GALLERY | lets-be-clear

See LBC's Peri Patel featured on Channel 2

where the magic happens

This is one of my favorite spots in the house. It not only looks and "feels" like me but also is fully functional, allowing me to get things done quickly. Emphasis on quickly! Often times I only have a few minutes to spend in here between dealing with two active boys (and their schedules), managing the complexities of our household and oh yeah, running my business.

The functionality of this space allows me to pop in here for 30 minutes and take care of the what needs to get done in a timely and efficient manner.

a peek inside my own personal clarity

Now that the majority of our food in the pantry is in clear bins rather than in it's original packaging, grocery shopping is a breeze. With one quick glance in the pantry I am able to see exactly what I do and do not need to buy. Gone are the days of “overbuying”, wasting food because it would go bad before we could enjoy it, and making repeated trips to Kroger to purchase an item I simpy didn't realize we were lacking. Reorganizing this space has saved me time and money--something very important to this Mama.

health and happiness

Teaching the boys to be independent, self-sufficient, and healthy is important to me. When Sofia and I were reorganizing the pantry, we kept this in the forefront of our minds and essentially dedicated the entire lower shelf to their snacks. If its on the lowest shelf that means it's a Mommy approved snack they can enjoy at any time without my help or permission. Treats and other not so healthy items were given a spot on the higher shelves, thus ideally requiring assistance and permission from an adult.
Here you can also see the small Elfa system I added on the left wall. This space is used to store extra condiments, syrups and sauces, etc. as well as serving as my go to spot for overflow supply of cooking oils.

My laundry room always looks spotless like this. Kidding! But with a few tweaks of this space I will say that I attack the dreaded laundry with more gusto than before. Why? Because I know I can get it done quickly now that everything has a spot! We also run out of detergent a lot less often since it’s clearly visible in its very own appropriately labeled clear bin. The addition of the Elfa rack on the right side of the space helped to get mops and brooms off the floor as well as provided a place to hang the ironing board and step stool. Extra hooks are kept on the rack so I’ve got room to grow!

Another Elfa installation that was a game changer for me. . Anything we might possibly need is here at our fingertips. And we can see it…. Thus the game changer. I have great storage underneath the sink but nothing was accessible or visible. Now that space is dedicated 100% to cleaning supplies while other essential products are out in the open. Scissors, a sewing kit, the iron and starch as well as a spare lint brush all find themselves at home here.

more than just a closet

Regardless of the size of your closet, there are several key components to achieve maximum efficiency, organization and functionality. For example, just by switching the kind of hangers I used I gained a tremendous amount of hanging space. Working with Sofia changed my way of “seeing” our closet, and we created a space that even my husband agrees has improved his usually hectic and frantic mornings. Getting my workout / active wear out of the drawers and onto hangers made so much sense since that is essentially what I wear 6 days a week! We were able to make much better use of my drawers (reserving them for socks, undies, bras and pjs) while getting travel bags and purses out in the open.

This sweet spot, directly above our toilet, had been a frustrating space for me since we moved in several years ago. The cabinet and shelves are so high up I struggled with easily accessing anything I stored there so it ended up being full of stuff I really didn’t need -- rather than being a space where I could effectively maximize storage of bathroom essentials. Using these bins with “handles” makes it so much easier for me to reach these products--- and since they are clear this is another area where I am saving money by not purchasing items we simply don’t need. Being clear is key!

my clients' clarity

no one puts Susan in the corner

These stainless steel Lazy Susans worked great for canned goods since the clients only use/keep a small amount. One Lazy Susan handles their canned beans and peas while the other one holds tomato sauces and pastes. I have also used Utility Pantry Door and Wall Racks in pantries that aren't quite as large as this one and where the client has a larger amount of canned goods. Expandable shelf organizers are also a nice option for the latter as the tiers allow you to easily see all of your items while saving space.

one of my favorite things

These stainless steel Lazy Susans worked great for canned goods since the clients only use/keep a small amount. One Lazy Susan handles their canned beans and peas while the other one holds tomato sauces and pastes. I have also used Utility Pantry Door and Wall Racks in pantries that aren't quite as large as this one and where the client has a larger amount of canned goods. Expandable shelf organizers are also a nice option for the latter as the tiers allow you to easily see all of your items while saving space.

extra easy extra access

The proximity of this storage closet to the downstairs bathroom allowed us to store extra paper goods here for easy access when it's time to restock. Overflow cleaning supplies are categorized and kept here as well. Not pictured: Clear bins with lids for battery storage (separate container for each size battery), adhesives - tape, adhesives- other, light bulbs (separate container based on size/ indoor or outdoor bulbs, and hardware to name a few). Once again, everything is labeled for ease and accessibility.