05.10.22
WE ORGANIZE
I'm back with an article on my blog, which has absolutely nothing to do with illustration, I agree, but lately I've started to tidy up some rooms in my house in more detail to be better organized, which that I am absolutely not by nature!
I thought that maybe this could interest some people (if at least one is interested, this article will have been worth it) so I started!
I had the opportunity to watch the famous series "The Home Edit » on Netflix which presents 2 professionals of the organization offering their services to celebrities and anonymous people in order to organize their interiors. And yes I am weak, I was completely taken in by the aesthetic and visual aspect of their storage system. There is nothing revolutionary in my opinion, but this sense of aesthetics going to the interior of the cupboards I really liked so I started! started with my fridge, and continued with my kitchen cabinets and my entryway. I'm absolutely not a pro, but starting this process I noted some thoughts that had been useful for me and that I do each time, I hope this can inspire you!
Instagram account "The Home Edit"
1- Observe how you use the space you want to store
Even if this principle applies more globally in a space, it seems to me that it is just as useful on a smaller scale. Before organizing the interior of my kitchen units in detail, I first observed how I used each of them for several weeks.
What do I use the most?
What do I use less or not at all?
What do I put on my height to be more accessible?
What don't I want my child to touch? (Special moms bonus question 😂)
So, I took the time to draw my kitchen (that I know how to do!) to ask myself and think about these points that I have just mentioned to start the second...
2- Sort and categorize
As I show in the drawing, I worked in areas that seemed logical to me for my use.
I first wrote the list of areas that were necessary in my opinion, and I "arranged" them on my drawing
For example, my pastry area is next to the oven, the plates and glasses area are at the bottom of my wall unit and not far from the dishwasher to make it easier. The higher you go, the more there are elements that I use less. To the right of the top cabinet is the snacks/sweets area put here so that my son can't (yet!) catch them 😅, even if dad does it very well!
3- Contain areas
Clearly something that I learned from the work of the girls from “The Home Edit”, making sure to contain as much stuff as possible so as not to leave anything lying around! A lot of stuff can be boxed, and that's where the next point comes in!
Less used items in large boxes (no need to use them daily)
Items used daily in mid-height boxes and/or with handles for easy use
4- Work on aesthetics
Material
In my case, I opted for an all-white kitchen. I wanted the storage in the cupboards to match my decoration by adding a little warmth and texture. All the dishes being white too, I invested in water hyacinth baskets (for the upper parts) which I find magnificent! Visually, they give relief and a warmer character that balances with the white. I also chose wooden baskets in the snack part of the furniture to continue in this spirit while varying the material. In the entrance I opted for white boxes because my furniture is blue, always in this same spirit of balance. All that to say that even storage boxes can be a decorative element in their own right!
The symmetry
An element that also helps to make the storage unit pleasant is symmetry. In my entrance closet I opted for this option and it brings a consistency that makes the storage system readable. When it is not possible to do so, the unity of the boxes chosen helps to keep the readability all the same.
Labels
The final touch that is both aesthetic and more than useful are the labels! At a glance, I know what to put and where! I haven't systematically done this, but when I found it necessary I added them. Beyond the fact that it gives a nice aesthetic touch to the storage, it is a system that is readable by all family members, no more excuses for not knowing where to put things! I invested in clip-on labels for the baskets that I wrote on by hand, as well as printable transparent stickers for the white boxes
I hope you have been able to find some ideas by this article. I know it has nothing to do with my illustration activity but I wanted to share with you what I was able to learn. Even if I still have to improve a lot on the point of organization, this whole system motivates me to keep a certain order to better focus on things that are more important to me! Do not hesitate to tell me if you liked/used this article :)