Category: How to…

Posted on

Handy Home Tips: How to choose artwork for your home

The problem with renting a house is not being able to bang nails in the wall, willy-nilly to display your artwork and photos. Why is this a problem? Because displaying all of these little personal pieces transform a house into a home. Being surrounded by happy memories through photographs of fun times with people you love, or a print that you bought on that trip to Prague make us feel good. This month’s blog series, Handy Home Tips is all about feeling good at home.

Fortunately, there are plenty of handy picture-hanging products on the market now (such as Command Strips) that allow you to display all manner of framed artworks (even if they weigh up to 7kg) and don’t damage your walls or require nails and a hammer. 
So now there’s no excuses and the only thing left to do is pick some pieces to decorate your walls…

We thought we’d get some expert advice on this process and caught up with Tiffany Jade Benn, Director of a new online Sydney-based homewares store, HART : LDN (www.hartldn.com).

Tiffany Jade Benn, Director of a new online homewares store, HART : LDN



Read on for Tiffany’s helpful tips on:


1. Buying artwork for yourself
2. Buying artwork as a gift for someone else
3. This season’s hot artwork trends and must-have prints

Buying artworks for yourself:
• Be brave! Just take a slight shift from your usual style. The moment I started doing that everything changed.
• Choose your frames carefully and mix styles. If you have a collection of prints together mix the textures of the frames for an eclectic look that people will be instantly drawn to.
• Don’t rush – take your time to browse for your artworks. 
• Many framing websites will allow you to upload a photo of your artwork to see what frame will suit it best.
• If your budget allows wait until you have purchased all your artworks for your home and hire a professional picture hanging service. They work quickly, efficiently and clean up after themselves!

Choosing artwork for someone else:
• Have a look at their current interior style and head for something along those lines…however…
• Pick something that is a slight shift from their comfort zone. Not too far though!
• Don’t limit yourself to prints alone. I have a beautiful tea towel that I bought in New Zealand 6 years ago and framed it – it’s still one my favourites!
• If you’re feeling generous get your gift framed. Either pick a ready-made frame or search on the internet for made to measure frames. There are many made to measure framing websites that won’t break the bank. I love contemporary prints in very ornate frames, it makes such a statement.

This season’s hot prints

1. Metallics

The metallics trend following on from last year is showing no signs of slowing down, thankfully! It gives a feeling of luxury and high-end style at prices we can all afford. Metallics are striking in any room where you want to add a touch of luxe.

http://www.hartldn.com/product/senna-jean-gold-foil-geometric-print-black-card/
A fantastic unisex print that completely embraces our obsession with everything metallic


Senna Jean Heart Gold Foil Print 
Bring a bit of love into your life!

2. Global

Think American Indian headdresses, crosses, dreamcatchers, skulls, cacti, tee pees. Think of the Navajo in Arizona & New Mexico. This trend can easily be slotted into a colourful interior with the rich, deep colours of the desert or something more minimalist as there are many prints that are monochrome. This is a bulky unisex trend and there is truly something for everyone.

These tips were kindly shared with us by Tiffany Jade Benn from HART : LDN.
HART : LDN stocks products for men & women, for all ages and budgets with the majority of the products being designed and produced in Australia by up-and-coming designers.
Check out their website, www.hartldn.com and Facebook page.

Here are some tips on how to hang artwork in your home…

What are your favourite pieces of artwork? 
Where do you have them displayed at home?
We’d love your thoughts – please comment below…

Posted on

Handy Home Tips: How to hang pictures

So you have a beautiful collection of photos and artworks, framed and ready to hang. 
But how and where to hang them? Do you display them on their own, or try to group them together? 

My anxiety of hanging something in the wrong spot often slows the process of actually getting the jolly thing on the wall. But I think my nervousness of hanging pictures is justified – after all, how many holes-in-the-wrong-spot do you really want in a wall?

So, you can only imagine my delight when I stumbled across this Picture Hanging Guide. 
I also love that it gives options for pics on shelves and on the wall next to the stairs. 

