Ten Home Decor Items that Combine Flair with Functionality
When organizing your home, you typically desire an uncluttered and neat look, but you also want it to look nice. There are so many options available that are well designed and fit into almost any décor. There is something to fit any taste.
1. Baskets are always a popular organizational item. If they are wood baskets, they give a nice natural look to the room. They are handy for holding all kinds of things, from makeup to toys. I prefer square baskets without a handle. YoIf you want items to stand upright in the basket (like toiletries), look for baskets with minimal weaving on the inside bottom of the basket. Too much weaving will cause items to continually fall over.
2. Shoe organizers are an item no family should be without. Who doesn’t get tired of either tripping over shoes dropped at the front door or not being able to find the mate to the kids’ shoes as you are getting ready to head out the door? There are different styles available, from shoe racks that fit in the bottom of a closet to those that hang on the back of a door. I prefer a clear organizer that fits over a door (canvas works well too), allowing you to see shoes vertically rather than having to look under clothing racks. The canvas may look more attractive, but clear is more functional. Over the door shoe organizers can be used in the coat closet as well for storing gloves and hats. I use one there in my home ~ my gloves are stored in the highest row, oldest daughter’s are in the middle rows and youngest daughter’s are in the bottom rows.
3. Closet organizers are becoming big business; as a matter of fact there are companies dedicated to helping you design the perfect closet organizer for your home. They can be as simple as plastic or metal adjustable shelves, or beautiful wood cabinets that are built to fit in your closet. They can have shelves, drawers, wire baskets, and places to hang clothes and baskets.
4. Desktop organizers are a must-have for any home office or homework area. In addition to the standard pencil can and paper clip holders, there are nice wood pieces that are great for sorting mail and important papers. I use this exact desk top organizer on my desk. It holds many of the items that we often line up on our desktop, which takes up more space. Just be sure that any organizer you add to your desktop serves a specific purpose and is not just adding to desktop clutter.
5. Clothes trees or hooks can add an old-fashioned flair to any room. There are also more modern designs to 
choose from. They can be used near an entry for guests’ coats, or in the bedrooms as a great place for kids to put their PJ’s, robes, or even a towel after a bath. Again, make sure that this home decor item is really serving a purpose and not just becoming the catch all and adding to a room’s clutter.
6. Multi-functional furniture with drawers can be great in homes with limited space. There are couches and beds that have drawers built into the bases that make great places to store out of season clothes or toys. There are also coffee tables that come with built in storage.
7. Video and audio storage are often wonderfully crafted pieces of furniture. They can be incorporated into a media center in the home, or used as a stand-alone piece. Some of them are designed to look like antique pieces of furniture.
8. Jewelry boxes are a practical way to not only organize and protect all your precious pieces, but many 
are almost as beautiful to look at as your jewelry. You can find hand-carved pieces, or boxes with inlay. They look great on a dresser.
9. Carts with wheels are a handy form of storage, as they can be used anywhere in the house. Plus, if you don’t need it all the time, they can be tucked away in a closet, pantry or corner. They can have drawers or shelves and offer additional workspace. They are great for kitchens, closets and offices.
10. Caddies are great for things that may need to travel from room to room. They can be nice looking buckets or baskets. There are also fabric caddies that have pockets that can be hung on the wall. These can be found in a wide variety of styles. They are great in kids’ rooms for storing small treasures. We use a caddy to store toys that the kids move around the house, and for cleaning supplies for each floor in our home. In the caddy, the supplies have a specific home, and will stay organized even when they are being transported from room to room.
No matter what your taste is in decorating, it’s pretty easy to find great accents to your home that add not only to the form, but to the function of your life.
Originally posted 2009-02-05 14:47:10. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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