Catch-all corkboard calendar

Materials: Malma mirror, Tyst cork placemats, fibreboard, ruban, nails, glue, thumbtacks, screw-in hooks, staple gun, picture hooks

Description: This piece of hallway decoration features a perpetual calendar, a coarkboard for storing notes, a mirror for checking yourself before you leave, and a storage space for jewellery and keys. It was partially inspired by this ikea hack, but it needed an extension to get organised.

First, you nail the Malma mirror onto the fibreboard. On the blank side of one of the placemats, you draw the calendar. If you mess this one up, no worries: try again on one of the other placemats, the marker does not shine through. When you're happy with how it looks, cut all placemats to the desired dimensions. At the very least, you need to cut off the rounded edges.

Glue the placemats into place and allow to set. Finish off the sides by thumbtacking the ruban in the front of the board, use a staple gun to attach it on the back of the panel. Finally, screw the hooks into the mirror, attach some picture hooks and hang onto the wall.

~ Naantje, Nederland

Cute bulletin board

Materials: IKEA Tyst placemats

Description: I wanted a very large cork bulletin board for my new workstation, but they are so ugly! Plus a large one is expensive. I bought these Tyst cork placemats which proved to be much cheaper ($10 for two 4-packs). And much cuter!

1. Paint the backside of the cork - I mixed colors to match a rug in the room. If you paint it first, you'll get a nice, clean, unpainted edge after the shapes are cut.

2. Use a computer to draw a shape, print it out, and used it as a pattern. Draw the pattern on the front side. BEWARE: the Tyst product description says it's 13x17 inches, but it's really 12.5x16.5! So be sure your shape will fit on the placemat.

3. Cut the shapes using an Xacto knife. Don't use scissors - they can leave the cork with a jagged edge.

4. Attach to the wall with adhesive tabs. Tip: If the tab won't stick to the cork, a piece of tape on the back of the cork will give a nice smooth spot for the tab to stick to.

~ LuluRoo, Sacramento, CA