As a professional organizer, the top concern I hear from my clients is; “Where do I put all this stuff?”. My job is to come in and transform their chosen area into a functional living space that works for that particular person or family. I listen to their concerns, consider the space, the main purpose of the room and amount of stuff. If storage options are not present (or no longer working effectively) I first suggest they go out and buy some shelving, bins or baskets before we get started on the organizing. That way, we have a vision and a sort of blue-print for what the room will look like which will motivate them to get started and hopefully purge, purge, purge.
It may seem a bit counterproductive to be getting rid of stuff and buying more at the same time. But it is crucial. You have to envision that space, tailored exactly to your needs. If it is a family room, it has to meet the needs of the family. Same with a kids room, kitchen, home office, etc. Too much clutter gets in the way of a truly functional space. There are some very simple and inexpensive storage solutions, but you must be willing to invest your time and obviously some money.
As January is "National Get Organized" month, most home improvement stores have occupied the empty Holiday shelves/area with every organizing tool possible. Bins, baskets and shelving options galore so everyone can start the New Year right. Depending on your space, there are so many options. You can use plastic sliding drawers/bins in your closet or against a wall in pairs for the least expensive option. Drawer seperators to organize smaller items, or large bins for storage in your garage. If you have more to invest, you can also get bookshelves and fill with bins or baskets. Of course, custom built-ins are always nice.
Whatever you decide, just start by thinking about how you want that space to look and function. Take your time and really think about it. If you just are not sure at all, take someone with you to shop and talk about all possible options. Everyone sees things from a different perspective so your neighbor, husband, Aunt or best friend may have a brilliant suggestion. Of course, you can always hire a professional organizer to help with the entire process from start to finish or ask a friend to help you for just a few hours in exchange for a homemade dinner (or drinks at a fun restaurant!).
Take your time to really think about what it is you are trying to accomplish and be realistic. No one can wave a magic wand and make your house clutter free with custom, built in storage. But, you can make it better and more functional with patience, time and motivation.
Goodbye clutter, hello function!
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