Now that we're settled (more or less!) in our new house, we're working on ORGANIZATION. Actually, I'm always working on organization! But right now, it's front and center. And one thing we are greatly in need of is a bulletin board to serve as our family control center. (I have some twisted notion that by creating a place for all our stuff, that our stuff will actually migrate -- and stay! -- where it's supposed to!).
Here are some fab bulletin boards that would be easy to make and customize:
1. Wine Cork Board.
I don't even want to think about the amount of wine one would have to consume to make this. We drink MAYBE one bottle a year -- and most of that is for cooking! (I admit, I'm a screw-top kind of girl...). All the same, if I could get Gary Vaynerchuk to help me out, I'd be making this just for the texture and coolness of it. Head on over to Apartment Therapy for step-by-step photos and instructions.
2. Family-Size Spectacle.
If I had any sort of carpentry skills, and if I had any idea what homasote* is, I'd be whipping up one of these. I SO WANT ONE. Look for details at Woman's Day.
*I just looked it up: "Homasote is a wallboard made from recycled paper pulp. It can be purchased at home-improvement stores; ask to have it cut to size for you at the store, or use a circular saw or table saw to cut at home." So now you know.
3. Floral Delight.
This one makes me happy just looking at it! I would hate to cover it up with announcements from the school about head lice and overdue utility bills, though. Spotted at etsy, but I'm thinking I could do this.
4. Scrappy Goodness.
I fell in love with this one from Brenda Walton. The designer used scrapbook papers to jazz it up. (Scrapbook papers? What a concept! I think I have some of those lying around...)
5. Vintage Thrift.
Ummmm... LOVE!! How simple and easy? (At least it looks simple and easy.) Check out the details here on Gogoabigail's blog.
Your turn: What do YOU do for corralling paperwork? Do you have a bulletin board? Drawers? What? (photos are always fab.)
Thanks for the link to the wine cork board. My wife has been collecting wine corks since we got married 7 years ago. Now we have boxes and kitchen drawers full of corks. I told her that if she didn't do something with them I would throw them away, but now she can make a thousand corkboards!
(maybe we drink too much...)
Posted by: Tamahome Jenkins | 01/13/2010 at 10:51 AM
If we must be organized, we might as well be organized with cuteness! Floral Delight just made it onto my project list. And that Family Size Spectacle? I love oversized initials, and my kids are definitely old enough to start organizing and displaying their own homework and assignments.
Although I like bulletin boards, I much prefer magnets. They're much safer to fiddle with than thumbtacks. ;)
Posted by: FuzzyCricket | 01/13/2010 at 11:04 AM
Thanks for this post. I love these ideas. I have a little desk with an overhead cabinet in my kitchen. The inside of the cabinet doors have a little lip around them, like a frame. I want to put cork board inside the lip to hang a calendar and notes, etc.
I like that fabric one too.
Posted by: MaryC | 01/13/2010 at 11:31 AM
right now i have a metal basket that collects all the household paperwork - and it desperately needs a sorting-through! I love these board ideas (i've got an old frame just like that last one - now I just need to find cork!
Posted by: Lisa Dickinson | 01/13/2010 at 04:23 PM
Great shares, Lain! I really love the ones with the initials :)
Posted by: Cheryl | 01/13/2010 at 06:34 PM
Sadly, we do nothing for paperwork. It ends up on the island between kitchen and computer room, I go though it on the weekends, recycle what I can, throw some, pay some and put the rest back on the island :o) It's a bad system... I think I might need one of these bulletin boards!
Posted by: Kelli | 01/13/2010 at 06:47 PM
OM Goodness Lain - I just spent most of last weekend organizing my pantry (labeling EVERYTHING) and my cupboards. Sadly though - I still do not have a plan for paperwork. And I need to get one because it gets out of control fast. I am putting together a cool magnet board to use for notes. Here's my plan - I have an old windowpane I got at a garage sale years ago. I whitewashed it and now I'm going to paint the panes with magnetic, black paint to turn it into a memo board. I already picked up fun, flower magnets and plan to not only hang notes but also pictures. I'll try to post a pic once it's done! :)
Posted by: Laurie T | 01/13/2010 at 07:45 PM
I stack my paper. Move it to a new location when people come over. Then eventually I throw it away. : )
Posted by: Margie | 01/14/2010 at 08:05 AM
Ironic that you posted this.... I was headed to the craft store to buy fabric for the $2 clearance (ugly) corkboards I bought the kids. I was going to cover the cork with fabric, stapling it all around. Then I was going to run coordinating ribbon all the way around the inside of the frame to cover the staples. I stole this idea, I'm not that good. If I can find the link where I found it I'll let you know.
Posted by: Abbie | 01/14/2010 at 09:54 AM
2 years ago I made one of those French Memo boards with the ribbon tacked down on it. It sits right above my computer work desk. Lovely. AND it was really simple: MDF, some burlap, ribbon, those cool looking nail tacks and a staple gun.
AND would you believe that I have MADE one of those WINE corkboards before. I saw it in a one of those Airmail magazines from Wine Spectator. I ordered the kit and got to work. It was a gift for my dad. We, um, drink a lot of wine. What can I say, we're Italian!! ha! Mine was made by rotating the orientation of the corks as you worked your way around the board. Very cool end result.
Posted by: Crafty P | 01/14/2010 at 04:09 PM
I made a bulletin board using a 12x12 piece of sheet metal (had hubby bring home scraps from work and cut and grind to size) covered with cute patterned paper, edged with ribbon and hung with ribbon (he punched holes in the top corners). Then I used coordinating papers to make magnets to match. It was a present for my great neice for Christmas 2 years ago. I have to credit Kollette Hall for the idea and instructions from her first Giving Well class at BPS.
Posted by: Ann | 01/14/2010 at 09:30 PM
Bills I put on the fridge by magnet, in date order of when they need to be paid. Then I also have 2 in-trays on the kitchen bench - the top one is for general paperwork and receipts that I want/need to file. The bottom one is for current grocery catalogs
Posted by: Gab | 01/15/2010 at 06:00 AM
I have a basket that sits at the edge of my office and the hallway (on the way from the front door to the kitchen) that is a catch all for mail. For school papers, I use the good 'ole hang it on the fridge technique. I have several magnetic clips - each kid gets one. For schoolwork that I want to keep I have a drawer in my kitchen island where it's stored until I figure out if I really want to do anything with it. I'm taking Stacy Julian's Library of Memories class so soon I will have an official home for that sort of stuff!
Posted by: Stacey | 01/15/2010 at 09:13 AM