Q: I am wondering how you keep all your decorating ideas and images organized. Do you keep all the magazines and catalogs with good design ideas (if so how do you organize them?). Do you cut out images? Do you keep everything electronic or scan in images? Just wondering because I always want to keep lots of inspiring decorating ideas but then never know how to organize them or find them again without allowing the clutter to get overwhelming. Love the blog! -Lindsay
A: Good question! Of course I used to have piles and piles of torn out pages from glossy shelter magazines sitting around waiting to be filed or flipped through. But a few years ago I grabbed a 3-inch binder and some clear sleeves and literally created “the ultimate magazine” by adding all of my favorite inspiration pictures. It’s super easy to flip through (a lot less cumbersome than a folder of loose tear-sheets), and I even organized it by category (interior inspiration, curb appeal ideas, holiday stuff, art I love, etc). Life changing, I tell ya.
We also keep an inspiration folder on our computer desktop (with many of the same categories as the binder) for all of the virtual rooms and projects we love (blogger tip: we rename them with the source so if we ever want to use them on the blog we can properly credit them). And we also keep full issues of the glossies that we just can’t bear to part with (we’re the proud owners of every single Domino issue, seen here stacked proudly out in the open on the fireplace hearth in the den)…
… and we keep all of our favorite House Beautiful issues stacked on the pedestal table in the den…
…and we stash a bunch of Cottage Living mags that we covet in various leather and woven baskets near little reading zones in the sunroom and the den (see the little basket next to the white armchair?).
So that’s how we keep the stream of never ending inspiration in check around these parts. We can’t fully claim that our binder is always perfectly sorted (sometimes we shove pages in with the promise of organizing them later) but it’s a pretty simple system to keep up with for the most part. How do you guys organize your ideas from magazines and the interweb? We’d love to know what methods you have in place to keep things, well, in their place.
Wondering which magazines we list as our favorites? Check them out right here. And speaking of mags, check out the hysterical vintage glossies that John and I discovered at a garage sale. Too entertaining for words. That’s a whole lotta links for you on this Monday morning. Enjoy!
Amy @ Renovation Innovation says
I keep my organized in a design file on my computer. I don’t subscribe to any magazines and soend most of my time searching the Interweb, so digital files make the most sense for me. Great tip about renaming the file to the source for easy crediting later. Genius!
Chelsey says
I have a binder like that for recipes I want to try, and it is so handy – like my own “ultimate cookbook”! Some of the pages are the sticky kind from photo albums so I can cut out something little or several little recipes and stick them on one page. Then I have some loose pages like yours in the back for larger spreads.
Nic says
Another idea for organizing images found on the web is http://weheartit.com/ You can bookmark images found elsewhere and it saves source info. It’s helped me keep track of ideas I’ve seen around.
Amanda says
Great ideas! I have tried the 3-ring notebook thing but I always fall behind. I particularly like to see how you’ve made stacks of magazines look cute without using a magazine rack.
Kelly says
Binders and plastic sheets changed my organizational life when I finally found them. I use the same system for organizing our bills, recipes, tax-deductible purchases, and user manuals.
Samantha says
Funny you post this right after I organized a huge stack of tearouts! House Beautiful is the only magazine I refuse to shred. It seems like every single page is inspirational, so why tear it up?
I bought a notebook thicker but smaller than a normal school spiral notebook for our wedding planning and only ended up using 3 pages. I decided to start collecting all my inspiration in there. It has a divider with pockets in it, and the first part of the binder is outfits, hair and makeup ideas I love, and the other half is decorating and renovating inspiration. I cut out all my favorite things and stick them in the divider pockets. Then when I’m ready to organize, I lay them on the floor and group them by similarites (a color scheme that I have 20 examples of, black lampshades, outdoor party decorations, etc) and then use my trusty elmers glue stick to stick them in. I use the elmers because even though I leave a page or two for growth, it often exceeds that space, or I decide a few pictures don’t really appeal to me anymore. Although the glue holds well enough for flipping, I can easily pull the pictures out and stick new ones in without tearing the picture or the page.
