DIY Life

A set of ten boxes, nested one within the other. The largest is perhaps two feet square and a foot deep (60 cm x 60 cm x 30 cm), the smallest half those dimensions.

You can purchase the yummy unit shown at right through Seletti, or -- using instructions provided by those generous folk at Seletti -- you could make your own very personal unit, and save yourself a significant bundle of cash!

You'll need a collection of sturdy wooden boxes in various sizes, decorating materials, and two sections of heavy-duty strapping.

Pam Garrison is a relatively well-known artist and craft blogger: you may have seen her work in the Somerset family of magazines, or over at her blog.

Recently, Pam wrote about a decorating project she'd done in her own home: she made over the closet in her art room by papering its interior and adding shelves.

There's nothing so unusual in that, but the paper is entirely vintage (and vintage-style) wallpaper scraps, put up in a patchwork style. The effect is a cheerful and pretty collage. She credits the inspiration for the project to Alicia Paulson of the popular blog Posie Gets Cozy, who has done a closet door in a similar style.

Read more about how Pam did it, along with some further suggestions of my own, after the break.

I recently adopted a 10-year-old boy. Despite his having a big room with a big closet, a big dresser, and a big bookshelf, his stuff has slowly spilled out to the rest of the house in a big, big way. I've reassigned drawers and shelves all over the house for his belongings, but still we've had trouble keeping any semblance of organization.

I don't know about your kids, but for my son, anything that requires too much effort is useless. The over-the-door rack I bought for his baseball caps? It's completely empty. The case I bought for his Hot Wheels cars? It doesn't even house one measly little vehicle.

But there are kid-friendly storage solutions. What I've learned is that when it comes to kids and storage, easier is better. I'll discuss what I did after the break.

Thanks to Debra and Anna you've probably already managed to organize your bedroom closed and overhaul your linen closet. Now it's time to tackle that dreaded pantry.

My pantry was haunting me, overflowing with cracker boxes and craft supplies, just begging for a makeover. Last night I took on this project and I'll share the process with you here.

What you'll need

1. Baskets (various sizes, that fit in your pantry)
2. Tupperware containers
3. Cleaning supplies
4. Garbage bag
5. Flat surface for sorting

After the break, I'll take you through my pantry transformation.

Sure, this has been going around for a few days now, but it fits so well into the "Hillbilly How-to" way of thinking, that I couldn't let it pass. Few things stifle the hillbilly mindset like boring, monotonous office work -- there are no trucks to tinker with, no donkeys to feed, and rarely any NASCAR to watch on TV. Modern office environments are enough to drive most people (hillbillies or not) to the bottle, which is why I thought these two projects were so practical.

Can you spot the hidden booze in this picture?


How about this one?


If it's not immediately noticeable, then you can consider both of these "booze concealing" projects a success. Continue reading if you're interested in seeing the BIG REVEAL!

Have you ever been on your way to a party, then realized that you didn't have a card or a gift box for the gift you'd planned to take? Are you getting married, and want to make your own invitations? As long as you have printer-ready card stock, a craft knife, and a bone scorer/folder around the house, you're covered.

Ruth Ann Zaroff's Mirkwood Designs is a site that was once known for its excellent hand-carved rubber stamps (no longer made), but is currently known for its wide variety of printable card, box, and envelope templates.

Among the 50+ templates you'll find: the center-tie card shown above, a heart card, a butterfly card, a paper doll, a trapezoid box, a library card book pocket, faux postage, a milk carton box, a take-out box, a mug card, and much more. Instructions for using each template are included. Most projects can be completed in under half an hour.

Ask any bibliophile: we don't like moving. We lose the organizational schemes that we've developed for our personal libraries, and books are heavy, like chunks of wood. Even a small box of books can be difficult to lift; if not packed correctly, books are easily damaged. But a move is sometimes unavoidable.

A few years ago, I moved from one end of the country to the other, on very short notice. I knew that I'd be moving eventually, but had no exact timetable, so I began by packing books. I have a lot of books. I did hours of online research to find out what libraries and movers recommend as the ideal way to transport a collection.

When the time to move came suddenly, the movers we hired (who were not terribly professional) finished the packing. At the other end of the trip, all the boxes I'd packed came out in good shape; every single box they'd packed had at least one or two damaged items in it.

There is a "right way" to pack books, one which minimizes damage and the likelihood of back strain. I'll describe it after the break.