DIY Decorating for Winter

When the weather changes from warm to cool, it changes the way that we feel about certain things. Winter makes us want cozy, warm feelings around us. The holidays make us feel thankful for friends and family. This is the time of year that many people want to make their home seem cozier. Use these tips to get ideas of how you can make your home seem warm and inviting for your visitors this winter.

1) Use accents that encourage people to snuggle up. Natural fibers are best, but you can throw in some faux fur as well. Hand knitted afghans, floor pillows, and fluffy rugs are a good place to start. You could put a down comforter in a big basket underneath your end tables so that people can easily get warm on cold winter nights.

2) Stock your kitchen and fireplace with things that people enjoy during cold weather. Specialty coffees and liqueurs are great for late night get-togethers. Hot chocolate, peppermint sticks and marshmallows can be kept on hand for children. You can make a s’mores supply basket that you keep near the fireplace. Sticks to roast marshmallows, a popcorn popping tin, and other fireplace accessories can make your fireplace seem like a wonderful place to hang out and talk. Bring your thickest mugs out of storage and have them handy for whenever the mood strikes.

3) Lighting can really set the mood. Use as many lamps as you can instead of big overhead lights. Choose darker lamp shades that fill the room with warm colors of light. Reds, oranges, and yellows are good choices for winter. Another option would be to install dimmer switches on your regular lights.

4) Decorate for the holidays. Don’t stop at Christmas lights outside of your house. Hang a fresh wreath or order a fresh evergreen table centerpiece with candles to fill the room with comforting light and a scent that puts everyone in the holiday spirit.

5) Reserve time for simply hanging around and talking. Invite friends and family or just hang out with your spouse. Turn off cell phone ringers, radios and TV for the night. Set up the room for social entertainment instead. Card games and dice games are fun for people of all ages. Board games and coloring books are great to keep around for entertaining kids.

6) Make sure that your company always feels welcome. Create the mood as soon as they come in the door. The foyer area should be clear and ready for visitors. A simple bench and rug will let people know that there is a place prepared for them to take off their wet winter boots and settle in. A wall-mounted hanging bar stocked with a nice wood hanger or coat hanger will make them feel like you were totally prepared for their visit. When you choose hangers, remember that wood hangers are the most inviting. Regular clothes hangers will work, but wooden hangers and coat hangers will help your company’s coats keep their shape and you don’t risk the hangers breaking, causing your guests’ coats to end up on the floor.

Once your home is decorated for the season, you and your guests will feel closer and more content when the cold weather moves in.

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

DIY Closet Ideas

Organizing your closet can be a lot of fun when you do it yourself. Die-hard “do it yourselfers” would never pay to have something done that they could do themselves. This is what makes DIY home improvement projects so rewarding. You learn a lot, gain experience, build the confidence that you have in yourself, and end up with a unique product that you can be proud of.

The closet is a good place to start for beginners. Building and installing shelves is a relatively easy DIY project. You can create storage, get organized, and beautify your closet all at the same time.

If you are installing wood shelves, make sure that you have all of the necessary tools. You will most likely need a mitre saw, unless you can have your wood cut at the store. You will also need a power drill, long wood screws, a stud finder, and a level. You can use 1x4 boards to support your shelves, or pick up a few L-brackets.

Wire shelving is really popular because it’s so easy to install and is very sturdy. These wire shelving systems often come with a tool to cut the shelves to the length that you need, and don’t require many tools.

Whatever type of shelf you choose, make sure that you anchor them into studs so that they can hold a lot of weight. Use a level to be certain that each shelf is level. Take a lot of measurements to make sure that you have everything how you want it before you cut. Use a pencil to mark level lines to make the job easier.

The biggest problem in most closets is that they waste available space. To make the most of your space, inventory what you have and how you want it stored in the closet. Draw up a few designs before you settle on one. Sometimes your arrangement of clothes can determine how much room you have. For example, if you hang all of your shorter shirts or folded pants on one side of the closet, then you free up some space near the bottom. This is often enough room for a laundry hamper or bin, drawers, or shoe shelves.

Utilize dividers, bins, or baskets to keep things in order. Stacks of clothes tend to get knocked over and unfolded when you rummage through them looking for what you need. Keep stacks to a minimum, or create dividers and cubbies so that the stacks are not tall. Buckets are great for socks, underwear, and other small things that you keep in your closet.

Finish out the closet with decorative hooks, specialty clothes hangers, lighting and matching bins. Use a wood hanger or coat hanger for heavier items. This will keep the closet looking beautiful because not only are the hangers themselves nice to look at, but they keep your clothing perfectly separated for a clean look. When you are done, you will be proud of what you have accomplished. Your closet will fit your special needs and be much easier to keep organized than before.

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.