DIY Cardboard Storage Box Tutorial

I had a cubed style storage unit which I really wanted to use with storage boxes. However I could not find any shop bought storage boxes to fit the size I needed. I kind of gave up looking until one day I had some large cardboard boxes left over from when we did some new work in the kitchen. I realised that I could make use of these extra large boxes and cut them down to size for the storage boxes I had so desperately wanted.

There are probably easier or more secure ways to have made these boxes, however this is the way I used, you could modify it and make some extra flaps for security. I am really pleased with the boxes I made and it makes the Storage Unit look more tidy now!

My simple Instructions:

• Measure the width, height, length of your cube shape. My box was not exactly square shape, it was a rectangle shape.
• Mark the measurements onto the cardboard using a ruler. Please remember to make the box a bit smaller so that it has room to fit into the space, so not to be too tight.
• I cut the finished shape into a cross style shape, making sure that the centre shape is the exact same shape as the bottom of your required box. Then make sure that you mark the correct height for each side of the box.
• Once you have you required shape, you then need to fold at the edges and then secure the sides together. I did this by using parcel tape and wrapping the whole box in tape.
• To decorate I used sticky backed plastic, one in a floral design and another in a wood finish design. You could glue fabric to the box or decorate in another way.

Family Command Centre Tutorial

I recently changed my Family Command Centre, I originally had many different charts spread around the wall and it looked a little messy. I decided to make things look a bit neater and easier to understand so that the whole family can use this command centre.

Here is how I made mine:

Requirements:

• Wipeboard (Magnetic optional)
• Coloured tape
• Sticky Labels (Design and print own labels)
• Optional pinboard/wipeboard (as in photo)

Step 1: Make a paper plan of how you want to lay out your planner. Use the exact measurements of your board and draw to scale.

Step 2: Once you have decided on the layout then use the coloured tape to divide the different sections.
I chose to have the following sections: Family Notes, Weekly Menu, Shopping List, To Do List, Appointments, Future Events.

Step 3: Design the Labels on the computer and print off on sticky paper. Then place onto the board in the correct places.

Step 4: Hang up your board somewhere accessible for the whole family. (Mine is in the Kitchen).

Step 5: Start using - make sure to use the wipeboard pens!
Step 6: I have also added a pinboard and an extra wipeboard incase they are needed! (Optional)

Below is the original command centre that I had before designing this one. I think you will agree the new one looks much better!

Linking this post:

Organising Challenge - Days 17-19

Last week I only managed to fit in 3 challenges as I have had a very busy schedule including a lot of emergencies this past week! I haven't done any challenges this week too - so not sure if I will have a post for this challenge next week, but we will see! Below are the three that I managed to complete.

Day 17 - Downstairs Bathroom Cupboard Organised. I found so many empty tubes/bottles etc in the cupboard that needed to be thrown out - that it was then so easy to wash and rearrange the cupboard! Everything is now accessible for once!

 

Day 18 - Organised my Hijab Pins/Brooches etc. I already had a designated place but it was quite messy and not organised, so I started from scratch and made some lovely card hangers and arranged the pins in a better order!

Day 19 - Sorted out all the shoes! I had already sorted out some of the old shoes and thrown away or gave to charity. I have all the summer shoes put in the coat cupboard as they are not being used now and all the winter shoes stored in the shoe storage for easy access!

Organising Challenge - Days 13-16

Yeah I managed another 4 Organising Projects last week. This time the projects were slightly different, not just the standard sorting jobs I have previously blogged about!

So here goes the first one from last week:

Day 13 - Home Organising - Made my very own Windowsill Herb Garden! I really needed to make use of the windowsill and have a dedicated space for some herbs instead of the odd plant here and there! I used some old margarine tubs for the planters and made holes in the bottom. I then used a tiered metal bathroom shelf to keep the plants in.

Day 14 - Home Organising Wall Organiser! I used a plain Magnetic Wipeboard and used coloured tape to grid the board and printed of my own labels for the board! I am really pleased with the outcome!

Day 15 - Blog List Organised! I follow many great blogs, but didn't have a handy list of them all! I have now updated my blog and listed all that I can remember and have them on my sidebar so I can find them easier! If you look at the side of my blog to your right you will see the new updated list of Blogs I Follow.
 

Day 16 - I organised the children's Homeschool Files. They have a few months of work now and I needed to get their things more organised. I now have 2 sliding boxes under the sofa which keeps their day to day work in (one each for each girl). And a box each with all their subject work in (alphabetical) kept in cardboard files. Lets hope this system will work better Insha'Allah.

I am not to sure if I can keep up with doing 4 challenges a week - I still have not decided which ones to do this week!

Organising Challenge Days 9-12

I managed another 4 Organising Challenges last week! I am really pleased to have managed to get to number 12. I hope you are getting inspired by my challenge!

Day 9: Bathroom Cupboard Organised - I purchased 2 more grey plastic boxes for this task. Everything is in order now and looks much neater! I even treated myself to a new bath mat! PS: Sorry for photo quality - the lighting is so bad in that room for photos!

Day 10: Kitchen Cupboards more organised. This is just one of them, I did do another one too but I have no pics.

Day 11: Organising inside my Fitted Wardrobes. I know it may still look a mess - but honestly this is much neater! I had a lot of boxes and bags all piled on top of each other. I have now added some plastic storage drawers that fit nicely inside the wardrobe to keep things more organised and easy to get too now!

