7 Benefits of Custom Sliding Closet Doors You Might Be Overlooking

When Organized Interiors is doing a closet makeover, it’s not just the interior of the space that we’re working to transform.

The closet doors are a major part of the makeover process, too.

Just as garage doors have a big impact on a home’s curb appeal, the door(s) of a closet can make or break the aesthetic presentation of your closet space.

Hinged swinging doors are used most commonly for closets, but they’re not your only door option.

Why not get a little more creative and boost your closet’s curb appeal with some custom sliding closet doors that add a more stylish touch to a room?

sliding closet doors toronto

Boost your closet’s “curb appeal” with custom sliding closet doors

A beautiful closet space starts with the doors. Any successful closet makeover isn’t fully completed until the finishing touch of the perfect door style with the right colour and finish is added.

Sliding closet doors that are added as part of a closet makeover (or as a standalone home upgrade) can really create a special and unique closet space.

They can do far more than just keeping your closet’s contents hidden. But the benefits you’ll get out of your sliding closet doors are directly related to what type of doors you end up buying.

Sure, you could save a few bucks by opting for a generic, mass-produced door product bought from a big box store or an online retailer that only comes in a handful of finishes.

Or you could aim a little higher with your design aspirations and choose custom sliding closet doors (also known as bypass doors) for your home.

Find out below why custom sliding closet doors are well worth the investment and how they have multiple types of functionality you might be overlooking.

1. Customize to fit both your room and your style

Custom sliding closet doors may cost a little more, but are you willing to settle for “close enough” with the products you’re using for a home improvement project or is “absolutely perfect” more desirable?

Too often, buying “off the shelf” sliding closet doors with DIY hardware kits that only offer a minimal number of choices of finishes, styles, and sizes leaves the buyer feeling like the finished project looks merely adequate.

The style or finish may not look exactly how you imagined once everything is installed, but it’s “close enough”.

This disappointing experience just doesn’t compare to the satisfying feeling of “they’re absolutely perfect!” that is felt when your closet doors are specially tailored for your living space, as well as your style preferences.

There’s no settling. Customization gives you a much larger selection of materials and finishes to choose from, ensuring a higher level of satisfaction with the completed project.

Organized Interiors can design sliding doors with a wide variety of panel and insert options that complement your décor and are properly sized to suit your space.

Door insert panels with a wood grain melamine finish create a warm, earthy look that never goes out of style. For a more modern aesthetic, glass or mirror panels work nicely.

The beauty of customizing is that you can get more creative and combine different materials to design closet doors with a truly one-of-a-kind look.

2. Sliding closet doors modernize and upgrade a room’s décor

The doors of a closet tend to be an afterthought when it comes to considerations of a room’s décor. They do have an impact on the appearance of a room, however.

A standard white hinged closet door with panels works fine in a room, but only does so much to elevate the appearance of a space.

Closet doors come in a variety of types aside from the aforementioned sliding and swinging styles. Bifold, barn, louvered, and pocket doors immediately come to mind.

Perhaps whatever doors your reach-in closets currently have look a little outdated. Maybe years of daily use have taken a toll and left them scuffed, dirty, and looking a little too well-worn.

Replacing them with new sliding doors could be the very thing a room’s décor needs to give it an overdue update and refresh.

The combination of the sliding door’s aluminum frame and hardware, along with whichever type of insert is used, instantly adds more visual interest to a room with its modern design.

One of our most popular sliding door designs uses white semi-opaque laminated safety glass with decorative mullion strips.

sliding closet doors in bedroom

Sliding glass doors add more visual interest to a room than traditional white swinging doors.

3. Superior functionality and durability

Modern technology improves just about everything and sliding closet doors are no exception.

Most older, cheaper sliding doors are made from heavier materials that require more effort to use than modern doors made from lightweight materials.

The extra weight in some of those older doors also makes them a tad noisy when they’re being opened and closed. Visit Organized Interiors’ showroom and try out one of our sliding closet doors and you’ll be impressed with how quiet they are.

You’ll also notice how smoothly they open and close. Cheaper doors cut corners on the quality of the hardware and components that are used. That makes for a less satisfying user experience with the doors when compared to what you get with custom sliding doors.

Another issue you have probably encountered with some sliding closet doors is a door being dislodged from its track, getting jammed, or having the two doors hit each other when one of them is moved.

Sliding doors that are built with a high-quality aluminum frame system and reliable hardware (such as the rollers) ensures the doors operate smoothly, with less chance of performance issues over time.

The higher quality of construction materials and the precise craftsmanship that goes into the manufacturing process of our custom sliding doors (which is done in our own manufacturing facility) results in a high-calibre, built-to-last product.

