Browsing Tag

organisation

Fashion

What you need to do before a wardrobe spring clean

20th August, 2023

Spring cleaning my wardrobe is something that I commit to at regular intervals. Why? Well, it makes getting dressed a very simple process. A wardrobe spring clean is simply magic. I’ve found if I can streamline my wardrobe, cull pieces I don’t wear anymore and organise it into manageable sections then I can cut out so much wardrobe drama. By simply knowing where everything is I immediately know where the pieces of an outfit are and I don’t have to rummage around trying to find them. Also, by being able to see everything I own, I’m more inclined to wear more things in my closet and create a wider range of combinations. It’s a win-win situation but it’s not an easy task. It often takes me several hours as I like to take everything out and go through everything. To help make it easier however, there are a few useful things to prep beforehand.

Create a moodboard

I regularly bookmark outfits that I like as wardrobe inspo. This helps me keep track of looks I want to create and also to help me weed out pieces from my closet that are no longer aligned with how I want to dress. It’s also a great little resource on days when I’m really feeling less than inspired with what’s sitting in my closet and I need a dose of inspiration.

Block out some time

A proper clear out that’s actually going to make a difference isn’t something that you can really do in an hour or two. This is why I would suggest checking out your calendar and setting aside a few hours one day to tackle your wardrobe. This will enable you to go through things thoroughly and also to deal with what’s being discarded on the same day. Don’t leave the clothes you’re culling lying around as they’ll find their way back into your wardrobe again somehow!

Do a quick assessment

I like to look through all my drawers and cupboards to make sure it’s fresh in my head what I’m dealing with. This is useful as sometimes it’s possible to underestimate the task ahead so by looking over everything that needs to be spring cleaned you have a better idea of what needs to be sorted.

Pre-cull if you can

Sometimes I have an mental snapshot of the pieces I want to donate already so I’ll often clear those out ahead of time so I don’t have to deal with them when I’m doing a spring clean. The less I have to actually look through on the day the better.

Create a shopping list

I have a running shopping list of the pieces I want to buy to update my closet. The great thing in doing a spring clean ahead of a shopping trip is that often I’ll find pieces that have been hiding away that are actually similar to what’s on my list. This way, I only end up buying new pieces that are actually needed and I end up saving money in the long run.

Have the necessary equipment ready

Whether it’s boxes or big garbage bags or new hangers and storage solutions, I like to make sure that I have absolutely everything I need to do an effective spring clean. It’s always a good idea to have the things on hand that I’ll need to clear things out, but also the things I’ll need to be able to organise everything when I’m ready to put everything back.

What are some of your spring cleaning tips?

Lifestyle, Lifestyle & Social

Storage tips for kids’ bedrooms

8th November, 2020
Ample storage is key to a kids’ bedroom

As anyone with kids can attest, children have a tendency to accumulate a lot of stuff. From books to toys and clothing, the sheer volume of things required by little ones is immense and can sometimes feel like it’s taking over the entire house. Which is why storage is so important. Having plenty of places to store things is key for maintaining order in a household (this is definitely the case at our place) and is also a great way to help teach kids about tidying up after themselves.

Sophia and Grace now share a bedroom which means we have to organise double the belongings so I was on the hunt for a storage system that looked nice but was also really practical. So when I teamed up with Pottery Barn Kids to trial their Cameron low storage system in the girls’ room it got me in the mood to organise their space. In the process, here are some things I’ve learned…

Regularly declutter

It’s worth getting into the habit of decluttering regularly. Doing an edit of all the girls’ things allowed me to identify things that they had outgrown or no longer needed and this in turn freed up a lot of space to store the things they are currently using.

Think about how the space is being used

Take the time to look at how the space is being utilised. For example, which toys need to be within easy reach? What books do they keep coming back to? What clothes are always on high rotation? This will give you a place to start and will help you determine what will go where.

Make everything within easy reach

If you want to encourage your kids to help with tidying up then it’s important to make everything easy to reach. I love the Cameron storage system for this reason because all the shelves, cabinets and baskets are all readily accessible which means the girls can put everything away once they’re done.

The more types of storage the better

I’m a huge fan of having as many different kinds of storage as possible. Open baskets are great for storing things that are always used and need to be accessible (or put away quickly). I love cabinets for hiding things away that we may not necessarily want on display or use often. While shelves and little cubby holes are perfect for everything from housing books to toys and showing off various trinkets and decorations.

Consider storage systems that will work with your house

I’ve always liked any kids’ furniture in our house to go with the rest of our decor. Anything white and in a simple design has always been our go-to. I think this allows for a little more cohesion in the home and will also make storing the kids’ things just a part of your home’s interiors as opposed to something that sticks out. Also, classic designs will mean that your furniture will grow with your kids and can be utilised in bedrooms at any age, or alternatively reworked into another part of the home.

I like having multiple types of storage to cater for everything from toys to clothes and books
Utilise things like bookshelves and hat stands to not only store things but make them a feature of the room
Cubby holes make for a great place to display decorations or storing belongings
Utilise floating shelves or a bedside table for displaying trinkets or housing favourite items
You can never have too many storage options! Consider adding mini shelving on existing drawers or bookshelves
Do a tight edit of things that you want to display then put away the rest to avoid the room looking too cluttered

This post was produced in collaboration with Pottery Barn Kids

Lifestyle

My fave shortcuts as a busy mum

5th April, 2018

As a busy mum I have a few time-saving tricks up my sleeve

Working and having two kids means that every day can be quite the juggling act. I don’t think I’ve ever been as busy as when Sophia and Grace came along. All of a sudden I went from being able to manage my time the way I wanted to having to fit everything around them and their schedule. As I’m sure most mums can attest, there’s not a whole lot of time left to get anything done after you’ve tried to get everything on your child-related to-do list checked off.

