Category Archives: Organization Tips

9 Effective Spring Cleaning Tips for the Home

The arrival of spring brings the rejuvenating promise of warmer weather, longer days, lighter clothes, colourful gardens…and also the dreaded spring cleaning.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of spring cleaning your house or apartment this year, you’re not alone.

A recent survey of 1,000 UK residents found that 41% of them were also daunted at the amount of spring cleaning work their residence required. 68% felt negatively overall about having to spring clean.

Regardless of your enthusiasm for spring cleaning, it’s an important job that helps to cleanse and declutter your home.

Follow these nine tips to get your spring cleaning done effectively this year.

1. Establish realistic spring cleaning goals

Spring cleaning is all about intensifying your regular tidying up routine so everything gets an effective deep cleaning and thorough reorganizing. This will take time.

Instead of cramming all of your work into one stressful weekend, use a more realistic approach by tackling spring cleaning over a couple of weekends.

Even an hour of work on a weeknight or two over that period can make meaningful strides towards completing your goal.

2. Don’t hesitate to delegate

With so much spring cleaning work to be done, why should the burden rest solely on you? After all, your family members have all contributed to the mess and clutter in your home.

Break up the workload by delegating spring cleaning tasks to the rest of the family.

3. Entertain yourself, but stay focused

Make sure to inject a little fun into the spring cleaning process. Listen to your favourite music, podcasts, or audio books to alleviate some of the dreariness.

Tip: refrain from having the TV on while cleaning, as it’s more likely to distract you and decrease productivity.

4. Open and wash your windows

There’s nothing like opening your windows and feeling that invigorating first spring breeze entering your home after a long winter.

Keep them open as long as possible to refresh the air in your home and clear out some of the allergens that have accumulated over the past several months.

Washing your windows should also be one your first spring cleaning tasks. Here are some effective window washing tips:

don’t clean your windows in direct sunlight – choose a cloudy day to minimize the chance of streaks from your glass cleaner drying too quickly and leaving a film that attracts dust and dirt
after applying your window cleaner with a sponge or rag, use a squeegee with a rubber-edge blade and be sure to wipe the blade after each stroke (this prevents dirt and particles from building up and scratching your windows)
dry your windows with either a microfibre cloth or, believe it or not, a newspaper (they’re surprisingly absorbent and won’t leave streaks because they don’t have lint)

5. Simplify spring cleaning by reducing clutter

Any efficient spring cleaning should include a thorough decluttering process. Carefully consider which of your belongings deserve space in your home.

A good rule of thumb is that if it hasn’t been used or worn in the past year and doesn’t have any sentimental value, then get rid of it.
Organized Interiors felt storage box
Organized Interiors has storage bins for the items you deem worth keeping and off-season clothing.

If you’re plagued by more serious closet organization issues, then schedule a free in-home consultation with one of our designers.

6. Work from the top down

All rooms should be cleaned from top to bottom for maximum effectiveness. That way, any dust and dirt that gets knocked loose will be on the floor for you to vacuum or mop up later.

Make sure not to ignore your light fixtures or the corners and ceilings of rooms, where cobwebs tend to appear.

7. Scrub, dust, and mop till you drop

One of the most time-consuming spring cleaning tasks will be making sure every possible surface in your home is given the proper attention.

Items like shelving, windowsills, countertops, sinks, wooden furniture, and appliances should be scrubbed and dusted. Ensure you give a good mopping to your uncarpeted flooring areas.

8. Vacuum everywhere else

Give your carpets and rugs a comprehensive vacuuming and, if required, a shampoo or steam cleaning – they’re bacterial and germ havens.

Take the time to move furniture so your vacuum reaches those normally unreachable spots and also vacuum the upholstery.

Drape and curtain fabric can be dulled by dust, so carefully run your vacuum over them (if they’re not too delicate), clean them in the washing machine, or have a professional attend to them.

9. Give yourself a break

Pace yourself with well-deserved breaks. The inclination to power through and get the spring cleaning over with as quickly as possible may be tempting. Avoid spring cleaning burnout, however, and don’t overdo it.

By following these nine tips, you’ll experience an effective spring cleaning and the sweet satisfaction of knowing your freshly scrubbed home is all ready for the upcoming seasons.

If an immaculate home interior inspires some new design ideas, then visit our showroom or contact us.

How to Increase Your Clothes Drawer Storage by up to 50%

Folded clothing and linens in your dresser, wardrobe, and closet organizer drawers tends to become a disorganized mess.

The standard practice of stacking clothes in these areas is antiquated and doesn’t optimize your bedroom’s storage space.

The “KonMari Method” of vertical clothes folding from Japanese organizing consultant Marie Kondo changes all of this.

She’s the best-selling author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing.

Using her clothes folding method, you can keep your drawers organized and gain up to 50% more drawer space.

Traditional clothes drawer storage is outdated and impractical

Think about the way your clothes drawers are currently organized.

