DIY Life

When I was young and admittedly foolish, I supported myself by waitressing. Though I was constantly broke, I once dug through all of my coat pockets/waitressing aprons/jeans and came up with $150. I couldn't pay my bills, but I was floating in cash. I was a victim of a disorganized lifestyle. (Fortunately, a lot has changed since then!)

There are a lot of reasons to get organized -- a cleaner living space, less clutter, simpler routines, less stress. But did you know that being well organized could also save you money?

By knowing what you have and being able to actually find it, you're less likely to take a trip to the store (where you're sure to buy more than that one necessary item). Getting your financial life in order will help you avoid late fees when you miss a payment. And donating the things you don't need any more can help you at tax time, when you receive a deduction for charitable donations. Lifehack has eight valuable opportunities for getting organized and padding your pocketbook in the process.

In about a month, college students across the country will throw their caps in the air to mark the end of their campus careers. It's an exciting time of life that's marked by new jobs, new friends, and often new apartments.

Living on your own isn't quite the same as living with roomies or in a dorm, and even with a shiny new paycheck, things can be tight until you get on your feet.

Erin Doland of Unclutterer (a website which is now, officially, my best friend) recently wrote a guest post at Gen Pink on how to organize your first apartment. The idea here is not to run out to the nearest Container Store and buy every colorful plastic box in sight. Instead, Doland recommends that you:

• Spend some time thinking about how your kitchen will be used and unpack your boxes accordingly. Glasses near the sink, for instance, and pots and pans near the stove.
• Ask for household gifts as graduation presents. Since people don't get necessarily get married any more before setting up house, it's too bad we don't throw "first house/apartment" showers instead.
• Reuse items from your college apartment in a new way. Those milk crates, for instance, can become recycling bins.
• Prioritize what you need and focus on acquiring that. You'll be amazed by how little it takes to get by.
• Don't store your trash can under your sink where it can overflow and draw pests.

Let's hear it, DIY Life readers: what kind of advice would you share with first time apartment or home owners to get their living space in shape?

Every sewing room I have ever laid eyes on has been a big mess. To the person who owns the room, it looks exactly as it should, because they know where every pair of scissors, every piece of felt, and every bit of yarn and string is located.

Secretly, I think they are too freaked to even start cleaning up their mess. Most sewing rooms I have seen are small, with barely enough room to work, let alone a place to store all their crafting necessities. Everyone wishes they had a way to end the mess and become more organized.

Craftster user StephaniePrice had an issue with accessibility in her sewing room too, so she decided to go to her local Lowe's and buy a pegboard. Her husband drew the tomato pincushion on the pegboard, and she got happy with a jigsaw. Several coats of primer, and red, black, and green paint for the tomato, completed her new board.

I think the pegboard is a fantastic way to end the clutter in any room. If you decide to do this project, be sure to read through all the reader comments; Stephanie tells how she hung the pegboard and the vinyl "pins" on the wall, as well as how she removed any excess paint from the holes.

While I was working on another post, this double-desk project, a workspace for two, caught my eye. A bookshelf with file baskets hung on its side separates two desk surfaces. The overall effect is like those library study carrel tables that you may have used in high school or college. You can download the instructions for the Two's Company desks at DIY Ideas.

Not much is ever really new. If you like this project, check out Christopher Lowell's wonderful book Seven Layers of Organization, which has several similar desks built with bookshelves and doors. (Why a door? Because they're commonly available, usually pretty inexpensive, and the hole for the doorknob is perfect for wrangling the cords and wires that proliferate at the back of most desks.)

The May/June 2007 issue of Blueprint also had a pair of desks which were placed back-to-back, as these were, but with a sheet of colored Plexiglas between them. This set-up is perfect for a shared home office, or for siblings who have to share a bedroom. If you'd prefer to use the Plexiglas, it shouldn't cost too much more than a sturdy bookshelf. It should be the same width as both desks, 28" or so taller than the desks' writing surface, and should be 1/4" thick with polished edges.

Clicking through the other ideas in the DIY Ideas: Get To Work gallery, you will see an artist's studio that uses shelving with standards/anchors and brackets, as well as hanging shoe bags. There's also a basic desk whose top has been livened up with rectangles of peel-and-stick vinyl floor tile, and some ideas to make your home office more relaxing.

[via Apartment Therapy]