Tag: storage

9 storage and packing hacks for moving house

Post author By Guest Poster
Post date October 14, 2014
2 Comments on 9 storage and packing hacks for moving house

Whether you’re moving or clearing a home, packing up household items is a time-consuming and tedious task that everyone is familiar with. Supercheap Storage share their expert insider tips to ensure your belongings endure their journey.

Add bi-carb soda to clothing, books and linen. Before stowing clothes and books away, add a sprinkle of bi-carb soda to prevent that stale scent from occurring. Including a fragrance bag of dried lavender will add a pleasant, fragrant touch.
Recycle cartons for packing Christmas decorations. Egg cartons, shoe boxes and iPhone cartons are perfect for separating items and making them easy to find. Winding fairy lights around a flat piece of cardboard is an easy way to avoid them getting tangled.
Pack mirrors and picture frames upright. Logically, many people pack these items horizontally, but by packing them in vertically and tucked in tight, they are less likely to break. Blankets are best to protect these fragile pieces.
Pack linen within its own pillow case. Just like socks, pillows and sheets of a set easily go missing. To avoid this and to keep linen tidy, fold everything and place inside one of its own pillow cases.
Match up item shapes. To maximise space when packing items, match up similar shapes. For instance, if packing away kitchen trays, put all the rectangular trays together and all the circle trays together.
Tape screws, bolts and allen keys to matching furniture items or toys. In the rush of a clean or a move, it’s easy to misplace these essential parts. It’s the same with electrical items — ensure the cord is attached or taped to the item to make it easier when unpacking.
Remove batteries from toys, gadgets and appliances. This will prevent items from accidentally being switched on while also protecting these items from battery corrosion.
Teabags are useful for fridges. After cleaning the fridge, it needs to stay ajar. Placing teabags on each corner is a handy way to do this before wrapping.
Prevent damage using mobile storage options. If external storage is needed, opt for mobile storage. This prevents double handling of loading and unloading items, which helps ensure belongings remain intact.

– Supercheap Storage are Australia’s premier mobile storage company with warehouses across Australia and internationally. For more information visit their website here.

Tags moving, moving home, packing, renovating, renting, storage, Supercheap Storage

Bathrooms Expert Tips

Transform your laundry into a beautiful multi-purpose hub

Post author By Guest Poster
Post date October 9, 2014
1 Comment on Transform your laundry into a beautiful multi-purpose hub

By Laney Clancy

I have sometimes looked at photos of laundries of the likes of Martha Stewart and found myself daydreaming about ironing clothes in a pristine sunlit room with French doors and then happily spending hours sorting coloured from whites… Yeah right! Seriously though, while we can’t all have the luxury of space and unlimited budgets to make over the humble laundry, we can inject life and style to hopefully make laundry day a bit more pleasant. Whether you have a tiny room or an expansive one, here are some tips to improve the functionality of one of the home’s busiest space.

Clever features with a load of functionality

PPP_Laundry by Richard Cole Architecture_Photo by Simon Wood Photography — Laundry by Richard Cole Architecture. Photo: Simon Wood Photography

The key to laundry makeovers is doing away with all pre-conceived ideas about what a laundry should look like:

1) Replace the ugly laundry tub with a half small kitchen-style sink and a more versatile, pull-out vegie sprayer.

2) Consider a bench over the washing machine if possible and squeeze in as many cupboards as aesthetically possible. Use them to hide washing machine taps – us plumbers are the only ones who need to see them!

3) Add a rod under the top cupboards, or a ceiling-mounted drying rack to hang items to dry.

Multipurpose your laundry

PPP_Laundry by Dan Kitchens_2 — Laundry by Dan Kitchens

You can make the most of the laundry by having it do double duty:

1) Install a spare loo to improve your house’s toilet-to-people ratio.

2) Use it as a mud room, or as an alternative entry to the house if access is convenient. Add some hooks for wet raincoats, bags and shelving for sports bags and you’re set!

3) Consider a pet-washing station.

Maintenance mojo

PPP_Laundry by Dan Kitchens — Laundry by Dan Kitchens

Floods due to a burst hose or valve are one of the most common insurance claims, with damages costing several thousand dollars, so maintenance goes beyond just cleaning the lint filter.

1) Ensure appropriate ventilation.

