Traditionally, the garage is where many of us store our tools, paints, and other home-related accessories. However, when we found out that Martha Stewart had a homekeeping room in one of her properties, we were surprised and delighted in equal measure.
As we can see on the Martha Moments Instagram, Martha's farm property Cantitoe Corners, located in Bedford, New York, features a homekeeping room on the ground floor of the farm, wherein she stores cleaning supplies, extension cords, tools, and practically anything else you would think to keep in a garage or basement cellar.
Upon further investigation, it appears that only a few simple items are needed to recreate the look. Rather than organize a garage, let's look into how we can recreate a homekeeping room.
We can see that Martha's space features plenty of cabinets, ranging from small-scale shelving units to closed-door cabinetry. By including a range of storage pieces in a homekeeping room, you are able to not only keep items organized but also clear clutter.
We are partial to clear storage bins, as they are easy to label as well as highly accessible thanks to their transparent material. Cabinetry also has a place, though, particularly if they have shelves.
Martha keeps clear storage bins at the bottom of her built-in dressers while cabinets sit on top of them. Additionally, she has included a high shelf closer to the ceiling, which features – you guessed it – more plastic storage bins (like these from Amazon).
Meanwhile, an island serves as a centerpiece to display brass accessories, as well as functioning as a workstation for any home projects. We love how Martha has made this island into a completely functional part of the space.
Finally, we would be remiss not to mention the gift-wrapping station, which features a built-in roll of wrapping paper attached to the wall. If gifts are your love language, this is a fantastic idea for the housekeeping area.
Shop homekeeping room essentials
It may seem unlikely to get excited about clear storage bins, but these pieces have changed that. We love how they're leakproof and easy to clean, making them perfect for food, crafts, or cleaning supplies.
BPA-free storage bins with lids are perfect for a homekeeping room. They're easy to stack and pop to the side if you need breaks when adaptive pacing, which is especially important if you suffer pain, fatigue or dealing with an injury. These will curb clutter.
Keep tools handy with this pegboard holder, which can hold up to 11 tools such as screwdrivers and wrenches.
Decluttering is just as important in a homekeeping room as it is in every other space. To stay on top of your space, Victoria Varney from Richard Grafton Interiors suggests dividing your decluttering tasks to avoid getting overwhelmed. 'Even decluttering a single drawer or shelf can make a difference,' she says.
'Make decluttering a regular habit to prevent buildup and keep your space organized. Adopt a rule where for every new item you bring an item into your home, you remove one. This helps maintain balance.'
It's also useful to divide your items into categories – especially in a housekeeping room where miscellaneous objects can gather.
'When decluttering, I find it helpful to divide items into four categories: keep, donate, recycle, and discard. Try to be honest about what you really need and actually use,' Victoria adds.
Got an unused area in your home that you're looking to spruce up? A housekeeping room could be the solution; just transfer some of your tools from your garage, get organized with storage bins, and you're already tapping into the look.
