Some of you may have seen a new column in Redbook last month featuring some DIY projects by me (and some people on the team). January is always a huge organizational month for me, I throw out all systems that don’t work (which is basically all of them) and start new systems (that I’ll surely fail at as well). So Beth Ziegler from Bneato (the lovely organizational expert in LA that I work with) came up with some very cute and functional wall pockets to help keep paperwork off my desk and up on the wall in a very cute way.
That was the article but I know its kinda hard to see on just that page, so we broke it down for you.
Here’s what you need, and pretty much everything can be purchased at a hardware store, except the lucite file folder which came from Staples.
1. Painter’s tape $6.58 2. white spray paint $3.87 3. artist tape $5.79 4. tweezers 5. kraft paper $4.99 6. stick on letters $5.99 7. color spray paint $6.95 8. screws 9. clear wall pocket $13.49
1. Apply your letters: Measure the file so you can center the stick-on letters that you’ll paint over and peel off later. I used two-inch vinyl letter stickers from Staples—they’re only $5.99 a pack.
2. Create a center line: Roll ⅛-inch art tape diagonally across the file, going over the letters. This way, you ensure there’s a straight line between the paint colors, and it will be see-through like the letters.
3. Time to paint: Affix a piece of painter’s tape and paper over the art tape so that only the top half of the file is exposed. Spray-paint this half and wait for it to dry before removing the tape and paper. Repeat the process for the bottom half.
4. Remove the letters: It’s so important to use tweezers—you don’t want to scrape off any of the paint with your nails. Then follow the directions on the file to hang it on your wall, step back, and admire your job well done.
I chose to do ‘To Do’, ‘Invoices’, and ‘Receipts’ because those are all the categories that I hate dealing with in my life so they just pile up and up on my desk which really just creates anxiety in my life. So now they are up on the wall (although full disclosure, we shot this at my friends Scott’s house (because he has that killer Farrow and Ball Hague Blue wall).
I’m like a little kid and need organizing (and cleaning and paying bills) to be fun and pretty or else I won’t do it, so every idea like this totally helps.
Thanks Beth from BNeato for collaborating on this project and Tessa Neustadt for the lovely photography.