Feel like you're trapped in your own house? Unable to
navigate through a constantly growing sea of stuff? Whether
it's clothes, paperwork, tech toys, sports gear, hobby tools -
or all of the above and more - our possessions need a place of
their own, so our homes and our lives are easier to manage.
"A new season can be a great motivator for getting
organized, but people are sometimes frustrated in their
attempts to create order out of chaos, especially when every
closet is already overflowing," says Doug Krieger, design
director for Sauder.
One secret to success is to create new storage space in
places you didn't even know you had. "There are a surprising
number of unnoticed spots just waiting to be tapped for
organization duty," Krieger says. "Find those hidden places,
add the right storage item - from a bookshelf to a compact desk
- and order can banish disorganization once and for all."
Krieger and the Sauder design team have created an
online guide to home organization, with a host of
clutter-busting tactics. Here are a few of their tips for
turning unused areas of the home into orderly storage centers:
In the kitchen & bath
* A diminutive kitchen cart can be tucked into this busy
room's smallest space to provide an instant pantry for storing
and serving snacks.
* Instant "built-in" modular units like
Sauder's
EZ Cubes create custom organization, whether for toiletries
or cooking utensils.
No place for paperwork and hobbies?
* Computer work stations and craft units fit into a
corner of the bedroom or family room, and with the addition of
a handsome screen or bookshelf divider, become a private
getaway space.
* A computer armoire can enhance any room's dcor by
keeping essentials behind closed doors when work is done.
* For a flexible solution to the home office or hobby
conundrum, mobile carts for computers and crafts allow the
entire work center to be easily moved from room to room,
depending on what's going on in the rest of the household.
Technology: can't live with it, can't live without it?
* Trim multimedia storage towers keep DVDs, tapes and a
host of other home entertainment paraphernalia in one compact
place for easy access.
* If there's no room to spare for a wall-spanning home
theater system, small-scaled options still offer storage
shelves and drawers for peripherals.
* A corner computer desk can create a home office even
in space-challenged living quarters, without sacrificing
critical technology-cued features such as wire management and
component storage.
Put transitional spaces to work
* That small hall between the garage and kitchen almost
begs for a storage cabinet that will stash food stuffs,
cleaning products, sports equipment or gardening gear.
* Even a narrow wall space next to the front door can be
an oasis of order with the help of a slender message center,
complete with drawers and a surface for keys, sunglasses and
the dog's leash.
* The upstairs hallway can boost organization space with
the addition of bookcases or a wall of more elaborate libraries
with door and drawer storage.
Only inches to spare?
* Add stylish hooks almost everywhere - from doors to
walls - for laundry, knitting or kids' pajama bags, not just
hats and coats.
* Climb the wall to create an instant display area or
attractive storage space with
Sauder's
fashionable and easy-to-mount Shelf Life offering, a sturdy
shelving system for collections and memorabilia.
* Don't waste the storage potential of under-the-bed
areas. One organizational dream is a mates bed with storage
drawers that stow gear snugly underneath and a headboard the
doubles as a bookcase.
"Consumers can boost their organization quotient more
easily than they realize," says Krieger. "There are many hidden
places in the home where the right storage piece can make all
the difference in creating a sense of calm and order."
Copyright © 2006, ARA Content
About ModernMom.com: Modern Mom ( www.modernmom.com) features smart and practical advice on topics such as parenting, finances, career, health, wellness, beauty, entertainment and more. Read more about Home & Food at http://www.modernmom.com/category/FoodDrink
Copyright 2007 Modern Mom, LLC. All rights reserved.
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