7 Essential Tools For Interior Designers
As an interior designer, I frequently make “house calls” to meet with clients to assess their spaces, offer suggestions, and talk to them about how we can transform their space for the better. One of the questions I received from an up-and-coming designer was related to the tools I use to stay on top of my projects while I’m on the go. So today, I’m sharing with you “what’s in my bag!”
Featured in GoodHousekeeping, inRegister Magazine, 225 Magazine, and many more, we are beyond excited to welcome our guest blogger for this week, Arianne Bellizaire! She is a well established Interior Designer in the Baton Rouge area and today she is sharing with us “what’s in my bag!”
Hi friends!
As you may know, I pop into Instagram once a week on Tuesday afternoons to do a Q&A session.
During those sessions, I invite people to post any questions they may have about decorating, design, entrepreneurship, and marketing.
Most times, the questions are simple and easy enough to answer during those LIVE sessions, but every now and then someone will send me a question that I feel like I need more than just a few seconds to answer.
Today’s post was inspired by one of those questions!
As an interior designer, I frequently make “house calls” to meet with clients to assess their spaces, offer suggestions, and talk to them about how we can transform their space for the better.
One of the questions I received from an up-and-coming designer was related to the tools I use to stay on top of my projects while I’m on the go.
I loved this question so much that I decided, “Hey! Let’s make a video about this!”
So today, I’m sharing with you “what’s in my bag!”
These are the tools I use to seamlessly transition from my office to site visits without missing a beat!
① The most critical tool in my bag is my laptop. This is my mobile design studio, so to speak. I can easily pull up floor plans, show clients inspiration photos on Pinterest, and send them a summary of all of the things we discussed during the meeting before I even leave their home.
② The next “essential” is of course my cellphone. And not just to connect with team members and installers, but I also use my phone to provide a hotspot for internet access on construction sites. As an added bonus, my phone is my camera so I use it to take before and after photos and videos to document the progress of my projects. This is by far the most versatile piece in my arsenal!
③ Next up is my retractable tape measure. To be honest, I always have one of these within reach, whether it’s the one in my bag, the one in the glove compartment in my car, or the one in my desk drawer. Being able to capture room dimensions and gauging the scale of things is essential to effective space planning. In my bag, I have a 12ft and a 25ft measure
④ This next tool, the digital tape measure, allows me to measure vertical spaces, room lengths, and hard to reach spaces with ease!
⑤ The next essential is painters tape! I use this to block out furniture and art placement if the client is having a difficult time visualizing how much space a piece of furniture or art display will take up in the room.
⑥ One of the newest but no less critical additions to my toolkit is my Remarkable! This powerful device has replaced my spiral-bound notebook. I use it to jot down notes, stretch ideas, and dictate summary briefs for each meeting. Then I press a button to transform my handwritten notes into text and email a pdf copy to my client, trade, or team member with the press of a button!
⑦ My final tool is my paint color fan deck! Like my retractable tape measure, I’m never far away from one of these, and here’s why. Despite what you might think, this baby can be used for more than picking out paint colors!
I’ve got even MORE tips on how you can get the most out a paint deck coming up in a future video, so be on the lookout for that!
For now, I want to know from you, are you surprised by any of the tools I keep in my bag? Which one was most unexpected and what did you THINK you would see in my bag that you didn’t?
Let me know in the comments!
To view the original post and see more from Arianne Bellizaire
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Getting the Garage in Order
With the weather cooling down and everyone getting outdoors more to enjoy the few weeks of Fall that we do get, it is the perfect time to clean out the garage!
Here are a few tips to get started.
Fall is in the air! While it may still be in the 80’s some days, I am LOVING this (mostly) cool Fall weather. It definitely beats the 90+ degree weather that is inevitably the norm throughout most of the year in the South. With the weather cooling down and everyone getting outdoors more to enjoy the few weeks of Fall that we do get, it is the perfect time to clean out the garage!
