Clutter Crises You Can Avoid

Where To Start

A place for everything and every in its place, or so goes the old saying. The problem is that you probably have too many things and not enough closets or cabinets to put them in.
The solution? Furniture with built-in storage to help keep things tidy in every room in the house. These tips will get you started.

Space for Me

Clutter Crisis #1: All I want is a little place just for me!

Forget about a room of one’s own -- most women would settle for a piece of furniture where they can sit, put on makeup, or write a note with personal items close at hand. Use small trays and boxes to organize space inside. Add more storage with a rolling file cabinet that’s small enough to slide underneath.
Store more: Look for an armoire with a built-in desk that slides out or pulls down for extra storage. To maximize stowing capacity, couple the vanity with a storage ottoman. 

Living Room

Clutter Crisis #2: My living room is a dumping ground.

Books, toys, remote controls -- the biggest mess is almost certainly found in whichever room gets the most traffic. To control the chaos, select tables, consoles, and cabinets with plenty of shelves and drawers.
Store more: Furniture meant for other rooms of the house can often blend seamlessly into a living room. Try a chest of drawers, for instance, and let each family member lay claim to a drawer. 

Kitchen

Clutter Crisis #3: There’s no more room in the kitchen.

Pots, pans, dishes, bowls, utensils, plus the many small appliances that seem to multiply -- it’s no wonder that storage in the kitchen is at a premium. Survey the premises and find a way to use every square inch.
Store more: Try installing a peg board on the back of a kitchen door. And if your kitchen is short on built-in cabinets, an armoire might solve your storage problems. 

Bedroom

Clutter Crisis #4: Piles of clothing have made our bedroom chaotic instead of comforting.

The bedroom offers many opportunities for storage, which is lucky, since there are so many things we need to house there. Find room for clothes, and then make sure you have space for jewelry and mementos, plus whatever you like to have on hand next to the bed.
Store more: A headboard with built-in shelves is convenient, particularly if you don’t have room for a pair of nightstands. And remember, nightstands with drawers or cabinet space take up the same area as those that simply have legs.

Entryway

Clutter Crisis #5: I can barely get in (or out) the door.

The trick is to find a neat and organized way to keep necessities (backpacks, purses) in the entryway to speed up the morning exodus.
Store more: Provide an easily accessible place for outerwear. A row of pegs is one remedy, or try an old-fashioned coat stand.