Back-to-school activities hail the end of summer and a flurry of back-to-school activity. Whether your children are returning to grade school, or college, getting kids ready to return to school can wreak havoc on a household and highlight its shortcomings. Not surprisingly, one of the most common complaints we hear at this time of year relates to storage–specifically, storage to help reduce clutter.
Fortunately, there are numerous solutions available for homeowners to help better organize the home and calm the chaos. In this article, we review our Top 5 Home Organization Features. We have provided project photos to help illustrate each. If you have a question about any of these projects, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at: (513) 851-2700.
1. Work Stations
Whether you want to keep your kids organized, or simply have enough space to spread out when paying bills, consider creating work areas with ample space to spread out materials. Extra large kitchen islands are ideal for this purpose. With planning they can be equipped with strategic storage options beneath to keep books and papers handy, but also be stored out of sight to keep those spaces tidy.
2. Drop Zones
Creating a designated drop zone by a commonly used entry to your home can dramatically reduce clutter throughout the rest of the home. These areas can take the form of a table with built-in shelves, or a full blown mudroom, depending on your space and budget. The key to the effectiveness of this space in terms of reducing clutter is its positioning. Drop zones should be located immediately adjacent to the most popular entry to your home.
3. Charging Drawers and Hidden Receptacles
Handheld electronic devices like mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and gaming devices all play a major role in creating clutter around the home. We have developed many innovative ways for our clients to reduce clutter on counters related to these devices by placing electric receptacles inside cabinetry drawers. This gives our clients the ability to tuck all of those devices away and off counters to maintain clean, uncluttered work spaces.
4. Window Seats and Banquettes
Window seats and banquettes are not only comfy seating areas to do homework, they also do double-duty as storage spaces. Whether the storage is accessed via a hinged top, or a drawer underneath, these areas provide clever options for storing books and papers out of sight. Typically located by windows, they also offer the added advantage of natural light during daylight hours. Lighting for these spaces can easily be supplemented with recessed or task lighting to make them just as functional during the evening.
5. Home Offices
If you don’t already have a home office, consider adding one for the ultimate retreat for studying, or catching-up on household finances. Not only can a home office provide a distraction free environment for work or study, it can also be a boon for storage space. Whether you need a place for books, binders, backpacks, or bills, a home office can be equipped with attractive and functional storage features to remedy the counter clutter scattered around your home.