For my full page inspirations, I too use the clear page protectors in a binder, but I also have that sectioned off. Half is sewing and craft patterns, the other half my full page inspiration pictures :)
Kristin says
I used to clip everything out of magazines and fill a very large file folder of ideas… or email myself web pages, but I just discovered Evernote (www.evernote.com) and it is pretty life changing! You can easily clip a web page or a picture and then tag it just like a blog so you can easily find them. I have their app downloaded on my blackberry so anytime I find a wine I like, I take a picture of the label and send it to Evernote and it saves the picture, and also pulls out the text so you can search the text.
Try it – you’ll love it!
KOS! (Keep On S'myelin!) says
Thanks for the tips! I’m always looking for a way to organize my decorating ideas. I like to keep the pages in the magazines because then I know where the items in the pages came from by going to the source guide at the back of the magazine. I have way too many magazines. I really need to start a system.
I notice there is writing on the page in the binder you posted, what kinds of info do you write down? Do you keep the source guides from the magazines with the pages so you know where the items in the pictures came from or do you just try to find something similar when you want to use one of the ideas? Do you label each page with which magazine it came from?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey KOS!
Good question! I have learned to take little notes on images so I remember exactly what it was I was loving in the picture. I rarely note sources since I can’t afford all those expensive things! Hehe, it’s more for inspiration so I might write “love the extra high curtains” or “love the casters on the coffee table” just so I remember what it was in the picture that floated my boat. And the page usually says “House Beautiful” or “BHG” on the bottom, but if not sometimes I note the source just in case I want to scan it for the blog one day. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Tanya says
I have a v large 3 ring binder with clear sleeves. It has been a lifesaver for me. I started it when I was 16 so it has been fun seeing the things that have stuck with me over the years and the ones that did not. I tear out magazine pages, paint strips, catalog pages- you name it- and I put it into the side pocket. Once every month or two I sit down and put them into the clear sheets and edit it a bit. I love pulling it out when I am feeling hesitant about something design wise or just wanting to look through for fun.
Nicole says
I found an accordion file to be very helpful. I tag the pocket according to how I want to file (home, entertaining, green, etc.) and it’s an easy go-to when I’m looking for something. I’m intrigued by the PP on Evernote. I’ll have to check it out.
Kate says
Since I don’t subscribe to any magazines and get 99% of my inspiration from the web, I created a separate online photo album with all of my pics (I use picasa). I also get a lot of inspiration from bloggers so I use Google Reader to save/star posts that I really like if I can’t save a picture. There are so many images I love that it’s hard to keep track sometimes, but in picasa I can group them together to identify the things that I really love (colors, types of window treatments, etc.). It’s so fun to scroll through images that I’ve saved and see it all in one place.
Tiffany says
I have noticed that many of you like decor mags as much as I do..I spend way too much money on them. I’m a fan of magazine swapping.. and if something really tickles my fancy I color copy it for my scrapbook. I like to buy a magazine a week and sometimes two..that’s 60 bucks a month. Eeek. So swapping saves me from spending that much.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Tiffany,
We love swapping (I actually swap with two of my bffs) and we also all “recycle” ours by bringing them to a local book store who gives them away for free to customers. Gotta love recirculating magazines a few times before they hit the actual recycle bin.
xo,
s
Sarah @ Dream In Domestic says
I was wondering the same thing! I’m glad you answered it here for us. I need to start collecting them in a binder instead of the folder I shove them into. I didn’t think to write the magazine on the bottom if it isn’t listed – I should do that. I really like Kate’s idea of keeping all the online photos in an online photo album. I just keep them on my hard drive, but it would be cool to have them online too.
Emily says
Same way you do! Great minds think alike. I also use tumblr.com to keep all my online inspiration in one place. You can link and post pictures and explanations and all kinds of handy things!
Kasey at Thrifty Little Blog says
I like to save images into different ‘room’ files in my computer then I can easily go back and look at them all in filmstrip view. Looking at magazines is fun, but I hate all the clutter that saving them creates in my small house.
Venessa says
I have created my own Ultimate Magazine and I love it! Yet another fantastic YoungHouseLove tip! I also have taken the “ultimate” idea and created an Ultimate Cookbook, where I keep all my recipes that i’ve pulled from mags, or printed from the internet!