Image from www.lushome.com

If you really want to confuse yourself, you can find more suggestions here…
Some key things to consider:

Why spend time arranging your artwork before hanging it? 
“Well designed layouts complement your home interiors, making a room look interesting, but light and spacious. Beautiful collections of photographs are excellent wall decorating ideas that help declutter homes and design beautiful and cozy, personal and modern interiors…Balanced compositions of photographs and artworks complement interior decorating with rhythm and repetition, adding harmony and interest to rooms.” 

Why should you group smaller images together?
Large empty walls can handle big collections of photographs or large photos. A single small photograph on an empty wall looks lost and unappealing. If you have lots of small photographs, it is better to design a composition and arrange them on empty walls in accordance with one of layouts that demonstrate how to hang photographs and decorate empty walls like a professional decorator. Source: www.lushome.com. 

How do I start this process?
Layout your proposed idea on the floor first and don’t be afraid to make changes. 


How do you decide what artworks to hang on your walls at home? We’d love your thoughts – please comment below…
Posted on

Handy Home Tips: Fridge Magnet Tins

These brightly-coloured little tins are too cute to throw out, but what to do with them?

The addition of a strong magnet to the back of these little tins transforms them into handy storage vessels for little bits and pieces, such as pens and pencils. 
Image from www.ezzly.hubpages.com
Here’s why we love them:
  • They make vibrant, useful fridge magnets for storing little bits and bobs such as pens, pencils, elastic bands, pegs, drawing pins, safety pins, paper clips, buttons, etc. 
  • They are a great way to reuse attractive little tins
  • They add a bit of colour and charm to any kitchen
  • You can pop them on the fridge or any other magnetic surface

What sort of magnets do you have on your fridge? 
We’d love your thoughts – please comment below…
Posted on

Handy Home Tips: Towel Baskets

Does your home have enough storage? 

I am yet to meet anyone who has enough storage in their house. Having enough room to store everything in your house is not necessarily related to the size of your house. A large house with no cupboards can have less practical storage than a small house with clever storage options. 

The secret lies in seeing potential storage opportunities and making the most of them, like these wall-mounted towel baskets for your bathroom. 
Image from www.ezzly.hubpages.com
Why we love them:
  • It keeps the towels where you need them – in the BATHROOM! No more nudie runs to the linen cupboard to grab a towel when you forgot to get one before your shower. 
  • They’re stylish – these baskets are a design feature that look great on your bathroom wall. We love the colour-coordinated towels and shower curtain. 
  • Most bathrooms rarely have another bulk storage space to keep big items like towels. After all, you don’t want to waste your previous vanity cupboard space on towels!
  • They’re inexpensive – baskets like these are easy to source these days a will only require a couple of screws to secure them to the wall. 
  • They are versatile – you can choose how many baskets, what shape and size you go for. 
  • You can add more later if you need extra storage. Also consider other options such as wooden or plastic creates – anything that works well with your existing bathroom decor. 
  • They add value to your house. If you ever come to sell your property, buyers will appreciate storage solutions. 

Where do you store your bathroom towels? 
We’d love your thoughts – please comment below…

Posted on

How to keep a clean home

April is Mr Gift’s Home Month. This month we are focusing on ways to improve the space around you at home – in your house and garden. 

As colder winter days drive us indoors, we reckon April is a good time to ensure your home is your sanctuary, so you can truly relax and enjoy the time you spend there. This might be realised through a bit of redecorating, moving things around, or just having a good old tidy up. 

Various studies have proven that the space around us impacts our mood, so we’re looking forward to sharing lots tips and tricks to whip your home into shape this month. Hopefully by the end of the month your house will be so alluring you’ll look forward to coming home at the end of the day…in fact, you won’t want to leave! 

The first step to a harmonious household is a good old clean-up. Here is a great ‘cheat sheet’ to pop on the fridge and keep you focused on the main jobs. 
Image from www.designsponge.com

Here are some other jobs that could be substituted/added to this list:

Every Day:
  • Make beds
  • Clean out one draw, cupboard or shelf somewhere in your house to keep on top of accumulating clutter. This gets you into the habit of clearing out things you don’t use regularly, and reminds you of the things you have so you can use them. Always keep a bag for the charity shop somewhere that you keep adding things to. When it’s full drop it off and start another bag. 
Once a week:
  • Wipe the main shelves in your fridge, especially just before you go grocery shopping when the fridge is empty. 
  • Do your ironing – pull out 5+ outfits for the week ahead and iron them. This also saves time each morning trying to figure out what to wear. 
  • Vacuum the car (you might only need to do this once a month if you don’t have kids in the car or don’t use your car that frequently)
Once a month:
  • Vacuum behind the beds/under furniture. This is one I always forget and it’s amazing the amount of dust that accumulates there!

