How To: Turn a Bread Box into a Charging Station

This pretty little unnassuming number is one of my most recent accomplishments. It has been in the works since July or August. Yup. I think I received the breadbox from a friend in July, and it was sanded and painted in August. But I was two(ish) months finding just the right knobs, a grounded extension cord and then waiting for a drill to come back home. (Captain awesome has about seven hundred but you think I could have just one?!) Anyways, it was all worth it because looky what it does!

That's right! It is a handy dandy (and might I say beautiful) gadget charging station! On that shel is a Nintendo DS, my Blackberry and the battery charger for my brand new Olympus Pen camera. There is also room for Captain Awesome's Blackberry. We are not against Ipods, we are just not cool enough for them (But we are accepting donations and sponsorships.).

Look at that neat and tidy awesomeness. Seriously. See those cable ties? Reusable little numbers called Q-KNots from UT Wire. They are great! This really speaks to The Storage Geek in me you know?

Would you like to make your own? You would? Sweet. We can be Geeks together.

Gather ye materials:
Wooden bread box (Mine had one door in the front and a door on top for a shelf.)
Paint (I used Rustoleum Glass Black spray paint)
Knobs (if you are not using the ones it came with.)
Power bar and grounded extension cord if you, like me are not lucky enough to have an outlet right behind your planned charging station location.
Cable ties (again optional but really make take the project up a notch I think.)

Gather ye tools:
Palm sander (Or a sanding black)
Medium grit sandpaper
Drill
1/2" drill bit
1 1/2" hole cutting drill bit (I didn't have one but I wish I did)

Watch and learn:

Okay, this is not mine but it is as close as I could find to mine (I cannot for the life of me find the pictures i had of my bread box sanded before painting!). See the top knob? On mine it is fake. The top lid just lifts up, but I added a third knob to deter people from using the lid as a flat surface. I kept the fake knob because there was already a hole, and the sweet knobs I found came in a pack of three. But I digress!

Step 1: Remove knobs and sand breadbox, inside and out.
Step 2: Paint. I spray painted mine with two light to medium coats of Rustoleum's Glass Black. The second picture caught a lot of sun light but looks just as black as the outside.

 Step 3: Put your gadgets on the top shelf so you can get an idea of where you want your holes drilled.
**TIP** Attach your charging cords so you can see how far they stick out to the side. If I had done that, my first hole would have been as far to the left as possible.

Step 3: Drill holes.

Step 4: At the back of the bread box, make a hole large enough for your power chord plug to fit. This is where a 1 1/2" hole cutting bit comes in handy. I did not have one so I just used my 1/2" drill bit until I had a hole big (and ugly) enough. But nobody sees this hole, so don't worry your pretty little heads about it.

Step 5: Replace your knobs. Check out these GORGEOUS curio knobs from Tim Holtz's Idea-olgy line. I had literally been looking for two months for knobs JUST like these in thrift stores and Re-Stores. Even in new stores. Nada. Then I am walking through Michaels, minding my own business and in the clear acrylic stamp aisle they jump out at me. I nearly screamed at mom "I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR THESE FOR MONTHS!" I think she thought I was nuts. But yeah, knobs in the scrapbooking aisles? Go figure. I hope I am not committing blasphemy by using the curio knobs as actually cupboard knobs. ;)

Step 6: Add power bar and plug in your adapters.
Step 7: Cable tie your chords to keep them neat.

Step 8: Feed chords through holes you drilled and plug in your (probably way cooler than my) gadgets.

Step 9: Add more storage to it by gluing and/or screwing a pocket system to the upper door for more gadget holding space. Do the same to the front door for holding more wires or extra USB cables etc. Plug another power bar into your power bar for more outlets. BUT! If you do this, make sure your extension cord can handle the load. I used a heavy duty one meant for air conditioners that Captain Awesome found for me in Mart-Wal.

Step 10: Bask in the awesomeness that is you and your creation! Seriously, I already love this thing more than my dog. (Just kidding, Sweetie is irreplaceable...by inanimate objects.)

