Hello and welcome to the Perfectly Purged Blog! For those visiting for the first time, I am Mindy Padron, owner of Perfectly Purged, inviting you to join us for monthly tips and trick for all things organizing!
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You may hear about functional space a lot in the organizing world, but what does that really mean and what does it look like?
What does it mean?
A functional space is a term used to refer to a space that is designed to maximize efficiency and productivity by providing easy access to items that are frequently used. This could mean that the space is arranged in a certain way to make it easier to find items, or that items are grouped together in a logical manner. For example, our kitchens should be the room that contain all the items needed to use in that space and stored in a way that makes them easy to find and access. It could also mean that the countertops are kept clear so that they can be used for meal preparation. With the exception of some extra bulk storage for small appliances used only once or a few times a year, which could be located elsewhere in the house. Overall, functional space is all about creating a productive and useful environment.
What does it look like?
Every home is unique and the function of your kitchen can depend on a variety of factors, from the size of your kitchen to how you like to use it. It's important to think about how you use your kitchen and what items you need to store. For example if your kitchen does not have a walk in pantry and you use cupboards for food storage then your cupboard space will be limited for other functional storage. This might cause you to look to other spaces in your home to store some kitchen items and that is quite common. What we would suggest is to try and keep your everyday use items within the kitchen and move the limited use items elsewhere. This will keep the kitchen a functional space.
If you do have a walk in pantry and are afforded ample storage space, then watch that you don't begin adding things that don't belong in the pantry or in your kitchen, like party supplies or seasonal decorations. This happens all to often and when we are organizing homes up to 30% of items we pull out of walk in pantries don't belong there and need to be rehomed. Once this is done the space returns to a functional space.
Think about areas in your home that are NOT functional at the moment. Rooms full of items that don't belong and do not have the space to use the items that do belong. If you're looking for ways to improve the functionality of your home, we suggest creating a plan that focuses on organization and storage. Start by sorting through all of the items in each room and deciding which items belong and which should be moved to a different space in the home, donated or thrown out. If needed, you may want to invest in some organizing items that can help you keep the space organized and functional, such as bins or drawer dividers. Finally, don't forget to make sure there's enough room for your items to be used, by just having what is needed and used in that space. With a little bit of planning and organization, you can make the most of the functional space in your home.
We know it can all feel a bit overwhelming to consider creating and maintaining those functional spaces in your home, but do not stress! That is why we do what we do! As professional organizers, we have the experience and knowledge to create organizing solutions for every space, even yours.
Did you know we can travel to you? You don’t have to be based in the Edmonton area to take advantage of our home organization services. Just get in touch with us, and we’ll come up with a solution that works for you!
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