7 Simple Steps To A Tidy Home!

For some right now, it's simply about muddling through the day in the best way possible, and that's perfectly fine *breathes a sigh of relief*. For others, the chaos that comes with working from home, home-schooling, working out in the sitting room, plus everyday activities such as cooking, crafting etc can feel a little overwhelming. And to be honest, my home is a bit of a mess at the best of times, right now, it's an all time high (I know it can be hard to see that from my pictures, but ask any friend and I'm sure they'll concur!). Can anyone else relate? Don't get me wrong, I LOVE it when my home is tidy, I'm just not always sure how to get there quickly!

For those of you who already have a wonderfully tidy home - or simply have come here today for a little eye candy - relax, sit back and enjoy the pictures (Esra's home is lovely!). 

But for those of you, who like me, could use a little guidance on keeping the mess at bay - and would love a calmer, more organised home - these 7 tips from Esra from @i.like.it.tidy - might just come in handy! 

Hi! My name is Esra and I live in Berlin, where I was also born and raised in Berlin. My partner and I have two children Max (7) and Mika (3) and a dog Bex. Our apartment is 160 square metre. It's an old house and very typical for Berlin - with its large rooms leading into one another and high ceilings. 

Our place is known for being super tidy, which is of course not true all the time. But I do like my home to be clean and tidy. I would therefore love to share my tips with you on how to keep your home tidy. 

7 Simple Ways to Keep Your Home Tidy

1. Declutter: I know this is so Marie Kondo, but it's the ultimate way to enjoy a tidy home. We tend to hoard things like candles, vases, and bedding, so start by going through your things and ask yourself: how often do I use this, and do I have too many of them? Start with the small things as these are the easiest to declutter. 

2. A place for everything: Everything you own needs to have a home - somewhere you can put it back after you have used it. If an item doesn't have a 'home', it will be in your way all the time and you will constantly move it around. Trust me, a home always feels calmer if nothing is in your way!

There's a useful article here about how to create a home for the tiny bits and pieces in your home. 

Wall mounted storage units are great for storing items you don't want to be on display. I particularly like IVAR units from IKEA since they can be painted the same colour as the wall - and you can combine them for extra storage.  

3. Avoid impulse buying: only buying the things you need is better for the environment and better for you. It's better to save money and invest in something valuable - and that you know you'll use for years to come, like a sofa or armchair. 

4. Children's rooms need lots of storage: always use big boxes or baskets so that kids can put things away easily. It's especially important that the storage containers are in easy reach - low shelves, drawers, containers etc. Let them literally throw things back - don't make it complicated for them. 

Above left and below: IKEA toy storage is ideal for little ones - it's low and the buckets make it easy for even the youngest of children to tidy their toys away. If your child has a small bedroom use storage that doubles up as furniture like low drawers that can also be used as seating, or drawers that tuck neatly under the bed. For tiny items like beads, nail polish etc (of which my girls have many) - the Moppe mini chest of drawers is a winner! 

5. Edit toys regularly: if you overload a kid's room with toys they don't use, they will quickly feel overwhelmed. If they'd like something new, try to sell or give something away that they no longer need at the same time, this will help keep toys at a manageable level. 

Above: is it just me, or do children tend to want you to read the same books over and over again? Usually the longest ones - to draw out bedtime! Why not keep a little book stand (the Douve book box* is similar) by the end of the bed - it will help keep their favourite books off the floor and in easy reach. Note the desk has built-in storage underneath so craft items can be quickly stowed away after use (this one is from IKEA). Woven seagrass baskets* are also super handy for storage - plus they can be flattened when not in use! 

6. Tidy-up straight away: Whether cooking or crafting with your children or carrying out your own tasks - always tidy up immediately after you have finished. Don't let the mess fester and take control. It's so much easier to tidy up in the moment than to be confronted with a huge mess at the end of a long day! 

Note Esra has combined two IVAR cabinets in the picture above  - one on top of the other. Store items that kids don't use daily higher up (or the pieces that require adult assistance like felt tips, paints etc!). 

