7 Surprising Things You Should Never Have in Your Bedroom

What’s the messiest room in your home?

According to numerous surveys, homeowners struggle most when it comes to keeping their garage, kitchen, and bedrooms tidy.

Take stock of any untidy room and here’s one guaranteed commonality – there are things in the space that simply shouldn’t be there.

Old tires or broken yard tools shouldn’t be on your garage floor. Cookware you never use shouldn’t be taking up precious storage space in your kitchen.

And when you look at how many things people make the mistake of having in their bedrooms, it’s no wonder keeping them organized is such a challenge.

Assessing the types of things you should never have in your bedroom goes beyond clutter-related issues as well. Keeping some things in your bedroom can also negatively affect your health.

Photo by Bruno Cervera on Unsplash

Get these 7 things out of your bedroom

If any of the following things are mainstays in your bedroom, reconsider their place in a space where you spend about a third of your day.

Getting rid of them will make your bedroom a healthier and tidier space.

1. Pets

A survey by the American Pet Products Association found that almost half of dog owners allow their pet to sleep on their bed. Just under two-thirds of cats sleep on the beds of their owners.

There’s undeniably a distinct comfort in cozying up to your dog or cat as you drift off to sleep. Some pet owners and pets alike also appreciate the extra sense of security.

Every household and pet is different. Be mindful that pets may enhance your sleep, yet other’s may disrupt your sleep. This is very individual as the inconvenience may well be worth a nighttime of snuggles.

2. Clutter

Another of the things you should never have in your bedroom is clutter.

Clutter directly clashes with what should be a serene, relaxing environment where you’re supposed to be recharging your batteries. Just as pets can interfere with the efficiency and quality of your sleep, so too does clutter.

A cluttered environment is an environment that’s constantly reminding you it’s not orderly. That burdens your brain (even if you’re not aware of it) with the feeling that there’s work to do.

It makes it harder to relax and get a good night’s sleep, which can contribute to added stress and deeper health issues.

Visible clutter, such as clutter on your nightstand, dresser, or bedroom floor is naturally more problematic.

Clutter that’s kept behind a closet door, under your bed, or in a bedroom drawer may be out of sight, but it’s clutter nonetheless.

If your bedroom clutter is unmanageable, look for better storage and organization systems to help you out. A closet organizer, extra wardrobe, or a bed surround unit that maximizes your bedroom’s storage space are great places to start.

things you should never have in your bedroom bed surround

A clean, clutter-free bedroom is important for getting a good night’s sleep.

3. Electronic devices

Electronic devices are as deeply ingrained into our lives as ever, so keeping them out of the bedroom may be a tall order for many.

There are several reasons why you should make an effort, however.

Most importantly, the blue light emitted from a laptop, smartphone, flatscreen TV, and tablet screens makes it harder for your brain to produce melatonin. As a result, it can become harder to fall asleep and your sleep patterns might be disrupted.

It’s recommended to refrain from using your electronics no later than a couple of hours before going to bed to avoid this problem.

The “night mode” setting on devices, which adjusts the colours on your screen before bedtime to warmer colours that are more sleep-friendly, might help. This operating system feature is very new, however, and it’s still unclear how effective it is.

Making your bedroom a device-free zone is also advisable because it’s not just their screens that can affect how we sleep.

Constant phone notifications, getting stressed out over the news you’re reading online, social media-related worries, and general information overload don’t contribute to getting a consistently restful night of sleep.

Try untethering yourself from your devices for a few hours both before going to bed and after waking up. You might just notice an improvement in the quality of your sleep.

4. Exercise equipment

Keeping exercise equipment in the bedroom is something you should avoid.

It might seem quite convenient to have your elliptical machine, treadmill, or exercise bike easily accessible, right there in your bedroom.

Or perhaps it’s out of necessity simply because you live in a small home or condo. But even if you have a big bedroom, consider relocating your workout equipment elsewhere in your home (or get a gym membership).

