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7 sneaky storage ideas to hide your clutter in plain sight!
November 18, 2016
By: Amy Howell Hirt
Solve the problem of corralling your stuff once and for all.
You purged. You donated. You discarded. Yet, even with excess items banished from your home, clutter is creeping back in. The real culprit? All those household essentials and cherished keepsakes still need a tidy, convenient spot to live. Without accessible storage, these must-haves quickly take over countertops and corners, garages, and the great outdoors. But with a little creativity, you can reclaim these spaces while keeping all your things right in reach.
Get inspired to declutter your home with these clever solutions that turn everyday items and locations into sneaky storage spots right under your nose.
1. Curate Your Clutter:
Sometimes the difference between “clutter” and “collection” is all in the presentation. After falling in love with film photography as a student, Nicholas Hendrickx amassed an expansive assortment of cameras — from $1 thrift-shop finds to high-end brands like Hasselblad — scattered throughout his home.
To give his treasures the respect they deserve, he invested in a simple display case from Ikea — white to match the other cabinetry in his work space. Through Hendrickx’s careful spacing and grouping, even old flashbulbs and film holders are now part of an artful installation.
“It’s nice to be surrounded by these beautiful cameras that each have a memory connected to it,” he says.
2. Capitalize on Crevices:
That 6-inch space between your refrigerator and the wall can either be a destination for dust bunnies or the answer to your small-kitchen storage woes. Classy Clutter blogger Mallory Nikolaus spent just $110 to build a pull-out pantry for canned goods and spices. The 64-by-31-inch cabinet is constructed of primed pine boards and dowels, with a handle and metal casters that allow it to smoothly slide back into its slim space — not that this creation deserves to be hidden. The polished yet quirky piece is finished with beadboard on the back and a spray-painted chevron pattern inside.
Because it’s supported by the wall on one side and the refrigerator on the other, Nikolaus notes it’s important not to pull the cabinet out too far.
3. Conceal an Eyesore, Create Storage:
Who doesn’t love a double-duty fix? For a mere $10, this yard-sale armoire enabled handy homeowner Melodye Farrar to conceal her home’s electric and cable boxes and create built-in storage for a garden hose and cleaning supplies.
Situated next to the back door, the space was a longtime eyesore, but it took just one day to remedy. Farrar and her husband removed the top and back of the armoire and built a concrete-stone foundation to keep the cabinetry out of any standing water. Two L-brackets and concrete anchors secure the top of the armoire to the wall, and a coat of marine varnish protects the wood from the elements.
For Farrar, the cabinet makes it much more enjoyable to entertain in the surrounding garden area, with cleaning supplies close at hand yet out of sight.
4. Store in the Stairs:
When it comes to making every cubic inch count, we all could learn a thing or two from New York City studio dwellers. In this 500-square-foot home, Brooklyn-based architect Jordan Parnass took efficiency to a new level, crafting stairs that serve as drawers.
“It seemed criminal to waste that volume,” Parnass says of the space underfoot.
Given the dual functionality, a project like this requires custom construction. Parnass used low-profile drawer pulls that limit tripping hazards, and high-end materials that will hold tight under shifting weight. Of course, homes with children (or absent-minded adults) might consider the risk of left-open drawers to outweigh the reward.
5. Beef Up Bed Storage:
Your bed takes up prime real estate in your home. And for all but eight hours of the day, it doesn’t serve much of a purpose. Why not put that space to work? Beds with built-in drawers are convenient for in-season clothing, while lift-up mattresses like this Ikea model offer a box-spring-size storage area for items you don’t reach for every day.
Prefer to DIY your way to clever bed storage? Atlanta-based organizing expert Gigi Miller suggests going the old-school route. Those risers you relied on in your cramped college dorm room will lift your bed from 3 to 6 inches off the ground, providing enough space to slide storage containers underneath. Miller recommends clear containers on wheels for maximum ease, and canvas bins lined with cedar planks for keeping clothing fresh.
6. Pegboard Pots and Pans:
Julia Child knew how to cook. She also knew how to keep her kitchen organized. One of its most renowned features? A floor-to-ceiling pegboard for her French copper pots and pans. It’s an ideal way to gain storage by using vertical surfaces. And it’s affordable. A basic 2-by-4-foot pegboard made of plastic or pressed wood will run you less than $10, and a starter kit with mounting hardware and hooks costs less than $20.
As for the aesthetics, “A kitchen pegboard can be both functional and beautiful if done right,” Miller says. Paint, frame, or cover it with fabric for a pop of personality and color, and keep the look polished by grouping similar items — pots and pans on one board, utensils on another.
7. Make a Mobile Yard Work Station:
It’s a condition that can afflict even the most organized garage: Little by little, all those yard and garden tools find their way onto workbenches and the floor, crowding out cars and humans alike. Professional organizer Amanda Kovattana fought back, using reclaimed materials to reclaim her garage.
This ingenious rolling cart is constructed from two doors, unused sewer pipe, and salvaged closet rods — all mounted on four beefy casters. The one material Kovattana purchased for the project: a pegboard for odds and ends that might otherwise end up on the floor.
