Best Bets: 5 Solutions for
Hiding Home Clutter
Even the most minimalist home has a cache of clutter clogging up the works somewhere.
Here are some helpful ideas for containing the bits and bobs of modern living.
No matter how impeccably decorated a home is, beneath the surface is, inevitably, clutter. It's a fact of life with which we learn to coexist, but it still lurks under the bed or stuffed into closets and drawers. And we’ve all done the frantic shuffling of tucking things away before impromptu guests are hosted.
Since it's near impossible to maintain a picture-perfect home 24/7, there are plenty of methods to manage the madness. While we can't quite live without having all our stuff around, learning to contain it in a way that makes sense is a valuable skill that will have your home looking neat and elegant. Here are five smart ways to hide some of the most common culprits of home clutter:
Cable Management & Speaker/ Media Storage
Exposed cords and clutter draw attention away from your decor and disrupt the flow of a room. And in this current technological age, there are more cords and cables than ever. Instead of leaving them in a wadded-up tangle, consider neatly organizing them to save yourself the future headache. Manage the wires by grouping them together with twist-ties, zip-ties or a binder clip.
Then, consider a media console or cabinet that cleverly shields those managed cables from view. Media cabinets from BDI, for example, include standard flow-through ventilation and doors that allow cables and electronic components to be discreetly tucked away.
Dual-Purpose Furniture
We’ve been blessed with a boon of innovative dual-purpose furniture lately. While they're ideal for small spaces, look for styles that have storage in mind as well. A shelving unit with a desk offers the best of both worlds—not only does it have a compact table surface, it also offers ample storage.
In the bedroom, a bed that offers storage is incredibly convenient if you can't quite fit all your goods in your closet or dresser. Modern storage beds don't sacrifice style for functionality—their neat drawers and hidden storage compartments underneath can stay your little secret.
Wall-Mounted Organization
If you've ever lived in cramped living quarters before, you know the value of that sweet, sweet wall space. Wall-mounted shelving corrals clutter in way that feels intentional and organized, even when you have a lot of stuff. Go for clean, modular designs that you can mix and match to add interest to your walls. Designs like this will also provide artful, modern decor and allow you to organize your clutter within.
Credenzas & Buffets
If your kitchen is looking cramped and cluttered, a credenza or buffet is your answer—plus, it'll seriously upgrade your dining room. Although they're designed for convenience when you prepare a large meal or dinner party, credenzas are just as useful in other rooms. Whether you're looking to safely stash away the good china or need more storage for your home office, look no further than the versatility of the credenza.
Decorative Storage Baskets
Once you have most of your cords, cables and clutter under control, what to do with the rest? Decorative baskets, boxes and containers have the uncanny ability to look streamlined and organized, even when they're stuffed full of odds and ends. You'll often find them in matching sets with varying sizes, and it's up to you whether you want to integrate them into your decor or hide them away in a closet. Only you will know what sort of mess hides inside.