4. Headache-free, precise installation by a pro

Another reason you’ll experience fewer issues with custom sliding closet doors compared to DIY sliding door systems is you know they’ll be properly installed.

That “easy do-it-yourself assembly and installation!” promise on the DIY sliding door system’s packaging rarely turns out to be true.

And when it comes to a product that involves moving parts that will be getting used heavily every day, a perfect installation is essential.

When your sliding doors are custom-made, a professional installation will be part of the full-service experience you get.

Our installers will save you the time and headache of assembling and installing your own sliding doors. The sliding door system will be precisely framed, installed, and tested to ensure it works perfectly.

sliding closet doors with wood and glass

Glass combined with melamine insert panels create a closet door look that’s anything but ordinary.

5. Change the feel of a room + enjoy more mirror space

We know that the main purpose of a closet door is utilitarian (as in it keeps a closet’s contents hidden).

And we’ve established that custom sliding doors can be a real asset when you’re looking for ways to update a room’s décor. Another benefit of sliding closet doors is they can be customized to radically affect how a room feels.

Mirrored doors will make a room feel brighter because they reflect the light so effectively. Various types of glass panels will also reflect light nicely, although to a less degree than mirrors will, obviously.

Another well-known effect of using large mirrors in a room is that they create the illusion of a room appearing bigger than it is.

Sliding doors with large floor-to-ceiling mirror panels also conveniently function as the biggest full-length mirror you’ll probably ever use outside of a fancy boutique or high-end clothing store!

Here’s one more hidden benefit of having mirrored sliding doors: any wall space that was used for a hanging mirror or floor space a freestanding mirror previously occupied is now freed up. 

6. Looking for room divider ideas? Try sliding closet doors!

You might be surprised to learn that sliding closet doors aren’t just for closets. They can also be used as room dividers to partition off a space in a home for privacy.

The Toronto Star recently reported that many Toronto condos have moved towards using sliding glass doors and partitions over traditional walls and doors. More office spaces are utilizing this design trend as well.

Condo developers love the design concept because it helps them save space in condo units that are increasingly shrinking in size.

But another reason this trend is growing is that there’s a convenient practicality to having room dividers that also provide rolling functionality. In a condo or a house, a larger room can be partitioned off to create space for any number of uses including a:

  • guest room
  • work space
  • dressing room area (in a large master bedroom)
  • dining area

When these areas aren’t being used, open the sliding door to enjoy the benefits of having a more open space. When privacy is needed, the simple slide of a door keeps the two areas separated.

room divider with sliding closet door

A room divider in a condo creates a private or open space with the simple slide of the glass door.

7. Need to add closet space? Sliding closet doors can help.

Are you lacking enough closet space because your existing closets are full or too small?

Older homes commonly have a shortage of closet space, so your home may have one or more rooms that lack a closet altogether.

Instead of undergoing a costly renovation to create a traditional closet space, use Organized Interiors’ create-a-closet®.

This cost-effective storage solution allows a closet space whatever size you need to be added to any room. We simply install gables and the sliding doors of your choosing to create instant storage space that looks stylish.

Another clothes storage option that nicely supplements your closet storage is a wardrobe, which can also be customized to match your décor.

Take advantage of these custom sliding door benefits

As you’re now aware, it’s not just about what’s inside a remodelled closet space that makes it exceptional.

If your current closet doors are feeling outdated or you’re looking to take advantage of one of the other ways in which sliding closet doors can improve your home, take a few seconds to request a free in-home consultation with us.

One of our design consultants can show you the wide range of sliding closet door solutions we have available, provide design suggestions, and answer any of your questions.

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Skip the Storage Container Sales This January and Get Truly Organized

storage container sales

Some things in January are as predictable as clockwork.

New Year’s resolutions. Regret over how much we consumed during the holiday season. Packing up the holiday decorations. And storage container sales at seemingly every store around.

Being inundated with reminders that we need to buy more plastic storage containers, bins, tubs, totes, or whatever you call them (and at a deep discount!) is admittedly smart marketing by retailers.

Many of us are feeling that urge to get our homes organized to start the new year off on a positive and productive note. And picking up some more storage containers probably seems like a practical way to help us do that.

But are storage containers really helping you get organized or are they actually (and ironically) adding to your household clutter?

Here’s why you should think twice before buying from any more storage container sales.

Buying from storage container sales won’t help reduce clutter

Merriam Webster defines clutter as “to fill or cover with scattered or disordered things that impede movement or reduce effectiveness” and “a crowded or confused mass or collection”.

