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Organization Mistakes You’re Probably Making

Having an organized home creates a sense of peace and may even improve your mental health. That’s because when things are tidy, we feel less stressed and anxious, sleep better, and are able to better focus on other areas of our lives. Yet as beneficial as organization is, it’s also sometimes challenging, especially if you haven’t developed a routine.  Here are some common organization mistakes you’re probably making (and how to fix them).

Creating Stacks

Stacks look better than piles, right? Well, not much. If you’re in the habit of creating stacks of items around your home, you’re contributing to it looking cluttered instead of organized. It’s easy to create stacks of mail on the counter, stacks of papers on your desk, or stacks of laundry on the table, but that doesn’t really get rid of the clutter or help your home feel more organized.

Instead, set aside time every day to file your papers and put laundry away. That way, the stacks don’t become overwhelming. And consider storage options that make staying organized easier. Try adding cabinets and folding areas to your laundry room, installing a new shelf, or adding custom storage to your closet to hold the items that are currently stacked around your home.

Inconvenient Storage

When we choose storage areas that are inconvenient for us, we’re less likely to use them. For example, if you keep all your cleaning supplies in one downstairs closet, it’s less likely you’ll want to do all the extra walking to return them to their place. This results in cleaning supplies left strewn around your home. Some people also inadvertently create disorganization by trying to keep everything out of sight. Haphazardly packing your cabinets and closets makes it difficult to see what you have, so items may be forgotten and repurchased.

Instead, think about convenience when it comes to storage. In the case of cleaning supplies, store needed appliances and cleaning supplies near where they will be used. For example, keep bathroom cleaner in the bathroom. And instead of shoving everything into closets and cabinets, keep frequently used items like coffee makers on the counter and consider open storage for things like coffee mugs and frequently used dishes. Save your cabinet space for items like food storage containers and infrequently used specialty appliances.

Keeping Too Much

Many of us are guilty of keeping too much. Maybe it’s a junk drawer in the kitchen filled with random parts to things you’ve long-since forgotten. Perhaps it’s a rack of outdated or too-small clothes you’re hoping to wear again one day. Or maybe you have boxes of items you thought you would use but never really have. Whatever the case, it’s not uncommon to have unused items taking up space in our homes.

A good rule of thumb to follow is getting rid of anything you haven’t used at least once a year. So keep things like Christmas decorations, but consider letting go of those pairs of jeans you haven’t worn since 2010. It’s fine to keep sentimental items, but in general, aim to sell, donate, or throw away anything that has outlived its usefulness. Decluttering your home immediately helps it look more organized and gives you more space for the things you do use.

Not Enough Storage

Finally, not having enough storage is a big mistake many people make. It’s hard to keep even a modest number of possessions organized if you lack cabinet space, have only single-rod closets, and don’t have adequate shelving. Unfortunately, not having enough storage space forces you either to go with a very minimalist aesthetic or deal with cluttered surfaces.

Instead, invest in custom storage. That way, you have space for everything you need. And because custom cabinets are built to fit your home, there’s no wasted space that could otherwise be functional. If you’ve been living with stacks of items all over your home, it’s time to get organized. Contact us today to see how custom storage can help.

 

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How To Makeover A Tiny Closet

How To Makeover A Tiny Closet

While it’d be a dream come true for every closet to be a massive walk-in, some are just tiny. But, you can still makeover a tiny closet to gain more space.

Sometimes, simply reorganizing and adding a few shelves or cabinets is all it takes to go from cluttered to neat and useful.

Instead of lamenting the small space, turn it into something you love. Some customization and organization make all the difference.

Transform Into A Pantry

A closet doesn’t always have to be for clothes. If you want to makeover a tiny closet that you’re not really using, transform it into a pantry. Everyone could always use a little more storage for food and other dry goods, such as paper plates and napkins.

No matter how tiny the closet is, there is always space to add shelves. You can even add smaller cabinets to keep anything from falling out when you open the closet door. Plus, this makes it easier to turn the inside of the door into storage for brooms and mops.

Adding small custom shelving or racks to the door also allows you to store spices, seasonings and other small items. Pull-out shelving makes everything easy to reach.

Create A Tiny Bar

No room for a bar in your kitchen? Makeover a tiny closet into a makeshift bar. While you won’t have any place to really sit, you will have a convenient place to make drinks. Plus, you can simply close and even lock the door if you want to keep kids and teens out of it.

Use custom cabinets to add spaces for bottles. Add a few shelves for storing glasses or you can even use sectioned drawers to store the glassware.

Ensure you have a counter area above any drawers or small lower cabinets. This gives you a place to mix drinks. You can keep any supplies in drawers or cabinets below the counter.

Make A Hidden Laundry Room

A tiny closet actually works well for a small laundry room. If you’re lucky enough to have enough space, you can place your washer and dryer side by side. Use the space above for a small rack to hang clothing. Add a fold out board to the door for ironing, folding and pre-treating.

Or, if you have a stackable set, use the extra space to the side to add a small rack for air drying clothing and a counter for ironing, folding and pre-treating stains.

Build A Home Office

While no one might call your home office glamorous when it’s in a closet, it’ll still be your own personal space. Makeover a tiny closet by creating a set of base cabinets with a space for your legs. This creates your desk. Then, add some shelving above the desk for storing extra supplies, books and equipment. Add a light and you’re ready to hide away and get some serious work done.

