Sock it to me Rock! Debbie W's Room

Here is the room review. Hope it helps. Love your open space and furnishings!

Photos 1: I see a couple of conflicts in the room which might give me a clue to what the organization challenge and dilemma is. You have conflicting decorating styles going on here. On one hand you have a funky red white and blue light (mod) and a colorful tablecloth on the far desk by the bulletin board (also mod) . You have no draperys which says modern to me as well as a modern computer desk style and white walls—also modernistic. You also have lots of plastic bins and drawer units—which you are trying to hide because --on the other hand-- you have ALL great country style furnishings and a chandelier and lots of wood in the room which says upscale country. (Love your work table and armoire hutch!) You can see when you enter the room that even if the clutter was completely gone, there would still be a obvious visual style clash between plastics and woods. Clutter we will address in a minute. For now decide which decorating style is more your speed. I would guess country as your bigger furnishings are in that mode. Now let’s make the rest come up to speed with your love of country. Everything that ‘shows’ should be wood, wicker, cloth, printed paper boxes, or antique/classy containers. I would opt for black plastics rather than white in this room if you have to have plastics show. More elegant and upscale and will also match your rolling desk chair.

1. New lamp- check secondhand or even around your home for another lamp that says country not modern and replace the red white and blue one—at least in this room. The small blue one in the corner of the photo is better at center stage than the RW&B here.

2. Fabrics in the room should reflect the country idea or at least be neutral not cutesy. Change the tablecloths. And make the table skirt longer. To disguise the plastic storage, make the cloth length go to the floor with a split middle so you can still access your drawers under there.

3. Swag some sheers or simple tab drapes for the windows. This room needs drapes that fram your window and reflect the classy country mood but don’t sacrifice natural lighting.

4. Move the bulletin board up about 2 feet on the wall. Cover it in colored paper or fabric that is not white. Then add your elements of art and design and inspiration to it. It will become an art piece rather than a clutter piece. You could even use papers like Basic Grey or another country pattern for the background of the board.

5. We love plastic too but this room is not hidden away in the basement. Company is coming and your style clash needs to move toward upscale country. Maybe invest in really large wicker laundry closed top baskets to hide what looks like a Rubbermaid tub under the window. Or shop a flea market to find a cool storage unit or trunk set—even old suitcase luggage—to hide the same items on the floor into.

6. At the snowman table/work area, I know the plastic drawers are so practical. Maybe line them with Basic Grey papers or another neutral paper in the fronts. Decide on a color for your plastics that have to show. I suggest all black not all white in this case. Or look again at secondhand or wicker drawer units same size. Even tins and boxes might work to give your desk more style that the plastics.

7. If you want to keep the white plastics in the room for practical reasons, place them all in the same place for continuity. I think either over on the wall to the left of the computer desk or over under the window if you do short curtains. Make the room look like you planned it.

8. We can’t get rid of the computer desk. It is wood tone also which helps. But the scanners and printers and hardware have to be moved or disguised if possible. You have two huge grey beacons of TECHNO blaring right off the top of that computer desk. Can you move them downward to the level of the white cabinet on the left? Or move them to the floor or off to the sides on a table and replace the space they are now with software, books or papers? Or else place them in wicker baskets that almost come to the level of the scanner bed? Shift it around a bit.

9. Clearing other clutter will help make room lower down. Make every container on that desk and armoire country. Label them too but make them country not contemporary: every pen holder, photo frame, lamp, knick knack and bookend. Your photo boxes are great. The funky bottles look fine. Carry it out further in the rest of your décor. Clean out those cabinets with glass fronts and use them—not for knick knacks—but for storing tools, books, or photo boxes and other items you have cluttered around. Anything you don’t need all the time can be put in the cabinets. Those 5 to 8 special knick knacks now in the glass fronts could be moved to another place like the very top of the same hutch? It would show the off better too.

10. Move all the framed photos onto the wall. This will free up room for the photo boxes and other organizational items on the shelves. It will also allow the photos to be the focal point and inspiration in the room. You have plenty of wall space.

11. Closets: J Well we all seem to have one of these. A catch-all messy closet where we stuff things. Baskets and drawers are great but only if they are not crammed in so tight you can’t even pull them out. Reorg that closet and remember that any open top baskets need shelves their own height—not to be cram-stacked on the left like these. Get another set of the wire cubes and make levels that fit these baskets or use the baskets someplace else like in the big wooden armoire hutch. And please label everything. It helps you find and PUT BACK everything much, much faster.

12. Oh THIS is where you are hiding/keeping the cute baskets and pretty photo boxes! (Just had to tease you.) But seriously put the pretty containers OUT of the closet and the plastic containers IN. You get the idea. And I am pretty sure you have an adhesive storage bin or drawer so take the glue sticks off the nail and organize your items by type. J Oh and empty those hidden shopping bags while you are at it too. J

I hope you got some helpful tips out of this review, Sorry it took me so long to finish. Best wishes and if you need advice or more clarification, let me know. I love your country elegant style and can’t wait to see what you do for changes. It is very similar to what I aim for in my home. Let’s hit the flea market!
best wishes,

Rockester