Here are a few tips to get started:
Categorize items: yard maintenance, house maintenance, outdoor activities, etc.
Contain smaller items (Look vertical for storage!)
Pegboard is amazing for displaying tools, extension cords, etc.
Bike storage is great if the kids can put their bikes away!
Think floor space!
Here are a few pictures of one of the garages we have organized.
Need help getting your garage in order? We do that too! Give us a call to set up a consultation.
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Swapping out Your Seasonal Favorites for Fall
Football season is a time where we Southern gals reevaluate our closets. For some, that means switching out Spring and Summer clothes for Fall and Winter clothes. Here are 5 tips to help get your closet ready!
I’m on a plane heading to Montana in a flannel shirt and puffy vest and all I keep thinking is...Fall is here! For us in South Louisiana, that means football season, hunting season and cooler temps (Well, hopefully by Christmas). Football season, like everything else this year, will be a little different. There will be more at home gatherings and a little less tailgating at the stadium. Football season is also a time where we Southern gals reevaluate our closets. For some, that means switching out Spring and Summer clothes for Fall and Winter clothes. Here are 5 tips to help get your closet ready!
1. Clean your summer items before retiring them for the winter to help them last a few more years. Nothing is worse than pulling out your favorite linen shirt only to find it has a stain.
2. Move warm weather items towards the back of the closet or higher in the closet, making space for the fall and winter items (In other words....swap your stuff!). For me, that means taking swimwear out of drawers and putting them in a bin at the top of my closet and bringing my bin of sweaters down to put in the drawer. Garment bags are a great idea for special summer items to keep dust and moths away. Tip: Swimwear can be stored in an air tight space saver bag if necessary for space.
3. Evaluate your flip flops and sandals. I know we southern girls wear our flip flops and sandals pretty much year-round, but this is a good time to evaluate what you wore in spring and summer. You might find some that are uncomfortable, loved so much they are falling apart or even a pair or two that you bought on impulse, but you really just don’t like. Let them go. If they need replacing, this is also a great time because summer items are on sale.
4. Evaluate your winter boots and shoes. Do they need to go to the repair shop for new heels or soles? Do they need polishing and conditioning? You can add this to your errand day list if needed.
5. Are your winter clothes clean and stain free? Do any items need repair? Is there anything trendy that needs to be added so that you are your amazing, stylish self? Add this to your action list or errand list so they are ready to wear at the first cool snap.
That’s it. 5 simple things that will make the seasonal switch much easier! Now go out and cheer on your favorite team in style! (Don’t forget your mask in your favorite team’s colors!)
Want more Fall inspiration? Check out our blogs on tailgating and decorating for the Fall!
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Routine: The Key to Survival and Success
If I had to pick one thing I could share that would make the biggest difference in your life, it would be routines.
As a teacher, there were no excuses for being late. I had to be on time to receive the children or the parents would then be late themselves! Not only did I have to be on time, but also I really needed to be there early to attend to a few things before the students were walking through the door. Oh, and I had to get 2 small children dressed and ready for school as well. I conquered this challenge with this beautiful thing called a routine.
If I had to pick one thing I could share that would make the biggest difference in your life, it would be routines.
As a teacher, there were no excuses for being late. I had to be on time to receive the children or the parents would then be late themselves! Not only did I have to be on time, but also I really needed to be there early to attend to a few things before the students were walking through the door. Oh, and I had to get 2 small children dressed and ready for school as well. I conquered this challenge with this beautiful thing called a routine.
Routine = sequence of actions that you do repeatedly.
Simple. You repeat these few things every day. It takes discipline at first but you can do it!
There are 3 times that routines should be in place to make your life less chaotic.
Morning-as easy and as simple as you can make it.
Afterschool or work-do the things necessary to start tomorrow strong.
Evening-reset your home, check for last minute to-do’s and put things in place.
Here are some examples of daily routines for kids and adults:
Morning:
Get dressed
Brush teeth/hair
Eat breakfast
Get lunchbox, backpack, purse, wallet, etc. (items that have a “take with me” home) and walk out the door.
