New Year's Resolutions For Your Home: 5 Ideas to Organize in 2016

“One of my New Years Resolutions this year is to focus more on my home.. I am hoping to update my décor and get more organized. What are some areas I should focus on?”

January is here! The start of the New Year is so refreshing for many people. It’s a time to reset your goals and reflect on the previous year. Lots of us make New Year’s Resolutions, depending on your lifestyle and your objectives, these vary for everyone. Maybe you’re going to commit to the gym or a healthier routine, perhaps your goal is to save money, or to travel more this year. If your resolutions involve home décor, we have some fabulous suggestions for you. Here are 5 suggestions to kick off your new year resolutions.

Decluttering Closets: Closets are the spot where a lot of items can hide out behind closed doors. Out of sight, out of mind. Items just keep being piled in there and forgotten about, so why not sort and purge what you no longer require? Decluttering is a surprisingly great feeling. Getting closets organized is helpful for your everyday life, having extra useable space is never a bad thing. We recommend baskets and bins to make sure everything has a home and is placed back inside neat & tidy.

Paint: Resolve to paint one room in your home a different colour, however bold or muted you desire. A fresh coat of paint signifies fresh, new beginnings. Never underestimate the power of paint. Changing the colour in a room is an inexpensive way to change the mood and décor without having to replace everything in the space. Depending on your current décor, choose a paint colour that will be a noticeable change. This can be challenging if you have a very set colour palette in your current décor. Even using the same colour you currently have and making it a shade or two darker will be a welcome change. If painting the entire room is too large of a task to undertake, try painting an accent wall! Choose a colour from your current colour scheme and use that as your new accent wall.

Weekly Cleaning: Most of us clean our houses weekly in the common areas, bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchens etc. But there are many places that are often overlooked that need some TLC. For example, the inside of the kitchen cabinets as often ignored. Cleaning the inside of your fridge. Washing Baseboards. Dusting hard to reach places. Pick one “overlooked” area a week and focus on that as well.

Refresh some accessories: Depending on your budget, adding some newaccessories to a room gives it new life. This is a very budget friendly way to refresh your rooms. Adding a few new pillows, or a throw blanket, or maybe a new art piece will be a fabulous way to change up your décor and redesign your space. Try adding a colourful side table or garden stool, or changing some frames on your wall.

 

Fixing Odds and Ends: Do you have a “to do list” that just keeps piling up? Take the time and tackle these items. The little things that are ignored in your home continue to pile up, so just spend a few hours and get them done. You’ll feel so good knowing you can check off some items you’ve been meaning to get to.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Favourite things: Capital Closets

If you have been following me on Facebook or my blog, you already know that these days I'm all about getting organized and de-cluttering my own home.  If you are in the Ottawa area and need some help in that department, look for Capital Closets www.capitalclosets.ca



They offer an array of service to help you make the most of your storage needs.  they will help you plan and organize any size space, it doesn't have to be a spacious closet - it could even be a laundry room or bathroom.



Check out their website for some amazing before and after photos too.

They start by getting to know you and your home with an in-home consultation and find out about you and your family's needs.  the designer will be very details in measurements and your specifics and create an incredible closet system for you.  And the installation is done by professionals and they follow every spec that the designer has created just for you!

Getting organized and eliminating clutter creates a peaceful space for you.  Clutter and disorganization actually leads to high stress and no one needs that.



A Capital Closets consultation and installation is also a great idea for anyone looking to sell their home.  Maybe you have certain areas that would really benefit from some professional closet design like a mudroom or the laundry room which are great areas for families - having a professional designed closet would really set your home apart from the other on the market.

It feels really great to have a space that is totally catered to you and your needs!

Help me - organize my...closet!!

If you are anything like me (a busy working mom of three young children, a husband, two dogs, 5 fish and always being pulled in any number of different directions) organization isn't something I have a lot of time for but certainly aspire to have in my life.  We have all heard how an organized life reduces stress and helps keep life easy and on schedule (because you aren't running around looking for the kids' sunscreen before racing off to the park for some fun!)  If you are like me, you need some easy steps and solutions to organize your own closet.  I hate the feeling of knowing what I want to wear but cannot find it - is it hanging? folded? in the laundry hamper? or on the floor? EEK.....getting dressed shouldn't be this complicated.

So here are some quick and easy tips I plan on using myself to get my closet organized and user friendly.

1.  Empty out the entire closet (just like in 'TLC's What Not to Wear').  that way you can start with a clean slate - it's a big and a bit of a draining job but you will feel good afterwards.

