Organize & Storage

DIY Storage Ottoman | Turn a Vintage Wooden Crate Into a Storage Ottoman

December 15, 2017 by adminPO

Want to know how to make an ottoman? If you need extra seating and a cool place to store you belongings in style then this is the woodworking project for you. Transform an old crate into your next upcycling project!

Vintage Wooden Crate DIY Ottoman | Woodworking Project

Many of us probably still have old wooden crates somewhere in basements and garages. If you have one and are thinking about throwing it away, think twice before doing it! This is a great upcycling project to turn an old wooden crate into a beautiful vintage-style ottoman.

Don’t worry if your crate has scratches, dark signs and printed text on it: all these details will make your ottoman a unique piece of furniture for your house!

What you’ll need for this DIY Ottoman Crate:

wooden crate
wooden board as big as your crate base
long piece of wood – approx. 35″ x 2″ x 1″ (or double the length of your crate)
jig saw
fabric
2″ upholstery foam
upholstery foam cutter (optional)
stapler
sandpaper – both coarse and fine
white glue
Shellac wood polish
beeswax wood polish
trimmings
scissors
tape measure
paintbrush
piece of cloth

Step 1

If you don’t already have one, cut a wooden board just as big as the base of your crate. This will be the seat that will also serve as cover for your ottoman. You will also need to cut two long pieces of wood as long as the inside length of your crate. If your crate has two horizontal strips on the sides, make sure to deduct their width from your measure. It’s very important to do this because the 2 long pieces will have to fit in the upper part of the crate and secure the seat.

Step 2

Glue each piece lengthwise on the board, one toward the top and the other one toward the bottom. Make sure to center them and keep them a little distant from the top and bottom edges. That distance must be as big as the thickness of your crate’s sides – 1/2″ may be enough.

Finally turn the board and place a few long staples right where you glued the tow pieces. They will be steadier this way. You can also use screws if you prefer.

Step 3

Place the seat on the upholstery foam. Trace its outline on the foam, leaving 1/2″ allowance on each side. I used a screwdriver to score the foam, but you can use a pen or anything similar.

Step 4

Cut the foam following the lines you traced, I recommend using a foam cutter in order to obtain an accurate cut, as scissors don’t perform well on thick foam.

Step 5

Cut a piece of fabric that is big enough to cover the whole seat with the foam on it, plus an extra to staple on the back. I considered the regular size of the seat plus approx. 6″ more on each side.

Step 6

Lay your piece of fabric with the right side facing the table. Center the foam on it and then add the wooden seat on top, with the flat side facing the foam.

Step 7

Start stapling the sides of the fabric to the back of the seat. I always start with 1 staple in the middle of each side then I add a couple more spaced evenly. Don’t staple the fabric on the 2 long pieces of wood; try to do that on that narrow space between them and the edge of the board.

Step 8

Keep stapling all sides leaving the corners free from staples for now. It’s important to pull the fabric a little, always keeping the same tension on every side. This way your seat will have perfectly round edges.

Step 9

It’s time to make the corners now. Pull the fabric from one side of the corner and secure it with staples.

Step 10

Fold the other side of the fabric in the corner, as showed in the picture, then pull it as you would normally do and staple it. You can even cut some of the excess fabric to obtain a neater corner.

Step 11

Repeat the previous step for all corners and you’ll get perfectly stapled corners like this one!

Step 12

Cut out all the excess fabric very close to the staples.

Step 13

I decided to cover all of the staples using a strip of fabric on the shortest sides and I placed trimmings on the longest. I attached the fabric strip with white glue folding the edges on the inside, then you can either glue or staple the trimmings since the staples will hardly be visible on them.

Step 14

This is the finished seat! It’s beautiful, isn’t it? You can already try it on your wooden crate.

Step 15

It’s time to start working on the crate now. Clean and sand the whole surface using coarse sandpaper. You can do it both outside and inside the crate, just enough to smooth the rough and sharp spots.

Step 16

Clean it from the dust then apply a coat of shellac polish on the whole surface, using a paintbrush. You can use any shellac color that you like. Let it dry when you are done, then you can give it another coat.

Step 17

When your crate is completely dry, sand it a little bit more using fine sandpaper. This way you’ll remove the last bits of wood that were lifted up by the polish.

Step 18

Finally, apply beeswax using a piece of cloth (a soft one works better). Beeswax will protect the wood and make it shinier and smoother.

Step 19

Let the beeswax dry a little then remove the excess using a cloth. Keep polishing your crate with your cloth to obtain an even shinier look. When you are satisfied with the result, let it dry completely.