Here are some of the reasons exercise equipment is one of the things you should never have in your bedroom:

  • exercise machines that stop getting used just become clutter (and a resting place for more clutter)
  • working out before bed can make it harder for you to sleep
  • workout equipment (even equipment only you use) usually isn’t very sanitary
  • if you haven’t been keeping up with your workouts, having always-visible exercise equipment in the bedroom increases your feelings of guilt

5. A workspace or desk

Using the bedroom to take care of work tasks is surprisingly common. One study found that of the 1,000 workers surveyed, half of them admitted to reading and responding to business emails in bed.

Maybe you’re using a laptop or smartphone in bed for work or to pay a few bills. Perhaps it’s a desk in your bedroom that you regularly work from.

Try to keep your work out of the bedroom because boundaries matter. The bedroom is supposed to be a space where you relax and unwind. If you’re not allowing yourself to do that, it becomes a life-work balance problem.

You need a space that allows you to escape from the obligations and commitments that cause stress. Establish a dedicated home workspace, like a home office.

6. Dirty laundry

Accumulating dirty laundry is unavoidable, of course. Just don’t let that laundry pile in your bedroom get too high.

A laundry basket that’s overflowing with dirty clothes adds to the cluttered look of a bedroom. Your space looks even worse when dirty clothes end up draped over a chair or on your closet or bedroom floor.

Like the rest of the room’s clutter, your brain registers it as another task that needs to be taken care of.

Smelly dirty laundry can also affect your bedroom’s air quality. And if you leave damp clothes or towels balled up in your laundry pile, mould can start growing in as little as a day.

Keep your dirty clothes organized and hidden by incorporating pullout laundry hampers into your closet and/or laundry room design.

things you should never have in your bedroom, hamper

Avoid leaving unsightly dirty laundry piled up in your bedroom. Hidden laundry hampers in the bedroom or laundry room are a better solution.

7. An old mattress

A lot of people have no idea that the recommended lifespan of a mattress is 8-10 years. And people sleeping on mattresses that are 30 or 40 years old happens more often than you might think.

Many people wait until their mattress begins showing noticeable signs of deterioration before replacing it.

Old mattresses can cause back problems or aggravate existing back issues. Today’s mattresses are more comfortable than ever and simply switching to a new one might result in a more restful night of sleep.

There’s another reason to upgrade to a new mattress if you’re sleeping on one that’s more than a decade old.

Even if you’re washing your bed linens regularly and using bed covers that are allergen-proof, the body oils and dead skin cells on mattresses will still attract dust mites.

An Ohio State University expert estimated there could be up to 10 million of the tiny insects living on an average regularly slept-on mattress.

Want another gross old mattress fact? Experts say a mattress that’s 10 years old or more can have as much as 10 pounds of dead skin on it. Yuck.

While we’re on the subject of what you sleep on, here’s one last thing you should never have in your bedroom (at least for too long) – an unmade bed.

Studies show that making your bed every morning makes people feel happier because it helps them get their day off to a more productive start.

Take charge of your bedroom!

Are any of these seven things you should never have in your bedroom a surprise?

You can improve how your home’s bedrooms function and how well your family sleeps merely by having higher standards for what’s allowed in these rooms.

For expert help to get any room in your house or condo more organized, schedule a free in-home design consultation with us.

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7 Laundry Room Organization Ideas You Should Be Using

Amazingly, there are apparently people out there who actually enjoy doing laundry.

They say doing the laundry gives them the deep satisfaction of revitalizing their family’s dirty and unwearable garments into fresh, neatly pressed pieces of clothing that play an essential role in the daily lives of each family member.

These laundry lovers also enjoy the repetitive, methodical nature their laundry work requires and find it to be a relaxing routine that allows for quality thinking time.

If any of this seems like a completely foreign concept to you, we suspect you’re in the vast majority of people who wish their laundry chores could be a lot less tedious and time-consuming.

laundry room organization, woman hanging clothes

Practical laundry room organization ideas and tips

While you may not share a similar level of enthusiasm for doing this unavoidable part of your housework, it’s a good bet these laundry lovers have paid considerable attention to how well their laundry room organization functions.

When your laundry room is set up to be a more functional space when it comes to organization and storage, laundry duty becomes a more streamlined and efficient process.

That can make it a task that you may not necessarily come to love, but one that you can enjoy just a little more.

