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Organization By Design - Read this home renovation insight now.
VANCOUVER is a real estate hot spot! The mild West coast weather is a huge draw coupled with the mix of mountains and seaside beauty. You can go to the beach and snow ski all in the same day! It's a gem that is well-known around the world. While this is amazing and why we live here, it’s making it more and more difficult for young people to live and families to grow here. Space is constantly shrinking while prices are going up due to high demand.So what can you do if you don’t want to leave yet still want to live here comfortably in a small space? Organize!The best thing I do for myself (and my sanity) every 3-6 months is purge. I usually do it at season switchovers and get rid of anything I did not wear/use unless I can seriously justify keeping it. This is so important when you live in a small space as clutter has not only physical effects (read: no room to walk or sit) but psychological as well! It takes up not only your physical space but your mental too. Once I have done a good purge on my apartment, i feel refreshed and ready to organize everything that's left!
A lot of times, we work in kitchens or live in bedrooms that don’t have the right flow. We can't seem to pinpoint the reason why we don’t feel like our home is a calming space. Whether you’re renovating your own home or trying to make do in a rental space, there are plenty of ideas out there. If you’re renting, the biggest thing to keep in mind is flexibility. If you have to move, you will want whatever you acquire to (hopefully) work in the next place you live. It’s important to think about whether or not you will be able to take it with you. If not, really consider if it’s worth investing in.
One of my favourite and inexpensive ways to incorporate more storage is with IKEA. If you’re thinking, Ugh everyone has IKEA! You’re not alone but there are many ways to give products a more personal touch and luckily there are lots of hacks/ideas out there. Some are as simple as a quick coat of paint or new knobs while other require a little more energy and tools. However, they are all doable and take a simple product to another level. The best part? If you mess up it’s typically not a hugely expensive flop![gallery size="medium" columns="2" ids="https://www.revisionrenovations.com/wp-content/uploads/Ikea-1-Wall-Shelf-Hack.png|Quick coat of paint blends a shelf into the wall for a minimal look. Check here to view more,https://www.revisionrenovations.com/wp-content/uploads/Ikea-2-Malm-Hack.jpg|There’s even an entire website devoted to it! Here’s one of my faves (pictured) Click here to view more"]
If you’re renovating, there are a multitude of ways to incorporate more storage and make your home flow better. When renovating, it’s important to have a reason why. Plan the space for right now but future growth as well. Whether that means just updating to sell in a few years or adding more people or pets to your family or wanting to work from home. The best way to narrow this all down and create the best space is to hire a professional to plan your home. Whether you decide to hire someone or not, prepare to get comfortable with sites like Houzz and Pinterest for ideas to get a feel for the style you want. Even if you hire a professional, having a good sense of direction (and pictures) will save you time and money in the long run.Start with the rooms you use daily. Are they organized and easy to use or are you constantly going in the wrong drawer or digging through trying to find things? You may not realize how much little frustrations affect you throughout the day. Ridding those frustrations helps clear your mind. When your space is organized, it’s much easier for you to be. Working with a professional can make a huge difference, especially in a larger ticket room like a kitchen or bathroom. Would you trust yourself to privately sell your home or hire a realtor?
Is your bathroom functional? Is your morning shower relaxing and invigorating to get you ready to seize the day? Maybe you need more space in your vanity to store the essentials so everything is within arm's reach? Maybe you need a new handheld shower head so you have more flexibility and or better pressure? Not enough storage? Create better ways to organize the storage you do have or add shelving somewhere. My favourite way to keep a shower organized is to add niches! They look sleek and offer just the right depth for bottles so they aren’t littered around your shower.[gallery size="medium" ids="https://www.revisionrenovations.com/wp-content/uploads/Bathroom-1-Shower-niche.jpg|Pinterest,https://www.revisionrenovations.com/wp-content/uploads/Bathroom-2-vanity-storage.jpg|Pinterest,https://www.revisionrenovations.com/wp-content/uploads/Bathroom-3-Shower-niches.jpg|Pinterest"]
Is your kitchen a great place to cook where everything flows or are you constantly running around trying to find everything? Do you have a functional work triangle? Does your kitchen need to accommodate one or multiple cooks? Working with a professional designer is key to make sure you explore the possibilities. They can answer the pertinent questions to design to your needs. The right accessories, such as a recycle unit, can make recycle day a breeze because the hard work is already done. Having a utensil sorter so your whisk is easily accessible and you’re not removing all the other utensils stuck in it as your sauce burns. A spice organizer so you’re not digging through a drawer trying to find that one spice you haven’t used in a year. You get the idea![gallery size="medium" ids="https://www.revisionrenovations.com/wp-content/uploads/Kitchen-1-Recycling.jpg|Pinterest,https://www.revisionrenovations.com/wp-content/uploads/Kitchen-2-Work-Triangle.png|Pinterest,https://www.revisionrenovations.com/wp-content/uploads/Kitchen-3.jpg|Pinterest"]Another area that we use every single day is our closet. How many times have you torn apart yours trying to find an outfit for the day? If everything was organized into sections and laid out properly so you can see each piece it would make putting outfits together a breeze. Built-ins are the best way to achieve the closet of your dreams and end the couple battle over space. If you're renting, you can still get removable pieces that will keep your closet manageable. From jewelry dividers in drawers to laundry hampers. There are lots of great ideas for efficiently organizing. This Buzzfeed article has a step by step on purging and organizing your closet:
[gallery size="medium" ids="https://www.revisionrenovations.com/wp-content/uploads/Closet-1.jpg|Pinterest,https://www.revisionrenovations.com/wp-content/uploads/Closet-2-Jewelry-Organization.jpg|Pinterest,https://www.revisionrenovations.com/wp-content/uploads/Closet-3.jpg|Pinterest"][caption id="attachment_5646" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Pinterest[/caption]This all may sound daunting and exhausting however, once it’s done, it’s done. It then means it's easy to maintain moving forward. In the long run, the time you put in at the start will pay off and then some. The age old saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail” is beyond true when organizing. What most people forget to do is plan to plan. You have to set aside the time and make it a priority.What happens to a lot of people is they finish their renovation and don’t take the time to put everything in the proper place and organize it. This is a huge mistake! If this has baffled you and you don’t know where to start, call us and speak to a professional to help you get started!
