*affiliate links used – organized decor closet and buffet
I’m kicking off today’s post with lots of clutter. Just what you wanted right? ;) I’ve shared this decor closet before but yikes.. it might have hit a new low kicking off 2023. I love decorating and sharing ideas with all of you. I also love any and all home decor.. vases especially. As you all know. :) What I don’t love is how quickly my vase/home decor obsession can take over my house. I was due for an edit!
Whenever I’m organizing a space like this I take EVERYTHING out. So my entry looked like this for a few days.
And my hallways looked like this.
But that wasn’t enough mess and clutter and chaos for me. Oh no. I decided mid clean out to take things next level and empty my dining room buffet too.
And my white built-ins. Because why not?
Since I didn’t want the top cabinets to feel left out I took everything out of them too. Time for a change. And more clutter to add to the hallway!
Seriously we lived in such a mess for a while!
I finally got through everything and was ruthless about what I kept. This was just part of what left my house. I gave some to friends and took the rest to Goodwill.
Remember this scary before?
Here is the after. You heard them! Angels are back and singing louder than ever. ;) What a difference right!? This feels amazing. I only kept things I LOVE and USE OFTEN. That was what I asked myself as I looked at each item. Do I LOVE this? Do I decorate with it often?
The top shelf is holding the clear and blue vases and jars I use in the summer when we entertain in the yard. Other vases and bowls are below.
I even had room for the trays I’m not using at the moment on my shorter shelf. I wish I could have donated all of Kenny’s motorcycle jackets since I don’t love and use them. Ha. Not an option.
I set art/prints I’m not using at the moment and a few larger vases on the bottom right.
Plants and pots on the bottom left.. those will be emerging more in the summer. And an empty shelf above them!
We love an empty shelf don’t we!?
Yes we do.
{Large Montauk Rectangular Bins}
These baskets are so good! Mine are the large size – color is grey. I’ve had them for years and use them in a couple of other closets too. In my decor closet I use them to hold smaller seasonal items in Ziploc bags. Fall items are in this basket.
Easter decor here.. obviously. :)
Summer items in this basket.
And what’s that? Why an empty basket.
We love an empty basket don’t we!?
Yes we do.
The navy buffet in my dining room is also looking so good on the inside!
{Dining Room Sources}
Christmas dishes, boards and placemats on the left.
Other seasonal dishes and placemats on the right.
The top drawers hold my napkin rings and flatware holders.
{gold flatware – rattan set sold out}
Flatware in the next drawer.
Cloth napkins in this drawer.
Cloth napkins and a few table runners on the end.
These while built-in cabinets hold random seasonal items.
Only things I love and decorate with often! I didn’t take a pic of the drawers above these cupboards, but guess what.. they are empty!
We love an empty drawer don’t we!?
Yes we do.
I don’t have an after for you of the clear built-ins yet because I might paint them before I style them. I pained the back of these cabinets grey initially, but the dark paint makes it hard to see items if they are muted which is why I’ve only decorated with white dishes. Time for a change!
I’ll keep you posted on that one. :)
This makeover isn’t anything spectacular, but I’m sharing it because I hope it motivates you to empty closets and cupboards that are overstuffed in your home. I’ve learned through years of experience that the only way to really stay organized is to live with less. Continue to edit your spaces and only keep what you love and use. Because I share decor for a living I have to go through my decor storage often, but other spaces I can clean out and keep clutter free for years. Find the hot spots in your home and just start! Pull everything out and live with the mess for a few days while you go through items and donate donate donate.
What was that?
Time to DONATE. :) The more you do it the easier it gets. Pass items on to someone else to enjoy while you enjoy a clean, clutter free space. It really is so freeing! When your home is clutter free so is your mind.
We love a clutter free mind don’t we!?
Yes we do!