After all, we spend a lot of time in the laundry room. The average American family does about 8 loads of laundry per week. That adds up to hundreds of hours each family spends in the laundry room over the course of a year.

Get one of your home’s hardest working spaces working that much harder for you by using these 7 laundry room organization ideas and tips.

1. Modern laundry room storage cabinets

If your laundry room is using outdated cabinetry, modernizing the space with custom cabinets is a great way to make your laundry room organization function at a higher level.

A family of four or five can require a large number of laundry supplies, such as detergent containers and pods, fabric softener, bleach, dryer sheets, and stain removers.

That’s a lot of items to store and keep organized. Create just the amount of storage space you need for everything with cabinets custom-built to the depth and width you require.

If space allows, the laundry room is also ideal for adding storage space for things in your home other than laundry supplies, such as linens or out-of-season clothing.

Add shelving and storage cubbies for extra storage space for items like laundry baskets and decorative jars to hold your clothes pins and detergents, which adds a little character to the room.

2. Cabinets with pullouts

New storage cabinets are a worthwhile addition to any laundry room. Add some pullouts to those custom cabinets, however, and your laundry room organization gets even easier to manage.

Take the laundry room closet pictured below. The bottom pullout shelves make it much easier to locate and access stored items, whether it’s paper towels, toilet paper, laundry supplies, or the home’s cleaning supplies.

Drawer pullouts can also be added to your cabinetry to give you extra drying racks or a space-saving ironing board. Pullout folding counters and pullout valet rods are another laundry room organization option.

In addition to the functional benefits of cabinets that are custom-made to fit your space and needs, there are also aesthetic benefits.

With beautiful high-end finishes and decorative touches like stylish contemporary hardware, new cabinetry with extra functionality using pullouts can provide the sorely needed modern touch your laundry room has been lacking for too long.

laundry room organization closet

Pullout shelves in a laundry room closet make stored items more accessible.

3. Hidden laundry room storage

Another of our laundry room organization ideas with an eye toward maximizing your storage space is to utilize more of your room’s hidden storage space.

A lot of homes have underutilized storage space underneath the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room sinks. Add an under sink organizer to put that small space to better use. Considering its low location and the space’s typically poor visibility, use a more convenient pullout under sink organizer.

If your washer and dry are installed on pedestals, take advantage of the drawer storage space they offer.

Another way to add some hidden storage space to a room, while also getting multi-purpose functionality, is with a bench that has underseat storage. Waiting for a washer or dryer cycle to finish is part of the laundry ritual, so why not do it on a comfortable bench that can also store a few things?

All of this hidden laundry room storage, in addition to storing things out of sight behind your cabinetry doors, helps to create a space with less visual clutter.

Studies show that people working in a room with little to no clutter tend to be more productive. That includes the laundry room.

4. Ample hanging space

Having enough hanging space in your laundry room is a key part of keeping it organized.

If you have ample hanging space, you won’t need to clog up your countertops with items of clothing that need to be ironed or folded.

Here are a few laundry room organization ideas for hanging your clothes:

Being able to take items fresh out of the dryer and hanging them in your laundry room’s designated hanging spaces minimizes wrinkling and extra ironing work.

For more delicate clothing that needs to be air-dried, any of these hanging laundry room organization accessories and solutions are also ideal.

5. A folding station

Laundry rooms that aren’t designed to handle all of your laundry duties only add to the amount of time the task takes.

For example, say your laundry room doesn’t have a folding station or enough counter space to sort and fold your finished laundry.

That means you’ll need to move everything to another room and deal with it there. In the meantime, things will get wrinkled and the whole process just takes longer than it should.

A folding station should be part of any laundry room design that aspires to be as functional and as organized as possible for its users.

A workable folding station simply requires having a comfortable amount of flat space to handle your folding duties.

That can come in the form of your laundry room countertops, an island countertop, or pullout counter space.

If you have a small laundry room, the tops of your washer and dryer can also be used as a folding station if they’re at comfortable enough height.

6. Laundry hampers

It’s highly practical to have laundry hampers built right into your laundry room’s cabinetry.

Having multiple laundry hampers located right where you do your laundry allows you and the rest of your family to keep dirty clothes sorted by colour.