Most likely, your items of clothing are just piled on top of one another, meaning you’re likely to end up with messy drawers full of wrinkled clothes after rummaging around trying to find a specific item.

When your drawers are full, this problem is only compounded.

The KonMari Method: simple yet effective

Kondo’s philosophy is simple: by vertically folding your clothes in a precise manner, you can save lots of space by storing them upright in your drawers and keeping everything much more organized.

With the KonMari Method, your clothing is folded into a rectangular shape and then compacted or tucked into a tight bundle. This allows them to stand up vertically, much like a file folder in a filing cabinet.

You’ll then gain as much as 50% more drawer space that allows you to create rows of your clothing. Now whenever you want a specific piece of clothing, everything is visible, completely accessible, and much more organized.

Vertical folding for your clothes and linens

The KonMari Method of vertical folding doesn’t require any extra time to do and can make a world of difference to your drawer space options.

All you need is a flat surface and after viewing the short videos below, you’ll be amazed at how much drawer space you’ll gain by vertically folding:

long sleeve shirts and T-shirts
underwear
long pants and shorts
socks and stockings
pajamas/nightwear
linens

How to vertically fold t-shirts

7 Smart Ways To Reclaim And Organize Your Bedroom

Has your bedroom turned into a disorganized dumping ground? Has your formerly calm and private space turned into nothing more than a multi-purpose room?

Organize your bedroom

Don’t overlook the positive benefits of bedroom organization, including less stress. Organize your bedroom to sleep better and help improve the overall flow of your day.

Try these bedroom organization guidelines to reclaim your restful sanctuary!

Your bedroom isn’t an office

Bedrooms should only contain commonly used items. Bills, invoices, and receipts piling up in a bedroom only contributes to a lack of organization.

Keeping a boundary between your finances and your relaxation area might even motivate you to carve a space out of your home for an office.

Your bedroom isn’t a fitness room

Exercise equipment also needs to go…to a gym. Neglected workout equipment in the bedroom unnecessarily takes up precious space and lays a daily guilt trip on you.

Who needs that? Reclaim that treadmill-sized bedroom space!

A built-in solution?

Custom-designed bed surrounds may be the answer to your bedroom organization problems.

Surrounding the bed with built-in cabinetry fitted with recessed lighting, open shelves, and drawers completes a room. More storage options than just a nightstand and dresser means more bedroom organization.

The best part is that you choose the finish, style, and configurations that suit your taste, resulting in a one-of-a-kind solution.

Bedroom lighting matters

A reorganized bedroom deserves to be shown off in the best light. Consider updating your bedroom’s central ceiling lighting fixture and lamps.

New LED lighting comes in a variety of styles and finishes, offering clear and crisp lighting that can last a lifetime and also help preserve the health of your eyes.

Comfort underfoot

A soft area rug underneath your feet can make a world of difference. Feet are sensitive to a tactile experience.

A rug is a simple and inexpensive way to add comfort and a bit of luxury to your bedroom.

Check your mattress

Nothing screams “disorganized bedroom” like a messy bed. But even if you make your bed every day, a worn-out mattress that leaves you sore and unrested offsets the positives of an organized sleeping area.

Remember that you spend one third of your life sleeping, so make sleep comfort a high priority. Mattresses have a lifespan and The National Sleep Foundation recommends replacing them approximately every eight years.

Replace your pillows

Pillows are an important bedroom component and also have a lifespan. Down-filled pillows can be dry-cleaned, but regular pillows and pillow protectors should be replaced every year or two.

Where organization exists, comfort is not far behind. Reclaim your bedroom as the restful and organized space it’s meant to be.

For more solutions to all your organizing needs, contact us.

16 Ways to Get Your Home Organized in 2016

It’s a new year and you’ve resolved to tackle some organizational issues in your home for 2016.

But when you look around, all you feel is overwhelmed and it all needs work.

Give yourself a break

Just pick one room or space in your home. Fulfill a New Year’s resolution by organizing that space.

By focusing in on one manageable project, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment and that may be enough.

After all, the worst thing that could happen is you get the energy and initiative to do more organizing in your home.

Which space will you organize this year?

Listed below are some spaces in your home that often have organizational issues. We have design solutions for each of them but you have to decide which space to tackle first.

Closets

Do you have to slowly open your closet door just in case something is about to fall out on you? Is there a knee-deep pile of clothing on your floor?

It’s time to look at some solutions to keeping your closet organized. From simple to extravagant, discover how closet organizers can maximize your storage space.

Bed surrounds

If the last thing you look at before closing your eyes each night is a tabletop of clutter, you might want to think beyond replacing your nightstand.

Bed surrounds are custom-designed for your space and offer a stylish solution to a good night’s sleep.

Laundry room

Do you dread doing laundry? It may feel like it’s a chore because its buried deep in the bowels of your home, or it’s just a dreary process. It doesn’t have to be.

Treat your laundry room like any decorated room that can use a designer’s flare. From simple solutions to high quality custom solutions just look at what’s available to transform that space.

