How Poor Design Affects Us
I recently had a consultation with a lovely lady who admitted to me that she felt embarrassed to show me her bedroom closet because it was not big enough to store both her and her husband’s clothing. She had the remainder of her clothing stored in her bathroom closet. That meant everyday she had to decide which clothing she needed from one or two closets. I assured her that she was not the only one who needed to find extra space to fit their clothing. Although we plan to begin decluttering clothing she no longer wants to keep and it will make a huge difference, it was one of the many moments I thought to myself, “Are homes made for humans OR THINGS?” I know, odd question, and the answer seems like it should be “BOTH!”
It is notable to consider how the evolution of houses have changed with passing generations. To give context, my husband and I live in a 900 sq ft home built in 1969. It originally had 1 bathroom and 3 bedrooms. My husband was a bachelor when he first moved in and built a second bathroom. But in a tiny home, where did he find the space to build a bathroom, you might ask? In his bedroom closet. His clothes are in another bedroom closet. Mine are in the same room in a wardrobe. The design of the original closets are a small space with a large horizontal bar for hanging clothing and a few wooden shelves above it. The design is simple, yet adequate. I thing to myself, “they built just what was needed. ” But his closet doesn’t have the simple wood shelving, the previous owners put in a wire shelving design that is difficult to reach from almost any angle and to sum it up… A NIGHTMARE.
Our modern world is littered with badly designed creations. Poorly designed things cause people who try, and fail, to use them to feel bad about themselves. These items may have been designed with very good intentions, however they fall flat in function. “Confused and embarrassed” is how Instagram vlogger Feleciaforthewin so perfectly described the Norman door. I loved how her post so perfectly encapsulates the conundrum we feel in those brief yet uncomfortable situations. Have you ever felt insulted by using something so mindlessly normal, like opening a door, but are left feeling frustrated because it wasn’t designed with universal human behavior in mind
I was scrolling through Instagram and came across this post and thought, “This is not just about a door!” Almost every home is has some kind of bad design or installation of something that leads to family bickering. Examples will be included!
Common issue, cords in all directions.
Panorama shows 3 different outlets plus and internet outlet in same vicinity, a common occurrence when modifications are made in a home.
Installing new outlets and other modifications can be made in a home without taking in consideration of the function and appearance of the room. As illustrated above, we have all these cords out on display, there is a trip hazard, and an eyesore. You can even see the attempt to do something about it with the cord ties on the floor. The cabinet also houses supplies for letter writing such as paper, pens, whiteout tape, etc. But why was the internet cable outlet most recently installed away from the rest of the electronics in the living room? According to the cable technician who installed the device, it had to go in that particular location, which is by the dining room. So a simple installation can change the function, harmony, and appearance of a room.
With that said, we can created as space to hide the cords and still store stationary and other miscellaneous items. It will be a fun project, eliminate unnecessary trip hazards, and beautiful the home. But I chose to talk about this subject to let the world know, “Hey its not your fault you feel frustrated looking for an item in a ‘hard-to-reach at all angles, knocking-everything-over-to-find-it’ closet!” “Hey, you fell not because you are clumsy, but because what was supposed to be a temporary solution was poorly planned and left cords on the floor.” We an talk with our families about these odd parts of the home, why they are troublesome and what solution we can come up with together. At Naomi Organizing, I offer design consultations to eliminate expensive home modifications, and offer quick practical design solutions.
