Nesting in Grandview: A Whole Home Reset

Nesting is a term many are familiar with, but as I looked up the actual definition to write this post I realized just how spot on it is to describe how our client was feeling when she reached out to Sort & Soul last fall. According to Google's AI Overview:

Nesting in pregnancy refers to the intense urge or instinct experienced by many expectant mothers to prepare their home and environment for the arrival of their baby. It typically occurs in the third trimester of pregnancy and involves activities such as: cleaning and organizing the home, purchasing baby items and supplies, decorating the nursery, and planning for the baby's care.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Our client reached out in her third trimester, ready to edit and minimize things they no longer needed, swap bedrooms for baby's arrival, and was thinking of hiring a house helper to take care of routine chores + tasks like laundry, dishes and general tidying up. Both parents work full time and they wanted an organized house so they could feel peace and joy in their home, and to be able to spend more time with their young children. Our client knew hiring a house helper would only be truly beneficial to their family if they had easy to follow, organizing systems in place.

STANDOUT SPACES + SOLUTIONS

The Kitchen + Pantry: After a thorough categorizing and editing session, we were able to relayout and relocate a few categories in order to maximize space and accessibility. Our clients are both on the tall side, so we were able to utilize more vertical space for everyday items than most homes (I wouldn't know, 5'3" doesn't get me past the 2nd shelf typically)!

And let me tell you, this pantry was one of the toughest spaces we have organized to date! The sides are very deep (and partially blocked by the doorway), and the middle section is very shallow so we had to be creative and intentional about where everything would live. The tall, divided turntables from The Home Edit were an incredible improvement to those shelves behind the doorway!

We utilized our favorite deep corner cabinet turntables for a cups and mugs section, which meant we could relocate tea, coffee and wellness items all into one shallower cabinet that's much easier to micro-categorize and access smaller items. These new tea bag drawer organizers and water bottle organizers were the perfect fit, and gave us the ability to stack for additional storage.

We swapped out the client's existing utensil organizer for these individual clear bins that were more appropriately sized and could be arranged in multiple configurations, thus giving us more room for additional categories. And of course, we decanted their spice collection into coordinating bamboo lidded jars and arranged them on Youcopia drawer liners to prevent them from sliding around in the drawer. Sometimes the solutions aren't radical, they're about knowing which products will best fit the space and allow you to do more with it!

The last highlight in the kitchen is the new baking cabinet we created. Real estate in the pantry was at a premium, so we worked with the client to determine which category was large enough to warrant its own cabinet and wasn't used on a daily basis as it was being moved to the back of the island counter. When designing the space, we utilized our expertise to ensure we selected the appropriately sized OXO containers and new Everything Organizer airtight canisters to fit and provide everything a home.

The Mudroom: our clients had "too many shoes" and nowhere to put them all when we arrived, and built-ins without clear purpose. So we talked through what they wear/use on a daily basis, and what could be relocated based on seasonal or infrequent wear. We purchased additional shoe racks from Costco and re-purposed coordinating bins from other areas of the home to hold frequently used items (bottom) and seasonal/infrequently used items (top). And we made space for the baby stroller that was about to re-enter their lives!

Hallway Closet: As you can see from the before photo, this closet was becoming overcrowded and inaccessible. While we sorted our way through the home, we created a running list of items that would make sense to relocate into this closet. We gave it a defined purpose (to hold categories such as a bathroom/cleaning backstock, first-aid, medicine and travel that were taking up valuable real estate in other areas of the home) and partnered with Birdie Brennan Closets to create a new shelving system that could accommodate everything. We utilized another favorite product to contain and organize all of the categories, the Everything Organizer Shelf Depth Divided Bins. We use these bins in so many spaces, partly because of how sleek they look, but also because they come in 2 different depths and 4 different widths. This is a huge benefit when designing cohesive spaces!

Primary Suite: It's so important for these spaces to function well, because your days start and end here. Editing was a must, especially in the bathroom, as we ended up relocating many items to the hallway closet, or donating/getting rid of expired and unneeded items taking up valuable space. With only the items our clients use and need on a regular basis left, we created zones based on their routines with clear drawer bins, under the sink bins and adjustable bamboo dresser drawer dividers. We even added some additional storage to the back of their closet door with an Elfa over the door rack, perfect for their socks that were previously living in bins on the floor.

Kid Spaces: The main reason we were called into this home, they were about to have their 2nd child and they needed help getting spaces swapped, re-arrange and organized for easy living.

We re-arranged and expanded the play area (directly off the kitchen + living room) with new, stackable shelving units from IKEA, and created a brand new baby station that will contain all the items for diapering, feeding, napping, playing and more. We utilized white woven bins for large categories like art supplies and magnatiles, and clear multi-purpose bins for smaller categories like coloring books, paper, puzzles, educational resources and more.

In the kids bedrooms, we set up dresser drawers up with the same adjustable bamboo dividers as the primary suite, and utilized the file folding technique to clearly see all items and minimize disruption of everything else in the drawer. When clothes are stacked, you can't easily see what's below the top item, and when you want something lower, it typically involves unraveling the whole pile. We also included "too big" and "too small" bins in each bedroom, making it easier to rotate clothes as needed.

The last detail we fell in love with was the pottery barn kids scalloped changing table organizer, that complemented the client's aesthetic and keeps all of the diapering essentials at the ready!

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Are you ready to reset a space in your home? We service the following suburbs in Columbus, Ohio: Upper Arlington, Grandview, Powell, Delaware, Dublin, New Albany, Sunbury, Westerville, Galena, Bexley, Plain City, Worthington, Lewis Center.

Disclosure: I could earn commissions for purchases made through some links in this post.