Organizing, Redesign & Staging

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Secrets to a Simpler Life

If you live in my area and get the Boston Globe on Sundays, you may have seen the Magazine section with articles on organization, but I wanted to share some 'wisdom' from them. There is an article today (9/7) titled "29 Secrets to a Simpler Life" that offers solutions for a bedroom closet, home office, mudroom and laundry room. Here is a shortened list based on what I thought was significant or helpful:

  • If you are having trouble parting with a certain item, remove it from your closet and put it in a storage bin [at the top of the closet].

  • Invest in new ultra-slim hangers covered in a nonstick velvet that help keep your clothes in place and that increase your closet real estate.

  • For the home office: use masking tape or a label maker to label each cable and cord, and gather and attach them to the side of your desk.

  • Hang a bulletin or magnet board for urgent items so you can see and attend to them.

  • For the mudroom: Designate hooks or a specific basket for keys. Deposit your keys in the same place every time.

  • Open storage makes it easy to park baseballs, caps and lunchboxes.

  • Easy access to outerwear is essential. Add a fun hook for each member of the family.

  • For the laundry room: Group supplies according to use. Place detergent, dryer sheets, and stain remover in one basket.

  • Invest in pretty bins for a neat and organized look. This also makes the space more functional. Now you can pull out a basket to easily access items without disturbing its neighbors.