By Jolanta Mazewski-Dryden
They don’t call it “Spring Cleaning” for nothing! Maybe you made a New Year’s resolution to get organized or just realized that one more knick knack and you’ll be building an addition on to the house. Either way, now is the perfect time of year to start thinking about putting your house in order – literally.
Know your junk. Take stock of your stuff by going through each room in the house and deciding what stays and what goes. This can be a painful process. After all, you never know when a left-handed egg-beater will come in handy. The reality is, storage space is a finite thing. If you bring something in, you need to take something out.
Categorize your stuff. Group items such as holiday decorations or old love letters in their own separate boxes. Determine whether these items are long term or short-term storage candidates. Keep the things you use most in easy to access storage areas like under-bed boxes or kitchen cabinets and items you only use once a year in the garage, attic or guest bedroom.
Pack properly. Think about bubble wrap and instant insulating compartments to keep delicate items from rubbing against each other. Acid-free tissue is a must for blankets, clothing or textiles to prevent them from yellowing or fading. Use “dessicants” like Silica pouches to keep storage containers moisture free and prevent mildew. Cedar closets, chips and blocks will help keep moths away, while steel wool stuffed into closet holes and cracks can keep mice at bay. Remember to label the outside of the container with a packing list of the contents.
Evaluate your options. There are thousands of storage containers, options and strategies available in today’s marketplace. A simple Internet search on “home storage solutions” will give you ideas on everything from custom closets to CD racks, shelves and furniture. Buy with your storage needs in mind. If you’re desperate for storage space in the kitchen, perhaps a buffet or sideboard is a better option than a table. Plastic storage bins come in all sizes, shapes and capacities to fit in the closet or under the house.
Get creative. Maybe your collection of early century kitchen utensils would be more enjoyable mounted in shadow boxes on the wall. Built in shelves or bookcases (with glass doors so you don’t have to dust as often) are perfect for fragile items such as glassware. Frames and scrapbooks are another fun way to store photos that fit nicely on the bookshelf. If you have the space, what about a theme room for your beloved collection of barbed wire?
Be sure to visit the AS SEEN on TV Touch Vac Containers exhibit at the Texas Home and Garden Show in Houston, on Feburary 13-15, at the Reliant Center for a look at the products and ideas you’ll need to create your dream space. With ideas on how to clear out and contain the clutter, why not visit Decorator’s Alley for more ideas on what to put into and around your newly created space? Do your one-stop home and garden shopping and talk to experts in everything from plumbing to petunias.
For more information on the thousands of fun ideas waiting for you at the Houston Home and Garden Show, visit www.texashomeandgarden.com or call IEI, Inc. at 713.529.1616 or follow the show on twitter.
