6 Organization Hacks for Your Nursery

Your nursery can be a busy place. You may have to spend some extra time rocking your baby to sleep there. You may pop in and out for quick diaper changes, or you could enjoy quite a bit of time on the floor with a little one learning to move and crawl. 

When you’re in your nursery, you want to make sure frequently used items are within reach. And if your nursery is a little crowded, you may need to get creative with storage solutions. Whether you’re still putting together your nursery or already have one, here are six organization hacks that can help.

Maximize Under Crib Space

If you have a drawer under your crib, use it. Some moms neatly store extra diapers in these drawers so they can ditch the bulky boxes after they bring them home from the store. You can also find storage bins that fit under the crib if you have space but no drawer down below. If you use a bin and have things in it you need to access regularly, make sure the container slides in and out easily.

Door Storage

The back of a door is a great hideaway for quick grab items. Whether it’s a wire, plastic or other hanging system, it can be a place to stash extra diaper cream, lotions, shampoo, cloths and wipes. Some systems with deeper pockets can even house small blankets, clothes, shoes, and more.

Once you create a system just make sure you are aware of the extra weight it places on the door and adjust how hard you push or pull the handle when opening and closing the door. If you pull the handle hastily some items may fall on the floor if the storage system is packed full.

Use a Utility Cart

You can find some smaller utility carts as narrow as nine inches in depth but plenty more that are 18 or 24 inches wide and deep. The great thing about utility carts, obviously, is the mobility they bring. You can either leave them next to your changing station full-time and keep wipes, diapers and diaper cream on the top tray, or you can keep the cart off to the side and create a routine of pulling it over to the changing station when needed.

Some families just love the look of carts, too. They decorate them, paint them, and show them off. If that’s not your style, you have the freedom to wheel your cart into a closet, if you’d like. As a general rule, use the top tray for items you’ll need to grab frequently, and you can store back-up items, towels and blankets in the bottom trays. And as your little one begins to crawl, for safety, keep things on the lower trays that won’t harm them.

Use the Wall Behind Your Changing Station

It’s pretty common to leave the wall space behind a changing station free of anything within a baby’s reach. That’s understandable because as your baby grows and becomes more mobile, you don’t want them reaching for something dangerous. But if the wall is completely empty and you can set up a hanging rack for diapers, cream and wipes in a safe spot, do it. The move will keep all necessary items within reach. You can even install slatwall with bins and trays. That way you can adjust the height and location of the storage unit over time.

Get the Most out of Your Closet

If you are setting up your nursery for the first time, you’ll want to see how much space you have in your closet. Measure areas between top shelves and the ceiling. Obviously, these hard-to-reach spots will be for seasonal or rarely used things. If it’s a larger closet, a cubby system may work well. You can also take advantage of small outfit sizes by installing double-hanging closet rods. Or if you like a single rod, install shelves above and below the rod.

Buy Furniture With Storage

When shopping for a nursery’s primary furniture pieces like cribs and changing stations, it’s easy to only focus on their size. If you’re tight on space, you may even prioritize making sure they fit into one specific area, too.

But some pieces are designed with storage, and even if they’re a little larger, it may be worth doing some re-configuring in the room to accommodate them. Storage-friendly furniture can save you a lot of space and add convenience. In addition, other pieces of furniture like benches with storage under them, cube systems with flexible ways to set them up, and even simple cribs with room underneath could be just what you need.

As you lay out or re-imagine your nursery, it’s a good idea to keep an open mind about storage and organizational strategies. Check the internet out for ideas, too. Everyone has a unique way of tackling storage and organization in a nursery. Someone else’s ideas could bring the inspiration you need to your nursery a safe, functional and fun place to share moments with your baby.

Make your living room renovations successful with these 4 upgrades

A living room is one of the most used areas in your home due to its multiple functions. You can host guests, socialize or enjoy family time. Hence, it's essential to ensure the living room is constantly revamped. Aside from adding a few details, you can renovate the room to give it a modern look and design. Below are a few affordable renovations that you can do.

Expand the living room

Traditionally most rooms were compact to conserve energy. However, that has changed in recent years and people want open floors and more space. You can remove the kitchen and dining walls to create more space. If you don't like an open kitchen, opt for a room that you can sacrifice and remove the interior wall to take over the area. Before taking down any walls though, ensure the wall doesn't bear any load and secure all permits. The renovation is hectic but can be achieved if you are motivated. Alternatively, you can use a broken plan home that maintains a sense of openness through small niches of privacy.