This project took Kovattana, an experienced carpenter, about six hours to build. But even for a novice, the time invested will pay off in spades when you don’t need a search party to find the darn rake.
Just listed on Olympia Avenue in Shrewsbury!
November 14, 2016
Just listed! 59 Olympia Avenue in Shrewsbury! This 2 bed, 2.5 bath townhouse is listed for $460k, listed by Andrew J. Abu, Inc. Realtors.
Just listed on Lincoln Avenue in Holden!
November 14, 2016
Just listed! 95 Lincoln Avenue in Holden! This 3 bed, 1.5 bath cape is listed for $289,900 and comes courtesy of Era Key Realty.
Just sold in Shrewsbury!
November 13, 2016
Just sold! 85 Commons Drive in Shrewsbury! This 2 bed, 1 bath condo came courtesy of RE/MAX.
Just listed in Northborough!
November 13, 2016
Just listed! 7 Winsor Lane in Northborough! This 4 bed, 2.5 bath colonial comes courtesy of RE/MAX. Listed at $450k!
The odd tale of the $1 historic home that no one wants!
November 11, 2016
By: Claudine Zap
You’ve heard it before, but we’ll say it again: The San Francisco Bay Area is a pricey place to live, where even decrepit shacks command six-figure sales.
But what if we told you there’s a Bay Area house for sale—for a mere $1? And what if we added that no one seems to want it? Not yet, anyhow.
Let’s ponder the price for a moment. A single-family house for a dollar. Less than a bottle of beer. Cheaper than a cup of coffee. A steal compared to bus fare.
OK, let us explain.
In the East Bay, the city of Hercules is offering this dollar-home deal. The town purchased this historic home in 2010, also for a measly buck, when it sat on a hill behind the Hercules Powder Works Clubhouse. The city intended to renovate it, preserve it, and keep it as a visitors center.
However, the city ultimately decided it couldn’t devote its limited resources to the project. So it fielded proposals (the original Nov. 1 deadline was extended to Nov. 9) for a lucky soul to hit the housing lottery. The catch: The buyer must remove and renovate it at his own expense.
Did we mention that the buyer needs the wherewithal to put the house back together?
Officially known as Historic Home No. 54 and dubbed the “Queen Anne” for its Victorian style, it was cut in half by the city. The unkind cut was made in order to move the structure to the city’s corporation yard, where it currently sits alongside maintenance equipment and trucks. Perhaps this is not the best technique to move a house, but who are we to say?
The original plan was to move it to the site of the city’s Duck Pond Park, just a block away. There, it was supposed to be hooked up to utilities and supplied with information on the area, according to local Realtor® Brian Campbell-Miller, who also sits on the board of the Community and Library Services Commission and is a candidate for City Council.
But the proposed budget didn’t make sense for the city, so it opted to sell the place. For 100 pennies. Sadly, the extremely low sales price has yet to draw in a buyer.
“If we can preserve it, even if it’s not in our own community, that would be the preferred option,” says Hercules Planning Director Holly Smyth, who notes that if no buyer comes forward, the historic home may have to be demolished. It’s become an eyesore to nearby residents, and the pricing ploy is “the last effort to save the building,” she adds.
The cedar structure needs a new roof, windows, electrical, paint and plaster, along with graffiti removal. It has two floors, four bedrooms, and one bathroom. Plus, it includes original details like a two-sided fireplace, stair railings, high ceilings, and both front and back porches.
“It’s a very quaint type of house,” Smyth says.
While the home could be yours for the money between your couch cushions, it’ll take a serious fistful of dollars to figure out how to carefully move it to a new location and turn it into a residence, or whatever else it could be.
Even so, with housing costs showing little sign of a slowdown, a house that’s been cut in two and needs to be hauled away sounds like a sweet deal for a slim dollar. Especially in the Bay Area.
6 materials to never use in your kitchen!
November 9, 2016
Here’s what to avoid, what to choose for your kitchen remodel.
About to remodel that old kitchen? Unless you’re cool with treating the hardest working room in your house like a museum exhibit, resist the temptation to buy the cheapest or shiniest materials available and go for durable options that can stand up to regular abuse. Trust us: Although it may be tough to leave that raised, tempered glass bar top (ooo!) in the showroom, repairing its first (and second, and third) chip will get old. Very fast.
Picking the right materials is easy if you do your homework. “There are amazing products out there,” says Jeffrey Holloway, a certified kitchen designer and owner of Holloway Home Improvement Center in Marmora, N.J. “You’re looking at price point, sanitation, how easy it is to clean the product, its durability and maintenance.”
Keeping those all-important features in mind, here are some materials to avoid during your next kitchen project.
1. Plastic Laminate Counters:
First off, there’s plenty of great laminate out there. It’s the entry-level,plastic laminate to stay away from, Holloway says. These are the ones that look thin and dull, as opposed to richly textured. They scratch easily, and if the product underneath the laminate gets wet (say, from steam rising from your dishwasher), it can delaminate the countertop, which means the edges will chip pretty easily. Also, one misplaced hot pan on the plastic will result in a melted disaster zone you’ll remember forever.
