Mum-of-two, 33, offers a look inside her incredibly organised home

A mum-of-two has offered a look inside her incredibly organised home, and revealed the budget styling secrets she swears by (Corinne Maxwell pictured)

A mum-of-two has offered a look inside her incredibly organised home, and revealed the budget styling secrets she swears by to ensure it looks and functions to its best.

Corinne Maxwell, 33, from Queensland, first started to tackle and organise her home when she was returning to work from maternity leave, as she knew she needed to get some ‘systems in place’ in order to maximise time with her family.

The results of her work show a supremely organised pantry, bedrooms, bathrooms, under the kitchen sink cupboards and living area.

‘The initial set up took time, but a well-organised space saves time in the long run,’ Corinne told FEMAIL.

‘I tackled it room by room, cupboard by cupboard and I’m not finished yet.’ 

Corinne Maxwell , 33, from Queensland, first started to tackle and organise her home when she was returning to work from maternity leave, as she knew she needed to get some 'systems in place' in order to maximise time with her family (pictured with her two kids)

Corinne Maxwell , 33, from Queensland, first started to tackle and organise her home when she was returning to work from maternity leave, as she knew she needed to get some ‘systems in place’ in order to maximise time with her family (pictured with her two kids)

The results of her work show a supremely organised pantry (pictured), bedrooms, bathrooms, under the kitchen sink cupboards and living area

The results of her work show a supremely organised pantry (pictured), bedrooms, bathrooms, under the kitchen sink cupboards and living area

'The initial set up took time, but a well-organised space saves time in the long run,' Corinne told FEMAIL, revealing she did it room by room and area by area (pictured)

‘The initial set up took time, but a well-organised space saves time in the long run,’ Corinne told FEMAIL, revealing she did it room by room and area by area (pictured)

Corinne explained that when she got started, she needed to figure out what worked best for her family of four.

‘If you don’t know what works for you, take some time to work it out as if you don’t it’s all a wasted effort,’ she said.

 I love tubs with labels as it looks clean and tidy and it isn’t as much maintenance as decanting everything into jars

‘I love tubs with labels as it looks clean and tidy and it isn’t as much maintenance as decanting everything into jars.’

Corinne bought her tubs from Kmart, and now puts everything in a designated tub, from towels to bed sheets, arts and crafts and kids’ toys.

In her linen closet, Corinne has labelled baskets for everything from beach towels to dressing up clothes, while in the pantry all the food is separated by type into tins, oils, sauces, sugar, coffee, flour and more. 

Corinne explained that when she got started, she needed to figure out what worked best for her family of four, and she eventually landed on labelled tubs (her bedroom pictured)

Corinne explained that when she got started, she needed to figure out what worked best for her family of four, and she eventually landed on labelled tubs (her bedroom pictured)

Corinne designed her children's rooms (pictured) so that everything is functional, but toys can also be rotated and put away so they are hidden

Corinne designed her children's rooms (pictured) so that everything is functional, but toys can also be rotated and put away so they are hidden

Corinne designed her children’s rooms (pictured) so that everything is functional, but toys can also be rotated and put away so they are hidden

‘The second thing I would advise that everyone does is use what you already have,’ she said.

‘See what you can re-purpose instead of just getting rid of it. 

‘For example, a laundry hamper could store soft toys, a photo storage container could be used to store cables and cords or old coffee jars could hold craft supplies.’

The 33-year-old said she was surprised to find she already had plenty of vessels that could work with other items.

'I love tubs with labels as it looks clean and tidy and it isn't as much maintenance as decanting everything into jars,' Corinne said (her pantry pictured)

‘I love tubs with labels as it looks clean and tidy and it isn’t as much maintenance as decanting everything into jars,’ Corinne said (her pantry pictured)

What are the items every organised home should have? 

1. Stackable single drawers: Corinne said she finds these ‘so handy’ as they are versatile and can be used for ‘everything from storing sponges to kids’ craft items’.