Work on your flooring

Redoing the floor can change the general look of your living room. If you have broken tiles or a worn-out carpet, it's time to change the floor. Although you can easily replace a rug, you can use other materials to give your floor a new look. Among the various flooring materials is an engineered oak flooring. Oak flooring can give you outstanding results, and you don't have to worry about its maintenance. Plus, most modern floor finishes are less messy since they can be installed on top of your existing floor.

Create new windows

A living room needs natural light, which comes through the windows. If your living room windows don't bring in enough light, it's time to renovate and create new ones. You can build new ones or extend existing ones to allow more light into the room. It's advantageous to make weather-tight windows to help you save up on money and energy. For that natural light, you don’t need giant windows. This is important if you have close neighbors or the view outside your home is less than enjoyable. To get away with windows in an area that doesn’t have nice views, consider short windows at the top of the wall so they aren’t within eye view but still let in the extra light.

Repaint your living room

Generally, living rooms are multipurpose; hence the color scheme has to be perfect. Don't wait until the paint on the wall starts to peel off or there are watermarks to repaint. Paint is inexpensive; hence you can even change it twice annually. Choose complementary colors that express your personality and are warm to make the living room lively.

These renovations should have a positive impact on the room and ensure its more accommodating. They don't have to be expensive since you can carry out these projects without any professional help.

Laundry Room Makeover Tips

Our surroundings influence us more than we realize, so giving your house a makeover can be a great way to make your house feel like a home. Room makeovers can be fun to do and bring new ways to maximize your space, so don't forget about the laundry room. Having a renovated laundry room can positively impact your attitude around chores and help it become more efficient.

Whether you want some budget friendly ideas or go for a full laundry room renovation, here are some tips for your laundry room makeover.

Clear the Clutter 

Start your declutter by getting rid of nonessentials, and putting everything in its place. To help you organize, get storage shelf units, so you can store your detergent and dryer sheets, as well as your dirty and clean laundry. 

Upgrade the Lighting

Having better lightning is not only helpful for your home office, but it can greatly improve the look of your laundry room. Creating a well-lit and relaxing area by adding decorative lighting, such as lanterns and fairy lights to make it more inviting.

Consider a Sink

If your plumbing allows and you have the budget, consider adding a sink to your laundry room. This will make it more convenient when cleaning heavy stains, treating fabric or just washing your hands. 

Add an useful wall art

Decorating your space with useful wall art can not only make your space more beautiful but also make your life easier. Consider hanging this laundry cheat sheet on your wall to help make laundry easier. 

If you are ready to get started on your laundry room makeover, and you are looking for even more tips, you can check out HomeAdvisor's guide on Laundry Room Makeover

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Closet Space

Having more clothes than you know what to do with is a problem that can build up slowly over time. Sometimes, you may not realize it’s happened until it’s too late. When your closet can’t really fit anything else without bursting open, it’s time to think about how to utilize that space better. Using these tips for getting the most out of your closet space will help you be more organized and prevent your clothes from ending up all over your home.

Be Brutal With Purging

If you want more closet space, one of the best things you can do is purge all those garments you never wear anymore. A good time to do this is when you’ve moved somewhere new or are setting up your new house. You’ll have to be a little harsh with yourself. If you haven’t worn something in the past six months, you probably won’t need it in the future. Don’t hang onto clothes you “might” need one day, as these often just end up taking more space than they need to.

Utilize Vertical Space

There’s more space in most closets than is first apparent. Make sure to look all the way up and down to find all the nooks and crannies where you can put more clothes and accessories. Collapsible hanging shelves can multiply the space you have to work with. Shoe racks below hanging clothes are another great space-saving idea. Don’t feel beholden to the space you see at first glance; use everything available to you.

Reduce Bulky Hangers

A great tip for getting the most out of your closet is to reduce the amount of space you use for things that aren’t clothes. Many people keep their clothes on large, bulky hangers, and these hangers serve very little purpose. You can find smaller and thinner hangers that work just as well as the bulky ones—and they’re usually cheaper as well. You’ll be surprised at how much space you wasted on the hangers alone once you swap them out.

Create an Organizational System

If you aren’t an organized person by nature, you may have to put in a little work for this one. Grouping things together in a way that makes sense to you will almost always provide you with more space than simply throwing items into your closet without thinking about it. Not only does an organization system create more space in your closet, but it also makes dressing every day much faster and more efficient.