CasaSugar

Before and After: Taming a Messy Craft Room

CasaSugar — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:00:19 -0700

Roxy Nova recently posted some inspiring before and after photos of her craft room, and I absolutely love and admire this transformation. She says, "I'm very embarrassed to be posting these [photos] because my house is usually not nearly this messy, but once i decided to redo the room, everything kind of went to hell in a handbasket. it really became a dumping ground."

As messy and daunting as this room may look in this picture, Roxy Nova was able to tame it with a lot of hard work and some smart organizing ideas. To see the glorious afters, read more.

Can you believe the difference? Roxy Nova made sure to create an organized space for her sewing machine, which you can see in this photo. She also took down the closet doors and replaced them with pretty tree-printed curtains. Multiple shelving units provide space for organizing boxes of patterns, fabrics, and other needed craft materials. Roxy's husband hung up organizing units for tools and notions including scissors, thread, and ribbon.

Oh, and as if all that wasn't enough, Roxy also reupholstered this cute chair. I love her use of color and pattern. It really makes the room pop, and seems like the perfect place for sewing, crafting, and getting inspired.

I am seriously feeling some craft room envy right now. Are you?

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Su Casa: Amers230's Closet Solution

CasaSugar — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 04:30:57 -0700

Su Casa member Amers230 recently shared an inventive solution to her overcrowded closet. She writes, "I recently switched rooms with my sister, and while the room itself is bigger, I lost some closet space in the deal. My bags were literally falling out of my closet and hanging off of my bookcase. I had no idea what I was going to do with them until I got the new Ikea catalog in the mail. Page 202 was my answer. It showed a girl's room with some pan racks hanging on the wall, holding various accessories."

"I also have a small entrance hallway to my room which was just dead space at the moment. I decided to go with three of the Grundtal dish racks because the silver matched other items in my room and it was a bit smaller than the other options. I also ended up buying five five-packs of the matching hooks (which I'm not exactly in love with because the hook portion is actually quite small. I may switch to regular S hooks at some point)."

To hear how Amers230's using her new closet solution, read more.

Amers230 goes on to write, "The angle on the picture is kind of weird, but the racks are centered between my open door and my dresser. I've played around with it for a few weeks now and while I had originally intended for it to hold more accessories (I've had my belts, headbands, and scarves there at various points), I think it looks best just with my purses and tote bags. It's by no means a perfect solution, but it really works for me. My closet is now more bearable and I've even been switching up my purses more now that I can see what I have (and don't have, I never realized I owned mostly black bags!). It also added a lot of color to my plain white wall, which I love. And it only cost about $40, which in my opinion is a big bang for my buck!"

Do you have a cool storage solution or home improvement to share? Join Su Casa!

Su Casa: An Example Worth Following

CasaSugar — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 07:26:38 -0700

Well, I don't know about you, but today's Su Casa puts my own organizational skills to shame. In her very first apartment - where, she says, "closets are a luxury" - Divagwendolyn has organized her shoes, bags, clothes, hats, and seasonal attire on one immaculately ordered shelf. And yes, those boxes are even complete with labels!

What strategy do you use to organize your clothes? Tell me below, or post your own photos in the Su Casa group.

Fab Read: Shop Your Closet – The Ultimate Guide to Organizing Your Closet With Style

FabSugar — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:00:22 -0700

Shop Your Closet: The Ultimate Guide to Organizing Your Closet With Style by Melanie Charlton Fascitelli ($14) is cooler than most humans I know; it had a party thrown in honor of its birth! The author, a closet expert, teaches you how to make a safe haven for your clothes so that you can, yes, go shopping in your own closet.

Expect to learn the following: how to clean out your closet, shop for items that flatter your body, make the best wardrobe for your lifestyle, rework your closet space, and store shoes and clothes so that they last longer. You'll also get schooled on how to consign your old stuff, keep your closet neat, and pack smartly. But wait, there's more. Who would have thought one could pack so much useful knowledge in 176 pages?!

The Honeymoon's Over: How to Organize Your New Couple's Closet

FabSugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:00:22 -0700

If you're a traditional gal, chances are you won't move in with your husband-to-be until he is, well, your husband. Sorry to burst your love bubble, but living together means sharing a closet - gasp! For any gal who is overly protective of her clothes (present), this reality is downright scary. But don't reconsider your commitment now; I've got some solutions to ease your closet-sharing fears.

Since you'll probably be moving your clothes into a new closet, it's the ideal time to get rid of stuff you haven't worn in over a year. Honestly, if you haven't worn it in that long, you probably won't wear it again. Plus, even more reason to buy new stuff!
There's nothing like hanging your lovely clothes on pretty and scented hangers. Buy a bunch and you'll keep your section of the closet ultra feminine.
You can barely count how many handbags you own. It's OK - that's why buying a hanging purse organizer is useful. If your husband finds your purses lying on the floor, he won't get that you and your bags are inseparable. And if that happens, you won't be able to defend yourself when buy that new bag to have.

To learn more closet-sharing tips, read more

Color coordinating. Since menswear is in vogue, you don't want to run the risk of mixing your clothes up with your hubby. My solution? Color code your entire wardrobe. Start with dark colors (black, navy blue); then move on to neutrals (white, creme, heather gray); finally, get into the colors (fuchsia, orange, yellow). I like to create a little closet rainbow.
Get some hanger tags that let you know how many times you've worn your clothes. That way, you don't over-wash, and in turn, ruin, your clothes.
Investing in a big jewelry chest is a must because you don't want your man messing with your gorgeous bling. To keep it out of his way, keep it on your dresser.
Drawer nooks are a great way to divide your undies and socks and to keep things nice and tidy.
Perfumed drawer papers are great for keeping your lingerie smelling fresh. Wink.
Though I don't share a closet (yes!), check out On My Way To a Fab Closet for inspiration.

