apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

In my quest to become decluttered I have run into a technical dilemma. I'm trying to create a wireless network and am wondering what the best route would be.

Here's a flickr set of what I've got so far.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/art_chel/sets/72157607149232205/

hi art-
i'm letting the editors over at Unplggd know about your question that you've asked here - they might be able to assist by posting as a question on Unplggd...

Thanks janel!

Does anyone have a neat idea for labelling cords? We have so many electronic chargers that it's hard to keep track of what goes to what...

Color coding won't work for me since I have the memory of a rock.

I'd love to hear your ideas! Thanks!

Kimber,
If the problem is identifying when they are stored - since most chargers have large plugs, maybe you could use adhere a label to the plug part with "K-Cell" "K-Cam" etc. Or use a wide rubber band to keep them wound and write on that. Or store them in labled baggies/sacks. I tend to keep my charger with any other accessories in a small box too.

If the problem is while they're plugged in - use a sharpie on the adapter (silver on black) or use a charging station and label the dividers. Or tape the chargers down to the surface they're used and write on the tape.

Kimber, I had a tangle of wires behind my office electronics stuff - cable box, splitter (whatever THAT is), wireless router, Vongo phone thingy, printer, scanner & extension strips (think snakes wedding meets mixmaster), and I just hauled it all out and plugged things into the strips in the order they need to be in to initialize it all again when it goes down. Then I used Avery labels on each cord at the plug end (trapping the cord in the middle and folding the label back on itself to stick it together) and wrote the name on in Sharpie. I bundled each roll of surplus cord with pieces of that velcro sticks-to-itself stuff that comes on a roll (the front is fluffy and the back is hooky-genius). Then I put it all back where it lives.
An hour's work and $5, followed by the warm glow of self-congratulation, warm glow repeated whenever the whole shebang goes down and I can just start it up with the first on/off switch.
Seriously, it works - try it!

Enamorada and everydaydiva,

Thanks for the tips!!!

My main issue is that between me and my daughter we have six digital cameras, four handheld video game systems, three cell phones, several adapters, two computer chargers, and multiple random chargers and USB cords that get piled up. It becomes a game of "match the charger" each time we need to power her Firefly or upload a certain digital camera. I figure there has to be a better way.

And it seems there is! Awesome :)

Thank you again!!!

i need a way to store my summer clothes that doesn't include balling them up and shoving them in those plaid dollar store bags. any ideas? i have very limited closet space and was thinking of an under the bed option...

heather,

Get those very short/low, but long, plastic containers (non kitchen "tupperware"). Neatly fold your clothes and put them in there, then keep the containers under your bed.

Heather is a flower
They also have giant huge cartoony ziplock bags that I use for just about everything...you can get them at grocery stores. I use them to keep my drycleaning in before I take it in and they even have handles!

bf

Heather - two words: Space Bags. Put clothes in, suck air out with vacuum hose, shove now-flattened bags under bed. I once took a whole queen size bedset including comforter, in a spacebag, to England in a suitcase, and had room to spare, hoorah!
One caveat - clothes can be wrinkly when you get them out next season, but worth the dry-cleaning cost when you've had all that closet space freed up. Happy storing!

Kimber, you're welcome - wishing you happy organizing! So gratifying not to have to search through a tangle of crap to find what you want (but one less excuse to be cranky, sigh)

i will prepeare an ikea shopping list. we need some stuff, nothing big or fancy, but things i have to take the measurements of everything first.
i want
- a curtain for the bedroom http://www.ikea.com/PIAimages/81127_PE205655_S4.jpg
- a small organizing shelf for the landing strip (not sure about this one, but i like the oak wood)
http://www.ikea.com/PIAimages/74638_PE191882_S3.jpg
- and a side lamp next to the couch http://www.ikea.com/PIAimages/61420_PE167788_S4.jpg

and we want to build a small shelf for the bedroom, where we can store our bedding, pullovers and stuff like this.
Happy weekend to all of you and good luck with your projects!

We've been fixing up our kitchen. The walls are now June Day yellow and this weekend we plan to paint the ceiling a VERY light yellow. Next install all the stainless steel cabinet and drawer pulls that I ordered online and make a curtain from some e-quilter fabric.

The other project I'm finishing is the stairs. Last weekend I ripped off the carpet and pulled out about 400 staples. Sanded, puttied...now I"m ready for the paint. We're planning for something like this http://www.dominomag.com/images/howtos/diy/hoar_paint_stair_runner.jpg though we may sort out a different color.

IKEA TRIP! i'm so stoked! we're going to get a couch, some kitchen stuff, curtains...

does anyone have or has anyone checked out the couches at Ikea? if so, what did you think? what model? we are leaning towards the new Ektorp couch. Any opinions?

thanks!

Any word on Fall Cure dates??
Think it had started this time last year...

Saltylibrarian -- love your stairs inspiration! I've been contemplating a similar project....seems like so much work...best of luck!