Summer is the time of year you get to spend more time with your family and friends, both inside and outside of your home. Embrace this time of year and the added quality time by tackling those projects you’ve been meaning to get to.

• Create a storage nook near your entranceway. Cubbies and baskets for seasonal items such as rain boots, umbrellas, and winter wear are key. This will also give you a place to temporarily store items without allowing for clutter. Install a clothing hook close to your front door to for each family member to hang their rain coats and hats. This will give you easy access to regularly used items.
• Keep your surfaces clear. If your kitchen counters and coffee tables are filled with stacks of papers, then it’s time to take control of your home. For many of us, this means doing away with mail clutter. We have all been guilty of throwing mail on the counter and vowing to get to it later. Deal with mail as soon as you receive it instead of putting it off. You can immediately recycle the junk mail and anything you don’t need. Identify a spot for outgoing mail and current bills so that important notices are less likely to be lost and mail won’t continue to build up on surface areas throughout your home.
• Add tall shelves. Use the height of your rooms to your advantage. Utilizing tall shelving allows you to take advantage of vertical available space. Accessorize the shelving units with books, picture frames, and decorative items, so they don’t act as storage only but also make a visual impact.
• Use glass-front cabinets to keep your kitchen in order. Glass-front cabinets force you to stay organized by keeping your glassware on constant display.
• Create a home office. Your home office doesn’t have to be huge; it just needs to fit your needs. When we end up doing work at home at the kitchen table, in the living room, or on the bed, we don’t separate work from relaxation, and it often brings stress into unnecessary areas. Set aside a small area in your home for a desk, your laptop, and a printer, if need be.
• Add a bench in your bedroom. Placing a bench at the end of your bed gives you extra surface space and it is a great way to keep items off of your bed. Stash reading material that you’re hoping to get to, or throw blankets and pillows when they are not in use.
• Don’t use the garage as a dumping ground. Garages can often turn into dumping grounds for items that don’t fit into your house. Set aside some time and organize the items in your garage by holiday decorations, home appliances, sports gear, etc. For items that must stay in the garage, install shelving and cabinets to create more storage space.

Take control of clutter once and for all this summer. For more information and tips to keep your home looking fabulous, contact The SWAT Design Team, interior decorators in St. Louis.