2.  Go through every piece, one at a time.  If you haven't worn it in 6 months to a year - TOSS (DONATE).  If it needs hemming or repair, evaluate if it is worth it and if it is, SET IT ASIDE and GET IT DONE. Getting all your hemming at repairs done at once is best especially if you don't have a lot of time to spare.  If you know you won't wear it, TOSS (DONATE).  If you love or like it and it fits (I means fits and is flattering) then KEEP.  It is amazing how much we hold onto that we don't use or need. Try not to hold onto pieces that you plan on fitting into.  As a new mom, I still have a lot of baby weight to lose, so I have set my pre-baby body clothes aside but they are not at the front end of my closet taking up prime real estate. as for donating clothing - there are many local charities and consignment shops that will take clothing donations.

3.  Organize your actual closet space.  Unless you have a custom designed closet, you likely have a rod and that's it.  So add some drawer space at the bottom of the closet area, I personally find that tends to be a catch all space for just about anything.  I like using clear plastic drawer sets inside of my closet - you can label them or just see through them.  These plastic drawer sets are great for shoes, belts, scarves, handbags etc...I put dressers in my children's closets since their little size clothing doesn't take up much closet space, putting the drawers inside the closet give them more play space in their room too. Get some good quality wood hangers too, to hang your suits, shirts and dresses.  The wood hangers allow those clothing pieces to hang better.

4. Now it's time to start actually organizing. Keep the prime closet space for the items you wear most.

5.  I like to keep everything together - such as pants together, shirts together, jackets together etc...

6.  It is best to fold sweaters and not hang them.  They tend to stretch and pull when hung.

7.  If you are low on storage for seasonal items like blankets, use your luggage to store these items. Empty luggage takes up a lot of space, so use them to keep blankets clean and easy to find when you need them.

8.  Think outside of the box too.  Yes, there are a lot of storage and organization solutions out there but there are other great ideas too such as the EXPEDIT bookcase line at IKEA.  This is a great and inexpensive bookcase that's easy to assemble, it comes in many colours and is a great way to store bags, shoes, sweaters etc...all in one piece.  Try an umbrella stand to store yoga mats.  Multi-level cake stands are great to keep costume jewelry organized too.

9.  Add some light in your closet.  Just like any room, a closet will benefit from some better lighting too.  You an see what you are looking for.

10.  Keep it regular.  Meaning getting and staying organized takes time so make it a regular part of your day.  Hang up your shirts and fold your sweaters - over time it will become automatic.  It's also a good idea to regularly purge your closet, some say every season but I think in most cases once or twice a year is more realistic.

Closet freak!

Making the most of your closet space (or lack there of!)

If you can see the items in your closet you are less likely to shop for new items when a special event comes up, because you will know what you have and what you don't need. A large closet is not necessary but here are some tip for any size closet to keep it organized.

1 -- Choose one type of hanger. A variety of hangers can take up space and also make a closet look messy.

2 -- Organize pieces in groups. Keep jackets, jeans etc... together, that way when you are looking for a certain item you know just where to look.

3 -- Get vertical. Install hooks for scarves, belts and long jewellery - these piece tend to get jumbled up by hanging them you'll know just where they all are.

4 -- Be clear. Keep undergarments, workout gear etc... in clear plastic bins. They are put away, dust-free and easy to spot.

5 -- Go natural. Eco-friendly storage pins such as bamboo can keep insects away! You can also try lavender, cedar or eucalyptus.

Treat your closet like a store display - if it is organized you will likely feel at ease and welcome. But a big old mess, is a turn off and a source of stress.

Got an hour? Organize your linen closet

Ooh the linen closet...a space that is often neglected and one that is just jammed full of towels and sheet sets that have seen better days. I know my linen closet was in need of some serious attention, so here's what I did and it only took an hour!

20 minutes - Empty. Purge and Sort.

Remove and inspect everything from the closet. Discard items that are not in good condition - items that are stained and frayed or ones that you no longer want. Separate the keepers - sheet sets, towels, blankets and tablecloths.

25 minutes - Fold and store

To keep stacks neat, find a folding method you like (for example you could roll towels to conserve space) and stick to your system. Aim for two to three sheet sets per bedroom - rotating your bedding is hygienic and extends the life of your bedding. Extra pillow cases are also a great idea - if you don't have time to change the entire bed, by just changing the pillow cases you'll still achieve that clean and crisp feel for bedtime. Once your sheet sets are in a pile, you can place them in a wicker basket or an open container with a label indicating the size or room; or tie them up using a light coloured ribbon. Place bed sheets and towels on shelves with easy access, eye level is best. Use top and bottom shelves for seasonal items, such as heavy blankets.

15 minutes - Protect and preserve

Never store blankets or duvets in plastic bins or bags, this can cause the material to disintegrate, use cotton bags instead. Don't fold tablecloths, hang them! Use natural bug repellents like lavender or mint sachets. To add a soothing scent to your linens, spritz your favourite scent (bounce sheets work nicely too) on a clean hand towel and tuck it discreetly behind a neat stack.

It feels great to be organized and see how much you can get done in an hour!!