Originally published on LinkedIn. The kids are back to school and it won’t be long before you’re overrun with paperwork, books, backpacks, and muddy shoes while simultaneously having less time to deal with everything. While the kids are expanding their brains, it’s the perfect time for you to focus on building organization into your new dream home. If you’re already in your home or getting ready to remodel, organizing and de-cluttering your home is the first step to less chaos.
De-Clutter
The first step in organizing is to get rid of everything you don’t need. Take a walk through your home with a basket and collect items you no longer want or need. Gather up the kids’ school clothes that they’ve outgrown, and have a look in your own closet as well. If you have items that have hung in the closet or sat in the drawers for over a year without being worn, perhaps it’s time to donate them. I encourage clients to keep only what they love. We often hang on to things that we don’t even like. Even if something was inherited, or was received as a gift, we don’t need to keep it if it doesn’t bring us happiness.
Tackle the Drawers
I mean this literally. One of the best ways to improve your drawer organization is to think of each drawer like a tackle box. In a tackle box there are compartments for every different type of hook and lure, and that compartmentalized storage can do wonders for keeping everything from your junk to your lingerie organized and neat. I love this clever use of teacups and saucers to organize a jewelry drawer (image credit).
Design Trends for Better Organization
If you’re building or remodeling, you can make your life a lot easier by considering storage and organization in your design. There are a number of ways we’ve been incorporating extra, hidden storage into homes as well as better, bigger closets and clever container storage for drawers.
Closets
One of the biggest challenges when it comes to organization is the closet. That’s why I suggest making the experience of picking out clothes every day both luxurious and practical. Just a few organizing and designing steps, and your closet will make getting dressed in the morning a lot more enjoyable. In addition to ensuring excellent lighting and plenty of shelving, consider adding an island. It gives you a place to sit to put on socks or tie your tie, and opens up the space. Shoes can be the biggest challenge in the closet if you own more than a couple pairs of shoes (who doesn’t?!), but shelving that allows you to clearly display your shoes (organized by color or by style) can pull the clutter off the floor and make it easy to store and see all of your shoes (image credit).
No Wasted Space Under the Stairs
Many homes are multilevel, and the space under the stairs represents a fabulous opportunity for creative storage. Shelves and storage spaces under staircase are the best tricks to use the area underneath the stairs.
Create a Pantry. Even if you have a pantry area for emergency food stores in your cellar or basement, having pantry storage closer to the kitchen can be convenient.John McCann suggests storing not only food but first aid supplies, lanterns, and other emergency supplies in case of power outage or other events.
Give Everyone Personal Space. The area under the stairs is the perfect place to create individual storage space – a place for jackets, shoes, and school backpacks.Homedit.com has 59 other brilliant ideas for utilizing the space under the stairs, including creative wine storage or a small homework/office space (image credit).
Under-Stair Storage for the Garden House. Apartment Therapy has great suggestions for using space wisely, and I love this suggestion for turning the space under the stairs into drawer space (image credit).
Laundry
While most home owners are embracing the trend of larger, more luxurious laundry rooms that have not only a washer and dryer but a place for bathing pets, washing off muddy shoes, and other utility functionality as well, there are many houses where the laundry room is still relegated to a small closet space. If that’s the case in your home, make the most of the door space with this brilliant idea from Building and Décor SA (image credit).
Organization Trends in Home Design
Luxury homes are getting bigger, and some of that space is being allotted to closets, utility rooms, and pantries that make organization easier. If you’re in the process of designing your dream home, consider talking to your interior designer, builder and architect about building in additional cabinet and storage space and utilizing often wasted space for cubby storage. As you work with your designer to select furniture, consider pieces that offer additional storage (like an antique trunk as a coffee table).
Cathy Davin founded Davin Interiors LLC in 2001, building on her experience in both residential and commercial design. Whether new construction or major renovation, don’t let lack of time, uncertainty about options, or project management frustrations get in your way.
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