How I Style the Clutter...

With a house full of pets and children, a question friends often ask me, is how despite the inevitable bits lying here and there and everywhere, can a room look stylish? Firstly, I try to avoid anything too bright/plastic and garish for the kids at home, obviously we have a few items of this very description, but when not being played with they tend to be hidden away in the most subtle baskets/toy storage I can find. I love a challenge and to think outside the box in regard to the way I style the clutter in our home. Whether it's about accessorising, storage solutions, a splash of colour or up-cycling , I try and maximise every existing item that is visible to the eye so the house looks its very best. This is achieved through clutter being styled or completely hidden!  

I love the above baskets with pom poms for the children's areas in the house. They add an instant splash of colour, hide all the toys when not being played with and look stylish at the same time, I found these on Etsy who have lots of different colour options. I used fruit storage units below these from Cox & Cox, they are great to store all the little bits such as lego, wood blocks and puzzles.  Wall stickers are amazing at making a dead space instantly look more characterful, I got this rabbit from Bell & Boo. Little details such as flowers, ball lights and neon lighting also add an element of fun to a space and I love having picture rails along the walls in family areas with family pics, though I have to admit I am very behind on updating these as the kids get older...

Storage boxes are a decluttering must, stacked neatly along with book racks and sectioned magazine storage. Canvas baskets are ideal for throwing the soft toys in at the end of the day and the above (along with the Teepee) are from Wildire Teepees. I usually keep the walls quite neutral in these areas, so the fun colours and patterns can speak for themselves.Chalk paint on certain walls is great to avoid writing anywhere else, these two areas are painted in Eico Chalk Paint, they have loads of colours to choose from, this is a lovely blue toned grey that the kids can draw on to their hearts content. 

The more stylish clutter, a mixture of sentimental items, plants, books, candles and photos, are arranged on  shelves around the house (the above two photos were featured in a Rock my style blog). This provides a homely and lived in feel, however, keeping them contained to specific areas allows other spaces to beclutter free creating a sense of equilibrium. 

It’s not just the kids’ areas that have baskets, they are literally everywhere around the house. Whether containing umbrellas by the door, loo rolls in the bathroom or dirty laundry, there is always a basket to hide a multitude of clutter creators. Plants look wonderful when popped in them too - John Lewis, Cox & Cox, TK Max and OlliElla always have a great selection to pick from. 

A splash of colour on the inside of doors not only adds a fun focal point to any room but also distracts from the clutter. Hooks on the inside are always a useful way to hang special items that would usually be discarded into a basket or on the floor. Decorating the walls with pretty shelves and toys also helps avoid too much chaos on the floor and I love stacking suitcases on top of each other as they’re ideal for storing puzzles, books and Lego. 

The above doors are painted in Farrow and Ball Nancy Blushes (pink) and Babouche (yellow).

Desk storage has suddenly become a necessity for my 5-year-old daughter. I made this desk using an Ikea work top cut down to size along with two of the Eket range units either side, adding pretty handles for a colour splash. The vibrant shelves are again Ikea spice racks that I painted. I always keep nice simple gift boxes such as those from The White Company, JoJo Maman, Bebe and Jo Malone as they’re great for storing little bits.

I tend to put pin boards up on hidden walls that we walk past regularly but are not a focal point in the house, such as outside the downstairs loo. These are great to pin memories, things to do and reminders. Cute hooks on the children's walls are also very handy to hang pretty outfits that are usually hidden away in the wardrobe. 

I hope this helps give a little insight on how I style the clutter. The bottom line is that certain clutter can work if presented correctly, you don't have to be minimal to have a clutter free home, it’s about the right storage and making it appealing to the eye. There’s so much more to share so I can’t wait to post my next blog for you!