From taking the girls to pre-school, ballet, play dates and then having to do everything from making dinner to cleaning around the house, it can be a long, exhausting day. So wherever I can I like to take the easy way out. Yes, shortcuts are any busy mum’s friend and they’re definitely mine. Here are a few I’ve adopted to free up a bit more time during the week.

 Get groceries delivered

Anyone who has ever tried to keep their kids entertained whilst simultaneously trying to do their grocery shopping without forgetting pretty much everything they needed in the first place deserves a medal. This is why I’ve taken to shopping online and having my groceries delivered. I can peacefully shop on my laptop when the kids are asleep and then have a week’s worth of food appear in my kitchen without any hassle. If you’re not doing it already, please try it!

Vacuum from anywhere

Vacuuming is one of those chores that needs to be done regularly but it eats up so much time that I always find it a struggle trying to get around to it. So I succumbed to the allure of having my floors cleaned without having to lift a finger. Check it out here Electrolux PUREi9. It’s a robotic vacuum cleaner that I can not only program to follow my own particular cleaning schedule but I can control it from wherever I am using the PUREi9 app on my phone. I was initially worried that it may run into furniture and get stuck while I was out however  it has a 3D Vision system which scans the room and makes sure to avoid obstacles. So I can pretty much just schedule it via the mobile app, leave it and then come home to totally clean floors.

Turn it on and forget about it and come home to magically clean floors

Schedule it via the mobile app

The Electrolux PUREi9 in action

 

Cook once, eat twice

The last thing I want to do is have to spend hours in the kitchen cooking each week. So to halve the time spent on making meals often we’ve taken to whipping up bigger batches of whatever it is we’re having then freezing it as that means we can revisit again on those days when we really can’t be bothered cooking.

Organise as I go along

I’ve noticed that if I try and do things as I go along I don’t have such an epic cleaning job ahead of me at the end of the week. I’ve now tried to implement the rule that if it will only take me a few seconds to put something away then I do it right then and there instead of procrastinating.

I now make a point of trying to organise as I go along

 

Embrace lists

Lists are a mum’s best friend. Instead of wasting time trying to remember things I now map out the day ahead by writing a quick list. If I can see what I have to do, it helps me to plan how I’m going to structure my day so I use my time efficiently. For example if I have to run errands in multiple places during the day I try and do the things closest to home first then work my way out so I don’t spend the time driving around just trying to get from A to B and back again.

Utilise open storage

Before having kids I didn’t really appreciate the usefulness of baskets around the house. I do now. I have a few strategically placed around our apartment so that I can quickly put the girls’ things away at the end of the day. It takes a few minutes and I feel I have a tidy house at the end (this works wonders for calming a frazzled mind). It’s also perfect for those times when people drop by unexpectedly and I need to have a clean house in seconds.

What are some of your favourite shortcuts as a mum?

This post was produced in collaboration with Electrolux

Photography: Sophia Athas

Lifestyle, Shop

Get organised in style

5th January, 2018

As the Christmas holidays come to an end for most people it’s time to shift gears and get back into work mode. If you’re keen to start the new year being a little more organised then what better way to get started than with a fresh new diary and notebook. And yes, you can write in just any ol’ diary you see around the house or office, there’s something to be said for having a chic little book to turn to throughout the year. Great stationery is always a lovely way to help bring a little organisation into your life and as an added bonus, makes any desk space look chic. From cute designs to classic styles, here are some stylish ways to keep your life in order this year…

Lifestyle

What I do if I know I need to get out the door fast

8th February, 2017

If I need to get me and the girls out door fast then preparation is key. Gone are the days when I could just grab my bag and walk out the door! When I need to be somewhere first thing in the morning then I have to get everything ready the night before, if I don’t it’s always a disaster and it never quite works out. I’m generally not the most organised person around so this is definitely something I trained myself to do.

One of the key things I do is make sure I have the baby bag packed up for Grace, Sophia’s essentials ready and have everything I need already in the pram so I just need to walk out the door. This saves me from having to run around trying to locate various things in the morning as I will inevitably not be able to find it. Plus this is often how I’ll find myself out and about and missing something crucial because I’ve forgotten to bring it with me. I also lay out the girls’ outfits the night before so I just have to dress them and I also plan what snacks I’m going to bring. I make sure the lunchbox is ready to go but I’ll often cut up anything perishable like fruits in the morning so it’s still fresh – I have to make sure I factor in time for this though!

If we’re going down to our family farm then this process becomes even more involved. Often I’ll drive down ahead of Luke so I don’t get stuck in traffic and this requires having to pack up the whole car and the girls and it ends up being quite a mission. To get around this I make sure I load everything into the car the night before so Luke is around to help in case I need him. I make sure to pack the pram, pack the girls’ bags and have their outfits ready to go so all I need to do is give them breakfast in the morning. We often bring food as well so I’ll do all my grocery shopping ahead of time so we have the right food for the kids and also Luke and I as well. I think when time is of the essence the more that can be done in advance the better otherwise it all ends up being a rather stressful experience which is definitely the last thing I need when I’ve got the girls in tow!

What are some of your tips for getting out the door fast when you have kids in tow?