The Biggest Interior Design Mistake

[@the_eerie_faerie_tales]

Don't forget storage for the VHS tapes and the 6-disc changer stereo 🤭

[@Nick_Lewis]

lol Can you tell I don't script my videos and just start talking like a true extrovert? The stuff that just falls out of my mouth makes me go "what did I just say?"

[@the_eerie_faerie_tales]

@@Nick_Lewis to be fair I actually had both of these things up until recently . that's why it's funny to me 😆

[@Card_Crazed]

I think hubby digitized all of the VHS tapes, and we still have a 6 disc CD machine... just no amp to go with it... unless it died... sorry, memory like a sieve. Hubby is a collector, so we have lots of video games (especially retro games) music (including vinyl), plus our hobbies supplies. Our 750 sq ft condo looks like a workroom. We just put up a shed in the back, so hopefully, once we move stuff into there, we will have a bit of breathing room :)

[@brex4258]

@@Nick_Lewis Hi Nick, just made a comment about you helping us with our apartment transformation. We stumbled upon “motel makeover” last night and cringe watched it - have you seen it? I wonder if you can come out with some reaction to it. Lol

[@Nick_Lewis]

@@brex4258 I have not that but that would be fun! I have a react video for 5 minute crafts going up next week so we'll see if people like those types of videos!

[@MichaelBrown.U.K]

Imagine Nick tells his friends/family he's coming to visit. "Oh god he's coming, hide EVERYTHING"

[@Nick_Lewis]

Oh trust me they don't. 😂 They just put up with me and I seem to get away with it! haha

[@taneicalyn8272]

🤣😂🤣

[@randomyoutubeperson6954]

Lmao I'd put drop sheets over everything and say I'm in the middle of painting the walls 🤣

[@victoriaf.74]

😂😂😂😂

[@dogie1070]

😂👍❤️

[@JWG2014]

Stereo / Game consoles / Audio equipment is not on display.. its open because HEAT kills them.

[@JagannathandPrema]

People don’t have medicine cabinets anymore because every time you close it, there’s a monster behind you. IT’S SCIENCE.

[@twistoffate4791]

Ha!! I love your comment!

[@Silvio67]

Candyman candyman candyman candyman .....

[@13utoober]

Hahahahaha! And...Scaaary!

[@annfraley-mylife]

LOL! So, you have no mirrors at all?

[@jmorbeauty]

😂😂😂😂

[@cliftonmcnalley8469]

As a designer and a person that cooks, I say make the kitchen function first and foremost. I don't worry that my food processor is 30 years old with a discolored housing. If I bury it in a cabinet, it's not useful to use. I think it's much more important if you have a smaller kitchen to NEVER sit anything on a countertop because it's "cute" or "on trend". If you need quick access to an appliance or your wok, style them as best you can and relegate all "decorations" to other rooms to get rid of clutter in the kitchen.

[@bellabana]

I think it’s still possible to place a food processor in a cupboard which has very easy access, especially if it’s old and tired looking. After all you open draws to access crockery and cutlery everyday so it’s not that hard.

[@buddyneher9359]

@@bellabana a food processor is a lot bulkier and heavier than pieces of crockery and cutlery. Plus it has a cord that needs to be plugged in. I agree with @Clifton Mcnalley - function first!

[@cliftonmcnalley8469]

@@bellabana it is very hard if you have no cupboard and all cabinets are full. Especially those cabinets easy to access. Why have anything on a countertop in a kitchen that is purely decorative - most especially a small kitchen? It makes more sense to store the fancy heavy kitchen aid mixer that gets used 3 or 4 times a year, rather than a food processor used 1 to 3 times a week.

[@aliciakathreine7003]

@@cliftonmcnalley8469 Agree. I use my air fryer everyday. It's an oven style air fryer. I don't store my microwave so why would I store my air fryer.

[@WhatsBliss]

@@bellabana I think that very much depends on your kitchen

[@roxroxroxgrace]

Nick: Who has a DVD player anymore? Me: *side-eyes my VCR*

[@asmrmaroxa]

what about beta?

[@TeresaFroggy756]

🙋🏻‍♀️😄

[@ozvoyager]

When it comes to clutter my biggest bugbear is "bed junk" - a crime typically committed by interior designers and slavishly copied by homeowners trying to be chic. You know what I mean: all those extra pillows, bolsters and cushions that decorate a bed for no good reason, since they are NEVER used or even intended for use. They're supposed to add a luxe feel, but they just look ridiculous since they're entirely superfluous and, more often than not, they stray into silly, with loads of tassels, sparkles, questionable embroidery and faux fur. Most of which would be instantly recognised as kitsch in any other setting, yet somehow becomes acceptable to some when they're placed on a bed. Moreover, all this junk has to be tediously removed before you can actually use the bed (at which point it needlessly clutters up the rest of the room - and at the very point when you're actually using it!), then laboriously replaced in the morning, adding minutes to bed-making that nobody really has. Whoever invented "bed junk" should be named and shamed and forever mocked for the offence. And any designer or decorator who perpetuates bed junk should hang their head in shame. A bed can look perfectly nice with just a duvet and a couple of pillows. Two extra pillows for reading in bed if you must, and at the very most. Anything beyond that is a bed junk crime.

[@Wendy-eb2tl]

I agree with you. I hate bed junk too!

[@YourEveryPicture7]

I don't like bed junk; but I hv 4 pillows & about 4-6 smaller cushions. Plain, simple cushions in earth tones, 2 are quite small (I love earth tones & simple, elegant design) note - anybody who hates my cushions can go **** up a rope, I love them. (I would NEVER hv tassels or gilt, or dodgy embossed design, & my bed looks lovely. Personal preference is VERY important 🤗💜🙏💜

[@HeleneLogan]

'Bed Junk Crime' needs to be a band name! LOL

[@FarmGirl437]

@@HeleneLogan as well as bugbear!! 😍

[@aubreyackermann8432]

With exceptions for disabilities- some people genuinely need tons of giant pillows. But I don't understand pure bed junk either.

[@carinab.1923]

Love this guy so much. I mean seriously, I am sick of these trendy videos where all the youtubers basically just copy each other with their "advice" that sound great but don't work. With Nick, I feel I get real life experience advice. I also love the way he expresses his "hate" towards certain things, that he is aware that it's only his opinion and you can still follow your own path. What fun and interesting 20 minutes on my Saturday afternoon.

[@robinbirdj743]

This was my least favorite of his videos though because of his pedestal sink and open shelving bashing- again. Vanities are a great place to hide a leaky pipe that then causes rot in the cabinet then is left u detected so rots the floor beneath. I clean homes and I have been a homeowner. This is a fact. A pedestal sink helps this issue 500%. Get rid of unneeded items and thoughtfully store the rest. Then your home will look much more beautiful. I said that with 18 words. I need pictures. And for that, I need Nick!

[@letsmakeout1990]

Mirror cabinet on the wall. I can get to my pipes ☺️

[@thedustwhispered]

​@@robinbirdj743 i despise pedestal sinks. my apartment has one and the water gets everywhere, especially on the back of the sink where the pedestal is... and the pedestal is wood, so it's just water damaged all over. so ugly. i wish i could replace it.

[@Hannah68-n7l]

I just found him today.. he’s fabulous

[@serenasaystoday]

I'm really bad at keeping things in storage because I'm very much an out of sight out of mind person. Keeping things out in the open forces me to assess what I really need and get rid of the rest, and also motivates me to ensure the things I do need look good. But it's really hard to avoid clutter. The struggle is real!

[@aygul386]

I like shallow cabinets for that reason. You can see everything at once when you open the door. It's impossible to find these in stores though!

[@liisaking1247]

My guess is that Nick prioritizes visual calm over visual abundance. You need to see your things or you will forget you own them (this is how some people end up with a dozen pairs of scissors or 7 nail clippers). Different people are different, and what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. A functional but not aesthetically pleasing home is still far better than one that is dysfunctional!

