Tag Archives: Storage

Preparing for and Surviving Your Home Renovation Project

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Renovation Survival Tips Cover

It’s been awhile since I posted on the blog.  I’ve been “off the grid” for a good portion of February due to the kickoff of our interior redesign project…yey! As you might expect, I will be blogging extensively about my own redesign experience in the coming months.

Today, I’d like to share the wisdom of my dear friend Heidi, who recently completed an extensive home renovation project.  Her family of four (+dog) lived in their home during the renovation process, which brings with it certain…um…challenges. In preparation for my own project (which will not be nearly as large in scope as hers), I asked Heidi to share her key tips to prepare for AND survive a home renovation project.

Mentally Prepare for Chronic Chaos

If you are the type who likes everything “just so”, you will seriously need prepare yourself nentally for the temporary change in lifestyle that goes hand-in-hand with living in a “Renovation in Process” environment.  You will need to adopt the mantra that “this too shall pass”, and regularly remind yourself that the end result will be worth it!

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Minimize the Spread of Construction Dust

If your project involves drywall installation, carpentry work, or painting, there will be dust. Sawdust. Drywall dust. Paint spray dust…EVERYWHERE.  The dust migrates all over the place; you will find it in just about every room of your home. Although construction dust is inevitable, there are things you can do to minimize it.
Heidi suggests packing away items that you will not need access to during the renovation process, in order to prevent them from being coated with construction dust. Also, consider investing in magnetic air vent covers to use in the areas of your home that are not being renovated. Another good practice is to seal the doorway between your living area and the renovation area via heavy-duty plastic drop cloths.Renovation Survival Tips 2

Establish Your Storage Areas

Renovation projects require the removal of the “stuff” that typically lives in the space…furniture, appliances, home decor, etc. You will need a place in your home to serve as a temporary holding area for this stuff while the project is underway.

Heidi was fortunate in that she had several areas available for this purpose…a large area in her basement, as well as a spare bedroom.  If you don’t have room onsite for temporary storage, explore options such as relocating items to an offsite storage unit/family member’s home, or investing in an onsite temporary storage unit (e.g., PODS).
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Prepared to Make Decisions…Quickly

You will be flexing your decision-making muscle on a daily basis when you undergo an extensive home renovation. Paint colors, flooring, cabinetry, lighting and counter top selections…oh my! Selecting finishes can be a daunting process for the average homeowner. You will often be called upon to make decisions quickly so as not to hold up contractors.

Begin your research as early as possible so that you are in a good position to make those critical decisions when it’s time to do so. If you lack confidence in the design department, enlist the assistance of a professional or a trusted friend who has a knack for design.

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 Order Materials ASAP

Be vigilant about ordering all materials necessary for your renovation as soon as possible. You never know when you will be faced with waiting for a backordered item that will prevent your project from moving forward. Once your project is at a standstill, the contractors move onto other projects, and it can be a painful process as you wait for them to incorporate your project back into their schedule.

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Think Twice About D.I.Y. Efforts

You might be tempted to take on certain aspects of the renovation yourself, in order to save some cash. It makes sense to invest your sweat equity if you have expertise in a particular skill like electrical, plumbing, or drywall. If you are not an expert, you may want to think twice about D.I.Y.ing it. Heidi regrets their attempt at drywall patching (see below), and wished they would have left this piece of the project in the hands of the experts.

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Heidi’s final word of advise to me was to avoid letting your kids make paint color selections, or you might just end up with Kermit The Frog green in the hall bathroom! Of course, I already learned this lesson the hard way with my daughter’s room.

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Stay tuned for my next post, where you’ll get the opportunity to see the amazing transformation that occurred at Heidi’s home this past year!

 Want to learn more about Natalie Gallagher or Refined Rooms?  Visit www.RefinedRoomsLLC.com or connect via: Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | LinkedIn

Go Under the Bed to Uncover Hidden Storage Potential

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As a professional organizer, I spend a lot of time with my clients exploring measures they can take to maximize the storage space within their homes.  In previous posts, I’ve described the importance of “going vertical” and using the backs of your doors to expand your storage possibilities.  Today, we’ll explore an often untapped area in your home that can serve as extra storage space…under your bed.

Let me begin with the disclaimer that feng shui experts are not keen on the idea of using the space under your bed to for storage.  I’ll leave it to you to determine whether the less-than-optimal fung shui is outweighed by the extra square footage that you will gain by utilizing the space under your bed’s footprint.

Bed Risers

The most common way to render “under the bed” a useful space is to raise your bed off the floor a bit.  I’ve seen people use wood blocks or even cinder blocks to elevate their bed.  Did you know that there’s actually a product that is made specifically for this purpose?

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You can purchase a set of bed risers at almost any of the major retail stores.  They come in varying heights and are typically made of plastic or wood.  The one featured above comes with a bonus electrical outlet.  Fancy!

Captain’s Bed

Looking for a great storage solution for a small bedroom?  Perhaps a captain’s bed is the answer.  These beds boast built-in drawers beneath the frame that make use of the space between the floor and the bed frame.  The captain’s bed can eliminate the need for a dresser or chest of drawers in your bedroom, which will make the room feel more spacious.

