Cocktails & Conversation with Remodelista

On November 14 in Westport, we'll host a very special evening of cocktails and conversation to celebrate the launch of Remodelista: The Organized Home. This brand-new book from the Remodelista team is filled with more than 100 simple, stylish tips for organized spaces. Remodelista founder Julie Carlson and editor Margot Guralnick will join us along with Gardenista editor-in-chief Michelle Slatalla will host a Q&A filled with design inspiration; the evening will also include wine, appetizers from the Garden Cafe, and a book signing. We recently caught up with Margot to chat about The Organized Home and her favorite organization tips. 

terrain: How did you decide that a book about organizing was the natural next step to follow the first Remodelista book?

Margot: It came from our readers: Our posts on storage and small-space living are among our most popular and there was a call for an in-depth look at the subject. We also took note of the decluttering movement and saw a missing crucial element: Amid all the advice about paring down to the essentials, no one was addressing how to arrange your things in a way that’s not only practical but beautiful. 

terrain: For fans of the first book, how is the new book different?

Margot: Our first book provides a complete overview of the remodeling and design experience. This one is a deep dive into the chapter in that first book that we called Where’s the Stuff? It proved so popular that we knew we needed to explore the topic further.

terrain: Where did you find inspiration for all of the organization and storage tips you share? Were you looking inside your own homes for the methods you already employed, or did you have to find ideas elsewhere?

Margot: We’ve been at work on Remodelista for 10 years now, and the book is a compendium of favorite ideas and approaches that we’ve been gathering daily ever since. Many of these methods we’ve applied in our own homes; others came from projects we admire. Thanks to Instagram and Pinterest, there’s such a global exchange of ideas these days about every inch of the house, including the pain points, such as how to organize your closet and where best to put the cat bowls. We love being part of that discussion.

terrain: You mentioned at one point that writing this book was harder than the first. How so?

Margot: It was challenging on many fronts: we set out to present fresh ideas on a much-discussed topic. And in order to best illustrate these concepts, we created the majority of the room setups ourselves from scratch. So, in addition to writing, there was a lot of gathering elements and physical labor involved—followed by 20 photo shoots. We also spent months fine-tuning the design of the book; the results, we hope, is a tidy package that’s filled with easy to replicate ideas and fun to flip through. 

terrain: Lots of us have a love/hate relationship with organization at home. We want to achieve it, but our creative minds or hectic schedules get in the way. What would you say to the reader who thinks “I love the idea, but I could never do it myself”?

Margot: Some people advise overhauling the whole house at once. To us, that’s too daunting. We recommend tackling manageable projects, such as devoting a Sunday afternoon to reorganizing your spice drawer or turning your medicine cabinet into a spa bath experience. Once you’ve seen how immensely satisfying these changes are, you can’t help but be compelled to take on more.  

terrain: Do you have a favorite tip that you’ve adopted since writing the book?

Margot: If you hate hanging up your coat on arrival and putting your clothes away at night, install wall hooks or Shaker peg rails in your entry and bedroom. Slinging your things on a hook is just as easy as tossing them on a chair—and it introduces instant order. 

Join us for Cocktails & Conversation with Remodelista on November 14 from 6-8P in Westport, CT.