But if you’re watching your budget, plastic laminate at the next level up is a good choice. “It’s got good color consistency, and there are a lot of retro and trendy patterns available,” says Dani Polidor, an interior designer and owner of Suite Artistry, and a REALTOR® in Pittsford, N.Y.
New laminate counter technology offers scratch resistance, textured surfaces, and patterns that mimic real wood and stone. “There are even self-repairing nano-technologies embedded in some laminates,” says Polidor, “and others have antimicrobial properties.”
For an average 10-by-20-foot kitchen, the next-level-up laminate will cost about $3,000, Polidor estimates, and those super cool technology options add another $200 to $300. For durability and longer life, the investment is well worth it.
- Inexpensive Sheet Vinyl Flooring:
You spend all day stepping on your floor, so quality really matters. At the lower price point, about $2.50 per square foot, the cheapest sheet vinyl floorings tend to be thin. “If your vinyl floor is glued down and the underlayment gets delaminated, say, by water seeping from your dishwasher or refrigerator, you’ll get bubbles in your floor,” Holloway warns.
Compare that with luxury vinyl tile (LVT) that costs about $5 per square foot. It’s still usually glued down, but it’s a little more forgiving than its less classy cousin — and it can come in tiles, which you can grout so they mimic the look of higher-end stone, Polidor says.
- Some Laminated Cabinet Fronts:
Holloway suggests staying away from lower-end thermofoil cabinet fronts. What is thermofoil? Contrary to its name, there’s no foil or any metal-type material in it. It’s actually vinyl, which is heated and molded around fiberboard. If the cabinet is white and the price is waaaaay affordable compared with other cabinets, think twice. Cheaper thermofoil has three critical issues:
- It’s not heat resistant. If near a dishwasher or oven, it could delaminate.
- It can warp and yellow with age, revealing its cheapness.
- The “wood” underneath the thermofoil is also poor quality and won’t hold up over time.
But just like with plastic laminate, science has made great strides, and now there are a host of new cabinets that are remaking thermofoil’s reputation. “New European laminates have become all the rage for the clean-lined, flat-panel look,” Polidor says. “It’s budget-friendly and can look like wood or high gloss. It’s not your grandmother’s thermofoil.”
And it doesn’t come at grandma’s prices, either. But still, the new thermofoil is much more affordable than custom cabinets, and still satisfies with its rich look and durability.
4. High-Gloss Lacquered Cabinets:
A nice shine can be eye-catching. And spendy. About 20 layers of lacquer go on a cabinet for the high-gloss look. Ding it or scratch it, and it’s costly to repair.
“It’s a multi-step process for repairing them,” Polidor says. A better option for the same look is high-end thermofoil (see? We said there were good thermofoil options!). Thermofoil has a finish that’s fused to the cabinet and baked on for a more durable exterior. And it’s way more budget-friendly, too. High-gloss can be in the thousands of dollars, whereas thermofoil can be in the hundreds or dollars.
5. Flat Paint:
Flat paint has that sophisticated, velvety, rich look we all love. But keep it in the bedroom. It’s not KF (kitchen-friendly). Flat paint, also known as matte paint, has durability issues. It’s unstable. Try to wipe off one splatter of chili sauce, and you’ve ruined the paint job. About the only place to use flat paint in your kitchen is on the ceiling (unless, of course, you have a reputation for blender or pressure-cooker accidents that reach to the ceiling, then we suggest takeout).
Instead, you want to use high-gloss or semi-gloss paint on your walls. They can stand up to multiple scrubbings before breaking down.
6. Trendy Backsplash Materials:
Tastes change. So avoid super trendy colors and materials when it comes to permanently adhering something to your kitchen walls. Backsplashes come in glass, metal, iridescent, and high-relief decor tiles, which are undoubtedly fun and tempting. They can also be expensive, ranging from $5 to $220 a square foot, and difficult to install. And after all that work and expense, if (er … when) your tastes change in a few years, it’ll be mighty tough to justify a re-do.
Stick with a classic subway tile at $2 to $3 square foot. Or, even more budget friendly, choose an integrated backsplash that matches your countertop material. “If you want pops of color, do it with accessories,” Polidor suggests.
Just sold on Meadowbrook Circle in Shrewsbury!
November 9, 2016
Just sold! 2 Meadowbrook Circle in Shrewsbury! This 4 bed, 2.5 bath cape came courtesy of RE/MAX Vision.
Just sold on Crescent Street in Shrewsbury!
November 9, 2016
Just sold! 154 Crescent Street in Shrewsbury! This 2 bed, 1 bath ranch came courtesy of Paramount Realty Group.
Just listed on Manning Street in Holden!
November 9, 2016
Just listed! 42 acres of land at 650 Manning Street in Holden is ready to be developed on! Listen courtesy of Exit Realty Partners.
Real Estate and *stuff * 