Merely moving loose, scattered things on your floors or in your closets into storage bins doesn’t subtract from that confused mass or collection, however.

An average-sized storage container holds approximately 50-60 L. Its length is about 16″ wide and 24″ deep. That means the container alone takes up about 2.7 square feet of space.

Even if that container is filled to capacity with other clutter, the overall footprint of the amount of “stuff” in your home logically increases with each new storage container that’s added.

Storage containers really just give you the illusion of being organized. You think you’re managing your clutter by providing a mini storage space for it.

In some cases, there’s a certain level of practicality and organization involved when using them. A couple of examples would be when containers are used for storing out-of-season clothing or a bunch of toys that your kids regularly play with.

But more often than not, they’re used to quickly stash unsightly clutter in order to make a home more presentable for visitors or to store odds and ends we just can’t find the time to properly go through and declutter.

Storage containers don’t encourage you to declutter

Even Marie Kondo had to learn that storing more things than she really needed in an organized manner didn’t lead to fulfilment with her living space. As the organizing guru wrote in her 2012 bestseller The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, “Why does my room still feel cluttered when I’ve worked so hard to organize and store things away?”

While researching this blog post, I came across a thread on Reddit (the world’s biggest online forum platform). Someone was asking whether or not it might be a good idea to start a business renting out plastic storage containers to people who were moving.

One of the responses perfectly summed up why storage containers don’t solve clutter issues: “I like the plastic boxes especially for long term storage. About half my belongings are boxed up and they have been for years.”

While this is just one person’s viewpoint, it undoubtedly reflects how many of us are fooled into thinking that storage bins help keep our homes organized. We would ask the person quoted above “Why do half the things you own have so little use to you that they can be stored away in containers for years on end?”

Using storage containers doesn’t encourage you to declutter. Instead, they facilitate an out of sight, out of mind mentality for a lot of things you’d be better off just getting rid of.

plastic storage container with wires and cables

We’re pretty sure every home has at least one of these – the plastic storage container or cardboard box filled with ancient wires, cables, remotes, and computer peripherals you’ll never use again.

You’ll eventually need to deal with the root cause of your clutter

It’s not a stretch to say that in most circumstances, storage containers are essentially a clutter enabler.

As an example, take that tote or cardboard box filled with miscellaneous cables, wires, remote controls, and old computer peripherals that virtually every home has (and a lot of homes probably have more than one of them).

There’s probably several rolls of previously used phone line and coaxial cable alone sitting there that you’ll never use again. The same goes for that VCR remote, pre-2K wired mouse, and USB 1.0 and 2.0 hardware and cables that would be torturously slow to use today.

More common items we needlessly keep in storage containers include:

  • old toys
  • outgrown kids clothing
  • sports equipment that’s no longer used
  • linen sets with missing pieces
  • clothing we hope to fit into one day
  • odds and ends like a glove without a partner or a pair of broken heels you never got around to repairing
  • things that hold sentimental value but are never (or rarely) looked at

Why do we hold onto most of this stuff? We suspect that the fact they’re all hidden away and have a “home” in a storage container (even if that isn’t a true home) isn’t helping matters.

Eventually, you’ll need to deal with the root cause of your clutter and start purging the excess items you never use and probably never will. Any thorough decluttering project involves some tough decisions with those items you’re on the fence about keeping, but that’s part of the process.

Clutter is known to be a contributor to higher stress levels, so eliminating as much of it as possible from your home will only benefit you. That includes another quality of life improvement like freeing up space in the home to do something more productive with a room.

This could include adding a new furniture piece or some plants to a room, or simply leaving a decluttered area empty to create a more open space.

Storage containers have their uses. Just don’t over-rely on them.

Don’t get us wrong – we’re not saying that storage containers have no place in the home whatsoever.

Compared to using cardboard boxes for storage, plastic totes are more stable when stacked, don’t require tape and have lids, provide an airtight seal for their contents, and are much more durable.

Fabric storage baskets or handwoven baskets are pricier, but provide a homier, more stylish look of your storage containers compared to the dull, utilitarian look of standard plastic containers.

Storage containers are ideal for the long-term storage of things you absolutely can’t part with, such as physical photos, treasured family mementoes, and important documents.

They’re also practical for storing things that aren’t used every day, week, or even month, but are used at least yearly – holiday decorations are a good example.

Seasonal clothing is also commonly kept in storage containers, which makes a lot of sense. Keep in mind that the long-term storage of clothing and linens (for years at a time) in sealed plastic containers isn’t recommended, as the fabrics need to breathe a little.

While storage containers can be useful, it’s important not to over-rely on them for too many of your storage needs.

