What to Buy : Organizing Makeup

Whether you wear a lot or a little, you still need to figure out the best way to store it. Laying flat or standing up or in a box; there is no right way to do it – it is just a matter of figuring out what works best in the space that you have available. If you are looking to tackle your make-up at home, check out some of our top make-up organizing product picks to help you tackle the job in style.  

Happy Organizing!

Tiered Mirror Tray (Pottery Barn)

If you like to keep your makeup out and on display, this is a pretty option to make it a center piece of your space – the ultimate beautification station!

Alex Drawer Unit (Ikea)

If drawer space is at a premium, you can use countertop products like this white drawer unit which can hold and hide many of your essentials all the plain sight. 

Lori Greiner Deluxe Cosmetic Organizer (Amazon)

This deluxe cosmetic organizer has a compartment for just about everything so even the most sophisticated makeup gal will be able to contain her supplies. 

Luxe Acrylic Drawer Inserts (Container Store)

If you have drawer space to spare, these luxe acrylic drawer inserts are a beautiful way to keep things neat and tidy. 

Assorted Drawer Inserts (Amazon)

A more affordable but equally effective drawer insert option to sort and organize your makeup for an easy “get ready” routine. 

Space Saving Pods (Container Store)

If space is at a premium, these pods are amazing for storing items in cabinets and/or on walls. We even fashioned our own small beauty storage piece and blogged about it here. 

If you want to keep reading about makeup, here is our post on when to toss makeup and, if you are in the shopping mood, we wrote here about how to store big toys.

Designing a Closet That Will Grow with Your Children

To be a parent is to embrace a life of constant change. Your lifestyle changes. Your home changes. Your bank account changes. And, most importantly, you baby changes and in the blink of an eye they grow out of clothing, shoes, toys, books, furniture, cribs… And, you may ask yourself - is can anything last for more than a few months or even years? The answer is yes – closets.  

Many clients ask us to help them organize their baby’s room and often that includes designing or re-designing closets that can grow along with their children and accommodate their ever-changing needs. If this sounds familiar, read on for some of our best tips for creating a closet that will last through the ages.

1. Stacking on the Shelves: Add a lot of shelving to house all of the diaper supplies and folded clothing. Make sure that the shelves are fully adjustable shelving to allow maximum flexibility. And, when it comes to organizing shelves consider adding some bins to help contain smaller items and keep the space clutter-free. 

2. Make it a Double…Rod: Babies have very little need for hanging space since most of their clothing can be folded and it easily fits in drawers and in bins on shelving. By the toddler years, it is typically helpful to have one low hanging rod to hang items and make things more accessible for little hands. Then, over time you can create more hanging space with a double rod by just removing some shelving and adding an additional upper bar. 

3. Digging Drawers: Drawers in a closet may seem like a luxury but it can be worth the investment as it can replace the need for a dresser down the road. This can free up space in the bedroom for different furniture configurations, toy storage and school desks as they get older. When deciding on the drawer sizes, add at least 2-3 four-inch drawers for smaller items and then a few deeper drawers to house bigger items. If you aren’t sure how deep you need them try folding some items and measuring them so you can be sure of the actual depth needed. 

4. Shelves to Spare: Be sure to include a few extra shelves near the floor for shoes. This will free up floor space, help keep the closet tidy and maybe even allow some extra room for a freestanding laundry hamper to fit larger toys that don’t fit into smaller bins. 

5. Hook it Up: Hooks are a great way to clear floors as they can be used for almost everything from school backpacks and helmets to sports uniforms and robes. If space allows, consider adding two rows (a low one and high one) to maximize space and to let your little one help hang up things up too. 

Hopefully, these tips are helpful when it comes to designing your next closet…now, if only it was as easy to teach our little ones to put their items away in their closets.

Happy Organizing!

For examples of some of our closet designs, click here.

Giving the Gift of Organizing

You may or may not know that we offer gift cards for people who like to give the gift of organizing for holidays and special occasions. We have been gifted to a number of people over the years from broker gifts for the sale of a new apartment to wedding and housewarming gifts. So read on for some feedback from those happy recipients and maybe even find some inspiration for the next time you find yourself shopping for a gift. 

