If you are looking at organizing your home, then you should be thinking of instilling floating shelves. You not only appropriately store your stuff but also do it in a very stylish and trendy way if well instilled. Space is a challenge in most homes and if you are looking for the best way to maximize it, shelving is a perfect choice. There are a wide variety of shelves and most, if not every person’s taste is accounted for. Additionally, most modern shelves regardless of their style and shape present a clean display. They accelerate the wall in a sophisticated way and maintain neatness.
Depending on your room, you can have them instilled in even the most unlikely corners and still come up with something you’d be proud of. Shelves instilled right on top of your door create a vertical illusion, automatically making your room feel bigger. Corner shelves, though mostly ideal for bathrooms, can still fill in the vacant of your lounge walls in an unimaginable, but perfect manner. Whatever your choice might be, adds perfection to your home and spice to your vanilla walls. They enliven your overall décor and make your home look clutter-free. If being just stylish doesn’t just cut it for you, here are some more ways you can find floating shelves very beneficial.
Add Function
Floating shelves can do so much more than sitting on the wall in neat lines, you can add in some function. For instance, do you have a convenient place where you can store your shoes? If not or you just want to show them off, you should get floating shelves. Install the shelves in an attractive pattern them display your collection. You can now admire your shoes even when they are not on your feet. If you also want to give your bedroom a more dynamic and open look, you can use low shelves as your nightstand. You might end up with more usable space than a regular nightstand. Furthermore, they are more affordable compared to most nightstands. A shelf that is well placed can also act as wine storage which is easily accessible plus you can show off your taste. Whatever comes to your mind, add function to your shelves. Don’t limit yourself!
Fill Up The Corners
Corners are one underutilized space, and you can change that by using floating shelves. Frankly, it is the best way you can fill up that space and leave it looking brilliant. When you have limited space, fill up the nooks with these shelves without having to sacrifice precious space someplace else. It looks best when instilled in the bathroom because even the extra toilet paper, cleaner detergent, and soap look great when arranged on a corner floating shelf. Your bathroom storage can be beautified by adding those shelves. Moreover, they give an airy and light look to your small space compared to other storage solutions you might come up with. Therefore, utilize your corners by making extra space for yourself while decorating at the same time.
Storage
Floating shelves can provide storage space as well as other storage units but without the use of bulky cabinets. This makes your space look open therefore creating an illusion of a bigger room. It is an effective way of storing books and other personal items. If you have kids, you also know how easily their toys can take control over every room, for storage, you can use floating shelves. They are not only effective in storing the toys but also keep some out of reach, therefore, regulating clutter and enables rotation of toys.
Adding Personality
One of the most effective ways to make your house stand out from the rest and give a homey vibe is by adding some personality. Add character to your home and let your space speak volumes about the people who live there without you uttering a word. Creating a personality to your space is as good to your décor as it is to create an impression on your guests. How does it feel when you walk into a home and you feel connected to the person? It opens a doorway for a person to know more about you. A simple display of art on your floating shelf can be a good conversation starter. Therefore, share your hobbies and interest by choosing the perfect shelf to complement your lounge and collectibles.
Organize Clutter
Nothing screams messy like clutter. Clutter makes it impossible to have an organized, clean home. Therefore, bring some order to your home by designating a place for everything. A new set of floating shelves allows you to organize anything from your pantry to your living room and home office. Furthermore, when well instilled they have the added advantage of making your room look bigger. Pure frustration is when you are late for work and that’s when your car keys decide to disappear. Take care of such situations before they occur by instilling shelves to store stuff you use regularly and will be easily accessible. Take your time to organize your things in a logical way while incorporating some design aspects that have visual appeal. Your floating shelf is not a place to get overwhelming otherwise you will have nothing close to organized and airy.
Organizing Your Closet
At some point, we’ve all looked for help on how to keep our closets neat. While there are various ways to achieve organization, I have found floating shelves in closets very effective. Definitely, start by categorizing your clothes to find out what would be the best way to store them before investing in a storage system. Additional shelving in your closet wall is better if you are working with a big space. Regardless, it can convert your small closet into a space that can accommodate your entire wardrobe. It is most effectively caters to your accessories and performs storage. You can also have them to display your shoes for easy accessibility. Additionally, shelves are great for folded or rolled up clothes.