What are your top cleaning tips? 
We’d love your thoughts – please comment below…


Posted on

Handmade gift of the week: Wooden coat hangers

If your wardrobe full of old mishapen wire and broken plastic hangers, you’ll love this simple gift idea from Driven By Decor. In fact, who wouldn’t love to receive these coat hangers as a gift? Coat hangers can be so plain and uninspiring, which is such a shame when we spend good money on clothing. As soon as I saw this gift idea I felt inspired and started to think how I could embellish them for different family members and friends. 

Black satin ribbon with black lettering is a smart choice and would be perfect for a man


Why we love it:

  • This is an inexpensive gift idea that is quick and easy to create
  • You can personalise the lettering to suit your recipient – meaningful quotes, funny sayings, special birthday and anniversary dates, names, favourite books, types of clothes i.e. coat, favourite frock, etc. – the options are endless! 
  • These are a great gift for men, women and children of any age
  • You don’t have to be ‘crafty’ to make these and get an amazing result
  • Upgrading your coat hangers will force you to have a clear-out and reorganise your wardrobe. 

Above images from www.drivenbydecor.com



How to get the look:

  • Shop around to find your wooden hangers. Look for good quality hangers that are made from a nice wood with a smooth finish. 
  • Raid your ribbon stash (if you have one) to find interesting ribbons, lace and other embellishments to tie around the hook. Otherwise check out your local haberdashery store or $2 shop to find some interesting ribbon. Gingham ribbon, for example, would be a cute choice with broad appeal. 
  • You could even glue interesting things like buttons, shells, foam shapes, etc onto them – visit a craft shop for inspiration. 
  • Find rub-on letters to personalise. Bright stickers with matching ribbon would be fun for kids. The kids could choose them and even stick them on themselves. 
Gingham ribbon is a fun choice for men, women and children and is available in an array of colours


This idea is from www.drivenbydecor.com, which is packed with Kris’ beautiful design ideas and DIY projects. 

What sort of coat hangers do you have in your wardrobe?
Posted on

How to wrap the perfect present – tips from Kate Schwarz from Gift Club

Kate Schwarz is so passionate about gift-giving that she created an App, Gift Club, to help us with the gift-giving process. So it wasn’t really surprising to learn that Kate is also a talented gift-wrapper and has some great ideas she was willing to share with us. Here are some of Kate’s favourite ideas…

1. What are the best types of wrapping paper?
Kate: The best types of wrapping paper are made from post-consumer waste. There are some wonderful eco gift wrap manufacturers now and their products are the most beautiful on the market as well as being the most environmentally friendly. My favourite is Earth Greetings which do beautiful wrapping paper and gift bags but Biome also have some beautiful alternatives.  

I tend to use recycled or found materials – fabric remnants are good, brown paper is a good standby and sometimes the wrap is part of the gift – muslin baby wraps for part of a baby gift, an apron for a kitchen gift, a tea towel, the kids artwork on butcher’s paper – I even used oyster shells to wrap pearl earrings once!

Kid’s artwork on butcher’s paper makes a colourful, unique wrapping paper design



2. What is your wrapping technique? Why is your method the best?
Kate: I have a selection of boxes of gift wrapping supplies because it always seems like we need to put together a hostess gift, a birthday gift or some other gift at short notice when we don’t have a lot of time to be shopping around for the gift and then the wrapping paper and embellishments.  

I have a selection of papers and recycled ribbons, fabric scraps, gift tags, paper and cloth flowers that I can use to decorate gifts and then I play around with the different patterns and colours to make sure that I come up with a combination that works for the gift, the occasion and the recipient.

