How to Build Organization Directly into Your Home

Is organization, or the lack thereof, a daily struggle for your family? If so, you’re not alone. Whether it’s the kids’ dirty clothes everywhere, the random items on your kitchen counter, or the daily search for your wallet (and sanity), getting and staying organized is hard for SO many of us. 

Good news — it’s not your fault! Unless you moved into a new or renovated home that was specifically designed for how you live your life, your home is unlikely to be equipped with organization systems that work well for your unique family. Labeled bins and baskets can only get you so far.
The secret to organization that lasts? Building personalized organization solutions into the home itself. Here’s how…

Organization Tailored to Your Lifestyle

Are you an avid baker? Let’s create specialized cabinets where you can easily store your small appliances, sheet pans, and muffin tins galore. Do your kids have a mountain of board games and puzzles? Let’s create built-ins in the family room for keeping them out of sight but within reach. You get the idea.

Your home should be inspired by the way you use it, which is why our home renovation design process is uniquely crafted to discover these important details and bring them to life for you. The result is an entire home that has exactly what you need, when you need it, right at your fingertips. That’s how we created an organized home for effortless daily living.

Now, come take a look at my favorite organization solutions, by room…

Kitchen

Specialty Cabinet Features: No one wants to reach blindly into the back of a base cabinet for that salad bowl they can’t find. And thanks to cabinets equipped with deep, pull-out drawers, you won’t have to. Other specialty cabinet ideas include: pull-out spice racks, dividers for baking sheets above the fridge, dish organizers, utensil bins, and more.

Drawers with knife blocks: No more bulky, unsightly and awkwardly shaped knife block cluttering the countertop! Keep your knives stowed neatly in a customized drawer. 

Drawers with electrical outlets: Once you have a kitchen drawer with a hidden outlet inside for storing and charging your devices, you’ll wonder how you ever got by without one. Not only can you always keep your devices at 100%, but you’ll always know where to find them. And you don’t have to look at them.

Bathrooms

Cabinets with deep drawers: Increase cabinet functionality with deep drawers (for those extra tall shampoo bottles), pull out inserts for smaller items, and a double vanity for keeping couples’ items separate and clutter off the counter.
Towel storage: Towels can pile up where they don’t belong, before and after laundry day. Keep them easily accessible but out of sight with cabinet or closet space designed just for them.

Living & Family Rooms

Built-ins: It’s no secret that built-in cabinetry and window seats are an organization fav. Not only do they add gorgeous character to a space, but they provide tons of storage for electronics, family games, toys, seasonal decor, extra pillow covers, or whatever else you might need to tuck away.

Plant positioning: Are you a plant person? If you’re fortunate to have a window that gets great light, we can incorporate a place to put your plants that looks intentional and part of your design.

Dining Room

Seating with storage: A dining room is a place where finding adequate storage is often a challenge. A great solution is to add a window seat or a built-in bench with hidden storage, perfect for table linens and decor.
Furniture with storage: When furnishing your dining room, it makes sense to choose pieces that not only look beautiful, but have plenty of space for storing dishes and servingware. Bookcases with doors, sideboards, credenza, and buffets are great options. P.S. Multifunctional furniture is a great idea for any room.

Storage Closets

Plan Locations Carefully: Ideal places for closets can include bedrooms, a butler’s pantry, a cleaning supply closet, a mudroom closet for coats, and an entryway closet for guests. You’d be amazed by how many newer homes don’t have closets in the entryway anymore! 

Laundry Room & Mudroom

Sorting, drying and ironing space: I’m not sure doing loads of laundry is anyone’s jam, but when your laundry room has everything you need in the exact right place, the chore becomes less of a burden. Plan ahead for each step of the task by including a countertop for sorting and folding clothes, a hanging space, and a built-in ironing board or steamer.

Cleaning supplies storage: Plan ahead for a space to store laundry baskets between loads, and carefully consider your preferences when deciding how to organize your soap and cleaning supplies. Do you like open shelves where you can see everything easily, or a cabinet where you can close the doors for a neat appearance?

Consideration for pets: Just like kids, our pets accumulate a lot of stuff. Decide where you will store everyday items, like treats, toys, and leashes, and pet carriers. The mudroom is a smart place for these, as it’s usually connected to the outdoors. You could also add a built-in kennel to this space (or under the stairs) to avoid the eyesore of a plastic kennel in a beautiful room.
Create an information center: If your family is constantly busy, create an information center in your home: a place to hang the family calendar, store the kids’ homework or school documents, and drop incoming mail. Your mudroom is often a great space to set up this info center, since it’s right by the back door where you’ll see it everyday. 

Garage

Creative gear storage: The garage can become just as messy, if not moreso, than the inside of your home. A designer will help you come up with creative solutions to store all of your items, from tools and lawn and snow equipment, to sports, outdoor, and planting gear. Tip: Vertical space is your friend.

Extra fridge or freezer: If you have a busy family, or even if you just like to meal prep in advance, an additional fridge or freezer in the garage is a must. It can be incorporated into the entire organization system of your garage so that the space is used efficiently.

Home Office

Desk with storage: If you work from home, you’ll want a specialized desk with space for office supplies, your printer (if you want to hide it), and a filing cabinet to keep your important documents stored safely. 

Bookcase for valuables: Sometimes, the shelves or cabinets in the living areas of the home are too frequently used to store fragile or heirloom items. A bookcase with doors and drawers in your home office is the perfect place to keep them, along with books, photo albums, and other valued items.
Built-ins: If your home office doubles as a guest room, built-in cabinets are the perfect place to keep spare linens and pillows so they’re at your fingertips when you have overnight guests.

Your Home Should Be Personal

If you’re considering a renovation that makes daily life easier, more enjoyable, and more meaningful, I’d love to help. Reach out to me here, and let’s chat about your goals.