After you’ve donated to Goodwill the carload of toys and clothes your family has outgrown, how can you ensure that the rest of your stuff doesn’t end up in the “Where do I put that?” drawer?
Kellie Clements, Edmond interior designer and former contestant on HGTV’s Design Star, provides stylish and creative organizational solutions that put the “fun” in functional.
Family pictures multiplying faster than your dust bunnies? Clements recommended magnetic paint. No messy holes in the wall or dealing with pushpins or corkboards.
And, heck, it’s cool. Toys, athletic equipment and gaming devices wrecking the rec room?
“I love using storage ottomans in almost every room,” said Clements.
They’re inexpensive, come in an array of colors and patterns, and can be tucked under the console table.
neat and stylish, but with an ice cream scoop handy, kids can serve their own breakfast.
If
you’d rather repurpose something instead of shopping at a chain store
for containers, consider checking out gift boutiques, local furniture
stores and antique stores.
A great credenza, desk with drawers or extra bureau in the closet can do wonders for magical Mary Poppins-style thinking.
On
a recent trip to Broadway Antique Mall, 114 S. Broadway in Edmond, I
saw several new vendors with rustic containers, such as old milk crates
and small, metal shelves with painted glass — the latter of which kept
my makeup from cluttering the vanity.
If
after-school clutter has you down, consider an entry bench with baskets
underneath for kids to put their belongings, and hooks above to hang
their backpacks and coats.
If
sustainability is important for your springcleaning mission, one can
find recycled, eco-friendly and natural products locally at Forward
Foods, 123 E. Main in Norman, and Whole Foods, 6001 N. Western.
Or,
if you’re worried about toxins or would like to save money, make your
own. Whole Foods’ Whole Story blog tells visitors how to make DIY
cleaning products with ingredients consumers likely already have at
home, like lemons, salt, vinegar and baking soda.
Pantry a mess? Instead of setting goods on shelves, consider using baskets and jars to organize the contents. Not only does it save space, but everyone in the family will know how much is left of an item.
Clements likes to buy large Mason jars, store cereal in them and toss the box. Not only does it look
