Hidden in plain sight: how to conceal clutter in the family home
If you're drowning in toys, shoes and miscellaneous chaos at home, this one is for you...
Family life, however joyful, is rarely minimalist (as much as Instagram might try and make you believe otherwise). Right now the sofa I’m sat on is an island surrounded by a sea of magnetic tiles, Brio and vehicles of every description (buses, backhoes, front loaders… if you know, you know). The daily tide of toys, shoes, schoolbooks, tech and mismatched tupperware (anyone else?!) can quietly take over even the most curated spaces. But clutter doesn’t have to compromise style. The secret? Storage that’s as beautiful as it is discreet. From multifunctional furniture to clever zoning, here are the best ways to keep your home looking calm, cohesive and lived-in – in all the right ways.
Built-in beauty
One of the most elegant ways to manage mess is to build it out of sight, as Sophie expertly showed in her newsletter on her new hallway storage. Bespoke joinery, especially floor-to-ceiling cabinetry, can create seamless storage that blends into the architecture of the room. Units with push-to-open mechanisms or ‘slide and hide’ doors that recess back into the cabinet are all smart ways of creating barely-there storage. Even better – colour match them to the walls so they almost disappear; a matte finish in a soft tone is great for this effect, which can conceal the chaos behind.
Multitasking furniture
In a family home, every piece has to earn its place. Wherever possible, choose furniture that doubles up as something else – ottomans with hidden compartments, bench seats with lift-up lids (we have this in our dining area and it’s a god send), or beds with under-mattress storage (again, you should see what we keep under ours…). In open-plan spaces, a sideboard or dresser can help anchor the dining area while hiding art supplies, board games, or spare chargers. These large items of furniture can do the heavy lifting while adding character and creating ample storage potential without needing to go wall-to-wall with Ikea Kallax units.
The art of zoning
Open-plan layouts are wonderful for family life but can quickly descend into visual chaos. The key is subtle zoning. Use rugs, open shelving or even colour-blocking to delineate areas – then tailor storage solutions accordingly. A basket tucked under a console table might hold library books in the reading nook; slimline cupboards can corral schoolbags near the back door. If you zone, it can help give areas definition and purpose, in turn it gives everything a home and you can restore visual order.
Pretty, practical baskets
I LOVE baskets. A favourite with parents the world over for a reason, baskets offer instant, accessible storage that doesn’t look like an afterthought. For families, the trick is consistency: invest in matching or complementary woven baskets that suit your room’s scheme and line them up under coffee tables, (we’ve got a bunch under our sideboard), in cubbies or by the stairs. Go for natural textures, such as seagrass, rattan, or jute, with subtle colour or detailing, for a warm, tactile quality. If they’re more prominent, try going for a lidded basket so there isn’t the inevitable overflow of toys on show – I really love this basket from Dunelm, which is pretty sizeable.
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