Even the most harried, high-energy household can sport a
peaceful, ordered space you will look forward to coming home to. Don’t laugh
yet. Really. Our furniture and interior design experts share with you these
time-tested tips from top designers to streamline your home by keeping an
excess of things out of the way. The Chinese art of feng shui even claims that
clutter blocks life-giving energy (chi in the jargon) from flowing through your
home, denying you peace. And this has recently been backed by science, in that
clutter makes it harder for you to focus. So, amidst the bustle of your school
and work schedules, here are our favorite ways to help you decompress and enjoy
your home for a change.
Manage Your Home’s Stage Through Optical Illusions
“Does this room make me look fat?” Truth: just like you
don’t want horizontal lines on a plus-size dress, your home’s current design
might be sabotaging your war on too much “stuff.” One design-studio trick you
might find helpful in your home’s look is to use vertical space in your home
furniture and cabinetry, such as curio cabinets. Another is to group like
items, such as literally having all your knives in one drawer. Out of sight
when not in use equals visual harmony in your newly decluttered home. Oversize ottomans do this trick nicely as well. And don’t forget that the right accent cabinet works not only to store seasonal mementos in rotation but keep your
home office organized.
Keep Some Things and Toss Others
Sounds pretty straightforward, right? But as you know,
things carry memories you don’t want to throw out. Don’t worry; the memories
won’t fade. Feng shui makes putting items in your discard pile simple: if it
doesn’t bring you joy (anymore), toss it. Only save the items that mean the
most to you. “Give till it feels good”: donate the items you don’t need to a
worthy charity or three. You might be congratulating yourself on your
moneymaking talent by planning to sell the items online or in a yard sale. But
designers warn that for too many people that’s just an excuse to procrastinate.
Sell only if you know you mean it. Otherwise donate. Another word to the wise
from decluttering pros: if you know you can buy the same item below a certain
cost, why hang onto it now where it’s only wasting space? Pace yourself: give
away a few clusters of things a week at a time.
So whether you’re just breaking a hoarding habit or
downsizing the empty nest, we hope these pieces of advice renew your living
space as you hope.
For more interior design inspiration and advice, stop by our Streator, IL store or one of our other locations.