Because it’s so easy to just toss something into a spare tote and plan to give it a proper home later, you want to avoid having too many storage bins that have essentially become junk drawers filled with odds and ends that won’t be easy to find when (or if) they’re ever needed.

Storage containers in garage overhead rack

Although plastic storage containers are useful, don’t over-rely on them for your home storage needs.

Consider the environmental impact of buying more plastic

Another reason to reconsider buying more plastic storage products for your home is the environmental impact they have.

On top of the carbon footprint from the container’s manufacturing process, unrecycled plastic takes an eternity to break down naturally (it can take hundreds of years or more).

It’s estimated only 10-20% of the world’s plastic gets recycled. Plastic storage containers can be tricky to recycle because they’re usually too big to fit in a recycling bin. Some municipalities accept large plastic products for recycling at a depot (not unlike where you would drop off old electronics), but that’s not a guarantee wherever you live.

And unfortunately, that extra little bit of effort required to dispose of bigger plastic products only increases the likelihood they’ll just get put out with the regular garbage for pickup.

Another recycling problem is that older plastic products may be made from materials that make them impossible to recycle.

If you do need to buy plastic storage containers, be sure to buy products made from recycled plastic.

What about your unused storage containers?

After successfully eliminating some of your home’s clutter, you may have a bunch of now-empty storage containers left over.

Sure, it makes sense to hold onto a few empty containers that will come in handy down the road, but don’t keep more than you need.

Because empty storage containers conveniently nest inside one another, it can be tempting to keep a few stacks of them around because they don’t seem to be taking up much space when stored that way. Once again, only retain what you think you’ll actually use.

Remember, those stacks are still taking up space, will need to be vacuumed around (or moved when you vacuum), and are going to collect dust that you’ll have to eventually clean.

Try recycling them as recommended or try to donate them to a local charity.

Try renting storage bins when you move

One undeniable benefit of plastic storage bins is their sturdiness, which makes them ideal for using when you move.

Before stocking up during one of the storage container sales you come across for a future move, check to see if the moving company you’re using or a local business has storage containers for rent.

Cardboard boxes remain the most cost-effective and practical way to move your belongings. They’re easy to recycle, cheap (free in some cases if your local grocery store makes them available to their customers), and can be flattened to take up less space when not in use.

Corrugated plastic boxes are a little less common and still contain plastic, but they’re more rugged than cardboard and are a slightly more eco-friendly option than plastic containers.

Get rid of some of those old food storage containers, too

food storage containersThose storage container sales going on during January might also find you contemplating picking up some new plastic food storage containers. 

We’ve always wondered – do food storage containers multiply in our pantries? Because it seems like we have way more of these things than we actually need or will ever use.

The main reasons food storage containers accumulate to the point where we have too many is because:

  • we’re unsure if the plastic is recyclable
  • friends and family send you home from a dinner with leftovers in containers that don’t get returned
  • attractive sales that seem too good to pass up lure you into buying more of them
  • we hold onto higher quality plastic take-out containers that seem wasteful to throw out

Like larger storage containers, containers for storing your food are obviously perfect for sending leftovers home with a dinner guest, taking leftovers to school or work, or just storing your own leftovers in.

We’re just saying that you don’t need a hundred of them stored in your pantry.

Even with something as unremarkable as food storage containers, a by-product of having too much of anything is the guarantee that it will be more difficult to make a decision on choosing a container when the time comes. It’s something that goes by a few different names including overchoice, choice overload, choice paralysis, analysis paralysis, and the paradox of choice. 

Before buying from any more food storage container sales, take stock of how many containers you currently have. Decluttering your pantry will free up valuable storage space and save you from wasting time looking for that one particular container and lid hiding amongst everything else.

Can’t mind a matching lid or the container for a lid? Has a container started to disintegrate from one too many trips to the microwave? Away they go.

Getting rid of storage containers that have started to break down is recommended because chemicals from the plastic can leech into your reheated food. Even if a container and lid is still in good shape, but just really old (we’re talking 70s Tupperware old), it may not be as safe to use as you might think. Ceramic and Pyrex food storage containers are always a safer storage option for food than plastic.

Skip the storage container sales. Use real organization solutions.

Avoid the disappointment of admitting defeat with your New Year’s resolution when you realize those purchases from January storage container sales haven’t translated into a more orderly home in February.

Talk to Organized Interiors for real solutions to your home organization problems instead of relying on stopgap measures that aren’t effective in getting your home tidied up.

We can suggest more practical and efficient ways to maximize your home’s storage and organization capabilities.

