Design & Decor Blog

Image by: GAP Photos/Mark Scott

I know, I know — it’s early. But I’m starting to feel Christmas fever. For me, it truly is the most wonderful time of year. It’s not the gifts, the shopping or anything to do with the chaos that Christmas has (sadly) become synonymous with. It’s about family and friends and the joy and peace of the season.

But — that doesn’t mean that the holidays aren’t a lot of work, as you prepare to throw the doors of your home open to welcome your nearest and dearest. But don’t stress. We’ve compiled a 50-day Holiday Countdown to help you get through with ease and elegance. Our no-muss, no-fuss approach means you can be the consummate host or hostess without losing your cool.

Check out:
50-day holiday countdown
For 50 days, we’re revealing an article a day to inspire you with decorating ideas and recipes — all with an eye to keeping things simple.

50-day gift guide
Each day for 50 days, we’ll offer you a new gift suggestion to help simplify gift buying. Whether you’re completely stuck  or just looking for an I-hadn’t-thought-of-that idea, we’re here to help.

Holiday countdown contest
So, how do you simplify the holidays? Enter our contest and share your best holiday decorating, organizing and entertaining tips. Psst! We’re giving away some fabulous prizes, too!

From finally clearing the clutter in your home office to getting a jumpstart on the holidays … what are you doing this month? Here are 10 things to do in November:

1 Check your gutters
Clean your gutters regularly during the fall to make sure they’re not blocked with fallen leaves and other debris. Also check that they’re solidly attached to the house and draining properly.

2 Try some new cheeses
A creative and delicious cheese plate anchors any selection of appetizers. Take the time now to visit your cheese store and test-taste the offerings so you can wow your guests when the party season arrives.

3 Get out your knitting basket
Nothing’s cosier than a hand-knitted gift, whether it be a simple scarf mittens or an item for the home. Get started on small handmade gifts for your loved ones now — you’ll have time to make something special for yourself, too. New to knitting? Pick up a beginners’ book such as Knitting Pretty by Kris Percival, or sign up for a knitting class at your local yarn store (LYS, in knitters’ lingo).

OK, that’s only three things … check out our full list of things to do in November!

My desk is a disaster. As in … seriously … a disaster. I need some organizing help. So much mail crosses my desk each day that it’s nearly impossible to stay on top of it. That’s why I was thrilled to find these adorable office organizers from Susy Jack . From wall and desktop calendars to magnets, clips and pencil holders, these handy helpers for the office are big on style. Check out my favourites:

Pencil Cup and Pencils
$16.00
Work Reminder Magnet Sets
$9.95

2010 Deluxe Wall Calendar
$34.00

Day of the Week Clip Set
$8.50

More ideas for organizing your office
If you need some advice (like I clearly do) on organizing your office space, check these out:

5 tips for organizing a home office
Get your office clutter-free with these ideas.

Organizing 101: Organizing the home office
With a little creativity and home organizing, any space in your home can be designated as a functioning home office.

6 great office gadgets
A messy workspace can lead to distraction and frustration. Take your geek to chic with these fab organizing items for a clutter-free home office.

The first of October. Where is the time going? Before you know it, Thanksgiving will be upon us. Then Halloween. Then it’s head first into the holidays and the end of another year. As we welcome this harvest month, check out our list of 10 things to do in October. You’ll find 10 easy ways to welcome autumn into your home. Plus, download our Home & Living Checklist for October.  Put it on your fridge as a reminder of all the things you might want to do this month. Did we forget something? Use our checklist to write down your own notes, too!

September is a deliciously in-between time of year. It’s kind of warm, it’s kind of cool. You could just as easily get away with wearing a summer dress with a cardigan or your favourite pair of jeans with a t-shirt. Depending on the day, you may find yourself entertaining guests indoors or enjoying one of the year’s final al fresco meals. You just never know in September. Each day is like a little surprise. As we welcome the month, full of optimism and resolutions (there’s something about the back-to-school season that really feels like a new year, even more so than January 1, don’t you think?), check out our list of 10 things to do in September. What are you going to tackle? Me, I’m going to cut that clutter!
Image courtesy of Gap Interiors.

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 make 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.

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 …

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

Everything’s better in crystal, don’t you think? If you thought Swarovski was all about cute but utterly pointless crystal dust-collectors … I mean figurines, collectibles, whatever you want to call them … think again! The crystal retailer offers up a killer collection of all kinds of blinged-out treats, from jewelry and accessories to home decor goodies like picture frames and stemware. But my faves are these office accessories that are totally extravagant but so pretty to look at. Talk about taking something ordinary and making it special! The Amazone Headphones (pictured left) are made of polished stainless steel with fully faceted drop-cut crystals on the ear buds. The Lock Out USB Key (pictured right) is a memory stick, masquerading as a lock. This 1GB memory stick is also made with polished stainless steel and Silver Shade crystals. You’re going to want to take good care of these!

Prices:
Amazone Headphones: $175
Lock Out USB Key: $210
Available at Swarovski stores across Canada; for more, visit swarovski.com

PLUS: Check out 8 eco-friendly home office ideas on styleathome.com.

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!