plus it can support 15 pounds of weight, the perfect amount for displaying children’s arts and crafts.
Wall Floating Shelf in Espresso.
Now my home has become a virtual art-gallery for squiggly abstract drawings and deformed cubist-style NBA star statues!
Wall Racks as Shelves
October 13, 2012
Not all shelves have to be of the flat, thin variety. Wall organizers, including wall racks come in all shapes, sizes, materials, styles and prices. This week we are covering different types of wall organizers that fall out of the typical shelf variety. These three are all designed with some sort of clothing storage in mind, which we all can certainly use more and more of I think it’s safe to say! The first type of wall rack I love is for the laundry room.
In the laundry room, you might need a shelf to hold detergents and sprays, but beyond that I’m not so sure shelves are the best way to organize in that particular room. What I find is often lacking in laundry rooms is hanging space for clothes. Whether you like to drip dry your garments or simply have a few items that cannot go through the clothes dryer, you will likely find yourself in need of a closet rod in the laundry room at some point. For tight spaces, I recommend the Instahanger Folding Clothes Hanger. It is a great choice, as it is just 3 inches deep and holds up to 10 hangers. It also folds flat which is a major bonus.
If you want something a little bigger, the QuikCloset Instant Hanging rack is a great way to go. Installation is quick and easy, and it folds up to keep it out of the way when it’s not in use. This is also a great choice for use in the coat closet or other area in need of an instant closet.
Cubbie Shelf for Entryway by Prepac
A third type of wall rack that, frankly, every home should have, in my opinion, is a Cubbie Shelf For Entryway. If you don’t have a formal entryway, this is still a great product for the hall or anywhere near the front or rear door. This one is great because it has hooks and shelves. If you have kids, they can each have a designated hook and shelf for their school items – a great organizer for the whole family!