Aryn says
Wow, you guys, I don’t know why I didn’t think to do this yet. I’m trying to plan a nursery, but we don’t know the sex yet (only 4 more weeks!). In the mean time I have boy lists, girl lists, and “things that are really for me, but I’m hoping to sneak past my husband lists!” The only problem is that our apartment is scattered with little bits of paper.
micah says
Great ideas! Now I don’t feel so bad for having magazines all over the house :)
kelly says
i’m a digital girl! i save things online.
although, i have to say most of my “inspiration files” end up sketched on the back of receipts and shoved into my wallet. surprisingly effective, though. :)
kelly
http://tearinguphouses.blogspot.com
Amanda says
That bull is just crying for a good pair of earrings. Maybe for Christmas? I think he’d look great in a pair of lovely Christmas balls :)
YoungHouseLove says
No way Amanda! Have you seen this post? https://www.younghouselove.com/2008/12/some-simple-holiday-sparkle/
Great minds think alike!
xo,
s
anna see says
i rip out articles and save them in a vertical file with labels such as “fireplace,” and “things to buy.” sad to say i got rid off all my dominoes, etc. once i rip the articles i donate the mags or recycle them. i miss them when they are gone…
Magchunk says
I do the exact same thing! I have a 3 ring binder for interiors and one for fashion. The fashion one is not organized at all, but I like it that way. The interiors one is grouped by room (with a section of “full house” from magazines that really showcase the whole house. Jenna Lyons’ would be one ;)
I used to keep them in a file, but it was a pain to keep organized, which is how I adopted the binder idea (first with fashion, probably 7 years ago! There are some tear sheets from Seventeen Magazine from 1999!)
And occasionally I get a chance to weed through and yank stuff that no longer appeals to me.
Caitlin @thathouseonthecorner.blogspot.com says
One more reason to love you two! I do the exact same thing with the three ring binder and I love that it cuts down on my magazine stacks while preserving everything I don’t want to forget that I have found. I also have a decor file on my computer (and my facebook) any time I see and idea I love I’m quick to save it in there.
Take care,
Caitlin
Jocelyne says
I use the popular combination of online files and file folders to contain all the ripped out magazine articles organized by room/subject.
Totally off topic, but I was just looking on the Canadian House and Home website, and lo and behold, there on their home page was a photo of your living room. Congrats! I’ve subscribed to that magazine for years and years.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jocelyne,
Thanks for noticing! We just learned that we’re up there. Isn’t that fun? And on the homepage no less- we’re totally pinching ourselves. Their mag is also one of our favorite international ones. Wahoo!
xo,
s
Becky says
I keep it all online. When browsing sites, I pull the images and put them on my flickr photosites (marking the source of the image, making the images viewable only by friends, and not downloadable). I try to scan whatever hardcopy images I have (if I can’t find them online) and then upload to flickr, as above.
If I must have a hard copy of something, I try to get it on my bulletin board or in my general image journal/scrapbook asap.
I am making an effort to keep my paper clutter to an absolute minimum where applicable!
prettythings says
Great ideas! Mine are stacked in various places, and hidden in a cabinet under a window seat.
Question for YHL: I saw your list of must-reads (great list, by the way) and wondered if you ever read Veranda? I keep my old issues handy and admire a lot of the styles and ads. Of course, their target reader’s budget is ridiculously, laughably larger than mine. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Prettythings,
We do flip through Veranda while we’re reading at Barnes & Noble (something we like to do every few weeks) so although we don’t subscribe to it, we agree that it has some great inspiration to be found.
xo,
s
Lisa says
Great post, thanks for sharing! Anyone else that can’t see the binder picture? I can see the rest, but not that one. I use firefox 5.0.
Lisa
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Lisa,
So sorry you can’t see that photo. Have you tried refreshing? There might be a slightly slower load time on that photo since it’s lifted from an older post, so here’s hoping it’s back to loading well for you. Anyone else having this issue?
xo,
Sherry
Hattie says
I use the exact same binder trick for magazine clippings! I even blogged about it back in July, with a few examples of my favorite pics. http://littleredroost.blogspot.com/2009/07/cut-it-out.html
I’d never thought of making an electronic version as well, but I think I will now! Thanks for always having such great ideas!
Roeshel says
I organize everything the exact same way you do. Stacks sorted by magazine and rename my photos online to reflect the source in my inspiration folder. :)
I see all of the photos.