 7. Make it routine: last but by no means least, try to do all the steps above as a routine to keep on top of your home, it's an ongoing process. Enjoy it. It will make you happier! 

Thank you so much for sharing these tips Esra. 

Perhaps you are already a neatnik and have your home perfectly well organised - if so, wonderful! 

If not, and you feel you have the time and energy (seriously, no pressure guys - I know times are tricky right now), shall we agree to make a start? Here are three things I'm going to do: 

1. Clear out our bed linen and towel cupboard - there are WAY too many things in there and I have a feeling that's why there are always about twenty towels on the go (it drives me insane!). 

2. Invest in more storage so that I have somewhere to put post and bills, as well as other small items like candles etc. I've realised not everything has a home! 

3. Encourage the entire family to deal with their clothes at the end of the day immediately (way too many 'chairobes' in this house!) - and while we're at it - our wardrobes could use an edit too! 

There you have it, in black and white! 

Is there anything you're thinking of doing at home after reading this? Or perhaps you have some great tips on how to keep a home tidy not covered here - if so, please do comment below! 

Niki

Photography: Esra / @i.like.it.tidy

*This post contains some affiliate links

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An Eclectic Home In The Heart Of Copenhagen

It's Friday friends! The weekend calls for something, don't you think? And today, I'm chatting to Ann Poulsen, a Dane who's passionate about DIY, sustainability and making her home feel as personal as possible. Velkommen to her beautiful Copenhagen apartment, decorated in a sea of colours, and adorned with art, vintage items and lovely, unique touches. 

Where do you live?

I live in an apartment in Copenhagen in an area called Island Brygge. 

Who do you share your home with? 

My boyfriend, Tim. He moved in a few months ago which explains why I haven't mentioned him in the renovating process on my instagram :)

What do you do for a living? 

I study Danish at Copenhagen University and also work in Langsamt, a store with a focus on sustainability. 

What is important to you when decorating your home? 

To design a space that feels like home and where I want to spend a lot of my time. Our home is our base. I feel best when things are tidy and I'm not surrounded by too much clutter. But it's also important to me that my home feels lived in. I also like my personality to shine through. I love to be creative and create a personal home where the decor is mainly made up of recycled and vintage finds. 

I love the tiles in your kitchen - where are they from? 

I bought them from a shop here in Copenhagen called Alverdens Fliser. I've always loved the herringbone pattern but there were so many colours to choose from! In the end I want for the beautiful blue and I've never regretted it! 

Your home is a wonderful, eclectic mix of colour and pieces - where do you find your inspiration from? 

I feel very inspired when I walk around secondhand shops. It always feels like I'm stepping back in time and it's fun to see the various trends from the past - I find the mix interesting. I also get a lot of inspiration from Pinterest and Instagram. 

 

Can you tell us a little about the colours you've chosen? 

In my bedroom I've chosen a mineral paint called Dusty Rose from Jotun Lady. It gives the room a raw, beautiful look and changes depending fin how the light hits it. In my kitchen, I've used Modern Beige from Jotun Lady. And in my living room, I've applied the yellow Gullhår from Jotun Lady. The green is from Bech & Jørgensen (colour code: 2014-N048). 

You have a lot of art on your walls - where do you buy it from?  

I like to buy posters from the exhibitions I have been to - it gives them a little history and art galleries always sell the finest art! I also buy a lot online. 

Did you make the piece in your bedroom (to the left) yourself? 

Yes! I made it around a year ago. It's quite easy to make with PU-foam, a canvas and the colour of your choice! 

Finally, what do you love most about your home? 

I love that it feels like home to both Tim and I. It's liberating to know I can decorate it however I like, and completely in my style. I don't think I will ever finish renovating - it's a never-ending project! 

Now that Tim's moved in, do you think he'll want to have a say in the decorating? 

No, not at all actually - he couldn't care less! He's really great as he never complains about the mess I make when I'm renovating either - and it can go for on for weeks! 

Thank you so much for telling us about your home Ann! 

You can see more snapshots and follow Ann's latest home decorating projects here. 

I love all the tones Ann's picked for her home - especially the blue tiles in the kitchen - refreshingly unique!  