[@brittanyt729]

It would be nice if designers would actually make the needs of the individual as important as aesthetic. I imagine a truly good designer should figure out how to do both. Design isn’t just about how something looks but also should be about creating solutions to problems.

[@alleaufihreposition]

With these "out of sight out of mind" it's an ADHD thing. I try to lay important things on display if I think I need it in the next days, for example. After that, I put it away to get a mostly clutter free home. ADHD girl here...

[@heathershay5260]

Same

[@peggyjones3282]

Your main message: put your stuff away. Clean up after yourself. Your home will look 1000 times better!

[@robinbirdj743]

We both said that in 18 words. I wish Nick had been more concise, but with more photos.

[@kaasmeester5903]

Yes but the effort. If Nick would ever visit, the following might ensue: "Why is there a christmas tree in your garage?" - "This is not a garage, it's the living room! Just shove that mattress out of the way and have a seat" "So why is there a lawnmower here? Also, christmas was like 5 months ago" - "The lawnmower needs fixing" "Don't you have a workshop for that?" - "Yes but it's full of other crap like fitness equipment" "So it's not a workshop but a gym" - "It would be a gym but for all the tools and lumber piled onto the fitness equipment" BTW that is really what my house looks like right now. We do tidy the place from time to time but things get away from us too quickly...

[@evasilvalayton758]

You are awesome 😂

[@letsmakeout1990]

Shut the fridge Peggy has it!!! SO true! To be honest though I would settle for every single human picking their dog poo up off the inside floors 🙃

[@jessbarnes8521]

I love bookshelves filled with books. I value books and believe it encourages kids to just flick through them. Additionally I believe they add character and homeliness to a living space.

[@ChrisstinaMorgan]

When I was 17 I decided to make my book shelves with glass doors to look good.... That was the first time in my life when I found out about styling and decor. Because my books kept looking ugly no matter what I was doing... I even got to idea that better to get some tinting and stick it to the glass doors to not see those books inside....

[@Ruthbaby175]

Books are beautiful!

[@anetakibanaki6350]

Books are beautiful by default and I love entering a home with packed bookshelves.

[@cjapplebaum6423]

In defense of open shelving: having those open shelves forces you to keep your space nicer. I can't count the number of cabinets, drawers, and otherwise closed storage that just turned into drawers of doom containing gd-knows-what. With open shelving, I'm forced to actually think about what I own, and keep my space organized. Do I own things that aren't beautiful? Sure, I guess. However, having the open shelving makes me think of ways to really honor everything I own. Am I sure I want to keep items that stay in a drawer for 90% of the year? Do I really want to hide items I love and use regularly just because they're "ugly?" How is a little useless tchotchke that matches a color scheme not "clutter," but my favorite books are?

[@texasstardust6010]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🙂😊... Agree 💯 percent. A lot of drawers, etc ... yeah. Great . An Abyss of All -Kinds- of Who- knows What ...lol.

[@judys5767]

I think open shelving in the kitchen seems to be just for display but not adequate storage.

[@SpiralMystic]

Great point.

[@homeandgardendiy6363]

Kudos to you, CJ, for spelling "tchotchke" correctly. 😄

[@rossatkinson8621]

Agreed my parents pretty much only own drawers and. Closed shelves, they pretty much just dump stuff in without thinking

[@jenniliberty4287]

Basically, organization doesn’t mean minimalism. Have homes for your things 😊

[@Nick_Lewis]

Exactly.

[@lynncrf]

That is Marie Kondo's philosophy too.

[@wibblewobble489]

Similarly though- if you have to buy stuff to organise your stuff- you have too much stuff!

[@whatsthekeytothekeykat]

@@wibblewobble489 not really. Without some basic furnishings, even if one only owned basics and essentials, everything would just be laying all over the floor 😆

[@Pope_Khajiit]

4:28, generally it's not a good idea to hide your soundbar inside a cabinet. Otherwise the sound isn't going to be heard properly and what would be the point of a soundbar then? Actually, never hide your soundbar - it needs air! Also, electronic devices (gaming consoles, media players, routers) should have plenty of airflow because those things get hot! Keeping them trapped inside will more likely cause them to overheat and possibly suffer damage.

[@mffmoniz2948]

I have an open shelves tv stand where I keep all the other related appliances. They can't be inside drawers or behind doors because they need the airflow. But it leaves me with little things that need to go there as well that will look like clutter. My solution was a few baskets. For example, a big basket with all the games. When I'm cleaning the dust, I just grab one basket instead of however many individual games.

[@love2laughwa]

I AGREE!! You have to consider function. I have my soundbar attached to my TV mount. It has sound coming out of the ends as well as the front.

[@letsmakeout1990]

Yeaaah PS5 is hiding on top of the Kallax behind a plant. It’s not ugly to be fair so I can cope 😂 most people don’t even see it until we suggest playing 💁🏻‍♀️ who knew a snake plant and pilea camo PlayStations!?

[@drfoto2673]

Also, often your consoles are something that brings you joy, so they should be visible and on display, just try your best to hide the wiring. Same with the game collection or DVD/Blu-ray, though nowadays physical media is not as common, those are akin to books in my opinion and something that should be intentionally displayed. Sure, don't just chuck them somewhere, that will look like a mess, but display them with joy. If you hide what makes you happy and what you love, you also hide yourself.

[@sandrasuitt6439]

Very good advice. Did you happen to notice the picture he showed of the cabinet with all the ventilation that was so gorgeous?

[@the_eerie_faerie_tales]

As an avid reader... there is no "extra space" on my bookshelves 😆

[@Nick_Lewis]

I do love the look of a full bookshelf to be clear. It just needs to be intentional - that's the key. Everything on display needs to be thoughtfully considered.

[@the_eerie_faerie_tales]

@@Nick_Lewis I do manage to sprinkle some decos in with all the books.. my shelves are their own little wonderland. I just love looking at them 😁

[@katarinawikholm5873]

You can style a shelf than has some book. You can’t style a bookshelf bc it’s full of books. The only way … is getting even more shelves

[@lizcademy4809]

I have more books than many public libraries 😯The only way I can keep track is to shelve them by genre, then alphabetical by author. The only styling I do is put standard paperbacks together, larger books on a shelf below. On the paperback shelves, I often have extra width. I'll push the books to the back and style the area in front. There's room for things like interesting rocks, small sculptures, a container of bookmarks ...

[@bugsbunny2357]

@@Nick_Lewis I bought a bookcase with glass doors and then I massively curated the books on display (mostly all classics that I need to read before I die). I have the books I need for reference in a closed filing cabinet in my den and unfortunately still have a small open bookcase in my dining room with cookbooks, nutrition and health books and some new age books (it's a thin sofa table console bookcase thingy)... I have a nice place; but, I regularly get buried by actually living in it (and not spending every waking hour I am not working for pay cleaning and organizing). I have been decluttering my whole life; but, I made more of a concerted effort for a couple of years and I swear I am not bring one more item into this place that doesn't replace something that is broken (which currently appears to be my dishwasher this morning).

[@sue2611]

The bonus to storing all of those items is that cleaning goes much faster. Great video.

[@Camille4Real]

Man! I learned the open shelves thing the hard way when my husband and I first moved in together. If it's open, he's going to fill it with paper, junk, cups, wrappers... (sigh). So all of our furniture pieces must be CLOSED. It detours him from just putting stuff where ever.

[@justputflowersonit8107]

Mine does the same thing!

[@Nick_Lewis]

Doors are like magic! 🪄 hide the ugly stuff!

[@dianeguy7452]

I feel you

[@leslierobertson385]

@@Nick_Lewis Even if it's a barn door? 😀

[@Hiphop618]

Have you tried asking him to just.... not do that?

[@cs4849]

First, I completely agree. Although I have a couple of open shelves in the kitchen, they only hold pottery and nice glassware. In general, clutter just makes me antsy. I’d add this - don’t just stow away things that ought not be displayed, but seriously consider whether they deserve a spot in your home at all. Most people have too many clothes, too many toiletries, too many gadgets, too much kitchenware. If you pare down, it is much less of a problem to stash things away that don’t need to be out and you don’t need tons of storage.

