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Home » Organizing » How to Mix Organization & Decor

07/27/2015 · Leave a Comment

How to Mix Organization & Decor

Organizing

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Over time, I’ve figured out that I’m able to keep the house looking great much longer when I’ve built organization into our decor.

Now, when I design a room update, I start off by thinking about how we use the space on a day to day basis.

I’ve got a few examples to show you what I mean and hopefully, they will inspire some ideas for your own home. 

How to Mix Organization & Decor - photo of organized bathtub surround and craft room wall

The first project that really made me think about incorporating organization into a design was my craft space. The room is half guest bedroom, half craft room.

I didn’t want my guests to feel like they were invading my space when they visited, but I also wanted the craft area to feel like me.

TIP #1: Use Vertical Space on Your Walls

I came up with the idea of a gallery wall that blended artwork and storage. The same colors I used in the gallery wall are repeated throughout the room to give both areas one cohesive feel.

This concept would also work great in a home office or even a bathroom!

Craft Room Organization Scissor Storage

We’ve also gone vertical in the very small entryway from our garage, adding chic containers for mail that needs some sort of action as part of our paper decluttering process. 

Gold Envelope Containers for Mail. Do you have mail piles making you crazy? Here's how I FINALLY got rid of mine!

TIP #2: Upgrade the Ugly Stuff

Instead of using various plastic soap dispensers, I got two pretty glass dispensers, along with a container for sponges to keep everything tidy on the counter. 

Organized kitchen sink area with space for soap and sponges

In the bathroom, I used to end up with various bubble bath bottles and bags of bath salts cluttering the surround.

Organizing them in glass bottles and labeled containers around a wine rack used for washcloth storage looks so much better! 

Garden bathtub with washcloths rolled in a wood wine rack

One of my craziest organizational ideas was to use a real estate box to create a wall-mounted trash can for the laundry room. We don’t have floor space for a traditional trash can, so dryer lint and clothing tags always ended up cluttering the top of the washer and dryer.

It would have been totally functional to just put the clear bin on the wall, but I took ten minutes to make it pretty. Now it’s a quirky functional art piece and blends into the room.

Make a wall mounted lint bin next to the dryer

TIP #3: Pretty Labels Keep Things Pretty

Consistent labeling throughout a room is a great way to elevate a good organizing project into great home decor. Our pantry has a glass door, so everything inside can be seen from the kitchen.

I’m a huge fan of labels because they tend to KEEP things organized long term. I had several different types of containers, but using the same font on each one pulled them all together.

They would have been just as functional with all different labels, but consistency turns them into decor.

Pantry organization makeover

Here’s a closer look at the labels.

Pantry Organization Labels

I used the same technique in my office. 

white office storage drawers and shelves

While the pantry has clear bins so we can see when we need to restock, I picked solid bins for the office wall for a less-cluttered and more streamlined look. The labels are a little hard to read in this picture, but they’re way better in real life. 

TIP #4: Pegboards are Powerful!

I’m a newish fan of pegboards and I don’t know what took me so long to figure out how great they are. They turn a mishmash of almost anything into a pretty displayed collection. And they can be painted any color to match your style!

In front of our treadmill, I turned a blank wall into a mini-gym with the pegboard pulling everything together.

Organized home gym Exercise Corner

The garage is a more traditional space for pegboard, but even out there you can upgrade them for a custom look. Sandwiching ours between two IKEA KALLAX units created a fun wall of storage above our DIY Workbench.
Organized workbench with pegboard

TIP #5: Use Hidden Organization to Everything Tidy

As much as I LOVE a project that keeps our stuff looking great out in the open, some things just need to be hidden. I realized that the more organized the inside of our cabinets become, the more likely we are to keep the countertops clear.

While this tip doesn’t directly affect our decor, the impact is still huge.

Our kitchen looks SO much better when there isn’t clutter all over the island! I couldn’t live without my bin for dirty kitchen towels now.
The same principle applies in the bathroom.

Under sink organization in the bathroom.

Even taking some time to reorganize our bathroom drawers has helped keep the bathroom counter clean. When I know there is a designated spot for everything, I’m more likely to put it away.

Organized hair accessories

Hopefully seeing this inspiration from around our house will motivate you to tackle some spaces in your home. I know I’m ready to work through our still-messy areas! 

If you need to declutter first, head over to my best decluttering tips next. 

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melissa

Melissa George

In 2013, Melissa founded Polished Habitat to share her passion for intersecting style and function to make everyday life more beautiful and less stressful. She does this by sharing easy home organization tips, home decor tutorials, and creative ideas to help readers think outside the box, no matter their budget. Her work has been featured in print in Better Homes & Gardens and Room to Create Magazine, and online by HGTV, House Beautiful, Buzzfeed, & more. In 2018 & 2019, Melissa was named as a Style Maker by Better Homes & Gardens. In 2019, Polished Habitat was shortlisted for the Amara Blog Awards Best Interior Styling Blog - International. Read more...

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Welcome!

In 2013, Melissa started Polished Habitat to share her skill of mixing decor & organization to add style & function to everyday life at home.

Her work has been featured in print in Better Homes & Gardens and Room to Create Magazine, and online by HGTV, House Beautiful, Buzzfeed, & more.

In 2018 &  2019, Melissa was named as a Style Maker by Better Homes & Gardens. In 2019, she was also short-listed by the Amara Blog Awards for Interior Styling, International Division.

Need to reach Melissa?
Email: Melissa @ PolishedHabitat.com

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