I found this door hook pretty easy to use too.  I just held in the side button and stretched out these clear plastic lines until they were the length that I wanted.  I stuck one line over the right side of my closet door and the other line over the left side of my closet door.  Then I hung a shoe bag off of the hook.  This got a lot of shoes off of the floor and up where I can see them.

As the holidays come, I’ll probably get another Zip’n Hang for my front door so that I can hang a wreath and still get my front door shut.  Which is something that I couldn’t do last year with the wreath hook that I bought.  And, I think I’ll by a second Zipn’ Hang with an ironing board hook so that I’ve got a spot for my ironing board that’s out of the way.

If you’re interested in getting a Zipn’ Hang to try out on your own, head to the Zipn’ Hang site and order it.  It’s a great way to stay organized in your Small Space.

The organizer of my dreams!

One of the biggest problems that I had in my clothes closet, is a messy collection of spare hangers sitting on a shelf that frequently fell on my head as I was pulling a sweater off of the shelf.  Not any more!  I’ve discovered the Hanger Hamper!

This new product is helping to organize closets every where. The Hanger Hamper is a patent pending triangle-shaped, collapsible storage unit that can conveniently stack and store up to 100 hangers. Instead of awkwardly shoving unused hangers into a laundry bag to return to the dry cleaner or up on a closet shelf, the Hanger Hamper allows for easy storage, transport and unloading of hangers.

The strap makes it easy to carry and return collected hangers to the dry cleaner. Hanger Hamper also creates more rod space for clothes and provides an organized storage option for extra hangers.

Do you want one as badly as I do?  Well, I’m happy to report that the Hanger Hamper sells for $9.95 and is available at: www.improvementscatalog.com.  Enjoy your organized closet and the extra space!

As we know, a small space makes you think more creatively about how to design that space so that it works for your life.  This book will actually show you 40 small, cool spaces that will really give you ideas for things to do in your apartment or house.

You’ll see examples of apartments and houses from the entrance way to the living room to the kitchen to the bedroom and the home office.   Just imagine:

•   Using contrasting colors to shift the scale of the room
•   Adding airiness by using transparent collections
•   Putting a kitchen or mini-bar under a loft bed
•   Creating a office space in the corner of a bedroom

No matter what your budget, you can make some improvements to your space that will yield results. “The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces” along with photos, include’s the author’s favorite websites for buying desks, storage solutions, and other useful furniture.  It’s one of the better books I’ve seen for real life ideas that we can all use to make our small space more livable.

In an image on Ruby portfolio she gives a great idea for adding seating to a room. The stools while decorative are kept nicely out of the way until they are needed.  When you are trying to get the most out of a small space, it’s sometimes best to call in interior designers and architects who will see possibilities that you might miss.  While working with individual interior designers will vary by who you choose, the process of working with the folks at Ruby has two main phases.

Design Phase

During the Design Phase, they present floor plans showing furniture layout, options for fabric, furniture, lighting, window treatment ideas, floor materials, and accessories. In the initial presentation, they will help you to decide on a layout and overall color schemes for your space. After the presentation, the next few weeks are spent helping you to refine your choices and make decisions.

Implementation Phase:

Once you’ve decided to get started, then you are presented with a budget based on your decisions that they will help you to prioritize. Next, they obtain quotes and draft purchase orders for your review. At this point, you get a package containing all selected materials and paperwork for your records. The final portion of the project involves accepting deliveries and accessorizing and styling your space. Project managers are on site for all deliveries, and your designer will help you to put the finishing touches on your home.

I can’t recommend working with an interior design professional highly enough.  I remember buying furniture for one of my apartments without help.  I ended up with a blue green chair and ottoman next to a floral couch which was predominately yellow green in color.  Given that I was living in a small space, there was no other room to move the chair and ottoman to and I ended up needing to have them slipcovered.  You bet I used an interior designer to help me choose the fabric for my slip covers before I made another expensive mistake.

Food Savers Rescued My Refrigerator

I recently discovered the Hutzker world famous “Food Savers” at KitchenWares in Boston.  These little storage containers are shaped like onions, lemons, limes, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and other assorted fruits and vegetables. 

