Cheat Your Way to Neat Art and Photos

(tour my previous apt here)

There's two things you need for your artwork to stay looking neat on your walls. First a level (something everyone should have in their tool kit!), though if you live here in NYC where nothing's level, you may have to eye it to make it 'look' level. Then Stik-Tak to hold the frame or art piece in place for good. A putty-like substance that can easily be removed or washed off the wall if you want to move the frame. Almost any hardware store carries it.

It's these little things that make your space looking polished and finished...

Reader's Questions: Painted Over Clothes Rod

Rose asks "One thing I struggle with in my rental apartment is the hanger pole in the closet, which has obviously been painted over a million times, making the hangers hard to slide, and having to deal with scraps of paint on the bottom of the closet (and all over my shoe boxes). I've been wanting to change the poles, either completely to a chrome pole, or to a raw wood pole...OR to scrape off the paint. Do you have any suggestions? Where could I find replacement poles that have custom sizes?"

Stripping it, sanding it down and repainting is going to be a pain and take a lot of time so I would just replace it. (If you do switch it out, either list the one you have 'free' on Craigslist or give it back to the management co/landlord for reuse).

Many local hardware stores sell closet rods in 6' and 8' lengths and can cut them for you. I personally love the thick polished chrome in 1 5/16" diameter (link is just to show you what it is, try to buy it locally) as shown in the pic above. They come in chrome and stainless steel which is a lot heavier and therefore sturdier, but almost twice the price of the chrome. Unless you are seriously loading heavy heavy stuff, the chrome is fine. Use a center support if over 4' long.

If you can't get the larger one as mentioned, you can get a custom sized Elfa rod from The Container Store. They aren't as thick in diameter and the longest length they come in is 6'.

Most hardware or housewares stores sell adjustable ones are less expensive and easier to deal with if you don't want to worry about having something cut.

If you go with having one cut, make sure you measure the length you need several times, better yet, bring your existing rod as a guide.

Storage Options For Off-Season Clothes

I'm always on the look out for nice looking storage that's small enough to fit on a shelf, but is large enough to hold more than two sweaters. I say these are for off-season clothes, but they can be used for so many other things, including shoes and boots...

zippered box made from recycled materials

these aren't structured so they're more like zippered bags. better if you are putting enough in it to help keeps its shape. i like the fact it has handles, a front label, and a clear window top.

canvas sweater chests with cedar inserts

the same as above, these aren't structured but they are nice looking and have a great price.

cotton canvas general storage box

what's not to love about this simple design and unlike the others, this is an actual box so it can easily be used to hold just about anything!

rubbermaid low profile box

also a structured box, love the contrasting stitching and the windows. It's a bit darker in color than shown...

grey storage bags

these are also not structured but they're a nice non-natural canvas colored option.

Savings at Organizeit.com

(one of my favorite hangers, padded canvas hangers)

Perfect timing with spring cleaning! Save 15% off any order, use code EM92DNG at checkout through June 20th.

Do You Have a Paper Shredder?

(M5 Mailmate from Staples)

If not, you should. Like having a door mat and nice hangers, it's a no brainer to have a shredder. Anything with your name, address, and/or account info (bank, cc, etc) should be shredded for your personal safety. Of course you should do what you can to eliminate the junk mail you get, but the little you get should be shredded.

Here's what you need to know when buying a shredder:

• get a cross-cut/confetti
• get one that shreds disks and cc if you need it
• expect to spend $50-$95 for basic household, if you're shredding a lot, spend more
• don't overload it; if it says 5 sheets at a time, do 4 sheets
• many models can only do 5-10 minutes of shredding at a time

I don't like having my shredder out so I keep it unplugged under the kitchen sink and put paper to be shredded in the basket it came with and shred things all at once when it gets a little full. If you find yourself with a ton of shredding to do, you can go to a private shredding company who can either come to you, for a fee, or you can bring to them what you need shredded. Google your city and 'shredding service' to find someone near you.