Insider Advice: Home Organization For An Open Floor Plan
Open concepts for the kitchen, living, and dining areas are all the rage and offer a level of space other floor plans can lack. However, after settling down in your new open floor plan home, you may find one disadvantage is visible messes around the home. This can be difficult for families needing a balance between living in their dream home and having a functional space for their needs.
Getting your storage right requires discipline for open areas. Luckily, an organization plan should make reducing the clutter and cultivating good organization habits easier for you and your family. Here are some tips to consider that can help you take control of your living space and enjoy it again.
Assess Where the Messes Occur
When your family members arrive home, shoes, jackets and backpacks may be left by the front door. Books and homework folders could be left sprawled out next to furniture on the living room floor. Take note where the clutter piles up and create logical and convenient storage zones to catch those messes.
For the mess of books in the living room, floor shelves or a basket organizer next to the couch may be ideal. Pay attention to what the messes are adjacent to (furniture, walls, television) and turn that into an opportunity for a storage zone.
Use Dividers as Storage
Even in an open floor plan, many homeowners naturally set up “dividers” to make some areas appear separate from each other. The furniture arrangement, rugs, lighting, and other items can all signal which part of the floor is the living room, the dining room, and so on.
Using divided areas as storage zones allows you to still maintain open pathways and put that space to use. Shelving and cubbies behind couches, around kitchen islands, and next to chairs can be ideal storage areas. Pull-out cabinets around desks provide plenty of space for supplies and files.
Make the Most Out Of Wall Space
Placing organizers against walls is another idea to look into. Since you have less wall to work with, we recommend fully utilizing what is available.
In interest of keeping clutter minimal, see if it is possible to separate storage pieces from each other to allow your walls to breathe. Then, decide which belongings should be visible or concealed. Cabinets and drawers make things look tidy, but shelves and hooks offer accessibility – weigh those factors out when choosing your mix of organizers.
Furniture that Doubles as Storage
If you still need some new furniture, try to find pieces that include storage compartments. Tables with shelves underneath, entertainment centers with drawers, armoires with extra shelving space, and hollow ottomans and benches are a few ideas to get you started. Not only does this provide easy storage, but it looks modern and will mesh well with a contemporary style.
Opening Closet Space
Main level closets quickly become stuffed with belongings. If the above ideas have been tried already and there is no room available in other parts of the home, then another possibility is expanding the closet. Open floor plans allow for more convenient renovation, so opening up a closet for more room is worth a shot.
Keeping these ideas in mind should help you get started on where to allocate all your stuff and knowing what storage systems work best for you and your family’s needs.
Guest post written by: Michael Nokes works for Ultimate Garage Storage & Murphey Beds, a garage storage and organization dealer in Lewiston, Idaho. He enjoys organization, home improvement, and following the latest in business and market news.
Photo Credit
Living room, Ben Garratt, creative commons
Flex Tote, Rubbermaid Products, creative commons
Desk and shelves, manbob86, creative commons
Shelves and Chair, ErikaWittlieb, creative commons
Built-In Storage Guest Space, Design Folly, creative commons