3. Ribbon or no ribbon?
Kate: I really think ribbon or some kind of embellishment is necessary so that the gift looks gift wrapped but I don’t necessarily buy ribbon. I use upcycled ribbon, fabric scraps, jute string, raffia or wool depending on the overall look of the gift wrap.

Jute string is a natural, inexpensive alternative to ribbon



4. How does your style of wrapping vary for gifts for men, women and kids?
Kate: I tend to keep it simpler for men. I still use beautiful gift wrap but probably string instead of ribbon and a simpler gift tag. 

With women’s gifts I like a vintage look with lace, embellishments like doilies, paper flowers and decorative gift tags. 

I have a lot of fun decorating kids’ gifts. I once made gift wrap into a fabric reuseable noughts and crosses game with Velcro backing on the noughts and crosses. I like making little girls’ gifts pretty and fluffy – strips of tulle look nice as ribbon and I embellish them with pom poms or silk flowers on hair clips that form part of the gift.

Paper flowers add a feminine touch to gift wrap for women



5. What are some cost effective/eco-friendly solutions?
Kate: While there are some lovely reclaimed materials available, I still think the most eco-friendly (not to mention cost effective) solutions are using what you have around you. 

I make gift tags from cereal boxes and cover them with thrifted paper or fabric remnants. Using the kids’ artwork for relatives is always appreciated and it’s surprising how good it can look.  As set out above, making the wrap part of the present can add to the sense of abundance of the gift while still being beautifully presented. 

I also love putting together gift hampers in baskets from thrift stores which can look spectacular – particularly when embellished with herbs or flowers from the garden. I wrap wine in sleeves of old business shirts. I make the main part of the shirt into dresses or shorts for the kids but I don’t need the arms. This looks very effective and only requires very basic sewing skills.

One of Kate’s gorgeous gift hampers



These tips were kindly shared with us by Kate Schwarz from Gift Club. Kate has developed a gifting App for smartphones, called Gift Club. Users can create searchable wish lists, coordinate group gifts and allocate Secret Santa. Gift Club is a free App that can be found on iTunes here  and on Google Play here. You can also find more gift ideas, gift wrap and celebration ideas the Gift Club Facebook page. 

Posted on

How to wrap the perfect present – tips from Emma from Pie Society

As the founder of online gift meal business, Pie Society, Emma has risen to the challenge of how to package healthy, hand-crafted food in an attractive, safe and natural way. This week, Emma shared some of her favourite gift-wrapping techniques with us…

1. What are the best types of wrapping paper?
Emma: Music sheets, brown paper, thick paper with bold stripes

2. What is your wrapping technique? Why is your method the best?
Emma: Use small boxes for squishy items for clean lines

3. Ribbon or no ribbon?
Emma: Striped bakers twine for music sheets, brown paper or plain white paper. 


Simple red and white twine completes the smart presentation of this delicious pie from Pie Society

4. How does your style of wrapping vary for gifts for men, women and kids?
Emma: For small kids I usually use tissue paper so it is easy to rip open. I’ll often attach fresh flowers for women and kids, and use stripes or plain colours and twine for men.

5. What are some cost effective/eco-friendly alternatives for presenting a gift beautifully?
Emma: Using wrapping that is part of the gift is the most eco-friendly. You can gift wrap earrings in a scarf and tie with ribbon, or gift-wrap a cookbook in a smart tea towel or table cloth.

Gifting food wrapped in brown paper and twine looks great – it’s recyclable and cost effective as well. 

Impeccably packaged meals from Pie Society



These tips were kindly shared with us by Emma from Pie Society. Emma has created the Sydney-based meal gifting business Pie Society, which produces all-natural handcrafted pies, sides and sweets. These are gift boxed with personal messages and delivered to most Sydney suburbs, as well as Richmond, Campbelltown, Central Coast, Lithgow, Wollongong, Blue Mountains & Newcastle. You can peruse the menu and order online at www.piesociety.com.au.

What was the most beautifully wrapped present you have ever received?