[@realgirl2704]

Exactly!!!

[@CookieDr007]

The last part! I went through my bathroom cupboard and discovered I had 7 different heat protector sprays ..7 👀😳😵 I don't think I'd even be able to use them before they went bad so I'm gifting them to friends who curl their hair every day because I'm certainly not hahaha

[@robinbirdj743]

It almost made me gag when I saw all those open pots and tubes of makeup everywhere on that vanity. His message was, get a vanity! (and remove the clutter). People,don’t- because how can you organize all that in a sleek and stylish way)? This is where I feel Nick really let me down with this video. 1) Use less, buy less. 2) when we do buy or bring something in, we often don’t consider where it will live and how or where it will be used, so consider those things 3)hide what can be hidden 4) have fewer horizontal surfaces as they are cluttter magnets! Have a pedestal sink!

[@KEJosephFavorites]

This design advice sounds so simple, but it makes a HUGE difference.

[@Nick_Lewis]

Not sexy, but needed advice. Storage baby!

[@bugsbunny2357]

It's kind of a basic decluttering video. Because whatever you cannot store you have to get rid of. Nick has a mean streak -- LOL.

[@RadCenter]

YES! BRING BACK MEDICINE CABINETS! Whoever decided toiletries belong in drawers and baskets was wrong, wrong, wrong.

[@choirguy100]

Lol. You remind me of the HGTV renovations shows I used to watch. When they show the reno people walking through the spaces they’re gonna work on, half the time they don’t need a renovation. If people just picked up all the junk and store it or toss it, problem is solved 😂. Speaking of that, time for me to go “renovate” my kitchen 😉😁

[@meganrosbury3504]

I do agree with all Nick’s points, but I think organization styles should be taken into consideration. For example, people with ADHD often forget about items that are stored out of sight. The Clutter Bug channel has an interesting take for “butterflies” method and shows how things can be out but organized and more aesthetically pleasing

[@holly7869]

I completely agree. However, as an adult with ADD, I can manage to remember which drawer my silverware is hiding in...most of the time. Good thing there aren't many drawers. Also for me having cluttered countertops would mess with my mind in such a way as to make it impenetrable. Anyway, I must have room for the GIANT mess I always make when I cook. I'm super good at filling the dishwasher!

[@gingereiss9099]

This!!! 100% I'm a visual organizer and need to see certain items.

[@CookieDr007]

I love Cassandra's channel and Hot Mess House show it's really helped my husband and I find common ground on how best to organize our house in a way we both like and can commit to maintaining 💓🙌🏽

[@princesskkay221]

You can keep things displayed but organized. Ex. I organize batteries. I bought a clear tackle box on Amazon and I store all different size batteries in there and store it on a shelf in the garage. The box is out of sight but everyone knows exactly where the batteries are & where to go if they need one. No hunting though junk drawers or borrowing batteries from other items

[@pagesculptor]

I have my shit stored in clear bins in very specific parts of the home. That way I know exactly where to go and look before I go to purchase something. These areas are no go zones for my family. They are not allowed to store stuff without my permission and then I have to be the person to give it space.

[@nogames8982]

Well darn, a room full of crap and calling it Maximalism was my plan. I guess I'll have to come up with a new plan😜

[@katsee8699]

Just call it Crapilism and create a new trend. :D

[@elizaonthemountain3464]

😂😂 both comments just 😂😂😂

[@serendipityshopnyc]

Hey, I like being able to see my books and DVDs all the time. My visitors also seem to like it: they're often a conversation starter. Not everything needs to be hidden behind doors. Exactly how much needs to be stored is a personal matter. But I have to agree about clutter on the coffee table etc. Horizontal surfaces really attract junk.

[@katsee8699]

I have an open shelf for my books as well and the good thing is, that I don't need any unnecessary decoration things, because the books are the decoration. :)

[@noneofyourbusiness1142]

My books are always "on display"

[@bilindalaw-morley161]

I def agree about books. I've been a devoted, sometimes addicted reader all my life. I have antique books, books my parents were given when they were kids, and quite a few what would normally be coffee table books. I love my books, I get pleasure just from looking at my shelves. There's no way I'd ever think of books as clutter. . Paper backs n library books are in Billy shelves in my room but my lounge room has solid pine shelves holding my collection.

[@letsmakeout1990]

I have every single one of my books displayed. If you are a film buff, I think displaying a massive DVD collection is cool. I’m not so I like to hide them and show my books. I think it depends what you are into, we also have glass cabinets full of Lego some would say what is essentially a kids toy is junk but we love it and designed the living room around the ability to display legos ☺️

[@maryegerton6848]

This is a great video! I hate, loathe and despise clutter. It makes me feel overwhelmed and kind of anxious. I’m no minimalist but I believe everything should have a place.

[@gageiger]

Me too!! I can't stand clutter either, especially in the kitchen. I hate bookshelves for this reason - usually just another collection of stuff that needs to be dusted. IMHO... but if you love looking at your treasures, and dusting them, fill your boots. For me, even my drawers have to be organized because I also can't stand not finding things. Less is definitely more, but I don't like things looking bare either.

[@deecee901]

Me too however I'm surrounded by it. Not enough room after downsizing. I'm working on it. My mom.died too....more stuff..

[@chrissyt_artist1960]

Me too! 💛

[@candersson65]

Physical clutter = mental clutter

[@karenk2409]

Amen!! Decluttering solves a multitude of problems. Also, periodic purging of areas that start accumulating stuff you really don't need. Last month my linen closet got reduced by nearly half. SPCA got all the discard towels and sheets and were grateful.

[@lauriemorris9175]

I looooooved this video. 🤩 I'm not a minimalist but since I moved into a smaller house 3 years ago I've become acutely conscious of stuff, junk, and clutter. Until this house I always used the space under the bed for storage. Here, I decided I no longer wanted to sleep with all my unused, ill-fitting clothes that I might wear 'someday.' When I got rid of all that crap I felt so free. I also got a different bed frame a little lower to the ground, so no boxes will fit under there. It's like a breath of fresh air - no more pretending that 'someday' I'd need any of that crap.This is not a new house but it was recently renovated before we moved in. It's got a galley kitchen with some open shelving and I love it. I store everyday items in matching bins which are so easy for me to reach. My dishes and glassware are stored in deep kitchen drawers which, IDK, might sound weird but for the first time in my entire life this short person can reach her damn dishes and drinking glasses!! There's an enormous kitchen island, with absolutely nothing stored on it. My coffee maker, toaster oven, etc. are on the opposite wall, where the open shelving is. My bathroom has a large counter space with nothing stored on it. Seeing it clear of clutter makes me happy. Everything is stored away. I've had bigger houses and newer houses, but in this house I've gotten a handle on clutter and it feels great.

[@StephanieMarie]

Our last home had modern built-in bookcases on either side of the fireplace. I loved them at first because I curated/styled them appropriately. But over time, I started questioning WHY they were there just to hold STUFF I just had to dust all the time. What I had first loved started to appear cluttered to me - even when it was beautifully styled. It was just so much...stuff! With the house we're building now, I opted to place beautiful consoles (with doors for storage) with artwork above them on either side of the fireplace. I still have the low storage I had with built-ins but was able to find some really great pieces for the space. And instead of stuff on shelves, there will be art as the focal point. I swear it took our builders a while to get used to the fact that we were not doing built-ins. They kept questioning me because built-ins are still so commonly done. I get it, but it's not for me anymore! Great video as usual Nick!

[@bugsbunny2357]

Nice to hear. When I was buying furniture when my house was new the lady at Ethan Allen told me that built ins will never look as good as nice furniture. So, I put nice bombe chests on either side of the fireplace and I hung art work. I do have a TV on one side and my stereo unit on the other. But, black looks good up against medium wood tone. I love it -- had it this way since around 2005. I've never gotten tired of it. The Bombe chests are full of blu ray movies and tv series (but, you cannot see any of it).

