Design Build Love

Using Containers to Get Organized (Day 8: 30 Days to an Organized Home)

Posted on September 9, 2012 by Design Build Love

A quick and easy way to get started with some organization is to containerize! This is a very simple and straight forward concept. Now, the idea is not to simply throw stuff into random containers. In fact, I caution against this! If you are not strategic in how you containerize items, then in the ends, the containers will only mask disorganization.

Using-Containers-to-Get-Organized

To properly containerize, what you want to do, is start thinking of things as “kits.” Kits can be made for a very wide variety of purposes, and to show their versatility, consider the following types:

baking kit- sugar, flower, measuring cups and spoons, etc.
art kit- paper, paint, brushes, markers, etc.
bill paying kit- stamps, envelopes, checkbook, bill binder, etc.
manicure/pedicure kit- nail clippers, file, buffer, polish, etc.

The point of making kits is so that everything you need to complete a particular task can be found in one place. Hopefully that is enough examples that you can start to think of kits that will meet your needs! Having these pre-made, organized kits makes set up and clean up incredibly easy and efficient!

In our own home, I’ve made a variety of kits. The most visible kits are those in my home office. I built-in shelf storage into the closet and bought some cheap plastic baskets from Target’s dollar section to store all of my supplies for various tasks. In the end, containerizing these items made for very easy access. Also, with other people needing certain items, they always know right where to look and never need to ask where to find something! Easy peasy!

WHAT KITS DO YOU NEED TO MAKE? ARE YOU FEELING INSPIRED TO CONTAINERIZE? ANYONE ELSE A CONTAINERIZING NUT, LIKE ME?

This blog post is part of the series, Operation: 30 Days to an Organized Home. To see the posts in the rest of the series, go here.

Posted in 30 Days to a More Organized Home, Get Inspired, Get Organized | Leave a comment

Please VOTE FOR US- Shaw Home Flooring Contest!

Posted on September 6, 2012 by Design Build Love

If you have a minute, I NEED YOUR VOTES!!! My laundry room entry has been selected as a finalist for a giveaway from Shaw Home Flooring!!! Please click on the link and vote for us! (no registration required… SIMPLY CLICK “VOTE”) And, the best part, you can vote every 24 hours!!! So, please vote, and then vote again… and then vote again!

http://promoshq.wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/287015/voteable_entries/56936274?wfrefid=02f6f97989b6

And, I’d absolutely love you forever (even though I already do), if you’d share this PLEASE!!!

THANKS!!!

~Ashley

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Control Your Cord Clutter (Day 6: 30 Days to an Organized Home)

Posted on September 6, 2012 by Design Build Love

Wires can really run amok in a house. From computers to entertainment systems, and TV’s to household appliances, exposed wires can make even the most organized space look messy! In the process of building my sister-in-law’s desk, I knew that I wanted to hide wires as much as possible. In fact, I wanted to not only hide them, but I also wanted them to be easily accessible. A simple solution for that…

Cutting a Grommet Hole!

DIY Desk and Study Area_24

Cutting a grommet hole in the desk allowed for all of the wires to be “held” in one place and feed down to the wall outlet behind the dresser portion of the desk.

DIY Desk and Study Area_23

If you’ve never installed a grommet hole before, don’t be intimidated! The process is quite simple and it can be done to almost any surface, so long as you buy the proper grommet hole cutter for the material you plan to cut into.

All you need is masking tape, a grommet hole cutter, and a grommet hole plug. I chose while to keep it clean and simple.

I started out by taping off the area where I was going to drill my grommet hole. There’s one simple reason you do this… it prevents your wood from splintering and gives you a cleaner cut. Don’t skip this step. It’s not worth it.

DIY Desk and Study Area_20

After the hole was drilled out, I simply placed the white “plug” into place. I chose one with a removable and turn-able cap. It was the perfect solution.

DIY Desk and Study Area_21

The results were perfect. Clean cut hole. No splintering. Grommet plug that fits all of her wires.

You can officially count this under Cord Clutter Contained!!!

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE CORD CLUTTER SOLUTION? ARE YOU A GROMMET HOLE LOVER?

This blog post is part of the series, Operation: 30 Days to an Organized Home. To see the posts in the rest of the series, go here.

Posted in 30 Days to a More Organized Home, Cleaning, DIY, Get Organized, Home Office | Leave a comment

DIY “Anybody’s” Desk (Day 5: 30 Days to an Organized Home)

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Design Build Love

Desk space in the home is invaluable. Whether it’s for a student, for completing your crafts, or for organizing your household finances, there is always a need for a workspace. Unfortunately, desks can be quite pricey… even on Craigslist! And, often, even if you find a desk within your budget, it simply may not fit your needs. And, really, who wants a piece of furniture that doesn’t fit your needs- what a waste! Well, I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to compromise in either style or function to get the desk you want! I spent about $85 and completed a completely custom DIY-built desk for my sister-in-law. It not only perfectly fits her needs, but it also functions perfectly in the space!

