DECORATING WHILE ORGANIZING

Creating storage around your home doesn't mean that you have to clutter things up with a lot of shelves and eyesores. You can decorate in a way that allows you to increase your storage space, hiding things away in attractive packages. Shooting for "hidden" storage is a great way to beautify your home and keep things organized at the same time. Declutter, decorate, and enjoy your home again.

Beautiful Decor Ideas Combined with Storage Concepts

Furniture with Storage

When you purchase pieces of furniture for your home, storage should be one of the first things on your mind. Throw pillows may have pockets hidden on the back for your remote or cordless phone. The arms of your couch or chair may open up to reveal a deep space for magazines. Your ottoman can store throw blankets, DVD's, CD's, game controllers, and more. A simple trunk looks nice and can hold a lot of storage items in plain sight, but out of your closet.

Limit Visible Storage

Each time you buy furniture pieces, ask yourself if they are useful for storage and if they hide things instead of forcing you to display your storage items in plain sight. Shelves are great for books, but not so great for magazines, mail, electronics, important papers, and other items that normally clutter up a room. Make a list of things that you continually have to clean up and come up with a clever way to disguise where they are stored.

Keep Items You Use Close By

Storage only works if you can access items that you need when you need them. Big boxes are not only an eyesore, but they are also inconvenient. Even if you label your boxes, you still have to unstack them and dig to find what you need. Try to categorize storage items and keep them near where you will need to use them. Picnic supplies can go in the sunroom or garage because you won't need them very often. Battery, phone and electronics chargers should be kept near the entryway. Your shredder should be near where you pay your bills.

Decorate to Hide Storage

For smaller items, I like to utilize decorative cabinets. These are generally easy to find at antique stores. They are very attractive and give you space to store smaller items without cluttering up the room. Many help you to use the space in your corners. Use them to mount your clocks or to place your photos in frames. Storage items inside are easy to get to and well hidden from view.

About the Author:Jo Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for the finest quality garment hangers available in the USA.