[@653j521]

@@bugsbunny2357 Well she would say that, wanting to sell furniture. :) With built ins you better be sure you like them. With furniture you can experiment.

[@dawnreneegmail]

Range hood flanked with shelves, great for cooking stuff at hand though recently saw and liked the ceiling to countertop style hutch. I'm boho so that could go wrong stylistically. My So Cal place has no entryway coat closet. A wall wide built in could serve one side for that coat closet. Mid section could be a prebuilt no hole in the wall space to connect a TV with wire harness & power pulled through, doors to hide the set, far end closed storage but I would lose prime space in the place and just not that motivated. Complete renovation 3 years ago for this former mess was enough. Shelves saved a ton of 💰 at the time too. I agree great vids Nick🤗

[@KelDanceswithChaos]

We had built-ins next to a fireplace that was essentially a low countertop with cabinets and drawers that were so small that you couldn't store the things you often wanted to store there. The top was a completely open bookshelf that just look cluttered all the time. When I ended up remodeling my kitchen I ripped out those cabinets, put a much taller counter there with storage that actually can store what I need to do on the bottom. I still did a built-in on the top but now the space has two closed areas with a covered door and a very small open display area with glass shelving in the middle. This way there's a small area of something to look at that's pretty, but everything else is covered for storage. Since it's one of those recessed areas, finding the right piece of furniture to look there that wouldn't have just made the space look smaller would have been odd. It's really funny how if you build cabinets to a ceiling and furniture to a wall, it can often make the space actually look bigger even though the furniture and built-in is taking up more space. with all the upper cabinets now going to the ceiling instead of leaving the dust collecting one foot gap, all the space feels bigger instead of smaller because it fits better.

[@dianeevans2708]

Can I relate. The house we purchased 18 years ago had built ins on each side of the fireplace. Made the room look closed in. HATED THEM. Much to the horror of many, we took them out, and also removed a few course of bricks that were at a strange height on the fireplace and my husband built a new mantle - looked 100% better after. We put pendant lights on the wall and art work - no comparison! The lower storage is a great idea!

[@TheAhhleena]

Hey Nick!! I just wanted to say that I LOVE the sound effects that you added whenever there’s an image on the screen. I listen to a lot of your videos so this “water drop blurp” sound really alerts me that I should glance at the photo on the screen. GREAT JOB! I absolutely LOVE that! It’s incredibly helpful and I wish more creators did that! 👏👏

[@kateschneider342]

This is a great video but the trick is keeping those thing in the storage. You can have all the organized storage you want. If you or your loved ones don’t put the clutter back….it is still cluttered.

[@YunnieLuff]

As silly as it sounds I always assumed open shelving was for students renting makeshift places because they usually only have like 3 cups and 2 pots so it was naturally a minimalist lifestyle.

[@4mpersan]

I’d love to see a video on your ideas for giving a builder-grade home more personality once it’s built!

[@BreeOlson9]

Oh I love this

[@mariannebecker5132]

I love this idea. I think it applies to most of us who watch these videos.

[@braidedsilver]

Great idea

[@auggiedoggiesmommy1734]

First and foremost .l.if you possibly can …upgrade the trim and appliance package or negotiate getting the cash towards the appliances and picking out your own.

[@4mpersan]

​@@auggiedoggiesmommy1734 My question is about a home that's already built, not one that's under construction. Good tip, but it doesn't apply here. :)

[@susanma4899]

This one made me chuckle. It's more about how my home looks on a daily basis vs how it looks for photos or if I'm inviting someone over. I mean, I'm here by myself, do I really need to hide everything? I do try to be relatively organized and put things away that I have no intention of using anytime soon...but still, my house does not look like a hotel. It just doesn't, and that's fine with me.

[@adrielrowley]

Susan, totally understand. I find it more calm having less stuff out, plus here in the desert things left out get dusty. What I have had happen is folks giving short notice they are coming, so with less stuff out, things look neater. I am finding a balance between cluttered (like my grandparents and Dad) and "hotel". Hope this helps.

[@StealingSunsets]

some folks don’t understand the difference though. this advice is for people who want a pretty space but genuinely don’t understand what they’re doing wrong (clutter)

[@Izabela-ek5nh]

I have too much clutter but the more I care about it and the more clutter or tools I hide or get rid of, the less overwhelmed I become in my everyday homelife being a HSP person. I need homey home but not necessarily filled with potentially useful shoe boxes, empty plastic bottles (kids!!!), some random cups around, small plywood pieces (can be useful!) and baskets with any kind of utensils, including a fox' skull and wires and pliers. And about 40 houseplant pots I jave no space for and they just stand. On my kitchen floor. No idea how did it happen I have so many. And I love'em all. No getting rid of any ;) drama! 😂

[@thatjillgirl]

Sometimes, though, having your space be aesthetically pleasing can be worth it even if you're the only one who sees it, just because it feels more pleasant to be there. Walking into a room you love the look of can be quite calming and nice. I feel that way when I walk into my library. On the other hand, walking into a room that has a lot of visual clutter can cause this sort of low buzz of stress that you might not even be fully aware of but you just experience it as never being quite fully relaxed and at home in the space. Obviously that isn't true for everybody, but sometimes having a living space you genuinely enjoy looking at can make a difference.

[@susanma4899]

@@thatjillgirl Well, yeah. My space is aesthetically pleasing. I just don't hide everything. I'm not disagreeing w Nick, far from it. Also I mentioned that I live alone--if I had kids I'd be fighting a daily battle to control the chaos, that's for sure.

[@jessakent2049]

I love your tips and solutions. As a maximalist, I'm always interested in how to keep maximalism from turning into clutter. Always taking notes during these videos! Don't forget that if your bed doesn't have much space, you can get lifts that go under the bed legs to give you more space. For maximalists, there's nothing wrong with a cool bed skirt made from fabric used elsewhere in the room to hide it all.

[@pageandpetals]

Yes! Bed lifts are such a game changer when it comes to under-the-bed storage. I got some when I moved a couple months ago and I can fit so much more underneath because there's more headroom. (Figuratively AND literally. If I need something under the bed, but can't quite reach it, I can actually wiggle underneath to look around without feeling completely claustrophobic, lol.)

[@barb9990]

Heartily agree on the open shelving in kitchens. Looks cluttered, is a pain to dust, and stuff can easily fall off and shatter, at least in those precious little crockery filled shelves you see on Pinterest. Not for me!

[@peterrose5373]

I don't have a kitchen. I have a food workshop. I don't much care what it looks like, I want it easy to clean, easy to find, and easy to use.

[@KatieCunningham]

Husband: Oh, what's your boy talking about today? Me: Calling me out, apparently... 😒😒😒 But yes, 100% agree on the kitchen countertop thing. We used to have a small collection of bottles next to the stove, and they just kept growing and growing. When we redid the kitchen, I banished everything to cupboards NEAR the stove, and it's amazing how much easier it is to work in there. Also, those bottles got hella gross. So, now, we just have the microwave (we opted for no built-in one) and the toaster (used daily). The coffee machine, weirdly, lives in our living room, because that's where we set it up during the reno, and we ended up deciding we liked it there. With two remote workers in the house, it gave us the feeling of having a break room we could retreat to. And yes, THAT got very nice storage options. Now I just need to clear a bunch of other spaces, apparently...

[@marychristensen7386]

I love big empty kitchen countertops.

[@littlemissprickles]

I know my rug is too small for my living room BUT.... It was $12 at Target.

[@joannlessner1551]

Agree with all but the living room. My dvd /video player and stereo are visible. If they weren't I wouldn't use them. I'm not going to haul them out and fuss with connecting them every time I want to use them.

[@aliceavery4356]

Those devices still work through doors, especially glass doors

[@mellie4174]

@@aliceavery4356 yup. All you have to do is open the door to use it

[@mffmoniz2948]

Compromise. Never go too far in one direction. When you reduce open shelving, you don't need to go crazy. Example: leave the gaming console out, but find a solution for the games by storing them inside a drawer, a cabinet or simply in a basket; whatever works for you.