Floating shelves as you have seen provide both can function and design. Basically don’t limit yourself in utilizing your space, especially those nooks that are just bare.
For a space that is quite small, your home office can collect an impressive amount of clutter. It is easy for a stack of files and papers to pile up considering this is where you place all of your financial, medical and educational files. Your office might be the most important room in your house because that is where the activity that pays for everything else occurs. It’s important, therefore, to know that how you set up your office.
This will greatly influence your productivity in ways that you will find impressive. When you have an organized home office, you literally reduce distractions and in the process saving time and positions you to success. It also gives you a sense of control over what you are doing, which is motivation enough to psych you up on doing more.
On the other hand, a cluttered and disorganized office not only reduces your productivity but also can affect your health by causing frustration and depression. For instance, you don’t want to be in a situation where you need a sales report, and you can’t remember whether you filed it under sales or some other report that seemed sensible at the time. This greatly wastes time and more often, becomes a turn off even to those you are working for.
Most people love the thought of working from home, but in reality, it’s not easy finding the balance between your personal and professional life. One will habitually get in the way of the other. And sadly, the personal life often takes the crown. That is one situation you don’t want to find yourself in. here are some guidelines on how you can bring order in your home office:
Clear your desk
Since this is the place you spend most of your time, it is the best place to start. Clear off everything that’s on your desk. Just leave your computer and phone. Chances are, the surface is dirty from dust and coffee stains that were never cleaned out. In reference to the finishing of your desk, clean appropriately. A surface that is clean automatically looks more organized. If you rarely or never use the things on your desk, put them away. Whereas, arrange the ones used regularly neatly on the desk. Regularly means daily.
Get a good filing cabinet
Most of what clutters the office are files and documents. Losing a file in clutter gets as bad as it can get. It is frustrating because, ugh, you will need to go through almost every document by the time you get the appropriate one. It doesn’t have to be so, clear the office desk clutter and have a good filing system in place. Good filing systems ensure efficiency, ready reference and better control of your work. Ensuring you get the data you need when you need it. What marks out a good filing system is its simplicity, accessibility, compactness, and safety. It is important, however, to note that in reality, almost everyone has a filing system but most are the king of clutter. After you secure a good filing system, don’t just stuff it, organize it frequently.
Throw clutter away
Most offices are filled with files that we don’t need to use anymore but just can’t bring ourselves to throw them away. Yet, no office can be that generous with space and still be organized. Sort-throw your files, then throw or shred those that are unnecessary. This is a time you can get really indecisive, which is understandable, but you have to be brutal. Come on, do you really need the old business magazine? If there’s something important that can replace it, get rid of it. You actually have the power to keep that paper from piling up, if decluttering gets challenging.
Get important desk accessories
Desk accessories help in maintaining the neatness of your desk. After clearing your working area, you will definitely need a pen or something you use regularly, and leaving it on your desk will just be adding clutter. You also need desk accessories to save on time –the time you use to get up to your filing cabinet to get what you use frequently. The key to having a desk setup is to improve your productivity by obtaining desk accessories that will improve productivity without causing clutter. For instance, consider getting a smartphone holder, pen, and paper holder, desk lamp or book and file folders (but don’t be overwhelming).
Personalize but don’t overdo it
Personalization never loses its charm. It gives character and personality to any space. As much as you want to maximize productivity, you also need your office to feel occupied. You need to familiarize with space. Add color to your desk with a picture frame of your family or friends. You can also add inspiration by having your favorite book or novel on your desk.
Organize your desktop
Since most of the work now is done digitally, it stands to reason that your computer environment will greatly influence your productivity. First, start by choosing a wallpaper that is productivity-boosting and will put you in the mood. Before you do anything else, if you have a cluttered desktop, clear it by putting the items any folder first. It is easier to clean if you can get it out of the screen. Then create a filing system that suits our style. For instance, you can have one folder for sales documents and within that, one file per sale. It is also important to back up your important files at an external storage. Then you can toss out files you no longer need.
Develop a routine
Develop a habit of tidying up office space, before you call it a day. It is easy when working from home, for things that are totally not related to our work to find their way there. Therefore, by taking a minute of your time after work to clean your office, will greatly help start in the right foot the next day.
With all the above tips your home office will not only look professional but you will get more things accomplished from your desk.
