Category Archives: Organization

Laundry Room Upgrades for a More Functional and Enjoyable Space

The laundry room may well be the one room in your home you enjoy visiting least.

Like it or not, however, doing the laundry is an essential part of maintaining a clean and functional household.

According to General Electric, the average American family does 8-10 loads of laundry every week.

The average laundry cycle is 87 minutes, from the time your clothes go in the washer to when they come out of the dryer. That works out to somewhere between 600-750 hours per year most families spend doing laundry.

Yes, we’ll spend a good deal of that time multitasking while the washing machine and dryer are running. Regardless, that’s still a lot of time we spend in the laundry room every week.

Using these laundry room ideas to upgrade your space, you can make your time spent doing one of the home’s most time-consuming tasks more enjoyable.

modern laundry room

Create a comfortable and functional laundry space

Laundry rooms don’t have to be drab environments that lack charm. With the right design ideas, a renovated laundry room can become a comfortable and attractive space that’s also highly functional.

This will ease the aggravation you undoubtedly feel each week carrying out your laundry duties.

Consider centralizing your laundry room’s location

The current location of your laundry room isn’t necessarily where your renovated laundry room also has to reside.

The default basement location for laundry rooms is a thing of the past. More and more homeowners choose to have them on the main and upper floors of their residence.

Three main factors will determine whether or not a laundry room can be centralized in your home:

available space
whether or not your plumbing and ventilation can accommodate a laundry room relocation
noise levels of your washing machine and dryer if they’ll be located close to sleeping and living areas (appliances are sold with added suspension and extra insulation features to reduce noise)

A centralized laundry room location helps facilitate a more efficient workflow. It’s easier to access and closer to the bedrooms where most of your dirty clothes are coming from. That saves you time in the long run.

Improving the lighting improves the atmosphere

Good lighting plays an important role when it comes to improving your laundry room’s atmosphere. Who wants to spend any more time than they have to in a dreary, dimly lit room?

Accent or ambient lighting on your ceiling can make a world of difference. Under-cabinet lighting and task lighting can also really transform your room’s appearance.

Laundry room must-haves

Obvious laundry room essentials include a sink and a durable flat surface for sorting, ironing, and folding clothes. Think about adding any of these helpful features:

built-in laundry hampers with removable bags take up less space with their pull-out design and allows you to sort according to colour
pull-out ironing boards are another practical space-saver
hanging rods and adjustable valet rods allow you to air-dry clothes in your laundry room
pull-out drying racks are another option for hanging clothes that you don’t want to put in the dryer

Stylize your laundry workspace

Make your laundry room more than a cold, impersonal workspace. A storage solution like custom laundry cabinetry can do wonders for modernizing your room’s look.

It can also keep unsightly laundry and cleaning supplies behind beautifully designed doors and properly organized. You can also add locks to keep your children safe from harmful chemicals.

Add personalized touches to your laundry room to encourage your presence. You can add plants, framed artwork and photos or other artistic wall hangings, a rug, curtains or blinds, wallpaper, and a device for playing music.

Why not a multi-purpose space?

If the size of your house allows it, a renovated laundry room can become an even more functional space.

Reap the benefits of a multi-purpose space by also turning your laundry room into an exercise room, crafting area, storage space, or mudroom.

A renovated laundry room with modern touches can go a long way towards making laundry duties less burdensome.

To create a laundry room whose door you’ll actually want to keep open and spend time in, set up a free in-home design consultation with us.

5 Smart Reasons for Getting a Dressing Room Closet

Are you a clothes enthusiast short on closet storage space?

Could the routine of getting ready for work or social engagements use a refreshing change of scenery that frees you from the bedroom or bathroom?

Here’s an idea – a dressing room closet. In recent years, dressing rooms have become a highly coveted addition to homes as more people discover their many benefits.

Here are five reasons to add one to your home.

1. An abundance of storage options

Adding a dressing room (also referred to as a “large walk-in closet”) to your home considerably expands your clothing storage options.