[@agresticumbra]

I hear ya. Spent decades with media cabinets with shite behind glass doors. No more. We’ve bought bookcases for our movie & music discs, and use open shelves for electronics. Our tv & gaming stuff are in the rec/media room downstairs, and our turntable & vinyl share a wall with books in the library/den.The spaces are serving their purpose. Look, I love enclosed cabinets in kitchens & bathrooms. Those places have humidity, grease, hair, all kinds of things you need to stay on top of, but not our other rooms. I don’t have books behind doors, either.

[@amandanajdek9232]

This is hard for us on the spectrum who struggle with object permanence. Once things are put away, they stop existing in our brains. Example- i had 4 hair dryers at one point. Not a messy home, just stored away in different places, then forget they exist. 😅

[@maizymeredith9851]

This is how my husband is lol

[@SimplyyBreon]

Me creating a notebook to track where I put everything… then losing the notebook 😭

[@kerigill1733]

I live in a 500 sf studio and attractive storage is essential. It’s taken a while to get everything looking good since I’m a maximalist at heart. Your advice over the last year has been very helpful.

[@stanislavadimova7011]

Would appreciate a series with tips for planning and organazing good storage places throughout the different arreas of an apartment / house. I think what creates clutter is just the lack of good storage planning and organization there

[@daynad8104]

There are tons of KZbin channels dedicated to that. Clutterbug, and Minimalist Mom, are two good ones. There are so many more! Just search organizing to find ones that you like.

[@the_eerie_faerie_tales]

TV Guide! Thanks for the mini trip down memory lane lol!

[@CoryHuber]

Nick! I have ADHD and when something I need is tucked away in storage that I can't see I literally forget it exists. What are some options for people lacking in object permanence? Semi-transparent storage? I'm lost! Help! P.s. I've been binging your content all day, thanks so much for being a friendly teacher.

[@julieobrien5855]

Fellow ADHDer I'm switching to acrylic containers where I can.I recently trained myself to look for the toothpaste in my bathroom drawer. But, if I put away something like mouthwash, I won't remember to use it, no matter how hard I try. Maybe that's where pretty clear containers can help too. I've also been getting rid of things that I don't use that are distracting. I've read about some people that take photos or make databases for storage so they don't forget what they have. That seems like a lot of work, though.

[@meisjeViv]

Do you know the youtube channel 'how to ADHD'? They have some great tips on how to make a ADHD-friendly home on there! My personal recommendation is putting things on a tray or in an open box on your counter. That way, it is contained and easy to keep neat without being out of sight! It works well for me (neurotypical) and for my best friend (ADHD).

[@CoryHuber]

@@meisjeViv good to know! Thanks for the tips

[@Keepinitreal55]

Ooorrrr, don’t buy an open shelf console! Most people live in their homes and don’t just design a house for Instagram pictures. 99% of people will have a bunch of crap in their house so buy cabinets and shelves!! Have to know the way you actually live and not what you like on a magazine picture, because those homes aren’t functional. Style for your real self, not your fantasy self

[@sandrajohnson2489]

You would most likely cringe if you walked into my house. I am an artist and my walls are covered (neatly) with my work. However, I have a bedroom that I turned into a paint room and it isn't well organized and I use my dining room table as another work space. This area is for making jewelry and the table is almost always covered with things. I have a big cedar cabinet that I had custom built for my supplies and it's full. Next to my dining table is a three-tiered shelf with different colored heavy duty plastic bins which I think is cool looking. These bins hold all of my watercolor supplies. I prefer to do watercolors on the dining room table because of the big windows in that room. I could never be a minimalist and it makes me feel uncomfortable when I see rooms that don't have much in them. Too sterile looking, too barren.

[@sharonwilliamson4592]

That all make sense to me. I have a very small main bathroom with a pedestal sink, but just outside the door, in a small hall, is the best built in linen closet with three shelves that go to the ceiling, a pull out board for folding things, and four large drawers that I use for bathroom things. Next to it is a broom closet with upper storage for toilet paper, dusting supplies, tissue, etc., love some of these 50’s homes! 👍💕

[@realgirl2704]

Right! My big gripe about modern homes is that they don’t have broom closets or anywhere to put the vacuum!

[@TheNightshadePrince]

Yeah who has a tv anymore?

[@angelbulldog4934]

Gave up that poison mind control de-VICE years ago. 😊

[@deborahmatatall]

Great video, Nick. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go get my art stuff off my kitchen counter. It looks bad and it really needs a home! Mission for today!🌸

[@caitlinkleinschmidt2021]

Hi Nick, love your videos, I've definitely implemented some of your prior suggestions. As someone who struggles with object permanence (due to ADHD), putting things "away" where you can't see it can be a bit of an issue. I have things strewn on almost any surface so I can tremendously to do something with it. Do you have any suggestions for someone who needs to see things to remember they exist or that they need to be dealt with?

[@christinamann3640]

I’m no designer, but my first thought would be storage with glass or plastic doors. Having stuff in the cabinet or whatever container they’re in might be enough to make it look tidy, while being able to see in them. I hope this is a useful idea.

[@Izabela-ek5nh]

Yes, glass doors or even slightly matt glass doors would be great to keep all stuff hidden but a bit visible :) I also have a problem with hidden things, they somehow evaporate out of my mind and I am able to buy a new item which I already have and I "know" I have it but I cannot recall this fact if I cannot see it regularly :( and suddenly I have 2 items I have to keep SOMEWHERE.... the main idea is to get rid of everything "hidden in thr back" because it is unaccesable already for my overwhelmed brain ;) and if deeply hidden it means I don't use it anyway.

[@msamios.321]

Check out the Clutterbug channel on KZbin - she breaks down organizing by style, and shows example of how to employ them. Since you are a visual organizer, the Bee or Butterfly system would work best for you. Wishing you the best!

[@aygul386]

You can designate a "landing pad" and go through it putting stuff away every day/week. Keep minimal counter space and desks/tables, or they will all turn into landing pads. I also like shallow cabinets a lot, as well as built in closets with curtains instead of doors. That way it takes a second to see everything at once and it's all put away and doesn't overwhelm me. Also you won't need to spend all your free time dusting like with open shelving.

[@erintannehill]

I love how saucy you got in this video! I agree so much with everything you suggested, except for the fact that there is a place for open shelving in a kitchen. I just can't get on board with that trend for some reason. All I can think about is how dirty it will get.

[@nillavanilla989]

I I think it could only be for something that’s going to be used every day, like a coffee station, so it would be pulled out of cabinets anyway but also doesn’t have too much time to sit unused and get dusty

[@vincentrea3499]

Another home run!! Word for word spot on, every room. Clean lines, clear mind, relaxation --- it's worth the effort!

[@ingridstockton6311]

Alas, my otherwise darling husband is a messy accumulator. We compromise: He gets two rooms that are somewhat hidden and one bathroom; I have command of the rest of the house. It works because we both get what we want/need.

[@Christine-zk6hk]

Hey Nick, I have a recessed medicine cabinet because when my home was built, they were standard. I have a very small en suite. When I remodeled the bathroom, behind the door I had a cabinet built into the wall. They removed the drywall between 2 studs and the cabinet maker built a cabinet with doors to fit in there. It isn't very deep but it holds a lot of bathroom personal products. One of the best decisions I made. When I remodeled the guest bathroom I had one put in also. I am definitely a put it away behind closed door type of person.

[@anneh7217]

Thanks Nick, I totally agree with you. There is no need to have "stuff" visual, since there are so many creative ways to store items throughout a home.

