Numerous studies have shown what busy families already know; clutter in your home can make it increasingly difficult to focus on tasks. Creating easy storage solutions can help manage stress and give a better sense of control over your day-to-day life. This article offers some helpful design tips and tricks to help organize your home and minimize the stress of daily life.

Kitchen

Is your kitchen optimized for the vital role it plays in your home? In today’s home, the kitchen is not only the place for cooking, but it is the center of day-to-day life. You have heard the adage “a place for everything and everything in its place?” This is especially true for the kitchen. Here are some ways to optimize the layout for your family:

• Make sure that the most used items are front and center. For example, a favorite appliance or much-used spice should be within easy reach at all times.
• Create zones in your kitchen so that everything is right where you need it to be. Coffee/tea stations—complete with mugs, a mike frother, and a selection of favorite teas—can be particularly useful early in the morning.
• Neat and organized cabinets and pantries are essential for a smooth-running kitchen. Make sure that all clutter is removed.

Family Room

It can be challenging to figure out the best storage solutions for a family room with many toys. It is amazing how many big toys such little people can have. As a result, it is a challenge to come up with practical and appealing options. Here are some suggestions:

• Invest in a coffee table that can double as a storage space. In this instance, drawers are your friend; you can store toys and special lovies as well as “adult clutter” such as television remotes, papers, and other odds and ends.
• Storage cabinets with doors not only hide all the toys and books but also look great as well. Built-in cabinetry can also act as an architectural focal point and anchor to your room.
• Look for out-of-the-way places to add storage, such as pull-out drawers and shelving under a staircase.

Closets

Are the closets throughout the home organized? If you are like many homeowners I have worked with, probably not. However, an organized closet allows you to streamline your routine, saving time and energy. Here are some ideas for organizing and adding extra storage to any closet in your home:

• Vertical space is often overlooked in closets. Adding multiple shelves about the clothes rod can be used to store out-of-season items. Bins and baskets help keep things tidy.
• Believe it or not, the right hanger can make all the difference. Multi-garment hangers offer more storage in a small area, while kid-sized hangers are the perfect solution for small clothes and hands.
• Make use of the inside of the closet door by installing over-the-door storage solutions. These can be used for anything from winter mittens to paintbrushes and tubes of paint.

Mudrooms

These spaces are often the “catch-all” for clutter in the home. It is not uncommon to find shoes, coats, jackets, and backpacks strewn across these small spaces. Clean up your mudroom by adding:

• A small table or credenza to serve as a landing place for small essentials such as keys, wallets, and purses.
• Wall cubbies with baskets or shelves with hooks can be a lifesaver for families with young children. Make sure that each family member has their own area.
• Finally, don’t forget to designate a spot for family pets.

I would love to hear about your home organization tips and creative storage solutions!