‘Burara’? Bianca Gonzalez shares home organizing cheat sheet

MANILA, Philippines — Are you “burara” like the self-confessed Bianca Gonzalez-Intal?

Don’t worry, there’s still hope for you, she assured in a Philstar.com exclusive interview at the sidelines of hosting Ikea Philippines’ summer launch in Pasay City yesterday.

“I’m still working for it (being organized) and that’s a 100% honest answer,” she said.

Apart from getting help from her basketball star husband JC Intal and their kids at cleaning and organizing, “Definitely, a lot of the stuff we have at home help organize,” enthused Bianca.

Here are some simple hacks and must-haves she shared to get started at home organizing:

Decorative storage solutions help make cleaning more enjoyable

“From the boxes, to the baskets to the drawers, I guess it’s mas nakakagana to actually have nice things to organize them in. Lalo na for the kids’ stuff. Lalo na kids, ang hirap magligpit kasi in 10 minutes, guguluhin na naman nila!” she said.

Before, they used simple plastic containers. But she discovered that using beautiful baskets in their bathroom, kids’ room and walk-in closet make cleaning more enjoyable.

“I love the baskets kasi I can teach kids about packing away because they can just throw things into the basket,” she explained.

Among her favorites are rattan hampers that come with pull-out linen sacks, making them easier to clean. She also replaced their trash cans with those that come with inner plastic buckets that make them easier to clean. 

“Little steps like that that help us (become) more sustainable,” she said.

Insulated bags

Bianca raves over Ikea’s insulated bags that are not only airtight and leak-proof, but also come in catchy designs that are a far-cry from usually simple insulated bags, she said.

“So nice aesthetic solutions like that, I super appreciate!”

Eco bag

Among Bianca’s favorite “branded” bags is the brand’s signature big blue reusable bag that she can carry anywhere because it is durable and light. 

“That’s a mom everything bag… Ako, I use it as a bag. And you can use it for groceries. Ako, when we go out of town, I use it and just pick it up.”

Make your kids use furniture fit for their size

Among her favorite pieces from Ikea Philippines’ Pasay City store is a table and chair set that she believes are called The Mammoth. Kid-sized furniture like this, she said, makes it easier for kids to eat and do arts and crafts 

“Kasi if you see the base, malapad ‘yung base ng tables and chairs. Kasi my kids love to lean on their backs, so s’yempre ako I tell them, ‘don’t do that’ kasi mahuhulog sila. But with these tables and chairs, they can’t do that because malapad ‘yung base. ‘Di lang sila safe, it’s also easy to assemble, light, no sharp edges.”

Truly, a clean and organized home makes it more fun and safer for the entire family.

RELATED: ‘JC Intal is more organized’: Bianca Gonzalez admits to being ‘burara’