How to Organize Every Decorating Idea You’ve Ever Had
Stop searching for decorating ideas you saved years ago. This simple binder organization method houses everything you need to complete your dream look!
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Ever since I could hold a pair of scissors, I’ve been cutting ideas out of magazines and catalogs to include in my “dream home.”
On a blank sheet of paper, I would carefully arrange chairs, rugs, and wall art, being sure to smooth out the wrinkles caused by drippy glue, and thinking about all the beautiful things I could finally buy when I got older.
Not much has changed between now and then.
Even though I’m not cutting things out anymore, I still save dozens of ideas from HGTV Magazine and Pinterest, not to mention the insane number of paint chips from Home Depot.
I might not be a natural decorator {although the decorating course I chat about below is certainly helping!}, however, I can be quite the expert copy-er. So of course, I have to keep plenty of inspiration at my fingertips!
While I have the best of intentions to implement what I save, jam-packed file folders and over-filled Pinterest boards make it difficult to find anything at all, let alone get house projects done.
Enter The Decorating Notebook
Since tackling disorganization is one of my favorite things to do, and I swoon over any kind of notebook, it made sense to merge the two into a three-ring binder exclusive to decorating.
Basically, anytime I come across an inspiring room or stylish setup—whether it’s from a magazine, Pinterest, or a West Elm Catalog—it goes straight into this notebook, which is organized by every room in my home.
Once I have a decent number of pages, I take note of trends and create a mood board for that particular room. Using the Project Planning Strategy from Decorography, I then prioritize which tasks need to go on my house to-do list right away, which ones need to wait, and which ones I don’t need to worry about at all.
So it’s not just a storehouse for ideas, it’s a binder organization tool that helps me take action too!
If you struggle to keep track of your ideas, and want an organized approach to decorating your home, a Decorating Notebook is the answer. Here’s what you need to get started and what to include.
How to Create Your Own Decorating Notebook
1. What You Need
- Empty three-ring binder
- Dividers (enough for each room)
- Page protectors
- Blank sheets of paper to create lists and other notes
2. What to Include
- Your favorite magazine clippings
- Inspiring images from Pinterest
- Items you’d like to buy for your home
- Paint chips
- Furniture/Room measurements
- Room sketches
- Master house to-do list
And that’s it! It’s easy as putting your notebook together and starting to use it.
I can’t even begin to tell you how amazing it feels to have all my decorating ideas in one place.
No more thumbing through magazines or trying to find “that one pin I know I saved” on Pinterest. I don’t even have to guess which color of greige I used in the Master Bedroom…because the paint chip and precise color number is easily found in the Master Bedroom section of my Decorating Notebook!
I’m also using this notebook to hold all my notes and cheat sheets from Decorography, my all-time favorite decorating program.
There is so much to learn, and pages like this Pattern Sheet Cheat are super helpful to reference. Especially when I’m eying a new pillow and want to make sure it goes!
More about Decorography
If you’ve never heard of Decorography before, it is a massive program, made up of FOUR comprehensive decorating courses. You get lifetime access to 30-90 minute video classes {over 80 to be precise!}, designed to help you plan, arrange, and coordinate every area of your home.
I know it’s not everyday you hear someone chat about a decorating course, but honestly, this is the best decision you can make for your home, especially if you:
- Feel overwhelmed by the thought of decorating
- Have no idea how to turn your ideas into action
- Need guidance on what looks good and why
- Want your home to feel cohesive and pretty, while still being functional for you and your family
I’ve been through the entire program and have to say, it’s priced well below the value you get. Yes, really! I don’t even stress about paint colors anymore, and for the first time ever, decorating is FUN. This is huge for a left-brainer like me!
And the results? Stunning. I’ve never been able to look at a room before and say, “I never want to leave—it feels like HOME”, until now. Just take a peek at my newly transformed office and you’ll know what I’m talking about.
And of course, before you tackle your next decorating project, grab a notebook and create that one-stop-shop for all your inspirational photos and ideas.
Your home should always look and feel like YOU, but you never know—something you see in HGTV Magazine might be just the thing to complete the look. With your decorating notebook handy, you won’t have to go searching for it.
You’ll have all your ideas organized in one place!
How do you save ideas for your home?
Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Rest assured, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Read my full disclosure policy here.
I love the idea of using a binder! After I’m finished decluttering room by room we are going to start organizing and I know for a fact my pinterest board has at least 100 ideas on it lol.
It really has been so helpful for keeping my ideas organized.