Hope you both enjoyed this how to and are maybe a little bit inspired to create your own? I would love to see your creations if you do!
Happy creating!



P.S. Seven More days to vote Until Wednesday calls into the Top 25 Canadian Mom blogs at Circle of Moms.

Long Time No Blog!

Wow! It sure has been awhile! Big changes have been going on in The Sweet Home.

 

This little girl started school! This is Wednesday waiting for the bus on her first day. I cried on and off all day, it was a roller coaster of a day. I have since found a nice balance of homemaking and housework that changes depending on Wednesday's attendance.

Serious homemaking has been happening. Expect some fabulous Halloween tutorials and printables over the next couple weeks.

My Storage Geek blog hit 12,000 followers yesterday! Pretty amazing so I'm working on how to develop a website with a way or three to generate some income. But for now it is an ad free, amazing collection of DIY, design and storage with a side of gardening. If you would like to view it in your Google Reader this is the link to add.

 

 Finally, sometime over the next couple months (Depending on how busy I get with the holidays.) Until Wednesday calls will become The Sweet Home Companion. I am so excited about the changes. I think it will really help me streamline the momma-crafter-entrepreneur in me. So stick around and wish me luck!

Reader Question : Simple and Inexpensive Dorm Storage Ideas

musicxmylove asked:
So happy I found this blog! I am going to be studying abroad soon and cannot bring a lot with me and won't have any extra furniture except for what is included in my room. Do you have any easy and inexpensive do it yourself storage ideas for dorm rooms? If it's something that can be recycled later when I fly home or takes up very little room in a suitcase would be great. Maybe something reusing cardboard or other recycled materials that I could get for free? 

Hey there! Sorry this took awhile to answer but there are a lot of photos and posts to sift through. I really wanted to give you some super practical ideas.
 Below are some ideas made with recycled and/or super cheap materials. While I am not sure how many you could pack back up, given the relative cheapness of materials you could give them away and people would be happy to use them likewise, you can recycle a lot of the materials as well. So, that being said let's see what I found!

First storage option: string. String is cheap (You can almost always find a handful somewhere free.) and fits any sized room. Create a gorgeous photo banner wherever you room and room mate will let you. Found via Dorm Design.

Cearal box magazine (Notebook, binder) holders. Grab a cereal box and cover with pretty paper or fabric. Although this won't fit in your suitcase I bet someone would be happy to have them when you're done. Full how to at The Wicker House.

This was one of the very first DIYs I posted here at Storage geek and I still love the idea. Add some cardboard dividers to some cookie tines (You know your Mom has at least three kicking around.) and voila, instant (stack-able) desk caddy! Full how to at Design Sponge.

Have some chain and a few hangers? Now you have an instant mud room or extra closet. Chain is cheap you can buy it in plastic or metal at hardware stores but you could also probably find some on freecycle.org  if you asked nice enough. Hangers well, I am sure you can put a few of those in your suitcase when you head over. Found via Apartment Therapy.

Another fabulous bit of recycling here. Can cubbies make great storage because they are free and come in a variety of sizes from the small tomato paste size to the giant tomato ketchup size. Ask a local restaurant to sort through their recyclables, you'd be amazed at how many cans and glass jars you will find! The how to on this pretty system can be found at Leethel.

Have cork and pushpins? You now have necklace storage. Bonus, you can bring this with you or back with you since they pack up so nice and flat in your suitcase. Photo from Pretty in the Desert.
If you sew I found two great projects that could come in super handy and fold up nicely.

These denim wall pockets made by Flickr member Made by Beag would be invaluable as an organizer for everything from desk supplies to toiletries. Made out of recycled denim makes this project cost a whopping zero dollars.

I love this laundry bag. While you don't have to make one this elaborate (But if you do you can find the tutorial here at Sew 4 Home.) But a sturdy laundry bag will be invaluable to you in your student living.
How awesome are these projects? I know! But, while Storage Geek is my name, and DIYs are my game decorating is a very personal (and uysually drawn out process for me) so if you would like to see some great dorm deco may I direct your attention to a couple Tumblr blogs I found? Dorm Design and EFFyeahcooldormrooms Both of these blogs have pages and pages of great dorm rooms.
Well, I hope you enjoyed this post and I hope it inspired you. Thanks for asking such a fantastic question and I would love to see photos of what you make! Cheers,M.

Reader Question : DIY Ring Storage & Display

ally74 asked you:
hello: i am a new follower and i really love a lot of ur ideas, i was wondering if u have any for storing rings! i have over 100 rings and i love to wear a different one every day most of them are chunky rings, do u have any idea's?
&eahrts;♥
Thanks for following and thanks for the great question!
This one was a little bit trickier than when I did a post on chunky necklace storage. There are far fewer posts on ring storage, and even less DIY ring storage posts but I did find a couple absolutely awesome ones!

Easy peasy and super practical (Not to mention eco friendly) is this egg carton displays from Whimsy Love. Not only to they display each ring perfectly but thy make great storage for your home (Label each carton with fat markers) or craft show booth. Bonus: Dust Free. Found via Etsy Handmade MN

These are black BEANS! I know super clever right? While they might be more practical for a craft show booth, it is a totally viable, practical and green solution for a dressing room table or dresser top. Photo belongs to Lean Dog Pottery & Jewelry and was found via Etsy Handmade MN

I think this is my favourite. Completely customizable in size (Most craft stores sell two three different sizes) and in finish (Have at 'er with Mod Podge and paint!) it hangs on the wall or sits on a dressing room table/dresser. C'est tres bon oui? Source: Punky Style

This super adorable cigar box holder was made by Stef with an old sweater folded accordion style. You needn't use a cigar box, you can use whatever sort of box you have laying around. Bonus: Dust Free. Full how to here @ Craftside.

Take a trip to your local dish washing aisle and you have some pretty adorable ring holders. While this is not practical for those of you with dozens of rings (Lucky ladies!) this is great for those of us with much more modest collections. Visit the how to here at Dana's Fashion Blog.

Some of you may recognize this photo from Tumblr user Legally Crafty (She has some great DIYs). A simple chocolate box turned ring storage is very eco chic (And I bet it smells divine every time you open it!). Bonus: Dust Free.

Last but not least we have the clear pocket hanging organizer. While not super fun in a crafty recycling sort of way it is super efficient storage. For those of use with next to no storage space, slim solutions like these are both dust free and see through making it a very practical choice.
And that concludes our lesson for today class! I hope you enjoyed the post and thanks for the super duper question! As always, I love to answer them (Even though they might take me awhile.) So keep them coming! Cheers,M.

Reader Question : Any Good Moving Box DIYs?

tiaras-tumblr asked:
I have a bunch of boxes from where I just moved and I'm not sure what to do with them. Got any ideas of any D.I.Y.?
Yes, yes I do! Well, they are not my ideas, more like my suggestions after some super fun Googling. :)

Tell me this shelf is not gorgeous? The one pictured is made by Leo Kempf but a DIY version can be found here at Instructables.

Cardboard Lamps made by Joe Manus of Shiner International. Made in Atlanta Georgia. goto.interiordesign.net Found via Inspirationgreen.com. I don't have a DIY link but I am sure with some thought and research you could Jimmy-rig yourself up a couple.
For the craftier sort of DIY's:

To make this show stopping recycled vase and bouquet visit Inspiration&Realisation.

At first I thought these little pretties were a wall installation, but in fact they are magnets! So cute! For the how to click here for the PDF link.

Romantic bird houses are easily made with glue, paint and lace. Source: This Recycled Life.
For the more artistically gifted or adventurous sort of DIY'er you could also try your hand at sculpting with cardboard.

With layered flat cardboard like Chris Gilmour.

