apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I bought these a few days ago to store my cooking magazines in the kitchen. I love the colors!

*some* of the new Sami Hayek desk organizers at Target are nice really nice too. $10 for faux leather/fabric lined magazine files.

Still pricey when you need a lot. I bought heavy-duty plastic ones from a library supply for $4 each. They look great and are very durable. The black is recycled plastic. Other colors and clear available.

http://www.vernonlibrarysupplies.com/cgi-bin/vernlib.cgi/LS650114.html

I just spent $300 [$254 before shipping] at the container store sale to outfit my "cured" closet cum office/media center with all the white organization boxes I could figure out how to use. After pricing these things at seejanework.com, westelm.com, cb2.com, stacksandstacks.com and amazon.com, I felt that the container store provided:

--the most reasonable prices (some cheaper prices were to be found)
--the most variety (cheaper isn't better if you have to order from several sources to get all the pieces you need)
--the best inventory (seejanework.com is always out of stock on their color coordinating butlers, boxes, folders, etc)
--the broadest selection of accessories (see below)

I also chose stainless steel magnet strips and various magnetic accessories to organize my office supplies and get them off the desktop. (pencil cup, post-it note holder, and of course some mighty magnets -- those little guys make me very happy.)

Magnet strip
http://www.containerstore.com/browse/big_product_pic.jhtml?PRODID=10020483

Magnetic pencil cup
http://www.containerstore.com/browse/big_product_pic.jhtml?PRODID=74320

Magnetic post-it bin
http://www.containerstore.com/browse/big_product_pic.jhtml?PRODID=62083

Magnetic spice rack for paperclips, etc
http://www.containerstore.com/browse/big_product_pic.jhtml?PRODID=74672

And some fun random letter magnets for my fridge. Just cuz.
http://www.containerstore.com/browse/big_product_pic.jhtml?PRODID=10020131

In case you're interested in what $254 can buy (plus shipping), here's my shopping list:

Stockholm Document Box White x 1
12 x 17 x 3 (perfect to store paint by numbers kits)
Item # 10032670

Stockholm Magazine File White x 6
3 x 9 x 12 (also for maps, manauls, etc)
Item # 10031416

Stockholm Desktop File White x 3
13 x 7 x 10 (half the size of a standard file box)
Item # 10031422

Stockholm Letter Box White x 2
10 x 13 x 3 (to store printer paper)
Item # 10032668

CD/DVD Storage Pages Pkg/10 x 2
(These plastic pages with sleeves for CDs fit into a 3-ring binder, 8 per page -- I'm getting rid of the CD jewel cases)
Item # 10039757

Rectangular Storage Box White x 3
11 x 15 x 6 (I'm not so organized that all my photos are in albums; also for misc. keepsakes)
Item # 10004553

Mighty Magnet Rounds Pkg/16 x 1
(see AT posts for posts on these marvels)
Item # 10010066

5-Canister Magnetic Spice Rack x 1
(perfect for paperclips, staples, etc)
Item # 10027349

Magnetic Pencil Cup Stainless Steel x 1
Item # 10018481

Random Typeface Magnets Pkg/55 x 1
Item # 10042203

Umbra® Bulletin & Magnetic Strip Steel x 1
21" x 5"
Item # 10042993

Magnetic Mesh Bin Silver x 1
3" x 2" x 2" h (post-it size)
Item # 10004694

Magnetic Mesh Bin Silver x 1
4-3/8" x 2" x 3-1/2" h (for mini stapler and other-random-bits)
Item # 10004696

Ikea!
FLYT
5 for $2.99. Yes they are plain white magazine files but aren't we on Apartment Therapy for a reason....to be creative.

But aren't they flimsy, Rosablanca? ... reviews I've read say the fall apart if you breathe on 'em. ;-) True or not true??

I just bought a small collection of these too. They are MUCH more substantial than I expected. I really like them for the price. I have the IKEA FLYT magazine holders too but kimg is right, then are rather flimsy and don't move well. I decided to go the route of mixing them up a little. Sort of the Hi/Lo approach. Sort of.

@stinkypants: Great find! Thanks for the tip.

Currently I have the Ikea FLYT at home, and have had them for well over 3 years with absolutely no problem I've moved them around plenty in that time with any problems.

Hi, kimg924 - I hope you share photos of your cured closet/office/media centre. Sounds like an exciting project.

kimg924 I've found it to be not true. I have those from Ikea and they've lasted me quite a long time and through a couple moves.

I've had IKEA cardboard magazine files for 15 years and I've moved (packed them in boxes full) 4 times...they still look brand new.

Fortunately for me, the magazines/comics I read are small enough that whenever I get a new stack, I just cut open a cereal box so it's shaped like a magazine holder. Throw on a little giftrap paper and they're stylish as well!

Add a digital subscription for each hard copy subscription you have. A digital subscription to Metropolitan Home, for example, is $7.99 a year at Zinio - way cheaper than the magazine caddie you would buy to hold those hard copies. When you are done with your hard copy, recycle it and keep your digital copy for reference.

This is what I do with Elle Decor and Met Home. Saves a ton of space and money.

RichardinLA, wow! that is cool. Is that for all Conde Nast publications? (I think those are both Conde Nast -- could be wrong).