On a decorating budget? No problem! Dress up your bookcase or coffee table with these shabby chic wire baskets! So easy to make and put together, you don’t need many tools or time to make them. They’re great for those on a budget, and they work for any occasion! Use them as part of centerpieces for weddings, as gift baskets, or just to dress up and organize your home. Take a look at the tutorial below!

Supplies:

1) Woven wire or hardware cloth (you can find this wire at the hardware store in rolls with 1/2″ or 1/4″ openings)

2) Tin snips

3) Needle nose pliers

4) Metal or wood ruler

5) Graph paper and pen

Step #1:

Draw out your pattern on graph paper that has a 1/2″ grid. This step is optional, but it makes it easier to see where you need to cut the wire.

Step #2:

Cut your pattern out of the wire using the tin snips. Leave the wires long on alternating edges so you can use them to hold your basket together.

Step #3:

After cutting out the pattern, use your ruler to help you bend each side of the basket up.

Step #4:

Bend the long ends of the wire and loop them around using the pliers to hold the corners in place.

Step #5:

When you’re working on the top edge, bend over the cut tops to make a loop that curls toward the inside of the basket.

Step #6:

Now that you’ve finished your basket, you can decorate it any way you wish! You can line it with fabric, add tags, and fill it up with desk supplies, mail, or anything you need to keep organized!

Photos: Four Corners Design.

The freezer is a cold and desolate place that’s home to forgotten, icy food. Our goal in this article is to show you how to declutter your freezer, remove all unusable food, and salvage the rest. Let’s get started!

Defrosting

Many modern freezer’s don’t require defrosting, but they use up to 35% more energy than the manual defrost models. The auto defrost cycle sucks all the moisture out of frozen food and can affect food quality. You need to defrost manual freezers when the ice reaches 1/4 – 1/2 inch thick.

Defrosting Do’s:

1) Unplug the Machine: Always turn off the power to the freezer before defrosting.

2) Empty the Freezer: Remove all food and store it in ice chests while you are defrosting the freezer.

3) Melt the Ice: You can leave the freezer door open and wait for the ice to melt, or add heat to speed up the process. First make sure you have an old towel on the floor to catch dripping water. Use pans filled with warm water to melt the ice, or use a blow dryer.

4) Clean Up: When you’ve removed the ice, scrub the freezer with a paste made out of baking soda and water. The baking soda will absorb any odors and remove food spills. Don’t forget to wash the shelves and freezer baskets in warm, soapy water. Make sure they’re completely dry before putting them back in your freezer.

5) Plug it Back In: Close the freezer door and plug it in. Let the freezer run for 15 minutes before putting the frozen food back in.

Defrosting Don’ts:

1) Be Gentle: Don’t use ice picks or knives to remove the ice. A slip can cause injuries to you and the freezer.

2) Safety: If you’re using a hair dryer to melt the ice, be cautious about electric shock. Don’t stand in puddled water or allow the water to drip onto the hair dryer.

3) No Suds: Don’t use soapy water to clean the freezer. Soap is hard to rinse, and a soapy residue can affect the taste of your food.

Organizing

1) Add Labels: Adding labels to your frozen food is key in keeping your freezer organized. Label each package with the food’s name, number of servings, and the date it was added to the freezer. Use a permanent marker to write the labels.

2) Date Everything: To manage your frozen food properly, you need to make sure they’re fresh. Always write a date on every package you add to the freezer. Rotate food so that new food is behind older packages.

3) Organize by Category: If you have a large freezer, you should organize it by category. Casseroles should be in one area of the freezer, beef steaks and roasts in another, and turkey and chicken at the bottom of the basket where they’re easy to grab.

4) Use Freezer Baskets: Baskets with a flat bottom can support floppy freezer bags and organize freezer contents. Put all vegetables in one basket, bread in the other, etc.

5) Square Containers: When freezing soup, use rectangular or square containers. They will fit together easier and take up less space than cylindrical shapes.

6) Rotate: Always use older products first, and keep newer food behind older ones.

Photos: The Happy Housewife, A Life Less Digital, The Glamourous Housewife, Say What You Need to Say Blog.

It doesn’t matter if your office is for running a business, or simply paying bills, everyone should have a space where they can get work done in comfort. An office should be a space where you want to spend time, so it should be organized, comfortable, and reflect your personal style. Check out our tips on how to design an organized home office!

1. Get a Good Chair

You’ll be spending a lot of time sitting in your office chair, so invest in a high-quality one. A comfortable seat is worth every penny!

2. Wall Color

Choose a wall color that you love, and one that makes you feel relaxed and at ease. Don’t go for drab colors, but choose one that brightens up the room – and you! Some people love bright green, others feel relaxed with sea foam. Choose a color that suits you best and keeps your office looking as professional as possible. You may also want to consider personalizing your home with vinyl lettering and wall decals for a temporary look that’s budget friendly and cute!

3. Organize

Since many offices tend to be on the smaller side, organization is key to getting the most out of your space. Hang shelves onto the walls to get rid of unnecessary clutter on your desk, and use vertical file folders to keep important papers in one place. Also be sure to label where everything goes, with printed labels like those from labelcity.com, inc. 

4. Light

Make sure your office has plenty of light to keep headaches and eye strain at bay. Turn your computer monitor away from direct light to avoid a glare, and place a lamp on your desk to brighten it up. If you are working from home or even studying at home, it is important to keep your working environment as comfortable as possible. To make your life even easier when doing school work, consider writemyessayforme cheap or customtermpaperwriting.org.

5. Accessories

Liven up your space with cute accessories like trendy notepads, or a colorful bulletin board. Hang up paintings or prints on your walls that inspire you.

6. Location

When choosing a space for your home office, decide what kind of environment suits you best. Do you prefer a quiet area, or a high-traffic one? If you will have clients stopping by, choose a private and quiet area. Looking for more ways to decorate your office? Check out our tips on how to design an organized home office and save on furniture with this overstock coupon code!

Photos: Lonny Mag, Decor Pad, Birch and Bird, House to Home, Yatzer, Daily Icon.

The key to keeping your garage tidy and organized is having a place for everything. Investing in storage for all your items keeps them off the floor and easy to find. If your garage is currently overloaded with things you don’t need and very disorganized, it may be time to start getting things in order. If you use your garage as a workshop or use it to fix up your damaged car, there are still ways to keep it organized and tidy. Take a look at these 7 ideas to keep your garage organized and the envy of all your neighbors!

1. Shelves

Put up a few shelves to get smaller items off the floor. You can find cheap ones at Ikea that will hold all your necessities without breaking the bank.

2. Storing Tools

Use a pegboard to keep all your tools in one place. Attach hooks to keep your tools at hand and in view when you need them.

3. Use Cans

Use cans to hold sand, salt, or bird seed. Way easier than messy bags, metal cans provide a secure place to hold things that are prone to spilling.

4. Hooks

You don’t have to use hooks just for tools! Bikes, ladders, and shovels can be hung up to make more space in your garage and max our your self storage.

5. Work Bench

Get yourself a workbench so you can have a place to store tools or potting supplies. It gives you a workplace where you can get projects done without having to worry about mess or damaging your floor.

6. Plastic Bins

Plastic bins are a great way to store your stuff! Halloween and Christmas decorations, toys, tools, sports equipment, you name it! They’re affordable too, and they’re perfect for those on a budget.

7. Containers

Small containers, like the ones used for spices, are great for holding small items that are easily lost. Use them to hold screws and nails and mount them using magnets.

Photos: BHG, Home Edit, Fortikur, Pancakes and French Fries.