Let's talk clutter. Let’s talk about the fact that we’re all at home these days, staring at the stuff we’ve accumulated over the years – not the stuff that “sparks joy” but the stuff that we may or may not need, creating chaos in our space and minds. And besides, no one likes to spend half of his or her waking days reorganizing and putting away clutter.
Zen-like minimalism may be all the rage, but that doesn’t mean you have to start tossing out the baby with the bathwater. Look for items that can help the clutter magically disappear, like on a desk or coffee table. Who hasn’t dealt with paperclips, pens, sticky notes, coins, phone chargers, and random objects scattered all over desk or coffee table? Storage solutions like boxes with lids come in handy. You may not have the wherewithal to deal with the sorting process, but you can probably handle hiding items from view in the interim.
And we’ve all dealt with the embarrassment of last-minute guests who witness the chaos of living and dining rooms – toy parts and board game pieces, not to mention dining tables repurposed as craft tables and the attendant mess. Sideboards and media cabinets provide plenty of storage and a quick solution for taming the living/dining room messiness. Add some baskets to the mix, and you may never have to purge your possessions.
Which is not to say that you have to hide everything. Sometimes more creative furniture helps foster a more peaceful space, especially if the space is small to begin with. A large coffee table taking up a large footprint in your living area isn’t the best use of a space, especially if it just becomes another surface to clutter up. Think instead about the versatility of nesting tables, for instance. Nested into themselves, the tables become inconspicuous, but pulled out, they provide plenty of room for laptops, books, coffee mugs, and, of course, Legos.
There are countless other ways in which good design and smart furniture can help tidy up your space. We understand that purging unnecessary or unloved belongings can be a daunting task, and while minimalism is an admirable goal, it’s not always an easy one. Until you get to that point, a little tucking away and hiding from sight can help maintain some sanity. And after reaching that goal, good design and smart furniture can help maintain some hard-earned joy.