[@heartofthewild680]

As much as I agree with you that storing things away makes a space look very neat and clean and organized, I do have one major counterpoint to all of this, and that is accessibility. I have ADHD, so my brain doesn’t handle object permanence well. If I put something in a cabinet, I will probably forget where it is until I get fed up looking for it and just buy a new one (and then I’ll probably lose the new one too, because it’s in a cabinet and out of sight). On top of that, if I store a consumable item (such as toilet paper) out of sight, I might run out and not realize until I need it and can’t find it because I don’t have it anymore. Open shelving and clear containers can help mitigate this effect, because I can always see what I have and what I need to get more of

[@Hobbesnevie]

I agree with the stuff that should be stored, aka, clutter. My coffee table is cluttered because I use, several times a day, the items on it. So…sometimes it’s a balance of practical vs. aesthetic.

[@susanma4899]

I will agree with you on this: I hate it when you're on real estate sites and sellers don't even bother to declutter their houses for photos. AT ALL. Or who knows, maybe it was originally a lot worse. Scary.

[@JamieM470]

So true! I always wonder what it looked like before they "cleaned up". I tend to skip those because you can't really see anything behind all the clutter. What if the clutter is hiding bad spots on the walls or floors? I remember one I saw where they had hung big sheets of printed fabric (I guess they were supposed to be like tapestries) & all I could think was they were hiding big holes in the walls.

[@melissablackwood]

I think it's great when the seller shows you exactly how little they care about maintaining their property. If they couldn't take the trouble to clean up for a real estate photo shoot, then think about all the major problems lurking in that home. Wise buyers see the red flags and pass by.

[@penelopenem]

I love it because I think to myself- oooh that will look so great when I move and and that crap is gone and it will scare away the other buyers without vision 😛

[@HH-fo9sg]

I have been looking at a lot of real estate photos in another country, and it’s obvious that they are not at all aware of putting away all the shampoo and detergent bottles, mops and buckets, un-matching plastic tablecloths, etc. I think I could single-handedly raise the sale prices of properties in entire communities by simply cleaning and staging the homes for sale.

[@c.danielle3444]

I'd be curious to know how you'd address clutter and such for someone with ADHD who may need to have seemingly more things than necessary out in the open. For example, I don't use my toaster often, but I will completely forget that I have one if it's not out on the counter. I'll forget to take my meds if it's not on my vanity. I like having my space looking clean and organized, but it never stays that way because I end up having to leave so many things out in the open On a side note for anybody else who struggles with this and might be curious: one of the best organizational tips I've come across is to store things that you know you'll routinely reach for (condiments, flour, sugar, etc) in the less visible places. Put the flour on the bottom pantry shelf or the ketchup in a fridge drawer, things like that. I've been doing this and it makes a huge difference. Canned goods are on the lowest shelf, flour and sugar are the next up, theeen it gets into the less commonly grabbed things the closer to eye level the shelf is.

[@moocrazytn]

I use my phone alarm to remind me to take pills. Perhaps you could use the alarm to help in other ways.

[@c.danielle3444]

@@moocrazytn frustratingly, alarms don't work for me. With the exception of the one in the morning, I always end up ignoring alarms after about a week if they're for more than once. I've tried to fix that because it really is frustrating, but I'm never successful.

[@kassandraglueck2794]

100% Out of sight, out of mind. I have bought duplicates of many things because I forgot I already owned one....all things that are kept in cabinets and drawers, so they may as well not exist. I don't think I could ever give up my open shelving, my countertop storage and my bathroom vanity organizer. The only thing that reminds me to floss or put on sunscreen is the fact that it's there in my face.

[@edwardwung1754]

Of all the interior design idea videos, this one really and finally help me understand the very important concept or difference between storing and displaying. I used to think that a bookshelf is a functional piece of furniture so it is really OK to just put my assorted books on it. Now I get it. Thank you so much. This is a very helpful video for me.

[@valeriemcdonald440]

This is the greatest challenge in my life. I buy stuff that I like and I think it's affordable, then I realize it has to go somewhere and storage isn't cheap 😢

[@Jennifer-nz2ss]

I think he really has alot of great points you guys! Think how great your place will look if you did these small changes. Try it you will like it.

[@karlman1397]

The issue with hiding the games console itself is that it overheat in enclosed areas. And obstructing sound-bars will distort the sound.

[@Nick_Lewis]

I open the door when playing. Also a lot of them are open at the back for ventilation. But I hear you - always check that it works for you. Oh and my soundbar is on top of the console, but it's the only device that is and you can see it on the right side of the screen in my video.

[@meh_lady]

You can put a small fan in the cabinet or even get one that mounts on the back that are made for racks. It works great and isn’t expensive at all. 🙂

[@DuLoserXD]

@@Nick_Lewis we do it the exact same way by opening the door when playing. aesthetic always comes first haha. 😆 also the soundbar is the only visible device too next to the tv obviously. 😄

[@stacielliott3311]

or just leave the cabinet door open while playing like everyone else does?

[@bmw8913]

Or you could just not play as it’s an expensive, wasteful, and a quick-to-die hobby. Not only are game consoles just ugly, they’re not sustainable. A game console only has a 4-5 year life span and they’re quickly upgraded. How many Xbox, PlayStations, nintendos, etc have you replaced, aged out, or have been updated? Exactly. Electronic waste is a growing concern worldwide. It’s not even worth it the money you put into it.

[@letuswalkinthelightofthelo5350]

The “begging for clutter” tags really got me. Cleared off shelves, empty drawers, empty spaces on shelves do beg for clutter don’t they! I constantly fight the clutter magnet and the visual distraction.

[@letsmakeout1990]

For me it’s the empty bowl…..what is with people and the junk bowl…. Had to get my better half out of that habit pronto. The bowl is now fruit or empty 💪🏻

[@llkid6760]

I agree for the most part, but as a person that cooks and bakes every day, I can't see having to haul out my heavy mixer, food processor etc. all the time. If you're just preparing wine and cheese and you eat take-out the rest of the time, I guess the "no appliances on the countertop" method would work.

[@TheHappyWhisk]

Same. I cook and bake a lot and also, I love seeing my kitchen power tools like the Vitamix, Instant Pots and Ninja Creami but that said, I really, really laughed when Nick asked if we were really Instantpotting that much. So funny because I am! I really, really am. Great fun this video. Cheers, Ivy.

[@Teacupgirly]

I have a small kitchen so I don’t have enough counter space for my appliances but I’m cooking and baking all the time either way, it’s really not difficult to bring the appliances out from the cabinet or pantry 😊

[@TheHappyWhisk]

@@Teacupgirly Hey Sunshine! Great name. I get that for sure. Glad you have a method that works well for you. That's the best and that's what maters the most, that you found your kitchen groove. Cheers, Ivy.

[@TheHappyWhisk]

@@florencecousin5577 Hi Florence. Have you tried vertical storage? I know this isn't for everyone but I've had success with pegboards in my kitchen. They are temporarily down as I rework my new space but going back up shortly. I just love them. But I get that not everyone wants to look at their Erie/Griswold cast irons or collection of baking and cookery things that hang. So I get that, that might not be an option your family enjoys but perhaps Nick has a video on vertical options for storage. What I can help you with is your MIL. Back when we decluttered we had family members that wanted to give us stuff throughout the process. We said no. Saying no, best thing ever. We told them we were getting rid of stuff and didn't have a need for more so please don't but us anything. It worked. Hope you find a way to say no or there's the other option just to donate the items. Wishing you the best. Thanks for taking the time to write that comment. I think yours is a shared issue for sure. Cheers, Ivy.

[@RebeccaTreeseed]

My best kitchen ever had no wall cabinets. I hung art. It also had an 8x8 pantry with wire shelves. I liked it so much, I converted my current 8x10 bedroom into a pantry. I thought it might be too far away, but it is perfect for unloading groceries from my car. I don't mind shopping it for dinner and I have a regular pantry for coffee, tea, bread. It holds my entire annual garden output and canning and dehydrating supplies.

[@judiingles343]

You made me laugh out loud a few times! Great video. I also love medicine cabinets!! Etsy crafters make updated versions.

