magnique: magnifique!

Spring is in the air and with the arrival of this much-anticipated season comes, for many, a renewed commitment to getting organized at home. In some ways, it’s like the new year; a fresh start, a new beginning. And these days, getting organized has never been easier or more stylish. There are all kinds of tools on the market to help making home organization easier than ever before. But getting organized doesn’t have to mean huge at-home overhauls involving new built-in closets or large-scale pieces of furniture. Sometimes the key is to start with the little things, like bills, paperwork, odds and ends. I recently discovered these magnetic boards from Magnique, a fabulous Canadian company. All of the Magnique boards and gorgeous glass magnets are handmade in Toronto. These customizable boards come in a variety of colours of leather and suede and can be used all over the house to organize paper, create vision boards, keep track of grocery lists and to-dos or even display photos. I love the colourful magnets, handmade in Canada with glass imported from Italy. You may want to buy some extras for your fridge.
Visit magnique.com for more information.

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10 things to do in January

The craziness of the holidays is behind us now. I don’t know about you but my December was frenzied. So I’m happy to welcome the slower, more civilized pace that January brings. But I don’t need to come to a complete halt either. If you’re looking for easy, practical things to do around the house this month, you should check out our story, 10 things to do in January, written by styleathome.com contributor Carmen Taylor. I’ll give you a sneak preview, but to read the rest, click here.

1 Review presents and hostess gifts
Of course your friends and family love you and were grateful for your hospitality, but no doubt you don’t really need all the tokens of affection you received. Surely someone else could make better use of that collection of tea, those pot holders or that picture frame? Hold on to what you love, by all means, but get rid of the rest by dropping it off at Goodwill, Value Village or your favourite charity.

2 Tapers, tea lights, scented …
Candles make the season and since you’ve probably gone through a whack of them, replace your stock now. They don’t have a shelf life so it’ll be one less thing to shop for next year.

3 Move the furniture
You may be surprised what you find there. Take the cushions off sofas and chairs, vacuum along the wall behind the furniture and then turn your attention to the inside of the furniture itself. After the hosting you’ve done, no doubt it needs it.

Image courtesy of Crate and Barrel

Read more …

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wallies chalkboards

When I was a kid, I used to write reminders to myself on my hand (ew!) In university, my roommate and I put a whiteboard in our foyer to write each other notes about everything from empty milk cartons and bread shortages to exam schedules and weekend plans. Efficient, sure. Unsightly, definitely. If only we’d known about Wallies back then. These peel-and-stick chalkboards are perfect for around the home, plus, they’re removable and repositionable. What a great idea! No more leaving notes around the house that may or may not get eaten by the dog. These chalkboards, while running the risk of being a tad kitschy, end up being totally stylish because they’re so clever. And inexpensive, too! At about $9.99 a sheet (prices vary depending on size), they’re a bargain to boot.

Available online at: wallies.com

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fab file folders

If these colourful and stylish file folders don’t motivate you to organize the heaps of junk on your desk into neat, orderly piles, perfectly protected in pretty file folders, there’s just no help for you. Sorry.

Available at: crane.com
Price: $11.95 for package of 6 (left), $12.95 for package of 12 (right)

Are you a piler or a filer? Take the quiz to find out!

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new year’s resolutions

So, did you make one? You know … those dirty little promises we love to make every January and break by February? Every year, I resolve to not make a new year’s resolution but whether out of pressure or guilt, I always find myself mulling over personal promises to myself. This year, I considered resolving to work less. Umm … not so much. Until I win the lottery, that’s not likely to happen. So then I started thinking of more realistic resolutions. Like retiling the backsplash in my kitchen. Does that count? Buying bookcases and organizing the piles of books in my home? While these might sound more like chores to you, I believe that taking care of our homes is a worthwhile endeavour. Often times, these tasks get pushed out of mind by more pressing concerns but making “around-the-house resolutions” can help us to focus on projects we’ve been meaning to complete but haven’t found the time to start. Our homes are special. We’re lucky to have them. And treating them with the TLC they deserve is valuable. I’m not talking about the financial investment in a piece of real estate but the investment in yourself … what better way to spend your time than in a house that’s not just a house, but a home?

Click here to read some “around-the-house resolutions” from the STYLE AT HOME staff.

What’s YOUR around-the house resolution? Tell us in the STYLE AT HOME forums!

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download this!

Every month on styleathome.com, we offer readers a free, downloadable desktop calendar, featuring the beautiful cover image of the magazine. It’s not only a pretty way to dress up your desktop but it’s handy, too! Click here to download it now!

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I’ll be home for Christmas

Hi everyone!
I’m on vacation this week – hey, a girl’s gotta take a break, you know! So I’m leaving my computer at the office and truly kicking back for the week. (OK, who am I kidding? My laptop is like my right arm … I couldn’t live without it!) But I will be taking a brief break from my blog. But to tide you over until I return, I’m leaving you with my top 5 favourite stories on styleathome.com.

Slideshow: Decorating with black and white

Quiz: What’s your decorating style?

Decorating with red

Colorstrology: Your colour horoscope

10 hostess gifts

Enjoy! See you next week!
Natalie

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