As summer winds down here in Nova Scotia, it’s the best time to plan for fall home organization projects you want to accomplish before the end of the year. Four months seems like a long way off, but it’s amazing how one week rolls into the next. Before you know it, your busy life will have thwarted your efforts to start and finish your important projects.
The arrival of fall offers us a chance to reflect on the year so far and set goals for the remaining months. Organizing or renovating your home can be part of a broader strategy to create a more relaxing and inviting space and reduce stress and overwhelm. Imagine how much more relaxing your life will be! Here are three home projects you can tackle right now.
Decluttering and the Seasonal Switch Out
The end of the summer is the perfect time to declutter your entryways/mudrooms, garages, and kitchens. While it’s fresh in your mind, let go of any summer items you didn’t use this year because if you didn’t use them this year, you probably never will. For example, you packed away all the beach toys and forgot about them because your kids have outgrown them. Or when your kids were younger, you went camping during the summers and hung on to all those supplies “just in case” anyone wanted to go camping again. Search your home for anything you could donate or give away, and just do it!
Soon, you can pack away summer gear (patio furniture, beach towels, seasonal clothing, etc.) to make room for fall essentials like sweaters, boots, and blankets. Let go of excess summer and fall items to make this process much easier and less time-consuming.
Maximize Storage Space
One of my favourite client projects is creating, designing and implementing storage solutions. In fact, new cabinetry can revolutionize the storage solutions in your mudroom, laundry room, or kitchen. (Check out my before-and-after pictures to see some amazing transformations.) If it’s done right, everything has a home and is easily accessible. Consider focusing on shared family spaces so everyone can benefit from improved storage and organization.
However, you don’t necessarily need to renovate completely. In fact, simply changing the function of one closet can make a big difference. Depending on the space’s intended function, removing the hanging rod and installing some shelves will provide the extra storage you need. Alternatively, keep the hanging space and add extra shelving with bins or create a double-hang section to add more hanging space.
If you lack storage space, perhaps you could find an unused wall and install freestanding cabinets. However, resist the urge to keep everything you own and install more storage. Remember, decluttering first and then designing storage is what leads to long-term organizing success.
Custom cabinetry in a toy room.Preparing for the Holidays
Fall marks the beginning of several major occasions for many of us, such as Thanksgiving and other various festivals, including Halloween, Yom Kippur, Diwali, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Hanukkah. Organizing your home now ensures you have systems in place to manage decorations, gatherings, and holiday-specific items. With the likelihood of hosting family and friends, having your home better organized can make entertaining more manageable and enjoyable.
Even though you might not be feeling in the “seasonal” mood pull out all the decorations you have accumulated over the years. Discard the damaged ones and donate the ones you don’t like or don’t use. Then, organize the items you want to keep in well-labelled bins placed on easy-to-access shelving.
Next, edit the ‘stuff’ in your kitchen. If you are planning a kitchen renovation soon, it’s time to evaluate what you do and don’t like about your current space. Take notes as you empty and reorganize cupboards and drawers so you remember important details. Also, take pictures because it is often easier to show photos to an interior design specialist rather than verbally explain the problem. You may discover that you don’t need a new kitchen after decluttering because what you keep fits easily in the space. In fact, you may only need to add drawer organizers, under-cabinet pull-outs and a few other storage solutions.
Now is the time to embrace fall home organization projects, but if you feel overwhelmed, don’t have enough time, or are struggling with design ideas, please reach out. We would love to help you.