DIY-Desk-for-Anyone

When you have a student in the house, a desk is a necessity. When the student is in college, having the desk in their room is even more of a necessity! Well, my poor sister-in-law, has been crammed into a 10-foot by 10-foot room, leaving little space for furniture, other than her full-sized bed. To alleviate the lack of space issue, we build her an awesome DIY Closet Kit, full of storage and organization solutions.

After the DIY Closet Kit build, we focused our efforts on giving her a study space that would function well for school, but that would also act as a nightstand of sorts and provide additional storage. Getting this multi-purpose piece of furniture done right was vital!

Because this study space was sooooo easy to build, I’ll just give you a quick & dirty tutorial!

SUPPLY LIST

The greatest part about this tutorial is that all of the cuts were made at Home Depot! I didn’t have to do a single cut for the desk, shelves, or support brackets at home. So, if you don’t have a saw, you’re in luck! The only tools required for this job is a hammer and a drill (and a household iron)!!!

1 sheet of PureBond Plywood
1 Rast Dresser from Ikea
Dresser Hardware (if you don’t want what comes with the dresser)
Stain of Your Choice (Dark Walnut)
Paint of Your Choice (we chose a coral-pink color, and simply purchased a “tester” size to save money)
Shelf Brackets
Screws
Nails
Edge Tape
Household Clothing Iron

CUT LIST

1- 60”x24” (desktop surface)
3- 11”x35” (shelves)
1- 1”x60” (back support for desktop)
1- 1”x23.25” (side support for desktop)

8-STEP TUTORIAL

1- Have all pieces cut out of one sheet of PureBond plywood by Home Depot

DIY Student Study Desk by Design Build Love

2- Iron on edge tape to “seal” the edges of the plywood and make it look like one solid piece of wood. Trim off excess using either a box cutter or a trimmer

DIY Student Study Desk by Design Build Love_3

3- Stain desktop, supports, and shelves

DIY Student Study Desk by Design Build Love_2

4- Assemble Ikea Rast dresser and stain

DIY Student Study Desk by Design Build Love_1

5- Paint drawer fronts

6- Install shelf brackets and desktop supports (note: we split the back support, but in hindsight, it wasn’t needed)

DIY Student Study Desk by Design Build Love_6

DIY Student Study Desk by Design Build Love_7

7- Place Rast dresser in place and install desktop using nails (or finishing nailer)

DIY Student Study Desk by Design Build Love_9

8- Insert shelves into brackets and secure with screws to the brackets

DIY Student Study Desk by Design Build Love_11

FINAL BEAUTY SHOTS

In the end, like I said, the product was perfect! It fits the space, gives her tons of room for studying, and also provides her additional storage and a “nightstand” type of function!

DIY Desk and Study Area

DIY Desk and Study Area_1

DIY Desk and Study Area_5

DIY Desk and Study Area_7

HOW ABOUT THOSE DETAILS?!?

DIY Desk and Study Area_15

DIY Desk and Study Area_14

DIY Desk and Study Area_9

DIY Desk and Study Area_16

DIY Desk and Study Area_12

DIY Desk and Study Area_11

Oh yeah… and who doesn’t love additional hidden storage! The extra space between the dresser and the wall is the perfect size to store a small file box, garbage can, or anything else you can think of!

DIY Student Study Desk by Design Build Love_13

DIY Desk and Study Area_13

WHAT DO YOU THINK- EASY ENOUGH? WHAT DO YOU NEED A WORKSPACE IN YOUR HOUSE FOR?

This blog post is part of the series, Operation: 30 Days to an Organized Home. To see the posts in the rest of the series, go here.

Thanks to Haven 2012, we met the amazing folks at PureBond® Hardwood Plywood. They told us all about their amazing product and I fell in love and ran home to tell the hubby about it! With all the recent, health-conscious and enviro-friendly changes we’ve made lately, it only made sense for us to make the change to using PureBond exclusively too! We’ve officially made the PureBond pledge… will you? Here’s a little tidbit about the product:

PureBond technology utilizes formaldehyde-free, soy-based adhesive
Manufacturing with PureBond technology contributes to an air-friendly indoor environment
PureBond veneer-core panels are cost-competitive with traditional panels made using UF construction
Panels are made in the US and Canada
PureBond panels contribute towards the LEED® IEQ Credit 4.4 for Low-Emitting Materials: Composite Wood
Panels can be specified as FSC® certified upon request
PureBond MDF and Particleboard hardwood plywood is available upon request
PureBond is manufactured exclusively in North America by Columbia Forest Products.

