Let's Resolve To Get Organized

As we put away our holiday decorations and store everything away in the attic, the basement, under the beds, or wherever we can find the space, why not use this time of the year to follow through on one of the most popular New Year's resolutions - to get organized?

In Cleveland we have four dramatically different seasons, which means we have a house full of stuff for each. For those warm summer days we have patio furniture, sports gear, and lawn care equipment. To face a Cleveland winter we have an entirely different wardrobe of bulky coats, sweaters and boots, not to mention shovels and snow blowers. And then spring and fall bring wet weather and leaves, which means rakes, rain boots, umbrellas and coats. Let's face it; we have a ton of stuff.

It can be overwhelming to even consider conquering our clutter, but the professionals at Hurst Design-Build Remodeling have some advice. 'We have been in hundreds of homes here in Northeast Ohio and one of the top items on everyone's wish list is more space," said Pat Hurst, owner and lead designer at Hurst Remodeling. Since home additions are not always an option the Hurst Design-Build-Remodeling team has found creative ways to make the most of the space available.

Kitchen cabinetry is being designed for storage and style. Cabinets can reach all the way up to the ceiling to maximize a kitchen's vertical space. New designs can help consumers organize almost anything - pull out pantry drawers, garbage can and recycling drawers, deep drawers for pots and pans, compartmentalized drawers to keep utensils organized, slim pull out cabinets for spices, and tall cabinets for mops and brooms are just some of the available options. Even if you have a very small kitchen, well-designed cabinetry can more than double your storage capacity.

Utility rooms are a great place for custom storage. Having a specific place for each family member to store coats, shoes, and school bags may eliminate the junk trail that follows kids in the door. Kitchen and utility room counters are often cluttered with electronics and chargers. To eliminate this issue Hurst has built electronics drawers into our kitchen and utility room remodels, with power strips built into the drawer. Clients love having a place to hide away phones and tablets while they charge.

Creating built-in storage spaces brings style and value to a home. Whether its bookshelves flanking a fireplace, a corner cabinet in the dining room, a window seat with pull out storage drawers, or custom cabinetry for media, built-ins can turn any space into a tasteful and functional investment.

Something to consider when purchasing new furniture is to look for pieces that serve a dual purpose. Stylish ottomans and end tables can double as storage spaces, night stands with drawers can help conquer clutter in the bedroom, and kid's beds can be purchased with large under-bed storage drawers or headboard shelving units.

Look up to find more room. There is a lot of unused vertical space in our homes and garages. Think creatively about what you can store up higher. Building off-the-floor shelving in the garage can double your storage space and still leave room for the car. An extra shelf high up in a closet can be a great place to store seasonal items you don't need to access day in and day out.

Having a professional carpenter install a closet system can create a custom fit for all of your items. If a new closet system is not in the budget right now there are a lot of things you can do on your own to maximize your space like installing two levels of closet rods, shoe racks on the floor or on the closet door, adding shelving wherever possible. Many of the do-it-yourself kits on the market today are stylish and functional.

The key to home organization is to have a plan, dedicate the time and resources to finding the right storage solutions, and finally stick with your resolution to stay organized.