Make well thought-out purchases throughout your home, and a clutter-free life should follow suit
As well as an organised space being easy on the eyes, decluttering is one of the basic principles of Feng Shui allowing the flow of energy, has been scientifically proven to make you more productive as you take to the home office, and allows you to store and find things with ease.
But to get a head start on a clutter-free home, you need to select interior buys that do some of the hard work for you. Here are our top tips for getting started in every area of your home:
The entry way
It’s the first impression of your home, so you want to make it a positive one and create that sense of order as soon as walk through the door.
So start by opting for something that is both beautiful and practical for storing small items such as keys and handbags for the entryway.
“I opted for a very slim natural wooden console, with a cute pot placed on top for this entryway,” reveals Karen Pissarra of Design K.
The living room
In the living room, a TV unit can be used as storage and as an attractive piece of furniture. “It also conceals any unwanted electrical cables,” adds Karen.
The halls
Attach hooks to a wall in hallways, bedrooms or dressing rooms for coats, bags, scarves and jewellery.
Opt for pretty hooks that also serve as a beautiful design feature.
The furniture
Make your furniture work harder. A built-in banquette with storage offers extra seating and creates a cosy look, while beds with deep drawers underneath offer lots of extra space.
“These are great for storing extra linen and pillows for those occasional sleepovers,” says Medy Navani, Design Haus Medy.
The finishing touches
Family photos and artworks can be displayed on the wall using minimalistic shelving, while books can be styled by category so you can find what you’re looking for easily, by colour for a rainbow of hues or on their sides to avoid a clash of coloured book covers.
Fancy your own gallery wall? See our guide to getting started.
The kitchen
If you have space in your kitchen, include an island, which offers extra prep space and storage – just add cabinets on both sides of it.
Keep things looking tidy in your kitchen or pantry by decanting your staples into glass jars that reveal their many colours and textures so they’re easily identifiable without the need for labels.
If you can’t afford custom-made solutions, plump for flat-pack and modular storage options, such as those from IKEA. For the former, you’ll just need to grab your Allen key and with the latter, it’s similar to playing with Lego.
“Consider adding shelving inside a cabinet or in a storage area,” advises Karen. “We included built-in shelves as well as loose standing shelving from IKEA in three areas of this house.”
The study
Boxes make things miraculously disappear. White file boxes and wire baskets are perfect for a study area; a magazine rack adds some retro cool; and a pinboard is a useful tool for inspiration and to avoid loose paper and receipts piling up on your desk.
Make sure you stay focused while you work with an orderly desk. “I recommend a cable organiser and a hanging desk organiser. For my line of work, I need to be able to pin up a lot of things, as well as easily see upcoming projects and current tasks,” says Mathilde Danglade, artistic director at concept store Comptoir 102.
Looking for more study inspiration? Take inspiration from this stunning home office set ups and see how this interior designer transformed her spare room into a stylish home office.
*The prices of the products are as per January 2019.
Photography by Natalee Cocks