If you have kids, you know how easy it is for their toys to take over. The toys seem to find their way in every room and make space look so messed up. Being a mother of three, I had literally given up on having an organized home. Clean, yes, but organized? I was afraid I no longer had the privilege to decide that on my own, apparently, my kids had a lot to say about it. It seemed to be such a thankless thing to do because every time I cleaned and organized my kid’s stuff, they ‘miraculously’ got back to how they were. And no, it didn’t take twenty-four hours. I didn’t think I had the energy to wake up another morning just to clean and organize those toys again.
Every morning I kept thinking, ‘what a waste of my time. This was totally not part of the bargain. No more toys for them’. But you, of course, know how the story ends. I knew to keep their toys, from the word go, wasn’t going to work. As a matter of fact, toys are very helpful for your kid’s growth. Plus they are the reason you can finish up on that movie, therefore, totally eliminating them is not even an option. I had to look for ways to get them organized and still maintain my sanity. If you are trying to handle your kids’ toys, then you have found the right place. Here are ways you can cleverly manage and organize your children’s toys.
Communicate With Your Kids
Kids are smarter than what most of us credit them for. Communicating your values to your kids is essential. Start as early as when they can get the sense of what you are saying. Teaching them discipline is too important to leave to chance. Yet it is surprising how many parents fail to accept this responsibility (no judgment intended). You can start by letting them know where they should keep their toys after playing or the places around the house where toys are banned. You can also tell them how much stuff they need, to prevent buying too much. Don’t forget to communicate the rationale behind your decision so that your kids may not just see it as a limitation on their freedom. Plus taking some soft measures if they disobey. You might seem too strict to your kids but instilling certain values in them goes a long way in their future life. Anyway, you must be the adult because after all is said and done, who will do the cleaning? Yeah, not them. So you might as well be a little selfish and love yourself.
Create a Storage Space
A good storage system is key in maintaining order for your kids’ toys. You will need to first come up with a storage system and this can be a large storage shelf that is simple and quite inexpensive to build. Then collect all the toys and categorize them to know what goes where. Decorative baskets and bins have always done the trick, remember to label them. For instance, you can designate a space for puzzle and board games on top of the shelf to prevent them from getting lost. Books are good for the kids but can also very easily get out of control, therefore, they also have a small bookshelf where they can retrieve a book one at a time. After you have stored them in a smart and organized fashion, you can rotate them to keep them fresh.
Have a Place For Everything
This is the best way of taking care of clutter. When every toy has its place, it is much easier for kids to tidy up when they are finished playing. With this, they won’t have any excuse if a toy is found misplaced. If some of the toys are habitually never in their place, it means it needs to move on because they don’t care enough for it to take a few seconds and place it back. It might be hard to cultivate this habit, but gradually they will get the hang of it. Cleaning the space will be so much easier and you might even find yourself doing it more frequently.
Assess and Donate
Toys, just like clothes, are age-specific and kids will grow out of some when the time comes. That is why it is important to assess your kids’ toys. Look out for the ones that they have outgrown and those which they simply don’t play with frequently. You can then donate them or sell them at a children’s consignment store as long as they are in good condition. If your kids are old enough, they can help you pick on the ones they no longer need.
Regulate How You Buy
Most kids have many toys, mine included (which I have no idea how they accumulated in the first place). And if you are reading this, chances are you are a victim too. To prevent turning your house into a toy shop, regulate what you buy. This will be made easier by having an idea of what you want for your kids and what they enjoy doing. You’d rather spend money on a few but quality toys than many simple toys that they are likely not to play with at all.
Involve The Kids In Cleaning
I know we’d rather do the cleaning ourselves but by now you know when it comes to their toys, they must get involved. It’s their possession and needs to be responsible for them. Involve them in the process of organizing their toys. Let them have a say as to what goes where. Help the kids be aware of what they possess.
The Bottom Line
As parents, due to the love and the need we feel to satisfy our kids, we might be tempted to overwhelm them with toys. If you have the storage space and makes you feel good, buy as many toys as you want for your kid. But at least don’t give it all to them at the same time. No kid has ever played with so much at the same time.
People make up their minds about other people within seconds of meeting them, and so it stands with property too. Guests will have an opinion about your home the moment they step on the front door. The first home impression is very important, besides you never get a second chance at it. Therefore as much as people wouldn’t want to judge, it is almost inevitable not to perceive you as per the vibe they feel when they are in your home.