[@mellocello187]

Two tips that almost everyone needs: you have too many clothes; send 80% to charity and you will never miss it, but will love the order and serenity you gain. You know those closet organizer photos? The closets look neat because there are like 5 items in there. No matter how much you spend on matching hangers, a crowded closets looks and feels terrible. Tip #2: you have too many beauty products. If you really hate the shampoo, or foundation, or moisturizer, give it or throw it away. Do not buy one new product until you use up what you have. If you stuffed it in the vanity, put it out where you can see it and use it up!

[@francesh3423]

Biggest interior design mistake imo is living in a house that isn't a home. Home is where we LIVE and real living can be cluttered in the best possible way. If it's part of your daily routine, it needs to be accessible so you can enjoy your home. Tidy when guests come if you have judgey guests, otherwise they don't care because they're true friends and family and they're there for your company 😊

[@fthurman]

if I have judgey guests, they can keep their judgements to themselves, or gtfo.

[@letitiarademakers6304]

I really like your video's. This one is not only about taste though. Since I am a visual organizer I need to see my stuff or I might as well not have it. (see clutterbug for explanation). I will not have an insta-proof interior that way, but it is inviting and our home...

[@rogerbernard9572]

You are a knowledgeable, elegant, articulate and entertaining speaker. Hope more people discover your KZbin channel. 🤓👍

[@ChristopherDraws]

I'm currently in a bit of a cold war with my husband about open shelves for the kitchen in our new flat. Whilst I'm happy to have some over the sink area for a dish drainer (saw this in Italy once, and it's genius), and a metal rack shelf to store/drain the cooking pans we use everyday, as well as a shelf for some houseplants... He also wants to put all the small appliances on open shelves, no matter how much I tell him it'll be a pain in the arse to clean every other month for appliances we might use twice a year 🤦‍♂️

[@Nick_Lewis]

Ok NO. Store those small appliances! Maybe an appliance garage for a compromise solution? It sits on the countertops and are plugged in but they can be stowed away easily. Need to talk about them in a future video.

[@dsa2591]

I hate open shelves. I once lived in an old farmhouse that had no cabinets and the first thing I did was make curtains for the open shelves. Hid everything and was "farmhouse chic."

[@moocrazytn]

Get him to agree to clean them in exchange for having the openness. Get it in writing. Lol

[@notbill08]

People do open shelving in the kitchen often to save money on cabinetry. Then they regret it!

[@betsylatham5023]

@@Nick_Lewis Added two appliance garages in our new kitchen. I love them! We were able to get them made tall enough for the Vitamix blender, so one is a “smoothie” station. The other holds the toaster and stand mixer. Was surprised at how much of a difference it made in the feel of the kitchen.

[@deborahpetipas9365]

Nick, we bought a stainless steel large storage cart for our appliances and put it into our laundry/ pantry area. Its easy to access and keeps those appliances off the counter. Coffee & Tea station on the counter because its in daily use. Toaster in the bread drawer. It's in the appropriate area for us. Thanks for your honest advice & assessments.

[@ColourfulErika]

This is really tough for those with ADHD. if you can’t see it, you don’t have it, and thus it’s time to make a trip to the store or Amazon. That's why so many ADHDers have multiple items of the exact same thing, making their problem so much worse. One thing I’ve seen help is to have dedicated drawers and baskets, which works to increase the "visible space" to places where others can’t see. If you can find two AAA batteries in the battery drawer, you know you have them and you can check whether you need more. If you can find the pet detangling spray inside the grooming basket, you know you have it. The battery drawer and grooming basket have become visible spaces to the ADHDer, even though no one else sees what’s inside. For whatever reason, thinking about it this way makes a big difference.

[@yvettiezzr8031]

I agree. It needs to be visible for me to use it. I try and use decorative baskets or storage bins to keep all the items I need to use.

[@kitrakitarunaki]

Let me get y’all on the hype train for clear craft/ hardware drawers. Its made my stuff less cluttered and all my little nonsense stuff stays sorted. I use them for the pantry, cat stuff, bedroom, kitchen, office you name it. They give the appearance of being “away” without the need for doors or baskets. These things come in all sizes and can get big enough to fit cups and more! Also cabinets with mesh doors you can see in, guests think it looks like a solid surface ✨

[@jeanniestaller797]

I think we need some things that we use all the time visible. This is the difference between a "showcase" and a "home".

[@kerendn]

By the way, Nick, thank you for the rug tips in previous videos. They helped me choose the right rug size (a bit wider than the sofa, front feet of the sofa on the rug) and I'm very happy with it.

[@hopeup2792]

A clean uncluttered look has a much more relaxing feel which is so important for a home.

[@lynn858]

If you’re ADHD, or this type of “always put things away beautifully” tips don’t work for you… that is also ok. Remember this channel is about design and aesthetics, and functionality to some degree - but that these won’t and can’t work for all brains. You are not failing if these things don’t work for you. Hooks you can drop garments or towels on, rather than the floor. Leaving lids of bins (if it’s safe for children, pets, and your items) can make it easier to simply drop things in the correct place to put them away, while taking the bin out, taking the lid off… That may aggravate executive dysfunction. And hidden things can get entirely forgotten. Having thing stored less aesthetically, but making it so easy to put away, and find and remember it… needs to be prioritized over aesthetics. Your space needs to work with the brain you have. There are books and websites with tons of tips on this type of organization if you feel it could help your household.

[@fthurman]

thank you for saying this! as a neurodivergent that loves decor, sometimes advice like this ends up as the things I beat myself up for not being able to achieve.

[@kassandraglueck2794]

I would like to add, closet solutions that have drawers with wire/mesh baskets are great for this! I have some in both IKEA items and a Container Store Closet. They make things 'put away' and 'organized', but because they are mesh, I can still see them and remember what's in them. For example, my front closet has 1 basket drawer for winter gloves, 1 for hats, 1 for scarves.

[@tarahreceniuk5047]

@Lynn, I wish everyone in this thread would see your post, but there are so many... I suspect @Nick Lewis had no idea about the negative impact that taking a predominantly aesthetic focus to design can have, serving to feed stereotypes about neurodiversity. We have a long road ahead, but folks like you are giving it a great voice -- thank you.

[@alanhayward8238]

My house is for me to live in, not try and be perfect for imaginary guests who might think I have too much clutter. I like my clutter and have found that putting stuff in a 'safe place' means weeks of looking for stuff at some later stage.

[@LemonJMG]

Question, what do you suggest with wasted space above kitchen cabinets? My husband and I are looking at buying a house right now and I feel like a lot of kitchens have this.

[@qiae5047]

Seconding this!!

[@FaithWolper]

Nothing! Putting plants, plates, etc just look cluttered and collect dust. Every empty space doesn’t need to be filled. My 2 cents.

[@TheHappyWhisk]

Hey Jana! How about building a bit of cupboards up there. I've seen people make boxes with doors that go from the top of the cupboards to the top of the wall. Provides extra storage. I've also seen some folks have carpenters come in and do that for the home owners. For those that have upper cupboards, that might work. Cheers, Ivy.

[@oneminuteofmyday]

The friends from whom we bought our house didn’t like that empty space, so they framed in that area and put up drywall to eliminate it. He extended it out a little farther than the cupboards and inserted recessed lighting.

[@melissablackwood]

I hate the wasted space above my cabinets, but didn't have the budget to upgrade or build another row. I bought some pretty wicker boxes with lids, so they double as decor and closed storage for seldom-used items.

[@emlauren7]

Love your videos and sharp wit, Nick! I implemented your kitchen tips and you are SO RIGHT, it really only takes a little bit of extra time and effort to be organised and it makes such a noticeable difference to the space and function of the home! Thank you.

[@gayane_igityan]

I love open shelving, yet we have so much dust with lots of construction going around and very dry climate, so that's not working even if styled well. Smart and organized storage units or furniture that doubles as storage is my jam

[@mellie4174]

I hate open shelves for this reason. Even without construction they are grease and dust traps

[@12Sanguine]

Right on point. I've figured this out be myself by now but I wish I had seen a video like this 7 years ago! I lived with visual clutter for way longer than I needed to.

