Red Leaf Style

January 31, 2017

Get Organized: A Collection of Home Organization Tips & Ideas

If your new year’s resolution was to finally get organized, don’t give up on that resolution just yet. (Statistics show that 80 percent of people who make a new year’s resolution Jan. 1 won’t stick with it by Valentine’s Day.) Get your whole house in order with my favorite strategies, tips and ideas for home organization. I’ll give room-by-room organization tips, plus cute storage ideas. From the bathroom to the office, here’s how to finally clear the clutter and get organized. 5 Ways to Use Wooden Boxes for Storage We all need to store stuff. Why not make it look good at the same time? Wooden boxes are one of my favorite creative storage solutions that serve a purpose and look attractive. You can pile just about anything in them and they make a jumbled mess of stuff much more easy on the eyes. Try these creative ways to use wooden boxes for storage. Stylishly Organize Your Home With Vintage Tins We often associate “storage” with dumpy, bulky plastic tubs and containers. When you work so hard to fill your home with items that fit your style, you might wonder why can’t storage do its job and look good too?...

January 17, 2017

How to Repurpose Old Calendars into Bookmarks

Inside: Want a good way to reuse those old wall calendars? This creative craft project demonstrates how to repurpose old calendars into bookmarks. Don’t toss out last year’s calendar just yet. You can repurpose those dated calendars into bookmarks. Because bookmarks are one of those things that always seem to get lost. Like keys, socks and your mind when you’re trying to find said keys, socks and bookmarks. Where do they GO? Book lovers know you can never have too many bookmarks. So, why not easily create your own bookmarks from that calendar you were going to throw in the trash? Besides keeping unnecessary waste out of the landfill, making your own bookmarks may also help you keep that New Year’s resolution of reading more this year. A pretty bookmark may be all the incentive you need to crack open a few more books. Get ready to turn those pages. (And not lose your spot). Here’s a step-by-step tutorial showing how to repurpose old calendars into bookmarks. Every year, my mom buys me a couple of wall calendars for Christmas. And every year in January, my eco-conscious heart hates to toss out the old ones, even if I am...

January 1, 2017

New Year’s Resolutions for 2017

Like many of us, a lot of my New Year’s resolutions tend to carry over year to year. The ones that never seem to leave my list are: Write more. Read more. Enjoy more. Slow down. While all of these goals still hold true this year, I have just one resolution for 2017. One oh-so-simple resolution that will hopefully reduce my stress, help me get organized and keep me sane. Before I tell you what my resolution is for the coming year, I want to reflect on all of the happy things 2016 brought. Because despite everything, it was a good year! This year I traveled to Iceland. Iceland! Slept on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, soaked in the ice blue sulfur waters of the Blue Lagoon, ate the best fish soup of my life. And that wasn’t my only adventure. I kayaked; hiked; camped. Trout fished at a spot I hadn’t been to since I was a kid. I may not have purchased my own house like I wanted this year, but I helped my sister transform her home. Painted two bathrooms. Completely remodeled the laundry room. And finished countless other little projects. In 2016, I stepped out more. Went...

December 28, 2016

How to Repurpose an Old Toolbox Into a Craft Caddy You’ll Love

When you’re crafting, do your supplies explode all over your work surface? One minute you’re crafting up a storm and the next you can’t even clear an area to work because you’re drowning under a pile of stickers, glue and paper. At least that’s my typical experience. Organizing craft supplies isn’t easy. From ribbon to pens to tape, craft supplies tend to be small, awkwardly shaped and plentiful. See how I used an old toolbox to corral my craft supplies into a convenient craft caddy. Corral your craft supplies An old metal toolbox is the perfect size for a craft caddy. It’s easy to move from room to room, which I tend to do when crafting. And this way I can keep all of the supplies for the project I’m currently working in one spot. Choose a toolbox with patina Sure, you could buy a plastic caddy from a dollar store, but where’s the fun in that? When it comes to the items in your home, it’s not always about simply being useful; It’s about being enjoyable, too. And, if I’m going to have my craft caddy sitting around the house, then I want it to blend in with...

December 23, 2016

Holiday House Tour 2016

Welcome to my home for the holidays this year. It’s actually my sister’s townhouse. What an amazing sister to let me live there while I’m house hunting. Despite her sometimes ‘bah humbug’ attitude when it comes to holiday decor, she also let me decorate her home for Christmas. (And, I might have gone a little overboard.) From a coffee filter wreath to DIY garlands to a few tchotchkes here and there (…and there…and there,) see how I decorated my sister’s urban townhouse for Christmas. It’s my holiday house tour 2016. All it takes is a few pops of red to make your home feel Christmas-y. Throw pillow covers, like these ones from IKEA, are easy to slip on when the holidays roll around—and easy to take off and store away once the season is over. A cozy, red blanket draped on the end of the couch (or over the back of it) is another simple trick to add holiday cheer. It’s also practical and not just for looks. My coffee filter wreath adorns the back of the balcony door. Along with a ‘Merry Christmas’ banner from the Dollar Spot at Target, it creates a festive focal point in the...

December 21, 2016

DIY Christmas Garland: Wood Chip Pompom Garland

DIY Wood Chip Pompom Garland | redleafstyle.com

This year, I took a cue from Scandinavian decorating to make a DIY Christmas garland to outfit my Christmas tree. (And it wasn’t just because I purchased the tree at IKEA.) Instead of a full tree dripping with ornaments, the IKEA Christmas tree encourages Scandinavian minimalism with its sparse branches. I’m not sure what it is about this look that works so well. But it does. Maybe fewer branches mean making more thoughtful ornament choices, since you only have so many branches to hang them on. Or, maybe it’s the deliciously rustic quality of it. As if it was a real tree—imperfections and all—chopped down just outside my door. Or, maybe the simplicity is what makes the tree. It’s not decked out in twinkling lights or shrouded in sparkly twine. Whatever it is, I needed an equally rustic and uncomplicated garland to drape on the tree. When looking at my craft supplies, I saw a bowl full of wood chips and a bag of pompoms and I knew I had to make a DIY Christmas garland using the two. Here’s how to create your own wood chip pompom garland. Gather your supplies together to make your DIY Christmas garland....

December 12, 2016

3 Festive Christmas Wreaths

Are you still decking the halls and putting the final touches on your Christmas décor? As Christmas gets closer, I keep finding ways to make my home just a little bit merrier. One Christmas decoration I can’t do without is a wreath. I tend to DIY my own every year. (I can’t stop at just one!) Wreaths are so easy to make yourself. And, you have so many DIY options. Cover it in yarn or fabric. Make a ruffled burlap wreath. Use candy canes, fake poinsettias or bows. There are so many ideas out there! If you need a Christmas wreath, then look no further. I’ve got you covered. Here are my three favorite festive wreaths that you can make yourself. 1. DIY Ornament Wreath for $10 or Less Add some sparkle to your front door with this ornament wreath made from dollar store materials. Besides saving money when you make your own ornament wreath, you can also customize it any way you want. You get to choose the exact color combination and size. Here’s how you can make your own homemade ornament wreath for $10 or less. Make your own ornament wreath. 2. DIY Coffee Filter Wreath Can you...