DIY tidy ideas

So the August break was great. So great that I totally forgot to post up these pictures last night... as promised in today's column in the Independent on Sunday, which is all about quick and cheap diy ideas for organising your space...

...ideas intended to prevent the kind of procrastination I know I'm prone to about such things ('oh no, I need to buy special shelves from that special shop before I tidy up that chaotic corner' or 'no point dealing with that dump-everything top drawer as I have nowhere else to put the contents'... You know). Anyway, apologies for the slight delay in providing the images to illustrate. But they're here now. To read the accompanying text, check out today's New Review. I shall post up a fuller version of that, too, later in the week.

Coat hanger bookshelf
You can see more fantastic ideas from the super stylish Norwegian blog Brigg in this previous post about it.

Printing block toothbrush holder
This is taken from Rebecca Protor's excellent soon-to-be-out book, Recycled Home (Laurence King). Find blocks like this from £4.95 each at Not on the High Street.

PVC pipe shoe storage
Since I wrote the column, which talks about making shoe storage from PVC pipes, and fixing them to a wall, I've found an even easier way to do this – using cardboard tubing and a roof-rack strap. No nails, it's barely even DIY. Brilliant. Read full details over at Apartment Therapy.

But if you do like the PVC look (I think it's an excellent effect, very clean and modern-looking), check out this how-to at the Cookie Loves Milk blog. And if you don't find the pipes in the colour you need, here are some clever instructions on how to recolour PVC.

Tin can wall organiser
Find out how to make one your own Uten.silo-style wall-hung organiser, over at Meg Spaeth's blog, Elsie Marley.

The original design classic, Dorothee Becker's Uten.silo, which you could buy at the lovely Lollipop Shoppe.

Bulldog clip cable tidy
No explanation (or DIY) required...