[@marychristensen7386]

Great video! I am totally on board with storing stuff behind closed doors. I recently exchanged the pedestal sink and builder-grade mirror in my condo powder room for a vanity and medicine cabinet. It freed up an entire cabinet in my kitchen because I finally had the right place to store medicines and cleaning products.

[@Sunshine-fy4fz]

Oh yes, the medicine cabinet! Love mine - I actually added them to my house (no linen closet in the bathrooms) to add storage for my razors, shaving cream, perfumes, nail polishes, toothpaste/brushes (on a tray), medicines/cough syrup/calamine lotion/Claritin, and band-aids. I had them recessed into the wall so they blend in seamlessly as would a regular mirror. Thanks for mentioning this!

[@LuthienNightwolf]

The cluttered bathroom sink drives me nuts, thankfully I've managed to clear ours almost completely off save for a couple of necessary items that need to be easily reached. I had makeup out for the longest time, collecting dust because I hardly ever actually use it. It was organized, but didn't really need to be sitting out, so I moved it into a cabinet. My boyfriend is more of a clutterbug than I am with bathroom stuff so I got him one of those over-the-door hanging shelf/basket things to put his stuff in. Makes a huge difference not having all that stuff sitting out.

[@MmeAlenvers]

Good points but the other side of the coin is missing. There are aesthetic and practical reasons to have open shelving in small spaces, especially kitchens: 1) makes the space look bigger and the light flows better; 2) things you need like glasses and pots and cups are accessible without having to open and close doors into a tiny space a million times a day. It can drive you crazy; 3) things that are hidden are forgotten about. This is how you accumulate clutter INSIDE your cabinets. We replaced top cabinets with open shelving and the feel and use of the room is vastly better. It's well and good to hide everything if you are a bachelor. In a working family things have to be as accessible as possible. Same with children's rooms. Toys are to be played with, displayed and then put back in place. Not forgotten about inside a cupboard. Teach your child to organise and display things beautifully, not to shove things into drawers and cupboards, because that's what they will do if things are hidden. Books, also, are there to be displayed and read, and to remind you of who you are. I don't particularly like the look of wooden cupboard doors everywhere either. A bit depressing. Agree with not displaying clothes, though. In a small flat / house it can look awful. Almost impossible to avoid though. Do you suggest making special cupboards to put the trousers you've already worn, or mixing together clean and worn clothes? Where do you air your clothes after washing? Not everything can go into a dryer... If the solution is to buy a bigger house with a special room for clothes then that's not true advice.

[@remmirath42]

This is so true, and I'm a bit embarrassed by how long it took me to figure it out. If something is ugly, store it. If you can't store it, make it not ugly. My ironing board bothered me for years because I have no storage for large items and have to keep it in my living room. A few months ago I finally realized I could just buy a cover for it that matches my design style. Now it looks intentional (like artwork) and it even gets compliments when people come over.

[@MorganMalfoy13]

lol. Terrible starting point for me. My bookshelves are always used for books. I'm not going to curate my books based on their covers. Literally the first rule of books. My room is defined by my books. It's not a livingroom, it's a library. And I like it that way.

[@wolfsmaid6815]

I have a big bookshelf that is 80% closed but has a single file of open shelving in the middle to display some of the prettier books. So I just keep the books with the less appealing covers behind the doors and the ones that are antiques on display. However you can ofc do what you want with your place.^^

[@DNAConsultingDetectives]

Always worth watching your videos and this was no exception!!! 🔥 I'm such a detail person that...I actually spray paint my chapstick gold, so it goes with my bedroom design. Yep. I do that. I had a bunch of them. I put the cap ends in small holes in a piece of cardboard and spray away. Because I want a chapstick out on my nightstand, it's gotta look good. (crazy? I think not!)

[@j.m.7056]

I love this!

[@antoniescargo4158]

You are talking about the situation in the West. I live in Central Eastern Europe. Here the kitchen is the living room. The bedroom is also the living room. Some houses have a 'summer kitchen'. This is in a village.

[@lulupomegranate]

jesus christ I LIVE for kitchens that are separate from the main house It is AMAZING for making huge batches of food comfortably, you often have space for several fridges and freezers, and if you need a break, you don't need to clean up everything and then start over because the kitchen is not used for regular use, meaning a total chaos for a few hours doesn't hinder anyone's day. Not to mention it usually has several windows on different walls, so even without AC you don't get too hot unless you're giving the fire stove a real workout.

[@patriciaa4451]

This is so true. Nothing is more stylish than a tidy uncluttered home.

[@stephen6307]

who are you making it stylish for if it isn't your personal style?

[@MariaChelidoni]

Besides the fact that in all your videos you give very valuable info, I really appreciate your sense of humor.

[@meh_lady]

We have a small house but dedicated one large room to be the “stuff” area where we keep it semi-tidy but it’s anything goes. It’s an exhaust valve for all the things we want that we don’t know what to do with. That’s where the TV, gaming, and exercise equipment lives so the rest of the house can be peaceful. It gets out of hand sometimes with a teenage son, but at least it’s contained.

[@al.the.]

that's excellent idea! (if I had room to spare 😭)

[@elviscobb5922]

I have been following Suzanne Salk and her interviews with the top world designers. The underlining theme in EVERY single interview and tour is for people to purchase and live with the things that they love. Their homes are, ALL, layers upon layers of colors,textures,patterns and items that they love. Of course their homes are all very clean and organized but other than that,they live in environments that reflect their personal since of style and don't concern themselves with furnishings/color palettes that are considered on trend.

[@tiffanycurtis4794]

Hey what time is it it’s nick time baby 👏🏾❤️👏🏾

[@corneliadennis2892]

That's why his clock in the background is always at the same time! It's always Nick O'Clock!

[@melaniegardner8766]

Thank you so much for talking about lack of storage space with pedestal sinks. I find it so annoying when there's no place to put stuff in the bathroom!

[@ajablonska82]

Sorry but I don't trust interior designers who use books as trays for picture frames, plant pots, candles etc.

[@sugarplumk2381]

Spot on Nick. You really make me laugh sometimes. Just love your ‘tell it like it is’ attitude. Guilty of the kitchen benchtop clutter. My excuse is that I don’t have enough room in my cupboards and I don’t have a pantry. I will sort out the cupboards and find some room though.

[@OxxOMarlenn]

Nick I would love to see you in a thrift store or vintage store and see your reaction to things being sold. Good or bad. I just love that your always so honest ❤

[@angelamartzen7499]

I think it's totally okay to have small appliances out on the counter tops IF they look nice and fit with the style of your kitchen (and if you have enough counter space to begin with lol). Some appliances just look nice like a Kitchenaid mixer or a nice espresso machine. It just doesn't look nice if your appliances look... appliance-y... and if they are all random in style/color/etc. In my last apartment, my fridge and range were white so I got white appliances and it all looked cohesive. In another past apartment, the fridge and range were black so I had black appliances. It's just about being mindful about your choices. I avoid buying gimmicky appliances that come in all sorts of random crayon colors because they just look tacky to me lol and it's a waste of money to have a whole bunch of little unitaskers that you will only use like once or twice and then they just collect dust.

[@xgretaoto6914]

Pretty good advice for household that has money and cares more about the anesthetic than functional elements in a house. I think I’m at a different level of Maslow’s needs hierarchy lol

[@Sam_371]

Being able to prioritize aesthetic is definitely a privilege. Some of us can only do so much with our space and budget.

[@donsimpsonshead8809]

Usually I agree with Nick but not with amplifiers. Putting them into a console ruins the life of the equipment. Instead buy beautiful amps, like the Heaven 11. I’d hate to put that into the garish rattan console he displayed. Then he complained about soundbars, but right next to him was an ugly sound bar! But beautiful speakers like the Buchardt S400’s. Gorgeous and sound thousands of times better than a crappy sound bar.