It’s a great time to get organized and clean up from all the clutter that accumulates during the year. So while you’re trying to figure out where to start, let’s talk about how to get organized in all the spaces of your home. From your kitchen, to your living room and playroom. These ideas can be implemented right away.
Kitchen Organization
If you’re looking for tips to get your cabinets organized, see our previous blog on kitchen storage. But in addition to organizing the insides of your cabinets, it’s important to have organization for all the things on our countertops as well.
By the sink
One trouble spot is the sink, keeping sponges, bottle brushes, dish and hang soap all organized and tidy is important, since most of these items are on your countertops at all times. Try getting a small caddy that you can tuck all of your bottles, sponges and rags into that is easy to clean, but still decorative. This could be a small piece of hand made pottery you found at a shop on your travels. This powdercoated steel caddy from Terrain is rust resistant and very clean looking for any kitchen style.
Another quick fix is to get refillable bottles to put your handsoap or lotion and dishsoap in, to simplify the look of your cleaning products. Place on a small tray or dish to rest neatly near your sink. This small caddy from Pottery Barn even has room for a sponge.
Create a Vignette with Container Storage
If you bake often, you might store your flour and sugar on the countertop. Maybe it’s rice and other grains. If you’re like me, you might need to keep some snacks for your furry friend at hand.
The truth is, no one has countertops that are completely clean all the time. Create a decorative vignette with containers. Keep some dry storage in decorative containers and arrange them neatly in a corner of the kitchen. You can buy sets that are coordinating, or have fun and mix and match vintage candy dishes or other pieces of pottery. Lean a marble or wood cheese board (like the one below from West Elm) against the backsplash to make it pop and add dynamism. Ta-da! You can still have a functional space where your everyday essentials are at your fingertips, but still keep things neat and tidy.
How to Organize Living Spaces
Bookshelves
Ok, so here is my top secret designer tip to make your shelves look better in no time….pull everything forward! That’s it. Often times books are pushed back into the shelves, they stick out in all sorts of different ways and get hidden in the shadows of the shelves above. This is always my first step to dressing shelves for my clients. I pull everything to the front and make sure the spines are all aligned on the same plane.
If you’d like, you could then organize further, for a more playful and casual look try sorting books by color, and create interest. Or break things up and fill out your shelf space by creating different groupings of books. Keep some upright, stack taller books that might not fit on their sides and place a picture frame or decorative object on top. Mix in photos, boxes and decorative book ends. Donate old or unwanted books. If you have kids books that you still want children to have easy access to but want to keep them out of sight, place them in small storage boxes or baskets so they’re still within reach for the little ones.
Playroom Organization
When in the playroom…Baskets, baskets baskets! I have been in enough homes with small children to know that kids will always have more toys than they know what to do with, and it is impossible to keep up with them! If you have shelves or cabinetry, get small baskets that are easy for small hands to handle, and just load them up!
Plush toys can be quickly tossed and put away in these playful coordinating baskets available from Serena & Lilly.
These wool cable knit baskets are great because they have some give to them and can be forgiving with odd shaped toys.
Need soft space for the kids to play, but want to keep everything looking stylish? These foam mats from Little Nomad give the look of handmade vintage rugs, but you can wipe up any messes that can and will happen. This is a great solution if your kids’ play space is in plain sight. Who knew the playroom could be the chicest room in the house?
Laundry Room
Laundry rooms can get a little out of hand. With families of 4 or more, you’re bound to have an overload of clothes, towels and bedding in a small space. Not to mention laundry rooms often become the hub of storage for cleaning supplies, it can often be one of the most frustrating rooms in the house.
Ditch the dryer sheets
All I can say is, ditch your dryer sheets. In addition to taking up precious space, they’re also filled with chemicals that you probably don’t want getting all over your family’s clothes and then sitting on your skin. Replace them with wool dryer balls, like these from Ellie’s Best. They’re reusable, and are one less item to pick up at the grocery store. Not to mention they often cut your drying time in HALF. Earth day is this month, so make an easy switch to get chemicals out of your house, lower your utility bills, save space and the planet.
Get a pull out laundry board and drying rack
Get a wall mounted cabinet to store your iron and ironing board. They even have ones with electrical outlets so you can have a place to iron your clothes, and tuck them away to keep the hot iron away from the kids.
These pull out drying racks from Ballard Designs come in several different styles and sizes to fit your space. You can tuck them away when you need more room, and pull out when needed to dry clothes.
Donate your unwanted items
Don’t forget to do what you can to reduce waste. When cleaning out your spaces donate what you can, whether it be clothes, books or toys. There are several organizations that offer pick up services for old furniture or other unwanted items. Recycle boxes and other packaging material, and do what you can to keep things out of the dump and give back to the community. Happy organizing!
Katie Canfield is the founder and principal designer at Studio KC. Studio KC got its humble start in 2015 when Katie was just 23 years old. While she was freelancing with other interior designers in the NY and CT area she also became a go-to designer for local contractors and trades that needed a designer’s help for their clients whether it be for custom cabinetry drawings or plans for a gut renovation on an entire home.
Katie Canfield’s design aesthetic is eclectic and flexible. She delights in the marriage between old and new- keeping spaces approachable but still matching each client’s unique aesthetic and family narrative. Her passion for design keeps her motivated and constantly on the hunt for new trends and materials. Her broad experience includes an art history background, study at the Accademia Italiana in Florence, a stint with the renowned Manhattan firm Amanda Nisbet Design, as well as collaborations with builders and designers across the tri-state area. She’s seen it all: from gutting prewar Manhattan apartments to new construction in the ‘burbs.