For example, our built-in bedroom cabinetry has under-bed drawer storage, which is an upgrade over using flat rolling plastic storage containers that get covered in dust bunnies.

Are you currently using cheap plastic storage towers with drawers in a closet or the corner of a room? If so, you’ll be amazed at how how much nicer our custom cabinetry storage towers are, both in terms of looks and functionality.

It takes less than a minute to schedule a complimentary virtual or in-home design consultation with us.

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Linen Closet Ideas and Tips to Improve an Overlooked Storage Space

Where is the messiest closet in your home? Chances are, it’s located in one of your bedrooms.

But linen closets are another of your home’s closet spaces that never seem to stay organized for very long. It’s no wonder, considering they’re used on such a regular basis.

Get organized with these linen closet ideas

Most family members prioritize the quick acquisition of whatever item they need from the linen closet over concerning themselves with how tidy they’re leaving things before closing the door.

Linen closets are also an organizational challenge because their contents are rarely curated, causing them to become overstuffed.

If any of this sounds all too relatable to the messy linen closet situation in your own home, we’ve got some useful linen closet ideas and tips to help you get things more organized.

Why every home needs a linen closet

If your home doesn’t have a linen closet, you might be wondering if it’s something that you really need.

You might be surprised to learn that according to the 2018 Canadian Home Builders’ Association Homebuyer Preference Study, linen closets were a must-have feature for 89% of surveyed buyers.

Most of today’s homebuyers and anyone with a linen closet knows the benefits of having a dedicated closet space to store all of their towels, sheets, and other linens.

Think about how many types of linens and related items are used in the average home. In addition to the linens that were previously mentioned (and consider that they each come in a wide variety of types and sizes), the following things require storage space, too:

  • duvet covers and inserts, comforters, and blankets
  • pillows, pillowcases, and mattress covers
  • sheets, pillows, and towels for guests
  • regular and holiday-themed tablecloths, placemats, and cloth napkins
  • toiletries and other bathroom supplies

For those without a linen closet, having to share some of these things with your bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and front entryway closet spaces causes a couple of issues.

First, it scatters your stored linens around the home, which makes things harder to find. Second, your closet spaces, dresser drawers, or wherever else linens are being stored become even more overburdened and difficult to manage.

Having a single closet storage space with dedicated homes for all of your linens will save you from wasting time looking for things.

And a makeover to this closet space creates a tidy and uniform look to your linen closet’s storage that’s as clean as your fresh linens.

Storing linens in the bathroom? Here’s why you shouldn’t.

Many homeowners keep their spare bathroom linens stored in their bathrooms, whether it’s on open shelves, in drawers, or tucked away behind cabinetry doors.

While it might seem practical and convenient having these items right where they’ll be needed, there are several reasons to avoid doing this.

The biggest problem is the damp, humid environment. Even with good room ventilation and regular bathroom cleaning, storing fabrics on a long-term basis in the bathroom makes them susceptible to mould and mildew issues.

Adding shelving to your bathroom walls, over the door, or buying a freestanding bathroom organizer to store linens has drawbacks as well. All those extra storage systems, in addition to the visual clutter all of those stacked linens, add to the room, can make a bathroom look messy and overcrowded.

If you’re not regularly rotating the towels and cloths stored on open shelves in the bathroom, the very thing you’re using to dry off after getting clean could be covered in months of dust.

And here’s one rather unpleasant fact that’s sure to make you hasten your effort to eliminate the storage of linens in your bathroom – the toilet plume.

Several studies have found that when some toilets are flushed, the force causes a spray that contains microscopic particles of bacteria from the bowl to get released into the air. That spray (or plume) comes down on anything within approximately six feet of the toilet. Yuck.

Just a little food for thought if your spare towels (or, even worse, your toothbrushes) are stored anywhere close to your toilet bowl.

Step 1: talk to a closet design professional

Whether you’re adding a closet space or redoing an existing linen closet, the simplest way to ensure success with the project is to entrust it to a professional.

Organized Interiors are experts in designing closets for any room in your home. From your initial free in-home consultation with one of our design consultants right through to the closet’s installation by our professional installers, we’ll ensure every aspect of the project meets your expectations.

Compared to a large walk-in closet makeover which is obviously much bigger in scope, a linen closet remodel represents the type of simpler closet design we also specialize in.

This type of closet remodel can fit most budgets and typically involves less turnaround time for your order. That means you can get your linen closet storage needs addressed that much faster.

“Edit” your linen closet’s contents

Before your reconfigured closet is designed and installed, a thorough “editing” of your closet’s contents will make life significantly easier when it comes to keeping your closet tidy in the future. Like most linen closets, it’s probably overdue for a good purging.

