Interior Design Tips: Ideas for Getting Your Home Organized!

A clutter-free, well-organized home is a dream most people share. If only there was a neat and tidy way to store kitchenware, bathroom supplies, and all those photographs! As a residential architect and interior designer, I can tell you most of our clients here at Morgante Wilson want the same thing when it comes to storage: plenty of closet space, and dedicated places to store, hide, or access the everyday accumulations of life. I can also tell you working with an interior design professional can help you realize that dream.

How? By helping you take stock of your lifestyle to figure out what’s important to you. A design pro will help you assess which items you need to store, and how accessible and visible you want them to be. That process alone will go a long way to helping you get organized. The rest comes down to practical, workable, clever storage solutions.

I’ll use myself as an example. When Fred and I designed our family home, I thought long and hard about our kitchen. I hate clutter, but we entertain often, so we needed to come up with storage solutions that would keep our countertops free of stuff, but also give us easy access to things like pitchers and platters. Should we have open cabinets, or would we be better off with a big pantry? I asked myself the same questions we ask our clients, and I realized I much prefer an open pantry. I need to see what I have or I forget about it – but I don’t want it staring me in the face all the time.

Likewise, I wanted island seating without stools sitting out. So we designed an integrated banquette that pulls out from the island when we need it, and slides right back in and disappears when we don’t. Professionals like those on our team at MWA are more likely to come up with solutions such as this than your average homeowner.

The ability to conceive hidden storage is a definite benefit of working with a professional. To a pro, a wall can offer many different storage possibilities, including things like built-in bookcases and window seats that lift to reveal ideal hiding places. Panel molding on a dining room wall can incorporate a touch-latch door that stores a fully-decorated Christmas tree. It can also be used in a kitchen to create a handy broom closet. Or a powder room, to stow medicines and extra rolls of toilet paper.

Storage ideas such as these require knowledge of building and construction, along with design: how thick does a wall need to be to accommodate shelving behind a touch-latch door? When in the construction process should the cavity for those shelves be created? How much clearance is required between hidden storage and window or door frames? A design pro will know the answers – and help make your dreams of a well-organized home a satisfying reality.

We’ve got plenty more ideas to share. Take a look at our website to see just some of the beautiful storage we’ve designed. Or give us a call to discuss your own project. We’d love to hear from you.