It would feel amazing if a guest walks into your home and their breath is taken away by your deliberate tasteful design and style. How wonderful would it be for people to fall in love with your home the moment they step on your doorstep? Well, the following are 10 ways that you can create a great home impression:-
1. Styled Entryway to Set The Tone For Your Home
Your entryway is the first thing that your guests see; therefore, it is important for you to get it right. No pressure intended though, it is actually simple than it sounds. Let your entryway introduce your design theme. You can achieve this, for instance, by ensuring the doorstep is clean and tidy. Then you can use paint to express your personality and design. Although, you want to choose bright, neutral and organized as much as you’d have a quirky personality. A pretty or playful doormat will also create a great home impression.
2. A Unique Door Knocker
You can never go wrong with a statement-making door knocker. It shows that you have style and are not afraid to show it. It goes without saying that a great door knocker will absolutely get noticed and might even make your guest take a few minutes admiring your taste. Apart from exotic, you can also go for a funny doorknob. This will cleverly reduce any anxiety the guest might have by putting a smile on their face. Most importantly, it will give off all the right vibes and in the end, make the guest feel welcome.
3. Have a Well-Lit Hallway or First Room
How would it feel to have your guest saying they wish they had the same lighting effect you have at their home. By lighting, it doesn’t mean the use of harsh and very bright light. Bright light might not be your style. By just having great layered lighting, it can create a unique ambiance in all the right ways. Invest in some good lighting fixtures to help you transform your rooms into warm and inviting spaces.
4. Create an Uplifting Scent
A lovely scent creates an amazing impression that can never disappoint. Besides, as much as a fragrance is subjective, there are common scents that will drive anyone crazy. You can consider using vanilla or any other fresh scent for the best effect. The secret is also in keeping it balanced and minimal, you don’t want your guest feeling overwhelmed and choked. To be on the safe side, let your house smell of great food. If you love cooking, why won’t you bake cookies or have someone bake them and let the attractive scent of homey goodness welcome your guests? A great fragrance increases the value of your home and has your guest thinking….sophistication!
5. Get Rid of Clutter
Clutter screams out of control and disorganization, which can be an ultimate turn off. Clutter also makes any space look smaller which in turn presents a chaotic vibe. There are steps you can use to declutter and manage your items. For instance, you can get a decorative basket or ottoman where you can place things that you regularly use. You could also invest in floating shelves which will not only serve as storage but also as an accessory.
6. Personalize Your Home
It is surprising how your home décor can speak about your personality without you altering a word. It’s also an added advantage if a guest walks in and feels like they already know you. It creates a rapport between you and your guest, especially if you have some design tastes in common. Therefore, don’t be afraid to display your family photos, bookshelves, DVD collection or anything that shows your personality.
7. Have a Wow Factor
Surprise your guest with a home décor piece that will incredibly catch their attention. Something that is impressive and if possible, unique. You can achieve this by having a statement piece of art, chandelier, furniture or decorations. You can also decide to be bold and go for impressionable choices like a lovely wallpaper designs.
8. Have Some Greenery
Not only is green an earthy color but it cannot fail in any room. Have plants in your room but of course, don’t overdo it. Plants go a long way toward making a blank space look stunning and fresh. Plants bring a sense of life and warmth in a home. It says a lot about the owner of the home. And besides, you won’t have to worry about matching your home décor when it comes to plants, they automatically blend with any décor.
9. Invest in Special Occasion Utensils
The first thing you do when a guest comes into your home is to offer them something to drink or eat. Well, that’s a great opportunity to make a statement too. Invest in unique and stunning serve ware that will impress your guest. It’s a subtle gesture but will go along to speak of your style and sophistication.
10. Set The Right Temperature
Having the right temperature will come in handy, especially if the temperature is harsh outdoors. Your home acts as a rescue and the guest will become almost grateful to be inside. If it is winter, you can warm up your home by lighting up the fireplace. If it is sweltering hot outside make sure your home is cool in contrast.
The Bottom Line
The listed tips are going to help your home create a great home impression irrespective of who the guest is. Incorporate some of them and see your guests appreciate your tastefulness, some might even learn a thing or two and incorporate it into their own homes too. Having a home that speaks greatly of you can be an added advantage if your reputation of style is far-reaching.