Laundry hampers with removable, carryable bags could also be added to your home’s bedroom closets to keep dirty laundry more organized. You also won’t need to deal with unpleasant odours from dirty clothing.

Get the dirty clothes sorted at the source where they’re coming from and you’ll spend less time sorting (or picking them up off the floor) when laundry day comes.

laundry room organization hampers

Add built-in laundry hampers to your bedroom or laundry room. They keep dirty clothes sorted and more organized.

7. A laundry room island

Combine a couple of these laundry room organization ideas by creating a multi-purpose work surface that also provides room for storage – a laundry room island.

For larger laundry rooms, the addition of an island makes a lot of sense. The open space in the middle of a larger room can be put to good use with an island. It may very well become the anchor of your laundry room’s design, where you find yourself spending the majority of your time when tackling your laundry duties.

A laundry room island with a sturdy, yet stylish countertop can be used as your main folding and sorting area.

Some of those aforementioned handy pullout features in your custom cabinetry (like an ironing board and laundry hampers) could be incorporated into a laundry room island.

An ironing board, in particular, is ideal for a laundry room island and the counter space it provides for handling your freshly laundered garments.

Smart laundry room organization solutions

Like washing the dishes or cooking, laundry duties are something that never lets up. Laundry day doesn’t have to be something that makes you regularly shudder, however.

Adding some modern laundry room organization amenities and upgrades can save you time and make your workspace a little more pleasant to spend time in.

Find out how Organized Interiors’ smart and stylish laundry room designs can benefit your home and family. Book a free in-home design consultation with us today.

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Hidden Home Storage Space: 7 Areas You’re Completely Overlooking

hidden home storage space bed

When you’re constantly struggling to find enough home storage space, it may seem like moving or undergoing a costly home expansion are your only solutions to fix the problem.

But have you taken the time to thoroughly assess what your home has to offer in terms of its full storage potential? There’s a good chance it has hidden home storage space you’re completely overlooking.

Having too little storage space wastes your time due to it being harder to stay organized and clutter accumulating more rapidly.

With smaller homes and condos, maximizing your storage space is even more important.

Make the most of your hidden home storage space

Take the time to evaluate whether or not the following hidden home storage spaces can be better utilized to give you more storage options.

Upgrading these spaces will create storage opportunities that can be significant or a little less impactful, but every little bit definitely helps.

1. A spare room

It’s been said that “a spare room is a wasted room”.

It’s hard to argue with that belief. One study found that in America alone, there are an estimated 33 million spare bedrooms.

That’s a whole lot of wasted space that’s probably holding stacks of useless junk and clutter. Sure, that technically qualifies as storage, but it’s poorly used storage.

On top of that, these spare rooms only encourage you to accumulate more clutter. There’s never any urgency to declutter because the room doesn’t have a true purpose or function.

Converting a spare room into a useful space that includes extra storage room makes a lot of sense. A guest room, home office, or craft room with built-in storage systems can transform a spare room from useless to truly useful.

Another brilliant spare room idea is to convert one into a dressing room (also known as a large walk-in closet).

You’ll love the wealth of wardrobe storage space a dressing room provides. This stylish, cozy, and personalized preparation space will soon become your favourite room in the house!

2. Laundry room

Virtually every house has a laundry room, but the degree to which these laundry rooms maximize their storage space varies widely.

The fact is that most laundry rooms have lots of hidden home storage space. Exactly where is it, you ask?

Start with underneath your washer and dryer. Buying pedestals with storage drawers for these appliances can give you just a little more storage room. Pedestals can also raise your washer and dryer up to a height that’s more convenient for you.

Extra laundry room storage could also be included inside a comfortable bench to sit on while you’re waiting for a laundry cycle to finish.

A laundry room island also adds hidden storage space for items like a pullout ironing board and laundry supplies, while also providing a handy surface for sorting and folding clothes.

Adding floor-to-ceiling custom cabinetry to your laundry room will make the biggest difference to how functional it is as a storage space.

Along with adding extra features like pullouts, hanging rods, and under sink organizers, your laundry room will finally be up to the task of being one of your home’s hardest working spaces.

hidden home storage space laundry room

Update your laundry room with floor-to-ceiling cabinetry to optimize its storage space.

