Protecting Your Winter Wears

Posted on by Jeffrey Phillip

Richards Moth Away

Despite having a glorious 90-degree day in March this year, we can now confidently say that the warmer, summer weather will soon be here to stay for the season.

While you begin to slowly transition your wardrobe from winter to summer, give some consideration to properly storing and protecting your winter wears by following the steps below.

Steps to Safely Storing Your Winter Wears

  1. Launder or dry clean all garments, blankets and linens to remove dirt, stains and to ensure there are no moth larva in the fibers
  2. Place the cleaned and neatly folded items into a garment box or bag.  Wool, cashmere or garments containing a blend of either fiber should be placed in sealed plastic bags or bins to prevent unwelcome guests from dropping by over the summer.  Cotton and other fabrics should be stored in containers that can breath to prevent trapping any moisture, which can lead to mildew.  If you are using a cardboard box, you also want to be sure there is no acid or coloring in the cardboard that could possibly ruin your items during storage
  3. Place a moth repellent item such as cedar blocks, a cedar sachet or my personal favorite Moth Away in the storage container
  4. Store your protected items in a cool, dry location such as the top shelf of a closet

By following these simple steps, your cold-weather comforts will be clean, fresh and ready to go when the winter season hits.

P.S. – Moth Away has quickly become one of my closet staples.  This all natural repellent not only  protects your clothing, but it keeps it smelling fresh.  The peppermint, rosemary, thyme and clove combination smells wonderful and provides a burst of calming scent every time I open my storage containers.

Paper Meets Paperless

Posted on by Jeffrey Phillip

Here’s a handy little item for the office – a USB flash drive that doubles as a paperclip!   Conceived by Japanese design firm Nendo for the electronics brand Elecom, the Data Clip merges the world of paper and paperless so that digital documents and presentations can easily travel with their hardcopy constituents.  Available in 5 fun colors, the Data Clip is unfortunately only sold overseas at this time.  However, you can bet I’m awaiting its arrival here in the US.

 

Homemade Floor Mats with Style

Posted on by Jeffrey Phillip

I am a huge fan of weekend projects, and I especially love projects that allow me to use old items I have around the house, or inexpensive things I can pick up at my local thrift store or craft store.  I find the creative process of the project to be a rewarding and productive moment of solace from the everyday stresses that surround me.

While I wasn’t prepared to work on any projects as Hurricane Irene passed over this weekend, I did discover two great ones from Danny Seo’s new book Upcycling: Create Beautiful Things with the Stuff You Already Have.  

The projects: Two great floor mats that are easy and cost-effective to build, and have great style (see below).  Had I had all the supplies necessary, I would have had quite a crafty hurricane experience.  Instead, I have added the ideas onto my list of fun, future projects.

Leather Belt Rug

Supplies Needed:

  1. A dozen old leather belts
  2. A hole cutter
  3. Hemp twine
  4. A needle

Cork Bath Mat

Supplies Needed:

  1. A white shadowbox
  2. About 500 wine corks
  3. No glue or adhesives necessary

Images & Ideas courtesy of www.dailydanny.com

Headphones Untangled

Posted on by Jeffrey Phillip

Whether you are on your way to work, or hitting the gym, it is without a doubt that you will grab your headphones and shake them out in hopes that they are not tangled.  Even if you are an organized and careful person like myself ;-), chances are you will ultimately still have to deal with the issue of entanglement.

The solution: Zipbuds, the tangle resistant headphones.  These light and flexible headphones will save you time and a lot of frustration by staying neatly zipped up to prevent tangling when not in use.  Designed to fit snuggly in your ears, Zipbuds provide great sound while making sure you continue look good as you strut (or, maybe dance) around listening to Brit’s latest track.

Architectural Dish Drying

Posted on by Jeffrey Phillip

Here is a hot item that I came across at the black + blum booth while visiting the New York International Gift Fair earlier this week.

