Out with the Old and in with the New
Before we know it, Christmas has come and gone and we’re catapulted into the New Year...
There is something about the lull after Christmas that puts me and so many others in the mood for having a bit of a sort out and declutter as the New Year provides the perfect time for a refresh and rearrange. I think the fact that we have all been so involved in getting ready for Christmas has meant that we’ve just not had the headspace to be organised with our homes. I have to admit that my usual level of tidiness was lowered significantly! It’s made me realise that I could really do with a few storage solutions to help me keep my home tidy and give things a place…
After lots of running around over Christmas, this week we’re keeping it simple and having a week at home and I’m trying to get the house a little more organised. I’ve been through the toy box and sneaked some out (don’t tell the boys), thrown out some old clothes and taken some bits to the charity shops. Making room for new things can sometimes be hard - but as the saying goes - out with the old and in with the new!
Signature Grey Shoe Storage Cupboard
I, for one, need shoe storage. We wear wellies, trainers (I’m hoping to be wearing these quite a bit to work off the mince pies!), boots and then there’s the summer shoes, flip flops, canvas shoes… it goes on. So what solutions are there? Well, the Farringdon welly stand is amazing and keeps your wellies organised whilst also being practical in storing them upside down so the mud dries off and water doesn’t get in. Pop in a porch or utility room. Easy.
For those of you who like to hide things away (I hold my hands up to this) one of our hallway storage chests is awesome. Just throw them in and close the lid. For the height of organisation, some of our furniture collections do special shoe storage units, in varying sizes. The Mobel Oak range is a firm favourite and I also love the Signature Grey Shoe Storage Cupboard- made from solid wood, finished in a trendy light grey and finished with ventilation holes. It holds 12 pairs of shoes and four pairs of boots- perfect! If you don’t have room by the door, these shoe cupboards fit really well in the bedroom too- providing a surface for books, magazines or even a lamp.
This is the year I am buying a sideboard. Working for Duck Barn has solidified this promise I have made myself. I have always wanted one and think they look so stylish, whilst providing such incredible storage options. I plan to clear my kitchen cupboards of crockery and glasses and store those in a buffet sideboard so it frees up space. My food cupboard space is especially limited and I’d love the opportunity to be more organised and be able to access my ingredients rather than buying more cumin and realising I already have 3 pots of it in the back behind the rice! (Is this just me?) I have my eyes on the Halifax Contrast White Painted Buffet Sideboard with Rattan baskets- it’s stunning and I love the baskets for stacking things like tea towels and napkins. For those of you with lots of glasses and recipe books, a hutch unit would provide you with that extra shelving - the Halifax White Painted Double Bay Hutch Display Unit is perfect for this.
Another storage problem in my house is toys. For anyone with children, you will know that this can be a real issue. A toybox like our Amelie Oak Toybox is an amazing solution; it has two low drawers and the main storage compartment features three removable internal storage boxes, so it's particularly versatile. The lid is fitted with a 'soft close' damper to help prevent little fingers getting trapped too. Whilst toy/blanket boxes are a brilliant solution for larger toys and boxed toys like puzzles and board games, I find the smaller toys including train sets and building sets are such a pain to store and nobody wants to step on a Lego building block! To solve this issue, I’ve found a unit with baskets is invaluable. Our Devonshire Basket Collection is perfect - it looks stylish, hides the toys once the kids are in bed and it’s easy for them to grab a basket and put it back afterwards. They make any space multifunctional, without compromising on style. Perfect!
I was lucky to receive quite a few toiletries for presents this year. When we moved house, the bathroom was the first room I wanted to sort. It was a funny shade of red for a start. We also got a small shelving unit and over the months I’ve collected storage baskets to hide all the toiletries. We do a really wide range of gorgeous storage baskets at Duck Barn. For the shelving units I like the set of three grey rectangular wicker ones- easy to pop on a shelf and pull out. I’d also really recommend the Lene Bjerre lidded ones (in Grey Elma or Natural Rattan) for anything you don’t want out in full view, cleaning products or medicines. The lids also keep the dust out- which is really handy! (I also use the baskets to store the children’s muslins, socks and bibs which makes both putting them away and accessing them far easier than stuffing them in a drawer).
Amelie Oak Children's Toy/ Blanket Box
Hopefully you now have a few ideas but how do you know where to start? Sometimes having a home that isn’t organised in the way you wish it was can be quite overwhelming… Well, to start I’d write a wish list. This can be as detailed as you like - chat it through with those who use these spaces too and see if they have ideas to add in. Write down the rooms you like to sort; what areas you’d like to change and any ideas you have. Then number them in priority order and start there. Using Pinterest is also a great idea. Have a board for each project you’d like to tackle - we have many boards to help with inspiration- including a board that features many of the ideas in this blog (just click the Pinterest logo at the bottom of this page.) Keep an eye on sales at this time of year too - our January sale at Duck Barn is fab and doesn’t just include Christmas stock but has up to 30% off many furniture items too. As always we love to hear from our customers and see our products your homes, so if you do have a picture please do send it over and let us know how you get on with any organising successes!
Right, I’m off to sort my bathroom cupboard! Happy organising.
Love Emily x
Emily Tumber
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