Think of your front door as a greeting card. First impressions start there, so decorate it and create a warm welcome for guests this holiday season. Here are some helpful tips to help you get started on a door that will impress.
With so much emphasis on food during Thanksgiving, we thought we’d focus less on stuffing and more on style—at least until dinner is served! Because if you’re going to spend all that time preparing a delectable meal, your Thanksgiving table decor should look just as beautiful.
Fortunately, there are lots of ways to create a beautiful Thanksgiving tablescape, from seasonal and colorful to whimsical and personal. Just make sure your imagination leaves enough room for family and friends to sit and enjoy their meal.
This year, we’re opting for a natural approach, using real branches and acorns to complement metallic sculptural pumpkins, gourds and other fall fruits. Watch our table being set, and good luck creating your own Thanksgiving tablescape. Let’s eat!
Enjoy spending time in your small space with family and friends. Follow these easy steps and your gathering is sure to be a hit!
It’s not hard to fall behind on organization in the workplace or at your home desk. When you do, you might find yourself buried in a mess of clutter. The coffee mugs, notebooks, papers, pens, and everything else inevitably pile up and make your life a little harder. Finding necessary items is a task on its own, and every task on your to-do list is bound to take much longer than it should. If clutter is holding you back, make your life easier and take action!
Decluttering is as easy as following three steps.
Sort, Stow, and Select.
![IMG_2242[1] (2)](https://blog.ashleyfurniture.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/IMG_22421-2.jpg)
First, sort through your clutter. Take a good look at your desk and start putting similar items together. Stack up print-outs and memos, with the most important on top for easy access. Pile those pens up. Put your water bottle, coffee mug, and that box of granola bars into a group. Once it’s all sorted, it’s time for the next step!
![IMG_2247[1] (2)](https://blog.ashleyfurniture.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/IMG_22471-2.jpg)
Now, stow it away. Do you really need your wallet and keys at arm’s reach throughout the day? Non-essential work items like these can easily be stored in a desk drawer or in your bag without causing an inconvenience. That stack of papers should be tucked away in a file cabinet, and that pile of pens can go in a pen cup. Once you’ve moved all of your items to their proper locations, you’ll find that the essentials are all that’s left! This may sound minor, but without these distractions in the way, it will be much easier to focus on the task at hand.
Finally, select the items you need for a specific task, and make sure they go back to the right spot once you’re done. If the only items in front of you are the ones you need at the time, there should be no problem staying on track. Rather than having a desk full of reminders of other tasks you need to complete, you’ll have just the essentials and plenty of room to get your current task done. Repeating the process and getting everything back to its proper place will ensure your workstation stays free of clutter, and your day stays free of distractions!
![IMG_2264[1] (2)](https://blog.ashleyfurniture.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/IMG_22641-2.jpg)
![IMG_2271[1] (2)](https://blog.ashleyfurniture.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/IMG_22711-2.jpg)
Try It Out!
Now, this all seems obvious, but you may be surprised at how beneficial these steps are. No more knocking things over, shuffling through random papers, or getting distracted by your phone. Once your items are sorted and stowed, all you’ll have left is the ideal workspace. Give it a try! It should only take a few minutes, but it will save you hours in time you would have spent rummaging through clutter.
Once your desk is sorted out, apply these steps to your room and let us see how it looks! We’d love to see how decluttering has brightened up your environment. Snap a quick Instagram photo and remember to tag #MyAshleyHome.
Add a punch of eye-catching sophistication along the stairs. Use permanent or seasonal garlands to decorate your banisters and find out how easy it is to change them for holidays.
One of the most exciting things about owning a home is the freedom to make it a reflection of who you are. You can tear down walls to create a new floorplan, rip up the carpet and or do any other update that your heart desires. Once you have decided to start a renovation in your home, the best way to approach the project is to take it one room at a time.
“What do you mean it’s snowing? It’s almost March!”
There are plenty of ways to say it: We are staying in tonight. And we always feel upset, too — our weekend has just been taken away from us and now what is there to do? We’re here to tell you that staying in for the night is not always a bad thing! In fact, it can be the perfect time to reconnect with your family AND de-stress from that long work week. It’s just like a vacation… in the comfort of your home!
Since the weather outside is still frightful, we are her to help you find fun things to do at home! It starts with a space that is cozy and comfortable all year and the perfect night in is within reach. Here are some tips for making the most of a poor weather day.
Create a Comfy Spot
A warm gathering area is the foundation for a night at home, whether you are streaming a movie marathon or hosting a game night for friends. Select a spacious seating option that gives everyone a relaxing place to unwind during your staycation. Dress the space up with stylish throw pillows and blankets that also add to the comfort.
Get The Pizzas, Cause We’re Having a Party
Making dinner doesn’t have to be a chore this weekend, in fact you can make it the main event with some small touches. A personal pizza party is a great way for everyone to be creative by choosing their favorite toppings and making their own designs. It’s a fun way to get the family away from their phones and to enjoy a home-cooked meal that everyone made!
Find all the ingredients at your local grocery store. For the base, use whatever fits your preference — pre-made dough, gluten-free, and so on. Since it’s a personal pizza, add all the contents that make for a delicious meal.
Veggie Monster Pizza
Ingredients:
- Bell peppers
- Spinach
- Portobello mushrooms
- Mozzarella cheese
Meat Lover’s Delight
Ingredients:
- Pepperoni
- Ham
- Sausage
- Mozzarella cheese
And We’re Off to the Games
Now that you’ve enjoyed your own culinary creations and have settled into your cozy living space, it’s time for an activity. We’ve got the perfect solution: Family Game Night! Any game will do the trick—pick something that’s easy to learn but challenging enough to keep the whole group engaged. Depending on your choice of game, it’s a great way to test your mental and physical abilities, all while inspiring some friendly competition!*
Make Memories Last
Most mementos are stowed away in your home’s storage space, to be found years later covered in dust. Make those tokens and memories something that your family looks forward to! Time capsules are a sweet way to capture the memories worth sharing and to create an exciting reveal down the line. We recommend waiting a full 10 years until you retrieve the capsule.
Ways to create a time capsule:
- Use a simple plastic water bottle and seal the top with hot glue
- Completely drain a paint can and fill with items (decorate the outside with stickers or use the paint itself to make designs!)
- Our favorite, use an old trunk lined with metal on the inside. See here.
What to fill it with. You can fill your time capsule with anything meaningful to your family. We love the idea of stowing away special family keepsakes such as current photo albums, favorite CDs and songs loved by the family followed by recordings of their voices, and even a family recipe. Extras: newspaper clipping of current events and a wine bottle, to age deliciously over ten years!
How to bury it. Dig deep. You want your time capsule to be at least a foot down and then completely covered. This protects it from fire and weather damage as well as keeping your memories safe from prying eyes.
Be Careful! Choosing where to bury your time capsule can be tricky and even illegal—make sure that you are burying it on owned property; we recommend grandma’s house (if she’s planning on staying a long time) and putting a garden sign to mark the place. Other options: the attic, basement, or a local storage unit (anywhere that you will feel safe and remember to look!).
Share your favorite staycation pastimes with us by using #MyAshleyHomeStore! Your space might even end up on our Instagram feed. If you need more inspiration for creating a cozy space, browse our Pinterest boards.
*Ashley and Ashley HomeStore are trademarks of Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Scrabble and the owner(s) of the Scrabble trademark have no affiliation with and have not endorsed or approved Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. and Ashley HomeStore or their products and services.
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