Corinne (pictured with one of her kids) shared the items every homeowner should have, including a washing machine with a timer

Corinne (pictured with one of her kids) shared the items every homeowner should have, including a washing machine with a timer

2. Baskets: The second thing Corinne said she buys religiously is baskets, which she uses for storing linen, kids’ toys and to help her to organise her walk-in wardrobe.

3. Labels: Whether you make them yourself or purchase them, labels should be your best friend for an organised home. Corinne said she has a cricut machine and so is able to make her own labels, which she uses in almost every room.

4. Washing machine with a timer: Finally, Corinne said you should get a washing machine with a timing function if you want a ‘game changer’ in your house. She sets the machine at night and it does a cycle first thing in the morning, so she can hang the washing before work.

Source: Corinne Maxwell  

Corinne said the best thing to do if you want to get started with organisation is to take somewhere small first, like a junk drawer so you can feel a sense of achievement (her home pictured)

Corinne said the best thing to do if you want to get started with organisation is to take somewhere small first, like a junk drawer so you can feel a sense of achievement (her home pictured)

Corinne said the best thing to do if you want to get started with organisation is to take somewhere small first, like a junk drawer so you can feel a sense of achievement (her home pictured)

When it comes to her styling secrets, Corinne said she has many.

‘The single best thing I would advise every homeowner do is use feather inserts inside cushion covers for the plump and “karate chop” look,’ she said.

‘I also think you should always size up with doonas and covers so there is an overhang as it looks much better and ensures you’re always warm.’

The mum-of-two recommends opting for a neutral palette when styling, as this means it’s easy to ‘freshen up a space’ when you want to change things and all you need to do is change up the soft furnishings like throws and cushions.

‘It also pays to shop around,’ Corinne said.

‘I keep a permanent eye on the catalogues from Kmart, Big W and IKEA for ideas.’ 

She said one of the best things you can do to make your whole home look expensive is mix budget decor from Kmart, IKEA and Big W with the odd expensive piece:

‘I have a tight budget, so while I’ll pay extra for big ticket items and good quality bedding, I’ll always save money on storage items,’ she said. 

‘It also pays to shop around,’ Corinne said. 

'It also pays to shop around,' Corinne said, as she revealed she always keeps an eye on Kmart, Big W and IKEA catalogues

‘It also pays to shop around,’ Corinne said, as she revealed she always keeps an eye on Kmart, Big W and IKEA catalogues

'I have a tight budget, so while I'll pay extra for big ticket items and good quality bedding, I'll always save money on storage items,' Corinne said (her storage pictured)

'I have a tight budget, so while I'll pay extra for big ticket items and good quality bedding, I'll always save money on storage items,' Corinne said (her storage pictured)

‘I have a tight budget, so while I’ll pay extra for big ticket items and good quality bedding, I’ll always save money on storage items,’ Corinne said (her storage pictured)

'Where do you start when you're drowning in clutter? It can be overwhelming to begin with, but I've found it helps to just start. Somewhere. Anywhere,' she advised (her home pictured)

'Where do you start when you're drowning in clutter? It can be overwhelming to begin with, but I've found it helps to just start. Somewhere. Anywhere,' she advised (her home pictured)

‘Where do you start when you’re drowning in clutter? It can be overwhelming to begin with, but I’ve found it helps to just start. Somewhere. Anywhere,’ she advised (her home pictured)

If you want to get started with organisation, Corinne said the best place to start is somewhere small:

‘De-cluttering is key to having an organised home,’ Corinne said.

‘Where do you start when you’re drowning in clutter? It can be overwhelming to begin with, but I’ve found it helps to just start. Somewhere. Anywhere.

‘Even small spaces can trigger significant momentum. Bedside tables and kitchen cupboards are good places to begin.’ 

Corinne said she recently picked a single junk drawer to start with, and it took her less than 10 minutes to sort. 

‘Often people wonder how I have time to organise the spaces in my home, but that’s the very reason why I do it,’ she said.

‘Being time poor, if you put a system in place, it saves you time and money in the long run. Maintenance is the easy part.’

Corinne Maxwell blogs on Instagram, where she shares tips and photos from her home. For more information, please click here.