I’m in love with their approach to taking this basic, household item and turning it into an architecturally designed, functional piece that is not only more efficient in terms of its use (i.e. sturdy construction for delicate glass drying, a flip-up drainage spout, and removable cutlery holder), but also in its ability to be easily stored away.  It is the perfect solution for those of us who live in small spaces and have limited counter space in the kitchen.

In March,  black + blum was honored with the best product design award for the high&dry dishrack at the prestigious Homes&Gardens design awards in London.

Check out Google Shopping for a list of online retailers in the U.S.A. where you can purchase this everyday, must-have item.

Get Your Tote Bags Organized

Posted on by Jeffrey Phillip

Over the past several years companies have done an excellent job of taking the eco-friendly, reusable tote bag and making it not only functional, but stylish and fun too.  However, these must-have, useful bags can very easily become a cumbersome mess as you start to collect them.  The colorful collection you accumulate as event gift bags and from different stores, typically end up getting tossed around your car or your cabinets – you may even frequently forget them when you walk out the door.

Lucky for us, Julie Zizka seems to have had similar frustrations and has created the perfect solution – The Tote Buddy.  This super simple product allows you to organize and neatly store your tote bags so they will no longer be a cluttery mess, and will always be ready for your trip to the store.   The Tote Buddy works with a various size totes and is available for purchase on the company’s website.

Now, why didn’t I think of that?

It’s Fun, It’s Strong & It’s Disposable

Posted on by Jeffrey Phillip

Waverly Tableware

It is the height of the outdoor summer season, and whether you are spending your time at the beach, or in your backyard, chances are that you are outside BBQing and entertaining friends and family.  However, just because you’re outside doesn’t mean you should have to resort to the typical white disposable tableware.  Let the summer fun follow through to your tablescape with the Waverly Tableware collection by Hefty.  These vibrant disposable plates carry the Hefty tradition of being super strong, while donning some of the Waverly prints that have become synonymous with American style.

You can find this fun and colorful collection of tableware at Walmart and your local grocery store.

Your All-In-One BBQ & Garden

Posted on by Jeffrey Phillip

The countdown is on….  we are less than one week away from the official start of the summer grilling season!  If you have been dreaming of joining the summertime cult of men and women who are OCD about BBQ-ing, but you are short on space for a grill, check out Black + Blum’s Hot-Pot BBQ.

The Hot-Pot puts your BBQ and garden in one, helping you not only save space, but also save you from a horrible eyesore in your outdoor living area.  Made from stainless steel and a heat insulated ceramic coating, the Hot-Pot allows you to maximize your outdoor square footage by growing your garden on top of your grill.  It is the perfect solution for those of us living in areas with limited outdoor space.

With the Hot-Pot BBQ you will finally be able to have that sizzling steak you have been craving, as well as the fresh home-grown herbs for the marinade.

A Place to Sit & Store Your Shoes

Posted on by Jeffrey Phillip

Accentuated by the bright and bold colors they are known for, Lilly Pulitzer will be debuting a home furnishings line with HFI this Summer.  The line will consist of 200+ pieces and one amazing Shoe-Storage Ottoman, which Real Simple just noted as “Destined to be a Classic” – I couldn’t agree more!  The ottoman should retail for around $599 and will be a great addition to bedrooms, walk-in closets and those compact New York City studio apartments where you can never have enough shoe storage.

Organized Dicing & Slicing

Posted on by Jeffrey Phillip

A couple months ago I wrote about The OCD Chef cutting board, which, due to its genius grid layout, enables you to dice and chop with exact precision.  Well, here is another great product that helps make the dicing and chopping of food prep easier and more organized.

The Ute Bowlboard, which is made of carbonized bamboo, was designed with four inlaid food prep bowls to help keep you organized.  Simply chop your ingredients and slide them into the appropriate bowl so they are neatly stored and ready for cooking.  The bowls sit flush to the surface of the board so there is no mess and not lost ingredients.

While you can purchase the Bowlboard direct from the manufacturer in Australia.  There is a limited supply still available through CSN Stores on Amazon.com in the US.

P.S. – It will also serves as a great snack tray with built-in condiment bowls!

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