apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I have hundreds, if not thousands, of pulled magazine pages, and so a binder system would be too much work. I use deep attractive boxes. There are approximately 6 design ones, organized according to the magazine they are pulled from (if I like a bedroom in a spread, chances are that I will like other rooms, to organizing by room doesn't work). Only if I am working on a project will I pull things and slip them into a plastic sleeve and binder.

I have one of those briefcase style indexes. But the idea of them in a scrapbook style is pretty neat. I find that over time some of the pages you pull no longer suit and you toss them on review. Your pile might come way down via sorting.

Inspriation is one organizational system: planning a reno or decorating project is another.

For the latter, I highly recommend a binder. Sections of it will be useful forever.

1) Dimensions and floor plans. Here you put your floor plan (cut outs for furniture can live in an envelope stapled to a page or in a page protector. If the floor plans are digital, then keep copies of the print out here.
b) rugs, lampshades, tables, cutain rods, curtains, etc., everything and anything you may need to have measurements for when you shop.

2) Colour schemes: paint swatches, fabric samples, swatches or pics or scans of actual fabric you have and want to incorporate.

3) List of repairs. Business card pages to hold business cards of people you want to interview or have interviewed to do the work. A running list is fine too.

4) Master To-Do List. (This should probably be in the front).

I have actually dismantled all my project binders, so I can't check what else may be needed, but I think if these categories are included as a start, then you'll be off and running and can include more categories as you go along.

For inspiration, I usually scan in a picture and then I write what I like about it. I keep it in a file by interest: for example, if I'm looking for "chairs and tables" that'll be the name of the document with all the pics of chairs and tables in it, explaining to myself what I like and why I like it. I never actually find exactly what I like from another source. It's always bits of this and pieces of that....

Oh, and just to make it clear--all the inspiration stuff is "filed" into the computer. I do have a couple of scrapbooks of pics cut from mags (with notes) but as that is cobbled together from stuff as I look at it--it's too cumbersome to look through when I want to JUST look at bedrooms, for example.

I recently found the Audrey File Tote, which I am in love with. I'll be picking one up for sure. I do wish they came in more sizes though (am I crazy for wanting one to accommodate 11"x17"? If you look around you can find the previous model (with brown handles), it looks a little more vintage, and thus more adorable.

Scan and post on-line, on a photo site, with comments and, if possible, tags.

Now that Wall St. bonuses are down, contractors might not turn up their nose at a moderate kitchen/bathroom job, so I'd like to incorporate the pictures into a requirements package I could discuss with an architect/designer.

One of my many fantasy projects (sigh)...

Jeni, I love the Audrey File Tote too. Russel and Hazel make lots of great beautiful binders. http://www.russellandhazel.com/shopbycolor.html

I use simple clear binders from office depot with clear page protectors. They look nice and uniform on the shelf when they are all the same. I think this is key when you will use multiple binders.

I use the binder method with clear plastic sleeves. All my binders are the same so they sit on the shelf and look somewhat attractive. I usually file my clippings every 3 mos. or so, and weed out what I no longer like or want. If you do it on a rainy or snowy day it's kind of fun. Until my clippings get filed they are are kept in a file box, filed by type of picture or article.

I use a binder with photo album pages; the kind that are self-stick with a clear sheet over them. One binder per room and also one for outdoor spaces and one for "how-to's" crafts. I go through and edit every few years as my tastes have changed. Have done this for over thirty years!

Right now i'm using a computer folder and a Muji 4 ring (bc i'm in europe) binder with sheet protectors.

However, i'm really drooling over the items at See Jane Work