It is important to get quality sleep every night. It might sound obvious but many people are struggling at this. If you relate, your worry is logical because sleep greatly impacts your daily activities. On that account, there are reasons that lead to insomnia. It might be a disease, stress or even too much coffee. It is advisable to find out what your reason might be.
Here are 10 great tips that will help you achieve that:
1. Make a Comfortable Bed
This includes everything that makes up your bed: your mattress, pillows, bedsheets and covers. If you wake up feeling all numb or stiff, it may be a red sign to try out a new mattress or pillows. You might not notice but after 8-10 years, your mattress becomes worn out, thin and lumpy. Which definitely affects your sleep. A comfortable mattress or pillow is highly subjective, therefore research on the wide options available then settle for the one that sorts you best. It is also advisable to purchase your mattress at a store where they provide generous return policy. You might never know if you have truly found your kind of mattress until you have spent a week in bed.
2. Exercise
Many people try to solve their insomnia by exercising regularly, relaxing before bedtime, and going to bed early. All that effort is great and essential, but equally as important in your pursuit of better sleep is your sleeping environment; your bedroom. Invest some energy in making a sleep-friendly bedroom, because it might be the cause of your insomnia.
3. Keep Your Room Dark
The human body is programmed to sleep when it’s dark. If you doze off when the lights are still on, the eyelids will still detect light therein you will be forced to wake up at some point. It is therefore essential to make your room as dark as possible. You can achieve this by turning off bright night lamps or any source of bright light. If street lamps and moonlight shines through your room, you can get heavy drapes, blackout curtains or automatic louvers; either will give you the effect you need.
4. Get Rid of Clutter
Most people take clutter very lightly yet it can be the root cause of your insomnia. When you get surrounded by many items that are unnecessary, it sends visual stimuli to your brain that your life is out of control. This simultaneously causes stress which makes you feel distracted and unable to relax. Therefore it is to your biggest benefit to declutter and most importantly maintain an organized bedroom. Just a tip: you can start decluttering your room by designating the items you are going to keep, donate or trash. After cleaning up you might consider investing in storage boxes to help maintain order. In the end, keep your bedroom as spacious as possible.
5. Keep Your Room Quiet
While you are at it, after decluttering, do away with any sleep distracting sounds. For instance, if unfortunately your room is exposed to a noise coming from the streets, you can get earplugs or heavy drapes to help buffer the noise. Another hack that will help develop a calm ambiance to your room is playing soothing music. Music is a definite stimulus to relaxation. With that said, many people have different tastes, yet this is not the time for fast tempo dancing music or hard metal rock. Whichever music you choose, pick the one that will have you in a calm and positive frame of mind. Classical music often works perfectly.
6. Get Rid of Electronics
Unlike music, visual electronics like the television, laptop or smartphone take away relaxation. Electronics actually tend to keep you awake because they are very distracting. Getting rid of them from your bedroom is better said than done considering the addiction to social media and all things online that most people suffer from. But the benefits of keeping your phone away from bedtime are priceless. It gives you an opportunity to have your own space and thoughts. You get to meditate on your life or situation without getting distracted by predigested information from your electronics.
7. Paint Your Bedroom Right
You want to own your bedroom and make it feel inviting to serve its purpose, which as per now is sleep. One way of achieving that is by painting. The color you use on your wall will play a role in setting the sleeping mood. Choose the right shade for your wall, which should give you an air of relaxation. The good news is, you can choose from a wide range. Though you might consider going with soft colors found in nature such as the serenity of Calm Ocean or soft tones of green or soft shades of brown for the best effect.
8. Use a Scent
Most people are ignorant of the importance of using fragrance in their bedroom. It plays a huge role into sending you to sleep. Sweet aroma like lavender or vanilla will always work in keeping you calm.
9. Personalize Your Bedroom
This means making your bedroom more self-appealing as much as functional. Display things that are important to you. This can be photos of loved ones or of places you love and you can also display a doll you love. You don’t want your room looking cluttered with all your memorabilia, therefore, just pick enough items that will bring good relaxing memories and help you drift off calmly.
10. Put a Sound Machine in Your Bedroom
Sound machines have helped many insomniacs from asleep. Check out the sound machine reviews online and look for the one that offers features that suit you. A sound machine can really help you to sleep and most of them are totally worth buying.
The Bottom Line
Prioritize your sleeping hours as the tips above help you achieve the right environment for your room. Sleeping has an untold number of health benefits that might be very beneficial to your productivity.
