If you are starting to feel that it has been a long summer, you are not wrong. Our relationship with time and the seasons took a hit and our inability to fully enjoy summer as most of us are used to is definitely not helping. Which is why we’re grabbing life by the horns and transforming our homes into havens and spaces that we want to escape to rather than from. With a little organization and strategic thinking we’re using the compact life solutions from MUJI to add whimsy, fun, excitement and entertainment to life without adding any more clutter.

A compact life is not necessarily a minimalist life devoid of “the extras” or the items that you enjoy and like. Renowned British textile designer William Morris said “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” And that’s exactly what we’re aiming for here. And we’re going one step further, by displaying the visually appealing and using smart storage solutions to store the useful.

Get on board with the fun
One of the best ways to spend quality time with family and friends is challenging them to a friendly round of board games. Just choose strategically, because some games (we’re looking at you Monopoly) are known to cause friction. The downside of acquiring a large library of games is storing them. The Wide Pp Storage Boxes from Muji are perfect for this job. They are wide enough for even the largest games and can be stacked so as your collection grows, your storage solution can adapt.

Hobbies
Scientific research has been telling us for decades that leisure activities including crafting hobbies can protect us from stress and help us feel better. Whether you are a long-time crafter or just getting started you will realize that all of your tools, supplies and raw materials can quickly take over your living space. We love storing our things in the square shaped Stackable Rattan Basket. The natural material makes it look like decor, so they look pretty when we leave them around the room as we work and then they’re simple to put away.

Summer Style
Putting away your cool climate clothing might seem like extra work but it is a smart move for several reasons. First you can go through your items and decide what needs to be donated, mended or can be stored. Second, it helps you rethink your overall style and aesthetic. The zippered Cotton Linen Polyester Soft Box comes with a built-in lid to keep your favorite coats and sweaters dust free, but is roomy and can be easily stored in your closet without taking up too much of your valuable space.

Healthy Summer
It seems that even though we’re not fully out of COVID-era living, the weight loss industry is capitalizing on summer. We gave ourselves a lot of slack over the last year, but we’re definitely trying harder to workout more because we realized that it helps us cope with life. If you are doing it at home and are tired of tripping over your dumbbells, exercise bands or mat, then try adding some wheels to a large and wide Pp Storage Box so you don’t have to worry about carrying it. Roll it out for a home workout and just roll it back into hiding when you are done.

Mise en place in the kitchen
Any chef worth their fancy knives will tell you that half the cooking battle is making sure that everything is in its place. If you are constantly searching your shelves for a specific spice or going through your drawers for the perfect tool then you are wasting your precious time instead of making a delicious dish. Reorganize your kitchen using the half sized Soft Polyethylene Cases to group ingredients together or the drawer inserts to keep your cutlery in its place.

Clean up time
Spending more time at home usually means more clean up. Our favorite trick is putting all of our cleaning supplies and tools in the round and deep Soft Polyethylene Case. The handles make it easy to transfer from room to room while we dust, sweep and wipe away while knowing that everything is in one easy to find spot. And once we’re done we just have to put it away and can enjoy our fresh smelling and spotless home.

Bonus Tip: Shop smart, not hard
We have been trying our best to say no thank you to plastic bags when we shop because they are terrible for the environment and tend to create clutter. We have been using the large stackable Soft Polyethylene Cases that come with a handle to do our shopping. Just leave a bunch in the car and use them at the supermarket to easily carry your shopping from the store to your door.

Find your smart home storage solutions at MUJI stores in 2nd Avenue – The Avenues, Grand Avenue – The Avenues and Al Kout Mall or shop muji.com.kw. For more information, follow MUJI on Instagram @mujimiddleeast.