7 Organizing Tricks We Learned from These British Airbnbs
My favorite way to use Airbnb has nothing to with actually booking trips: I just like to peek into people’s perfectly styled homes and see how people live. You can almost always get a good idea or three just from looking at photos.
Here are seven organizing tricks we learned during a recent trip through some British Airbnbs.
1. Open shelves look better with canisters.
Open shelves full of food packaging look messy — but put dry goods into containers (either glass or opaque) and, all of a sudden, they become artful. Cluster a few together for a purposeful look.
Tour the rest of this space: Stay in a Charming Garden Flat in Fulham
2. Skip the counter seating.
If you have a kitchen with a counter-height island and a breakfast nook nearby, consider forgoing the bar seating and putting in a bookshelf under the countertop to stash cookbooks and tableware.
See the rest of the space: Skyline View from Room in Apartment near St. Paul Cathedral
3. Store stuff where you’re more likely to use it.
If you serve your wine at the table, why not store the wine glasses nearby? A single wall shelf can hold enough glassware for you and your guests, and save you cabinet space, too.
Tour the rest of this space: Sophisticated Designer Victorian House
4. Even the most narrow shelves can be useful.
Working with semi-custom cabinetry can sometimes leave you with a few inches to spare — so tack in a few shelves and turn them into litte cubbies for wine and other small items.
See the rest of this space: Unwind in an Elegant Apartment near Covent Garden
5. Furniture can totally be arranged at an angle.
People almost always just put their furniture parallel or perpendicular to the wall, but if you need to make room to walk, consider an angle. This setup creates ample room for people to wander out to the deck.
See more of the space: Spacious Room in Stunning Home with Roof Terrace
6. Put windowsills to work.
Even if your windowsills aren’t quite as lovely or big as the one here, you can still probably use the space for storage. Put potted herbs on super-narrow sills and cookbooks on wider ones.
See more of this space: Explore Hackney from a Sleek, Modern Flat
7. Use a dresser as a coffee station.
Who says bedroom furniture has to stay in the bedroom? This dresser makes the perfect coffee station and would work just as well as a bar or even a makeshift pantry. The point: Don’t be afraid to repurpose items from other rooms in your house.
Take a tour: Central London in Tower Bridge Apartment