If you remember from some of my earlier posts, one of my “resolutions” for 2010 is to get organized. My goal is to go paperless and eliminate the things in our household that are not being used and taking up space. I can list off projects in each room that I’d love to accomplish this year. While our house is in no way “small,” I definitely find it challenging to keep all of our son’s toys, our daughter’s baby gear, and our stuff organized.
Thanks to IKEA, I had an opportunity to sit in “virtually” on a webinar where design expert Janice Simonsen of IKEA shared design tips for every room in the house. My husband and I have frequented and shopped at IKEA stores all over the world (we lived in Edinburgh and made trips out of visiting their sole store). What I like most about the company is their affordable, unique furniture options (we just purchased two dressers for our children’s rooms and were highly impressed with the quality and price).
If you’re struggling with organization, IKEA offers stylish and affordable solutions. The theme of the webinar was “Twelve Months of Great Design.” And apparently I’m not the only one who cites organization as a priority resolution for the new year. Here is a recap of IKEA‘s tips, by month.
Janice’s January tip was to find unexpected uses for storage containers. IKEA sells Grundtal containers that can be used to hold small items such as paper clips. A coordinating magnetic rack can be placed on the wall above your desk. This gets items that typically clutter desks and workspace neatly organized and visible at eye level. If you need help organizing a space such as your garage, you can use vertical containers such as shoe cabinets that maximize wall and vertical space.
I was excited (um…sort of?) to learn that the coldest month of the year is coming up. February is the month to customize your sleep. Janice’s tips were brilliant. My husband is always hot and I’m always cold (unless I’m pregnant!). She suggested sleeping like the Swedes do…each having his/her own quilt or comforter. I live in Southern California so it doesn’t usually get cold enough to require a thick comforter. However, if you live in a state that gets actual winter (shocking!), you might want to consider a 3 in 1 comforter. You’ll save in the long run and stay warm all year round.
Once March arrives, people start thinking about Spring cleaning. Janice focused this month’s tip on decluttering the kitchen. I was actually really impressed to hear about IKEA‘s transparent Droppar jars which allow you to store spices anywhere, even in lower drawers, while still retaining the ability to readily identify foods. And I’d love to get some of their Raritet containers which include a built-in measuring cup (thereby eliminating the need for measuring cups). Repackaging foods actually creates more space and keeps cupboards and drawers organized.
April is the month where people focus on “going green.” If you’re in the market for a new appliance, consider Energy-Star rated appliances. Renlig and Nutid are two of IKEA’s greener appliance lines. When you shop for an appliance, such as a refrigerator, Janice recommends that you only buy what you need. For example, a refrigerator requires 12 cubic feet for 2 people and 2 cubic feet for each additional person in your household.
For us, May marks the countdown to summer. Janice suggests focusing on a few design and organization changes in the bathroom that will help give that room a new look. Doing something as simple as changing out the shower curtain and bath mat can give the room a fresh appeal. IKEA offers mirror cabinets and free-standing shelving units to help organize the items in your bathroom.
In the summer, the Swedes celebrate light and spend time outdoors. IKEA offers a variety of solar-powered lamps that don’t require the use of electricity (so green!). If you’re spending a significant amount of time outside, you may consider one of their parasols which offer UV protection from the sun.
Janice focused her July tips on redesign your child’s personal space. One of the points she emphasized was to get your child involved in researching what types of colors and schemes they’d like for their room. I particularly liked her tip on purchasing furniture that can be transitioned over the years. I am always looking for ways to save money so I thought this was ingenious and something I’ll consider as my children get older. IKEA offers an extendable bed and a loft bed that offers a new way to arrange a child’s room into work, sleep, and entertainment zones.
If you have college-aged children, you’ll love Janice’s shared space living tips. I remember the dorm life all too well. Her suggestions include keeping dominant furnishings in similar colors, using stackable furniture to maximize the space available, and multi-tasking furniture (i.e. a sofa that turns into a bed). You can also use a coordinated storage system, like that sold at IKEA to help get things put away and out of the way.
I’m sooo not a football enthusiast, but apparently September marks the commencement of this season. If you want to optimize your TV viewing experience, IKEA offers options to backlight your TV which will reduce strain on your eyes. I’m a multi-tasker, so you’ll often find me blogging while watching TV once the kidlets are asleep. Rather than burning my legs with my laptop, I prefer to use this laptop table (which is on it’s way to my home right now!).
Last October, I participated in a flip for fall series. One of the ways I get ready for the winter season is by moving all of my winter clothing to the front of my closet. IKEA offers storage boxes that you can place underneath your bed and out of the way. If you really want to maximize storage space, purchase products with built-in storage capabilities like this bed frame sold at the store. Or make like the Swedes and get vertical. Apparently storing items over the door is the thing to do. Check out IKEA‘s innovative shelving units perfect for storing things up and out of the way.
We host guests throughout the year, but once November comes around, holiday entertaining begins. We have my parents and my in-laws over from time to time, and Janice offered some suggestions for making our family (and guests comfortable). If you host guests from a different time zone, black out curtains and a good night light can help them adjust. And just like the best hotels, be sure to make your guests feel special by including extra pillows, towels, hangers, and an empty drawer. You can even include some fresh flowers as a welcome to your guests.
December continues the tradition of hosting and entertaining. If you want to maximize your space, consider using a kitchen cart for food preparation and serving. You can even set up food stations with these carts. And if you’re tight on space, consider IKEA’s Stockholm trays for the same purpose.
As I mentioned above, my husband and I are regulars at IKEA. You can peruse through our home and find many accent pieces from the store. Janice gave me a different view on how IKEA can help with our organizational challenges throughout the year.
I did not receive compensation for this post. The information was provided via webinar, courtesy of IKEA.
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Does Ikea really have a lot of green “environmental” products? i’ll have to go and check.
I love, love, love Ikea. When we lived in Germany we would plan day trips around stopping to shop (and eat!) at Ikea. No we live in the middle of nowhere and there’s not one close. I wish!
This is a great post Caryn! I love IKEA and we both eat and shop at the store. I had never been there until we lived in Washington and now am hooked!
I’ve loved IKEA since one opened in Burbank 20 years ago when my kids were small. I LOVED the in-store babysitting!!! Now my college kid makes a day of it with her roommate and buddies. It’s 1 ½ hour drive one way, but it’s worth it!!
Those RARITET containers are really cool… and I love the idea of going vertical, it is something we have been trying out.
We’ve never been to an IKEA, but will probably try it when we move into our new house once it’s built – if we ever get this one sold… 🙂
Thanks for all the great info.