That doesn't mean I like clutter. Quite the opposite, I've found that the best way for me to appreciate everything in my home is to be well organized and to curate my collections down to the very best.
Why then, do I have so much trouble culling down my magazines piles?
Check out the home above of stylist Annette Joseph, who uses rubber tubs recycled out of tires to store her magazines. Let me tell you, that tiny tub wouldn't hold even a small portion of all my magazines. My magazine piles look a bit more like those of stylist Irina Graewe, shown below.
Heaps and heaps of magazines. I don't store mine in the hallway or else hubby, who rarely says anything about my decorating choices, would certainly have a word or two about a fire hazard. But I do have little piles everywhere. On my nightstand. In my closet. Inside a large antique chest I have in my living room (shown in the sidebar). In the garage. You know what I'm talking about, right? I know I'm not the only one. Look at these two homes below.
I adore the clever way that the homeowners above have solved their dilemma for storage of magazines and books. The color coding heightens the visual excitement. This is definitely an idea for me to file away since I have wide hallways on my second floor.
Whatever your preference, there are certainly plenty of options around. Though I'm not going to buy anything new for my magazines, it is heartening to know that, with a little imagination, I can house my magazines in a stylish way. Storage and organization has figured in my posts lately as I make my way through our home in a major decluttering effort before the holidays. This week, I'm focusing on our magazines and books. I'll show you the fruits of my organizing efforts in the weeks to come.
Heaps and heaps of magazines. I don't store mine in the hallway or else hubby, who rarely says anything about my decorating choices, would certainly have a word or two about a fire hazard. But I do have little piles everywhere. On my nightstand. In my closet. Inside a large antique chest I have in my living room (shown in the sidebar). In the garage. You know what I'm talking about, right? I know I'm not the only one. Look at these two homes below.
The photo below shows my feeble attempt to corral my pile of current magazines:
This side table in our family room holds at least 50 magazines in the little shelf. I naively thought I would be able to contain my magazine habit to this table. Then, someone on Freecycle gave me her entire five-year collection of Martha Stewart Living magazines. Right about that time, I noticed that my public library sells used magazines for 25 cents each. Let's not forget that we magazine addicts also tend to have numerous subscriptions. I won't even mention that, as a freelance writer, I need to keep certain magazines around for reference.
I do read several magazines almost on a daily basis, but I have finally started doing the sensible thing, which is clipping tear sheets of my favorite pages and filing them away. I am realizing that is going to take me forever, so I have started to fantasize about other ways to store my enormous collection of magazines.
Here's more color coding on bookshelves, which provides a striking contrast to the all-white palette of the magazine holders on the lower shelves.
Magazine holders seem like the obvious solution for someone with so many magazines. It creates a clean, uniform look, but there are plenty of other options if you're seeking something more unconventional.
The photo above shows magazines housed inside a former chicken coop, creating a graphic and unusual display.
The photo above is one I took while doing a store tour last year (you can see it here). The magazines were for sale but this idea is one that can easily be incorporated into various styles of decor.
The photo above is one I took while doing a store tour last year (you can see it here). The magazines were for sale but this idea is one that can easily be incorporated into various styles of decor.
I've been pining for this bookcase from the Sundance Catalog ever since I first saw it. The storage possibilities for magazines and more are endless, with so many different sized cubbies and slim drawers beneath.
If you're looking for a quick solution, just stick all those magazines into a bookcase. Somehow, the piles don't look as unappealing.
Or, just grab a basket or other container.
If you're pretty handy with your tools, you could follow the instructions to make the magazine table, shown above, from Ikea magazine files. Go here for the instructions.
Speaking of magazine files, I fell for the magazine holder shown below, from Etsy seller paperdoll woodshop.
I'm also rather keen on the side table, shown below, making it possible to hold several neat little piles while making your magazines easily accessible. It's from Etsy seller flatpatterns.
How do you prefer to store your reading material? Are you a magazine addict like me, or have you found a way to curb your magazine habit? Do share!
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6 comments:
Mine are all over the house. On the footstol, the bathroom counter, under the nigjht satnd. A big hugs mess of magazines that I can't throw away,
I am a magazine addict too. I read everything from national geographic to vogue. And I like to go in second hand stores where they have old magazines!!I often think that if I remove the piles of magazines my ceiling could fall down.
Minnie, what an amazing post - superb!! I love all the ideas and pics for storage.
I'm like you... I'm not into clutter, but I'm soooo NOT a minimalist. I love my books in little piles on side tables, beside my bed, on my teeny hallstand, on the ottoman... anywhere they're within reach really! I try to cull them and hand some over to my mum (she takes them to the hospital where she volunteers), but they seem to breed amongst themselves.
Naughty magazines.
Linda. x
Oh My!!! I have them everywhere. I like a pile here and there, that way wherever I am there is reading material available. Lately, to avoid clutter, I started to keep only the pages of those magazines with less appealing articles, but is not working because I LOVE vintage/retro magazines and I look for them in my thrifty huntings.
Have a great weekend, take care! ;)
Oh, you guys are speaking my language! And I didn't even mention all the places I actually get magazines from (online swaps, relatives passing on their old issues, etc.)
Bobbi, i almost dropped my tea, I was laughing so hard at your comment!
It is so funny. I actually read this on Thursday night- right after coming home from a friends house. I didn't even take a second to comment because I immediately emailed it to that same friend. We were just talking about our magazine addictions and storage issues!!
I finally had to resort to sticking them in 2 large boxes and putting them in the garage. I have my Fine Cooking and Real Simple stacked on my bookshelf (but all of the recent- like the past year went into the most recent box that went into the garage). I NEED to go through, tear, file!!!!!!!!!! In fact, I refuse to subscribe or renew (except to Fine Cooking:) until I do this! I even stopped Fine Cooking for a while (until they called me and I couldn't resist), and my favorite- Real Simple! But of course, I just bought the "must-have" November issue at the store, and I'm sure I'll do the same with the December! And, like you, there's the rack at the library, which I have a hard time passing up...
Needless to say, a big TO-DO for me:).
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