Modern Home Office 2013 Ideas : Storage & Organization Solutions



Create a home office anywhere with these ideas for streamlined storage and efficient organization.

 



 

Cubby Solution

If floor space is limited, bring storage off the floor and onto a desk. Place a small bookcase on top of a desk, which will give you a space to store supplies at your fingertips.

 

 

Easy Office Filing

Turn an existing dresser or other unit with deep drawers into a file cabinet with one simple addition. Install adjustable hanging file frames (available at office supply stores) in the drawers and develop a filing system with tabbed hanging folders.

 

 

Hidden Office

Turn storage upside down with an inventive way to use kitchen cabinets. Hang a cabinet horizontally and attach piano hinges to the doors so it can open to become a mini desk area. When not in use, the door can simply be closed to conceal the work area and maintain a sleek appearance.

 

 

A Place to Create

If your office space is used for creative endeavors, such as scrapbooking and crafting, incorporate storage around your work space and keep all supplies at your fingertips. This desk area has an abundance of drawers, plus at-your-fingertips supply cups along the back of the desk. Achieve this functionality by drilling large holes the size of silverware cups into a desktop, dropping the cups into the holes, and filling them with scissors, markers, and more.

 

Collaborative Space

Do you need an office for more than one person? Use a dining table as a desk and place it perpendicular to a wall so several people can sit at the table at once. This table bumps up against a wall of built-ins, which add storage. A large bookcase also works wonders for an office setup like this.

 

 

Office with a View

Bump a desk up against a window with a deep window sill and use the sill as an improvised shelf for baskets and boxes. Plus, placing a desk near a window provides plenty of natural light.

 

Smarter Office Storage

In a small space, take office storage to the walls to keep work surfaces clutter-free. In this space, cubbies were mounted to the wall and magazine holders were screwed into the bottom of the cubbies for an innovative mail sorter. For an easy and affordable work surface, transform a slab door into a desktop by mounting it to a wall and placing bookcases or file cabinets beneath it for support.

 

 

Kitchen Office

A small desk tucked into a kitchen is suited for many tasks, such as doing homework or jotting down a grocery list. Incorporate a few drawers and cubbies to maximize the space's storage capacity.

 

 

Perfect Office Setup

Create a corner office at home by zoning a section of a larger room (such as a living room or family room) as a work zone. Behind this desk, a large bookcase fulfills all the storage needs of this work area in one simple system. For more storage, hang floating shelves along the wall. When planning your home office, make sure there are adequate outlets nearby for computers, printers, and task lighting.

Small Home Storage & Organization 2013 Decorating Ideas : House Tour from BHG

Do your small spaces feel cramped and uncomfortable? Find simple solutions that you can use to maximize space and make your home feel inviting.

Everything in its Place
Creative storage solutions keep this home organized and provide a place for everything. Collections, such as the homeowner's scores of colorful books, can be used as decorative elements while still staying organized with built in shelves. A blue gray and warm orange palette keeps the space visually cohesive and feeling fresh.

Office Space
Open, organized space is a necessity for the homeowner, who runs a business from her home. The largest room in the house had been underused but was remade into a work space and family art room. The open area and windows provide a spacious and bright work area, and three large industrial tables allow enough room to spread out projects.

Closet Shelves
The work space gained an extra dimension when the closet's bifold doors were removed to create an office nook. Outfitted with a desk, file cabinet, and shelves, the space has been maximized to its full storage potential. Colorful containers provide decoration on the shelves and also help reduce clutter from building up on the desk.

Stow Away
In a home that's short on storage space, these white metal file drawers are staple organizational tools. The multiple drawer cabinets are perfect places to stow away toys and media gadgets, and they work well for keeping art supplies organized in the office.

Hang It Up
Once used as storage for office supplies in the work space, these shelves were repurposed in a toddler's room and now feature a rotating display of wooden toys, pinecones gathered on nature walks, and paintings made with artist parents. The hooks and open shelves make a growing collection of objects simple to display and keep organized.

Out of the Box
On another wall in the bedroom, wooden cubbies are hung for displaying knickknack items. Colorful fabric swatches used as backing make bright accents against the wall. The boxes can be easily rearranged and added to over time.

Low Profile
In the dining room, a low shelf was converted into extra storage space by removing the sliding doors and mounting it on the wall. Perfect for children's books, this shelf also provides a ledge to display and organize objects without taking up floor space.

Racking It Up
Rein in reading material with a stylish magazine rack. This little item is a big help in keeping areas that are short on space neatly organized. Compact enough for small spaces, this magazine rack conveniently fits on the ledge created by the wall shelf and helps keep floor space clear.

Setting an Example
The house includes plenty of storage at a toddler's level so the homeowners' daughter can help tidy her own things. That includes the kitchen, where a low drawer designated for dishes has dividers to keep it organized. Her parents hope to teach her by example  how easy it can be to keep things nice and neat.

