Decluttering every nook and cranny

Julie Carlson and Margot Guralnick, editors at Remodelista.com and authors of “Remodelista: The Organized Home,” joined staff writer Jura Koncius on The Washington Post’s Home Front online chat. Here is an edited excerpt.

This is one of the biggest organization issues. Our favorite (but unfortunately priciest) way to stash shoes is in glass-fronted drawers in a walk-in closet. These keeps them protected from dust, but visible.

For more economical ideas, consider other solutions: storing shoes in a cubby unit from the Container Store (you can insert a couple in your closet); in a large, attractive basket (this is good for the entryway); a storage bench with a lid; or lined up on a metal tray. In the closet, we’re also fans of canvas shoe organizers (both the ones that you hang from a closet rod or on the back of a door).

We love living with books and believe in Anthony Powell’s famous line: “Books do furnish a room.” That being said, how many to keep and how best to arrange them is a personal matter. Organizing by color looks great, but makes it hard to find the volume you’re looking for. So if you’re constantly reaching for your books, organize by category or type (while stepping back and assessing the overall look).

As for what is too many: You know when your stacks are taking over the floor and beginning to crowd you out that it’s time to do some deaccessioning. Selling online is a good option for valuable editions. All else can be hard to sell. Consider donating to a library (that holds book sales) or a school or hospital. (To get that perfectly uniform look, you could consider decanting the ones that are odd sizes, but I realize that may be a tall order.) Paints are pretty, so I think you should just aim for what makes them easiest for you to access, such as on a shelf rather than in tins.

As for having your storage cabinet built, you can definitely find a cabinetmaker willing to take on the job! Post a service request on Craigslist, if need be. You have to come up with a wellfinessed prototype before you can begin trying to sell to manufacturers. But if you love the results, consider starting your own small business on Etsy, or teaming up with someone in your area who has an Etsy business. If you fill a real need, your design should have a market. Wishing you luck!

We’re big believers in corraling your spices in one place; sounds as if you need to create a designated spice drawer or shelf in your kitchen if possible. We like to buy spices in bulk and store them in uniform containers, such as small glass paint jars from art supply stores with labels on washi tape.

We just featured chef David Tanis on Remodelista and we’re obsessed with his spice drawer. He stores them in glass jars arrayed upside down in a drawer, so the contents are visible. That way he doesn’t have to label them, he says.

We believe in keeping vitamins in the kitchen; several of us at Remodelista have a designated cabinet above the sink, so we can easily run a glass of water. If you have young children, make absolutely sure the vitamins have childproof caps. If you don’t have to worry about children, you can always decant the vitamins into attractive jars or bottles labeled with washi tape.