2) Change the washing machine hoses and valves every two years and keep a reasonable gap between appliances and the wall to prevent kinked hoses and blockages.

3) Install flood-stop valves to close the pipes and stop the flow of water in the event of an overflow.

Inject some style

The phrase ‘glam laundry’ is not an oxymoron; there are loads of ways to inject some style into your laundry. Use colour to add interest with paint, tiles and splashbacks. Just make sure your paint is designed to withstand humidity and ideally has chemicals that prevent the formation of unhygienic mold and mildew.

You can add some warmth with wood in your furnishings or cabinetry or bright accessories for pops of colour. Some of our clients have had beautiful framed artworks and funky lighting hanging in their laundries, and others have used plants to warm up their space. The idea is to not be restricted in your thinking, simply because it’s a laundry.

What’s your best laundry makeover tip?

– Laney Clancy is the marketing and finance manager at Pipe Perfection Plumbers in Sydney, a business that includes specialist Enviroplumbers and more.

Tags bathroom, glam laundry, laney clancy, laundry, multipurpose laundry, Pipe Perfection Plumbers, space, storage

Bathrooms Expert Tips

9 ways to make the most out of a small bathroom

Post author By Guest Poster
Post date September 26, 2014
9 Comments on 9 ways to make the most out of a small bathroom

By Samantha Magatelli

Most new builds have bathrooms that are designed to be much bigger than the bathrooms designed 20 or so years ago. So what do you do when you buy a beautiful character home that is perfect, apart from the pokey bathroom that comes with it?

Here are some tips to create the maximum space in a smaller than average bathroom:

http://www.blossomandbright.com/the-block-glasshouse-staircase-laundry-and-powder-room-reveals/ — Source: Blossom and Bright

Floating vanities can make the room appear larger as they give the illusion that the floor keeps on going.
Two basins are not needed in a bathroom in my opinion; they just take up extra space. Couples aren’t generally in there at the same time every day, so save room by putting the basin to one side. This way you maximise the amount of space on the bench for things like hairdryers, make-up etc. otherwise electrical items end up in the basin, and that can be dangerous!
If the wall where the vanity will be going is double bricked, you will have room in the cavity to recess the mirror cabinet creating extra hidden storage.
Source: Design Tribe
Hidden cisterns are the same idea as the recessed mirror. If the wall behind the toilet is double bricked (which more often that not it is) you will have room for a hidden cistern to be placed in-between the cavity. For homes that are timber-framed it is even easier. If these are not options in your home, you can create a half wall (around 1200mm in height) for the in-wall cistern to sit into, which will also act as a shelf for storing candles or decorative items. You can also use this as an opportunity to tile the half wall in a feature tile for a bit of interest in the room.
Recessed shelves/boxes in the shower are great for storing objects like shampoo and conditioner instead of having a shelf take up more room in the shower. Again, this will need to be on a double bricked wall or a timber-framed wall.
Source: Afamily
Larger tiles are a must for making a room appear larger as there aren’t as many grout lines closing the walls in. Also, laying them horizontally tricks the eye to follow the line across the wall, making the room feel larger. Choose a rectified tile so you can lay them close together and have minimal grout lines, which makes it easier for cleaning.
Tiling to the ceiling will also give that feeling of space so that the room appears larger than it is, as the light will reflect a lot better on a tile than on a painted wall.
Unless you have small children, I don’t think baths are necessary, especially in a small bathroom. They take up a lot of room unless you create a shower/bath combination, which isn’t always the most stylish option.
Source: Est Magazine
Lighting is another important factor to make a room appear larger. It is vital to use nice, bright lighting in a bathroom in the correct positions so there are no nasty dark shadows. I would suggest using LED down lights, or starlights, as they are more economical than a halogen, and come in a cool or warm tone to complement the colours used in the space.

– Samantha Magatelli is an interior designer at S&S Interiors.

Tags bathroom, baths, recess, showers, small bathroom, space, storage, vanities

Expert Tips

7 DIY hacks for small apartments

Post author By Guest Poster
Post date September 25, 2014
No Comments on 7 DIY hacks for small apartments

By Marcus Lim

Maintaining and decorating a home is expensive and incredibly time-consuming, and living in a small apartment adds the hassle of space constraints. Finding room for items other than the bare essentials can seem impossible, especially in a shared home.

