Dorm Room DIY: Personalized organization board

By LAUREN MOSESSO

Materials:

Chrome spray paint

6 or more 3 x 5 inch craft store, wooden photo frames

6 or more sheets of cardstock paper

Pencil

Outdoor Mod Podge™ glue (or another type of spreadable glue)

12 x 12 inch corkboard or cork tile

24 x 36 inch black magnetic dry erase board

E6000™ adhesive (or other industrial strength glue)

Metallic acrylic paint

Optional Materials:

6-inch wood letters

Neon dry erase markers

Magnets

Pushpins

6 or more 3 x 5 inch favorite photographs

Is your desk always cluttered?  Are you looking for a D.I.Y. project that will help get you organized and show your personality?  Then create a board that is both attractive and multi-functional.  Use your new board to write to do lists with neon dry erase markers, attach notes with cute magnets and push pins or display your favorite photos in color-coordinated frames that match your decor. This D.I.Y. board will surely make your dorm room or apartment one-of-a-kind.

This board was designed and created by Lisa Sylvia, who gave the picture board as gift to my cousin Ashley, who started college this fall. It has helped Ashley organize her desk space while enhancing her dorm room decor and keeping a part of home with her. This project is an investment, but is definitely well worth it as you can use this board for years to come. The following instructions are a simplified version of the pictured project.

1. Spray paint unfinished wood photo frames with your choice of chrome colored paint and set aside to let frames dry.
2. For each frame, lay it on a piece of card stock, trace around the outside edge of the frame using a pencil and cut out the figure.  Then, cut a photo to fit the inside measurement of the wooden frame.
3. Using Outdoor Mod Podge™, glue the photo to the center of the card stock and glue the wooden frame around the photo on the card stock.  Let the Mod Podge™ completely dry for one day.
4. Play around with the arrangement of the corkboard and dried spray painted picture frames on the black dry erase board, and then attach them with industrial strength glue.
5. As an optional touch, spray paint the 6-inch wooden letters that spell out your name. Let the letters dry completely before attaching to the magnetic board.
6. Decorate your board by grabbing some neon dry erase markers, attaching cute magnets to the magnetic board and push pins to the corkboard.  Have fun organizing!

Tip: Do not skimp on the drying time! You can also write your name on your board using acrylic paint.