The Benefits of Hiring an Interior Designer

An interior designer will be tasked with creating usable and visually pleasing architectural spaces inside a physical structure. Interior design professionals typically study the behaviours and movements of individuals in the working and living environment, this is to help create spaces which are both attractive and functional.

Interior designers may also perform the interior decorating work on the spaces that they design. An interior designer may also perform the interior decorating work on the spaces they design. An interior decorator is different, they wont design the space which they work in. Instead interior decorators focus on the furnishing, wall and floor treatments and artistic touches that will help to provide ambience and atmosphere to the interior space.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HIRING A DESIGNER AND A DECORATOR

Most interior design professionals will be employed by a construction or architectural firm, they will work in conjunction with builders and architects to design usable spaces for a variety of human activities. In other cases, interior designers may be called upon to create functional and beautiful set of interior spaces for a property. Interior design experts work for builders and contractors rather than directly for private individuals.

Interior decorators are typically hired by homeowners to improve the visual appeal of an existing space. The interior décor experts usually specialise in commercial or residential spaces and will use lighting, wall treatments, flooring, furnishings and accessories to help create a pleasing look.

The benefits of hiring an interior designer

The services of a qualified interior designer are crucial when it comes to creating usable spaces for working and living. Contractors and builders depend on these professionals to provide them with dvice on a variety of ergonomic and acoustic issues, as well as help in the design of lighting and traffic flow patterns that make sense in the specific interior environment.

Homeowners can benefit from the help of an interior designer or decorator when it comes to remodelling or revamping their living or working areas. Interior decorators are knowledgeable about the effects of colour and the right use of accessories to create an illusion of greater space or to provide a cosy, comfortable environment for everyday living.

White Sliding Door Wardrobes: The Trend for 2019

White is undoubtedly one of the best colours to use for decorating, decor and furniture. There’s no cleaner, fresher colour for decorating than white; which could be one of the main reasons why white sliding wardrobes are trending right now.

Decorating with White

Often used as a foundation colour for repainting walls, white can in fact be the catalyst for interior design, providing homeowners with a way of getting creative.

White is not boring, despite what many think. White is the trending colour for the backend of 2018, taking us into 2019 in the cleanest of ways.

What makes white so special? You can do anything you want with it.

White walls provide you with the best foundation for decorating the rest of your home, allowing you to get creative with your furniture and other soft furnishings, without overdoing the colour.

Through the changing seasons, you can experiment with different colour schemes. Subtle changes to your cushions, curtains, bedding, blankets and throws mean you change your wonderfully white room to a carefully balanced room with an injection of your favourite colours.

White Wardrobes

White sliding wardrobes are the in-thing at the moment. Everyone seems to want white; but why?

In our previous blog post, we looked at the top 5 benefits to having a sliding wardrobe installed, so here are a few of the main reasons why so many people are opting for white:

• White offers a clean crisp appearance.
• When combined with any other colour/shade, white just works!
• White shades can be used to create the sense of more space, helping you to create a lighter room that reflects natural light better to give the impression of a large room.
• White is an inviting colour, when compared to other shades like black.

White can be used to create an inviting feel, with a range of different white shades available to help you mix it up. Studies show that white helps to create a sense of comfort, making it conducive to relaxation. The brightness delivered by white can help to lift spirits and invigorate a person. White furniture, like sliding wardrobes, can contribute to all these things, blending seamlessly with the other furniture and decor in your home.

Whichever way you look at it, white bedroom wardrobes are a great storage solution.

Contemporary or Traditional?

White wardrobes can be used in both contemporary and traditional homes. Whatever type of home you have, white can be used to create a fresh look, opening up the room with a lighter feel.

A Versatile Option

Because white works so well with so many colour palettes, it’s probably the most versatile option when it comes to choosing a colour for your new wardrobe.

Where can you Buy White Sliding Wardrobe Doors?

At Sliding Robes Direct, we have a range of sliding doors available, including a range of styles, panels and frames. Use our custom sliding wardrobe builder to design your very own sliding wardrobe with white doors today.

5 Benefits of Sliding Door Wardrobes

If you are thinking about introducing a sliding door wardrobe to your bedroom, you might be wondering what the benefits are, compared to a free-standing or hinged door wardrobe.

Sliding wardrobes are a versatile storage solution, available in a wide range of colours and styles to suit any taste. What are the benefits? We have listed our top 5 reasons to invest in a sliding wardrobe, below:

1. Saving Space

Despite what people think, a sliding wardrobe will actually help you to save space, rather than taking up more. If you have awkward wall spaces around the home or alcoves that you aren’t sure how to use, a sliding door wardrobe makes the perfect solution.

The sliding doors mean that you don’t have doors opening outwards that occupy lots of floor space. You can do more with your surrounding furniture because you don’t have the worry of doors opening up into the room.

Made-to-measure sliding wardrobes mean that even the most awkward space can be utilised, including rooms with a sloped ceiling.

2. Versatile Storage

The best thing about a sliding wardrobe is the versatile storage living inside.

Anything is possible with your wardrobe storage, with drawers, rails and hanging shelves all available to create custom-designed interior storage solutions. You can decide what goes inside your wardrobe, depending on what you need to store!

3. Different Styles

It doesn’t matter if you have a traditional or contemporary home, your sliding doors can be designed to suit your personal taste. Woodgrains and other wood finishes are available for the more traditional home, while glamour, reflex doors or sliding doors with mirrors are usually better suited to a more modern home.

Door styles, panels, frames and glass can all be combined to create a look that you love.

Try our wardrobe builder (works best on tablet or desktop) to custom-design your very own sliding wardrobe.

4. Property Value

Having sliding wardrobes installed can actually add value to your property, if you are thinking about selling eventually. Rooms with built in storage will always help to enhance a room and that is something that potential buyers look for when buying a new home.

An empty room with no built-in storage means that a buyer will have to bring/purchase/build their own storage when they move in, so they might be more inclined to look elsewhere.

Not only can sliding wardrobes help you to get more money for your house, they might be able to help you to achieve the sale if you have been struggling to sell it for some time.

Think about the different storage options for each room and what might make your house attractive to a potential buyer. This will help you to decide where sliding door wardrobes might be useful.

5. Different Rooms

Despite what people think, sliding wardrobes can be used throughout various rooms of the house, not just the bedroom.

The sliding door offers a practical, universal storage solution that can be used in different areas of your home. The hallway, living room, kitchen can all be enhanced with the introduction of sliding doors, depending on the layout of your house of course.


With so many practical benefits of having sliding door wardrobes installed, it’s easy to see why so many people are turning to this type of wardrobe to storage their personal belongings, save space and enhance their home.

5 Reasons to Love Sliding Wardrobes

At Sliding Robes we’re obvious fans of sliding wardrobes, this is for a number of reasons, take a look at these top 5 reasons to love your new sliding wardrobes.

They can fit into small spaces

Despite what people may think, you don’t need lots of space to work with when it comes to installing new doors. In smaller bedrooms, doors that open outwards can be a bit of a nightmare which can affect the layout of the room and make it difficult to store things. When it comes to sliding wardrobes, you can create a wardrobe with as little as 65cm worth of depth and doors that will slide behind each other to save space.

They’re not just a wardrobe, they’re also a mirror

At Sliding Robes the wardrobes we provide can also be installed with full-length mirrors, this will make it easier for you to look after your appearance. You can store all of your favourite clothes and shoes in the wardrobe and then use the full-length mirror to try out different combinations. If you’re not keen on the idea of a full-length mirrored wardrobe, there’s lots of other designs available for you to choose from.

Come in a range of designs

With a large selection of designs available, it’s easy to find a wardrobe style that suits you and your requirements. With a range of panels and frames available, they can be combined to make sure that the end result is perfect for you and your home.

You can do it yourself

You won’t need a degree in engineering to install the full system, sliding wardrobes are surprisingly easy to install. Ensuring that you have the right tools and equipment means there should be no problem measuring up and fitting your new doors.

You can get creative when it comes to designing your new wardrobe

Sliding wardrobes allow you to be creative with your bedroom at home, the ability to store things more effectively means you can be more efficient with the space in other areas of your room. In some cases, our customers have had secret doors installed behind their sliding wardrobes!

5 Top Tips for an Autumnal Home

Summer is gone and Autumn is certainly here. In a few short weeks it will be time for winter, and before you know it, it will be spring and summer time again.

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves though. For the time being at least, autumn is here.

Everything around us is changing as the weather turns colder and the leaves fall. As nature does it’s own thing outside, it gets a lot of people wondering what they can change inside to become more autumnal.

With that in mind, we have put together our 5 top tips for making your home more autumnal to take you through the end of 2018 and into 2019.

Let’s begin!

1. Think White

White backgrounds make it easy for you to change from one season to the next. White, cream or ivory coloured walls provide the foundations for playing around with different decor and colours throughout a room.

Cushions, throws, bedding and curtains can all be changed with ease and will always fit in with a light coloured backdrop. Replace your summery cushions with autumnal ones and the job is an easy one. Painting the walls is the hardest part, but once you have a light setting, you can play around with different decor as you move from one season to the next. You could even have a rug for spring/summer and a different one for autumn/winter that you rotate every 6 months to give that particular room a different feel.

2. Consider Layers

One of the best ways to add an autumn feeling into your home is with textured layers. An extra blanket at the end of the bed or a fluffy throw for the couch will help to add warmth to your home throughout the chilly months.

Don’t go overboard by adding layers in every room. A few subtle changes will make a massive difference to the feel of your home.

3. Don’t Neglect Nature

A lot of people think that nature is for the spring and summer months, but adding decorative natural elements to your home in the autumn can have a huge impact. Leaves, dried twigs and branches, acorns and fresh fruit are a great way to add more of a autumnal feel in your home.

4. Get Creative with Textures

Autumn is a great time to experiment with different textures around the home. Consider adding a few fuzzy rugs throughout and change to new autumnal bedding. Softer bed sheets and pillow covers are a clever idea and as with point 2, you could also look to introduce blankets and throws throughout your home. The change in season is a perfect time to introduce new feelings.

5. Love your Lighting

Shorter days and longer, darker nights offer the perfect opportunity to introduce new lighting to your home. Scented candles are a solid idea, as are mason jars. You might even want to look for new lamps to create a more cosy setting, instead of using the ‘big light’.

Whatever your plans are for giving your home a makeover this autumn, we hope our 5 top tips will help you moving forward.

What Wardrobe Storage is Right for You?

The different storage inside a sliding wardrobe will often be referred to as a wardrobe interior or a wardrobe insert - but how do you know what storage to choose?

If you are working on a sliding wardrobe without interior storage, you have a clean-slate to work with and therefore have more flexibility with what you can do. If your sliding wardrobe doors have recently been installed, chances are you will be wondering what storage you should put inside.

Before you start purchasing random boxes and drawers to put inside, you might want to consider the different options available that will help you to build the perfect wardrobe.

Wardrobe Interiors

Usually consisting of shelving, hanging poles and drawers, these are the structural foundations that allow you to store things efficiently in different compartments. Without these elements, you’d only be able to put stuff on the floor, which is practical for… well… nobody. All you would have is an empty space inside that is hard to keep neat and tidy due to the lack of internal storage!

Wardrobe interiors play an important part of any sliding wardrobe, providing you with a way to store your clothing and other belongings in an organised fashion.

Rather than buying random storage and hoping it ‘just works’, we have compiled a few short steps that you should consider to help you make the right decision.

1. Think about what you need to store first!

Assess the situation before you do anything by taking the time to look at your belongings. This will help you to figure out what needs to go inside you wardrobe and how it can be categorised.

the trick to a tidy wardrobe is keeping things off the floor. If you’re someone with lots of clothes and shoes, you might want to consider rail and shelving combo’s to keep things off the floor.

If you have a lot of accessories, like hats, scarves and belts, you might be better suited to drawers. You don’t need to restrict yourself. think about where your things can live and this will help you to effectively plan your wardrobe interior.

2. Think about size - it DOES matter!

You don’t want to cram too much storage into your wardrobe so that it looks cluttered. At the same time, you want to put enough inside to make storing things easy, in a neat and organised fashion.

Think about the space you have to work with as this will help you to effectively plan your storage. By using our wardrobe design tool, you can play with different interiors to find what fits. This will give you an accurate idea of what your wardrobe will look like when it is finished, allowing you to purchase your doors and interior storage at the same time to build your dream wardrobe.

3. Think about the quality of the wardrobe interior

Don’t just look for the cheapest option when choosing your wardrobe interior storage. Look for quality storage that will last you for a long time. After all, your wardrobe isn’t something you will change every 2 years, like your mobile phone.

If you’re strongly considering having a sliding wardrobe installed, you should think carefully about how you want the interior to look and shop for quality storage over cheap storage.

Sliding Robes Direct offer a range of quality wardrobe interiors, including drawers, hanging rails and shelving that can be combined to create the ultimate wardrobe interior.

Contact us

If you still aren’t sure what type of wardrobe interior would be best for you and your wardrobe at home, take the time to get in touch and speak to a member of the Sliding Robes Direct team. We can provide you with advice and point you in the right direction!

How Can a Sliding Wardrobe Transform your Bedroom

Unlike conventional wardrobe, fitted or sliding wardrobes can be built into the walls of your property so they can’t be moved. This makes them a permanent feature in your home and could make you less including to move into a new house. Having a wide range of wardrobe options out there available to you means we can transform your bedroom, so they’re worth the investment.

The Benefits of Sliding Wardrobes

Flexibility

Some may say that one of the biggest benefits of sliding wardrobes is their versatility and flexibility, by being able to customise the doors in a way which suits the décor of the room is a big advantage. As well as including partitions and storage solutions which enable people to customise the wardrobe interiors too. Panels and frame are also very versatile. By combining a range of designs, you can create a wardrobe that suits you and the interior of your property. From traditional to contemporary, the designs of sliding doors can be very versatile.

Storage

Sliding Wardrobes can act as an all-in-one storage solution, providing you with a means of storing your personal belongings, from clothes to shoes, bedding and much more. Drawers, hanging rails and shelving can all be used to help create your perfect wardrobe interior. If you have a clear idea in your head of what it is that you need to store, this can make the design process for the interior of your wardrobe much simpler.

Space

Sliding wardrobes can make use of awkward floor space in usual shaped rooms, providing more opportunity for furniture and storage. When space is limited, sliding doors can come in handy. A set of drawers or free-standing wardrobes won’t cut it when you have a lot to store and such a little space to work with. Doors don’t need to open outwards, making sliding wardrobes a lot more beneficial. Sideways sliding means that you can position other furniture and items closer to the doors than you usually would with a standing wardrobe.

Installation

Installing sliding doors can be made easy should you have even the smallest background in DIY. You won’t need to be fully qualified or an expert in engineering to install your new sliding wardrobe. If you’re feeling confident enough to install the wardrobe yourself then make sure that you ensure it’s going to fit first. Should you be unsure, there are lots of experts out there who can fit the doors for you, although we tend to find that most customers find the installation quite simple.

Hinged Wardrobe Doors vs Sliding Wardrobe Doors

Wardrobes are a long-term piece of furniture that people don’t think of replacing all too often. For that reason, when you buy a new wardrobe, it’s important to get it right from the start.

There’s a few things that need to be considered when you a buy a new wardrobe, such as the colour, material and the style of the doors. It can also be difficult knowing whether to opt for a hinged door wardrobe or a sliding door wardrobe, thinking about which would be best for your bedroom.

If you aren’t sure what type of wardrobe would be best for your bedroom, take the time to learn about each option before making your final decision.

Hinged Wardrobe Doors.

There are several reasons why you would choose hinged wardrobe doors to help you make the most of your bedroom space. We have listed the main reasons below:

• All space behind the doors can be utilised, with doors that open outwards to preserve the space inside.
• When the doors are open, you can see everything inside. Unlike other wardrobe types where the doors will partly obscure the contents of the wardrobe, a hinged wardrobe keeps things simple.
• Hinged wardrobes are more traditional and will often be better suited to a traditionally themed home.

Hinged wardrobe doors take up more space than sliding doors. This will often mean you are restricted in terms of the furniture you can position close by. The outwards-opening doors mean you need to consider the space directly in front of the doors to allow them to open properly. For bedrooms where space is an issue, hinged wardrobe doors aren’t always a practical solution.

If you are looking for a space-saving storage solution to maximise the space in your bedroom, you might want to consider the advantages of having sliding wardrobe doors installed.

Sliding Wardrobe Doors.

There are many advantages that come with having sliding wardrobe doors. We have listed a few of the main reasons below:

• If you have are concerned about storage space, sliding wardrobes can help you to maximise the space you have in your room. Made to measure doors can be purchased to suit different room sizes, with different finishes and interior storage solutions available to help you build a bespoke wardrobe.
• Drawers, hanging rails and shelves can all be combined to help you build a floor-to-ceiling storage solution for a wide range of your possessions.
• Sliding wardrobe doors are highly suited to more contemporary homes, where a modern theme can be seen throughout.
• A sliding wardrobe will form part of the room in a less intrusive way, subtly storing your clothes and other belongings.

You will often need a large bedroom to consider sliding wardrobe doors, though this isn’t always necessary. Sliding wardrobes can work well in smaller bedrooms as well, providing you have the right space for the doors to be installed.

What door type to choose?

Even after reading the advantages, it can still be difficult to know what door type is right for you.
If you are leaning more towards sliding doors, please take the time to view the different door types we have available on our website.

Use our wardrobe builder on a desktop computer or tablet to design your own sliding wardrobe with a style you love.

How to Use your Bedroom Storage Wisely

The bedroom is notoriously one of the messiest bedrooms in the house and a hard one to keep organised. When you stop to consider that it’s probably one of the smaller rooms in your house, compared to your living room, dining room or kitchen, it makes it even trickier to organise. So how do you go about doing this?

Your bedroom tends to have more stuff in than the other rooms in your home, so more storage is generally required. To keep your bedroom organised and well-maintained, you’ll need a good range of storage solutions to keep things organised and ensure your bedroom is the tidy space you want it to be.

"Did you know? You will actually get a better night’s sleep in a tidy bedroom!"

You should also take the time to learn how you can use your bedroom storage wisely to save space and organise your bedroom more efficiently.

Storing what’s needed

Clear anything out that you no longer need and remove things from your bedroom that have no right to be stored in there, such as dining table cloths. Things like coats and jackets that are worn seasonally should be given a dedicated place under the stairs or in a different cupboard, while chunky items like suitcases should be moved to the loft for when they are needed. Items like this will often take up lots of valuable storage space, in your wardrobes or under your bed, that could be utilised in other ways.

Clear out your bedroom and remove any items that shouldn’t be there to free up extra space for organising. There will be other areas of your home that don’t suffer in the same way as your bedroom, so be sure to consider all your free space before you set about cluttering another room.

Using vertical storage

Vertical storage, such as shelving, cubbies and drawers should all be considered to sit in awkward spaces. Tall or slim storage solutions are ideal for keeping smaller items safe and organised in a neat fashion, while shelving can be used creatively around your bedroom to de-clutter other surfaces like bedside tables, dressing tables, drawers and desks.

A great idea for bedroom storage that you might not necessarily think of is a headboard with shelves or cubbies inside. If you already have a headboard, this could form part of your next DIY project to save some money along the way.

Simply Sliding wardrobes

One of the most effective ways to make use of the storage space in your bedroom is to install sliding wardrobe doors.

A sliding wardrobe provides a great place for you to hang clothing and store other bedroom essentials, with rails, shelving and drawers available to use as internal storage. Sliding doors make a simple addition to any bedroom, making use of awkward spaces to help make storage a lot easier. Shoes can be stored from floor to ceiling on shelving and you can even dedicate drawers to your bedding.

The best thing is - all of this can be concealed behind your sliding doors!

Under the bed storage

It’s easy to stuff things under your bed and forget about them forever, thinking that they are stored neatly - when in fact they have no right to ever be there.

For most people, ’under the bed’ means a place to store a wide range of possessions, but how can you do this more efficiently?

Rather than just chucking things under there and hoping for the best, take the time to remove all items from under your bed and start again. Purchase some plastic containers that you can slide in and out easily and this will help you to be more organised. Vacuum storage bags should also be considered for bulky bags of clothing you want to keep.

If your bed isn’t high enough to store things underneath, you might want to consider buying a set of bed raisers to lift your bed up further. Divan beds with built in storage are another good option for storing items out of sight, with an easy open-close system that lifts the mattress up and down.

How to make your bedroom more comfortable

Whether you are moving into a new house or looking to redecorate, you might be thinking of ways you can make each room more comfortable.

When thinking strictly about the bedroom, there are lots of things you can do to make the room where you sleep super comfy.

Here we look at a few different ways you can make your bedroom more comfortable.

Think About the Windows

You might not think of windows as an important part of the room, especially when it comes to making it more comfortable to be in, but comfort runs much deeper than a few cushions. You should consider each element of the room if you want to make your comfier.

Your windows are included in the things you should consider; especially the décor you choose for your windows.

Replacing old blinds can be a positive step, turning to something more modern to give your windows a new lease of life. Black-out blinds are a great idea if you rely on having total darkness to get to sleep, while thick, fabric curtains should be considered to add an extra cosy feel.

Floor-length curtains can help to add extra-comfort - especially if the space below your bedroom window is blank. Even if you have a radiator below your bedroom window, thick curtains will help to add warmth and comfort.

Consider the Lighting

Lighting can have a huge impact on a room and how it feels. Quite often, the lighting in a room can be under-appreciated or not even thought about regarding how comfortable a room is to be in. The lighting can, in fact, play a remarkable role in setting the mood to make a room more comfortable and relaxing.

By switching to new bulbs with a warm tinge, you can go a long way towards making your room feel cosier. You could even consider a dimming switch that allows you to reduce the brightness of your bulbs at certain times.

Using standing lamps instead of the ‘big light’ on your ceiling can provide an alternative light source to help you wind down. Creatively placed fairy lights will also help you to change the setting, wrapped around the bed or other key pieces of furniture.

Finally, candles offer another (economical) way of adding a calming effect to the room, which can help to make it seem more comfortable. Position a few of your favourite scented candles around your bedroom to take comfort to the next level.

Experiment with Textiles

Think about the different textures you can use to enhance comfort. If you have a hard floor, why not add a fluffy rug to the floor alongside your bed? Waking up to feel a new comfort on your feet is a great way to start the day.

Cushions, throws and blankets are obvious ways to add comfort to your bed, but if you want to take things to the next level, you could always opt for a different fabricated headboard. If your headboard is hard, look for online DIY tutorials that will show you how to upgrade it yourself, without spending money on a new one.

Textiles obviously play a huge role in how a comfortable a room is, so if you think your bedroom isn’t comfortable enough, think about how you can introduce different textures that will enhance the physical comfort you feel when you are in your bedroom.

It’s all in the Scent

As well as thinking about the way your room looks and feel, you should also consider the way it smells on entry. Sometimes all your room needs to feel more welcoming is a new scent, whether that be calming lavender or something more seasonal.

New smells can really enhance the atmosphere in a room. Kill too birds with one stone by using scented candles to change the lighting and add new smells to your favourite room.

Wax melts or diffusers are other alternatives you might want to consider making your bedroom smell nice.


The level of comfort in your bedroom might also come down to how neat and tidy it is. Thinking about how things are stored and laid out around the room can have an impact on comfort levels too. A sliding wardrobe is one of the best ways of storing your possessions neatly to keep your bedroom tidy. Different compartments for clothes, accessories, shoes and other possessions makes sliding wardrobes the perfect addition to any bedroom where storage is an issue. A neat and tidy bedroom is generally a more comfortable one, so take the time to think about what you can do to keep your bedroom tidy.

The Essentials of a Dream Wardrobe

HOW TO DESIGN THE PERFECT WARDROBE

Usually you would consider the essentials for having the perfect wardrobe in terms of clothing trends or outfits, so we’re here to make sure from the outside that your wardrobe itself looks flawless. At Sliding Robes Direct we have researched the essentials of dream wardrobes and how to design the perfect wardrobe, to help you to achieve your goal in making sure that your wardrobe looks great, both in how you wear it and how your store it. From fabulous walk-in wardrobes complete with sliding doors to a sliding wardrobe designed with every storage component required to organise everything accordingly, we have also covered all aspects of the perfect wardrobe in order to make sure that there’s a beautiful closet design for everyone, that also caters to their every requirement.

STARTING WITH THE INTERIOR

In order to make sure that all of your lovely clothes, shoes and accessories are stored and put away correctly, we’ll start off with the interior. The interior of your wardrobes is what matters the most, this will be where you’re able to design your dream interior wardrobe, we’ve came up with a few essentials to ensure that you’ve got a wardrobe with the WOW factor. This is in no way the rules of interiors but there’s inspiration to help you make sure that you get the deal wardrobe which suits all your requirements. At Sliding Robes our team of specialists can design the most important aspects of your wardrobe, from shoe racks to rails for different types of clothing items. In order to ensure that you have a wardrobe with the WOW factor. This is in no way of the rules of interiors, but inspiration to help you get the ideal wardrobe to suit your specific requirements and taste.

You can never have too many pairs of shoes
Whether you’re male or female, I’m sure you’ll agree with us saying that you can never have too many pairs of shoes. Whether it’s trainers or heels, shoes are a girl’s (and guy’s) best friend. Show off your collection with pride and have a designated shoe rack in your wardrobe.

Full length mirror

So your outfit is ‘on fleek’ but you’re not sure what to do next, take a selfie, of course. Make sure that you have a full length mirror or mirrored sliding door to ensure that you get that perfect image. This way you’ll be able to see what your outfit looks like from all angles without running out of the mirror length and having to kneel down.

Drawers for all your accessories

Our interior panels have been critically designed to fit anything in, from vest tops to jewellery, no matter if you’re looking to have drawers for all of your favourite tops or to create compartments for watches. At Sliding Robes we have your every need covered, simply shop online with us today, dream big and just have a go. It’s fun and free to design. Whether you’re looking to have just the interior of your wardrobe designed, or you need an entire new wardrobe, with Sliding Robes you’ve come to the right place. We offer a selection of made to measure and standard sized doors, which can suit any taste and room. Simply shop online with us today and you can choose the best design for your and your requirements.

9 Tips for Downsizing Your Home

Tops Tips for Making Downsizing Easier

Downsizing isn’t just for retirement or the older generation. Lots of people will choose to downsize or will need to for a number of reasons. If you have had a significant pay-cut or are going through a divorce, you might be forced into downsizing. On the flip side, your kids might have flown the nest and you might simply want a smaller place to live.

Whatever your reasons are for downsizing, you will to think about the best way to proceed. Following our top 10 tips will stand you in good stead if you are looking to downsize in the near future.

1. Plan Properly

Buy yourself a folder, make checklists of what needs to be done and keep everything in one place for easy reference. If you need to sell furniture or buy anything for your new place, you can keep store everything in one place and refer to it as and when you need to. It might seem a bit extreme, but taking it seriously will help to make sure the whole process runs smoothly.

2. Don’t Rush

Don’t become too overwhelmed by the task at hand to the point where you start rushing. If you plan far enough in advance, you won’t need to rush and things won’t be missed or go wrong. As soon as things become rushed they can become overwhelming and you will start to question your reasons for doing what you are doing.

3. Compare Size

Think about how much you will need to get rid of, considering the size of your new downsized place in comparison to your current home. Large pieces of furniture will need to be measured and you’ll need to think about whether they will fit or if they are needed in your new pad. You might be able to pick up a few quid for them if they won’t fit, giving you some extra spending money for new furniture to enhance your new home-to-be.

Don’t try and squeeze large furniture into smaller spaces just because you don’t want to part with it. You’re better off letting go and trying to make your new home look more spacious, especially as it will be smaller.

4. De-cluttering

De-cluttering is key with any type of move. Work out what you want to keep and what you want to take with you.

The charity shops can come in really handy for goods that you don’t use anymore but mightn’t be worth much. For anything else that might be old, damaged or not needed, the tip is a good place to start. De-clutter as much as possible so that your new home doesn’t become full of things you don’t need.

5. Don’t neglect the loft / shed

It might seem safe to leave the shed, loft or any outbuilding areas until last, but there are often the hardest and most cluttered. By tackling the hardest jobs first, you will make the whole process much easier, rather than neglecting the things you don’t want to do.
You might even strike gold with any electrical appliances you may no longer need, such as a lawn mower.

6. Get Rid

Be ruthless with stuff you don’t need or have never used. Things like spare bed sheets, old curtains and towels that have been locked away and never used can go the distance.

Moving to a new house is a good time to change as well - out with the old and in with the new. Your old sheets and curtains might not match the décor in your new place, so bear thought to this before you take stuff with you. If you don’t think you’ll need it, don’t take it ‘just in case’, get rid of it and enjoy having more space in your new home.

7. Multi-use Rooms

Think about how a room can be used for a number of things in your new home. Can your kitchen incorporate a dining area or can a second bedroom be used as an office as well? The key to multi-use rooms is to keep them tidy, which is where storage can come in handy.

8. Consider Built-in Storage

Built-in storage can come in extremely handy, no matter how big or small your home is. Storing items effectively is the key to having a tidy home, so consider having built-in storage wherever you can.

Bathroom storage can be useful for things like toiletries, bathroom cleaning products, spare toilet rolls and even towels. The right storage will be truly effective when it comes to making your new home look neat and tidy.

In the bedroom, consider sliding wardrobes to save space and keep the room looking neat and tidy. The wardrobe interior can be segmented to keep your clothes and personal belongings separate. For all the items you couldn’t part way with, a sliding wardrobe will be an ideal storage solution to keep things organised effectively and tucked out of sight.

9. Leave Books & Paper Until Last

Leave things like books and paper until last and sort through them one box at a time. Often, photos are hard to get rid of, so you’ll want to take your time and make sure you are making the right decision. You and your partner might disagree on what to keep and what to get rid of, so it’s best to do this together and not make any rash decisions.

How to prepare for your new wardrobe

MEASURING YOUR WARDROBE DOOR SIZE

Before selecting your interior doors, it’s vital to get your measurements right, you should ensure that you remember to measure the frame itself rather than the existing doors.

Frame width

In total you should take three different measurements of the doors width, one from the top, one from the bottom and one from the middle of the door frame. The widest of these three measurements determines the width of the new doors.

Adjustments

Allow space for any floor coverings you may have and remember that doors can be planed but not made any bigger. After you’ve taken your measurements you can compare them with the types you may need in your chosen style. At Sliding Robes we provide a bespoke service so we ensure that you’ll find something great that suits your preferences.

Choosing a style

Whether it’s a modern or classic look you’re looking for, at Sliding Robes we have an extensive selection of styles available including…

Budget - Are you working to a budget? The Budget style doors are a great option, they may sound basic, but they are in fact far from it. Our range of budget wardrobes provide a classic feel to any room and they’re also excellent value for money.

Glam - The Glam range is designed to provide a contemporary yet bold finish, they’re a popular design for modern homes and also include different colours and finishes.

Shaker - Our made to measure Shaker products are another popular choice and can provide both a contemporary or traditional feel depending on how you’d like your room to look.

Reflex - Reflex is an exciting and modern wardrobe, they’re made to measure and can also be framed with minimal aluminium which can also incorporate handles.

Classic - The classic wardrobe speaks for itself, whilst being a classic style it also provides a contemporary feel, these wardrobe doors also come in a standard size in either silver or white track sets. The team at Sliding Robes will work with your preferences and your budget, we aim to ensure that you receive a durable, stylish and spacious wardrobe that’s also value for money.

For more information contact our team today.

Making a Statement with a Colourful Bedroom

How to Have a Colourful Bedroom that Makes a Statement

There’s lots to think about when you decorate at home, whether you’re tackling the full house or just one room. Quite often, the size of the room will influence how the room is decorated, without thinking about how the room will feel when you are inside.

Let’s use the bedroom as an example. How can you make it feel unique to you, whilst making it the one room in the house you can relax and unwind in? Size shouldn’t always be the biggest factor when looking to create a homely environment in the bedroom. Colours should certainly be considered when attempting to do this.

A lot of people think of colourful bedrooms as overpowering and tend to avoid big bold colours at all costs. Bright colours can make the room seem smaller or give the impression that there is less light, which is probably why so many people look to avoid them.

With clever colour matching and alternative styling, however, your bedroom can become your own personal haven – the one place where you can feel relaxed and truly at home.

Using Colour in the Bedroom

When people think of colour in the bedroom, their minds will almost always think of paint, with bold, powerful colours that hurt the eyes if looked at for too long. There are other ways that you can use bold colours in the bedroom without painting the walls, though.

It’s Not All About Paint

Just because you think your bedroom needs more colour, doesn’t mean you need to paint the walls. Brighter bedding, colourful curtains or attractive carpet can also do the trick.

Another alternative is to introduce sliding wardrobe doors to the room, an option which will allow you to introduce colour in a practical way. The doors can be used to engulf one wall in colour, providing you with a way to store clothes and other items effectively in one hassle-free location.

Sliding wardrobes are becoming more and more popular among people looking to decorate their bedrooms, with a wide range of colourful options available to help you make a statement.

Utilise The Lower Half

A lot of people will choose to paint a full wall when adding colour to a room. An effective way to avoid doing this is to only paint the lower half of the walls, leaving the upper half free for your light shades that will make your bedroom seem larger.

A single colour that spans the height and width of a room is probably the ‘done thing’, but injecting a little bit more creativity into your room with contrasting colours can help to create the impression of a light, spacious room. With the clever matching of colours, you can make your bedroom a striking place to be, with a boldly coloured featured wall on the bottom half and matching décor. Pick a slightly lighter version of your chosen wall paint colour and use this colour to shop for bedding and curtains that will help to finish the look off.

You Don’t Need to Decorate

Changing the way your bedroom looks and feels doesn’t mean you need to paint every wall, nor does it have to cost a small fortune. Think about the small changes you can make that will deliver the same or similar outcome and you will be able to achieve wonderful things.

A new rug, bed sheets, curtains or light shades will often be enough to change the dynamic of your bedroom and they don’t need to be expensive.

If you have primarily white or light coloured walls, it’s the bold colours that will define the room. The things that we listed above are great starting points, along with lamps, pictures and other subtle pieces of furniture that will help you to go bold without taking over the room with colour.

Striking and Stylish Sliding Wardrobes Ideas

Who said wardrobes can’t be as stylish as the clothes that they contain?

You don’t need a dressing room in order to create fabulous bedroom storage, tackle bedroom clutter through beautiful, bespoke and tailor-made fitted wardrobes. Floor to ceiling built in wardrobes can maximise space as they put dead space the better use. Fitted wardrobes make the most of tight corners and awkward spaces to keep floors and surfaces clear, they can further save space by installing sliding doors instead of doors that open outwards. Built in wardrobes can also create clean, streamlined and uncluttered looks, which is common with regular wardrobes.

Whether they take up an entire wall or just an alcove space, the result will be just amazing.

You can blend the wardrobes in with the rest of the room by painting them in the same shade and covering them in the same wallpaper, upholstering them or you could make something entirely different out of them. You could conceal the wardrobes door in ornate plaster work or wood panelling, or use them to make a statement with brass edges or statement handles.

Whatever your style, today’s fitted sliding wardrobes and bedroom storage come with modern and sophisticated options that can create additional space whilst also contributing to room’s décor.
We take inspiration from some of the best built in wardrobe ideas there is…

Pretty plasterwork

Panelled walls open to reveal hidden storage and screen doors glide seamlessly into wall recesses to separate this sanctuary. You can also incorporate the design style into the skirting boards and curtains.
 

Hidden Handles

Bespoke wardrobes can also include concealed handles or handles which operate by being pushed. This can provide the effect that it’s a wall and not a wardrobe.

Built in dressing table

This is a clever design that includes a dressing table incorporated into your wardrobe, not only does this save space but it can hide a cluttered area away.

Wallpapered wardrobes

Transform a plain wardrobe door by using a patterned wallpaper, this will help to blend in with the rest of the room.

Fresh lilac

New fitted wardrobes are complemented by fresh lilac colours, this can be incorporated into the theme of your room décor.

Wood panels

Use wood panels to add a different dimension to your room, you can use panelling to disguise the wardrobe.

Moody tones

Use calming colours to improve the rooms harmony and synergy, a palette of dark, sleepy colours can be applied to your wardrobe doors.

Brass touches

Add brass, gold or silver elements to the wardrobe doors, this can include handles, this will give a plain wardrobe a stylish edge.

Natural style

Make nature feel like it’s in your room with a natural style, you can incorporate your sliding wardrobe doors and add to the rustic scheme.

Teal appeal

A bright and vibrant colour on your fitted wardrobe can create a feature piece in your room.

Sophistication

Give your bedroom a hotel feel complement a plush rug, upholstered bed with fitted wardrobes to add luxury to your room.

Go Retro

Transform a bedroom with a retro style, retro can combine both traditional and modern touches, use a retro style wood wardrobe to mix it up.

Hands free

Seamless and handle free storage can help keep the space uncluttered, and provides a simple and modern look.

Dramatic finishes

Impressive amounts of storage space can help keep the bedroom clear of clutter, meaning you can concentrate on daring and dramatic edges.

Why Choose a Fitted Wardrobe?

Fitted Wardrobes

A fitted wardrobe is a popular option when talking about storage solutions. As its name suggests, this kind of wardrobe is fitted into the room from floor to ceiling so you avoid awkward spaces in your bedroom. Fitted wardrobes come in all widths and heights. You can choose exactly the one you need. We will show you why and how to choose a fitted wardrobe.

Why Choose a Fitted Wardrobe

Fitted wardrobes are a great addition to any space, allowing you to organise your clothes, accessories and shoes.
The perfect solution for optimising every square inch of your home, floor to ceiling fitted wardrobes will not only free up much needed space, but they can also be tailored to meet your individual requirements. And, if you’re struggling with space in your home or you’re desperately seeking more storage, you’ve certainly landed in the right place! Here’s everything you need to know about fitted wardrobes…

The Pro’s of a Fitted Wardrobe

• As a fitted wardrobe is built exactly into the shape of your room, it creates a more opened look than freestanding wardrobes.
• The best thing about this kind of wardrobe is that it provides you with more space for storage than a normal freestanding wardrobe.
• What is more, a fitted wardrobe offers more adjustable storage options. You can have a wardrobe that is customised specifically to the kind of stuff you want to store.

Factors to Take into Account

When you’re choosing a fitted wardrobe for your bedroom, there are many design aspects to consider.
Doors
One of the most important decisions you will make when choosing a fitted wardrobe is what kind of door you prefer. Mostly, fitted wardrobes either come with hinged doors or sliding doors. Sliding doors are the most popular since they have many benefits over hinged doors. Firstly, sliding doors take up less room since it does not need a space when it is open. They also create a more complex look of a room.
The Inside of a Fitted Wardrobe
You should consider the type of storage space you want it to be used for. Do you need a shoe rack or do you need more rail space than shelves?
Mirrors
Another factor to take into account is whether you’d like the wardrobe to incorporate a mirror. Some built in wardrobes feature mirrored external panels or mirrors on the inside of doors if you want a full-length mirror. Fitted wardrobes that incorporate a dressing table have small mirrors at eye-level which are perfect for applying makeup.
Fitting
Many companies that sell fitted wardrobes offer professional installation services as well, but this is not a condition. It’s possible to fit a wardrobe yourself. However, there are many companies specialised in DIY kits. If you find fitting a wardrobe difficult, it is best to call a specialist.

Types of Fitted Wardrobes

We have made a brief review of fitted wardrobes and their prices. Here are the most common types:

• Pax Fitted Wardrobe - PAX wardrobes can be found as a special kind of fitted wardrobes.
• Regal Fitted Wardrobe - This is a regal fitted wardrobe from Worldstores. It has twin hanging spaces, top shelves, three storage drawers, but you can fit is as you wish. It’s made from a particleboard.

Nordic Wardrobe Fitment and Stool - It has beautiful skirting and detailing. This elegant wardrobe will keep your bedroom organised.

How to Improve your Wardrobe Space

Your Wardrobe Space

From toys and shoes through to handbags and dresses, we accumulate many treasured items that we need to find a home for. That’s why well-designed storage spaces are a necessary feature of any bedroom.

When renovating your bedrooms, one of the most important issues is how to improve your wardrobe space. Depending on the amount of floor area you have available, you can choose to install a walk0in or a reach-in wardrobe.

If you are extending your house to accommodate a larger master bedroom, you may want to choose the walk-in wardrobe option. Make sure you consider the floor layout and the placement of walls and doors carefully at the planning stage, perhaps by consulting and experts in wardrobe design before the house plans are finalised. This will help avoid poor door placement or bad floor planning, so that you don’t end up with an expensive space that can store too few clothes.

Walk-In Wardrobes and Space?

Walk-in wardrobes should be a minimum of 1800mm wide, and the door to the wardrobe should be placed in the middle of the wall. This will give 600mm of space for hanging clothes on each side of the wardrobe, plus a 600mm ‘passage’ space for you to walk through. If the walk-in wardrobe is less than 1800mm wide then you will only be able to hang clothes on one side of it. If you have more space, and can make your wardrobe wider, then you have the option of utilising the back wall for additional hanging, drawers, or shelving for shoes or handbags.

Walk-in wardrobes should not have windows as they take up valuable wall space that could be used for storage. Windows can also allow sunlight which in time can fade your clothes. Ventilation is important and can be provided by ceiling ventilation systems. Lighting should be placed in the centre of the ceiling. It’s best to place the light switch outside the door, so that you don’t have to fumble through your clothes trying to find the switch.

Why Choose A Reach-In Wardrobe?

A reach-in wardrobe has the advantage of taking up less bedroom floor area than a walk-in wardrobe, while still giving an excellent storage capacity. So even if you have the space for a walk in wardrobe you made need to ask; ‘Would I prefer more floor space in my wardrobe or in my bedroom?
Most reach-in wardrobes can easily be improved to give excellent storage. There are many houses which are built with reach-in wardrobes, these wardrobes typically have a single shelf with a hanging rail underneath. They used to be sufficient to hold the small amount of clothing that most people possessed at the time the house was built.

The key challenge for the home renovator is how to increase the storage space in the wardrobe, without having to completely rebuild the house. Reusing the existing floor area, the original builder allowed for the wardrobe is usually the most cost-effective option. In most cases, the storage space of the old-style wardrobes can almost be doubled with a few clever alterations.

How Do You Fit a Fitted Wardrobe?

It is important to look at the access to the wardrobe. Most wardrobes have standard height, hinged doors fitted to them. These doors are usually 1980mm high and between 610mm and 710mm wide. A double wardrobe comes with two doors.

Given that the standard ceiling height in a home is 2410mm and that most wardrobes are a lot wider than their doors, there is plenty of scope to improve access, and that is vital for increasing storage space. So, the first task is to remove the doors and take out the wall areas above and on either side of the wardrobe door, effectively removing the entire front wall of the wardrobe alcove. You'll be amazed at how large your wardrobe looks after you have done this.

You will of course need new doors to cover your wardrobe. Modern sliding door systems are made-to-measure – so it is only a matter of fitting jambs to the sides and ceiling, and the doors can be made to fit. Unlike hinged doors, sliding doors do not swing into the room so do not take up valuable floor space. Make sure the sliding doors are fitted with a proper anti-jump system to prevent the doors jumping out of their tracks.

Depending on the size of the wardrobe, you may need two, three or four sliding doors. Doors can be made to measure up to 1500mm wide and up to 2700mm high. If you have a high ceiling, you can get excellent access to your wardrobe. Having the doors made so you can access the full height and width of the wardrobe space gives you an incredible amount of additional storage, with options for all types of accessories including drawers. This will remove the need for additional furniture in the bedroom, saving space and money.

Tips on How to Organise Your Wardrobe

When it comes to learning how to organise your wardrobe properly, it can save you so much time and energy on a daily basis. We all have to get dressed every day, in some cases more than once depending on the different things you’re going to be up to throughout the day. Without having a system in place, this can become very messy. Take a look at our step by step guide on how to reorganise and declutter your wardrobe…

THE MAIN REASON YOUR ORGANISING YOUR WARDROBE

There’s a few common things that have been said, possibly a few times, but it’s important to be motivated to make sure that you get it organised and sorted properly.

CLEAR OUT AND ASSESS THE LEFT OVER SPACE

Its important to make sure that your wardrobe is completely empty when you start reorganising the space, this will permit you to see exactly what you have in terms of your clothes and the storage space you have to use.

Sort through the items

Pick up each piece of clothing and make a decision about it, do you want to keep it or throw it away, make different piles for different decisions and then you can decide based on the amount of items in each pile, what you’re going to do.

Finding a place for everything

As with any organisation project, you’ll want to make sure that you have all of your items in places that make the most sense for you and the way you live. Assess the amount of clothing you have and the space you have to store them in.

• Clothes that your less likely to wear everyday can be stored out of the way, maybe under the bed or in the loft, so they’re still accessible when you need them.
• When it comes to sentimental items like wedding gowns can be placed into deeper storage.
• Out of season clothes, for example summer clothes and winter clothes that aren’t needed until the season can be kept out of the way too, you can rotate your clothes inline with the weather and the seasons.

Organise each space

You’re now ready to sort out your wardrobe, you have everything you need and want to store in it and you’ve ensured that it’s those items that you’ll use frequently.

Test it out

Now you’ve sorted everything out and your wardrobes and closed are organised, trial run the system and see how it works for you. If there’s any issues or changed that you think will help, then make them and change your wardrobe to suit your requirements.

Make any tweaks

When it comes to evaluating your organisation system, you’ll want to be able to tweak anything that doesn’t work well for you.

Ask yourself these questions…

• Is it still hard to find items quickly?
• Do you still feel like you have too many clothes?
• Are there many ways in which you’ve needed to re-evaluate?

How to Make your Small Bedroom Look Bigger

Maximise your Small Space

If you have a small bedroom, you are not alone it is one of the most common bedroom decorating issues. You have to remodel to add actual square footage, but luckily there are decorating tricks to fool the eye into seeing your bedroom as larger than it actually is. Here are our top tips on tricking your eye into thinking your bedroom is bigger than it actually is.

Use Vertical Space

When you are dealing with a small space or room, think vertical. You might not have much floor space, but by using the walls right up to the ceiling, you use the space you have more efficiently while drawing the eye upwards, making the room seem larger.

Built in shelves that extend from floor to ceiling are a great way to add storage, interest and visual space to a bedroom, but unfortunately, aren’t an option for everyone. You can create the illusion of built ins with bookcases or shelving units that are tall enough to reach the ceiling or hang enough separate wall shelves to fill the space. Whichever you choose, you’ll make the room look larger by painting the shelves the same colour as walls.

Hang Mirrors

Every bedroom needs at least one full length mirror so you can check out your outfit from head to toe, but the small bedroom can use more. Mirrors are one of the easiest ways to fool the eye into thinking a room is bigger than it is, and there are so many ways to work them into the bedroom:

• Mirrored closet doors
• Ornate mirror over the dresser
• Starburst mirror over the bed
• Small, fancy-framed mirrors grouped on the wall
• Mirrored or chrome finished lamps, furniture, and décor

Choose Furniture with Legs

Give your furniture a lift with legs to create an airy, open feel in the bedroom. Not every piece needs to be legged, but try to have at least one piece with some height, whether it’s your nightstands, dresser or bed. The mid-century modern decorating style is especially good for small rooms, as most of the furniture is elevated on thin legs. The more floor and wall that is shown, the larger your room will appear.

Match your Windows to your Walls

Whilst larger bedrooms can make great use of drapes and blinds that contrast with the walls, in a small bedroom, it is better to match your walls and window treatments. This keeps the eye moving across the space, fooling it into seeing the bedroom as a little bit bigger than it really is. You can even wallpaper one wall which adds a slight element of zest without really contrasting with the painted wall or drapes. That is how you add interest without making the space look smaller.

Use Sconces by the Bedside

Instead of taking up space on your nightstand with bedside lamps, why not try installing sconces above and slightly to the side of your headboard. This works to draw the eye upward, helping give the room an open, airy look and reduces visual clutter around your bed. If you like to night time read invest in adjustable sconces allowing you to move the light where you need it, and push it back when you’re done.

Mix Prints and Solids

You don’t have to avoid all prints in a small room, but you’ll make the space look larger if you stick with small prints and plenty of solids. This is especially true on your bed, which is generally the largest item in the bedroom. Choose a solid or mostly-solid bedspread or comforter, then add some colour and interest to printed sheets and throw pillows. Stick with light-to-mid tone colours to help visually enlarge the space.

Cut out Clutter

Nothing makes a bedroom look as small and cramped as clutter. One of the easiest ways to open up your space is with a good purge – get rid of excessive knickknacks, items that belong in other rooms of your home, and anything that is unneeded or unattractive. You don’t want a bare, sterile room, but you don’t want overload either – instead, find the happy medium with just a few pieces of artwork, photos, collectibles, or other accessories.

Scale your Furniture

A small room doesn’t have to mean downsizing your furniture, but it does mean that you will need to find pieces that match in scale and are sized appropriately for your space. For example choose a bed size that allows you to fit at least one nightstand large enough to hold its own beside the mattress.

How to Organise your Wardrobe

Did you know that learning how to organise your wardrobe properly can save you so much time and energy on a daily basis? We all have to get dressed every day, sometimes more than once for different activities and without a system in place things can get messy very quickly.

Fear not we are providing a step by step guide on how to de-clutter and reorganise your wardrobe!

Step One: Identify the Reason for Organising your Wardrobe

When it comes to your wardrove, there are a few common things that have been said many a time and you are bound to associate with at least one of them and this will usually be the reason as to why you are motivated to get it all done.

You might find yourself saying such things as:

Step Two: Clear it Out and Assess the Space you Have Left

It helps to get your wardrobe completely empty when you start to re-organise your wardrobe, this allows you to see exactly what you have in terms of clothes and the storage space which you are currently working with.


If you have plenty of space, then you may be able to restore all of your clothes back into the space but in an organised way, when you know what space you have that is when you can make decisions about how best to organise your wardrobe, and what would work for you.


You can always think about space elsewhere as well, but simply don’t move the clutter from one room to another, it is important to think of all the space in your home as a vital space, and only mark out spaces which would be easy to store items.

Step Four: Sort Through Each Item

Pick up each item of clothing and make a decision about it there and then, the best way to sort through your clothes is to create a pile for each of the following:

• KEEP – FREQUENT USE – Items that fit, that go with other items, that you wear often – or have worn in the last 3 months
• KEEP – INFREQUENT USE – Special occasion items such as evening wear, wedding dress, maternity wear
• KEEP – OUT OF SEASON – whatever is not worn in the season you are currently in
• KEEP – TO ACTION – items that require cleaning, mending etc…
• CHARITY – Items in good condition that you don’t wear anymore
• GIVEAWAY – either to friends, Freecycle, supermarket recycling bins etc..
• SELL – on Ebay for example
• RUBBISH – ONLY GENUINE RUBBISH THAT NO-ONE WILL BE ABLE TO USE GOES HERE

Step Six: Find a Place for Everything

As with any organising project, you want to have all of your items in places that make the most sense for you and the way you live. Take a look at the amount of clothes you have and the spaces you have to store these in.

• Think about storing the clothes you really need to keep but don’t need everyday in different locations i.e. under the bed, in the loft, etc. Making sure they are still accessible when necessary.
• For purely sentimental items such as wedding gowns, etc. store in deeper storage areas so that you can get them if you need too but this will be rare.
• Out of season clothes can be kept out of the way but accessible – as weather can be variable in the UK! – simply rotate when seasons change.

Step Seven: Organise Each Space

You are now ready to sort your wardrobe – you have everything that you want to store in it, and it will be items that you use frequently, and possibly items from the other categories as well, dependent on space available.

Step Eight: Live with it for a While

Now you have sorted your clothes out, created space for them, and found the best way to store them so that they will be easy to find as and when required. Next step is to live with the system, and to work with it as you go day to day.

Clothes are constantly needed, and so need to be constantly looked after to stay organised otherwise they will very quickly get messed up and cluttered again.

Step Nine: Make Any Tweaks

When it comes back to evaluating your organisation system, you want to be able to tweak anything that doesn’t work very well for you.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Are you finding it hard to find items quickly still?
• Do you feel like you have too many clothes?
• Are there many ways in which you need to re-evaluate?

Difference Between Softwood and Hardwood

Many people are often confused when it comes to softwood and hardwood, thinking that softwood means that it is soft, and hardwood means that it is hard. Though the names don’t relate to the hardness or density of the wood but rather how the grows and he plant reproduction. For example, balsa wood is one of the lightest, least dense woods and is easy to manufacture, although it is actually considered a hardwood.

All trees reproduce by producing seeds although the seed structures vary between the types of tree. Hardwood trees are angiosperms, which produce seeds with some sort of covering. This could be a fruit, such as an apple or a hard shell, like an acorn. Softwoods on the other hand are gymnosperms which means that the trees let the seeds fall to the ground as they are, with no form of covering. Most of their seeds are released into the wind once they mature which means that the seed is spread over a wider area.

What Does This mean for Bedroom Furniture?

Hardwoods are more likely to be found in high-quality furniture, decks, flooring and construction that needs to last for a long time and withstand wear and tear. Most hardwoods have a higher density than softwoods, and so are harder to work with. Hardwood has a slower growth rate, which therefore means that it is typically more expensive than softwoods. There are more rings in hardwood which means that it is typically more work that needs to be done to manufacture your products.

Due to the nature of softwood and the fact that they are readily available, it means that there is more softwood production than hardwood. Around 80% of timber comes from softwood and there are a wide range of applications for them. Some of these being building components like windows and doors, furniture, MDF, paper, Christmas trees and many more. Although softwoods are easier to work with, they actually have very poor fire resistance and will need the specific finishes to ensure the durability of the product that it is being made from.

Depending on what you want from the wood, it is important to not only look at the aesthetical properties of the wood but also the functionality and durability. When it comes to wardrobes, some people may be looking to spend as little money as possible or paint over the wood to match the décor of the room and so it is best to use softwoods. Hardwoods are typically chosen for their longevity with products and for those who would like their wardrobe to still maintain the look of the natural wood, it would be best to use hardwoods.

Types of hardwood include; balsa, beech, mahogany, oak and teak. Types of softwood include; pine, cedar, spruce and yew. It is essential for you to do your research to see what type of wood may be beneficial for your circumstances. If you are the type to change your mind on the interior designs of your rooms or move frequently, it may be beneficial for you to stick to lighter and cheaper wood. If you feel like you want high quality furniture that will last for years and years then you should stick to hardwoods.