On the Shelf
Shelves in the kitchen provide easy access to dishes. And without having to arrange them inside a cupboard, organization is simple. An orange accent piece carries over the color scheme from the rest of the home and ties all the areas together.

Nesting Table Nook
Cozy nooks are all around the house. Storage space is maximized by using furniture with lots of drawers such as the white metal filing cabinet. A wicker basket doubles as decoration and storage. The nesting tables barely take up any space but can be perfect footrests or work space when pulled apart.

Divide & Conquer
While big open spaces are important in the office, little nooks to cozy up in define the rest of the house. Bookcases serve as open dividers between rooms while still providing those comfy nooks with lots of shelf space for storage. Organizing books by color adds an interesting decorative touch.

Practical Storage 2013 Decorating Ideas : House Tours from BHG

After she lost most of her possessions in Hurricane Katrina, Amanda Catalanotto, professional organizer and homeowner, rebuilt her family's house with style and function in mind.

Pretty & Clutter-Free

The living room's calming palette of neutrals with gray-blue and green is used throughout the home. The soothing palette belies the hardworking storage strategies Amanda Catalanotto, professional organizer, uses in every nook and cranny to optimize storage space.

Fresh Way to Display
The round tray on this ottoman creates an extra surface to display mementos and fresh flowers.

Dining Storage
Wrapped in the gray blue and green palette, the dining room is stylish and storage packed. The buffet on the side wall provides plenty of space to store special occasion dinnerware and other necessities for entertaining.

Office Storage
This roomy storage unit combines lateral file drawers with open shelves for office supplies and equipment. Its low height allows space on top for decorative bins in easy reach.

Get The Look: Decorative baskets are an easy way to corral papers, photos, and other office essentials. Add labels for decoration and easy organization. To turn a deep drawer or wicker basket into file storage, insert an adjustable hanging file frame from any office supply store. They typically come in the standard legal and letter file size.

Bedroom Storage

The calming palette of neutrals with gray blue and green carries into the master bedroom. To add more storage beside the bed, professional organizer Amanda Catalanotto used a small scale chest of drawers in place of a smaller nightstand.

Organized Closet
This spacious walk in closet has a pre designated storage place for each item. Double rods for hanging clothes, drawers for folded clothes, and shoe rack shelves make it easy to keep the closet organized. The cute and convenient bins on the top shelves are a stylish way to store small, out of season items.

Hideaway Mirror
Mirrors are essential for getting dressed. Install a thin mirror to keep it from taking up valuable space in the closet. This mirror can be tucked away between the wall and hanging clothing for easy storage.

Laundry Room Storage
Brighten utilitarian spaces by adding attractive touches such as blooming plants and decorative boxes on a shelf to hold small or less frequently used items.

Organized Kid's Closet
Baskets for socks and jars for coins keep a kid's closet tidy. Dual rods maximize clothing storage and make it easy to separate play clothing from special occasion clothing.

Designer Tip: "Labels help kids stay organized," Amanda Catalanotto, professional organizer, says. Labeling kids' baskets and drawers makes it easy for them to see where things go when it's time to clean up.

One Organized Family
"It's important to feel wonderful in a room, because that will inspire you to keep it organized," Amanda Catalanotto, professional organizer, says.

2014 Kids' Storage Ideas from HGTV

By : H. Camille Smith

Let's face it: Kids are natural collectors. So, it only makes sense to give them somewhere to stylishly display their stuff. Designer Susie Fougerousse suggests: "Every child's room should be equipped with a sturdy bookshelf for displaying treasures, books, pictures and more. Selecting a basic style in a neutral color will allow the parents maximum versatility for use over the long term. As the child grows, the uses and consequently the look of the shelf will naturally adapt to the child's changing needs."

"Functional and stylish storage is an essential element to consider when decorating a child's room," says designer Susie Fougerousse. "If the room allows for it and your budget permits, a bookcase with doors or drawers is a classy way to enhance the look of the room while providing valuable storage for odds and ends."

Older kids need storage, too. Designer Sarah Richardson adds a handy feature to this young man's bedroom: a fabric pouch positioned just below the mattress. This pouch is the perfect place for stashing comic books, handheld games or every teen's must-have techie devices.

Corral kids' clutter in colorful boxes. Designer Sherri Blum recommends these because, "small toys, hair accessories, craft supplies and more can be easily tucked away in these neat boxes readily available at craft stores." Bonus: a customizable paper label so you'll always know what the box contains.

This hyper-organized (and downright cute!) little girl's closet can easily be transitioned into a big girl's closet as her storage needs change. Image courtesy of the Container Store.