3. The basement

Most basements offer lots of space that is rarely optimized to maximize your storage space. Too often, homeowners just stack boxes and storage bins in a basement corner.

DIY shelving is also commonly found in basements, which isn’t always an ideal solution. It usually doesn’t make the most of your storage space, leaves you with more things to dust, and tends to look rather shabby.

Updating your basement’s appearance with bespoke cabinetry will help you to add a little style to this area of your home. You’ll allow this underused space to work a lot harder with effective storage systems that are easy to keep organized.

Adding any of the following rooms to your basement and incorporating custom cabinetry into their design are another way to get more storage space in your home:

  • kids playroom
  • wine cellar
  • home office
  • guest room
  • pantry

Don’t forget about under your stairs, whether it’s in the basement on your home’s main floor. There are storage opportunities there as well, even if the space is limited and has some rather quirky dimensions.

4. Under the bed

Would you believe there’s hidden home storage space located right underneath somewhere you spend a third of your day?

Using under-bed storage is a shrewd way to add extra storage space without adding to the footprint taken up by your home’s storage systems.

A standalone storage bed or a bed that’s incorporated into a larger bed surround unit provide valuable drawer storage space that can alleviate some of your bedroom’s storage needs.

Seasonal clothing, for example, is perfect for storing in your under-bed storage drawers.

And here’s a bonus: because under-bed storage leaves no gap underneath the bed, you’ll have about 35 square feet less of your home to vacuum.

5. The attic

Because you rarely go up there, you may not even consider the attic as a hidden home storage space you could actually make better use of.

There’s no denying that an attic renovation can be a messy and complicated undertaking. It’s probably filthy, hot, may have little headroom, and could lack adequate floor support for walking around or holding much weight.

Poor lighting and even having a decent attic ladder might also be issues.

That can admittedly be a lot of obstacles to overcome, but it’s also a shame to let so much unused space in your home go to waste.

If an attic renovation in your home, however, presents relatively few home improvement challenges, it’s certainly a viable option in order to gain a sizable amount of additional storage space.

hidden home storage space attic

Fixing up your attic to add storage space can be a lot of work, but worthwhile for the amount of extra storage room it provides.

6. Closets

If a large walk-in closet exceeds your wardrobe storage needs, re-evaluate how your traditional closet spaces are being used.

You’ll know your closets could use a professional’s touch if:

  • you waste time daily trying to find things
  • you’re making duplicate purchases due to disorganization
  • trying to decide what to wear is becoming increasingly difficult
  • your “closet overflow” is starting to clutter the bedroom

With a few upgrades like a custom closet organizer and using the vertical space in your closets more efficiently, you’ll discover your closets contained hidden home storage space all along!

If you’re not just struggling with having enough closet space but any closet space in a particular room, it’s easier than you might think to add some. With create-a-closet®, you can add closet storage anywhere you’d like.

7. The garage

The garage, like the basement, is an area in your home that’s loaded with hidden storage potential.

Garage makeover professionals like Garage Living know that utilizing wall space and overhead space is the key to maximizing a garage’s storage functionality.

Slatwall, overhead storage racks, and cabinets provide ample room for storing a garage’s contents and items that may be cluttering up the rest of a home.

Even an extra vehicle can be cleverly stored in a garage with a space-saving car lift that uses a garage’s empty vertical space.

Another thing garages have in common with basements is that homeowners don’t tend to have the same high standards for the aesthetics in these spaces as they do for other rooms in their home. But they’re still part of your home and deserve to look nice.

hidden home storage space garage

Your garage is loaded with underutilized storage space. Adding a slatwall storage system, cabinets, car lift, and overhead racks maximizes storage space.

Hidden home storage space ideas and solutions

Take the time to look for it and you’ll find there’s actually ample storage space hiding in plain sight all over your home.

For the best personalized solutions that allow you to take advantage of your hidden home storage space, schedule a free in-home design consultation with Organized Interiors.

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Top 7 Decluttering Myths and Misconceptions Debunked

decluttering myths

There are a lot of decluttering myths about what it takes to live an organized, tidy life.

