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Organizing pantry shelves

14 January . 2022

Ready, set, refresh: Organize your home in 2022

It was 2015 when Marie Kondo taught us that removing clutter and tidying up could add joy to our lives. But the idea that a more orderly home equals more happiness is not new. In fact, the quote “for every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned” is attributed to Benjamin Franklin. And he invented the lightning rod, bifocal lenses, swim fins, and drafted the Declaration of Independence, among many other things. The man got a lot done.

At Nexton, we’re big on helping homeowners get more out of their days. In fact, we’ve built an entire community around the idea.

So, in honor of a fresh new year and National Organize your Home Day (that’s today – January 14), we’ve partnered with two organization professionals who happen to call Nexton home.

If getting your home organized is on your 2022 to-do list, keep reading!

Meet the pros

Heather Swan began her career in commercial cleaning before starting her own business, Sweeping Swans. She finds helping to clean and organize the homes of others incredibly satisfying. “I see a messy pantry and see a challenge,” she says.

But what she loves most about organizing is the power it has to give clients more time in their days (much like our pal Ben). “Getting your home organized gives you more time for the important things, like spending time with your family and pets.”

Brittni Lagasse found her way to a career in organization by way of a stint in interior design and then blogging, but her goal echoes Heather’s. “Most of my clients are people who are working 60-70 hours a week; many own businesses. And they’re just overwhelmed,” she says. “We all collect so much stuff, and it’s hard to organize our lives between events, kids, and professional commitments.”

Sound familiar? We thought so.

Order from kitchen chaos

Heather told us how much her fiancé loves to cook (lucky gal!) and how, in their new home at Nexton, she worked to create a tidy, intuitive kitchen that allows him to whip up a delicious, creative meal for the family without the added frustration of not being able to find what he needs.

Her top tips for an efficient kitchen start with defining areas in your pantry for different things. “If you have the space, separate food items from appliances and dishes. Then label any bins you’re using so you can easily see and find what you need.” She also sees lots of chaotic Tupperware cabinets in her line of work, and suggests always putting lids back with their containers. Have a few with no lids? Toss them.

Other top tips included keeping spices in a drawer instead of a cabinet (no more knocking over the oregano to get to the chili powder) and investing in little time-savers like baggy organizers and door-mounted organizers.

“An up-front investment in bins, drawer separators and other organization tools goes a long way to saving you time and energy later on,” she says. “It’s all easier to maintain when everything has a place.”

Stop the (toy) madness

Brittni launched her career in organization in part because she wanted a schedule that allowed her to spend more time with her sons, and she has a few tips for anyone hoping to include their littles in the process.

“Routine, routine, routine,” she says. “Every evening I play some music right before bath time that acts like a signal to my boys that it’s time to clean up.”

“Labels work great for kids and can help the clean-up process feel more like a game. For kids who can’t read yet, create picture labels so they know where things go,” she continues.

Biweekly maintenance by Mom and Dad also helps keep things from getting out of hand. “Every other week or so, I take an hour or two to wade through baskets, put away misplaced items, dig rogue toys out from under their beds, and so on.”

Her career in interior design also set her up for success in the organization business. “The first thing you’re taught in interior design is function. Make your home function for your home and family, and then move to design aesthetics.”

Bonus tip: consider the temperature of the lighting in your home’s messier areas. Her go-to? 3000-3500k often helps a room feel less dirty and cluttered. Try it!

Ask for help

Perhaps the most important tip both organizers can impart: don’t stress if you can’t manage to create a Pinterest-perfect pantry, play room, or closet on your own. “It’s totally normal to have trouble keeping up when so many things are competing for time and attention in our busy lives,” Brittni shared. “That’s why there are professional organizers.”

Lucky for Nexton homeowners, both Brittni and Heather are right here within the community and ready to dive into your messiest spaces. Enter our Ready, Set, Refresh giveaway or contact them today to sign up for a consultation!

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