I went a little crazy at Homesense– my favourite place for home décor because you can get everything in one spot! Cleaning supplies to sheets and cookware!!

First New Digs

Moving out of a family home and into your very own place brings with it many firsts – like being responsible for cleaning and cooking! While decorating news digs is important, so are the basics; don’t forget to stock up on cleaning supplies as well as kitchen necessities to keep things tidy and functional.

• Determine your needs. Ask yourself where you spend the most time. That room should be your priority.
• When shopping for the kitchen, don’t overspend on complete dinnerware sets; one or two plates, bowls, cups and mugs will meet your everyday needs. Look for pieces with colour and pattern that reflect your style, because even a tiny food prep area can be chic.
• A lack of storage space is no excuse for disorder, look for items that serve double duty like a garment rack and hamper that provides a place for both clean and dirty laundry. Storage ottomans etc.
• Remember a lot of small things can make a small space look cluttered- so figure out your favourite accents and make sure the rest is neatly stored.

Coupling up

Sharing a home with your partner also means sharing precious closet space! Avoid a war over the wardrobe by switching out wooden hangers for super-thin felted ones to maximize closet capacity when combining clothing.

• To make his or hers feel more like yours, easily update a few accessories and textiles like bedding and window coverings with patterns and colours that suit the tastes of both partners. Think gender neutral
• When two spaces merge into one, creating cohesion is key. Edit and purge mismatched duplicates and upgrade items like cookware and dinnerware to complete sets, that will have you ready to host your first dinner party as a couple. Different colour schemes? artwork can be a great way to bring different coloured items together in one room

Growing Families

Moving into a new home can be hard on little ones. Help kids get excited about their new rooms with cute décor updates like wall art and cool, kid-sized furniture.

• The bigger the family, the greater the need to stay organized. Keep stylish memo boards with schedules and school memos visible in high traffic areas like the kitchen or entryway.
• Woven baskets are a great option for storing kids toys because you can move it around- while wall hooks by the front door make sure bags and jackets get put away as soon as you walk in the house.
• With a growing family, chances are that you have more stuff than your current digs can handle, which means lots of boxes- . For items you’ll be storing even once you’ve moved in a smart option is to get containers that you can go directly into closets until you’re ready to deal with the contents. This also means a lot less garbage!
• You can avoid cardboard for the rest of your belongings, too, by renting plastic bins from a company like Blue Bins Unlimited (http://www.bluebins.com/store-locations/). You might also consider using older linens to wrap breakables. Don’t USE garbage bags! There is a risk that your belongings could be thrown away.

Empty Nesters

Downsizing a home presents the perfect opportunity to edit and elevate your décor. An empty nest means you can finally display, entertain and decorate with items like cashmere and crystal without having to worry about grape juice spills and impromptu indoor sports games.

• Choose furniture that fits. Reassess your new small space and swap out oversized pieces that no longer work. Leggy side tables and consoles are shapely and sculptural while also lending a sense of airy spaciousness to smaller spaces.
• An empty nest can often mean having more time (and money!) to travel. Decorate your space with framed photos from your adventures or inspire your next vacation with gorgeous travel coffee table books.
• Invest in great picture frames and dig up your most cherished photos (this tends to be something that we put off)

In case you’ve missed the segment, you can watch it here: http://www.bttoronto.ca/videos/3665759671001/