Organized Interiors Blog

Take the Stress Out of Entertaining House Guests

hidden wall bed
Summer is approaching, and as people start to plan their holidays, you may start hearing from people who want to come for a visit.

Having friends or family stay with you can be a great experience – but it can also be a source of stress if your home doesn’t have a lot of space or isn’t well-equipped for putting people up for extended stays.

Here are a few tips that can help you manage houseguests so that they have a good time, and you maintain your sanity.

Plan some outings together

You don’t want an itinerary that’s so packed you’re marching everyone from one thing to the next with a stopwatch in your hand, but you’ll find company more manageable if you have a few activities planned in advance.

Think about what your guests are interested in, and choose accordingly – an art gallery or museum, a sporting event, a show, a hike – and you’ll find you all get along better for having been out of the house for a few hours.

Stockpile hotel samples

Whenever you travel, don’t be shy about collecting all those miniature soaps, shampoos, creams and so on that you see in hotel bathrooms.

Store them away in a drawer, and when your guests come, put them out in a basket in the bathroom they’ll be using.

Take advantage of restaurants

Even if you love to cook, trying to plan, shop for and prepare meals for several extra people can quickly go from being a pleasure to being a chore.

Eating out or ordering in takes some of the pressure off and allows you to actually enjoy the time with your guests instead of running back and forth between the dining room and the kitchen.

Plan some outings for your guests – without you

If the guests are grandparents, it’s easy to suggest they take the kids out to a movie or a game, or even to the park for a couple of hours.

If your guests are other family members or friends, try to think of something they might like to do on their own – even if it’s just going out to a local restaurant – and set it up for them.

Having even a couple of hours to relax and “reclaim your space” will make the visit that much easier.

Clear some storage space

If your guests are staying for more than a couple of days, try to set aside some space for them to keep their things so they aren’t living out of suitcases.

If you have a guest room, free up a couple of drawers and some closet space; otherwise, put up some hooks or a rack on the back of a door where they can hang their clothes.

Invest in a wall bed

A wall bed (sometimes called a Murphy bed) is a bed that folds up into the wall when you’re not using it.

A wall bed can be built on its own, or it can be part of a larger storage system – a well-designed, custom wall bed unit gives you the ability to turn part of your house into a guest room when you have company, and then use the space for day-to-day living the rest of the time.

At Organized Interiors, we can help make hosting houseguests easier with custom wall bed units, as well as other storage solutions.

Get in touch with us and one of our design consultants will visit you for a free in-home consultation to discuss what you need and how we can help. Book yours today.

Father’s Day Gift Ideas

Fathers are notoriously hard to buy for, so as Father’s Day approaches, here are a few gift ideas to think about this year.

Barbecue tools

Grilling season is upon us, and if Dad likes to get outside and cook, this is a great opportunity to get him a new set of tools.

A round of golf

If he’s a golfer, think about sending him out to play a round – or if you play too, go out together. It’s a great opportunity to try out a new course, or rediscover an old favourite.

Free time

If there’s a task you know Dad is dreading, consider hiring someone to do it for him. Bringing in a landscaper, painter or handyman for a few hours can give Dad a chance to put his feet up.

Watches

A fine watch can become a treasured possession, and perhaps even an heirloom that will be passed on to a family member one day.

Ties and socks

Yes, these are the ultimate dad-gift cliché – but socks do wear out, and many men settle into a pattern of wearing the same few ties week after week, so don’t be embarrassed to go for this practical option. Most stores offer gift cards, too, so you can let him choose something for himself.

For the man who has everything – closet accessories

Maybe Dad doesn’t need anything new as much as he needs a place to keep what he already has. Closet accessories like tie and belt racks, valet rods, and custom watch drawers and cases with Orbita watch winders can all help him organize his clothes and possessions with style.

Father’s Day Special

And right now is the perfect time, because Organized Interiors is offering a Father’s Day Special of up to $300 off on closet accessories. Just set up a free in-home consultation before June 30 to find out how you can save.

Organize Your Summer Wardrobe in Three Easy Steps

Summer is here and it’s time to start thinking about what you’re going to wear this year. As with so many other things in life, being prepared is half the battle.
If your clothes are organized so that you can find what you want quickly and easily, then you’re already on your way to looking your best. Nothing is worse than spending the morning tearing through your closet looking for your lucky presentation outfit and not being able to find it anywhere.
Having a system – and sticking with it – can really save time and reduce stress. So here are three easy steps to help you organize your summer wardrobe.

Step One – Out with the Old

Start by getting rid of old clothes that, for one reason or another, you know you won’t wear again. This will help you focus on organizing the summer clothes you actually will wear. As for the old items, you can donate them, pass them on to a friend or family member, or even try selling them online.
When it comes to making decisions, a good rule of thumb is: if you didn’t wear it last summer, you probably won’t wear it this summer either.

Step Two – Organize

There are different ways to approach this, but we recommend organizing by function. So, have one section of your closet for everyday work clothes; one for special work clothes (for example, presentation or meeting outfits); one section for casual week-end wear; one section for party clothes; and so on. Let your wardrobe and your lifestyle guide you in deciding exactly what sections you need.

Step Three – Stay Organized

This is the hard part. Too often, even the best-planned system falls apart after a couple of laundry cycles. Do your best to put things away according to the system you’ve established.
The small investment of time required to stay organized will pay big dividends by saving time and reducing stress when you’re putting together the perfect outfit the morning of a big meeting or presentation.