This gives you the freedom to organize your clothing, shoes, and accessories in a manner that exactly fits your vision.

2. A dressing room eliminates bedroom clutter

Just imagine the liberating feeling of adding a whole extra room that can, in part, be used to store your clothing and accessories.

A dressing room will eliminate the bedroom clutter that has limited your organizational capabilities for too long.

Better clothes organization directly translates into an improvement in efficiency when it comes to getting ready for work or social functions. That’s because everything is in its place and much easier to find.

3. Enjoy unlimited design potential

The design potential for a dressing room is only limited by the lengths of your imagination.

Feel like showing off your impressive wardrobe? Then an open-concept dressing room design will work for you.

If you want your belongings kept out of sight, consider keeping them behind custom closet doors or in a wardrobe closet. Other design options to think about are:

closet organizers
shelving
furniture like a sit-down vanity, dresser, or comfortable chair
closet accessories like valet rods, laundry hampers, and shoe racks
a multi-purpose centre island providing storage space for watches and jewelry, as well as a surface to fold and iron your garments
a full-length dressing room mirror

4. Create your own private sanctuary

A dressing room is much more than just a clothing storage area. It’s a dedicated space that becomes your own little sanctuary.

Enjoy its privacy and comfort as you ruminate about your wardrobe options, put on makeup, unwind after a long day, or (naturally) get dressed.

5. Maximize your home’s functionality

A guest bedroom is nice to have, but how frequently does it really get used? Couldn’t that spare room be put to better use if you don’t entertain many overnight guests?

A dressing room turns your home’s spare room into a better utilized purpose-driven space, because it will get used every single day.

A dressing room doesn’t have to be unobtainable just because you lack a spare room. If your master bedroom is larger than your needs require, you can create a private dressing space by installing a partition wall.

Dressing rooms combine the luxury of a private dressing area with the functionality of an additional clothes storage area. Their unique design possibilities will also reflect your tastes and style.

These dressing room ideas can get you started, but feed your imagination further by booking a free in-home consultation with one of our designers.

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 Organize Your Bedroom Closet and Save Time

By simply organizing your bedroom closet, you can save time and put money in your pocket.

There isn’t a catchy phrase for this like “spring cleaning” but try it. Put in the effort and you will be rewarded.

Disorganization costs you time

A survey conducted by Apartment Guide revealed, “the average American wastes 55 minutes a day looking for things around the house.

That’s about 6.4 hours a week and roughly 335 hours a year.” What is your time worth? 6 hours is a lot of time to waste each week.

Save time with organization

But it doesn’t have to be this way. By reorganizing your bedroom closet, you can stop spending time searching for belongings and open up your day for more fun or relaxing activities. Here’s how to get started.

Sort through each item in your closet

In order to get organized, first you have to clear out your closet. Sort through all of your clothes and accessories to determine which pieces you rarely wear.

You’ll probably have a dress or suit that can only be worn for formal events and it’s okay to keep special occasion garments such as these.

Casual clothes that hardly ever leave the closet, however, shouldn’t be in your closet anymore.

Sell, donate or throw out unused clothes

Now that you have a clothes pile you no longer wish to keep, decide how you want to get rid of these items.

Clothes that are in good condition can be sold online or in garage sales, helping you make a little extra money right in time for the holidays. You can also choose to donate these clothes.

Store spring/summer clothes elsewhere

Hardly worn clothes are not the only wardrobe pieces you’ll want to remove from the bedroom closet.

Spring and summer items that only get worn during the warmer months should be moved elsewhere too, helping you make room for bulkier sweaters and coats.

To save space, consider placing these items in shallow storage containers that can easily be slid underneath the bed.

To save even more, consider using a vacuum-sealed bag for storing clothes. Less air in the bag means clothes are more compact in a smaller package.

The pay off

You’ll spend less time searching for the perfect outfit and more time sleeping or relaxing. A little organization is all you need to make your wardrobe essentials accessible and easy to find.