Or blended like paper pulp and then sculpted like clay and finished like wood. This AMAZING table was made in Domingos Tótora's studio, Maria da Fe, Brazil
For some truly inspiring cardboard pieces of design and sculpture visit this post at Inspirationgreen.com.
I hope this post was both helpful and inspirational! I had so much fun writing it up, and now I am on the hunt for some boxes! Cheers,M.

Storage Geek on Facebook

Hey guys! I finally made a page for Storage Geek on Facebook! But, before they'll give me a facebook.com/storagegeek address I need twenty five likes. Could you guys be dearies and click THIS link and like me? I'd really appreciate it!
Cheers, M♥

Reader Question: DIY Hiding Cables & Wires

Over at my Storage Geek blog, I get asked advice questions on organization and storage. (I know! Isn't that just the coolest?!) And since the posts take some time to search and type I thought I would post them here as well. 

Photo Credit: Adam Pash

imakesht asked: Do you know of any ways to store/hide wires both inside a house and out? It's making my place look cluttered and disorganized.



Cables got you down? Wires tripping you up? Go wireless. Just kidding. Unfortunately, wireless doesn't work for power cords. Boo-urns! But I did some searching and found a lot of options. Unfortunately, most are not cheap and/or little effort required.
The other thing was without clarification on where your wires were located I just kind of collected a general assortment of cable corralling solutions. So lets start with the cheapest and easiest first.

This computer cord tamer from Instructables user trainwiththom is fashioned from wire hanger and hangs off the back of your flat screen monitor. Super easy and super cheap. Bonus. But unfortunately not a help to thos of us with lap tops (Or giant pre-flat screen monitors).

Photo Credit: Adam Pash

The first step in hiding your cords and cables is to corral them together. At your computer area (If you have a desk) you can use an under desk basket like this one from Ikea to keep them flowing together tangle free and in the same direction (toward your surge protector and/or cable outlets). Use a few cable ties to keep them neat. You could also cable tie them to your desk legs if you have legs on your desk.

This is my new favourite. Created by Karl Zahn for the 2006 MUJI International Design Competition it is not in production yet but could easily be DIYed for little to no money I think. The effort is there though with the cutting, painting and installing but I think it would be totally worth it. Some 1/4" thick plywood, paint and double sided tape and your sitting on a lovely little fence.

That pretty much takes care of the minimal effort alternatives. After that you can install WireTracks CM which "WireTracks CM WireTracks CM kits turn regular crown molding into removable wiring channels that you can use to hide low voltage or electrical cables (check your local codes). They can be used for simple jobs such as getting wiring from the front of a home theater to the back. Or, they can be installed throughout a building to give building owners the ability to run wiring between any two points that are linked by connected walls. And because crown molding is installed above doorframes, it is easy to get uninterrupted coverage of an entire floor." I am not going to lie, I think this is brilliant. I couldn't find a price but I see it being worth it if you have a serious amount of wires and cables to conceal.

UT Wire cord protector and concealer. This looks to be a great option for renters as it does not require permanent installation and you can also take it with you when you move. From the website "Our unique flexible material makes installation simple to do.Ÿ Easy to lie flat and ready to tape on the floor in seconds.Ÿ Three individual separate compartments for extra storage and easy identification of cords.Ÿ Remove cords from the 2 top loading compartments for any future adjustment needed.Ÿ Adjust the length of this cord cover to desire length using a pair of scissors.

Photo credit HomeImprovementsdepot.com

Finally, you could also hide them in your walls using various wall plates at various locations in your house. If you feel up to this sort of project (Because you own or have really nice landlords) here is a great link about Doing It Yourself.
Regarding outdoor wires, I am sorry, short of burying them in PVC pipe I haven't any ideas.
A few goodies I have posted over the last little while include:

From Crinkled Cupcakes

From  Facebook-Pimpandpomme

Wireless peripherals are not the be all end all solution although I sure wish they were and not everything can be wireless (Right?) so I hope these suggestions helped in some way.
Thanks for asking such a great question! Don't forget to stop by the Storage Geek blog for more great storage tips and fantastic DIY inspiration!