Day 12: Coat Cupboard. I have an under the stairs cupboard which was meant for coats and shoes, but got used for everything! I have now organised it for the coats and shoes and can now actually walk into the cupboard! Yeah!

 

I still don't know which challenges I have lined up for next week, we will just have to wait and see Insha'Allah.

Here is the link to my previous Organising Post: organising-challenge-days-5-8.html

And here is the link to the first post: 31-day-home-organising-challenge.html

Organising Challenge Days 5-8

I am trying to do a weekly post updating exactly what challenges I managed to complete during the previous week Insha'Allah.  I will try to provide before and after photographs where I can, if not I will definitely try to make sure I have some after photos - not sure I want to publish all the before ones.

If you are inspired and wish to participate in this challenge then you can follow me on my Facebook Page which I will update every time I have completed a challenge. I would love it if some more people were getting involved with organising their lives or homes. Karimas-Crafts

Here is the link to the previous post showing you Days 1-4: 31-day-home-organising-challenge.html

Day 5: Under The Kitchen Sink Cupboard - I had a clear out and then organised everything else that needed to be there.

Day 6: Bathroom Corner Organised - I bought a laundry basket with a lid (charity shop bargain!) so this spurred me on to do the bathroom!

Day 7: Organising my Freezer (Just after pics) I bought a few plastic baskets to organise the small frozen items, this makes it much easier to just pull out the basket rather than trying to reach something at the back!

Day 8: Organising Airing Cupboard - I know it still looks a bit of a mess - but it is much more organised and at least now when I open the door things don't fall on top of me! I already had 3 boxes, and was given another 2 from my mum and I had to buy 2 large boxes.

I will try to update you next week on this week's challenges Insha'Allah.

31 Day Home Organising Challenge

I decided to give myself an Organising Challenge. A few of my blogger friends had mentioned it, so thought I would also participate in doing one. I started this last week, and have managed to complete 4 days of challenges. It isn't a challenge that I have to participate in every day as quite frankly I would find that too challenging with everything else I have to do during the day!

My friends are all being very supportive and we are sharing ideas with each other about possible projects. Some of my friends and followers have just finished taking part in a 31 Day Fajr Challenge - Details could be found on my Facebook Page, some are still doing this one.

I will try to do a weekly post updating exactly what challenges I managed to complete during the week Insha'Allah.  I will try to provide before and after photographs where I can, if not I will definitely try to make sure I have some after photos - not sure I want to publish all the before ones.

If you are inspired and wish to participate in this challenge then you can follow me on my Facebook Page which I will update every time I have completed a challenge. I would love it if some more people were getting involved with organising their lives or homes.

Day 1:  Girls' Bedroom - I dismantled their beds and put up some bunk beds in their place. I managed this myself with a little bit of help with my son to fix both beds together! This has made their room look much larger now!

Day 2: Girl's Bedroom - Tidying up the Wardrobe Area. I placed a curtain to cover the part where the broken door was missing to make it look neater.  No more junk on top of the wardrobe.

Day 3: Hair Accessories/Equipment Box - This is kept underneath the sofa for the girls to get to easily. All the items were messed up in one box, now I have organised the headbands into a zipped container, the hairbands into a plastic box, the misc. into a plastic box and hairclips into a zipped plastic bag.

 Day 4: Kitchen Shelves - I tidied up the shelves as they were beginning to be a bit of a dumping ground, which wasn't the original idea! Now they look neat and tidy and being used for the correct purpose now.

In case you are wondering who the other bloggers are that are participating, they are:
http://www.mariampoppins.com/
http://traditionalmuslimah.blogspot.co.uk/

Homeschooling - My New Journey

I am about to start a new chapter in my life - Homeschooling!  I already believe I am a part-time homeschooler as I already monitor my children's education and help them along the way with subjects they don't do at school or subjects they need a little extra with and of course great arty projects together! We will be starting once they have finished their current school term which isn't far away!

I bought some cupboards from the thrift store/ charity shop a few weeks back that I thought would be great to store all the homeschooling books. This is placed in the girls' bedroom.  The cupboards were made from different shades of wood but with a bit of sticky backed plastic the cupboards work really well together now!

I also used the same sticky backed plastic for other parts of their bedroom so that the cupboards blend in well with the rest of the room. It is hard to tell from the photo but the noticeboard hanging on the right also has the same sticky backed plastic placed onto the pinboard part.

The walls of their bedroom were all plain and I didn't want the cupboards to spoil the feel of the bedroom so we used some wall stickers on the wall to brighten the room up a little.

Sharing with you some other thrifty items I have bought recently which will hopefully be used for our homeschooling adventure:

 

This is a double sided board. Wipeboard and Blackboard! 

This is a laptop cushion holder.

 

I will hopefully be sharing some new craft adventures in connection with our Homeschooling.

Scarves Storage Ideas - Great Ideas

If you have plenty of scarves at home and are wanting some ideas on how you can store them, then here are 2 ways that I am sharing with you today.

 

The First is a Trouser Hanger, these are ideal to store many of your scarves and can be hung either in the wardrobe or on a coat hanger or even over the top of a door as the photograph shows.

 

The Second is using an over the door hanger, these also can hold many scarves and are great to place over any door in the house.  I actually have one of these placed on the passage door near the front door. This makes it easy to just grab a scarf before leaving the house!

There are of course many other ways to store your scarves, simply doing a google search will show you some other great and weird ways! Below are some other ideas:

Folded neatly into drawers
Using Shower Hooks on a hanger
Rolled and placed in baskets

Below is another idea if you don't have that many scarves - Rolled onto a tube!