After-school (young kids):
Snack (in a designated spot so the children can grab without your assistance)
Homework
Repack backpacks
Make lunches(this can be part of the evening routine if needed.)
Play
After-work (Routines aren’t just for kids):
Hang up work clothes
Start laundry
Pay bills/answer emails/take care of “home business”
Start dinner (check weekly meal plan)
Pack lunch (unless it’s dinner leftovers)
Homework help/sign any paperwork that the kids have and have child put back in the appropriate space.
Re-boot laundry
Kids evening Routine:
Mary Poppins called it, “Tidy up the Nursery” time. Aka: Clean up your mess! Setting a timer (2-3 minutes per child’s age. A 5 year old should get 15 minutes of time. If it takes longer, you will need to reassess the amount of toys they are allowed to pull out) and turning on music makes this task more fun with smaller children. Supervision is best with this step because kids love to hide their messes in their closets, under beds, in hampers and anywhere they think they can get away with it. No, your kid’s not a jerk, this is normal.
Get out school clothes. If this is a nightly struggle, try getting out a weeks worth on Sundays. (I used a 5-tier hanging shelf that hooks to the closet rod.)
Baths
Books (quiet time)
Bed-as in lights out because Mom and Dad need some grown up time.
Evening routine:
Lay out your clothes for tomorrow. This step is huge because so much time is wasted in the AM on this one step!
Put your purse, keys, wallet, mail, backpacks and everything else that goes with you in the AM in one place. This place should be it’s designated home every single evening. (No more searching for things in the morning!) Having a phone charger in that place would be smart so it’s all there together.
Check the weather. Do you need to leave a little early due to fog, rain, snow? (Well, not so much snow in south Louisiana, just hurricanes.)
Check the calendar. Do you need anything besides the usual items? Valentines Card? Mardi Gras beads? LSU shirt?
Reset the house in 15-30 minutes. For me, this is making sure the dirty dishes are in the dishwasher, sofa cushions and sofa pillows are straight, extra blankets are folded and in the basket, toys (dog toys for me) are put in their home. I usually throw the dirty kitchen towels into the dirty clothes basket as well and wipe counters. This is also the time to put away all the items that are not in their home. Remember to be a good example and put away things when you use them so this is not a daunting task.
Make a list of your routines and post it until it’s memory. You can hang them in sheet protectors and have the kids check them off with dry erase markers as the job is done. You are there to supervise the children, not do the job for them.
Not sure where to start when making routines? Give us a call and let’s set up a consultation to get you on the right path. How much time will you gain by implementing these routines?
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How to Set Up Your Command Center
Why do we need a command center? Having a space that houses the “important” information/materials saves us TIME which means less stress! Here are some of the key elements to a functional command center.
What is a Command Center?
A Command Center is a space in your home that serves as a central space to keep schedules, keys, purses, backpacks, incoming papers, and/or important information.
Why do we need a command center?
Having a space that houses the “important” information/materials saves us TIME which means less stress!
What are the key elements to a functional command center?
Calendar-paper or white board (Cozi is a favorite family calendar App)
Place for incoming and outgoing papers, mail/shredder is great here too.
Designated space for personal paperwork. This might be a file, drawer, basket.
Place for notes/invitations-HINT-put invitation information into calendar app. Once the gift is bought, you can toss the invitation.
Magnet board/white board/bulletin board. We found this one that can be both!
Place for keys, sunglasses, purse, wallet and anything else needing to go out the door with you in the am.
Pens, pencil, stamps, calculator or any supplies needed to make this space function best.
Where should it be?
Hint: Notice where you set things down when you walk in the door. It should be located near that space (kitchen, laundry, inside a cabinet, entryway table).
Show us your Command Centers! We want to see!
We would love to see pictures of your command centers. Use the hashtag #chaosorganizing when you post the picture.
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