Your cottage is your happy escape place, so why not minimize the clutter?

It’s that time of year again. The clocks have moved forward and we’re all staring out the windows, eagerly anticipating the final melt of any remaining snow. Spring is arriving and with it thoughts of summer and retreating from our everyday lives to the tranquility of the cottage.

It paints an idyllic picture, but it’s a picture that often falls off the hook and crashes to the floor when we open the doors, pull the curtains wide, and face the reality of our delinquent ways. What do I mean? Perhaps I am referring to the piles of games, books, extra dishes, odd furnishings, old pillows, and hundreds of other bits of detritus from those everyday lives that have been piled up in every corner of the cottage over these many years.

For a place as beloved and mythologized as the cottage, we sure do treat it like a dumping ground for every single thing that we have no space or use for in our own homes. “Should we throw it out? Eh...take it to the cottage.”

You’re meant to relax and unwind at a cottage, not spend hours pondering how that many juice glasses have arrived at a single destination in this world, though some may find that meditative.

If you would like some guidance and ideas for making this the summer of streamlining your cottage, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve got a step-by-step plan for this because, as Benjamin Franklin said, if you don’t have a plan, you’re planning to fail.

 

Declutter

We’ll call this the great juice-glass cull of 2018. I’ll be frank, if you are not willing to do this step, none of the rest will matter. Decide what it is you need to function in your cottage. Make a list of those things. To this list, add a small number of items you’re attached to for sentimental reasons, and some items that are simply lovely to look at. But be honest with yourself and admit that a good one-quarter to one-third of the clutter you see needs to go. Recycle what you can to other people and places that will take your donations.

Remember: the road to a calm and serene cottage life is paved with ruthless intentions. Cull.

 
Creative storage solutions in many areas can free up more space. Photo credit: Bigstock

Storage

This step cannot be executed until the de-cluttering is complete. Why? Because of the tendency we have to simply put things in a box rather than deal with them. Once your de-cluttering is done, take look around and think about where you can improve storage for what is left.

Closets are an obvious area. Any closet that has nothing more than a rack for hangers is wasted space.

Think vertically when you look at storage. Your closet should be used from top to bottom. There are great out-of-the-box solutions that can be fitted right into a closet. If you’re handy, you can build simple storage in. Hanger racks at two heights, cubbies for storing linens and blankets, shoe racks at the bottom for storing summer footwear. Head to a site like Pinterest for inspiration on how to maximize your space.

If you aren’t ready for built-in solutions, consider using airtight bins for storage both in closets and other hidden spaces like under beds. Baskets can be used for items like books and games that are sitting out, but if you store items such as linens over winter, you may want to give them a little extra protection.

If you have closets without doors, consider using a curtain to conceal the clutter from your eye. This is a great use for old curtains from your home, and not a bad idea if you are pressed for space. Doors take up floor space, so you can sometimes gain more useable space in a room by replacing doors with curtains.

Vertical storage isn’t just for closets. Consider adding decorative practical storage solution in kitchen and eating areas. If you have pretty, mis-matched plates or bowls, think about storing these on open racks on the wall where they can be appreciated. This will free up room for the extra juice glasses you simply couldn’t part with. Yeah, I knew you were going to keep them.

Think about storage solutions for under the kitchen sink and in drawers and cabinets. It can be as simple as plastic containers to organize all the cloths, sponges, and bottles of cleaners. Using mason jars or other glass jars to store dry goods and spices means they are safely sealed away, and cabinets stay tidy.

Add hanging wire racks or racks that attach to the end of a counter or wall to keep perishables such as onions and garlic. If you have a jumble of baking tins, stand them up in a basket and slide this into the cupboard. It will make retrieval of a pan easier and spare you the crashing and banging to find the one you need.

Entryways are where we often find jumbled piles of snorkels, beach shoes, rackets, balls and more. Consider bins to store larger items, shelves or cubbies for smaller items, hooks for towels and jackets, and mats for wet footwear.

 

Reconsider space

Now that you have de-cluttered and worked on storage, take a moment to look around and appreciate the extra space you have gained. Reassess how you’re using what you have. We often keep things as they are simply because that’s how they’ve have always been, not because they work best that way.

Think about the function of your spaces. Are they used for eating, entertaining, cleaning off after being outdoors? Is there a function you’ve always wanted but never had space for, like a reading nook or small work area? Are there pieces of furniture you now realise you never use, or something missing that you need?

If you do a lot of entertaining, or have large family groups, think about flexible seating. Rather than having large, heavy pieces, mix these up with chairs, stools, ottomans and benches that can be moved around easily for the changing needs of the space. Sketch a rough floor plan on paper and try different ways to use your space.

Bedrooms are great places to add functionality with items like bunkbeds, that let you cram the kids in like sardines. That’s the stuff fond childhood memories are made of. If adding beds to your cottage, think about built-in storage such as drawers under the bedframe.

If you have a loft being used to store items you no longer need, think about converting it to sleeping space. That may be a larger project that could be tackled on its own, but it’s worth considering to add additional sleeping space, or to free up main floor space for other functions.

 

Unify your colours

When décor is put together by dragging things that are unwanted from another location, it can look a bit piecemeal. Colour is a great way to unify a look.

Consider a palette of colours, not just the colour that will go on the wall. Consider what overall look you want to achieve. Bright and beachy? Cosy and natural? Head over to sites like Pinterest to get an idea of how these look, and choose one that suits you.

When you build your palette, think of it in terms of three colours. The main colour is about 60 per cent of the colour in the space and is typically what is on your walls. The second colour is about 30 per cent of what you see in the room. It can be tones or shades of one colour, and is often in bigger pieces of furniture, rugs, and curtains. Finally, you’ll have a small pop of colour in a brighter or bolder tone that is about 10 per cent of the room colour: accents in your décor and colours that show up in your rugs, cushions and curtains.

The first colour is paint, the others are often in the fabrics or furniture—but if you choose to paint your furniture, they can show up here as well. Painting furniture is a great way to freshen up older pieces. Remember to clean and lightly sand the item, then prime it before painting. You can rent a paint sprayer at most local equipment shops, and save yourself a lot of time. Make sure you paint in thin coats that are allowed to fully dry in between applications.

All right, you’ve got four easy steps: now go forth and rein in the clutter that is the cottage. The next time you are hovering over the “for the cottage” box, ask yourself “How many juice glasses does one grown person need?”

You know the answer already.