How to Organize Your Home: Tips for Success
Tackle clutter and disorganization with these easy methods.
With the hustle and bustle of daily life, it's easy to put home organization on the back burner. However, a well-organized home makes all the difference in reducing stress and helping you make the most of your space. In this guide, we go over how to organize your home, from quick swap-ins to closet overhauls.
1. Start by Choosing a Spot to Organize
(Shop this image: white closet systems, fabric cube storage containers, and hanging organizers.)
Organizing your home won't happen overnight. To ensure success, give yourself the simple mission to declutter and reorganize one space at a time, whether it's your kitchen pantry, your mudroom, or your bedroom closet – or even a single drawer. This allows you to put your full energy into reorganizing one area of your home before moving on to the next spot.
Tip!
28 Home Organization Ideas to Get You Started (With Photos!) goes over how to organize your home room by room in detail.
2. Use Bins & Baskets to Reduce Visual Clutter
(Shop this image: rectangular woven baskets and glass storage containers.)
Even in organized spaces, visual clutter can cause your space to seem disheveled. That's where decorative bins and baskets come in. Use them to clean up the shelves in your pantry, linen closet, or bedroom closet. You can also use them to limit clutter on bookshelves by using them to store excess reading materials. Larger baskets or hampers with lids are perfect for tucking away dirty clothes, storing extra living room blankets, and even storing toys. Place these decorative storage solutions in your bedroom or living room for the best results.
Tip!
Need more home organization tips? Check out Decluttering 101: How to Declutter Your Home.
3. Say Goodbye to the Junk Drawer
(Shop this image: white drawer organizers)
Junk drawers are an inevitable part of life. Whether it's the drawer in your nightstand, your home office desk, or that one drawer in the kitchen that's home to takeout ketchup packets, random kitchen gadgets, and rubber bands or bag clips. Give your junk drawer a new purpose by taking everything out. With a clean slate, add drawer organizers or utensil drawer storage bins. Organize the items in each bin by their purpose/use. Put extra sauce packets together, consolidate your takeout menus, group specialty kitchen gadgets, and yes, there can be a bin for miscellaneous items! For more drawer organization tips and tricks, review Organizing a Junk Drawer 101 or How to Organize Bathroom Drawers for Optimal Efficiency.
(Shop this image: wire baskets, rectangular woven baskets, under-shelf baskets, dry food dispensers, and lazy susans.)
Create your own labels or opt for storage solutions with labels to make daily life easier, and to keep you organized. Whether it's a wicker basket labeled "cleaning supplies", food storage containers labeled by name, or signs labeled "clean" or "dirty" to help sort laundry piles, there are so many ways that labels can help you achieve your home organization goals.
(Shop this image: rectangular glass trays and gold decorative bowls.)
Eliminate the stress that comes with trying to find your keys, earbuds, or favorite pair of earrings by creating handy "drop zones" for your smaller essentials. Place trinket trays or jewelry organizers on your nightstand or dresser top so you always know where to locate your go-to accessories. Station a decorative bowl, tray, or a combo on your entryway table to discard your keys, wallet, sunglasses, and outgoing mail. Short on space? Try a wall-mounted mail and key organizer. These small storage solutions will make all the difference when it comes to keeping your space organized and ensuring that none of your essentials go missing.
Tip!
Want to learn more about jewelry storage solutions? Check out How to Organize Jewelry.
6. Optimize Cabinet & Closet Storage Space
(Shop this image: white closet systems, rectangular woven baskets, wire baskets, dry food dispensers, lazy susans, kitchenware dividers, and slow cookers.)
You can have all the closet space in the world, but without the proper storage methods, you can't maximize the use of the space. Closet systems and shelving units help give empty closets more structure by introducing vertical storage solutions. Make your closet system even more functional by introducing shelf dividers/organizers to maximize storage on each individual shelf. Kitchen cabinet organizers also come in handy when trying to make the most of cabinet space. From tiered shelves for cups or spices, lazy susans, or pots and pan organizers, it all comes down to your storage needs!
Tip!
For more tips on how to organize your home and minimize clutter, check out these guides:
How to Organize a Pantry 101: Your Guide to Success
How to Organize a Laundry Room in 5 Easy Steps
How to Hide Wires: Conquer Cord Chaos in 5 Easy Steps
Savvy Shower Storage Ideas: Get The Most Out of Your Shower
