Q: I am wondering how you keep all your decorating ideas and images organized. Do you keep all the magazines and catalogs with good design ideas (if so how do you organize them?). Do you cut out images? Do you keep everything electronic or scan in images? Just wondering because I always want to keep lots of inspiring decorating ideas but then never know how to organize them or find them again without allowing the clutter to get overwhelming. Love the blog! -Lindsay
A: Great question — this is something that happens to everyone who loves design. For years I was surrounded by piles of torn-out pages from glossy shelter magazines, waiting to be sorted or simply flipped through. Eventually I decided to tackle the clutter with a simple, low-tech solution: a 3-inch binder and clear plastic sleeves. I slipped my favorite tear sheets and printed images into the sleeves and organized the binder by category: interior inspiration, curb appeal, holiday decorating, favorite artwork, and so on. It’s easy to flip through, much less cumbersome than rifling through a box of loose pages, and the categories make it simple to find ideas when I need them.
Alongside the physical binder, we keep a digital inspiration folder on our computer desktop. The folders mirror many of the same categories as the binder, so whether an idea arrives as a pinned image, a screenshot, or a downloaded photo, it goes into the right digital folder. A practical tip if you plan to share images publicly: rename files or keep a small text note with the source so you can credit the creator later.
We don’t completely abandon full magazine issues either. There are some publications I can’t part with, and I like to keep the complete issues on display in living areas where they’re easy to browse. For example, we own every issue of Domino magazine and keep them stacked out in the open on the fireplace hearth in the den. They’re both decorative and useful when I’m hunting for color or layout inspiration.
We do the same with other favorite titles. A selection of House Beautiful issues lives on a pedestal table in the den for quick reference and casual reading. Having these magazines easily accessible encourages flipping through them for ideas rather than letting them collect dust in a box.
Smaller stacks go into decorative baskets around the house — a few Cottage Living issues near reading nooks in the sunroom and the den, for example. These baskets serve dual purposes: they keep the magazines contained and add a casual, lived-in look to a room.
The system isn’t perfect. I admit that sometimes I shove pages into sleeves with the intention of sorting them later. But overall the binder plus digital folder approach keeps the flood of inspiration manageable and retrievable. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, start small: choose one binder or one digital folder and commit to filing new finds there right away. Over time it becomes a habit and prevents the clutter from spiraling.
How do you organize ideas from magazines, catalogs, and the internet? Do you favor physical files, digital collections, or a mix of both? We’d love to hear the methods you use to keep all that great inspiration organized and easy to find.
Curious which magazines we read most often? We keep a core stack of favorites that inspire our projects, and every so often we enjoy hunting for vintage glossies at garage sales — they’re endlessly entertaining. Happy organizing and happy decorating!