Peter Walsh, the
‘get your whole
life organised
guy’, is an Aussie
currently based
in Los Angeles.Peter reveals the way to sort out all that extra
stuff that accumulates in modern homes
WORDS PETER WALSHhow to declutter
a utility room
Q
We’ve set up a space for the
things that don’t live anywhere
else – the laundry, tools, vacuum
cleaner, cleaning supplies, wine racks. It’s all
quite a jumble. Any ideas for helping us to
get things sorted? Suzie, Annandale, NSWA
Pretty much every home has one
of these rooms – even the grandest
homes have them. Often my clients
say it’s a place for “all that extra stuff” or it’s
where “utility items” go. The trick with any
do-everything room is to apply these four
organising tricks to make it efficient.- Divide your space into zones.
This is the most basic thing you can do
and will have a huge impact. If the mop and
bucket have a dedicated area, it’s easier to
put them away and retrieve the next time.
And if everything you use to clean your home
is in one area, you won’t make multiple trips
getting all of your supplies or waste money
buying things you already own but can’t find.
2. Think vertically.
Most people don’t think to maximise the
use of vertical space in tight quarters. Old
bookshelves, simple floor-to-ceiling shelving
or baker’s racks make organising easier and
use the space you have. Even well-placed
hooks attached to studs in a wall allow you
to get things off the floor – avoiding what I call
‘floor creep’ – and neatly organised. Getting
(and keeping) things off the floor is key to
stopping disorder before it starts.
If you go with shelving, then dedicate
a specific area to items that you tend to
use together. If you go with hooks, see
how many of your current items can be
attached to the walls.
3. Work out how you use the space.
If it’s an area where you bring the washing
in to be folded, do you have a workbench
there? And under that bench, is there a place
to store the laundry basket, hangers and
pegs? Make this your laundry area.
Next, see what other types of items can
be grouped together. Perhaps tools can be
combined into one box. Just be sure that you
don’t mix areas that are primarily chemicals,
such as cleaning supplies, with those that
are primarily things you eat or drink.
4. Keep regular-use items within reach.
As you’re reorganising, make sure the
things you use most often are the easiest
to get to. The things you use least regularly,
or only seasonally, should be as high up
and far away as possible.
Finally, you may want to invest in some
clear plastic bins. These are great because
you can see what’s in them without opening
them up – plus, if they’re plastic, you can
easily put a label on them to remind you
what is stored in them.
Getting multipurpose rooms organised
doesn’t have to be difficult. Use the space
wisely and divide it into zones. Also, never
overload the area – regularly discard items
you no longer have a use for. Once you’ve
decluttered this way, you should find that
you have enough room for everything that’s
currently in there. Good luck, Suzie!
These sorts of rooms tend to
get junked-up pretty quickly.
Say goodbye to the packets
of half-used laundry soap,
boxes you haven’t unpacked
after the last three moves or
those miscellaneous items
that you don’t need or use.
Clean out all the clutter and
free up much-needed space.IF YOU
ONLY
HAVE 10
MINUTES!“
”
Peter’s latest book, Let It Go ($39.99, Rodale), is out now. Visit peterwalshdesign.com.PHOTOGRAPHY: ARMELLE HABIB/BAUERSYNDICATION.COM.AU
Inside Out / 125INSIDE renovation