The recent popularity of Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing book only seems to have muddied the waters regarding clutter even more.

The Japanese organization guru presents some radical concepts about decluttering in her book. Most famously, she preaches that any item you own that doesn’t “spark joy” within you should be discarded.

Well, Kondo’s book was a #1 New York Times Best Seller and is currently being turned into a Netflix series. Surely, she has all the answers when it comes to the best practices to follow related to home organization, right?

Not necessarily.

7 decluttering myths debunked

There’s more than one way to declutter and get a space organized. Decluttering methods and practices that work for one person aren’t going to work for everybody.

Let’s look at 7 common decluttering myths and the actual truth behind these misconceptions.

Myth #1: You need to be organized 24/7

The truth: Accumulating clutter (even on a small scale) is an inevitability in life, regardless of how tidy a person you are. Being completely organized all the time simply isn’t realistic or practical.

Sometimes you’ve had a long, stressful day and just need to relax instead of tidying up. That’s okay.

Give yourself a little leeway and make an effort to tackle your cleaning chores the next day. Your batteries will be recharged and you’ll probably do a better, more efficient job with your organizing tasks.

The key is find a schedule and routine that allows you to maintain a tidy home without feeling burnt out or burdened by the need to declutter. Impossibly high organization standards will only lead to frustration and disappointment.

Myth #2: You only need to declutter once in awhile

The truth: Decluttering needs to be a regular, ongoing process.

Investing hours into a major decluttering project will liberate you from the oppressive, chaotic feeling that comes with living in a cluttered home.

Taking action to curb the clutter is a good first step, but it’s just that –a first step. An annual concentrated decluttering effort just won’t cut it.

Having a regular decluttering routine is the only way to maintain a consistently tidy home. Try to allocate time to handle this task on a weekly basis. Once per season, devote a little more time to your decluttering and cleaning duties.

Myth #3: Empty space is a bad thing

The truth: Sometimes it’s about what’s not there when it comes to the impression a room can make.

Perhaps it’s the negative connotation of the word “empty” that makes empty space seem like a bad thing.

Some interior decorators even borrow a term from the world of art and refer to spaces in the home intentionally not occupied by furniture or, say, artwork on the walls as “negative space”. No wonder the concept gets a bit of a bad rap – “negative” is right there in the actual name.

Decluttering isn’t just about cleaning up and getting rid of junk. It can also be about making a calculated decorating choice to keep a space (or spaces) empty. That serves a couple of purposes.

First, a less “busy” space can be calming and not as overwhelming to our brains. Keeping spaces empty also allows other features and items in the room to be accentuated and draw our attention.

decluttering myths empty space

“Clutter” doesn’t just mean stacks of useless junk. It can also refer to filling corners or walls with too many things, like furniture and artwork. This room’s deliberate use of empty space accentuates its table and island.

Myth #4: A minimalist lifestyle is the way to go

The truth: It’s not for everybody.

One of the more common decluttering myths is that embracing a minimalist lifestyle is the way to go.

Kondo’s book and numerous media articles telling us to re-examine our consumerist tendencies have caused more and more people to learn to live with far fewer things.

Drastically downsizing and living in a micro condo, tiny home, or 200 square foot shipping container apartment definitely isn’t everybody’s idea of enjoyable, though.

Owning more things than you really need doesn’t make you a worse person than someone living a minimalist lifestyle. It’s simply a personal preference.

Just try not to go overboard with how much you buy until it gets to the point where you’re drowning in clutter. As the saying goes, “Own your stuff, don’t let your stuff own you”.

Myth #5: A messy person can’t change their bad organization habits

The truth: This is one of the decluttering myths to which we say “rubbish”.

Being well-organized isn’t a trait or characteristic – it’s a skill. And any skill can be learned and developed over time. It all comes down to a person’s willpower and patience to develop that skill.

Granted, it will definitely be a real challenge to get an older person who’s been untidy their whole life to suddenly make a 180 degree turnaround and become a neat freak.

Insert any number of expressions here…“you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”, “a leopard can’t change its spots”, etcetera.

But you can change. Otherwise, expressions such as “if you’re not learning you’re dying”, “if you’re not learning you’re not growing”, and “if you’re not learning you’re not living” (and many other words of wisdom about learning) wouldn’t be part of our lexicon.

