Magazine Maze

Like most home décor enthusiasts, I am addicted to Pinterest. 

I am like Alice in Wonderland as I disappear in time jumping into decorated rabbit hole after decorated rabbit hole. 

I am also addicted to shelter magazines.  Yes, I said it.  Dinosaur that I am, I still subscribe to actual “get it in the mailbox”, “hold-in-the-hand”, “turn it page by page” MAGAZINES!

I have my favorite recipe for a magazine rabbit hole experience I would love to share with you.

1. Uninterrupted time (Hard to find. Schedule it!)
2. Sitting on the porch swing in the summer; Sitting by a crackling fire in the winter.
3. Background music. Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, or Vivaldi’s “The Seasons” will do.
4. A cup of hot coffee by my side. Year-round.
5. Stack of accumulated shelter magazines by my side.
6. Brightly colored stickie notes ready for use.

Rabbit Hole time.  Let the inspiration begin!

I read. I imagine. I tear. I mark. (I should buy stock in sticky notes!) There is something so satisfying about holding a room view in your hand.  Not bullet size on my phone or tablet.  Larger view in hand.

However, magazines accumulate.  Once finished, they go into my magazine basket.  I just can’t throw them away yet.  I might need something I haven’t already torn out!

Then it hits me one day when I walk into the room.  Time to weed out and throw away.

Gulp.

Similar scenario:

1. Uninterrupted time
2. Office desk. No mood-setting here. I need to be brutal and can’t afford to get sentimental.
3. Background podcast. I need words, not music.
4. A cup of hot coffee by my side. Year-round. Of course.
5. Brutal mindset. Take no prisoners.
6. Pile of shelter magazines, travel magazines and catalogs

Go through each magazine quickly.  If it truly inspired me before, it will jump out at me again and then is worthy of a “tear-out.”  

I create a “tear-out” pile.  These are important visuals, quotes, articles that I MUST keep.  They go on a vision board, in a journal, in a specific file……I USE these!  

I create a “Recycle” pile.  These can be shared, donated, recycled…even shredded for colorful gift packing.

I create the “Save” pile. These are magazines I just can’t give up.  These are the magazines that are chock full of inspiration that they deserve a place of honor in my office. I have some magazines that are years old.  Styles and trends evolve but, for some reason, the inspiration I get from my saved magazines is tried and true.  (I do use this same process occasionally with my treasured copies.  It is just a little more gut-wrenching!)

So, what do I do with the magazines I save? Well, organization can be stylish but should be useful so I try to have fun with it.

One of my favorite magazines is the HGTV magazine.  Color, color, color!  I love the bold and creative color combinations and inspiration.  Even the spine of the magazine is colorful.  I love to stack my HGTVs and let the colorful spines work the room.

Oprah goes on my nightstand. House Beautiful stays in the family room close to the photo albums.  Midwest Living hangs out in the car because it is a great trip reading option.

Uh, where did that AARP issue come from?  Surely it was purchased because of the cover photo and not my need for retirement planning!

For those issues that I don’t want on obvious display, I use magazine file holders.  There are so many styles and designs available that can reflect a room’s personality. However, as with anything I look at on a daily basis, I like them to have a little DRAMA! 

So, my saved magazines go in some beautiful rose gold magazine organizers from Amazon.  I keep them in my office so they are close for instant inspiration.  Sometimes they look copper.  Sometimes they look gold.  Sometimes they look, well…rose gold! They look great against any surface color and give my favored issues the glimmer they deserve!

We find visual inspiration in so many ways.  And we are surrounded by so many high-tech ways to find it.  Occasionally, allow yourself to go low-tech and enjoy the slower pace of a real magazine.  Make it a self-care event that gives you inspiration and a few minutes of just slowing down.

Cheers!
Missy 

Make sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook.