Home decor: You’re home more … so now what? | Josephine
Like so many others, Margie Cook has spent most of this year cooped up in
Like so many others, Margie Cook has spent most of this year cooped up in her home. With four kids, two dogs and a hamster, she’s had her hands full. Yet the St. Joseph woman dedicated her spare time, between juggling home schooling in the spring and working from home, to redecorate her home.
“When you’re staring at the walls for what feels like an eternity, you get stir crazy,” she said. “I wasn’t about to tear down walls, but when you are home 24-7 you start to realize that your home isn’t as functional as you need it to be.”
Since the coronavirus outbreak began, homes have transitioned into makeshift offices, gyms, classrooms, restaurants, cocktail bars, concert venues and movie theaters.
When Cook started her projects back in April, most of the stores were closed and a shelter-in-place order was in effect. Cook took advantage of online shopping with local curbside pickup from home-improvement stores and locally owned shops.
“I figured I could still be productive and shop but be safe,” she said.
Cook tackled the obvious spaces and attempted to be super organized.
Some easy ways to accomplish this, she said, were to rearrange rooms to accommodate multi-functions and take advantage of vertical space.
Because her dining room was now a classroom, Cook added an old dresser from the basement to hide school items that would clutter. She purchased baskets and other vertical organizers to store workout equipment, toys and cooking supplies.
Other ideas for storage are using curtain rods for things besides curtains, hanging hooks on the back of doors, shelves and above doorways. The key is to just keep everything visible and accessible.
When she accomplished the new flow, she found that a can of new paint here and there spruced up her living areas.
“There’s something about new colors and switching up decorations that makes it all feel better,” Cook said. “It’s been so easy to fall into a funk this year that I found that investing some of my energy and focus into my home really helped.”