HGTV has some great home office closet ideas. Plus, they list a few other ideas, such as examples of laundry rooms and bars.

Make The Most Of Your Vertical Space

If you want to makeover a tiny closet to store more clothing and shoes, try to make the most of your vertical space. Often, closets just have one or two racks for hanging clothing. This doesn’t help much with organization. Consider adding custom floor to ceiling shelving for storing shoes and delicate items that need to be folded. In a kids’ closet, you can even add drawers in the bottom of the closet just for shoes and toys.

Another option is to place another rack or even custom cabinets or shelving in the back of your closet and keep your racks on the sides of the closet. This creates a better walk in space and gives you extra storage in the back.

Ready to makeover a tiny closet in your home? Contact Edgewood Cabinetry today to discuss how to go from tiny to amazing.

Image: Jordi pujadas

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7 Tips For Amazing Closet Cabinets

7 Tips For Amazing Closet Cabinets

Whether you have a small closet or a large walk-in, amazing closet cabinets help you completely reorganize the space the way you want.

By making the most of all available space, you’ll be able to find clothes, coats, shoes, accessories and anything else you need to look great for the day.

Take some time to envision your dream closet and then use cabinets to make it happen. With the right organization, all the clutter finally becomes manageable.

1. Use All Available Vertical Space

Vertical space is your best friend when it comes to amazing closet cabinets. Even if you have a smaller closet, floor to ceiling cabinets give you extra space to store everything neatly. Often, you even have free space above your clothing rack. Add a small cabinet or shelves above that to give you space to slide in shoes, purses or small boxes of keepsakes.

You can even use your corners with small corner cabinets to store smaller items, like shoes or wallets. You could even add small drawers to store jewelry, cuff links or other tiny items.

2. Have A Shoe Caddy

Typically, your stores are stored in the floor. Or, you might have them in boxes sitting underneath your clothes. This leaves you crawling around the floor to find what you need. Instead, add a shoe caddy to your closet. Create special cabinets designed to fit your shoes.

There are a variety of ways to add your own shoe caddy. These work great as a tall vertical cabinet or a small cabinet under an upper clothing rack. Some even add caddies to the outer edge of other closet cabinets to make it easier to reach the shoes.

3. Add A Pull Out Hamper

How often do dirty clothes get tossed here and there? Instead of letting your dirty laundry make a mess out of your nicely organized closet, add a pull out hamper. It can look like a normal cabinet, but pull out for you to dump your laundry. Have a lift-out basket to make it easy to take the clothes to the laundry room.

If you’re really tight on space, add a small hamper bag on the back of your closet door. This allows you to use your cabinets for other things.

4. Design Based On What You’re Storing

The single most important tip for getting amazing closet cabinets is to design them based on what you’re storing. If you have delicate sweaters that need to fold up, ensure you have ample drawers for them. If you need more space for shoes and purses, design around that.

Think about what’s most important to you and use that as starting point to designing better cabinets for your closet. This helps you create the best organization for your walk-in closet.

5. Use Drawers For Smaller Items

Often, closet cabinets only have shelves, caddies and standard cabinets. However, drawers are a great addition to your closet. You could even add smaller shoes, such as kids shoes or flats, in a drawer so they don’t get lost. Thinner shirts, such as camis, fit well in drawers without taking up space on your racks. Plus, a drawer makes it easier to get to what you need without digging through a cabinet.

Drawers also work well to store jewelry, wallets and other accessories. If you have a larger closet, consider designing a chest of drawers that fits inside your closet. This helps open up your bedroom more while better organizing your closet.

6. Use Pull Out Racks

If you’re worried about not being able to reach things on shelves or inside your cabinets, use pull out racks. Have a thin space between cabinets? Add a pull out scarf or belt rack. You can even have a rack that pulls out specifically for you to design the next day’s outfit, keeping it safe inside the closet until you’re ready to wear it.

7. Go Custom

Instead of going with one-size fits all closet systems, custom closet cabinets let you design your entire closet based around your needs. Pre-made systems never fit the way they should. Plus, you’re left with their organization strategy versus what you actually want and need.

Ready to transform your closet? Contact us today to discuss your closet cabinet needs today.

Image: bumiputra

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Think Outside The Kitchen

You already know that quality shows. Custom crafted furnishings are original pieces of art. Designed to fit perfectly in the intended space, and constructed from superior materials.

There simply is no comparison between custom kitchen cabinetry and the pre-fab version.

Why stop with the kitchen? There are opportunities for creative uses for cabinets in almost any room in your home.

Imagine a platform bed, or even bunks and artwork fashioned from base cabinets. Create a high-end built-in look with ample storage in a child’s room that will withstand the test of time.

Window seats are trending these days. Cabinetry forms the perfect resting place for cushions and pillows. Now you have extra seating in a dining or family room, and a place to curl up with a good book. Make your living space the envy of the neighborhood by flanking a fireplace with glass fronted cabinets to artwork and photographs, or give your laundry room a polished look

Bathrooms are getting larger, but too often they are lacking a separate water closet. A column of upper and lower cabinets will afford both privacy and additional storage.

What could be better than a walk-in closet? A closet fitted with beautiful millwork, storage cabinets and an island. Add a chandelier and a small bench for a designer look.

Before you go shopping at a “big-box” store for a desk, bench or headboard, contact us.

We will take your ideas and craft beautiful furniture to elevate the look and feel of your home. At Edgewood Cabinetry, we are so much more than kitchens.

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