So, you have stacks of pictures, articles, and decorating ideas sitting in the corner or under the coffee table. And every time you get the itch to begin a decorating project, you head to this jumbled mess for your inspiration. The problem is that by the time you sift through a tenth of the stuff, you’ve forgotten what project you had been thinking about. Instead of bedroom ideas, you get lost in updating your kitchen cabinets. Before you know it, the weekend is over, and that bedroom is still dreary.
You need a plan. But first, you need to get organized. The thought of that can be almost overwhelming. I have a simple system for organizing my decorating ideas and dreams–and the best part is that it’s inexpensive and quick.
Supplies you will need: accordion-style file folder, two pieces of cardboard the size of the folder, fabric to cover the cardboard, sticky labels, a yard of ribbon that coordinates with the fabric, hot glue, a stapler, and your immense stack of ideas, pictures, and articles.
First, sort your stacks. Make piles to fit whatever categories would work best for you. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Bedrooms
- Kitchens
- Bathrooms/Laundry Rooms
- Dining/Living Rooms
- Objects
- Style (when you love a room but can’t quite put your finger on why)
- Colors
- Fabrics
- Projects
- Exteriors
- Christmas
***Tip–It’s much better to actually clip from magazines rather than to save the whole thing–unless you really love every single page. Just remember that collecting magazines can quickly become a sickness requiring therapy…When you start getting rid of your kids’ educational toys so that you can have room for your 15 years worth of Southern Living, then you know you have a problem.
Next, cut the fabric an inch bigger than the cardboard. Wrap each piece neatly, securing fabric to the back with hot glue. Cut the ribbon in half, and staple to the the front and back of the file. (I put a loop in the ribbon, stapling a few times for strength.) Now, hot glue the pretty, fabric-covered cardboard to the file front and back of the file. Use plenty of glue. Your staples should not show, and the ribbon should look nice coming from the top of the fabric. Last, print labels to match your categories and stick to the file.
Finally, load your file. Enjoy your organized ideas and know that the next time you need inspiration, you’ll still have time to get your project started!
