Fox Hollow Cottage

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Purged Organized Home Decor Storage Room Tour

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How To Organize Your Home Décor

Whew! Well, that took a few days. But my home décor storage room has been successfully purged, and I organized everything too! I promised to give you an “after” tour, so here it is. This is not a show-room, I don’t have all new perfectly matched storage bins or fancy shelves… it’s a hard working room, that is now super clean and organized! Hopefully you’ll find an idea or two that will work for you if your home décor isn’t as organized as you’d like. 

Purged Organized Home Décor Storage Room Tour

Welcome to my home décor storage room.

If you are new here, HELLO! I’m Shannon. I live in a very modestly sized 1920’s cottage. I don’t have attic or basement storage, but I am very fortunate to have an extra room that I can use to house my overly large home décor collection. Being a full-time blogger who works from home, and focuses on DIY projects and home decorating, I might have more decorating items to manage than the average person, but I know so many of us find ideas from what others share, so here I am! 

As I share the reveal of my freshly purged and organized space, my hope is that you are encouraged to do a little purging and organizing in your space, and that you might see an idea that will work for you in your home in some capacity.

I’ve “cleaned” this room many times before, and even done a considerable amount of purging over the years. But this time, I cut deeper than ever and parted with so much! In fact, when I boxed it all up it looked like we were moving. I should have taken more still images of this process, but frankly, I was so focused on just getting this done, all my energy was going towards completing the project.

MY PURGING TIPS

Easy Ways To Part With Items:

  • If you haven’t used it in a year, or a full seasonal cycle, you can part with it.

  • If it’s a “project” item that needs attention you can not give to it, you can part with it.

  • If it’s outlived it’s lifespan and is looking tired and worn, you can part with it. (does not apply to vintage chippy goodness items)

  • And my MOST important purging tip… if you would not buy that item again today, you can part with it.

That last one really works! Our tastes change, and there is no reason to hang on to things we will not use. Pass them on to friends/family, donate, sell on Facebook Marketplace, similar or online. Or if you have enough volume, and the time, have a garage sale! That is what I am planning. 

MY ORGANIZING TIPS:

  • ALWAYS PURGE FIRST — It’s so important to purge, so you aren’t “organizing” things you don’t need.

  • Access your space for the best storage options — built-in shelves, free standing shelves, totes, bins, boxes, etc… 

  • Dollar Store tubs are great for corralling smaller items, and work super on wire shelves. 

  • Gather “like items” together — you can see in my images that I’ve got trays, baskets and enamelware on one shelf, and kitchen type items on the next, and so on. 

Be fluid — I wasn’t able to follow my own “like items” together suggestion every time, as some items didn’t all fit on my kitchen items shelf like I wanted them too. But I kept the overflow neatly stacked, and close by.

My place mats are neatly stacked together on the adjoining shelf. 

My overflowing dish towel basket was seriously thinned out, and my cloth napkins fit perfectly in a wood crate. Both slide under one of my shelves and are easy to get to.  

After cleaning my home decor storage room many times, and purging it several others, this is the best result I’ve ever had!

The difference this time, is that instead of just clearing things out and cleaning up, I spent a day and half after “the purge”… organizing everything. 

This will help tremendously, most especially with my lanterns. Previously they were put away wherever I could find room. Which often meant on the floor… and that led to my pathways becoming blocked. A very vicious cycle. 

I love that this wall is so organized now, it’s my favorite part of the whole project.

PURGING MADE IT POSSIBLE.

If I hadn’t thinned things out I wasn’t using or in love with, I wouldn’t have been able to gather all my lanterns, candles and candle sticks together. 

I even have room for my steamer & lint roller. Right where I can find them and grab em’ quick!

Circling back to the entry wall, that’s where I’ve got all my arts and crafts supplies.

And two easy-to-shimmy around rolling bins with craft and painting supplies. 

They are perfect in front of the closet with my faux florals. 

And slide right out of the way for easy access. 

Jim was a sweetheart and popped two extra shelves in the open closet for me. Made all the difference to be able to utilize all this space! And again, it’s getting (almost) all my faux flowers in one spot. I didn’t have anyplace for my longer stems before, and now I do. 

I don’t cover most of my fake flowers, but I do cover my real touch florals. Those are the type with the very lifelike, kind of sueded finish. You can’t really dust that type, so I’ve got my Peonies covered with saran wrap, and the Tulips got a storage bag. Just a suggestion if you invest in real touch flowers. 

For the first time, I was also able to keep the chunky shelf in the center of the room EMPTY! I’ll be able to us this to set what I’m taking down on, as I pull out fresh decor, and then put things away into the empty spots. 

[I’m hoping to get those red overflow Christmas wreath totes out of the room soon] 

I didn’t take any before photos, but I did have some before video, so I put together a real life walk-thru before & after for you! 

See? I wasn’t exaggerating. It was bad! After my knee surgery, I had to be very selective of what I did with my time. And the condition of my home decor storage room fell far to the bottom of my priority list. Now, it feels soooooo good to have this space under control again. I thrive in and prefer an organized environment, and this will make my life so much easier. Especially as we go into such a busy time with Fall and Christmas decorating right on the horizon!

In fact, I’ve been in the other room doing the exact same thing with all my Fall, Halloween & Christmas decor! I know… both the bedrooms on the main floor are holding decorating items, it’s crazy! In my defense though, remember we don’t have attic or basement storage, and we don’t have an attached garage either. So these are my options. One perk of being an empty nester I suppose. And having my things easily accessible makes very good sense for work.

Thanks for popping by today! If you have any questions, please leave a comment, or you can contact me at foxhollowcottage@gmail.com ~ xo Shan

Comments

  1. Betty White says

    I love how everything is organized and you better be glad I live so far away or I would come and steal most of your candle holders and lanterns. HA! HA!

