Everything in its Place

Native Austinite Margaret Williams proves less is more, one home organizing project at a time with her business, Edit Spaces

by Charlotte Spratt
Photography by Kate Zimmerman

Upon entering the inviting Hyde Park home of Margaret Williams, owner of home organizing business, Edit Spaces, it’s clear she is someone who practices what she preaches. Her open floor plan cottage feels decorated, yet not overly so, as her philosophy that every item you have in your home should have purpose shines through in every nook and cranny. We know because we even checked the drawers (all perfectly organized, but also functional).

The native Austinite returned to her hometown in 2014 after living in New York City for a decade. While living in the City, she worked for renowned painter Caio Fonseca while helping friends with organizing their spaces on the side. “Living there made me loathe clutter and value the things I placed in my space. Apartments are typically small (read tiny) and when that is case, you have to pare down to the essentials. I still try to live like that, even though my husband and kids are now, happily, living in more than one room.”

Since moving back to Austin, Williams has been helping people with everything from de-cluttering closets, kitchens, and pantries to garages and kids’ playrooms while at the same time implementing easy to maintain user-friendly organizational systems. The last and most important part of the process is that Williams leaves with all the items that her client decided to donate. She says with a laugh, “I have found that if I don’t immediately leave with the items in question they have a way of sneaking back in.”

For more information on Williams’ services, visit editspaces.com and follow along on Instagram @editspaces

WE ASKED MARGARET WILLIAMS TO SHARE THE THREE MOST COMMON ORGANIZATIONAL CONUNDRUMS SHE CONSISTENTLY HEARS AND HOW SHE SOLVES THEM:

I have no idea where to start!
Pick one small spot, can be as small as a drawer or big as a whole closet, and tackle it from start to finish. Better to leave one space just so as opposed to a few spots halfway organized.

I’m so overwhelmed by all of my stuff!
Everyone is…I literally hear that with 99 percent of my clients. Once we get started, we’ll take it piece by piece and create a keep, donate and sell pile.

How do I make use of the funny or hard to reach spots in my house?
Simple. Install an organizing system, which makes sense out of funny spots. And it’s also totally fine not to use every square inch. No one wants to get on a step stool every time they want a pair of shoes.

_{Read more from the Interiors Issue | January 2017}