How to Tackle Spring Cleaning with Style
Top Storage Solutions for Small Spaces to Refresh Your Home
Is there anything more refreshing than a good spring clean? When this time of year rolls around, we all get the urge to purge our extra stuff and organize the rest into oblivion. This can pose a challenge, however, without the right equipment. Thankfully, Toronto is full to the brim with shops offering small storage ideas. For the high-design aficionado or the practically-minded homemaker, this list has something for everyone.
Forms Desk Organizer Set
Nothing disrupts the focus of an office space quite like a pile of disorganized papers. We love this file organizer set for the hit of whimsy it provides — its unusual shapes and pastel colours brighten up any drab old desk setup. Poketo, the California-based company behind the design, are experts in all things small and cute — so we’re obviously big fans. The three small storage units each have distinct shapes and sizes, offering ideas for holding everything from paperclips to larger notepads and books.
$90 at 313 Design Market.
Input Organizer
With eight moveable boxes that can be configured in any arrangement, this storage solution lets you take control of your life. A versatile, customizable statement piece, this solid oak organizer designed by Anne Holm and Sigrid Smetana for Woud is the perfect storage place for all those bits and bobs you have laying around. Its grooved backboard allows you to slide the boxes on and off according to your needs — plus, it’s actually fun to use.
$470 at Design Within Reach.
Bellwood Side Table
Part of Toronto design company Umbra’s Bellwood collection (can you guess where the name came from?), this side table’s diminutive size makes it suitable for smaller rooms. With soft, curved bentwood legs and two open tiers for storage, it’s an ideal spot to stash remotes, plants, books and other things you may want to keep handy and visible — be it beside a couch, a bed or a lounge chair. And although this side table is tiny, it’s also mighty: the base can hold up to 200 lbs.
$184 at Neat.
Démon Shelf
The Demon shelf comes from a long line of design history — originally conceived in the 1950s by Mathieu Matégot as a one-off modular shelving system for a home library and study, the decades-old model still looks fresh to this day. Set it up as a single shelf, or as a wall series to showcase your most precious belongings. Available in ash, oak and walnut.
Call for Pricing at Hollace Cluny.
Brass Stationery Tray
This collection of brass trays by Oji Masanori are fabricated by Futagami, an artisanal brass factory in Japan that has been operating since the 19th century. Produced using the “sand cast” technique, a raw form of casting that leaves an intriguing sand-like imprint on the surface, this tray is a collector’s object in itself — while also being extremely functional. The brass will oxidize with age and use to develop a beautiful patina. From $55 at Mjölk.
Marble Box
These “marble boxes” by Belgian design duo Muller Van Severen offer versatile small storage ideas. Hung low, they serve as nightstands; hung high, they work as shadow boxes or bookcases. Each one, crafted from unique marble slabs, is a one-of-a-kind storage piece, blending functionality with style. $2870 at Good Room.
