Clutter is the biggest enemy in any home – and when your stunning living space becomes cramped and uncomfortable, it distracts from the beauty of its design. To help you reap the rewards of your beautiful home, in this post, we’re offering a guide with some Design Hacks on how to systematically identify areas of your home which are particularly prone to clutter and implement strategic design hacks which will help you say goodbye to an unnecessary mess for good.

From introducing furniture options with concealed areas to making maximum use of vertical storage space and allowing decorative accessories to double up as handy hideaways, our tips will help you create an ultra-streamlined space which is clutter-free by design.

Be savvy with your furniture

Organise your favourite magazines and newspapers by neatly storing them inside a table with pull-out trays – and use a divider in the centre of one tray to maintain a tidy look for magazines. On a rainy day, you could use your DIY skills to adapt an ordinary side table, by attaching runners to each pair of legs for trays to rest and slide on. There’s no need to compromise on design here, as by painting the table in a shade of your choice, you can coordinate it with the rest of your home.

Alternatively, tuck your magazines into sturdy boxes underneath a console table behind your sofa. You may be able to get two or three bins under your table which can also tidy up throws, pillows, DVDs and books which can quickly pile up.

For other odds and ends, attach a remote control pouch to a chair with twist pins or hook-and-loop tape to keep your remotes, headphones, tech chargers and other small items in one place. If you’re feeling creative, upcycle an old pocketed apron and hem a straight edge for a finished look – keeping your home tidy and adding bags of personality at the same time.

Sort your storage

Always know where important items are by placing a large divided basket or cutlery tray near the front door. This could gather keys, your mobile phone, sunglasses and all of the other small things you may forget on busy weekday mornings. By labelling the compartments, getting out of the door on time with all of your essentials won’t be an issue.

We all have one drawer which acts as the designated junk box, where everything from rubber bands to pens and matchbooks can be found. Bring order to this small box of jumble chaos with a dividing tray, and sort materials into different spaces to create instant organisation. Every drawer can be organised, so if you’re finding it difficult to source a tray that will fit, quarter-inch deep baking pans will make perfect dividers for shallow drawers.

Give old cups a new lease of life by using them as containers for smaller items such as batteries. Keep the cups on a small tray in your store cupboard or pantry and organise them by size or colour for a streamlined effect.

Brush up on your bedroom

Unfortunately, cluttered spaces are not confined to the ground floor of your home, and the bedroom can be the worst offender. Bedrooms should be restful places, so decluttering them should be a priority if you’re keen to unwind in visual peace. Start by tackling the wardrobes and chest of drawers to allow you to store your excess clutter efficiently and work out from here.

To get ahead of the game, think about practicalities when buying your bedroom furniture. Items which double up as storage, such as ottoman style beds, can be the perfect space-saving solution for organising your clothes and keeping your items hidden at the same time. This way, you can keep all the essentials to hand but not on display.

Hang it up

A cluttered vanity or sink makes getting ready on busy weekday mornings take much longer than it should – but by creating a sleek vanity to keep all of your daily essentials in a central spot, you can make mornings a breeze.

This could be as simple as painting an old plank of wood and installing it above the bathroom sink. If this doesn’t quite meet your storage requirements, surround your vanity with catchalls such as hooks or wire baskets on suction hooks. Not only will this create more space around your sink, but it will look great and is the perfect excuse to get creative.

Place your toiletries, cosmetics or nail care items in a plant hanger or place them under the sink if you have a vanity. Keep yours under vanity space organised with a slide out drawer which uses the entire depth of the cabinet. Not only will this make your storage more effective, but you’ll be able to see everything you need when you need it.

If your bathroom is short on surface space for your toiletries, a small rolling cart can be placed near the sink or rolled into a tub when needed which will keep your small items tidy and out of the way. Alternatively, if that’s not practical, go vertical with storage. A ladder-style shelf is not only a great bathroom feature, but also holds toiletries and fresh towels in a small space, where a conventional towel bar may not fit.

Whatever your household design or style, we hope these ideas will see you on your way to clearing your clutter in a way which is sustainable and functional, without compromising your taste or style.

Author bio:

 Shuayb Patel works at OWO Living, specialists in stylish home furniture and beds.

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