Stylish Ways to Hide and Organize Your Kid’s Stuff

20 Sunday Aug 2017

Posted by melissaoconnor in Crafty Ideas, Everyday Design

Tags

kids storage, organization, organize kids stuff, storage solutions, stylish storage solutions

I have always been an organized person and keeping my home tidy is big deal. Now that I am a mom, I’ve had to make room for our son’s toys and other stuff that take up space. I always see parents showing the mess in their house they just don’t have the energy to clean up, mostly because the kids just make a mess again so they see it as a waste of time. This is not me, lol. There are a bunch of ways to store toys and not let them overcome a space. And it can be done in style! Here are a few tips to help you get your home in tip top shape and have the play areas your kids need. If you don’t have children, you can also benefit from these helpful suggestions too!

Bins and baskets are always a win win. Not only are there so many options out there, they are pretty affordable and tend to go with all types of styles.

Image credit: marthastewart.com / tinyme.com

Image credit: housebeautiful.com

Boxes and crates are cool too because you can stack them and design your own structures. Plus, they immediately turn your storage items into accessories, so you will want to use items that are nice to look at. This may help your children to get involved in cleanup time too!

Image credit: tinyme.com

Image credit: tinyme.com / sadecor.co

Image credit: pinterest.com

Containers you can see through are nice when you need to keep smaller things tidy. And its another opportunity to incorporate a little bit of fun into the space.

Image credit: diyncrafts.com / pinterest.com

And then you have old fashioned shelving. You can never go wrong with these. Whether they are on the wall or stand on their own, arranging shelves is always fun. Put pretty things on display and keep it fresh.

Image credit: homedit.com

Image credit: houseofjadeinteriors.com / whitehouseblackshutters.com

In My Studio

29 Wednesday Oct 2014

Posted by melissaoconnor in Art & Design, Everyday Design

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

art, coworking, design, freelancers, interior design, office, organization, small business, studio, wework, workspace

A person’s workspace is where they should have the freedom to be creative and let their ideas run wild. I am very organized and cannot work in chaos so my studio has an area for everything. My desk is always clean of clutter and I try to dress it up a bit with cool accessories and plants to brighten up the space. My other work station is where I do all of my paper cutting and shipping. It’s also where my paper and current orders are held, along with the things I need to wrap up an order, etc. I incorporated lots of things I love in this area to make it more fun and interesting.

I have two bookshelves that house tons of books. They are all organized by theme/subject. I filled with the walls with artwork my husband and I have done, plus other prints and art we love. I think its important to be surrounded by art everywhere I am in the house so you will find it in every room.

Then there is the little lounge area where my dogs love to hang out and keep me company all day, as Jenny is demonstrating in the photo. The last space is the closet, which I have reorganized about 5 times since we have been in the house. I keep my shipping materials, order supplies, and everything else my husband and I have kept over the years in this space. I even fit a treadmill in there!

Overall, my studio is a peaceful place to work, but everywhere you look there is tons of inspiration, from books to artwork and beyond. I have created a space that appeals me to me in lots of ways, from the navy wall color to the wood furniture, and has enough workable space so that is never an issue. Even the way the light pours in from the outside is really beautiful, keeping it sunny and bright, which in turn keeps me going all day.

I think the most important aspect of a workspace is that it fits you like a glove.

So if you are stumbling over the layout of furniture or don’t have the necessary items to keep everything in its place, then you will constantly be distracted and not as productive as you should be. Make sure everything is in arms reach and has its own place so you can get more done.

Not everyone has a home office or studio to work from. In cases like this, you would consider renting out a space or doing work in another location like a coffee shop or library. Its definitely not the same as having your own personal area to so what you please, but it’s better than nothing.

Wework is a co-working company that provides cool and inspiring spaces for creatives to work and connect with other freelancers and entrepreneurs. Plus, they offer other benefits for being a member. Its a great way for small businesses and designers to network and surely can help them succeed in the field. They have locations all over the world so check them out if you could use this service.

I hope a little peek into my studio has inspired you to create a workspace that you love. If you use the tips I shared, I am sure you will be productive in no time!

Conquer the Clutter

18 Thursday Jul 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, The Home

≈ 1 Comment

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.}