Happy Organizing!

Broker Gift

"Our broker gave us a gift card for our closing and it made all the difference. My husband and I have crazy work schedules so it was a relief to have Michelle and Annie come in and handle all of the move logistics for us. From decluttering before the move to coordinating with the movers through the pack and moving days and unpacking us in our new home, they handled the whole process. And, I can't tell you what a joy it was to walk into a fully set up home instead of wading through boxes for what would likely have been weeks on end."

Wedding Gift

"We received so many presents for our wedding (some even off the registry!) and had no idea how to fit them all in our apartment given the seemingly limited storage options. Henry & Higby found space we did not even know existed! They worked wonders in our small space and made everything so accessible that we don't have an excuse not to use them." 

Birthday Gift

"My husband gave me a Henry & Higby gift card for my birthday. My home office had become a dumping ground and I was overwhelmed with the thought of trying to tackle all of the clutter that had accumulated over the years. It was not a total disaster but it was definitely not my favorite spot in my home. When Michelle and Annie showed up, I quickly became relaxed as they talked me through the steps to getting my space cleaned out and usable again. As an added bonus, they even helped me accessorize the room a bit to help my turn my office chaos into a calming sanctuary." 

Housewarming Gift

"A good friend gave us a Henry & Higby gift card when we moved to the burbs because she knew that we were struggling a bit. Coming from the city, we thought that we had it figured out but with all of the space that our house had we got a little overwhelmed and everything seemed to end up in our basement -- a pile of unmade decisions. Once Annie and Michelle came in, we came up with a space plan for the closets and rooms that really made sense and got all of our remaining boxes unpacked and in place . We owe them so much for their quick and smart suggestions -- and now we have an empty basement!"

If you want to give the gift of organizing, reach out to us at hello@henryandhigby.com for more information. 

Organizing Your Bathroom for Kids

Families often come to us looking for help creating and/or updating their routines to make everyday tasks a little easier. And, most often, the bathroom is a large part of the struggle. Whether it’s trying to get your kids ready in the morning or trying to get them ready for bed, there is a lot to get done in one space. 

If the bathroom routine is a struggle for you, take some time now to get your bathroom more organized and streamline your routine with our tips below. Happy Organizing!

• Clear out everything from your bathroom cabinets and start to categorize the items by usage – for instance, first aid supplies in one spot, medicines in another and outdoor items like sunscreen and bug spray in a third. Then, once the items are categorized find a container that fits in your space and can hold all of the items comfortably with a little room to grow.
• Create stations for each step of your regular routine to make getting through them For instance, store all of the items needed for brushing teeth, styling hair or even handling bumps and bruises.
• Brighten up the space and make the routine more cheerful by adding a pop of your child’s favorite color to the room. Here the little one loved orange so we added the rug.
• Make getting out of the bath more fun with a personalized bathrobe or towel to run around in after the deed is done. When you have a child who loves being in the water, we have found that having a few tricks up our sleeve to get them out is always helpful.
• Simplify clean up by using a milk crate or other drainable container to keep the bath time toys tidy and dry. 

If you are looking for more ideas on how to organize your bathroom for kids, check out our blog post,  Ready, Set, Wash: Bathroom Organization Ideas, posted on the Crate and Kids blog. 

Our Favorite Storage Hacks

As organizers, we help people maximize their spaces to make them more functional. Most of the time the solutions are relatively simple but every once in a while we need to get a little creative to find a way to really maximize a small or odd shaped space. Sometimes this means finding that one unique organizing product that is a perfect fit and other times it is finding a favorite product from one area of the home and repurposing it for another. Below are some of our favorite recent storage hacks that repurpose products all across the home. Happy Organizing!

Variera Plastic Bag Dispenser

Need to store wrapping paper so that won't take up valuable floor space? Try using this plastic bag dispenser from Ikea to hold wrapping paper rolls in a closet. Just affix it to the wall and you are ready to start wrapping. 