Roeshel
Jess K says
I do the same as Sherry. But, I have a binder for design ideas that I love and I also keep one filled with recipes and party ideas that I see in magazines too. Fun to flip through them!
Erin D says
Hmmm… I saw the photo, scrolled down to read the comments, scrolled back up and the photo is missing. Refreshing hasn’t helped. Weird…
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man. So sorry to hear that. We’re totally baffled. Let us know if you notice any other images playing tricks with you and hopefully we can get to the bottom of this! It seems as if you’re the only one. Anyone else having this issue?
xo,
s
Rachel says
I do the same thing with magazine tears. I make notes on them and then file them into a binder. With images from the net, I have a folder for each room on my desktop. I just put the image into the room where I plan on using the idea.
renee says
I had the same image issue – it was there, now it’s gone!
Doni says
I just noticed that too. The picture was there when i was on the main page, but when you click to read the comments the pic goes missing.
If you go back to the home page the pic comes back though. Hope that helps!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for that clue, Doni! It tipped me off to the error and now it should be working for everyone.
-John
Elizabeth says
I too own every amazing issue of Domino, Martha Stewart’s *short lived* Blueprint, and Cookie. Such a tragedy to the magazine world, I was stunned when I heard Domino was no longer, it had such modern, fresh ingenuity. My husband just bought me a binder full of clear sleeves because he said I am borderline “Hoarders” with my magazine. Boys don’t understand! :)
Laura @ soalaurable says
I second a couple of PP on using Evernote. Have you tried it? I didn’t really get it the first time, but I am starting to learn how to better use it, including to tag and save off my favorite decor images. (I used to solely use a combination of tags and starring items in Google Reader.) I’m loving how I can use it on the web, on my iPhone, and the desktop version.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Laura,
We have yet to try Evernote, but we’ll definitely check it out since so many people seem to find it helpful! Thanks!
xo,
s
Lindsay says
Thanks for responding to my question! It totally made my day to see it. Now I just need to get to organizing all my magazines and photos. Thanks!
Alycia Wicker says
I learned the binder idea when I worked at the model home company. Let me tell you, me and the color copier were becoming really close when I found all sorts of new ideas I just had to save.
I also totally go with everyone else on the Evernote Love. I use it exclusively when I am sourcing my design client projects.
Kirsten says
I wrote a post on my blog about this last year! I do love your home-made magazine, but it’s a bit fussy for me. And if I can ever get my act together to do something similar for online inspiration, I’ll do that. I think the one thing that prevents me from filing online ideas is that it would be opening a huge can of worms. Magazines are tangible, and there’s a limit to how many I can afford or bring into my home. Virtual pictures are limitless!
court. says
J & S-
I linked to this post in my most recent blog entry. I’ve taken the Design Binder/Master of All Magazines idea and wrangled all of our important info/papers/etc. into a “Household Bible.”
Being as inventive and organized as you both are, do you have something similar? I’d be interested to see how you’d work it out.
–court.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Court,
Yup, our binder is a household bible of sorts with every color paint chip taped to a sheet of paper in the front and a black page behind it dedicated to important numbers like the HVAC guy, etc. Then the rest is pretty devoted to glossy eye candy in different categories. It works out well for us- maybe because it’s a little bit right brained and a little bit left brained. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Cheryl Balmas says
They called me the ‘binder queen’ at my old job and I use this organizational system at home as well. Recipes, paint chips, decor ideas from magazines and other sources…all in clear plastic sleeves in binders. I have several. Right now they are organized by ‘color’…inspiration pictures of rooms in white, brown, green, blues and turquoise (favorite colors). Also have some organized by room. I use post it notes to tag things I liked about the photo such as furniture style, loved the lamp, like the mirror, paint color, etc, etc to remind me why I clipped the page if its something specific. I also have alot stored online but I find the binders more to my liking. Sometimes I get tired of looking at my laptop screen but when I flip through a binder I feel like I am flipping through a magazine. I see I’m in good anal organizational company…hahahahahaha! I love it!
