New Year, New Organised Home

“The space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.” – Marie Kondo, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying

2019 is upon us, and with it comes a whole host of ‘New Year, New Me’ declarations. While this is all well and good, many of us don’t even know where to start when it comes to tackling our homes after the festive season, let alone our pages-long list of resolutions. With an organised home comes an organised mind: so to kick this year off, we’re sharing our top tips to help you streamline your possessions, clear your workspace, organise those desk drawers and get your home in order, as well as the small decorative changes you can make right now so that you’re ready to tackle 2019 head-on.

Pack Christmas Away for Another Year

Get started by making sure your Christmas tree and decorations are down and packed away prior to the start of the new year. Try to be as organised as possible when storing decorations away: use tissue and bubblewrap to make sure your precious decorations are well-protected and don’t forget to tidy up those strings of lights so they don’t cause chaos come next year. Cable ties come in handy, as well as utilising the abundance of gift boxes that we all have lying around at this time of year. Don’t forget to label everything – this will make dealing with it all next festive season that little bit more straightforward.

Downsize, Streamline & Get Rid of What You Don’t Need

Treat the start of the new year as a chance to really streamline your possessions. It makes for a much more productive home, and by default an organised mind. Not ready to get rid of things entirely? Package up the ‘maybes’ and keep them in a box slightly out of the way (in the loft or garage is usually a good bet). Haven’t reached for them in six months? Now you know it’s ok to let them go.

Uncluttered, Organised & Clean

Use the time before going back to work to really get on top of your tidying: put everything away in it’s place and ensure you have clean, uncluttered work surfaces. The family’s shoes, coats and other paraphernalia tend to congregate in the hallway this time of year, so take the time to get organised. Utilise large fit-for-purpose hooks for heavy coats, and pick up a storage basket for each member of the family to use as soon as they step over the threshold – encourage everyone to store their hats, gloves, scarves, keys and smaller items in their own basket. Why not take it one step further and consider having a bespoke wardrobe or storage cupboard made? This way, your hallway becomes uncluttered, organised and inviting to anyone as soon as they step foot in your home; rather than just a dumping ground.

Dates, Schedules and Planning

Make sure your 2019 diary is ready to go. Whether that be a traditional paper diary, large format printout, or simply the calendar on your phone, having the start of your year planned out in a series of dates is a surefire way to get the year off to a productive start. Don’t forget to schedule in time for self-care and working out: if it’s diarised you’re more likely to stick to it. Meal planning is an incredibly effective way to really get organised. Take some time at the beginning of each new week to plan meals around who is likely to be at home each day that week and plan your food shop accordingly. This helps with the inevitable ‘what are we going to eat tonight?’ dilemma, as well as helping drastically cut down on food waste.

A Simple Redesign

It’s amazing what a difference a simple decorative redesign can do for a home, and therefore your productivity. It breathes new life into a space and allows for new inspiration. A simple change of paint colour can make an enormous difference, for relatively little outlay. Take a look at the latest Farrow and Ball colour card for some inspiration – they provide a curated chart of on-trend and classic colours, as well as some beautiful accompanying imagery. We particularly like new colours for 2019 Drop Cloth and Salon Drab. Consider also, a change of window dressing. A pair of bespoke curtains or a roman blind coupled with a set of new bedding can really complete a room, helping bring it all together. Consider upgrading your lighting, installing a spectacular new pendant above the dining table, or simply investing in some beautiful hand-blown wall lights in order to free up space on the bedside tables. Why not take the time this new year to get on top of it all, and finish that guest room you’ve been using as a dumping ground for years?

If you’re in any doubt as to how to best utilise your available space, and really get yourself organised and your home in check in 2019, our friendly, approachable team of professional interior designers is here to help. Our combined years of experience working on varied residential and commercial projects means that we are able to guide, advise, specify, project manage and problem solve – any project, big or small.

Get in touch. Let’s have a chat about how Pfeiffer Design can help get your home in order, and ensure that 2019 is your most productive, organised and successful year yet!

info@pfeifferdesign.co.uk | 01273 499200