Myth #6: Habitually messy people can get organized without some help

The truth: There’s a lot of great organization helpers available out there. Take advantage of them, especially if you’re someone who perpetually struggles with staying organized.

One of the decluttering myths out there is that you can capably keep a tidy home without investing in quality organization and storage systems.

Sure, it’s possible, but why make it so difficult for yourself?

There are plenty of amazing products out there like closet organizers and bed surrounds that are specifically designed to maximize storage space and save you time by making it easier to stay organized.

These effective tools won’t do all the work for you in terms of staying organized, but they certainly make it a lot easier to do so.

decluttering myths bed surround

Take advantage of the many great products out there (like this custom bed surround) that help you to stay organized with less effort.

Myth #7: Living with clutter is manageable 

The truth: Yes, one can technically live a disorganized life and just adapt to the clutter that surrounds you. Unfortunately, the longer you don’t deal with your clutter, the more unmanageable your life will become.

Think of how much time you waste every day searching for things in a home or office that’s not organized.

One recent survey estimates that the average American spends 2.5 days every year looking for lost items. The average search time spent looking for a single lost item was almost five-and-a-half minutes.

On top of the wasted time clutter causes, it’s been well-established by medical professionals that having too much clutter can contribute to stress, poor sleeping habits, and other medical issues.

The best solutions for decluttering

Don’t be mislead by the many decluttering myths that are out there. The truth is, everyone needs a hand occasionally when it comes to keeping their life and home organized.

Organized Interiors is all about helping our clients make space for living, not living around the clutter that’s congesting their homes.

We have effective storage and organization systems for every room in your home, so book a free in-home design consultation with us today.

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9 Great Ideas to Revitalize Your Spare Room

sewing room, spare room
Having a spare room in a house is something that’s viewed by most homeowners as a luxury.

In reality, having an extra room in the home that lacks much purpose can end up becoming a hassle.

These rooms typically become catch-all storage spaces (also known as “dumping grounds”) for other items that can’t find a home elsewhere in your home.

Sure, that means your home’s other rooms might have less clutter. Spare rooms will get filled quickly, however, particularly because they’re such an available and convenient storage space.

After a few years, the room can turn into a disorganized mess that will become one big, long decluttering project you’ll need to eventually confront.

Find a higher purpose for your spare room

While we all need to store things in our home, a spare room could be used for a lot more than just storing boxes and junk. This little-used room can be revitalized to give it more purpose and functionality.

Why not create a useful space that can benefit the whole family?

Maybe you and your spouse are recent empty nesters. If so, that’s even more reason to treat yourself to a dedicated room that enhances your lifestyle and accommodates your interests.

Here are nine great spare room ideas to help you get the most out of this underused space.

1. Home entertainment room

Whether your family is big or small, a dedicated room for enjoying movies, TV shows, and video games in the most comfortable setting possible makes great use of a spare room.

A 4K home theatre projector with a projection screen and surround sound system will nicely simulate the experience of going to the movie theatre (without the crowds and high concession stand prices).

Or go with a big screen TV set within a custom entertainment centre that can also hold all of your media devices and other audio/video components.

Depending on where the entertainment room is located in the home and how loud it might get in there, installing acoustic panels to reduce noise might be wise.

Add a big sofa, some recliners, and maybe even a small bar to round out the room’s design. Your spare room can now be used as the ultimate space for hosting movie nights and sporting events for family, friends, and neighbours.

2. Mudroom

If your spare room is near an entryway in your home, creating a mudroom might just be the best use for it. Shoes, umbrellas, jackets, and other outwear can all have a proper home using hooks, shoe racks, and other organizing solutions.

This functional transitional space between your home’s inside and the outdoors has a lot of benefits:

  • you’ll keep your home’s entryway area more organized
  • keeps wet jackets and dirt and mud tracked in from outside in a contained, easy-to-maintain area
  • add custom cabinetry for extra functional home storage space

3. Dressing room/large walk-in closet

If you’re constantly struggling to manage your bedroom closet space, there’s no better solution to your closet woes than a bespoke dressing room (also known as a large walk-in closet).