Is there anything that stood out to you?

How about a few other Danish homes to enjoy over the weekend? Here are some of my favourites: 

Welcome inside the home of a Danish interior design consultant

On trend ceilings, art and books galore in a Danish home

A dreamy Danish home full of arts, books and design

Well folks, that's it from me this week. I hope you've enjoyed all the inspiration! Thank you so much for all your comments, I love reading each and every one of them - they're part of what makes this space a great community of fellow Scandic-design lovers! 

Trevlig helg!

Niki

Photography: Ann Poulsen

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Laura Luoto's Inspiring Second-hand & DIY Helsinki Home

So finally, THAT Finnish apartment I promised to share with you! The beautiful 1950s apartment is nestled in the heart of Helsinki (such a great city - I can't wait to go back one day!) and belongs to interior designer Laura Luoto and her boyfriend Ville. Laura has had a passion for all things second-hand ever since she was a child and the pair have decorated the 43 m2 space using a blend of wonderful flea market finds as well as pieces she has built herself and the odd contemporary piece. I couldn't resist reaching out to Laura to find out more. 

What do you do for a living?

I am an interior designer - with a passion for designing well thought-out homes for my clients. I strive to create high quality, practical spaces with a beautiful aesthetic. It's important to me that a living space feels harmonious so that the mind can rest. 

Can you tell us about your passion for second-hand?

My passion for second hand started when I was very young from when we used to visit flea markets as a family. At that time, I would spend all my money buying clothes from thrift stores but at some point, I started to become more interested in purchasing cool and eclectic items for my own room. When I moved into my own apartment, my budget was small, so buying second-hand allowed me to fill up my apartment with cool finds. 

What's the best thing about buying secondhand things for your home? 

I love the idea that no one has a home like mine since most of the pieces are one-of-a-kind. The uniqueness is what makes this apartment feel like home to me. 

Do you need adjust the pieces you find second-hand?

Absolutely. I love leaving my own mark on pieces - and when I adapt them, I feel even more connected to my home because I've worked hard to make it my own. 

I see from your website that you also make your own furniture occasionally?

Yes, when I can't find something I am looking for within my budget, I sometimes make it myself. For example the coffee table in the first picture is handmade! 

See Laura's instagram highlights for more information on how to make a table like this. 

Lovely home! 

It's also so inspiring to learn that you don't need to spend a fortune to create a beautiful and unique living space. Time to hit those flea markets - and get the toolbox out! 

See more of Laura's home over at @Laura_luoto (there are some great DIY ideas there) and find out more about her work / services as an interior designer here. 

Feel inspired by other second-hand homes here (don't miss Ida's home, a Norwegian cottage with a wabi sabi vibe and a hyggeligt Danish home on Jutland!- or join the Finnish home love fest in this archive! 

That's it from me this week. I've got a photoshoot at home today for Carpe Diem Beds for which I'll be transforming my bedroom into a luxury winter haven. Sounds heavenly, don't you think? It's no coincidence that I've timed the shoot right before the weekend!

Have a great one guys, see you Monday! 

Niki

Photography:  All pictures by Krista Keltanen and Jonna Kivilahti except 2 & 4 which are by Laura Luoto - shared with kind permission

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Beautiful Danish Lamps In My Study - In Shades of Toffee and Smoke

Brand news: 

A few weeks ago, I showed a beautiful photographer's home from the Danish island of Bornholm - and it was a perfect reminder of the sheer creativity on the island. As you're aware, one of my favourite 'makers' is located right there in the Baltic Sea: Pernille Bülow. I absolutely can't get enough of her mouth blown SKY lamps, and Per is mesmerised too (always helpful when the man is on board too, don't you think?!). A few weeks ago Pernille Bülow launched three new beautiful shades: Smoke, Toffee and Green. As a fan of all things earthy, I immediately reached out about the toffee and smoke variant to hang in my home office along with hate clear version I already have. It was like everything just fell into place. Don't you love it when a plan comes together?! 

The mouth blown glass pendants all have unique organic shapes and feel so beautifully smooth. I love the small imperfections too as they show that they are individually made in the atelier. 