Here are some inexpensive hacks and tips to make your home more comfortable, appealing and inviting, which are guaranteed to maximise scarce living space.

1. Hack your bathroom storage

Hanging cosmetic storage is a nifty DIY hack for shared bathrooms. Invest in some hanging cosmetic bags to free up shelf and bench space in small bathrooms. Buying different sizes and shapes will keep your items organised and separate from your housemates’ belongings. Consider hanging them on the bathroom door or the towel rack. If hanging bags don’t suit your bathroom space or you don’t like the look of them, try placing the cosmetic baskets in any free nooks and crannies that may be around the bathroom.

Tip: Invest in hanging bags that have a shabby chic design to make the bathroom look cosy and lived in, rather than ones that resembles a traveller’s hanging cosmetic bag.

2. Hack your privacy

Are you in desperate need of some privacy in your home but don’t wait to sacrifice the minimal light coming in? Putting frosted film over sections of windows is a simple way of blocking your home out from street view and neighbours and a far cheaper alternative to buying curtains or blinds. Try Frost & Co.

Tip: Window film is particularly useful for inconveniently placed bathroom windows, without having to block out the sun and light coming into the room.

3. Hack your light

Refuse space wastage. Don’t borrow/spend money on a standing light or lamp. What’s nice to look at, simple to set up and dirt cheap? Fairy lights. Hang them to suit your convenience; above your bed, across the ceiling, or even multiple strings of lights around the room. If your apartment has an outdoor area, fairy lights are a great way to brighten the space up and create a festive vibe when having guests over.

Tip: Hate having to get up to turn off the light when you’re already tucked into bed with a good book or movie? Position the fairy lights with the switch close to your bed for maximum convenience.

4. Hack your kitchen storage

Only have enough kitchen counter space for a kettle and loaf of bread? The back side of your pantry doors are perfect for extra kitchen storage. Simply nail in some hooks to hang a small saucepan, wooden spoon, measuring cup – you name it! Alternatively consider hanging your utensils up high on the walls or on other structures if the space allows for it. This will free up lots of space and achieve a beautiful rustic look.

Tip: If you’re unable to use the inside of the pantry door to hang utensils, you can also use the surface to attach a cork board, whiteboard or chalkboard, and stick up lists and other bits and bobs that you don’t have space to hang up elsewhere.

5. Hack your kitchen sink

Another DIY trick to save space in the kitchen is to purchase a cheap over-the-sink cutting board and strainer. This will free up counter space whilst cooking and will make cleaning up easier.

6. Hack your bedroom

Investing in a console table that fits over your bed is the ultimate DIY space-saver. Position the table at the end of your bed or against the wall. To re-purpose the table, simply remove the items and position it over your bed to do work or watch a movie on your laptop.

Tip: To save money, purchase a secondhand console table and paint it a colour of your choice.

7. Hack your decor

Feel as though your home is dull and depressing but don’t have the funds or time to go searching for beautiful decor? For a true DIY project, simply clean out used glass bottles and mason jars to fill them with candles, flowers or any other odds and ends of your choice. This is a cheap, quick, and sustainable way of brightening up your home and making it more inviting. Your guests will love it.

Tip: Line up the filled bottles/jars on the window sill for a summer feel.

Carry out one or more of these DIY hacks and watch your home instantly become less crowded and feel more inviting, for a minimum cost and effort.

– Marcus Lim is the founder and CEO of local services marketplace Oneflare.com.au, connecting Australians with 40,000 businesses across Australia.

Images courtesy of Oneflare.com.au

Tags apartments, design, interiors, small apartments, small bathroom, small kitchen, storage

Bathrooms

The latest ways to maximise bathroom storage

Post author By Olivia Shead
Post date July 9, 2014

Bathroom storage can be a bit of a nightmare. If you’re anything like me, you’ll have cupboards overflowing because of both a lack of storage and a rather unnecessary accumulation of toiletries! So when it comes to designing your bathroom it’s very important that you optimise every centimetre of space.

Blum Tandembox antaro-bathroom-1 — Blum Tandembox antaro

Thanks to some of their clever options, Lincoln Sentry can help you increase existing storage space by up to 55 percent!

