Furniture

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Laine Hardman can be reached at TidyUp.Laine@gmail.com, 703-401-4829 or http://www.TidyUpNow.com.

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As you try to conquer your clutter, it may help to think about your organizing style as a concealer – someone who likes items out-of-sight – or a revealer – someone who likes to keep their items in view. Finding your preference will help you decide where to keep items and what kind of storage containers and systems you should use.

How do I find my style?

Ask yourself these yes or no questions:

  1. If I put something away do I forget where I put it or I forget that I have to take action on it?
  2. Do I find that out-of-sight means out-of mind?
  3. Do I gravitate toward clear bins so that I can see what is inside them?
  4. Can I live with seeing toys, files, mail, etc., out in the open?
  5. Do I prefer to use labels so that I can tell exactly where each item belongs?

[Read more…] about Conceal or Reveal – Find Your Organizing Style

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Laine Hardman can be reached at TidyUp.Laine@gmail.com, 703-401-4829 or http://www.TidyUpNow.com.

For those of us making the best of small-space living, furniture that doubles as storage can be a godsend. You don’t need custom-built or pricey pieces. Finding furniture that increases your home’s storage capacity without gobbling up tons of square footage can be fun! Here are some creative examples of furniture that doubles as storage.

I found this old pie safe on the curb nearly twenty years ago. It was yellow and had glass panes with ducks painted on them. I painted it blue and removed the glass, replacing it with chicken coop wire. It now stores the kids’ arts and crafts supplies, my cookbooks, trivets, etc. I use this piece so much that when I renovated my kitchen, I left a space for it.

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This next piece is a refinished trunk. It was a wedding gift from my uncle and aunt (he re-finished the outside, while she fixed up the inside). The possibilities here are endless. I use it as a coffee table and I store lesser-used board games here. But, you could use it to store extra linens, out-of-season clothes, or wrapping paper.

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[Read more…] about Furniture as Storage – Double Duty Pieces