DECLUTTER YOUR HOME
The Tran + Thomas process

Tran + Thomas has a process that we follow to assist clients with their accessories.  Whether we have designed a new build, a renovation or a facelift of a few rooms, organizing and displaying accessories are an important part of well designed space.  

Whether you are fully renovating a room or just want to give your accessories a boost over the weekend, the following is a wonderful way to repurpose your accessories.

• Bring all of your home’s accessories and lamps to temporary tables in a common space like a garage, basement or guest room.  
• Sort all accessories by height.  Doing so brings a fresh eye and new perspective to all of the items you already own.  They look very different all lined up together!
• Organize all like things together to identify any collections.  If you don’t have items that fall into the same category (ie, pottery, clocks, etc) you can use color or finish as your category.
• “Shop” from this group and re-accessorize your spaces.  Using the best of the best and cull outdated items. Wash and clean items as you go so all look their best.

• Groups of odd numbers and/or symmetric groupings work best for displays.
• Heights should be stair stepping…high, medium and lower

• Be careful not to over accessorize…remember less is more, and has a richer look.
• Left over items can be given or packed away to remove any clutter

More Useful Tips…

• Does your room have shelves or a bookcase? By adjusting shelves and/or removing them you can create new configurations to accommodate your newly organized accessories
• Books are a useful accessory that can enhance your displays.  Use them in a stack, as bookends or use book stacks of different heights to display small pictures, objects, keepsakes.

• Try changing displays from symmetrical to asymmetrical or asymmetrical to symmetrical.  Symmetrical organization usually has a more traditional or classic feel, while asymmetrical displays can feel a bit more modern and the most successful will have a very balanced feel.

• Consider bringing items behind glass out in the open.  By bringing items out of glass fronted cabinets you allow them to be enjoyed and interactive with the space.
• Use hidden beautiful or unique drinking glasses to hold cotton swabs or makeup brushes or on a desk for pens and pencils.
• Bring in pretty bowls and glasses to hold small items on your nightstand, desk, coffee table or makeup area.

• Use decorative containers in the kitchen or laundry room hold rags, laundry pods, stain sticks and miscellaneous clutter.  Amazing how clutter & less attractive items look less utilitarian when corralled into a pretty container.
• Take items out of their original containers (boxes & plastic bags) and put them in lovely jars with lids, boxes with labels or baskets with tags.
• Regroup like items:  family photos, small mirrors, postcards, love letters to create a more meaningful grouping.
• Utilize shadow boxes for small collections like letters, or postcards, wine corks, bottle caps, matchbooks, or pebbles.
• Adding lamps or additional lighting will always give a space a facelift.  Also, change out shades for existing lamps to give lamps a new lease on life.  New shades can be like a new lipstick to create a new mood – try a different size or customize with a fun fabric or cool trim.

These tips and tricks are just the beginning of revising your space.  By reusing what you have and looking at your accessories in new ways can really create an amazing and visually organized space without an enormous renovation.  And with a renovation or new build, reorganizing what you already have adds the households personality in a focused and organized way!

Good Luck and Happy Spring!!!

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