As with any thorough curating of your closet’s clothing, the best method is to completely empty the closet entirely so nothing gets missed. Closets with deep shelves that can hide things at the back of the closet will especially benefit from this process.

Take stock of what’s in there and determine when it was last used. Check each linen to see what’s worn, faded, damaged, or just outlived its usefulness.

If they’re being used and washed regularly, bath towels generally have a lifespan of a couple of years. When they start getting stiff and rough, they’ll become less absorbent and should be replaced.

Pillows should also be replaced after about a year or two of regular use. Consult this link to find out the lifespans of various pillow types.

Remove linen sets with missing or mismatched items, or old sheets for a bed size you no longer own. Now is also a good opportunity to get rid of linens that no longer align with your current design tastes.

Lots of linen closets have a bulky complete bedding set that was bought on sale years ago and has never been opened. Decide if you’ll realistically get any use out of it and if not, add it to your “donate” pile.

Here’s one more reason to create as much space in your linen closet as you can – in a larger family, the space needed for storing bath towels alone can take up a fair bit of space.

Experts recommend washing your bath towels a minimum of once a week and ideally every three or four days. That adds up to a whole lot of towels entering and exiting your closet every week!

Create closet storage zones

When discussing your linen closet’s design, your design consultant will want to know how you’d like it to be set up.

You’ll want to establish storage zones within the closet that make it easier to distinguish different linens and keep them organized.

Try to create zones that are categorically organized, with extra toiletries and all linens for bedrooms, the dining room, kitchen, and so on being kept together. If your closet space allows for it, separate the linens for each bedroom in their own zone.

Keep your most often-used linens such as bath towels and washcloths at a comfortable, easy to access height. Less frequently needed items like pillows and linens used during holidays and special occasions can be stored on the top shelves. Off-season clothing, which is ideal for linen closet storage, could also be stashed in the closet’s upper or lower areas.

Labelling each zone is a smart way to help ensure your closet’s zones stay more organized.

Hallway linen closet.

Use an organization system that works for you

Once you have an idea of what zones will comprise your closet space, establish an organization system that will make your linen closet as convenient and easy to use as possible.

To evenly distribute the usage of your linens and to keep then fresh, regularly rotating them is essential. Some people like to put their folded linens on top of the pile and pull from the bottom, while others prefer the opposite method.

Maybe you prefer to keep your bath towels rolled up. If so, shelf dividers can help to keep them tidy and organized. Whatever works for you.

Depending on how much closet space is at your disposal, give your linens as much space to breathe as you can.

Another tip that makes linen storage simpler is to fold your bedsheets into their matching pillowcase, which saves time searching for linen sets that match.

Maximize your linen closet’s storage space

No list of linen closet ideas would be complete without a few tips on how to maximize your storage space.

The beauty of a custom closet design is that your closet space can be precisely configured to provide you with the optimal amount of storage space the closet allows for.

The linen closet is typically a narrow vertical space that’s the smallest closet in the home, which makes getting the most out of it so important. You also want to maximize the storage space without the closet’s contents feeling overstuffed.

Adjustable shelves are important to not just aid you in making sure space isn’t wasted, they’re also valuable when your storage needs change and you need to reconfigure how your closet is set up.

Using more shelves is better than having things spaced out too much with linen stacks that are too high. Higher stacks of linens creates two issues that contributes to a messy closet space:

  • the linens will start leaning and be more likely to topple over
  • when someone wants an item from the bottom of a stack, there’s more linens to contend with

You may wish to have some pullout shelves added your linen closet, which lets you take advantage of a deep closet space by making items at the back of shelves easier to access. Drawers are another option that provides additional storage versatility if your closet is big enough.

Don’t forget the small extras

To conclude our list of linen closet ideas, don’t forget about those small extras that will make your closet space more functional.

Some new closet lighting and a fresh coat of lighter coloured paint to reflect the light better will make things easier to find and update the closet’s décor.

Using shelf risers, small bins, and baskets will help your small linens, toiletries, and miscellaneous items in the linen closet stay tidy.

We’re the leader in smart linen closet ideas and solutions

For anyone who can’t seem to keep their linen closets effectively maintained and tidy, we have creative linen closet ideas and solutions to keep your home organized.

To create the ideal linen closet space in your home, book a free in-home design consultation with Organized Interiors today.

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Holiday Home Cleaning Tips to Make Guests Feel More Welcome

An Airwick survey of 2,000 Brits found that it takes less than 30 seconds for houseguests to formulate their first impression of your home after entering it.