Now you can finally put the seat on you crate and admire your new vintage-style ottoman!

And the best thing about it is that you can even store things in it thanks to the container that you can open and close. A beautiful multipurpose upcycled ottoman!

20 Cheap Home Improvement Ideas You Can Do With A Hammer and Nail

November 17, 2017 by adminPO

Looking for some cheap home improvement ideas? Here’s a list of cheap home improvements ideas that are perfect for any homeowner.

You’re Home Is Begging You To Do These Cheap Home Improvement Ideas!

Are you tired of home improvements ideas that are only possible for the rich? This list should help you make your home more valuable, functional, and comfortable without breaking your bank. Not all may be appropriate for your home but you should be able to find a few ideas that you can do in your next free time. Learn and enjoy!

1. Build a Pallet Gardening Table

Functional and space-saving! See how you can make it here.

2. Conceal Your Ugly Overhead Light With a Drum Shade

Drum shades often come with a heavy price, so make a drum shades with the few supplies that you can buy from craft and hardware store and it won’t hurt your wallet. See instructions here.

3. Install a Beadboard Ceiling

Upgrade your home decor by installing this elegant beadboard ceiling. Learn how to do it here.

4. Build a Daybed with Storage

You’ll have an amazingly beautiful and functional bed plus a perfect sense of accomplishment when you’re done with this project. Get the full instructions here.

5. Upgrade Your Ceiling By Adding an Elegant Crown Molding

Instructions here!

6. Salvaged Window DIY Coffee Table

This one unique coffee table idea will sure to wow your guest. Find the full instructions here.

7. DIY Under $100 Farmhouse Table

You will love this sturdy table that will add the unique rustic feel to your home. Learn how to make it here.

8. DIY Pull Out Shelves in Pantry

Perfect DIY project to keep your kitchen organize. Get instructions here.

9. Closet Door Makeover

Give your closet door that elegant transformation. See how to do it here.

10. DIY Under $20 Farmhouse Bench

Your guest can never guess that this bench is just under $20. Check it out here.

11. DIY Vintage Crate Boot Rack

A totally clever organizing idea to keep all your boots in one place. Get instructions here.

12. DIY Ladder Shelf

You can have endless possibilities on how you can use this ladder shelf for your home décor. See how to do it here.

13. DIY Industrial Style Laundry Hamper

Give your dirty laundry that industrial style! Learn how to make it here.

14. DIY $10 Wooden Blanket Ladder

A chic and cheap DIY project for your blanket and perfect for any room. See full instructions here.

15. DIY Mirror Frame

An easy and cost-effective way to boost your standard clip-on mirror. Learn how to do it here.

16. DIY $15 Bistro Table

A sure cheap table that can use in so many ways. See full instructions here.

17. DIY Shutter Plate Rack

Got an old shutter? Turn it into a plate rack, you’ll never regret the result. See how you can do it here.

18. Headboard Bench

Got an old headboard and don’t know what to do with it? Transform it into a bench! Learn how to do it here.

19. DIY Picture Board

A perfect DIY to display your family photos. See how you can do it here.

20. Upgrade your Headboard

A beautiful headboard can provide the appearance of comfort to a bed, do a makeover for your headboard. See here for a great source of DIY Headboards.

Want some more ideas for home improvement? Let’s check this video from Simple Home Art Decor Ideas:

17 Awesome Bedroom Organization Ideas You Can Do Before Holidays

October 17, 2017 by adminPO

Don’t allow the holidays to come without being ready for it, here are some awesome bedroom organization ideas for you to do, and they’re super easy!

Do These Bedroom Organization Ideas For The Holidays

Whether managing the lights and darks, or compartmentalizing your drawers to separate paired items, or creating new storage items to help you with all your things, you can do easy bedroom organizing before the holiday starts to kick in. The holiday will keep you busy, so you better start adapting some bedroom organization ideas to make your life easier. Take it from me because I learned these things the hard way. Check out all the different ways you can organize efficiently. See the list below and tell me what works best for you!

1. Additional Containers For Small Bedroom

This is so effective for small bedroom spaces because you’re maximizing the space above and below your closet. It makes life easy by compelling you to sort out the lights and the darks, too! Though you can customize these containers according to your needs, like storing seasonal items apart from clothes.

2. Create Floating Shelves

Use some space that seems to be dead or awkward and turn it into something useful! This corner looks like you can’t put anything in there but with the help of shelves, it turns out to be a storage space that can hold books, vases, and other items you wish to display. Take a look at your corners at home and see if you can apply this trick.

