The flowers and blossoming and the bees are buzzing and while it’s not quite bikini weather just yet, the new season has got us with a spring in our step (pardon the pun), and it’s impossible to ignore that fresh sensation that the warmer weather always brings.
It’s a welcome feeling in a year when the days and weeks have been blurring together. You’ve probably been thinking a lot lately about how well (or not) your home serves you. Consider these last few months the final stretch towards giving yourself the room you need to comfortably work, grow, and play at home. Ride the Spring time high like a new box of school supplies and give yourself the confidence to do some decluttering, cleaning, and organising.
I know that motivation isn’t enough, though—you also need some secret tricks and a few life hacks. Every home is different, but these are the problem areas that seem to come up for everyone:
???? “I don’t have enough room for all my clothes!”
Instead of looking for things to eliminate from your wardrobe, start by choosing which clothes to keep: Take everything out of your closet, then fill it back up with the things you love most until all your available storage is full. Then, you know you have to eliminate the rest. You can usually squeeze in a few more things by using slimmer hangers. And store off-season clothes in under-bed boxes— ones that can roll under your bed, because wheels, with vacuum storage bags for bulky winter clothes.
???? “My bathroom is seriously lacking in storage.”
In a small bathroom, you have to get creative. An over-the-door organiser is a classic that works in so many different spaces, and a slim rolling cart can squeeze between the toilet and the vanity or tub to give you some room for products and styling tools. If you crave something a little more permanent, you can’t go wrong with wall-mounted shelves; I’ve got a few narrow ones around my bathroom for toiletries, but I’ve also seen some people mount a shelf above their door frame, or between the mirror and the sink to eke out extra storage for towels and products.
???? “My kitchen cabinets are overflowing.”
The kitchen is prime real estate, so your once-in-a-while stuff—like a turkey roasting pan or stand mixer—can absolutely be stored in another room to give you space to cook in the kitchen day to day. (I keep both on a shelf in the laundry room.) Then get smart about maximising your cabinets: A turntable gives you better access to deep storage, while shelf risers and file sorters allow you to store things vertically. And I promise you’ll never regret investing in a stackable unit to organise your water bottles in — it’s one of life’s little luxuries.
But remember: All these tips are great and I love to watch The Home Edit as much as the next person. But celebrities are not just like us, and your pantry does not have to look like Busy Philipps’ pantry, but a few small changes can make a big impact on how you feel in your space each day. That’s the good stuff.
