Pandemic Pandemonium
It is tough out there. Never before have our homes had to work so hard for us. I will admit at one point, I gave up on my house. The kids and their activities took us all over and we were rarely home so I didn’t have to think about all the things that needed to be done…but we never experienced anything like this…having to bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan all while teaching school, nurturing children that are out of their normal routines and taking care of the house takes super powers!
Twenty years of visiting with people to learn how we can help fix their homes and ease their lives allow me to share a few observations…
Clean and Organized are traits many aspired to. What I have noticed is:
There is mess—
a. piles everywhere—mail, laundry, shoes, games and puzzles that have been out for months
b. dirty dishes and glasses in every room
There is clutter
a. project in process- adult and kid, hobby and school
b. display of kids school project and such
c. toys being used in creative play
Built in storage, baskets to store items accessible on open shelves and permission to be creative. Space at the counter with a seat to work on a laptop, Island seating for casual dining.
Making the most of storage by utilizing the dead space under the steps for bigger items. A table and chairs for table top activities and built in storage conveniently located nearby. Basket storage for toys and shelves for games and puzzles. A nearby closet with adjustable shelves helps to organize the space.
I have said it before and I will say it again. It is not good design if it does not solve a problem. You can create a mud room with open cubbies but look at the images on line and then look at your piles and tell me if it would look better hanging on the wall or perhaps it would be better to have a nice walk in closet.
Here we have a combination of open and closed storage. What you can’t see is the closet opposite the bench. The pocket door add yet another way to close off the space to any view of untamed clutter or outer wear “that does not match the decor”.
When it comes to trying to do it all, cut yourself a break. There will be good days and bad. Is a new or renovated house or a bigger house the solution? Maybe. Good design can really ease your life and here at Clawson Architects we are praised over and over for our smart and practical solutions to everyday life.
The last 2 secrets I will leave you with you are:
It does not matter how much money you spend on your bathroom renovation or how big and expensive your home is….you must teach your children to flush the toilet.
People that really live in and enjoy their homes and life in general have dust in their dust buster.
It is great to peruse Houzz and Pinterest and dream of the “picture perfect” home…but the best homes are the ones filled with love!
**(Disclaimer— Images on Clawson Architects are taken by a professional. They are photo shopped. They are cleaned/cleared and staged for that Picture Perfect Social Media Post that will get you dreaming about what we can do for you. They are in no way meant to stress you out and we apologize for any contribution we are making to your anxiety levels about your home.)