For this cluster I have used: Smoke large, Toffee medium, Clear gold medium.  

You can choose between brass / gold or chrome / grey fittings (I love the former for my home) and if tones of brown aren't your thing there are 11 different colours to choose from (they also look great hung individually). 

I love it when a plan comes together! 

Could you imagine having the these beautiful lamps somewhere in your home? 

If you're curious about where else you might be able to hang them, check out how they look in other areas of my home (and in various shades):

Dining area

Over a vintage bar cart

In the kitchen

FYI they ship worldwide. 

I love my little home office even more now. In other news: Per is teaching from home right now and there's always a little tussle over who sits here. So, this week I'm turning the window nook in our bedroom into a home office / study just for him. Keep an eye on the blog for the results (and hopefully, one very happy man). 

Niki

This post is brought to you in collaboration with Pernille Bülow, however all words and pictures are my own. Thank you for supporting the wonderful businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible! 

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Lighting-up Time: Three New Lamps In My Home

MSH partnership, all words are my own:

Lighting. One of the single most important factors in the home and often completely underestimated. Not only can good lighting make a room (or a part of a room) feel more comfortable, user-friendly, and practical - it can change the entire feeling of a space. Of course, natural light is the best, but sometimes it just doesn't quite cut the mustard, especially in wintertime (don't even get me started on the darkness here in Sweden right now!). So, ensuring you have enough lighting in your home at this time of year is essential. 

I usually think of it as the magic three: lighting that makes everything in the room more visible (ambient / general lighting), lighting that accentuates favourite features (accent lighting) and lighting that helps you to do specific tasks (you guessed it, task lighting!). I knew we had too little of all three in my home, so I recently did an audit - and picked up three beautiful new lights from Hudson Valley Lighting Group. Would you like to see them? 

1. Bowery Table Lamp

Our home office was the first area to get an update, in the form of the Bowery table lamp. You know me, I have a real weakness for brass - especially when it has an aged, old look and unique details, and this one is a real beauty! 

My desk looks so much more inviting now, especially as the sun starts to lower in the sky - maybe I'll get more work done now! 

2. Nora pendant lamp

You might recall the recent make-over in Liv's bedroom which I completed earlier this year. I was distinctively aware that the room wasn't finished (nothing is ever 'finished' in my home and that's just the way I like it!). Live and I have been layering the room with pretty things ever since and one of the most important factors, was an additional lamp.  She already has a great reading lamp on the other side of the bed and an overhead lamp so I was really looking for nice ambient lighting to give the space a calming feel. 

We chose the Nora lamp in aged brass and glass by Mitzi. I love that it's quite small yet catches the light like a jewel!

We draped the cable across the ceiling to give it a relaxed, playful touch. 

It's so pretty, and adds a lovely, warm feel at night! 

3. Corinth Pendant

This beautiful pendant, named Corinth made an instant difference to the room. So much so, my youngest daughter got home from school (it was already dark, such is southern Sweden at this time of year) and said 'WOW, it's so nice and light in here'. It honestly added a whole new dimension to the room and turned the bar cart area into a great focal point. 

One of the great things about this elegant lamp is that you get to decide the length / how far it hangs down from the ceiling as it comes with three sections of brass tubing. I went for two sections.

Plus of course, it adds a decorative touch to the room (I love the aged brass and glass combo) and since I selected a bulb with a warm tone, it emits a wonderful warm, diffused accent light after sunset! 

I know it sounds funny, especially as we've lived in our house for fourteen years, but adding these lamps made our living space feel so much more complete. That's the beauty of layering a home over time!

Do you have a favourite?

Check out the entire Hudson valley Lighting Group collection. 

I'd love to hear about your lighting situation at home - do you feel you have enough? perhaps you have a favourite fixture? Or one you dislike! Do share in the comment section below.  

Niki

Photography: Niki Brantmark 

Styling: Helen Sturesson

*This is a paid post in collaboration with Hudson Valley Lighting Group. All words and lamp choices are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too. Thank you for supporting the businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible. 

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