In the world of professional organising, containment is all important. It’s a way to create a ‘home’ for your belongings as well as improve the aesthetics and organisation of a home or office.
Storage boxes can transform a room, eliminating messy piles or unsightly stacks. But declutter first! Only then will you know what containers you actually need. Once the clutter is cleared and you’re ready to finish off your room, choosing the right containment is the fun part.
Here are some specific things to consider when it comes to your storage containers:
Measure the space
Something too big or small will be annoying & a waste of money & materials. So take time to measure the length, width & height of the space. It’s worth it! You’ll want to avoid containers hanging off the edge of shelves. Plus think about grouping categories of things together first to check how much space you need.
Reuse
What can you repurpose? Check your home for existing containers. Shoe boxes can be a great multi purpose container. You don’t just have to use something for its original purpose. Can you paint or recover containers to give them a new lease of life and ensure they fit in with your style?
Have Fun
Don’t forget to put your personality into your storage boxes, especially if they’re going to be on display. You have to look at them every day so be choosy as you would be with any homeware item. You might go for a vibrant colour, an unusual shape or pattern or a retro look.
Be Practical
Most cupboards come with adjustable shelves so measure the space you require between the shelves and adjust to suit your needs. You’ll also need to consider functionality, for example choose hard wearing boxes – perhaps made of plastic – for children’s toys of kitchen equipment. You’ll want boxes with lids to home lesser used items in order to avoid dust and choose boxes in darker colours if spills or stains are likely to occur. Will you be hanging the storage container from a wall hook? If so, be sure to go for one with loopholes. Finally, you may require it to have wheels if moving it around or rolling it forwards and backwards.
Style It Up
The style of your home may vary room my room but rustic decor might look good with wicker boxes or baskets and contemporary types may go for simple, clean lines. Because there are so many options, the storage boxes you use can actually be part of the interior design of the room, combining practicality with style perfectly.
Think Outside The Box
Don’t forget that storage boxes also work well INSIDE other storage. In drawers to separate out underwear and accessories for example or in cupboards to organise children’s crafts or kitchen equipment. Within a larger box, you can also place a smaller box to contain things which could be otherwise lost.
Label It
In some cases, it may be appropriate (and necessary) to label your boxes. It depends on whether you will remember exactly what it inside a box which is perhaps on a high shelf or at the top of a wardrobe. But you can have fun with this part too by using snazzy labels in keeping with the style of the box. Some ideas are: chalkboard labels, tag labels that can be tied on and printed ones from a labelling machine. If you have family members who are reluctant to put things back in their places, a storage box with a cheerful label on can often do the trick (no nagging necessary!).
Hopefully this blog post has given you some ideas and inspiration to utilise beautiful containers within your home so they are part of your treasured belongings too.