:)
Wow! You had a lot of stuff. I’m not sure I would do well with all the stuff out for a few days. You are a stronger woman than I am. Truly meant as a compliment. I don’t really decorate seasonally. Not because I don’t love it. I love the look! But I honestly don’t really have any space to store the items out of season. So I’ll just admire how lovely your home is via pictures. Congratulations on being able to go through all your goodies and pare down. That’s a labor of love! :)
Thank you Jeanne! I know.. TOO MUCH stuff for sure. I was way past due for an edit! It’s a little tricky when you hate clutter but share home decor for a living. ;) I have to be careful and go through items often! Happy Friday! I hope you have fun plans ahead.. going out or staying in! XO
I always enjoy watching a good purge! Makes room for new stuff and new styles…..and you make it look so enjoyable with the after.
Right!? Just never gets old! Ha. Thank you so much Sonia! Enjoy your weekend! xo
I’m really loving that aqua print that you have in your dining room. Looks so beautiful with its spring colors.
Thank you so much Sherilynne! I love the colors in that too. :)
Wowza!!! Decor explosion 💥. Looks great and much easier to see things. I have a big under the stairs closet and every so often go in and weed out extras that I can donate. Feels great👏
Can’t wait to see what color you decide to paint the cabinets inside!!
Thank you Lynn! Stair closets are definitely dumping grounds aren’t they!? Best feeling to get spaces like that cleaned out! :) Enjoy your weekend! xo
Erin,
We love it when you SHOW IT ALL. YES we do! :-D THIS, my friend is WHAT I have been waiting for with “bated breath”! no better way to put it than that old Shakespearian saying! We are “soul cousins” now! I fully relate! We love cabinets, cupboards, closets and any secret hide away. Yes, we do! I can’t take this “Minimal thing” anymore.
I say just pull out the STUFF. SHOW IT. YES!. All of it! Now, get it organized. Exactly as you did! I know there might be just a teeny, tiny bit somewhere (STORAGE UNDER THE STAIRS ; D that you didn’t show??) Now, I have to admit that IF I had been standing in your driveway when you were loading up for donation, you would have had a lot less to donate! Then, of course, I would have a lot more to pull out and get organized HERE (but you would have had less to load in the car!) Pulling everything OUT is NOT an easy stunt to pull off around here. This is a huge part of the reason so much of MY decor STUFF just gets pushed to the back when stashing recently used items. For years at a time! Now, Erin, you must take pity on me as I am married to a very mean guy. Sniff. Sniff. SNIFF :-/ He won’t let me pull it all out in entrances and hallways and bathroom floors etc. HOW mean is THAT, I ask!? We don’t like that. NO, we don’t! You did advise me once to send him on a fishing trip. I mentioned that he is not a fishing man and asked if Kenny could teach him and you said No. Kenny does not fish. Anyway, for now I will just admire these wonderful, clean, organized spaces of YOURS.I have to find a place to send him. Let me know if you have anything coming to mind….
PS. Hmmmmm…. I spied that Minka vase/pot again ;-D THAT is the thing I would have been waiting in your driveway for!
So happy you liked this post Sherrie! I definitely showed ALL THE STUFF.. ha! Definitely find a place to let your husband escape for a guys trip so that you can get to work pulling out everything and organizing. Or maybe make a deal with him that if he’ll let you clutter up the entry/hallways for a day or two you’ll let him do something he wants to do? It will be worth the sacrifice! We’re going to have to get creative. Ha. ;) I hope you’re having a good week! XO
Good job! I bet this feels great to open these drawers and cabinets. You have so many beautiful things! I would have a hard letting go of many of them but I’m sure you made a lot of thrifters really happy!
I have a son going to college this fall. I would love to hear what your daughter really used as a freshman in college and what items can be skipped. I don’t want to over buy for his small space. I love your blog! Thank you for all the inspiration!
Thank you so much Erin! Best feeling opening these cupboards for sure! I will definitely do a post on essential college items closer to the end of the school year. We learned so much this year and it’s easy to over buy! For you just have a box or two (or ten) of tissues close by. ;) Thank you for your sweet comment! Means so much to me. xo