Conquer the Clutter

18 Thursday Jul 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, The Home

Tags

better homes and gardens, cleaning, closet clutter, closets, Clutter, organization

I have always been a neat freak and loved organizing whatever I could get my hands on. Seriously, I could organize all day! Now I know there are a lot of people out there that just aren’t good at keeping things tidy or don’t feel they have the time to do so. But there are many ways to easily keep your home in tip top shape, you just have to give some of your time and focus.

I think one of most important areas that need to be organized are closets. Just because the space is behind a door, doesn’t mean its not important. In fact, if you have crowded closets that don’t use the space properly, it will show all over your home. Once your closets and storage spaces are in great shape, you can figure out where other items you need to stow away can go. It also helps you realize what other places in your house can be used in the same way.

Since the closet is a good starting point, I wanted to share some really good inspirational tips and images to give you a head start and lead you in the right direction. Every few months its good go through the house and make sure everything is where it should be. Then tidy up and clutter that needs to be addressed. If you follow this rule, you shouldn’t have any spaces that are out of control.

Using the inside of the door to keep items contained and easy to access is a great way to utilize the space to its full potential. This can be for shoes, hats, belts, ties, jewelry, anything that isn’t very bulky. Also, installing a double rod for clothes will allow you to store more of your wardrobe in an organized fashion.

Photo Credit: Better Homes and Gardens

Photo Credit: Better Homes and Gardens

Putting small lights in the closet really helps to see everything at night, especially if you don’t have a light source nearby.

Photo Credit: Better Homes and Gardens

If you have a large closet or even a walk in, take advantage of the space and set it up as if its another room. Arrange everything so its easy to see and within an arms reach. For the things that are a little higher, like seasonal items you don’t need much at the time, keep a little step stool or ladder nearby.

Photo Credit: Better Homes and Gardens

Photo Credit: Better Homes and Gardens

Really think about the items you are storing and what containers would work best. Boxes, shelves, and drawers for sweaters work well because they should be folded, cubbies and clear boxes for shoes, and rods at various heights help to organize clothing by color or style. If you have the room, add a mirror or even a small dresser. The more you can fit, the less furniture you need to have in your bedroom. At least then you can focus on the fun pieces for the main space.

Photo Credit: Better Homes and Gardens

When setting up drawers, think about using items that separate certain pieces. This way your dresser won’t be a mish mash of stuff.

Photo Credit: Better Homes and Gardens

Photo Credit: Better Homes and Gardens

Use the space to fit your needs. If you would like certain areas to photos, a calendar, or important info, you can use cork on the back of doors. If you have the room, hang a small cork board or black board on the inside wall or on the back of the closet door.

Photo Credit: Better Homes and Gardens

Photo Credit: Better Homes and Gardens

No matter what you are storing in there, all these great tips apply. Whether its a hall, bedroom, or office closet, you should be able to easily find what you are looking for when you open that door. And if the space makes you smile, than that’s an extra bonus. Here are some more closets that are sure to inspire you to get organized. Now get to work!

Photo Credit: Clean and Scentsible

Photo Credit: Elle Decor

Photo Credit: Families in the Loop

Photo Credit: Arianna Belle

Photo Credit: The Container Store

Photo Credit: Deliciously Organized

Photo Credit: Furniture Fashion

Photo Credit: Off Boulevard

Guest Post: 5 Ways to Get More Space from Your Kitchen

11 Thursday Jul 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, Guest Posts, The Home

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

aubrey madrona, cleaning, kitchen, kitchen shelving, marble mosaic, organization, pot racks, pull out drawers, space, Storage, wall space

Most people seldom realize that a clean-spacey kitchen is important. If a guest walks in and sees a dirty living room and a clean kitchen, that would at least be pardonable. But if they walk in and see a clean living room and filthy kitchen, the house would look dirty and the people would come across as unhygienic. A dirty living room is better than a dirty kitchen (of course it’d best if you could clean ‘em both).

If you’re looking to redesign your kitchen, instead of just adding that cute colored glass mosaic tiles backsplash or buying the new rose gold flatware set, you might want to consider freeing up some space to make your kitchen look neater. Here are a couple of tips:

Wall Hang-Ups
In these modern times, everything is multifunctional. A sofa actually turns into a bed, a table into chairs, a garden into a party area. A wall is not just a wall. It’s another dimension of usable space. Use it to hang pots, chopping boards, kitchen utensils, ladles. Or if you’re not really into just plainly hanging stuff, then build cabinets into it. It’ll cost you a little more, but at least everything is tucked in – out of sight, out of mind.

Photo Credit: Fresh Home

Photo Credit: Decoist

Organized Shelves
Shelves are very practical for kitchens. If you want easy access to your materials and ingredients, a shelf will do much better than a cabinet. Shelves are also cheaper to make. If you’re the DIY kind of person, you won’t have any trouble at all. However, with shelves, people just tend to get careless over time and just place materials anywhere they want to. To ensure that you stay organized, give each shelf a category – maybe one for spices, one for seasonings, and another for plates or glasses.

Photo Credit: Mackenzie Horan

Photo Credit: DIY Network

Pull-Out Drawers
If you’re still having your house designed, make sure that you’ve got ample drawer space in the kitchen. Or at least have the initiative to add some. Most kitchen designers usually go with a crisp and neat design in mind – so hiding things (or shall we say hiding a mess) is essential. Pull-out drawers are great for hiding utensils and cutlery, it keeps them out of countertops which frankly look better if it were neat. The only complaint people make for pull-out drawers is that you always have to open each one ‘because it’s so easy to forget – good exercise to jog our memory perhaps?

