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0 When several people from varying age groups share a room, storage will be a problem. Therefore, added storage is always a priority in these spaces. Adding storage for each specific purpose that the room is used for will be the most expedient method for bringing the room into an order that it can be used without garnering clutter from several sources. Organizers are only as good as the habits are for utilizing them. By creating more storage space in the family room, the room can be used for its intended purpose.
The first step is to control the clutter in the room. One method that is effective is to make a list of all the activities that the room is used for and the accompanying equipment. The next step is to plan activity zones. This means planning different areas for different activities. There are several ways to partition the room. Short bookcases can serve this purpose. It is important to use shorter cabinets or shelves to avoid the possibility of the shelves being pulled onto children or toppling. Shelves can make a reading and play zone. Cabinets can make the same zone with a television added. The television should be wall mounted or affixed to some point. This will also prevent the television from toppling or being pulled from cabinets or shelving. Within the activity zones, storage should be allotted for equipment and other things that are used specifically in that zone. Before anyone leaves a zone, the equipment that was used in the zone should be returned to its place of origin.
After the zones are complete, it is important to take inventory of all the things that are in the zones. After the inventory is complete, all the things that are not necessary or no longer in use should be donated or disposed of. In addition, when acquiring furniture for the room, the furniture should contain storage also. This type of furniture is widely available and in any style that suits the space and decor of the home. Having cabinets that are built in is also an option that can garner significant storage for the space. Dead space can also be used to store items with the appropriate containers and applications. This can include spaces behind stairwells and at cabinet junctions.
After these tasks are completed, the hard part starts. It is important that at some point in the day or after activities that things are returned to their appropriate spaces. Failure to do so will only continue to clutter the room. This makes the space less desirable. When the space is not used, the clutter that was once confined to a single room is now spread throughout the entire home. This negates the reason for a single family space and the attempts to organize these spaces. It is also important to have a system to get rid of things that are not going to ever be used again. This includes magazines and papers that can be recycled. A bin can be designated for this specific use.
