Spring is here already and it’s time to open the windows and start enjoying our beautiful weather before it turns too warm. It is also time to do some spring cleaning so that we can spend any extra time we have outdoors; even if it is just five minutes to ourselves in the morning before the hustle and bustle of the day begins or after dinner to sit and relax before the nighttime routines need to be done.
To help give yourself more time and I know most of us can all use a couple extra hours in the day, start by making your home easier to maintain. A couple years ago I found a web site, FlyLady.net and she has helped make my home life easier. Her philosophy is that the less clutter that you have around, the quicker and easier your home is to clean, how true. Now I know I’m a designer and we just love wonderful things around and I’m no different, but now I have select areas where I display my treasures. The main areas of my home are pretty much clutter free with just select accessories that are larger, or decorative storage items which help to keep the clutter organized and out of sight. Decorative storage pieces play two roles in your rooms’ décor; they are functional and decorative, just like a lamp. Its function is to bring light into the room, but it is an important part of your table’s accessory scape.
So to help give you a little bit more time this spring to enjoy yourself and relax, I thought I would share with you my ten favorite storage items that you can use throughout your home. But before you go out to buy something, take the time to look at each area and decide what needs to be placed away. Determine if it is something that is rarely used and you have a storage area already in the room you can use, or are you just out of room and need to get things up and off the counters and table tops so that you’ll only have to pick up one thing to clean versus five. Plus are your cabinets and closets just busting at the seams and you’re taking more time than you need to locate something that you just give up looking and go out and buy new? We sometimes waste more time looking for something that we know we already have, but just can’t find it. Being more organized will help give you some extra time to enjoy yourself and your home, because if you’re like most people, you don’t set any time aside for yourself.
From - www.Emptybox.co.uk
1. HAT BOXES - I love hate boxes. They come in every color and pattern you can think of, plus if you don’t find something that goes with your colors and theme, you can make them. Any craft store will have plain ones made from craft paper that you can then cover in fabric, wallpaper or paint. Hate boxes are my number one favorite storage piece because they’re stackable and keep the items completely contained inside. My favorite places and uses are: Bathroom for make-up, extra toiletries and hair or nail supplies, Home Office for postage, extra supplies and note cards, and Kitchen for paper plates, napkins and recipes.
2. CANISTERS & COOKIE JARS - Canisters and cookie jars are not just for the kitchen anymore. They are a great way to bring your color scheme and theme into any room. In your bathroom you can store some of your taller items, such as your hair brushes, tooth paste and brushes along with any of your daily medication. Dress up your laundry room and store your fabric softener sheets, powder detergent and cleaning towels.
3. CLEAR PLASTIC CONTAINERS - These are great to pick up at one of the many dollar stores in town. They come in all sizes and shapes, will fit into small cabinets and shelves and can be stacked. I like to use the smaller size that fits on the shelf in my medicine cabinet to keep smaller items together. Such as; dental floss, cough drops, hair clips, medicine bottles and nail clippers.
4. TINS - Decorative tins work in any room and depending upon what you have or find they can also be stacked to open up more counter top space. I love searching for older tins at thrift stores, yard sales and estate sales. If I’m going to use a tin for an item that I’m going to access daily, like a remote control, I like to find one that is hinged. This way you will be less likely to remove the top to the table and not place it back on at the end of the night.
5. OTTOMANS & BENCHES - Whenever I’m designing a family room, bedroom, home office or loft and we’re going to be adding an ottoman; I always have it made as a storage piece. Why not take advantage of the space between your feet and the floor for something more than empty space. This is a great place to store your extra throws and blankets. I’m also very fond of storage benches in entry ways, hallways and as an extra accent piece in a bedroom or retreat. Again why not make it dual functional as well as already being decorative.
6. BASKETS - Baskets have been around forever for carrying items. I can still remember shopping for groceries with my grandmother in New York City and shopping with a basket to
From - www.Madeinkodiak.com
carry our groceries back home. Today they are a very popular accessory for display as well as storage. Baskets are great for keeping items separate and organized. I particularly like those with a lid so you’re not looking at what is being stored and you don’t have to worry how neat it is inside. Old fashion picnic baskets are one of my favorites.
7. LUGGAGE - Old decorative luggage is great for storing your out of season clothes, extra linens, candles, wrapping paper, Christmas ornaments, mementos and an endless list of things. Plus you can stack them next to a chair and they double function as a side table. Of course you’ll want to only use the hard-side ones as they have a nicer look and will also stack. I have my parent’s blue hard-side luggage that they first took on their honeymoon and I just love them.
8. ACCENT CHESTS - Small accent chests are those pieces that you might find at a thrift store or yard sale. They might need a little refinishing, but are fabulous conversation pieces for your powder bath where you have a pedestal sink and no storage. You can also use night stands from a bedroom suite in any room. Most are small scaled enough to fit anywhere and will give you extra storage if they have a couple drawers.
9. BOXES - Along with hat boxes I love any type of box, whether made from wood, resin, metal, ceramic, cardboard or even fabric. Again boxes let you decoratively conceal what you are storing. You can find boxes made to stack inside each other, which just means they are perfect for stacking on top each other. Why leave a box inside a box, when you can be getting your home organized.
10. TRUNKS – Old steamer and antique trunks are one of the best items when you need a lot of storage in
From - www.fclo.com
one place. Before you start dropping things in, consider what you’ll be storing and then group the items in smaller plastic boxes so that you take advantage of every inch. Label each box and then make a master list that you place inside on the top. This way you can check what you have stored in there without having to take each box out looking for something that you can’t remember where you put it.
Getting organized doesn’t need to be a chore especially when you can look forward to having fun by adding decorative, yet functional items into you home that will make your life easier and give you a couple extra minutes each day to enjoy.