Posted on

Gift wrapping idea of the week: Brown paper and Sharpie

Image from www.yesmissy.com

Why we love it:
  • It’s in expensive – all you need is brown paper and a Sharpie or felt tip marker
  • It’s a great way to personalise a gift – you’re only limited by your imagination and don’t have to be good at drawing. 
  • It’s quick – keep a stash of brown paper in the cupboard and you’re ready to get drawing. 
How to get the look:

1. Grab a roll of brown paper (make sure it has a mat finish, not gloss finish) and a felt tip marker 
2. Think up a few ideas that you can draw quickly so you’re ready to go the next time you need to wrap a present quickly. 
Posted on

How to wrap the perfect present – tips from Julie Starr Hook

You’re rushing to get to the birthday party on time and you’ve got five minutes to wrap your gift and write in the card. 

Sound familiar? We often spend so much time focusing on what gift to buy that when we eventually find the right present we breathe a sigh of relief as we deposit the gift and card in the cupboard to be wrapped and written in another day. But we all know the joy of opening a beautifully wrapped gift. 

Here are a few reasons why gorgeous gift wrapping rocks:

1. First impressions are everything
2. It shows you care enough to spend more time and attention on the little details (this means extra Brownie Points for you!) 
3. You can really personalise a generic gift 
4. You can get creative and use a form of wrapping that the recipient can reuse (such as a tea towel) which is also better for the environment 
5. It can take the recipient on a ‘journey’, creating suspense, or offering a clue about what the gift is and just make them feel special. 

Image from www.lovethatparty.com.au


In this post, Julie Starr Hook, owner of Five Starr Organizing shares some great gift wrapping advice…

1. What are the best types of wrapping paper?

Julie: The qualities I look for in wrapping paper start with thickness. If the wrapping paper is to thin, it will split apart on the ends. 

If the paper is too heavy, it is difficult to get the paper flat against the item you are wrapping. I don’t like paper with glitter. It looks pretty, but is very messy to work with. The glitter can also attach to the bows and other embellishments. 

I like wrapping paper that you can coordinate with other paper and that matches your holiday décor. 

The top places I have found to buy this kind of paper are at Cost plus World Market, Costco and The Container Store. 

2. What is your wrapping technique? Why is your method the best?

1. Measure and cut the wrap to the item’s size.

2. The first wrap I put on a piece of tape. This way the wrap is secure and the wrap won’t “get away” from me. The second step that I do is to fold the piece of wrap on the end and secure it to the first piece. This way you don’t see an unfinished seam.

3. I do the ends in two different ways. The first method is folding the top piece of paper down and creasing the ends and folding them to the middle and then you have one piece of paper. Fold down the raw edge and secure with tape. The second method is to take both sides of one end and fold them then fold them to make a nice edge. The size of the present dictates which method I use.

These methods are best because the gifts look beautiful and the wrap stays secure. 

Julie Starr Hook, owner of Five Starr Organizing and author



3. Ribbon or no ribbon?

Julie: It’s nice to have a combination of ribbon and bows. I prefer wire edged ribbon. You can make the ribbon look different each time you use it. My least favourite ribbon is the curling ribbon. It’s time consuming and doesn’t look as nice as the fabric ribbon. I tend to use that ribbon for kids gifts. 

4. How does your style of wrapping vary for gifts for men, women and kids?

Julie: My wrapping technique stays the same for men, women and kids. However, the wrapping and embellishments I use vary. I choose my wrap and embellishments on the style of the person versus gender. However, for kids, I like to use bright, fun wrapping and keep my wrap choice more gender specific. 

5. What are some cost effective/eco-friendly alternatives for presenting a gift beautifully?

Julie: You can reuse paper and embellishments year after year if it is in good condition. 
Buy paper that can be recycled. Avoid foil and wrap with glitter. Some people purchase Christmas boxes that can be reused year after year that don’t even need to be wrapped. Others make fabric sacks with beautiful ribbon that can be used year after year. 

These tips were kindly shared with us by Julie Starr Hook. Julie is the owner of Five Starr Organizing and Design and author of a book called, “From Frazzled to Freedom”. As a Professional Organizer, I am hired by my clients to wrap gifts during the holidays. I have wrapped hundreds if not thousands of gifts in the past several years. Learn more about what Julie does here: www.fivestarrorganizing.com and www.fromfrazzledtofreedom.com 

Check out Julie’s book on organising at www.fromfrazzledtofreedom.com