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There are so many cute captain’s beds for kid’s spaces available today.  Many of them offer open cubby spaces in addition to closed (drawer) storage, like this one:

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 Murphy Bed

Need a place for the occasional house guest to sleep, but don’t have the luxury of a designated guest room in your home?  The murphy bed is the ideal solution for you.  What is it you ask?  A murphy bed is a bed that is hinged at one end to store vertically against the wall, or inside of a closet or cabinet.
Pull it out when you need it on those few occasions during the year:

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…and push it back up and out of the way when the bed is not in use. Voila – instant square footage!  This particular brand gets an A+ for clever design.  Did you notice that the bed support doubles as a desk/work area?

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Storage Bed

It looks like a typical upholstered bed, right?

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Wait for it…

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Ta da!  How’s that for the unexpected?  a storage bed such as this one can yield up to about 50 extra square feet of storage space.  Not too shabby, eh?

Moral of the story – if you are pressed for space, don’t overlook the wealth of opportunity that lies underneath your beds.  Got another way that you utilize your under-the-bed space?  I’d love to hear about it.  Be sure to leave a comment below.

Want to learn more about Natalie Gallagher and Refined Rooms?
Visit RefinedRoomsLLC.com

Refined Product Best Pick: Grandin Road’s Andros Sliding Trunk

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As a new component of the blog, I will be featuring Refined Product “Best Picks”– products, furniture, accessories, and organizing tools that perfectly fuse form and function.
 

Today’s Best Pick is the Andros Sliding Trunk, brought to you by Grandin Road.  This fabulous piece can function equally well as a bench (at the foot of your bed, in an entryway) or as an ottoman.  Of course, any piece of furniture that is multifunctional and provides storage is a winner in my book!
 

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The Andros Sliding Trunk also boasts a clever design. Have you ever had to access the contents of your ottoman, and been annoyed that you have to remove everything on top prior to opening it? Not with this piece. Simply slide the lid tops to each side without moving a thing. Genius! It even comes with a removable wood tray that sits inside the interior track.
 
If you are looking to introduce a coastal vibe into your space and are in need of additional storage, this piece is a must-have!
 

Want to learn more about Natalie Gallagher or Refined Rooms LLC?  Visit www.RefinedRoomsLLC.com.

 

Organizing your “Undecorate” Process

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Do you keep the holidays alive throughout the month of January, or have you already begun the holiday “un-decorate” process in your home? Whichever camp you fall in, it’s helpful to think about ways to make next year’s holiday decorating process a little easier on yourself. If you are the type that really dreads the process of holiday decorating, it’s particularly important that you store your holiday items in an organized manner in order to minimize the pain of decking the halls come next December.
 

I thought I’d share a few helpful tips to keep in mind as you begin the process of storing your holiday items for next year…
 

CREATE A DECORATING “CHEAT SHEET”

 
Before disassembling any of your holiday vignettes, be sure to take photos of them. These photos will enable you to easily replicate the vignette on your mantel, bookshelves, and table tops for next year if you don’t have the time or inclination to come up with new ways to display your holiday accessories.
 
Holiday Decorating Cheat Sheet1

 

I have a file folder named “Holiday Decorating” on my computer that I routinely refer to each November as I begin the process of decorating for the holidays. I typically like to mix things up from year to year. Occasionally, I’ll find my creative juices lacking and I’m thankful to have the photos to use as a “cheat sheet” for re-creating a tried-and-true vignette from a previous year.
 
Holiday Decorating Cheat Sheet 2

 

IMPLEMENT A STORAGE GAME PLAN

 

1. IDENTIFY & LABEL HOLIDAY BINS

 
Determine how you will identify your holiday bins among the vast collection of storage bins in your attic/basement. Will they all be a particular color? Right now, the major retailers have most of their bins on sale in a variety of colors for storing holiday décor.
 
Holiday Storage Bins

 

You will also need to determine how you will keep track of the contents of each bin. You basically have 2 choices: 1) label the contents on the bin itself (using a large label or the ever-popular duct tape/sharpie method), or 2) number the bins and create an inventory of the contents for each numbered bin. You can keep the inventory in your holiday planner/notebook or in a designated folder on your computer.
 

2. SELECT A STRATEGY FOR GROUPING DECOR

 
The way you group your items in storage bins should be determined by how you decorate your home for the holidays. Do you like to decorate with the same items and in the same location every year? If so, group your décor items by the location in which they are displayed (e.g., a “dining room” bin and a “fireplace” bin). If you like to mix it up each year, then it makes more sense to group like items (e.g., a “garland” bin and a “wreaths” bin).
 
Bonus tip: Create a “#1 Bin”, which contains the items that you need early on in the season. This can include items such as your advent calendar, the Elf on the Shelf, and holiday cookie cutters.
 

3. CHOOSE CONTAINERS WISELY

 
My final tip is to put some thought into the containers you choose for storing your holiday items. You will want to avoid stuffing your décor into ginormous 150 gallon bins (particularly if you are storing them in the attic!). If your containers are manageable, it will make the task of lugging them up from the basement each year less aversive.
 
Do you have a tip to share for making next year’s decorating process easier? I’d love to hear it.  Leave a comment below!
 

For more information about Natalie Gallagher and Refined Rooms, visit www.RefinedRoomsLLC.com.