A spare room is perfectly suited for this purpose and makes managing your wardrobe much easier. With a spacious dressing room, you’ll be able to find items of clothing effortlessly. This will result in less time spent searching for misplaced items (and possibly making duplicate purchases).

In addition to its storage benefits, a luxurious dressing room also gives you a private space that you can customize to your tastes. Here are a few ideas of what you could add:

  • a comfy chair or stylish bench with hidden storage space
  • full-length mirrors
  • a makeup table
  • an island with storage drawers
  • relaxing lighting
dressing room, spare room

An underused spare room can be turned into a spacious dressing room/large walk-in closet that’s stylish and functional.

4. Kids playroom

If you have youngsters in the house, you know how much of a challenge it can be trying to keep their toys and belongings organized.

That’s why turning a spare room into a kids playroom is a very practical idea. A kids playroom gives your children a dedicated space to play, which should help keep the rest of your home a little tidier.

Add a kids worktable for arts and crafts projects and paint the walls with a colour (such as a shade of red) that helps stimulate their creativity.

If your children have sleepovers frequently with their friends, a kids playroom could also incorporate a space-saving wall bed.

5. Home office

A spare room that you barely spend any time in and is only used to collect clutter is as far from being a productive area in your home as it gets.

You can change that by turning a spare room into a highly productive home office.

More and more companies are giving their employees the option to work from home on a full-time or part-time basis. A home office that’s professionally designed can help you get the most productivity out of the space.

A home office also has other valuable uses. It can be used as a quiet room to work on your taxes or catch up on your email replies or your kids can use it as a private study space.

6. Guest room

If you regularly have overnight guests staying in your home, turning your spare room into a guest room makes a lot of sense.

You can have a room that’s always ready to accommodate guests, without having to come up with makeshift sleeping arrangements that aren’t always comfortable for visitors.

The centrepiece of your guest room makeover can be a pulldown murphy bed that’s every bit as comfortable as a traditional bed. A murphy bed’s biggest benefit is that it stays hidden until it’s needed, which frees up space in your guest room.

A guest room could also be combined with a small home office space to give you a room with dual functionality.

7. Fitness room

If driving several times a week to the gym to work out is getting old, turn your spare room into a fitness room.

The convenience of having a fitness room at home can help keep you motivated to stay fit, which is a great way to relieve stress.

You can also tailor a home fitness room to your workout needs, whether it’s yoga, strength training, cardio, or hitting a punching bag that’s your exercise method of choice. Add the exercise equipment you need and a small TV screen or sound system to accompany your workouts.

A fitness room at home can pay for itself in a few years with the money you’ll save on annual gym membership fees (which can cost more than you might think).

8. Wine room

If you’re a wine connoisseur, is your growing wine collection in need of more storage space? Perhaps your wine collection has never had a proper home and is being stored on wine racks in your basement or living room.

The perfect solution is to turn your spare room into a dedicated wine room or a walk-in closet wine cellar.

Have your dream wine storage system customized to your spare room and wine storage needs. If space allows, a dedicated wine storage room can also incorporate design features that allow you to use the room as a space for entertaining guests.

You could also complement your custom wine cabinetry with stylish bar cabinetry to house the rest of your libations and spirits.

wine cellar with chairs and table, spare room

If you’re a wine collector, convert your spare room into a wine cellar that also functions as a wine tasting room.

9. Craft room

If you’re the creative type, one of the best uses for a spare room would be to turn it into a space that can bring out the best in your creativity.

This could be in the form of a craft room, sewing room, music room, or art studio that allows you to enjoy such hobbies as:

  • sewing and knitting
  • scrapbooking
  • playing an instrument
  • painting and drawing
  • ceramics
  • model building
  • horticulture
  • gift wrapping

A room meant solely for your creative interests gives you privacy and lets you conveniently resume working on a project whenever you have free time. Studies also show that creative activities improve your mood and help to clear your mind.

Transform your spare room into something beautiful

Organized Interiors has lots of experience when it comes to transforming underused spare rooms into beautiful and functional spaces.

Book a free in-home design consultation with us to discuss how your spare room can serve your family in a much more meaningful and productive manner.

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