Clear Linus Divided Lazy Susan

Consider using this divided Lazy Susan intended for the kitchen in any room of the house such as the bathroom, craft room or even the basement. This workhorse piece can easily store - and make accessible - anything from toiletries and hair products to paints and markers. 

InterDesign Affixx Adhesive Organizer Bins

Repurpose these larger adhesive organizing bins for the kitchen in your bathroom or other small space to keep counters clear and space maximized. 

Anchor Hocking Glass Canisters with Glass Lids

Beautify your laundry room by removing laundry pods or even laundry powder from the packaging and putting it in one of these glass jars instead. Or if you are a user of liquid detergent and so inclined, you could even consider decanting the liquid into a glass drink dispenser. 

Chrome Axis Over-the-Cabinet Grocery Bag Holder

No place to store your tin foil and plastic wraps? Use this over-the-cabinet grocery bag holder to fit three of your wraps instead and save drawer space for other items. 

What storage hacks have you used around the home? 

For more storage hacks, check out our beauty storage hack store here. 

A Beauty Storage Hack

Living in New York City often means that you have to get creative with your storage and space. This week we were organizing a bathroom that had shallow built-in shelves -- less than three inches wide -- and we needed to find a storage solution for beauty products. Our client didn't have a huge collection but she had enough that we had to put a little thought into it. 

After much deliberation and a trip through the Container Store, we were able to create a beauty storage hack that we loved so much we wanted to share it with you.  This idea or something like it can easily be recreated for other small spaces in almost any room so read on if you are in need of a small space storage fix. 

White Like-It Bricks Narrow

We love using these narrow storage bricks. They are the perfect solution for small, narrow spaces since they are under three inches wide. 

StickOnPods, Pack of 3

These pods are perfect for when you need to eke out extra storage in a cabinet as they can adhere to almost any smooth surface without damage. 

Using these two products, we able to create a self-contained make-up storage solution that fits in even the narrowest of spaces. To recreate it yourself, use the Like-It bricks as the foundation and stick the StickOnPods to the bricks for extra storage. 

How do you store your beauty products with limited space? 

Organizing Your Storage Unit

We get it. Sometimes you need to get a storage unit. However, whether it is for items that don't fit in your apartment or items that you frankly don't want to fit in your apartment, there is no excuse for the unit to be unorganized.  With a little planning and forethought, you can maximize your storage space so you aren't wasting money and it doesn't become a black hole. 

Staging Items: When you are ready to start packing items for the unit, gather everything in one space and start grouping like items together. For instance, put all seasonal decor items or off-season clothing in its own pile so you can see how much you will need to pack for each grouping. 

Making an Inventory: Once you have everything laid out, start making an inventory list of all items being packed away in the unit so you can reference it before making a trip to retrieve something. Or if you are more of a visual person, take photos of each item or group of items being put away and save them in one document for easy reference. 

Selecting Storage Bins: After the inventory is complete, start packing each group of items - i.e. seasonal decor or off-season clothing - into storage bins or whatever container makes the most sense. If you are going with plastic, make it easy on yourself by using clear plastic bins so you can see the contents on each box even when they are put away. Another pro tip for really maximizing space is to only use two size boxes in the space or one, if you can make it work, as this makes stacking them easier. 

A few notes for storage, if you are using the unit for clothing (seasonal or otherwise), make sure that all of your clothing is clean before you pack it. The same goes for linens or anything fabric. And, breakables such as vases, mirrors or frames should be wrapped in bubble wrap so that they don't get scratched or broken. 

Labeling the Bins: The next step is to label each box clearly - Box #1 of ___ : Seasonal Decor - and add that label ID to the inventory sheet. This will make retrieving the boxes easier when the time comes. You will also know how many boxes you need to look for in case there are multiple. As for the labels themselves, you will need two of them for each box or container. One will go on the short side and the other on the long side. Also, be sure to make boxes "Fragile" if they contain breakables so that anyone handling them will be aware. 

