Given our hectic daily schedules and family members rushing in and out of the door, our homes often look and feel less organised than we'd like. Come dinner or leisure time, living quarters often descend into a state of disarray, which takes away from the relaxing atmosphere we crave at the end of the day. Throw guests into this mix, and clutter becomes public enemy number one. Luckily, there are a few easy storage hacks you can use around the house that not only make clearing up easier, but also ensure there won't be too much of a mess to start with.
First impressions
It is important to keep the entrance, which is the first place guests see, clutter-free. Place a console with drawer storage to keep things out of sight, or a small decorative trunk to store items in. Keep bowls on the surface for items such as keys and loose change. If you don’t have a lot of space at the front of your home, opt for a vertical storage unit for your various knick-knacks, and conceal it behind a mirror or an artwork.
Footloose
The first thing most of us do when we get home is kick off our shoes, but leaving several pairs around can quickly lead to a messy look. Place a shoe rack inside a chest of drawers or opt for a tall cabinet with beautiful work on the shutters and open shelving inside. Ensure the shelves are wide and high enough to fit all sizes and styles of footwear. For added convenience, arrange the shoes that you wear regularly up front.
Take a stand
A hanger stand is useful for all manner of clothing that you may wish to repeat or wear later that day or week. Originally used as a coat stand, this simple contraption can accommodate bulky outfits without taking up much room. You can also hide the rack easily by placing it in an area concealed by wall panels, doors or artwork. For something a little different, create a wall panel clad with leather and edged by a wooden frame and fixed hooks to create a DIY wall coat hanger.
Live it up
As the name suggests, the living room is the most lived-in place within the home. To keep it organised, use shelving and coffee tables that add to the decor and are functional as well. A display unit of open shelves with glass and spotlights is apt for wall accessorisation.
Wardrobe wise
After the living room, the bedroom is the area we spend most of our time in. As this is a place for relaxation, keeping it tidy means you'll be able to enjoy the serenity it's meant to channel. The first step is to organise your closet, which will come in handy when you're getting ready for work in the morning as well as keep you stress-free before you sleep at night. Sectioning is the name of the game. Get into the habit of grouping similar items – those you need to hang, such as coats and dresses, and those you need to fold, such as trousers and napkins – and place them in the right section straight from the wash or ironing board. Add partitions in drawer units to separate accessories, and buy or make a jewellery tray for your vanity table.
Table of contents
Coffee, side and end tables are available in a variety of shapes and sizes these days. If your struggle against clutter is getting out of hand, choose one with drawers or arrange decorative boxes on the table for additional storage. Tables that can be opened up or that have several levels are also a great choice for those who end up collecting more stuff than they know what to do with.
Anjali Goel is the head of design at interiors group La Sorogeeka Associates
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BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
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Did you know?
Brunch has been around, is some form or another, for more than a century. The word was first mentioned in print in an 1895 edition of Hunter’s Weekly, after making the rounds among university students in Britain. The article, entitled Brunch: A Plea, argued the case for a later, more sociable weekend meal. “By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well,” the piece read. “It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” More than 100 years later, author Guy Beringer’s words still ring true, especially in the UAE, where brunches are often used to mark special, sociable occasions.
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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