Designer 411: Spring Cleaning
Enjoy a more organized home with our designer tips and tricks.
Design: Fitzsimmons Architects, Clean Design Partners, Garrison Hullinger Interior Design
Is your house feeling a bit cluttered after the long winter? Don't worry, Clean Design Partners is here to give you some advice on keeping your house clutter-free. Keep reading to see how to prepare your home for the long summer days to come.
Design: Clean Design Partners
1. What are the top 3 musts for any mudroom?
Hooks, cubbies, and a bench are the three absolute must-haves for a mudroom. It's not enough to have just one of these things. Hooks are perfect for storing jackets, sweaters, scarves, and even hats. Cubbies are necessary for housing shoes and other small items like gloves, sunscreen, and sunglasses; it's important to have these things easily accessible as you run out the door. The bench allows you to sit down while you put on or take off your shoes and boots.
It also provides guests a spot to place their own belongings when they visit instead of having to gather them in a corner on the floor.
2. If there isn't a mudroom, what's the next best solution to keep the mess at bay?
A wall of hooks with bins on the floor beneath them is the next best thing to a proper mudroom. With just hooks and some storage for shoes, hats, gloves or whatever seasonal items are accumulating in your entry, you can contain most of the clutter.
3. Apartment living can be difficult when dealing with a space with no closets. What are some clever alternatives for clothing and shoe storage?
Design: Fitzsimmons Architects
In small spaces it's important that everything you own does double duty. For example, don't just have a bench to sit on, have a bench with a hinged lid for some additional closed storage. Wall space is also often under-utilized. Think about creating a funky installation of floating cubes or other fun shapes on a large wall to serve as bookshelves or cubbies for storing either decorative or functional items. It will seem more like an art installation than a desperate plea for more closet space.
Design: Clean Design Partners
4. What small upgrades can be made in a laundry room to keep laundry from feeling like such a chore?
Counters! If you are constantly bending down to pick clothing out of baskets that are sitting on the floor, doing laundry can literally be back-breaking work. A counter top across the top of your machines will do wonders to make you feel like you've had a major overhaul to your laundry room.
Want to see more designer tips? Check out additional designer spotlight stories here.
