Transforming Unsightly Clutter into Artful Organization
Photo by Edgar Castrejon on Unsplash
A well-organized and clutter-free home is many homeowners’ dream. However, achieving this dream can be challenging, especially in a small space. The secret to chic home organization is incorporating decorative storage solutions that are functional yet aesthetically pleasing and keep belongings tidy while also enhancing your home’s décor.
With a bit of creativity and the right decorative storage items, you can banish disorder, open up extra space, and transform any unsightly mess into an artful display. Keep reading to learn how you can elevate your space using these exceptional tips for decluttering and organization today.
The Power of Aesthetics
A home’s aesthetic has a profound impact on its atmosphere and ambiance. While a cluttered, disorganized space feels stressful and chaotic, a room with thoughtful storage solutions has a soothing, uplifting effect. Incorporating storage into your décor allows you to create a practical, visually appealing, and cohesive style.
Rather than relegating storage solely to closets, cabinets, and the infamous junk drawer, consider displaying your favorite belongings artfully on open shelving, in woven baskets, or behind glass cabinet doors. This adds warmth, personality, and beauty to any room. Strategically placed storage also defines areas in open-concept spaces and even serves as a room divider.
Choosing the Right Decorative Storage
With so many options available online and in stores today, selecting the right decorative storage items for your home can seem daunting. However, it will help to keep these factors in mind when evaluating different storage solutions for your space:
Functionality
While the overall aesthetics of your home are important, storage must also serve a functional purpose. Assess your space and belongings to determine what types of storage you need most. For instance, do you require closed cabinets or bins to conceal items, or will open shelving suffice? Consider access and ease of use for frequently handled items. Prioritize function, then look for storage options that fit your style.
Style and Design
Browse home décor and furniture stores to find storage pieces that complement your home’s existing color scheme, textures, materials, and overall aesthetic. Take storage from purely utilitarian to display-worthy. Instead of grabbing the first containers you see at your local HomeGoods or TJ Maxx, seek out vintage luggage, ceramic canisters, or woven baskets to infuse personality into your organizational schemes.
With some hunting, you can find storage with charm at a comparable price point. If you want your space to look curated and organized, it is essential to seek versatile pieces that can blend well in multiple rooms. Incorporate coordinating colors, finishes, and accents for a cohesive look.
Space Optimization
In more compact areas of your home, carefully consider the dimensions of storage pieces to optimize your square footage. Vertical space is often underutilized, so wall-mounted shelving and cabinets can maximize room. For large or heavy items, choose low, stable pieces. Dual-purpose furniture, like storage ottomans and chests, saves space.
Decluttering Your Space
Before shopping for storage, declutter your home. This allows you to accurately assess what you have, what you use, and what must be discarded or donated. Here are some tips for effective decluttering:
- Work through your home systematically, room by room. Set aside several hours or multiple days so you don’t feel rushed.
- Be ruthless as you sort items into “keep,” “toss,” and “donate” piles. If you haven’t used it in over a year, consider letting it go.
- Store seldom-used items elsewhere, like the attic or basement. This frees up your most-used living spaces.
- Handle items one by one, not in piles, to make thoughtful decisions.
- Ask a friend for a fresh perspective if you’re struggling to part with certain items.
Take your time to do this properly. You’ll gain clarity on what you truly need and value before optimizing your space.
Creative Storage Solutions
Make the most of your space by choosing storage that looks as good as it functions. Once decluttered, bring personality and purpose to your newly pared-down space with these creative home organization ideas:
Floating Shelves
Mount sturdy floating shelves on blank walls to display your prized possessions with panache. Stagger floating shelves at alternating heights along a wall in the living room to exhibit framed family photos, art prints, and potted succulents.
Or, install floating shelves in the kitchen to hold gleaming glass canisters filled with pasta, rice, and other dry goods. You can also choose floating shelves with metal brackets strong enough to support the weight of books in a home office or bedroom.
Stylish Baskets and Bins
Replace boring plastic tubs with aesthetically pleasing baskets and bins that blend form and function. Pick lidded wicker bins in bright colors like aqua and lime green for the playroom to corral Legos, board games, and craft supplies. Include a woven jute clothes hamper for the laundry room, and store extra blankets and quilts in large seagrass baskets with woven leather handles in the linen closet. Choosing baskets and bins in natural fibers like rattan, bamboo, jute, and cotton will help create a more natural and organic feel.
Multi-Functional Furniture
Take advantage of furniture that multitasks as more storage space. Bench seating in the mudroom with flip-up padded lids can store mittens, hats, and scarves. A coffee table with drawers is great for organizing remotes. An entryway console that hides a rack for stowing sports equipment and shoe boxes is a great option, as is a seating nook with a storage ottoman that opens to hold board games. “A deep upholstered or wooden ottoman in the center of the lounge serves as a footrest, coffee table, and quick storage for books and toys,” says interior designer Deirdre O’Connell.
Look for cabinets and dressers with built-in cubbies for displaying décor while concealing less attractive items. Search for pieces with concealed storage, like a trunk disguised as an end table or a nightstand with secret compartments. Choosing multi-functional furniture is a smart way to achieve both storage and style while saving floor space.
Clever Storage For Small Items
Don’t overlook organizing solutions for smaller items that can easily clutter counters and drawers. Stow cotton swabs, makeup pads, and hair ties in the bathroom in cute ceramic or glass canisters. For the cabinets, use stacking drawers or a lazy Susan for items like hairspray, brushes, and makeup.
