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by Rachel Lyon, Editorial Director for The House Designers®
Keeping a home organized doesn’t have to be hard, but it sure can be. Whether clutter seems inevitable, you always have trouble finding what you need, or downsizing has left you wondering how to store essentials, you can get around the difficulty with some careful planning. Having the right framework to fill closets, pantries, and other key storage areas makes all the difference, and it can even add aesthetic. Don’t believe us? Here are some of our favorite organization systems!
Functionally Complete Closets
Closet space is a hot commodity, so optimize it no matter how much you have. Many of us have gotten used to nothing more than hanging rods and wire shelves, but they leave a lot to be desired, especially in tight places where a dresser isn’t feasible. To get the most out of your closet, it’s best to construct a custom solution that takes your wardrobe into account. After all, a person who has lots of clothes has different needs than somebody else who has a few key pieces and plenty of shoes and accessories.
A custom closet system may include rods, shelves, drawers, cubbies, baskets, and racks, and it is tailored to fit in the space available. That means ensuring that there’s enough clearance for hanging garments of various lengths, that there's room for any moving components to roll and swing, and that everything remains within reach, with or without assistance from a step ladder. What’s more, the look of it is also up to the owner; wood and synthetics are available, you can paint many of the pieces, and finishes like hardware add a special touch. A closet can be an extension of your personal style, and it’s a great way to enhance your wardrobe and your home at once.
High-Traffic and Work Zones
Oftentimes, a deficient personal closet isn’t the largest storage need in the household. Shared spaces tend to be trickier to keep organized, and because multiple people use them, it is that much more important to make sure each one has a logical setup. Consider investing in highly structured systems in places like the pantry, mudroom, laundry room, and even the garage to make your life easier.
The most common problems with pantries are that there is too much space between the shelves, it’s difficult to reach into the back, and there’s no good place to store awkward items like spices and small cans. Pantries come in many shapes and sizes—some are major features of their kitchens while others seem like afterthoughts—so good arrangements will be very diverse. Depending on your concerns, consider shallower shelves placed closer together, pull-out drawer-type shelves, and turntables, and be sure to leave some open room at the bottom for large items like packs of bottled water.
Utility rooms have long been neglected, but now families have decided to beautify them with cabinets for cleaning supplies and features often seen in closets, like rods for hang drying and shelves for stacking clean clothes. You can even get extras like a built-in, fold-out ironing board! This area is often combined with a side entry where people drop off their outerwear on the way in, so having a place for everything clearly defined is even more important. But regardless the location of your mudroom, it’s a good idea to give everybody their own cubby to prevent piles of shoes on the floor and a mountain of coats on the wall. When everything has its own place, it’s more likely to get there.
Entertainment and Wall Systems
Storage solutions can even take center stage in your home, often in the form of television hutches and libraries. Appearance matters in these cases especially, so think about constructing a coherent system that addresses all your needs in a package that matches your interior scheme. Do you need extra room for gaming equipment or a DVD collection, and would you like to clearly display or hide each compartment from immediate view? Customize your unit with totally open, solid panel, or window cabinets and drawers. If you want to incorporate pieces of art in your living spaces, this is a great place to do it, so don’t forget to leave room for your favorite pieces.
The best thing about wall storage units is that they can hide some amazing features. What looks like a wardrobe or cabinet could actually be a built-in bed that doesn’t take up all that space when not in use, which is perfect for small quarters and multi-functional guest rooms. A large lower drawer can reveal itself as a work surface that disappears seamlessly into the system, or maybe it tilts out to act as a laundry basket. There’s so much you can incorporate into your walls that you have to see to believe!
If you want to make storage centers in your home as gorgeous and functional as possible, see some organizational projects that Closet Factory® has brought from idea conception to reality. You’ll be inspired by the final results, and remember, each piece is a custom solution dreamt up by the homeowners with some expert guidance!