Photo Credit: Home Tone

Guest Post: 5 Ways to Get More Space from Your Kitchen

Under-The-Sink Storage
I’m sure that you don’t use all of your stuff in the kitchen all the time. Most times we like to collect stuff until we don’t use them anymore. So, if you’re not so keen in giving them away, then you could probably hide them under the sink for a while. We mostly put the cleaning detergents there, but you can probably scoot them over so that you can put other “unnecessary” kitchen stuff.

Photo Credit: Real Simple

Photo Credit: Real Simple

Be Responsibly Organized
In order to get that spacey-clean look for your kitchen, there is something that we must personally do – be organized. What good is cleaning a kitchen if we’re just going to dirty it a day later? And this isn’t just a lone ranger’s duty. Everyone in the house should have that collective effort and awareness to keep the kitchen spic and span.

{Aubrey Madrona is a Social Media Specialist. She loves Music and spends a lot of her time playing piano and reading. She’s currently building her reputation as an online writer of Marble Mosaic.}

How to Design a Gorgeous Guest Room

19 Wednesday Jun 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, Guest Posts, Janet Majors, The Home

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

casters, cleaning, decorating, design, furniture, guest room, home, interior design, Storage, vacation retreat

Despite the countless decisions that must be made, most people greatly enjoy decorating their own homes. Its the opportunity to truly express one’s tastes in terms of colors, arrangement, texture, lighting, and much more. Its a chance to create spaces of relaxation and comfort that are truly unique. Unfortunately, one room that often gets overlooked when it comes to decorating is the guest room. Too often guest rooms are either completely bland and reminiscent of economy hotel rooms {see below} or a collection of mismatched furniture that feels more like a storage facility than anything else. However, it isn’t all that difficult to create a gorgeous guest room. Here are some decorating tips.

How to Design a Gorgeous Guest Room

Create a vacation retreat.
Whether a relative is coming to town for a wedding or your best friend is spending his or her actual vacation with you, make your guest room feel like a luxurious hotel room. To do so break out the “good” linens. Since your guest probably won’t be staying more than a week, don’t be afraid to use fabrics that you would typically avoid because they may stain or are fragile. For instance, a thick white down comforter will create a crisp, clean, and comfortable sleeping space.

Photo Credit: Avondale Custom Homes

Anticipate the guest’s needs
Decorating isn’t all about appearance. Its also about creating a comfortable, welcoming space. In order to make your guests feel comfortable, anticipate their needs. For instance, someone traveling may be experiencing jet lag or simply want to sleep in, so make sure your guest room has drapes that are up to the task of fully blocking out the sun. In addition, remember that your guest probably won’t need a ton of storage space (since they probably won’t be there long) but they will need surfaces on which to set toiletries (if there isn’t a dedicated bathroom), a cell phone, reading material, laptop, etc. Consider getting nested bedside tables with casters on them. That way, if your guest needs extra space he or she can pull out another table. When no one is staying with you, the tables with neatly stack up. If you can’t find tables with casters already on them, adding casters is a super simple task. Here’s a guide to picking casters based on needs and floor type.

Photo Credit: Stage Tecture

Photo Credit: Svajoniu

Don’t be afraid of expressing yourself
The truth is, this is a guest room – not a bedroom. Meaning, that the person using the room is simply visiting and not living there. The room is still a part of your house. That means that you should not be afraid to use colors and textures you find pleasing. If you want the space to be neutral, you can still use throw pillows, accessories such as vases or books, or a chair to add pops of color and texture.

Photo Credit: About.com

Remember, less is more
Don’t over decorate or clutter up your guest room. Your guest will need a minimal amount of furniture during their stay and will not want to feel overwhelmed with trinkets or bric-a-brac. Go for a bed with a light and heavy blanket (to meet your guest’s temperature needs), nesting tables, a small dresser, hangers in the closet, a lamp, a chair, and a few accessories. Always keep in mind that this is not a storage space! The goal here is to make the room feel clean and simple – not barren. As mentioned above, use color, different textures, and luxurious items to make the space feel welcoming rather than cold.

Photo Credit: MSN Living

Keep it clean
Often times, guest rooms sit forgotten and closed up until the days right before a guest arrives. Things will be much easier on you if you keep the room aired out and clean it regularly. If you keep the room sparsely decorated (as mentioned above) cleaning will take no time at all.

Photo Credit: Babycenter.com

Make the clearance bin you friend
If you’re on a tight budget, remember that there’s nothing wrong with scoring a deal. Shop seasonal sales or browse the clearance bin for sheet sets, accessories, and even furniture for the space.

Don’t forget your guest room
Whether you have guests regularly or infrequently, put some thought into how the room is decorated. Its your home so always bow to your preferences and taste. Don’t create a space that feels more like an airport hotel room than a welcoming oasis.

Photo Credit: Decorator Showcase

Written by Janet Majors

Getting Your Garage in Shape

02 Thursday May 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, The Home

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

cleaning, design, garage, gardening, home, organization, spring, summer, tools

Spring is here! Now is the time to get those gardens growing and backyards ready for the beautiful weather. That also means you should get your work spaces organized so you can get things done and actually enjoy it. Having a garage is great because you can store all tools, both house and garden, along with tons of other things you need to keep your home in tip top shape. But having it clean and set up in a way where you can find things easily and fast is a must. And it can’t hurt if it looks good too!

Here are some great ideas and inspiration on how to get your garage in shape.

Photo Credit: Better Homes and Gardens