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How-To: Share a Closet With Your Valentine

CasaSugar — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:00:18 -0800

In a dream world, we'd all have a custom-built walk-in closet to ourselves, à la Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City: The Movie. But let's face it: wallets the size of Mr. Big's are few and far between. So, we share. Sometimes, unfortunately, sharing a closet with your better half feels like World War III. To lighten the tension and take the frustration out of making two wardrobes fit into one - whilst keeping you both organized and happy - I got a few tips from the experts of closet organizing: California Closets.

Split your closet: ladies 60/men 40. In order to make this work, give your man the hall closet to store his large items, like jackets and suits.
Ladies: If your spouse stores his stinky gym shoes in the closet, add lavender sachets to your hangers to keep your clothes smelling sweet.

For the rest of the tips, read more.

Have a “no clothes on the floor” rule. If your man’s clothes are on the closet floor for more than 24 hours, he has to give you a 10-minute foot massage.
Since women like to display their shoes, add a shoe rack on the back of the closet door and have him use the closet floor.
Couples with a small closet: Remove all accessories as these take up a lot of space. An easy way to store these is in a flat, plastic bin under the bed.

Let's Swap - Spice up Your Wardrobe and Have Fun

OnSugar Blog — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 04:00:22 -0800

Check out this fantastic fashion swap party idea from OnSugar blog amPartyGirl.

A fun way to spice up your wardrobe: Throw a swap party! That's right. It's a cool way to get the girls together and jazz up your fashion closet . . . especially if you are on a Closet Organization mission - like me.

Send an email invitation in advance to all of your besties giving them time to collect their items. Serve some appetizers and a signature cocktail. Everyone gets a chance to display their collection. You'll be moments away from a new look. Why stop there? You can also swap beauty items and your favorite books; sharing is caring. Be sure to be the hostess with the mostess and add a little party bag to go. Sephora has everything a girl can need to go in her little purse. You'll be sure to make your friends feel special.

To see how to set up a sweet fashion swap party, read more.

To set up a Swap Party:

Send an evite to your girlies in advance. To make sure you get the best swaps possible, you have to give your girls enough time to look through their closets. Try to send the invite 3-4 weeks in advance.

Set some ground rules. When you send out the Evite, make sure to be clear what is acceptable to bring and what isn't. Some people have never been to a swap party, so be clear. No personal items (undies are a no-no), no items with rips or stains that can't be easily corrected. You get the gist.

Set a minimum. Tell your girlies the minimum number of items they should bring. The goal is to have a nice selection so everyone goes home with a few items. 4-5 pieces are a good minimum.

Variety Variety Variety. No group of girls are all the same size. And thank gosh they're not - snooze. So make sure to tell your girlies to bring a variety of items - clothing, jewelry, handbags, belts, etc. That way you guarantee everyone goes home with something.

Pay it Forward. If you have items left over - and no one wants to claim them - no biggie, just drop them off at your local church or Goodwill. Someone out there needs it and will be grateful for it.

Here's to your next swap party and to new threads! Cheers!

Want to see more? Start following OnSugar blog amPartyGirl or start your own OnSugar blog. We may just feature your post on Fab!

Cool Idea: Garment Dividers

CasaSugar — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:00:00 -0700

About a year ago, I gave you all an in-depth guide to organizing your hangers. If you're like me, your closet is in tip-top shape for a couple weeks, and then it's time to get organized again. Well, I don't know of any gadgets that will keep my clothes off of the floor, but these Simple Division Garment Organizers ($9.99) do seem like they'll help keep my dresses from wandering off into the pant section. The set comes with 60 labels (in English and Spanish) and 12 dividers. But, you can also print your own labels if you want to make them cuter or if you're the owner of a nontraditional garment that needs a unique label - chaps, anyone? These dividers seem pretty handy, but I'm also feeling a DIY coming on!

Simply Fab: Practical Princess

FabSugar — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:00:22 -0800

Imagine enlisting a fellow fashionista to organize your closet in such a genius manner that you'd instantly become addicted to her services.

Elika Gibbs of Practical Princess is that go-to gal for many jet-setting women like Jimmy Choo-chief Tamara Mellon. If you have cash coming out of your ears, it may be worth it to invest in the royal treatment. Take advantage of the personal princess services like wardrobe maintenance, personal shopping with Elika, and attic attack; you can also purchase products online. Contact the company for more detailed information. . . . and get ready for the ultimate closet cleanout.

A Few Fab Words From Guest Blogger . . . Rachel Zoe!

Guest Writer — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:00:00 -0800

As someone who was bit by the fashion bug at a very young age - maybe even the womb - I am always looking for new ways to indulge in my love of style. Expanding on my career as a stylist, designer and editor, I have found yet another outlet to express my passion - blogging! That's right, I am beyond thrilled to announce that for the next few weeks, I will be sharing my thoughts on everything from spring trends to closet organization and how to get red carpet-ready, all right here on FabSugar! Are you as excited as I am? . . . It's going to be mah-jor you guys! xoRZ

P.S. My first post goes live next week, but in the meantime, you can sign up for The Zoe Report to receive a daily email about my latest obsessions in fashion, beauty and lifestyle!