The secret to keeping your home organised and stylish? Focus on the things you love, say declutterers to the A-list Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin
It’s OK to own things. Especially if these things make you happy. Or ‘spark joy’, to borrow a phrase from organising consultant Marie Kondo. Yes, it’s appropriate to own things for your kids, your work, and all the various aspects of your life – the trick is to know what you are really passionate about. You may be an avid reader, cook or shoe collector; that will dictate what goes in your space.
Once you understand what you love, you can start the gratifying task of curating and organising the space to make it work for you.
Keep or chuck? the four golden rules
When you see the item:
You feel pleasantly satisfied. Hooray, it gets displayed.
You are glad you have it. Keep it stored away safely.
You keep forgetting that you have it, but are really going to remember to use it this time. OK, if you haven’t used it within six months it has to go.
It reminds you about your to-do list to get rid of things you don’t need. What are you waiting for? Get rid!
If your response to a particular item falls into category 1 or 2, then owning it purely because it makes you happy is fine by us. In fact, it’s encouraged.
If cooking brings you joy…
Display rather than hide away
In lifestyle blogger Elsie Larson’s home, every colour of the rainbow is appreciated and emphasised. When we came to organise her kitchen, the wall of carefully curated glasses made us stop in our tracks. Though we had already seen it on Instagram, in real life it was something else entirely. We just had to organise the cabinets and drawers around such a masterpiece. For a selection of similar coloured glassware try habitat.co.uk
Make functional pieces look fabulous: We styled the shelves on the other side of Elsie’s glass cabinet with copper kitchenware pieces to form a more muted stylish display which also helped to free the kitchen work surfaces. For similar copper pans and utensils try sainsburys.co.uk
If fashion is your thing…
Give your bags space: Handbags reigned supreme in singer Mandy Moore’s wardrobe. We highlighted the collection by hooking totes and handbags on to the rail, while clutches and purses were organised into acrylic dividers on the dresser
Organise your shoes: Singer Jessie James Decker had been collecting shoes for years. We positioned her most frequently worn pairs closer to the bottom of the wardrobe for accessibility, and opted for a rainbow effect down the middle of the shelves to create a focal point. The side stalls were used for the neutral and black options to balance the look. We stored the trainers, slides and slippers in baskets to keep them easily accessible but concealed from view. For a similar bespoke shelving unit try thedormyhouse.com; a wide selection of storage baskets can be found at ikea.com
Itemise accessories: For Jessie’s fashion accessories such as clutches and belts, we added an over-the-door unit with labelled hanging baskets. For similar hanging storage options try johnlewis.com
If you love reading…
Colour code your books: Can’t bear to edit your book collection? Then make it part of an organised display rather than letting it tumble from the shelves to the floor. This eye-catching arrangement works well in a children’s room, adding a splash of colour and inviting young readers to pick them up. For a similar bookshelf try oka.com
Shop the look
These storage gems are as striking as they are practical
Clockwise from left: Wall shelf, £100, madeindesign.co.uk. Baskets, £35 for two, habitat.co.uk. Wooden boxes, from £15.99 each, zarahome.com. Hanging planter, £50, uk.umbra.com. Hanging shelf, £95, amara.com. Storage unit, £163, scp.co.uk. Jar, £69, nordicnest.com. Shelving unit, £1,466, aram.co.uk. Mini storage boxes, £4 for six, hema.com. Jar, £35, nordicnest.com. Wardrobe, £599, laredoute.co.uk. Jar, £29, madeindesign.co.uk. Wall hooks, £239, conranshop.co.uk. Trunks, £100 for two, habitat.co.uk. Crate, £6, hay.dk. Wall box, £460, heals.com. Dishes, £29 for two, amara.com
Save £7 when you Buy the book!
This is an edited extract from The Home Edit Life: The Complete Guide to Organizing Absolutely Everything at Work, at Home and On the Go, which will be published on 15 September by Octopus, price £25. To order a copy for £17.99 until 27 September, go to whsmith.co.uk. Enter code YOUEDIT at checkout. Book number: 9781784727161. for Terms and conditions, see whsmith.co.uk/terms
For more expert decluttering tips from Clea and Joanna, check out their new series Get Organised with The Home Edit, streaming now on Netflix