Winning the storage war in your home
It’s back to school and back to work time, so here’s how to deal with all of your kids’ clutter – and smarten up your home office
Back to school inevitably means that hallways and front porches all over the country will be hijacked as dumping grounds for shoes, coats, school bags and gym gear. So how do you ensure that hurley and hockey sticks are not the first thing that greet when you walk in your door – especially if space is at a premium?
The key is multifunctional storage that makes every small space stretch to its utmost potential.
Anything that can double as storage and something else is going to save you room overall.
A bench with interior storage or a shoe rack. A storage bin tall enough to double as a console table.
Coat stands, while great in theory, can take up valuable floor estate, particularly in high traffic, narrow hallways. Look out for those that come with additional shelves or opt for coat hooks or overhead racks.
A good idea is to designate a hook to each child. This might sound a bit schoolteachery but I guarantee you it will get them hanging up their coats!
Similarly a personal cubbyhole for bits and pieces might encourage them to put away their stuff.
With back to school comes the eternal battle of homework. While a separate study or homework room is not always an option, a designated organised study space – be it in their bedrooms, that space under the stairs, or in the kitchen – will definitely encourage good habits.
Wall-mounted desk bureaus that can fold away once homework is done and dusted are handy space savers, as are pullout storage drawers.
Chalk or cork boards will help them keep track of to-do lists, hang artworks or display an event calendar for busy bee schedules. Of course, back to school mode is not just for kids. September is an ideal time for us grown-ups to get our workspaces in order.
Refreshing your office layout will take the sting out saying goodbye to summer. And who doesn’t love shiney new things?
Metallic office accessories are the big trend this season, such as copper document organisers, brass wire storage trays or a funky chrome desk lamp.
Check out the smart wall office from Cupertino, pictured above. Complete your new work space with an assortment of indoor plants, add a swanky designer swivel chair and you’re set.