In the kitchen, keep baking essentials together in labeled glass jars. Try a spinning spice rack inside a cabinet door to neatly organize seasoning bottles. Store pantry staples like pasta, rice, and beans in clear containers so you can easily see what’s on hand.
In-home offices, start by sorting pens, paper clips, and more in desktop organizing trays with multiple compartments. Label the compartments for quick supply retrieval. Or store art, crafts, and office supplies in a sleek wood rolling cart. A little organization for small items goes a long way, especially if your are limited on storage as it is.
Storage For Your Style
The way you store your belongings expresses your unique personality. Tailor organizing solutions to flatter your home’s design while reflecting your passions and pastimes. Create a custom storage strategy that suits your lifestyle and showcases your most cherished possessions.
Tailoring Storage to Your Lifestyle
Tailor your storage choices to your needs, tastes, and lifestyle. A crafter may prioritize containers that store art supplies, while a shoe lover needs quality solutions to neatly store and display a vast collection.
Think through how your family uses each space, then implement purposeful storage to accommodate your unique activities and hobbies. Add personalized touches like monogrammed bins, patterned jars, and labeled drawer organizers.
Displaying Cherished Items
While some possessions should be stashed away, many beloved items deserve visibility in your thoughtfully curated home. “Whether that’s books, artwork, a beautiful vase, or sculpture you’ve found — creating large, open joinery and shelving gives space to display these treasured items,” says expert Camilla Clarke. “Rather than being hidden away, the pieces can be enjoyed every day.” Group treasured collections like antiques, heirlooms, or travel souvenirs in a designated wall display or cabinet. Limiting these special objects to one area prevents clutter throughout your home.
Accent furniture like coffee tables and side tables can also showcase prized items under glass tops or on lower shelves. Rotate objects as desired to refresh your look.
Using Open Shelving and Display Cabinets
Glass-front cabinets, hutches, and shelving units work beautifully in the dining room to showcase favorite dishware, ornaments, and books in an organized fashion. However, “open shelving won’t look beautifully curated if it’s filled with clutter,” says expert Gemma Tucker. “So, make way for concealed storage alongside, such as drawers and cupboards.” Try closed cabinets for portions needing dust protection and open shelves to admire lovely items in regular use.
Install shelving above kitchen cabinets to display vibrant mugs. Or mount shelves on the wall behind a sofa to show off decorative objects. Use risers, stands, and dividers to neatly arrange items.
Artful Organization
With a bit of creativity, storage spaces can become beautiful features that enhance your décor as much as the items themselves. Here are tips for combining storage with artistry:
Incorporating Art and Aesthetics
Look for storage pieces like dressers, cabinets, and trunks that have interesting architectural detailing, woodwork, finishes, and hardware that contribute to their visual appeal. Paint or stencil your artistic designs to personalize mass-produced storage furniture and accessories.
Use bold wallpaper or paint inside cupboards to showcase your fun style when the doors are opened. Attach fabric lining to shelves or drawer interiors for a posh, finished look.
Turning Storage Units into Design Elements
Rather than hiding storage furniture in the corner, make it central to your room’s layout. With the addition of nearby bookcases and stylish quilted storage ottomans, these items become a functional part of your home’s design.
“Don’t be afraid to use unusual furniture pieces: a bookshelf doesn’t have to be a bookshelf; you can stack books on a bar cart, the fireplace mantel, or a windowsill,” says expert Camilla Clarke. Dressers can become bathroom vanities, vintage luggage can turn into a side table, or a ladder can transform into a shelving unit. Add legs and drawers to give nightstands and side tables extra storage space with charm.
DIY Decorative Storage Projects
If you want storage solutions that are perfectly customized to your space, consider do-it-yourself projects. Get creative with these ideas:
- Refurbish and paint an old dresser or cabinet found at a thrift store or yard sale to match your room. Distress surfaces or add hardware for extra flair.
- Use reclaimed wood, pipes, ladders, or other materials to construct rustic shelves. Personalize the design to fit the space perfectly.
- Transform crates, trunks, or baskets into stylish storage chests. Line them with fabric or wallpaper and attach legs or casters for mobility.
- Macramé, weave or wrap rope around jars or bottles to make textured, bohemian-style containers for pens and supplies.
Transforming Clutter into Creativity
With a strategic combination of decorative storage furniture, accessories, and organizational methods, you can banish clutter and stay organized while enhancing your entire room. Tailor solutions to your needs and style to create a beautiful, functional oasis. Remember, an organized space provides comfort, reduces stress, and makes life easier. Transform those unsightly piles into a serene, functional, and gorgeous space you’ll be eager to show off!
Decorative Storage Solutions with Kaiyo
At Kaiyo, we’re passionate about helping you create a home filled with purposeful style. Our wide selection of pre-loved furniture and décor can turn any room into a reflection of your unique taste.
Whether you need more shelves, stylish baskets, or multi-functional storage furniture, there are quality secondhand pieces at Kaiyo for every budget. Find vintage charm or modern minimalism from trusted brands delivered right to your door.
By buying and selling used furniture from Kaiyo, you keep items circulating in homes that need them. Together, we can reduce waste and carbon emissions from furniture manufacturing. We have already saved over 5 million pounds of furniture from the lanfills to date.
Visit Kaiyo today to reveal the potential of pre-owned furniture. Declutter sustainably and create storage solutions that suit your lifestyle. We can’t wait to help you love how you live!