Home office

Paper isn’t going away anytime soon and home offices still need filing space to store your hard copies.

Whether it’s a corner carved out under a staircase or a full-sized room in your home, treat yourself to a home office with function and style.

Entertainment unit

As our home screens become bigger, we seem to be plugging more and more devices into our TVs – AppleTV, Google Chromecast, Roku Media Players and more.

Keeping all of these devices and cables organized requires more than a sturdy shelf. Choosing a custom entertainment unit solution over a prefab unit has many advantages.

Bathroom

The layout works, the fixtures are fine, but your bathroom cabinets are showing their age. Changing moisture levels and wear from dampness can make cabinets look dingy and worn.

If it’s time for an upgrade, replace them with long-lasting, beautiful cabinets. Learn more about our custom bathroom cabinetry.

Wall bed

If your holiday guests looked tired when they woke up, maybe its time to get rid of that lumpy, bulky futon. But where can you put a mattress that’s not used everyday without taking up precious space?

You won’t believe how a wall bed helped a small condo add a whole guest room without adding square footage!

Kitchen cabinetry

Your kitchen is the hardest working room in your home. It also demands the most organization to function properly.

You can achieve the most efficient space when you are part of planning the solution. Take a look at some of the latest innovations in our kitchen cabinetry.

Dressing room

You’ve been eyeing that spare room, contemplating its next incarnation, plotting the take over, and this is the year.

Transform a whole room into a dressing room or large walk-in closet.

Imagine wall-to-wall cabinetry for clothing and accessories, a make up area complete with vanity and even a lounging space because dressing can be so exhausting. Prepare to drool.

Wine storage

Collecting wine is more popular and we now see the value of devoting more space in our home to fit it into our lifestyle. Wine requires ideal conditions: a space that is dry, dark and away from movement.

A rack wedged under a staircase just won’t do. Here are some wine storage ideas to help keep your collection organized.

Wardrobe

Are all your closets bulging with too much stuff? If you’re not ready to reduce clutter, redistribute it.

Instead of buying a pre-finished, assemble-it-yourself wardrobe unit from a big box store, take a look at a custom solution.

You choose the finish, the interior layout, and the size to suit you, not the other way around. Here are some wardrobe examples.

Bar cabinetry

Aside from a wet bar requiring running water, you can set up a bar in almost any room in your home.

All you need is a little imagination, inspiration, and customization. Have a look at some of these bar ideas from Organized Interiors.

Upgrade your closet with accessories

Sometimes it’s the smallest projects that give us the greatest sense of satisfaction. Keeping everything in your closet organized starts your day and ends it on a good note.

From shoe racks to jewelry drawers, there are many options to get you organized. A valet rod is one of our most popular closet accessories.

The garage

Do you see your garage as one big storage container? When it comes to attention to detail for organizing solutions the garage is the new laundry room.

This could be your one big project of 2016. From flooring to overhead storage, Garage Living has everything to keep your garage looking pristine and organized.

Get organized. Start planning.

Whether you decide to organize your whole home or just one space in 2016, the storage solutions are abundant and available.

Schedule a free consultation to have an Organized Interiors designer come to your home and provide you with a detailed quote.

How To Reduce Clutter With Better Storage Solutions

Clutter creeps up and tries to take over a home every time you bring something into the house.

Even the daily mail can pile up causing feelings of stress.

Declutter regularly

It’s no surprise then that many people now regularly declutter their space. It helps you gain control and achieve peace of mind. There are even books written to help with this process.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo, is a quick read and offers some quirky and practical ways to keep a home tidy. There are even websites dedicated to maintaining a clutter-free lifestyle, like The Minimalists.

Decluttering is just part of the answer

But while giving away clothes, electronics and other old or unused items is necessary now and then, you may still be cramming the items that are left on top of each other.

You might even avoid opening the closet altogether just so you don’t have to see the chaos.

What’s under the clutter?

If you took everything out of your closet what’s left? Typical closets feature a top shelf, hanging rack and some floor space.

Having only one shelf means you’re often forced to stack items on top of each other. This makes it very difficult for you to find and access clothes, cleaning supplies or any other belongings.

There’s a better way to keep items separate and easy to access.

Be smart about your storage

What is smarter storage? At Organized Interiors the answer is customization. Smarter storage solutions help you maintain an organized home without forcing you to give up all of your belongings.

From chaos to order

Custom closets, are designed to meet your unique needs. You can have drawers, multiple shelves, cabinets and pullout racks to separate items and make all of your stuff accessible.

With a specific spot for belongings, you’re less likely to let these items take over your home and cause a mess.

Living with less is a good strategy to follow, but cutting clutter doesn’t mean you have to live with nothing. To keep a clean, stress-free home, use storage solutions designed to keep your stuff organized.

Personalized storage solutions are the answer

For further inspiration, download Organized Interiors’ Idea Book. You can also schedule a free in-home consultation with one of our talented designers.