Designer Susie Fougerousse is a big believer in having a good mix of permanent and transportable storage solutions in a child's room. Her Tip: "Portable storage containers such as painted wooden crates or metal bins that can be personalized are a stylish option for children of all ages. With an endless array of colors, patterns, fonts and shapes to choose from, these storage containers are a cool and decorative addition to any room."

Designer Sarah Richardson turns a sleigh bed into a daybed in her vacation cottage. Perfect for small visitors, this corner is an inviting spot for reading a favorite book or catching an afternoon nap. Slipcovered ottomans with removable lids offer plenty of storage for small guests' toys.

Built-in bookcases add handy storage and display space for boyhood treasures while an aviation theme and queen-size bed will work for many years to come. Design by RMSer thriftydecorchick.

Clear kitchen canisters look (and work!) great as dresser-top storage for kids' favorite small toys. When they're past the crayon-and-army-men stage, the same containers can be used for storing hair accessories, belts or art supplies. Design by Holly Mathis.

Reclaim square footage for baby's playtime with vertical storage. Designer Sherri Blum says, "Built-in wall units are especially helpful in small spaces; a single wall with built-ins can replace toy boxes, bookcases, desks and trunks to create a room that is more open and clutter free."

Storage Solutions for Closets 2014 Ideas

Closets are great for stashing stuff, but when that stuff gets disorderly, chaos gets the upper hand. Conquer your closets with these tips. 
Get your closets in order using our favorite closet organization ideas. Learn how to adapt strategies and plans to work for your home's closets and see what savvy tricks can help keep closets clutter free.

Plan a closet makeover by measuring your current closet to determine hanging requirements and storage needs. Next, you'll need to clear everything out of the closet so the new system can be installed. This is a good time to go through items you can no longer use and donate them to charity.

Closet systems can help you make the most of the space you have. Here, the hanging bars, cubby storage, and drawers help organize clothing and ensure that everything has a place. A curved dressing bench takes up less space than a rectangular one.

You might think the more shelves, the better but this is not always true. The shelves themselves take up inches of precious storage space, and too many of them can make it difficult to stack or remove items. It's best to design shelves that will fit the various items you have to store.

Don't have a lot of closet space? Freestanding armoires are perfect for customizable storage space to take the place of a closet. Wire shelving in ready to assemble cabinets maximizes storage and allows for easy organization of foldable garments. A tiered shelf stores shoes at the bottom of the cabinet, while sweaters and seasonal accessories are placed in baskets on the top shelf.

Fabric storage bins help keep an open closet neat, organized, and presentable. Double rods on both sides of the storage tower provide extra space for shirt and pants storage. Apply adhesive picture labels to the outside of the fabric bins to make it easier for kids to stick with your organization system.

If you love shoes and deciding how to store them is your main closet woe, try these tips from John Trosko, a professional organizer and co author of The Experts’ Guide to Doing Things Faster.

Slim shoes, such as flats and flip-flops, can be stored two to a cubby. Use spare slots for belts, scarves, and clutches.

Drawers give the closet a polished, built-in look, plus handy closet door storage for folded clothes. Bulky items like sweaters and purses can go on the open shelves.

Eke out another sliver of storage by putting a shallow basket on the shelf below the top row of hanging clothes. Use it for things that fold up small, such as tights, T’s, or socks.

Whether your closet is big or small, good lighting will make it even more functional. Look for ceiling-mount lighting that doesn’t need to be hardwired as a quick update for a reach-in closet. Lamps can be used in a walk in closet for extra illumination, which is beneficial for dressing areas. If your walk-in closet has a window, install a light-blocking window covering. That way, you can keep out the natural light when you’re not using the closet. Constant sunlight might cause some clothing to fade.

For a narrow and short space, stair-step rods for kids’ clothing storage. Since their clothing is short and slender, you can hang one rod higher and further back in the closet and another bar lower and more toward the front to get a double layer of storage. Consider tension shower rods, which can be installed without making holes in the wall and are easier to change as the child gets older.

Using double closet rods one over the other is the best way to squeeze more storage space out of a closet. Be sure to measure the length of each item you'll be hanging there and allow another 6 inches of clearance above and below each rod. Blouses, shirts, skirts, jackets, and kids' clothes will all fit on double rods.

Cut down on your ironing time with an ironing board that’s always ready to go. Hang a wall mount ironing board near an outlet and store the iron nearby. Simply fold down the board when you’re ready to iron. There are also ironing board cabinets that can be recessed into a wall. Learn how to install one with the video below.

See through wire drawers make finding clothes or other items in your closet quick and easy. This metal pull-out storage system has drawers with various depths to fit into different sized spaces, and provides a more organized form of storage than simple cubbies would provide.

Label bins and boxes with luggage tags. Loop the tag around handles and insert a label into the tag’s pocket. Putting labels on boxes and bins that are stored up high is especially helpful. That way, you won’t have to guess what’s in the box, and you can pull down the right one on your first try.