Bonus Tip – The Key to Staying Organized

The biggest key to staying organized is having the storage space and accessories you need to keep everything in proper order. At Organized Interiors, we specialize in providing custom closets and accessories that are designed with your needs in mind. You may find that a few simple accessories, like a built-in laundry hamper or a valet pole, will make a big difference. We also offer beautiful custom-built closets, which can completely transform your space and provide all kinds of great storage options.
Just get in touch with us to set up a free in-home consultation – one of our design consultants will be happy to meet with you and suggest solutions that are perfect for your needs and your space. Book your free consultation today.

Every Closet Needs A Valet Rod

Some people call it a valet rod, others call it a valet pole. We think every clothes closet should have at least one.
Would you purchase a new car without air conditioning or hands-free calling? Of course not! They have become essential features in vehicles today. When it comes to closets, a valet rod is also essential. You just might not know it yet.

Doorknobs are not valet rods

Have you ever hung a shirt from a door knob? Maybe you like to hang your outfits from the top of an open door (because the door knob is too low to floor to hang a dress or suit). If you have ever been guilty of hanging your clothes in this way, you need a valet pole. It is designed to hang clothes, not open doors.

Two types of valet rods

A concealed insert valet rod disappears into the cabinet dividers. When it is pushed all the way in and not in use you only see the round knob. It pulls out to 3.7 inches and can support up to 7 pounds. The round ball at the end is used to push and pull the rod but also keeps your clothes from sliding off the end.

For more flexibility, a side mount, telescopic valet rod can be placed almost anywhere. It extends to 9.5 inches and can support up to 50 pounds. The hardware mounts are also concealed providing a clean looking finish to your closet. You’ll be able to hang more items such as dry cleaning or freshly ironed clothes.
Both valet rods come in a various metal finishes:

chrome
silver mist
black pearl
oil rubbed bronze

His and hers

Get more than one. Most closets benefit from at least two valet poles, especially if you share the space with a significant other. If you have large walk-in closet or dressing room you’ll benefit from having several valet poles to hang dry cleaning, ironed clothes or for planning your wardrobe for the day.

Think outside the closet

Valet poles are great closet accessories but who says you can use them in other areas of your home? They’re quite often used in laundry rooms to hang clothes and some people even install one in the garage. When you’re unloading the car and have dry cleaning, it’s nice to have an extra hand.
A valet rod is the most popular closet accessory because it is convenient and easy to use. Its efficient use of space provides a sophisticated look that finishes off your closet. You’ll wonder how you ever got along without it once you start using it. Add some to your closet today. Visit our showroom today and look at the various options available.

Barbie’s Wardrobe and Ergonomic Design in Closets

Photo credit: Barbie Collector

When I was a little girl I wasn’t a big fan of playing with Barbie dolls but I loved the doll-sized wardrobe that held miniature fashion ensembles and accessories. It was pink, stately, with two doors that opened to reveal a tiny rod with hangers, little drawers for pairs of plastic shoes, shelves for microscopic jewellery and a full length ‘mirror’ inside one door made from an almost-reflective material. It was glorious. But not because I had fun dressing up the dolls it was the organization I loved. Every tiny piece had it’s own perfect place.
I also colour-coded the doll’s outfits with their shoes too, but that’s another story.

Order and convenience

What stuck with me over the years was how much I appreciated order. It’s convenient to have everything in it’s place, within reach. The busier I am the more I crave the efficiency of having what I need everyday close by, not just at home but also at work.

Ergonomics

It’s actually a science. The study of people’s efficiency in their work environment is called ergonomics. It’s also something designers employ when it comes to home design. It’s important to address how we function in a space with special emphasis on ease, comfort and safety.
Where we place objects, furniture and appliances, how high we have to reach for something, how well it’s lit for the task at hand are only a few of the considerations designers have on their checklist.
The appliance industry sets standards for the height and width of everyday appliances for the kitchen and laundry room. As we learn more about how we work in a space and how o make life easier and safer those standards become more refined. Chair, table and desk heights, sofa seat depth, etc are all a result of the applied science of ergonomics.
But lets go back to my dream wardrobe, er closet.

A closet for grownups

If you look at a standard clothes closet there’s usually a door, maybe two, that slide, open out or fold open to reveal a rod across the span of the space usually just above eye level, with a shelf across the top.
You have three distinct spaces to work with; you can hang clothes on hangers spanning the entire space; you can stack articles on top piled as high as you can; and you can stack or line up items on the floor under the hanging clothes. The door may have hooks on it for additional hanging space.
In my dream closet there are several more options. I would hang shorter rods at two or more different heights to accommodate short and long items. Shelving, preferably at varying heights would allow stackables like sweaters and t-shirts to be easily seen, accessed and replaced after cleaning. The more orderly, the more functional it is. Drawers are wonderful in a closet too, especially for those who prefer not to have everything on display.

Ergonomic design in closets

Contemporary ergonomic design is all over closets these days from built-in laundry hampers to racks for belts and scarves that tuck back in to the cabinetry. Imagine how much simpler mornings will be when you select your outfit the night before set it out on a pull out valet rod, choose your shoes from your own colour coordinated shoes collection and accessorize with your jewellery laid out in a velvet-lined casing in a drawer topped with glass.
Sweet, simple, functional and organized. Just like Barbie… and me.
Is your closet ergonomically designed or thrown together haphazardly? Organized Interiors design consultants can help you design a dream closet that meets your specific needs. Contact us to find our more.