Messy rooms make me anxious. I have a hard time relaxing and/or focusing on work when there is too much clutter around. A room becomes more peaceful with less visual static but the question remains: how to achieve a calm, peaceful space without parting with all of your earthly possessions? With a few helpful tips/rules you can contain your mess and bring a little order to your humble abode.
1.) Know thy enemy. Look around and identify your problem areas (everywhere may be a problem area – more specifically, identify the main culprit). Paper is my arch nemesis. Piles of books, magazines, catalogs, paperwork and mail control almost every corner of my home. I need to address how I can bring less crap into my life and better ways to organize it when I have no choice in the matter (ie: taxes, bills, fun stuff like that). On to the next point…
2.) In layman’s terms, stop being a lazy packrat. This will be the hardest step for most people. I like to look at this like having to call someone out on their BS, it isn’t too great when you have to do it but boy is it a relief to get it over with! Here’s an example: say you come home to find an offer for something – anything – in the mailbox. Shred it! Its as easy as 1-2-3: Plug it in. Shred it up.Toss it out (better yet, recycle it). Saying “no” to junk mail isn’t enough. You must destroy it immediately or it will take over your life. (Not to mention, you will be simply amazed at how unexpectedly liberating it can be to fight “the Man” in this manner!)
3.) Containers are your best friends (albeit ones that can’t buy the first round). Once you’ve sorted and pared down, it’s time to start getting your grubby biscuit hooks on things for one purpose and one purpose only, and that’s organizing. Not for hiding junk “out of sight, out of mind” style. I like to use containers wherever and whenever I can – each with their own function. They’re great for when you need to tidy up fast. Look for containers that go with your decor – there are no shortage of styles (clear ones help to make the contents impossible to ignore I find). More importantly, file cabinets are essential. Period. I don’t know what in Sam Hell I was thinking before I had good decent homes for things I should never be flaky with (i.e.: passport, social security card, insurance policy, bank statements, etc.) Last but not least…
4.) Put them in their place! I like shelves and furniture that are good for storage. My husband and I have a big bookcase in our kitchen for plates, cookbooks and dry goods that we turned into a display of our favorites. Be creative. It also helps to buy something bigger than what you might need now. Let’s be honest, you’re going to accumulate more stuff, so avoid the headaches and be prepared for the inevitable. The more you allow things to pile up with no way to organize it all, the more overwhelming it becomes when you finally try to deal with it. Like my mom always said, “it takes longer to get out of a bad situation than it does to do it right in the first place.” There are lots of modern, stylish solutions out there that are fun, functional and won’t necessarily break the bank. Shopping has never been so guilt free!
Clockwise from top left: MASH Studios LAX wall mounted headboard, LACK bookcase, MASH Studios LAX coffee table, EXPEDIT bookcase, Danish Modern cabinet (Chicago Craigslist find), HELMER drawer unit, MUJI make-up boxes, BRAM basket, Stockholm magazine file.
* MASH Studios LAX wall mounted headboard, at Design Public. Think of all the design boners you could fit in here!
* EXPEDIT and LACK bookcases, at IKEA. Simple, sleek and amazingly versatile. Do it.
* MASH Studios LAX coffee table, at Design Public. Built in remote control cubby hole. Much better than under the couch cushions!
* Vintage Danish Modern cabinet . A good example of a cool and inexpensive find from Craigslist. A steal because the previous owner’s dog nibbled on the corners.
* HELMER, at IKEA. Great for all those floppy discs you’ve been meaning to back up!
* MUJI make-up box, at MoMA. I love the simplicity of MUJI’s clear plastic make-up boxes. They can easily be used anywhere in your home for anything…jewelry, cleaning supplies, keys, change, hats, mittens, gloves, toys, you name it!
* BRÄM, at IKEA. Friends are always surprised that this basket is from IKEA. The shape is sculptural, has a wonderful texture, and looks more expensive than it actually is. And it holds stuff.
* Stockholm Magazine File, at Container Store. Magazine files are great for subscription junkies like me.
-Katie
Katie Brown is an artist living with her husband and two cats in Chicago. She blogs for k-fresh designs and Design Boner (under the pseudonym Porcelain). She loves paint, interior design, the color wheel, and bold patterns. The first thing she does each morning is brew a pot of strong coffee.
The flip side of this is that I also really love art and I think the kitchen – where people always hang out – is an ideal spot to showcase cool pieces. Fun, irreverent stuff that may look out of place in the living room just feels right in the kitchen.
In my case, with distance. I’m lucky to have a big wall far from my stove, sink and counters – that wall is now home to a favorite painting. If your floor plan doesn’t allow you to put space between your art and actual cooking area, look for hardy framing options, go for sculptures or cool mobiles that add interest but stay out of the way.
Or, focus on inexpensive and resilient art – and cook away.
Kit Pollard is a Baltimore, Maryland-based freelance writer, market research analyst, stay-at-home mom, and, when she has time, a food and design junkie. She blogs about food, design, and pop culture (among other things) at www.mangoandginger.blogspot.com.