Planning the Space: At this point in the process, you will know how much stuff you have to store and it is a good time to start selecting an actual storage unit size based on that information. Break out those calculators and figure out your cubic feet. A little space planning now to find the best sized unit will save you money as you aren't wasting it on a unit that is too big for your things. 

Do you have any other organizing tips for storage units to share? 

How to Organize Toys at Home

Outside of buying new furniture to house all of your child’s play things - toys, dolls, costumes, blocks, etc. - there are a few less expensive ways to keep chaos at bay. We have used these ideas with our clients and even in our own homes so hopefully they work for you too. 

Under-bed: Under bed storage boxes are an easy way to get toys and items out of sight while still being easy to access when your kids are playing on their own. We use them to store dress up clothes and costumes or even boardgames and other large flat items that are hard to fit in other areas of the home. 

Baskets: Sometimes the best storage option for larger, bulky toys is a large basket or milk crate. This not only makes cleaning up easier but it encourages your child to pick up after themselves. We typically use this type of storage for larger items like wooden building blocks, stuffed animals or sporting goods. 

Plastic Boxes: If you have toys with lots of small pieces like Legos, puzzles or board games, we recommend using clear plastic boxes with lids. They come in a variety of sizes, are typically pretty inexpensive and are see-through which means that your kids can see what is being housed inside. We also recommend using them with labels so that everyone can get involved with clean up. Word to the wise - only stack these boxes two or three high since it will be hard to access the bottom bin if you go much higher especially for little kids. 

Drawers: To make use of vertical space, use clear stackable drawers for craft supplies, games and even books. Drawers make all of the items accessible no matter how high you stack them and clear plastic ensure that you can see the contents. We like both of these options - one and two - depending on what types of items you need to store. 

How do you like to organize your toys at home? 

How to Organize Your Bathroom

One of the best ways to start the day is with an organized bathroom. And, the good news is that by following just a few key tips, you can capture the beauty and serenity of spa at home and have all of your supplies at your finger tips. 

Mixing Form & Function: Beautify your shelves and counters by unboxing some of your daily supplies like Q-tips and cotton balls and placing them in pretty clear containers. You can use canisters from a bathroom set or you can even use Ball jars or inexpensive vases. They are pretty, functional and easy to clean when the time comes - just pop them in the dishwasher. 

Sources: One | Two | Three

Finding New Purpose: Maximizing storage space in your bathroom is just like maximizing storage space in any other room of your home so it is okay to steal some tricks from the kitchen. Lazy Susans make corners more accessible no matter where you use them and plastic pantry bins are good for gathering like items - nail polish, sunscreen, travel toiletries - in cabinets all over the home. 

Sources: One | Two | Three

Putting it on Display: If you like to keep extra towels and items out of the closet, use pretty baskets or catchall containers that are nice to look at when out on display. 

Sources: One | Two | Three

Making Up your Make-up: Finally treat your make-up with a little respect by using a make-up organizer. That doesn’t mean that you have to place it on the counter for all to see (placing it in a cabinet is okay) but you will definitely find your morning routine is much easier when you can see all your products at once. 

Sources: One | Two | Three

Shopping Your Closet: Gather your extra toiletries and store like items together in clear bins under the sink or in your linen closet. Clear bins make it easy to shop your house before heading out to the pharmacy to pick up any items you may need. 

Sources: One | Two | Three

What are your favorite bathroom storage solutions? 

Creating a Welcoming Entry Way

A warm and welcoming entry way is as important as a firm handshake. It ensures a good first impression which is why we are excited to help a client find ways to make her entry welcoming and functional because form without function is just a waste of time and space. 

For this project, we need some smart solutions since the front door opens into a hallway that connects the living and sleeping areas of the home. With limited space, practicality is the name of the game so we are looking for items that don’t take up too much room and still provide some storage for the family. 

Our initial thoughts include a bench for next to the door, a boot tray for storing shoes under the bench and some catchall baskets for seasonal and dog-related accessories.

What are you favorite ways to create a welcoming entryway?