Disclaimer: We received PureBond® Hardwood Plywood for free; however, no other compensation was paid. As always, the opinions expressed are always our own!

Posted in DIY, Furniture, Get Organized, Home Accessories, Home Office | 15 Comments

Dove Advanced Conditioner Review

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Design Build Love

To say that my hair is important to me, might be an understatement. It is super important to me! As crazy as this will sound, my hair is a big part of my identity. Ever since I was really young, I’ve been known for my fiery, deep auburn-red, long hair. As a kid, I hated it. As an adult, I’ve totally embraced it! One little tidbit that is kind of fun, is that I actually didn’t even have a “real” haircut other than a quick trim until I was twenty-one years old! Nuts, right?!? Here’s the product of that haircut…

Anyways, so needless to say, if you keep your hair as long as I do, then taking care of it is a must! For years, I used salon products in my hair to keep I strong and healthy. About two years ago, in an attempt to save money, I tried a slough of products, purchasable at Target. After many unhappy results, my hair felt dry, lifeless, and full of residue. Disappointed, I thought I’d return to my beloved salon products, but then a friend told me to try Dove’s moisture line. I have been in love ever since!

So, when BlogHer emailed me with an opportunity to review Dove’s new conditioner, I jumped at the chance! Why not, since I’ve become a religious Dove body wash user since my last review as well!

Their conditioner line includes an array of “moisture” and “repair” products, and the specific one I received was the Intensive Repair Daily Treatment Conditioner. Basically, this stuff is supposed to be like a deep conditioner that you can use daily! Totally crazy to think that’s even possible… but it is!

Dove Conditioner Review

The Intensive Repair Daily Treatment Conditioner has a thick, rich formula. But, at the same time, it’s not too thick and it was easy to work through my hair. This conditioner seriously provides a luxurious treatment-feel, lathering through my hair in such a silky way! It totally brought more softness and smoothness to my hair… and the best part… it takes the same amount of time as any other daily conditioner! Yay for not needing extra time to pamper yourself well!

And, aside from the feel and physical results, the conditioner smells amazing! I totally hate scents that are overpowering, but this one is perfectly floral without feeling like I’m wearing a bottle of perfume in my hair!

According to Dove, the Intensive Repair Daily Treatment Conditioner is designed to reconstruct hair and prevent split-ends and breakage, all while leaving hair strengthened and resilient to future damage without weighing it down. This is accomplished because the “Fiber Active technology penetrates deep inside the hair strand, helping rebind damaged proteins. Patented Micromoisture Serum targets damage, repairing the surface of hair by sealing lifted cuticles.” Sounds technical, but I’ll break it down for ya!

Dove advanced conditioners leave hair touchably soft and smooth! In the end, my hair was smooth, soft, shiny, and had not an ounce of frizz!!! Oh ya… and all of that was accomplished without leaving an ounce of greasiness or nasty build up! SCORE! Dove wins again!!!

A little sidenote… the hubby uses conditioner in his hair every day, and he said he “loved” this one! LOL… gotta love men!

ANYONE ELSE OBSESSED WITH KEEPIN’ THEIR HAIR HEALTHY? ARE YOU KNOWN FOR YOUR HAIR TOO (please tell me I’m not a weirdo! )?

In the mean time, be sure to enter the contest below! And, if you’re looking to save a buck, there’s also a link to a coupon for you.

Enter to win a $1,000 Spafinder gift certificate!

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY

COMMENTS TO THIS POST ARE NOT SWEEPSTAKES ENTRIES. PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR ENTRY METHODS FOR THIS SWEEPSTAKES.

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The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 9/4/2012 – 9/30/2012

Be sure to visit Dove^®Hair.com to get a coupon for $1.50 off Dove Hair Therapy products.

Posted in Sponsored Posts | Leave a comment

Using Containers to Get Organized (Day 8: 30 Days to an Organized Home)

WHAT KITS DO YOU NEED TO MAKE? ARE YOU FEELING INSPIRED TO CONTAINERIZE? ANYONE ELSE A CONTAINERIZING NUT, LIKE ME?

Top Cord Clutter Solutions (Day 7: 30 Days to an Organized Home)

DO YOU HAVE A CORD CLUTTER ISSUE? WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE OR FAVORITE SOLUTIONS FOR CORDS?

Please VOTE FOR US- Shaw Home Flooring Contest!

Control Your Cord Clutter (Day 6: 30 Days to an Organized Home)

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE CORD CLUTTER SOLUTION? ARE YOU A GROMMET HOLE LOVER?