closeup of florals in cardboard tubs on side of HVAC unit

Best Organizing Trick

For Your Faux Florals

Here’s an Easy & Cheap (Brilliant) Storage Trick for all your faux floral stems. Now you can see them and access them easily.

 

I admit it. I am one lucky, lucky lady with the size of our “craft room” (yes, also storage room, utility room, laundry room). But I have a problem.

This problem is why I like small handbags. Whatever size, I will fill it. I don’t need all that stuff, but if there’s room … why not? You just never know, right?

And then, neck and back spasms. You too?

It goes the same with closets, and with “craft rooms”. I will fill it, and then fill it just a “tiny bit” more!

 

Closeup of floral stems in cardboard tubes on side of HVAC unit

 

 

Most professional organizers advise going vertical.

Take advantage of the vertical space, not just floor space.

Ever play Jenga? We all know stacking a tall tower doesn’t work out well.

Hence the proliferation of shelving. But what about tight spaces where shelving won’t fit?

Here’s a great trick for one place where shelving may not fit easily but yet there is some spare vertical space. If you have an old HVAC unit in your basement or storage room, check this out.

 

cardboard tubes, magnets ans super glue

 

With ceramic disc magnets and sturdy cardboard tubes, you can create your own florist shop. “What?” you ask. Follow along.

 

 

Cardboard tubes cut in 5 - 10-inch Lengths

 

 

Cut your cardboard tubes, I used a narrow one from a large gift wrap roll and two beefier ones from rolls of decor fabric.. I used a hack saw. Of course a chop saw would work even better. I eye-balled it and cut the tubes in lengths of 8 – 12-inches. (I started with 5 – 9″, but just didn’t like them as well).

 

 

Round Magnets laid in rows

 

Now don’t glue your magnets onto the tubes; rather, glue your tubes onto the magnets!

Use two magnets per tube or else your tubes will rotate sideways due to being top heavy. Here’s where you learn from my mistakes — you’re welcome!

It’s much easier to lay your magnets out in columns of two. And be sure to leave plenty of space between each pair or the magnets will pull each other out of whack.

 

 

Spot of glue on magnet discs

 

Now add your glue onto each magnet. Gorilla glue worked fine, but the second batch, the longer tubes, I used E6000 and I think it was a bit easier.

 

 

Three cardboard tubes

 

Gently place a tube on each pair of magnets. Let them lay there for several hours.

 

 

 

Turquoise HVAC unit with antique shutters and cardboard tubes waiting for all the flowers

 

Once your glue is good and set, Plop those tubes all over your big hunking HVAC unit, or maybe just a a column of duct work that you have available.

Now your stems will be readily accessible and visible. Hopefully, you won’t be running out to get new stems when you have an itch such as this. For me, I can just go to my own turquoise flower wall and start creating.

It was looking good! But . . . .

Large sides of HVAC unit covered in tubes holding faux florals

 

. . . . . I decided these tubes needed just a touch of tissue peeking out of them. Two reasons. For function, to help keep any particularly thin stems from sliding right through. For form, it just takes me a small step closer to floral-sidewalk-vendor styling,

Now for the fun! Distribute and arrange your tubes of flowers — by color? by season? by thriller vs. filler vs. spiller? You decide what works best for you! I started by staggering the tube placement to maximize storage. But I have plenty of space and it was looking a bit helter skelter. I wanted it more purposeful, more rhythmic, easier on the eye. I even have some empty tubes, but I’m sure there are more to be found as I continue organizing this room.

Turquoise HVAC with vintage shutters and floral stems

 

For now, it’s a bit more structured. And I love this greeting I receive every time I walk in our crafting room.

It is such a creative boost to be able to see all the stems I have available when I want to change out a vignette, or a wreath, or a tablescape.

I plan on getting some clear cellophane bags at the dollar store to cover them and keep them dust free.  But for now, I’m enjoying the almost Parisian-sidewalk-flower-vendor feeling I get with my tall vintage shutters and the variety of flowers ready and waiting.

I went ahead and packed all the specific Christmas in their tubs, but only after refreshing and repairing them. Check them our here.

And while organizing and storage are front of mind, here are a few more ideas to checkout: How to build conveyor-belt-ish storage in the garage, the best way to organize spices, how maximize and organize a walk-in pantry. One more: how I hacked these Ikea cabinets for extra depth and closed storage.

 

Please consider pinning this! It really is a big help.

