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INSTANT ORGANIZATION

I grew up with a sister, traveled with ten girls during my semester abroad, and lived in a house of eight girls for my senior year. The one constant? Girls have a lot of stuff. It's hard for a place to ever really feel clean when every surface is covered with baubles, cosmetics, and various knick knacks (and that's the good stuff). One trick I'm learning for instant organization? Say it with me: trays are the answer.

Placing items on a tray instantly makes them feel like part of a collection, whether it's glassware or liquor or makeup. Doesn't the gold tray remind you of this one in my boutique?

Place one on your bedside table to corral jewelry you wear every day and one in your bathroom to display makeup. (Side note: have you seen how Grace from Stripes + Sequins stores her makeup brushes? In the monogrammed pencil cup from my boutique! Genius.) This tray would be perfect for either purpose!

I love how Nicole uses her Tilly Maison tray! It makes me want to stock up on Chanel nail polish and Tom Ford lipstick ;)

I love these silver pieces! You could find similar vintage items on Etsy or go for a modern take with the silver lacquer tray in my boutique. Why didn't I learn the tray trick before I graduated from college? ;)

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Shop all the trays available at Design Darling here and tell me — what are your tips and tricks for feeling better organized?

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27 comments:

Carly Haslee said...

It's official. I need more trays in my life. These arrangements are gorgeous!

mulberry please said...

Love all of these, will definitely be buying some gorgeous trays for my new apartment! Keep up the great photos, I need all the inspo I can get!

http://mulberryplease.blogspot.co.uk/

Jess said...

I've been trying to figure out a solution for liquor and barware—looks like I may have to try out a tray to see if that will do the trick!

Leslie said...

I'm a huge fan of trays! They corral my jewelry and coffee table.

viv said...

Emily's has to be my favorite! I need to get a tad bit more organized. Definitely.

Kate {domestikatedlife} said...

Trays corral everything in my apt! It's not a mess if it's contained in a tray :)

Anonymous said...

Could not agree more Mackenzie! Love 'em and always recommend them to my clients. They give a whole bunch of stuff a home, so it does instantly look neater. Love this post!

Unknown said...

Couldn't agree more- I'm a tray hoarder- love!

la petite fashionista said...

i definitely struggle staying organized from my jewelry to knick knacks! :) loving the monogrammed ones in your store!

Unknown said...

Beautiful! I love how trays instantly pull everything together!

Grace (The Stripe) said...

Love all of this inspiration!! And I LOVE my Design Darling pencil cup - I think I need to get another one for my actual desk! xox

Erin | Holtwood Hipster said...

Trays definitely help polish up a space. Our home bar looked like we had just thrown a bunch of bottles up there until I corralled them all with a tray. Love that gold tray in the Rue image!

Nicole said...

Thank you for featuring my photo of the Tilly Maison tray! Might have to get your monogrammed cup to put my makeup brushes in now!
xoxo
Nicole

Anonymous said...

I try to organize like this but I mess it up almost immediately!! I need to make more of an effort to organize!! Thanks for the inspiration! xo Elizabeth

mikky said...

Great photos. I love using trays too and to stay organized I also like to use bags. They really help keep me organized & neat, from projects I`m working on to books and magazines Ì have to read to stuff I have to drop off to things to return etc I will start a seperate bag. they really help, and if they are cute bags it works even better!
:)
mikky
www.todaloos.com

Anael (Golden Fetes) said...

I really love this idea! This is great inspiration for my future apartment. I love the first picture!

www.goldenfetes.com

Jo said...

You're so right, these collections are so pretty.

Crissy @ House of Marlowe said...

I agree. A tray can somehow make a lot of "stuff" seem tolerable. :)

Allyson [Mimosas in the Morning] said...

Love trays! I need more places to put them. And that Chanel polish photo?! LOVE. I would be happy to have that much Chanel in my life!

Ali (A Dash of Details) said...

I am in dire need of one of your lovely Design Darling lucite trays! I have been looking for the perfect one for the longest time to organize all of my stuff!

xo- Ali (A Dash of Details)

LindsB said...

I'm obsessed with trays- they are all over my tiny apartment and really help organize all of my stuff! I think I need to get a lucite monogrammed one now :)

Dawn said...

I could not agree more with this post! I keep my home bar on an Oscar de la Renta black and white chevron tray and it definitely pulls everything together. I love the lucite tray and I also love the gold tray. It really pops against Cassandra's vintage silver and other accessories.

My number one rule for feeling more organized is to edit, edit, edit. I almost always feel better when I live with a little less!

Unknown said...

I love trays!! Saw so many fabulous ones in High POint!!! Love all the images.

www.lifeofamodernhousewife.com

Haus and Home said...

These are all great! I loved the idea to use little bowls to sort your jewelry!

Kathryn said...

I just bought my mom a tray for mother's day, and I will definitely refer her to this post to see how to use it!

Vanessa {www.vanillaroseblog.com} said...

I was never really into trays until recently and now I'm in love. This post as such great inspiration as well!

madilla said...

Trays are the best! But even better is to say goodby to all the stuff you no longer need and love in your life. That's why a garbage bag is THE number one organizing tool.