According to program manager Alicia Draper, this new set of smart solutions utilises previously dead space, such as corners and undermounted basin surrounds, whilst also using all the existing space in drawer and cupboard areas. “Blum’s TANDEMBOX intivo and antaro, for example, offers customised drawers to house all items in the most compact manner – everything is kept in its place and is easily visible on first glance. Systems such as ORGA-LINE create a designated place for even the most oddly shaped items, making sure no space is ever wasted.”

Blum Tandembox intivo inner drawer-bathroom — Blum Tandembox intivo

Traditionally wasted space in bathrooms, such as the the corner of an L-shaped vanity, are seen as prime opportunities by Lincoln Sentry, with customised drawers available, including inner drawers that create two separate drawers within a deeper cavity.

Cupboards for storing towels and larger toiletries and accessories can also get a makeover, with the combination of TANDEMBOX and ORGA-LINE plus ease-of-motion options such as SERVO-DRIVE – the drawer requires only the lightest of touches to open smoothly and effortlessly – and BLUMOTION for easy-glide soft closing.

Blum Tandembox antaro-bathroom-5 — Blum Tandembox antaro

Irrespective of the limited space or awkward angles in your bathroom, Lincoln Sentry believe there is a storage solution for everything that will both optimise the space and offer aesthetics that will compliment the rest of the bathroom.

Tags bathroom, bathroom storage, cupboards, drawers, lincoln sentry, storage

Interviews The Block

Freedom Kitchens: bringing the latest trends from Milan to Australia within weeks

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date April 14, 2014

Last week saw THE event of the interiors calendar Salone Internazionale del Mobile (the international furniture fair) in Milan, and I was lucky enough to go for the first time. Within this mega fair sits Eurocucina, a kitchens-only showcase bigger than most Aussie trade fairs and full of beautiful things (read about the top trends I spotted here).

DSC_0093-processed — A display at Eurocucina in Milan

Freedom Kitchens sent a team of 10 of their designers to Milan to be inspired by Europe’s latest trends, innovations and materials in kitchens. Because they have their own Australian factory, this inspiration can become reality in customers’ kitchen within months — weeks even. This flexibility and freedom to move fast is what keeps their kitchens cutting edge and fashionable, as you may have seen on The Block Sky High.

Kim & Matt — Matt and Kim’s Freedom Kitchen from The Block Sky High

At the fair, Freedom Kitchens’ national sales director Susan Hasler said the kitchens at Milan were darker and moodier than last year with a lot of highlights in timber veneers and more matt than gloss finishes. “Some of the Dekton surfaces were very interesting and there was a lot of the concrete look and feel. It’s all a lot about texture. Touch and feel is really important.”

Cabinetry was perhaps more vertical than horizontal with taller pull-out drawers containing several internal drawers. Another trend she noticed was for integrated handles rather than a completely handle-less look.

Freedom Kitchens will be able to translate these innovations and trends to the local Australian market very quickly, while remembering that not everything will be popular or appropriate to our lifestyle. “We will be able to update some of our designs within a couple of months due to us manufacturing in Australia. We can do smaller runs, move quickly and see if things work and are popular,” Susan says. “It’s really important for us to come here to things like Eurocucina. Australia is sometimes thought of as being behind the times. You’re going to have a kitchen for a very long time so it’s important we’re ahead of the game. You don’t want to invest in something which is already a couple of years out of date. We have 10 kitchen designers here which is a big investment but it’s worth it for what we can bring back and the level of credibility it gives us. It’s about us bringing that fashion look at a value price.”

It’s not as simple as copying a load of ideas and expecting Australians to accept them as the latest and greatest, by any means. “It’s about adapting ideas to the Australian market and our way of life,” Susan says. “In terms of the differences between Europe and Australia, we entertain outside a lot, with kitchens often leading out onto decks or yards, or other entertaining areas. This lends itself well to the single wall and island design of kitchen.”

Kitchens were moodier, with more timber veneers and matt surfaces at Eurocucina

While people are often tempted to play it safe on a room which costs a lot of money and they hope to keep for years, Susan says a good kitchen designer can help them to be braver without wasting money or making an unwise investment. Her advice for a ‘safe’ yet fashionable kitchen is to stick to neutral cabinets and be bold with things you can change every couple of years (if desired) like wall colours (wallpaper even!), pendant lights and even splashbacks. You can make a real difference with how you accessorise (the great thing about Freedom Kitchens being that you can pick up Freedom homewares in store too). “We love being able to show customers how to accessorise and style their kitchens with our examples in our showrooms,” Susan says.