The two sides of the Food Saver attach by twist lock. They are made of polypropylene plastic, are phthalate and BPA-free. And, they are dishwasher safe. They’re not only good looking, but they protect the item inside better than a baggie while reminding you of what’s actually inside.  Sometimes I even stick them on the table at meal time and use them as a serving dish.

If you are interested in purchasing them online, take a look at Gourmac.com which is the online shop for Hutzler Manufacturing or give the company a call at:  860-824-5117 (between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. EST.)

• Less is More: When color blocking in your home, try to keep the focus on splashes of color, minimizing other distractions in the room.  For instance, if you decide to go with bright, spring shades on your bedding, keep the wall color a neutral white or grey.
• All in the Family:  For maximum impact, avoid mixing pastels and neon/bright shades.  Pastels are pretty on their own, but can get washed out by brighter tones.
• Lighten Things Up: Create added depth in a room by bringing in extra light sources.  Try glass or metal lamps on your night stands to help frame your bed with light and bring in another dimension to the space.  Also, since your walls may be a neutral shade, try adding picture lighting above framed artwork to create another focal area.
• Mix ‘n’ Match: Don’t be afraid of mixing bold colors together as everything doesn’t have to match when color blocking.  Try mix in bright pink with turquoise, and so on.  Taking risks is all part of the design process.  Have fun playing with color and you’re guaranteed to have a ton of fun in your living space.

Outdoorchef 420 City Grill

With spring comes a fresh awakening that beckons us outside in the warm air with thoughts of sunshine, gardening and barbecues. Many are spending more time in our small spaces as the weather gets nicer, which makes the garden and patio take center stage.  Overstock.com has a few simple tips that can help spruce up your patio and garden without breaking the bank:

 -Update any seat with an outdoor cushion that revitalizes the look of any chair or lounge

-Add an outdoor rug for an extra splash of color and design or a hammock for a cozy touch 

-Solar outdoor lighting can add an eco-friendly flare and will help you save on electrical bills

-Planters in various shapes, sizes and materials can spice up your surroundings

Making the most of revamping your garden can be gratifying  - especially when you don’t go broke doing it. Whether it’s an outdoor wrought iron dining set, solar lighting for your porch, gardening necessities and tools or serene decor such as cascading fountains, bird feeders or hammocks for the backyard – Overstock.com offers it all, with discounts of up to 70% off department store prices and shipping that never exceeds more than $2.95, no matter weight, size or quantity of items.  So go ahead — revitalize your patio and backyard while you rake in the savings.

1.)   Deep Clean – Start off your bathroom project with a nice deep clean, and sort the things that you need and throw away the stuff that you don’t use. You can find great clear plastic boxes, bins, drawer dividers and clear cosmetic bags to  – Add a lihide your things out of sight.  For the items that will stay in sight, put them in nice decorative storage containers.

2.)   Paint or Wallpaper – add a little color to your space with a nice bright semi-gloss paint made just for bathrooms and kitchens. These paints are not only easy to clean, but the ones made for your bathroom are also mold and mildew resistant. Wallpaper can be challenging since the moisture and humidity in the bathroom might cause the wallpaper to peel off. 

3.)   Replace the Bathtub/Shower – Instead of removing your bathtub, which can damage flooring, walls and plumbing and puts your bathroom out of service for days, get an acrylic bathtub or tub liner installed over the old tub.  Companies like Bath Fitter  can do this in just a few hours and for a fraction of the cost of a new one.

4.)   Update the Fixtures – Update those old gold fixtures (don’t forget the door knob!) with nickel, pewter or stainless steel fixtures for a modern look.

 5.)   Replace Linens – Old faded and stained towels give your bathroom a drab look.  Invest in some fluffy, bright towels to match your color scheme.

6.)   Accessorize – Throw rugs, shower curtains, bath mats, soap dishes and pictures are easy and low cost add-ons for any bathroom.

• Eliminate the aggravation of messy tangled cords with cable capture organizers (www.cablecapture.com).
• Get as much natural light as possible. If you can’t, consider bringing in your own lamp.
• Try a splash of color. Brighten up your workspace with living plants or fresh flowers.   Get some colorful containers for your pencil holder or file folders.
• Display interesting pictures, inspiring poems, or your own quotes.  Change them every few months.
• Play classical music on your headphones. Scientific studies have shown that over time, classical music can help increase your intelligence and help you relax more than any other music.