  2. Debbie says

    I’m fighting the purge bug in my home. I desperately need to be brutally honest with myself. I keep saying to myself,”I could use that with this or with that!” I keep it and hope to put it together and I never seem to get all of the pieces together to make it happen! Thank you for being honest with yourself and showing how it can be done.

    • Shannon Fox says

      I think that happens to most of us! We get the “just in case” bug and hold on to things.
      I can honestly say, I’ve never once in allll my purges, donating or garage sale days, have ever missed something I got rid of.
      Good Luck!!

  3. Suzanne Carrier says

    Very nice! This is a hard working room and I appreciate that you don’t have perfectly matching baskets and bins! I feel like I fall so short when I see perfection online. You have inspired me to get all my decor into one closet instead of hiding all over the house. LOL

    • Shannon Fox says

      Thanks!! Nope it was more about getting the job done, than trying to make it “pretty”. I feel the same!
      Those rooms make the task seem overwhelming and over budget. I spent ZERO dollars, it was all just an investment of time.
      Having it all together help, no matter what space you are working on.
      Good luck 🙂

  4. Karen says

    Did you entirely empty the room to get started? My craft room is horrid and seem very overwhelming. Pretty sure I am afraid of it.ha
    Looks fabulous.

    • Shannon Fox says

      When I decorate, I do that! But for this, I just pulled out all the things I no longer wanted, needed, or used.
      Then I set about shifting things and getting them all grouped together.

      Craft supplies are so much smaller, I can image you’d need to get a little more drilled down and detailed to do a good re-organizing job.
      Wishing you luck!

  5. Deborah Bell says

    I am in a similar situation right now, recovering from hip surgery. All the things we love to do are out of the question, so I say you did a great job and it will serve you well. I have acquired a lean-to shed that is waiting for me and all my decorations. The only storage space I have in the house is a small area that could be converted into a bathroom and that got to the point that you couldn’t get in there. Happy holidays to you and have the best time decorating.

    • Shannon Fox says

      Oh Deborah! I feel you! I have been doing my “have to get done” things first, and a lot has fallen off because I have to elevate a lot due to swelling.
      Give yourself grace, and do what you can. You’ll get there! Or, do a little each day. I have been chipping away at things that I could normally do a lot faster.
      They get done eventually 😉

  6. Ruth Ledyard says

    Great job! I love an organized work space. I have been fortunate up to now to have great storage space but that will soon change. I have had a 40 ft attic which I kept organized and a very large room that was my work room downstairs. With age and no cartilage left in either knees or shoulders going up the stairs have become almost impossible. I am not a candidate for operations due to other health problems (blood clots) so I have to ask others to find things for me. I have kept notebooks of what is where and that has helped but since I am not the one putting back up, it has its problems. I will have an extra large garage when we build, and a small attic but it will be a great challenge to organize these spaces especially since I still won’t be able to go upstairs. I am also very vertically challenged (4’9″) and with bad knees can’t climb ladders anymore. Like you I will have to do a lot of purging and it will not be easy. I had boxed up a lot of things after my sickness and filled up 2 covans for a garage sale. Unfortunately I joined a Beautiful Table Settings group which is making me rethink much of my purging of glassware and dishes and am going through these boxes and pulling out. I think you would love this group and would love for you to join. I only say beware. It is very addictive if you love table settings and you do!

    • Shannon Fox says

      Age and health sure determine a lot of our choices and options don’t they. I understand having ahd cancer, and many years later, now my knee issues.
      I’m so sorry that having a surgery is not an option for you, I’m sure that is both painful and frustrating.
      Wishing you luck with your purging and your new storage solutions.
      I know I always feel a million pounds lighter when I let things go. That is something to look forward too as you thin out your stock, and I’m sure the recipients will be tickled
      to have new additions to their collections. Wishing you luck 🙂

  7. Gail Martin says

    I just had to comment. First I love your lemon pitcher. My mother in -law had one. I would have loved to have seen what you actually purged. BUT I coveted everything you kept!!!! LOL I have a lot of stuff…. my children call it junk. The oldest thinks if I have had it since he was little, I need to throw it out. I have some salt shakers that I bought before he was born. They are blue plaid with a chicken on them… I do not know why I can’t part with them… I just can’t. I use them all the time. We lived on a farm before divorce…. We had chickens… It was appropriate. I love your red fan…OMG I could go on and on. keep blogging and showing us your decor.

    • Shannon Fox says

      Hi Gail! I hope you’ll be happy to know I kept that Lemon pitcher.
      I got rid of a lot of smaller items, dishes, a few lanterns, art and so many miscellaneous items that I had too many of!
      I’ve got a few things I won’t part with, but I’ve gotten pretty good at letting things go over the years 🙂
      If you use those S&P shakers everyday, they don’t fall in the realm of “get rid of”.

  8. Betty White says

    It looks great. I don’t have as many things as you, but I would love to take one of our closets and put shelves in and store my things in them. For now they are in containers almost ceiling high. We plan on selling next year so hopefully I will be able to have a closet where I can do what I want to do.

    • Shannon Fox says

      Betty the shelves in the closet are working great!! That was a space that was definitely not being utilized.
      Between our house, the cottage and the shop, I really felt the pull to get things in order.
      It got a little out of hand the last year, and it’s time I fix that!!
      I hope the move is an adventure you are excited about 🙂

Purged Organized Home Decor Storage Room Tour

Purged Organized Home Decor Storage Room Tour - How to organize home decor! Before & After Video, PLUS tips for purging & organizing your decorating items!
 
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