Nov. 3—So, FALL. It’s here. That “in-between” season when I have to start thinking about the changing of the wardrobe. Sweaters and long-sleeve tees come out of their quiet slumber. Time to locate my real shoes, my boots, my sturdier footwear. And what, you might wonder, does this have to do with interior design? Because this is the perfect time to improve the overall interior design of our homes.
Think about it: We spend an inordinate amount of time cleaning, painting, decorating, adorning, furnishing and zhuzhing things up in general. It’s partly what brings us joy—being able to share these clean, well-designed spaces with friends and guests.
There’s a sense of satisfaction when we walk past that beautiful sofa it took eight months to find, that beautiful artwork we just had to have or the collection of pottery in the curated cabinet along the kitchen wall. All things on display for the world to see. But, what about the spaces that only we see? I contend that these spaces are part of the overall interior design of our homes. Now, anyone who knows me is saying, “What is she talking about?” I’m a self-confessed mess maker. I have clients’ papers and fabrics and drawings in piles all over my desk, my kitchen island, in totes littering the floor. Part of me finds some comfort in this messy world I live in.
HOWEVER, it’s time to begin adding the spaces behind the closed doors to the overall interior design of my home. I’m going to begin with my closet, then move on to my kitchen cabinetry. I’m going to dump the closet and the dresser drawers, sort, eliminate, donate and reorganize. Taking on this task will not only add to the overall aesthetic of my home, it will give me peace of mind.
As I have said many times before: I do not sleep very much. Instead, I spend hours thinking about this very late at night, and, after binge-watching whatever’s watchable—naturally, I spend these wee hours scrolling through Instagram. Beginning with—who else? Marie Kondo. The woman who famously proclaimed: “The goal of tidying is to make room for meaningful objects, people and experiences. I can think of no greater happiness in life than being surrounded only by the things I love.”
Super-inspirational, right? The woman whose 2010 book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and her KonMari method made Martha Stewart look like a slacker. Sparking that kind of joy has been my interior design philosophy, but I’m failing miserably at it in those spaces behind the closet door. So, I go down Kondo’s IG rabbit hole: @KonMari.co. Beautiful photography. Great, inspirational photography. Photography that makes one believe all this can be done! Then there’s the online store that has the most beautiful organizational products. Again: Amazing. Great for inspiration. Very Zen, very beautiful. But pour mois: not practical.
Then, again, at 2 or 3 in the morning, I came across @simplyorganized. Samantha Pregenzer’s IG handle. Pregenzer is a Certified Professional Organizer in the Bay Area and shares what she does in, what I deem to be, educationally valuable reels. While the information shared is of a more practical nature, there are still great photographs and tips, but they feel more attainable. And Simply Organized also shares Amazon finds for organization and tips on how to use these items. One of my favorites: use the same type of hangers. It works! (Even for this girl!)
Okay, so now I have the full Zen inspiration from Kondo, the more practical and satisfying work of Pregenzer. I’m liking some of what I find at @neatmethod and @homeedit. (Both franchised organizational companies that have become more focused on selling, not so much on assisting the average closet-organizationally challenged interior designer.) Then, just when I’m about to nod off—Have y’all seen @thefoldinghacks? Sooo satisfying. Here’s why: All the above Instagram sites show you beautifully organized closets with baskets full of perfectly folded socks and undergarments with mesmerizing magical shelves full of perfectly folded sweaters. BUT. This one shows you how to do it.
Based on KonMari Methods of folding, or KonMari Methods of folding are based on the techniques found here—don’t know, don’t care. All I know is that because of @thefoldinghacks I now feel ready to spend hours on @thecontainerstore finding all the bins and baskets that I’m going to fold all my clothes into.
Again: now’s the perfect time to attack these hidden spaces. So. Wish me luck learning how to be patient enough to “folding hack” the heck out of all the sweaters I’m bringing out of these storage bins. I’m hoping to add my closet to the spaces in my home that I enjoy being in. My goal? If someone happens to see my closet, I won’t even care. And while I’m touting this philosophy, that the “behind closed doors” spaces have their importance in the overall interior design of a home, we should give ourselves a break if they don’t look like what we seen on Instagram. Alas. A girl can dream.
Buffy Kline can be found at WGD Interiors in Santa Fe. She is an ASID Professional Member, an NCIDQ Certificate Holder. She is also a licensed interior designer in the state of New Mexico with over 25 years of experience. She has worked across the design and real estate development sectors, with high-end residential homes being her main focus. Client-centric design is at the heart and soul of what Buffy and her much-appreciated collaborating artisans, vendors and partners bring to the Santa Fe community. Contact her at: [email protected].