During the holiday season, everyone wants visitors to their home to feel like they’ve entered a space that’s warm and welcoming.

Ensuring you have a well-presented home for a holiday season gathering often adds to the hectic and stressful nature of this time of year.

Is our worrying about how others see our living space excessive? Perhaps, but it’s better to care about how guests view our homes than to not care, right?

Holiday home cleaning and organization tips

You have your own set of standards for how you clean and organize your home. It never hurts, however, to get a different perspective on what guests notice most when they visit your home.

Perhaps it will make you more aware of certain areas of your home that should be getting a little more cleaning attention.

Keep reading to pick up a few holiday home cleaning and organization tips that will serve you well when hosting your gathering of friends and family.

What guests notice most about your home

In that Airwick survey, the most popular answer given about the thing people noticed first when visiting a house or condo was the scent of the home.

That makes perfect sense (pun intended), given that smell is the strongest of our five senses.

How cluttered a home is ranked second. This might surprise some of you (it surprised me), who would have expected it to take the top spot.

Here are a few more of the most commonly judged things in homes by guests:

  • the temperature
  • how clean and dust-free the home is
  • the tastefulness and modernness of the home décor
  • the quality of hand towels and how comfortable they are to use

Throw off a great scent

With scent being such a big part of a visitor’s experience to your living space, what can you do to create a more pleasing aroma in the home?

It’s less practical to open windows during the cold holiday season. If temperatures are unseasonably warm, however, take advantage of it to let some fresh air inside.

Pleasant, natural scents that aren’t too strong will create a positive first impression for anyone entering your home. We recommend any of these:

  • fresh flowers
  • potpourri in decorative bowls
  • scented candles
  • fresh-baked cookies or pastries
  • boil or bake select spices for about 30 minutes to scent your entire home

And now for a couple of scent don’ts for your home. First, avoid using spray or plug-in commercial air fresheners. They can be overpowering and off-putting to guests with very sensitive noses.

Try to avoid vacuuming minutes before guests arrive at your home. Some vacuum canisters that haven’t been emptied in awhile can leave a distinct odour that people might notice.

Some people regularly vacuum using baking soda that’s sprinkled on carpets and rugs. Despite baking soda being an effective deodorizer, many cleaning experts advise against using it this way since it can potentially cause problems with your vacuum cleaner.

Holiday home cleaning the areas your guests will see

A home that’s clean and organized from top-to-bottom is preferable, but not always achievable when you’re scrambling to take care of everything that goes into hosting a get-together.

Luckily, your guests won’t see every room in your home so just focus on getting the areas they will spend time in looking pristine.

Your entryway is obviously a top priority, as it creates the first impression of your interior living space. Is there room for shoes and boots? When the front hallway closet is opened, is it tidy and providing enough space for your guest’s coats?

Some guests will assuredly be spending time in the kitchen. You’ve taken care of the clutter cleanup in the room, but how does the fridge look? Has the inside of the fridge also been decluttered and scrubbed so anyone grabbing a cold beverage out of it won’t even think twice about how clean it is?

It goes without saying that your guest bathroom has to be spic and span with enough hand towels, soap, hand sanitizer, and extra toilet paper to serve your guest’s needs.

Clear all the clutter from any flat surfaces in the dining room, living room, and basement (if necessary) and give them a good wipedown.

Even one of your bedrooms should be presentable if you’re using a bed as an overflow coat storage space. You or someone from your family that’s on coat duty might get tied up with one of a multitude of hosting tasks. Allow guests who are ready to go home to get their coats from the room if they need to without having to worry about its appearance.

2 chairs and table in wine room

5 areas you shouldn’t forget to clean

There are many parts of the home that are easy to miss when you’re rushing to get your cleaning done. Don’t forget to give these areas a quick vacuum, dusting, or wipe down with a damp towel:

  • drapes, curtains, and blinds
  • appliances
  • light fixtures and ceiling fans
  • baseboards and crown moulding
  • electrical outlets and light switches

A few things to remember about clutter

Clutter doesn’t just mean what we typically think of when we hear the word, like toys or junk left on the floor or a messy countertop.

It also includes visual clutter, which means having too many things occupying a space, even if they’re kept tidy. A shelf that’s overloaded with knick-knacks and mementoes is one example.

Be mindful of not using too many pieces of furniture in a room. This can make the space feel more cramped.

Spending time in any environment that has too much clutter makes us feel unsettled. For example, it’s been well-established that excessively cluttered homes contribute to poor sleep quality and higher stress levels in occupants of those living spaces.

Controlling your traditional clutter and visual clutter will help to make your guests feel more relaxed and comfortable.

