Neatify Me

The easiest way to start organizing is to think what goes together and then expand that principle to everything around you. Think what you need when you do something or prepare something and it should become obvious. Always use the two step rule so that you don’t have to move more than two items to get to the one you need. Think about the frequency of use so the items you don’t use that often go further back or further up. Try to think about the flow so that you don’t have to move through a room more than it is necessary. Sometimes it takes more than one try to get it just right. If you don’t have time to do it yourself, you can always hire a professional who will do it for you or guide you through implementing the system that they created just for you. Neatness takes time, but is achievable.

… and everything in its place – a motto you should live by if you want to be neat. This doesn’t have to take too much time or effort, it is just a matter of finding the right system that works for you. Just keep revising, revisiting, purging, and rearranging – this works for just about anything from wardrobes and closets to shelves and cupboards. If you get stuck, a professional organizer is there to help you with their expertise and find the right solution for your particular issue.

Art is a good way to add interest if a room feels too empty. It doesn’t have to be expensive, it can just be a framed page from a magazine, a photo, or a simple painting or a drawing. Different sizes and textures of frames can also be used to add rhythm, just keep in mind that some art pieces should echo one of the accent colors present in that room.

Neat fridge doesn’t have to be a figment of your imagination, it can be very real and attainable, it just takes some planning and figuring out what goes where. Once every item has its place (bear in mind to sort them so that cooked or ready-to-eat food doesn’t get contaminated by raw food like meat), it is just a matter of restocking the missing items. A good idea is to keep a list on a fridge or in an app (Google Keep and OneNote are some of the free apps you might want to use). This will help you keep track of your diet as well, which is good for both your health and your budget. Start now and you will see and feel the difference soon.

Open shelving has become very popular in the last couple of years that seems to stay as a permanent trend. The main issue is the possible clutter it might produce as well as constant dust it will attract, but at the same time it is an ideal backdrop for those perfect photos you will probably want to take in your kitchen. Open shelves can be as neat as you want them to be, it just takes some organizational skill and self-control. The trick is to not overcrowd them, keep only the most used items or the most decorative ones, and place them by frequency of use so that the lower shelves hold the more frequently used items. Since open shelves require regular cleaning, you can use this time to asses if something needs to be put away or maybe even added. Remember that it doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to work for you.

Another small project for a client was this kitchen cabinet declutter. Since they have a very limited storage, one of their kitchen cabinets doubles as a pantry:

The cabinet was full of half-used bags and boxes and different containers, so the client asked for a way to make the shelves appear neater. The client prefers glass containers, so I managed to find the right ones in IKEA:

These KORKEN glass jars come in different sizes that were not available at the time of the purchase so the client will get them in other sizes as well as they become available. The most important step was to guide the client in placing items by frequency of use. Please note that this system works for this particular client and might not work for other clients, so it is important that we find the right solution for you. When the system is in place, it is much easier to keep everything neat. Neatify Me can help you achieve that.

A client wanted to refresh their bathroom because the clutter was getting out of hand:

Since the client didn’t have a closed cabinet, I had to come up with a solution that will contain the clutter and also look appealing to the client. They had bamboo in mind because they like the warmth and appeal it gives. Again, IKEA came to the rescue with their bathroom range:

I suggested that the client should get DRAGAN set of 3 bamboo boxes for the less used items so they can keep them neatly put away while not in use.

The two top boxes fit nicely over the third larger one which is convenient for the client to use and save time by having everything in the same place.

To unify the look, I suggested that the client should also get other bathroom accessories from the same IKEA range, DRAGAN soap dispenser and DRAGAN toothbrush holder. The shelf now looks neater because the client keeps only the necessary items and continues to update and purge when needed. Another successful project completed!

This was a small organizing project for a client that had problems with clutter in their tiny kitchen. As you can see in the client’s photo below, there is no counter space when the dishes are drying:

After getting the measurements from the client, the solution was found by thinking vertically, which is mandatory for most tiny spaces. IKEA KUNGSFORS dish drainer and ORDNING cutlery stands in both sizes were suggested as an addition for instant neatness and much required additional space:

The client was very happy with the solution and still is after a few months. This means that this particular system worked for them and helped them get neater. If you have similar problems or need any kind of help or advice, feel free to reach out, I will find a right solution for you.

Your bathroom will look neater and cleaner if you keep all the containers and products that you use hidden inside cabinets and drawers. A bathroom sink doesn’t require more than a toothbrush holder, a soap dish or dispenser, and a towel rack next to it. Everything else can be neatly put away until you use it again. Just remember to put everything back in its place and you made another step towards getting neater.

If you need a quick and easy way to add some color and life into your space, think about adding plants. Try adding one at a time to see how this works for you, or if you already have some, move or group them differently to add some interest. Depending on your style, you can use either monochrome or colorful pots, flowering or non-flowering plants, or create various combinations. Just remember to tend your plants regularly.