There are lots of variations of the phrase “Tidy home, tidy mind”, and many attribute the origins of the phrase to a quip from Albert Einstein, who once asked: “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?”
Whoever first coined the phrase, the idea remains popular and resoundingly true for many of us, not merely referring to our desks but the state of our home environments as a whole.
For example, Psychology Today wrote an article on the mental health benefits of decluttering our space, saying: “Decluttering increases self-worth, creates healthy habits, and boosts productivity. A clean and tidy home can also improve sleep, boost mood, and promote relaxation.”
Of course, many of us know this to be true not because we have been told by a genius, but because we have experienced the immense calm and satisfaction that goes with a tidy space. When it comes to home design however, the magic is not merely in making sure a home looks organised from room to room, but from drawer to drawer as well.
More than an interiors trend
When Hollywood House Call visited Reese Witherspoon’s home to organise her kitchen and closet, it prompted a new wave of interest in the inextricable link between style and organisation.
Of course, it’s not a new idea, but when celebrities speak the world listens, and what’s important about this particular trend is that it highlights the true skill involved in strategic and meaningful home organisation.
Not simply a facet of interior design, organisation done properly is a technical skill that considers the user experience of a space. It’s something that interior designers themselves seek advice on, both in the structure of spaces, with hidden walls and closets for example, through to the curation of cabinets and their interiors.
Far from throwing things into cupboards bursting with paraphernalia, the truly tidy home is not just about how things look, but how they function as well. To create a house that makes daily tasks easy and joyful, cupboards and drawers themselves need to be about more than storage.
Nowhere is the psychology of proper organisation more essential than in the kitchen.
Intuitive home design
Crucially, when organisation is done well, it should be intuitive – it shouldn’t be about training a homeowner to use a space in a way that the designer intended, but designing a space that marries with the natural movements of the homeowner.
Most of us have hundreds of saucepans, but always gravitate towards using the same one. However, kitchens and everything within them are meant to be used – this is where the warmth and conviviality stems from. If the full scope of items is not easy to access or you need to empty an entire cupboard to get to the dish you need, then the likelihood is you won’t use it. The storage will inhibit your experience and influence your lifestyle.
For example, in 2018 we won a Best Kitchen Designer Award for work that we did for a client who had an issue with his retinas. It meant that his eyes couldn’t adapt quickly to different shades and hues, and as he was the chef in the house, it was important to him that the kitchen was designed to make it easy for him to navigate. While that was a very specific scenario, the same principle should always apply.
The skill behind strategic organisation
This level of organisation, particularly when it relates to the inner workings of storage spaces, isn’t about filling your cupboards with plastic boxes from Amazon, but implementing sophisticated systems that seem simple at the point of use because they make life entirely seamless. It involves:
- Considering how individuals use their space and consequently how to maximise that purpose.
- Learning how to think about space and how it works so you can optimise its use both now and in the future.
In an ideal world, organisation in a culinary space should be considered at the start of the design process. However, there are also now some extremely clever systems that also allow you to retrofit kitchen units to optimise their use, particularly with SieMatic kitchens.
At Nicholas Anthony we pride ourselves on creating beautiful spaces within the home, especially when it comes to kitchens. However, that’s just one aspect of our work. We call ourselves specialists instead of interior designers for a reason – because we are experts at what we do – not simply ensuring that the form is exquisite, but the function is as well.
Want to optimise your experience of your home?