3. Dollar Store Storage Bins With Custom Metal Tags

Who thought bins could look this chic and personalized? With the help of an upgrade and custom tags, these dollar-store bins can be your storage friend. Put your craft items, supplies, hair accessories or just about anything else in these storage bins, and you’ll see some improvement in your bedroom organization.

4. DIY Storage For Transient Items

Remember the items you have in your room that shouldn’t really have a permanent space? Books from the library, gifts you have to give, seasonal clothes, and used things you want to donate? Store them like this, with correct labels. It’s very efficient because you can organize them and at the same time, not forget what to do with them. You also know what is inside by writing it on the label area.

5. Organize Your Closet Space

You take a look at your closet space and think it’s full, but really, you just did not maximize the space. Avoid piling up your clothes and other items. Use racks to properly organize your closet, and have wires, hooks, or pins where you can hang your items. Also, place similar items together and put them in one place. Indeed, organizing makes life easier.

6. Hanging Jewelry Organizer

Take good care of your precious jewelry and accessories with this kind of storage. Hang those necklaces to avoid coiling, and for easy access too. Sort rings and other items in boxes. For your dangling earrings, hook them up on the board. This will eliminate the chance of losing a piece or two, or wasting time finding your accessories.

7. DIY Ladder Shoe Shelf

This type of shoe storage is a clever hack for those who want to gain the easiest access to their shoes. I can imagine having one in my room, and being able to plan my outfit already because I can see my shoes! Also, a lot of shoe storage idea often take more space than necessary. This might do the trick for your room.

8. Custom Drawer Organizers

Drawers are organizers in themselves but sometimes, it’s not enough to just put your clothing items in there. When it involves so many pieces that are different from one another, it would be wise to have drawer organizers. This way your socks won’t mix up with your scarves, hankies, or with your shoelaces.

9. Closet Makeover With Dressing Room Space

With proper organization, your bedroom can hold so many essential items. Take this area in the bedroom– it looks narrow but it has maximized as much space as possible. The shelves near the ceiling can store up your bags and other items.

10. Organized Office Corner In Your Room

Some bedrooms also hold mini offices, enough for your desk, computer, supplies and work documents. You can avoid the clutter by using drawers to organize most of your office items. This way you stay productive in the confines of your bedroom.

11. Pegboard With Shelves and Organizers

If a big table or desk can use up a large space in your bedroom, go for a smaller one. Don’t worry about where to put your office supplies and papers. A pegboard can definitely help you with that. Use a pegboard and attach racks, rolls, hooks, and other things to hold your items. It would be a truly organized mini office inside your bedroom.

12. Cake Stand Display

Yes, cake stands can hold other items too. Place the cake stand on your desk, side table or vanity table and place several items so you can easily locate them. Got plenty of perfume bottles? Place it there. Want to put all your makeup in one place? The cake stand would be the perfect spot.

13. Under The Bed Drawers

Whether your bedroom is large or small these organizing ideas will keep everything in order, giving you relaxing place to rest in. The empty space under your bed can be used as a practical space with these under the bed drawers. Made by installing wheels to a wooden box, or you can repurpose old drawer from a chest.

14. Make Use Of Headboard Space

Make use of headboard storage space by integrating shelving for everything from books and lamps to favorite framed photos. You can purchase shelved headboards, or build your own out of old drawers or pallets.

15. Minimize Laundry Space

Save some space with a hanging laundry hamper hiding discreetly at the back of a door. It’s easy to create your own with fabric and an embroidery hoop.

16. Keep Your Trash Bin Out Of Sight

Everyone needs to store trash somewhere. The only issue is that any trash bin will use at least a square foot of space. Until it doesn’t because you’re going to hide yours in a tilting cabinet. Not only will it keep your waste out of sight, but it’ll also double as a makeup counter or nightstand.

17. Just Make Some Decisions To Declutter, Really…

This guide doesn’t get old, and you can use it especially on days when you feel like there’s just so much going on in your closet. Once you free up your closet from the items you don’t need, you’ll be surprised at how much space you actually have. Make some important decisions, like keeping what you need and letting go of the items you no longer use. This infographic is helpful in making the right decision. So have fun decluttering and trace your path as you go!

Here is a video about more storage tips to add to your bedroom organization ideas from Better Homes and Gardens:

Create more space in your bedroom by simply organizing your space. You might be surprised at how much room there is left for the things that will come your way, especially this holiday season. Adapt these ideas to your room for more efficient storing.