Flower Organizing and Storing Pin

 

 

 

 

 

 

23 Comments

  1. Paula@SweetPea

    This is such a great idea! Storing my faux florals is a huge problem and I’m trying to think of a way to implement this idea in my basement where I keep my supplies.

    Reply
    • Judith Flanagan Sowerby

      I have my faux flowers in clear hanging shoe bags with a slit at the bottom of each pocket. Can’t figure out how to send a photo on this. Good luck!

      Reply
      • Diane

        I think that sounds like a really smart idea. Thanks for sharing. The more organizing ideas, the better, right?

        Reply
  2. Bob Fox

    This is such a great idea! It is such a creative boost to be able to see all the stems I have available when I want to change out a vignette, or a wreath, or a tablescape.

    Reply
  3. Lori

    Love this! Wondering about using PVC pipe? It’s cheap but is it too heavy?
    Anyone try it?

    Reply
    • Diane

      The PVC pipe is too heavy for the magnets. But I’m on the hunt for some kind of a tiered frame that I could attached PVC to it with screws. I will certainly update when I find or build such a frame.

      Reply
      • Pat Stevenson

        What about the closet elves at Lowes. The wire shelves that are white

        Reply
        • Diane

          Hmmm, that’s an interesting thought! I’m going to have to look into that idea.

          Reply
  4. Tammy

    I’m getting a new furnace in a few weeks looks like I will be doing some recycling/ upcycling of the old furnace parts. Thanks for the idea.

    Reply
    • Diane

      Perfect opportunity! Hope it goes well!

      Reply
  5. Cathy

    I’m so excited to find this information, I was desperate to find a way to store my florals and this idea will work perfectly. Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Diane

      I’m so glad you found it and it has inspired you! Just be sure to get the really good magnets.

      Reply
  6. JessM.

    This is fantastic! There’s nothing else like this out there that I’ve seen. I have about a dozen rolls from vinyl and a huge bucket of floral! I’m thinking in going to go command strips since I’m planning to attach atleast 9 rolls inside my closet wall. This helps accomplish my goal of setting up my closet like a craft store. The idea is that my stash is in the open and accessible to avoid “out of sight, out of mind” syndrome. Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply
    • Diane

      I love the idea of using command strips and a wall! I’m so glad I was able to inspire you and now you’ve built on it so well, I need to update the post! Everything’s better when we work together and share ideas! Thanks bunches!!! Hopefully, you’ll be sharing more ideas here too.

      Reply
  7. Darlene Driskell

    I just clicked on this thinking you were going to use the shutters slats to place the stems in! I’m wondering if that will work? I have an old shutter that I’m going to rethink! Thanks for the unintended inspiration!

    Reply
    • Diane

      Oh, I love that Darlene! And I love how each mind sees something just a bit different and we are always coming up with new ideas. So happy to have sparked this in yu and truly appreciate you sharing it with me.

      Reply
  8. Deborah

    Hmmm, love the idea, but I’m using a spare bedroom for multi use crafts. What could I use as a magnetic surface to mount these on? I would have to purchase something.

    Reply
    • Diane

      Okay Deborah, I thinj this might even work better than magnets. Install multiple long strips of thin, but sturdy metal or wood horizontally on the wall. The hanging strips woulld need to have thin spacers between them and the wall so there is a thin gap between the wall and the hhanging strips. On the back of each tube attach a hook that would slip down over the strip bewteen the strip and wall.

      Does that make sense? This just came to me based on your request. Let me do a bit of sourcing, try it out and I’ll update the post with all the details. Be sure you’re a subscriber so you won’t miss out when I post your fine-tuned version.

      Reply
  9. Susan Zaremba

    This is clever, my hack is saving the zippered clear bags that comforters come in and put my seasonal flowers and ribbons in them. It’s easy to grab the bags to start the next season.

    Reply
    • Diane

      That’s a great tip Susan. Of course, I can’t imagine not saviing those wonderful zippered bags. But I don’t think I’ve ever used them for my florals. Now you have me thinking ????. Thanks!!!

      Reply
  10. Teddee Grace

    I live in a one-bedroom apartment and can’t think of anything metal in the entire place! Darn! Such a good idea and since floral arranging with faux flowers is my primary hobby I have tried about everything to address storage of same. Very creative!

    Reply
    • Diane

      Oh that’s a shame Teddee. But what a great hobby to have!

      Reply
  11. Cynthia Taxter

    I loved the idea. Thank you for an easy way to store these things.

    Reply

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