In terms of the strong presence of timber veneer at Milan, Susan doesn’t think many Australians will opt for that look in a big way. They may, for example though, choose to do their base cabinets in timber veneer and top cabinets in white, or just their end panels for example. These are all flexible options Freedom Kitchens can offer. “We also have to bear in mind that something that looks great here in Europe may not translate well in Australian light. It’s very different.”

Timber veneers seen at Eurocucina in Milan

The previous snobbery about veneer is disappearing these days, due to the huge advances in quality. “The new ones are so good you can’t even tell they’re not solid timber. They’re also more durable and hygienic which makes them a smart choice for kitchens.”

Look out for more expert tips on kitchen storage and how to get the most out of working with a kitchen designer on the blog next week.

My trip to Milan was hosted by Freedom Kitchens with support from Caesarstone Australia.

Interiors Addict

Tips and tricks for small bathrooms

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date January 6, 2014

Coordinated by Nuffnang

Today, I’m guest posting over at the Realestate.com.au blog with my tips and tricks for small bathrooms.

Read the full article.

Image courtesy of Minosa Design

Tags bathroom design, bathrooms, design, featured, guest post, interiors, minosa design, real estate, realestate.com.au, small bathrooms, storage, tips and tricks

House Tours

Family’s Happy New Year after winning kitchen makeover from IKEA

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date January 4, 2014
1 Comment on Family’s Happy New Year after winning kitchen makeover from IKEA

A Sydney family found entertaining a lot easier this Christmas thanks to winning a kitchen/diner overhaul from IKEA.

The Kalamaras family, from East Lakes, really wanted a space that better suited their growing young family but just couldn’t afford to do renovate just yet. Space was limited and that space was definitely not being used to its full potential.

Watch their story on this video

Tags breakfast bar, competition, east lakes, entertaining, featured, ikea, ikea kitchen, ikea makeover, interior designer, interiors, kalamaras, kitchen design, kitchen diner, kitchen makeover, reno, storage, winners

Interiors Addict

My tips for making the most of a small kitchen

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date December 10, 2013

Image from House Beautiful. Click through to source.

Coordinated by Nuffnang

I’m guest posting over on the realestate.com.au blog today about maximising space, storage and style if you’re not lucky enough to have a large kitchen.

Read the full post.

Tags guest post, interiors, kitchen design, real estate, small kitchens, storage

Expert Tips

Good looking storage ideas to suit your home

Post author By Guest Poster
Post date November 11, 2013
3 Comments on Good looking storage ideas to suit your home

By Alicia Parsons

You spent weeks agonising over the right rug for the dining room and had a never-ending Pinterest board for your kitchen reno. But now your rug is less of a feature than the piles of paperwork on the dining table and you never seem to have enough room on your kitchen counters. Sound familiar?

Tags alicia parsons, atypical type a, blogger, declutter, decluttering, featured, home, office supplies, organisation, organising, storage

Expert Tips

10-minute organising projects for your home

Post author By Guest Poster
Post date November 1, 2013
2 Comments on 10-minute organising projects for your home

By Alicia Parsons

Hands up if you’ve ever said ‘I don’t have time to get organised’? {Raises own hand} Yep, even as a decorating and organising blogger, I still have ~~moments~~ ~~days~~ weeks where I throw in the towel just because I don’t have time to tackle everything.

I then have to remind myself that a little is better than nothing. So here are some 10-minute organising projects that you can squeeze in while dinner is cooking or over a couple of ad breaks.

Tags alicia parsons, atypical type a, declutter, featured, guest post, home organisation, housework, organisation, organising, storage, tidying

Interiors Addict

The simplicity of wire and a pop of colour make for storage and decor delights

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date June 20, 2013
1 Comment on The simplicity of wire and a pop of colour make for storage and decor delights

Yes, The Woodsfolk have done it again with their latest wire wares in store. Love me a bit of good looking storage!

The magazine racks above are $35. So simple yet so effective: wire and pops of colour. Not only do they look good (especially on that dark wall), they’ll help you get organised and tidy! The square crates below are $75 and could be used on their side or on the floor, even mounted on a wall. I think I need some for my office!