Amanda says
I totally stole your organization idea and I’m loving it. I’m as giddy as a little kid on the night before Christmas about having all of my inspiration organized!!
http://amandajillsblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/organized-inspiration-achieved.html
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh that looks great. Don’t you just love being organized? Awesome job.
xo,
s
Jan says
I, too, have magazines waiting to be clipped and culled, and Someday, I’ll get a round TUIT. In the meantime, and/or in addition, I have developed a FileMaker database on my MacBook for just this sort of thing. I call the file Domestica (I have similar ones called Craftia, Costumia, Cookery Bookery and My eBAmazOnline to record my online purchases.)
Domestica has a container field were I drag-and-drop a picture, and 5 pull-down fields as follows:
Room (Any, Bath, Bed, Closet, Craft, Dining, Garage, Garden, Hall & cetera)
Surface (Ceiling, Door, Floor, Wall, Window)
Function (Art, Display, Entertaining, Furniture, Linens, Pillow, Storage)
Colour (the ones you are likely to care about with WHITE at the TOP!)
Technique (Assembly, Paint, Sewing, Stencil, Tile, Wallpaper)
Then there is a section with ‘radio buttons’ for Craft/Decor, Paint and Pets). This is followed by 3 free form fields: Notes, Materials and Instructions
And the final field is a pull-down for Source (Apt Tx, BHG, eBay, etsy, HGTV, IKEA, MSL, RS, TOH, other)
Now, this system helps best if, after dragging in the photo, and copying the URL to Notes, these various fields actually get filled in. I do this in batches, say, while I am waiting somewhere where there is no WiFi. I can then do a quick find on any combination of fields, say Room (Library) Colour (White) and I will get a list of all my entries that fit those criteria.
I also will use the Materials field for keywords related to items in the picture: iron beds, painted brick (I LOVE the texture of painted brick!), beadboard, framing and so on.
This database has over 550 entries gleaned from the Sources mentioned above (Apartment Therapy, Better Homes & Gardens, Martha Stewart Living, Real Simple, This Old House) with more added to the list if they become frequent-flier resources.
Frankly, I DO love being this organised if only on my Mac. Real Life is another matter: it isn’t as easy to create a folder and sweep all the Desktop clutter into it. And Real LIfe does NOT have an effective Spotlight search tool, either.
All the best.
Jessica says
I’m seriously bummed that I had never heard of the magazine Domino until today since they don’t publish it anymore!! I had to check it out online to see what it was, and it looks like a FUN little magazine!!
Jessica says
How many issues were there of Domino mag??
YoungHouseLove says
Let me go count my stack…
Looks like there were 37 glorious issues. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jessica says
Thanks, Sherry! I just may have to get my own set on eBay… :) Have a great day doing your photo shoot!
P.S. – LOVE your blog!!! The first thing I do every morning is to check and see if it’s been updated – and I hit refresh until it has been. :D
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Jessica. You’re making me blush over here. Happy ebay hunting!
xo,
s
Gabby says
I’ve been saving and updating my binders for over a decade. Last year, I fancied them up a bit by purchasing cutsey binders that look attractive on a bookshelf and divided up my stuff by rooms instead of the two mega-white binders. I love flipping through them, especially now that we’re in the market for our first home.
I’ve submitted to your blog via Bloglines, as I’ve loved so many of your posts and photographs.
Christie DeSilva says
Oh how I love (and miss) Domino. Sigh…I always get a chuckle out of your blog and pics. We have SO many similar (or exactly the same) items in our homes that it is uncanny. The three magazines that I “had” subscriptions to were Domino, Cottage Living, and House Beautiful. House Beautiful lives on only, sadly. Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications are my downfall now. I did see a new mag the other day…can’t remember the name, but it had a young-mod-vibe, and it was geared towards “hands-on-people.” LOVE THAT! Oh..if only the library wasn’t 25 miles from my house.
Michelle says
Target has some really cute binders out right now, I think it’s the Liberty of London brand. I have collected clippings from magazines for a long time, but have always taped/glued them inside a spiral notebook. But I really love the idea of the binder. Thanks for sharing!
Missy says
Silly question: For your desktop inspiration folder, do you screen shot great rooms/ideas that you see? Do you bookmark URLS? I’m trying to envision how you actually store the online room/idea.
Thanks so much!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Missy,
Good question! We either drag the images onto our desktop or screen grab them. Then we rename the files so we can remember the sources (since we like to credit them if we use the photos on the blog). Hope it helps!
xo,
s