HOW TO: ORGANIZE YOUR SPACE WITH TIPS FROM THE SIMPLIFIED ISLAND'S, CAROLINE ROBERTS

It can feel daunting when trying to organize your entire home, but we know that starting small is the key to creating a beautiful and functional space! With a new year upon us, what better way to create a clean slate than with a fresh start in your home?! Our Interior Designer and Stager, Pleasants Higgs, partnered with local organizing expert Caroline Roberts with The Simplified Island to help you tackle two spaces that may be feeling a bit neglected: your closet…and your bar!

CLOSET ORGANIZATION:

TIP 1 - ADD SHELVING OR HANGING BARS AS NEEDED

"I believe that spaces can be beautiful and functional at the same time. Once the functional framework has been established, I then find ways to elevate the look of the space. This closet has 3 hanging bars and 4 shelves, so the use of space was already fantastic. If your own closet has wasted space, think about adding shelves, a hanging rod, or even a small dresser to maximize space."

TIP 2 - SWITCH OUT YOUR HANGERS

"For the hanging space, I switched out the hangers to a slim, black velvet. Mismatched hangers create a lot of visual clutter, and I love how the black of the hanger disappears on the black closet. Not only did we group like items for functionality (robes with robes, shirts with shirts), but we hung long items together on the left with the length rising to the right to give the homeowner a lifted feeling when looking at her clothes. This is a classic KonMari technique that I use all the time!"

TIP 3 - USE CONTAINERS

"To help streamline the look, I added woven bins to corral small items. However, you can use whatever style of bin your space allows. I like to make sure they have 90 degree corners (rather than rounded), so no space is wasted when stacking or placing next to one another! Since this is a primary bathroom that is not used by many guests, I chose not to use labels to continue that crisp, streamlined look."

TIP 4 - ADD FUNCTIONAL DECOR

"I always love to add some decor or something special to spaces, so for this closet, we gave a beautiful shell mirror centerstage. Get creative with yours!"

BAR ORGANIZATION:

TIP 1 - BE SMART WITH YOUR USE OF SPACE

"This bar is a fabulous use of space! This bar is located above a stairwell where it may have otherwise been empty space. I love this bar and the pullout shelf in front of it for entertaining and keeping people out of the kitchen when a meal is being prepared. Depending on your home's layout, you may have an entire wet bar off of your kitchen, a bar cart in your living room, or a corner cabinet in your dining room. Wherever yours may be, make sure it is easily accessible to guests without clogging up your walking paths."

TIP 2: LESS IS MORE

"For the glassware, less is more. This particular homeowner has some really cute glassware and perfect shelves for display, but the total quantity of all of the glasses made it so you couldn't focus on any of them specifically. We culled them to leave only her favorites and ones that her guests used the most. Now her favorites shine on the glass shelves!"

TIP 3: USE CONTAINERS

"The bottles were sitting on the counter and needed a little structure. Amazing how placing them in a wicker basket streamlined the look of the space! I also added a wicker basket for the bottle openers, stoppers, koozies, etc. It has a lid, so the items are easily accessible but not an eyesore."

TIP 4: ADD SOME PERSONALITY

"Last, but certainly not least, Pleasants and I added a few decor elements to really make the space pop and bring in some personality. Organizing should always have a little personality! Whether it's a plant, a framed photo, a favorite piece with a story, we love adding a little conversation starter to our decor!"

Still feel overwhelmed? Or inspired to tackle even more spaces? Whichever way you may be feeling, Caroline Roberts with The Simplified Island is here to help you clear the clutter once and for all! She offers one-on-one services to help you transform your home (both in-person and virtually) and lots of free downloads to help get you started.

Visit TheSimplifiedIsland.com for all the details — tell her MCKRE sent you!