The ideal solution for hosting overnight guests

When guests from out of town are staying overnight, are you able to put them up in a guest room?

Whether it’s during the holiday season or any other time of year, having a guest room that’s always at-the-ready is a wonderful thing in any home.

Putting your visitors up in a guest room is a more thoughtful gesture than having them stay in a hotel room that feels sterile and inhospitable.

A spare room can easily be converted into a useful guest room with a space-saving Murphy wall bed and beautiful custom cabinetry where guest linens and pillows can be stored.

Here are some more nice things you can do to make your overnight guests feel even more comfortable in your home:

  • provide a TV or smart speaker for their room
  • leave out some cozy bathrobes for them to use
  • provide a basket with toiletries in case they forgot to pack some of their own
  • write down your home’s WiFi password for them

These thoughtful gestures will be greatly appreciated and leave your guests thinking, “Who needs a 5-star hotel?”

pillows on bed with surrounding storage

Make your home easier to keep organized

We hope these holiday home cleaning and organization tips are useful to you when you’re preparing to entertain guests.

Organized Interiors can help take the worry out of having guests over. Our wide variety of storage and organization solutions make it easier to maintain a tidy home all year-round.

We can also custom-design any of the following things to enhance your home’s entertaining capabilities:

  • a stunning feature wall with an electric fireplace
  • entertainment centres
  • wet bars
  • wine rooms

To learn more about how we can help improve how your house or condo looks and functions, schedule a free in-home design consultation with us.

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Donate A Coat: Winter Coat Drive

Organized Interiors is pleased to once again be participating in The Children’s Breakfast Club’s Winter Coat Drive.

Our goal is to collect 55,000 clean, gently-used coats, and warm clothing items. All donations will ensure that no child in the Greater Toronto Area is cold this winter.

About The Children’s Breakfast Club

The Children’s Breakfast Club is a non-profit charitable organization that began in 1984. They believe every child is entitled to a nutritious breakfast and currently has more than 20 clubs in the Greater Toronto Area. An estimated 4,000 meals are served by the organization every week.

The Children’s Breakfast Club’s other objectives are to:

  • encourage children to develop healthy nutritional, behavioural, and personal hygiene habits
  • provide children with emotional support and social and intellectual stimulation
  • encourage and develop the skills of staff, volunteers, and other community members

What is the Winter Coat Drive?

The Winter Coat Drive collects and distributes new and gently-used winter clothing to children and their families in need of proper winter attire. The Children’s Breakfast Club began the Winter Coat Drive in 2014.

2015’s Winter Coat Drive collected more than 30,000 items of winter clothing. That number grew to more than 40,000 pieces collected the following year. 2017’s Winter Coat Drive was another huge success. Each year we receive more and more coats, thanks to the generosity of our local community.

All donations end up at The Children’s Breakfast Club’s Coat Warehouse, which operates throughout the winter season.

Toronto Police will hand out vouchers to families they encounter who are most in need of this winter clothing. The vouchers can then be redeemed by the family members for a winter coat or item of clothing they’re most in need of.

Organized Interiors’ involvement in the Winter Coat Drive

Since 2015, Organized Interiors has been collecting coats for this worthy cause.

Our participation in the Winter Coat Drive was inspired by Toronto’s very own alumni, NBA all-star, assistant coach and community ambassador of NBA champions, the Toronto Raptors, Jamaal Magloire, who challenged all of Toronto to “donate a coat and warm a heart”.

Five truckloads of winter clothing were delivered from our showroom to the Coat Warehouse last year!

The drop-off centre at Organized Interiors is the first in Vaughan. Help us fill our bin with warm winter coats.

How you can help

You can get involved by making donations for the Winter Coat Drive at the Coat Drive drop-off centre in the Organized Interiors showroom at 201 Chrislea Road in Vaughan.

Along with new and gently-used winter coats, we’ll also be gratefully accepting donations of any of the following (in all sizes) until December 31st:

  • hoodies
  • sweaters
  • hats
  • mitts and gloves
  • scarves
  • all sizes from children to adult are accepted

Donate a coat and warm a heart

Warm winter clothing is something most of us take for granted. But consider the ways in which inadequate winter clothing can impact a child’s daily life.

Inadequate winter clothing can cause kids to get sick more often, which may affect their school attendance. Unsuitable winter clothing also limits the ability of children to participate in outdoor winter activities.

Your generous donation can help make this winter a little more comfortable for someone in need. We look forward to seeing you at the Winter Coat Drive drop-off centre in our showroom!

Please help to spread the word about the Winter Coat Drive by sharing this post with your family, friends, and co-workers.

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