Organization For The Whole Family
Getting organized can be overwhelming. Especially when that involves an entire family and all of their belongings. Where and how do you store all of the everyday items like clothing, sports gear, toys, backpacks and more? And how do you even get started? The answer is simple. You have to start with a direction in mind, which means you need a clear set of defined goals. Which areas of your home are the most troublesome? Which have the most need for organization and which will have the most impact on your daily life, once they are more functional? Giving this topic proper thought will allow you to prioritize and make a plan of action. Here is just one of the latest success stories from one of our clients who did just that.
Elizabeth and her family had a number of space, function and organization challenges. After considering the needs of their family, they developed a plan of attack for the number of projects they knew were necessary to make their daily lives more comfortable and less chaotic.
The Mudroom/Laundry Room
With two young children, Elizabeth and her husband were coming into their mudroom several times a day with tons of gear including car seats, bags, coats and shoes. There simply was not a functional place to keep items when coming and going. And trying to get out of the home on time was a challenge, and often time-consuming, adventure. For this reason, Elizabeth and her husband decided to focus on the mudroom initially. After realizing that they needed help figuring out how to streamline the space, Elizabeth contacted The Closet Works where they were introduced to our Designer, Barry.
During their home consultation, Barry had asked about their vision for the mudroom, what they were planning to store and how they prefer specific items to be organized. Currently, the area was open and was simply not usable as it only consisted of one sliding door with a single bar, no shelves and was also home to their washer and dryer. He suggested that they strip out the closet, remove the doors and utilize the unused areas in the room. In the end, Barry’s innovative design had two large cabinets with doors for the kids to store their belongings with quick and easy access and also allowed Elizabeth to store and sort laundry items into bins. As a bonus, there was additional shelving with baskets around the corner where overflow kitchen items could be stored.
“Being so short on time in the morning, it’s so great to find what we need and get out the door.”
Children’s Closets
The next project that Elizabeth and her husband decided to focus on was their children’s closets. Their goal was to utilize the space better and have adjustability to grow with their kid’s needs. Once again, Barry met with the family and asked the important questions. What kind of clothes do they have? Did they need more hanging or shelves for folded clothing? Does their daughter need shelves for folded sportswear now but potentially more dresses and blouses as she grows older? With this in mind, Barry allocated for more hanging but kept the sections adjustable in the event that more shelves were needed later for folding space or baskets to store toys. For Elizabeth’s son’s closet, efficiencies in the design allowed for half of the closet to be utilized for general storage of boxes of photos, toys, gifts and travel items.
“It helped my children become more independent as they get older. My son knows which drawer is for shorts and socks – it helped teach my kids life skills.”
Master Bedroom Closet
Finally, it was time for Elizabeth and her husband to focus on their bedroom closet which they had spoken about doing for years. She needed a lot of shelving for folded clothes and plenty of space for all her shoes, which were piling up on the floor. There was an odd area in the back west corner of the room that was never properly utilized. They wanted to finally find a way utilize that real estate in their home. This took a little longer to envision and they had to talk through what was important to them.
“It was life changing, I just can fit so much more and can actually access it. Organized and accessible and cost effective”.
In the end, the family put a focus on performance, not frivolous design features. This resulted in projects that were cost effective and they achieved the goals they set for their family at the outset. They were able to allocate their budget effectively to get the most important features to suit their needs. A simple detail like selecting neutral colors and finishes to coordinate with changing colors and room styles makes these projects worth the investment. High quality materials and workmanship stand the test of time and give them the return on investment they were looking for.
“All of the materials have held up so well especially with young children.”
If you need help getting organized, the good news is that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Realize that you are not alone. There are professionals who are here to help guide you step-by-step. And with a little assistance, you could be another one of our success stories! Contact us today for a risk free, no obligation in home design consultation.
