Tips on Organizing Your Home

January 07, 2011
Credit: Thomas Loof
From the kitchen and bathroom to the bedroom and laundry room, here are 40 ways to simplify, streamline, and banish clutter throughout the house.
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Credit: Thomas Loof

It's a truth universally acknowledged: An organized home is a happy home. And not just because it's easier to find what you need. In fact, research has shown that cluttered spaces can cause more unnecessary stress than you think. You may find yourself scrambling to find keys and wallets before rushing out the door. Mornings may mean time spent searching for soccer cleats and missing socks instead of sharing breakfast as a family. Even meal prep can quickly go awry when you find yourself searching high and low for a roasting pan or container of spices you swore you still had.

Luckily, getting things in order in every room of the home doesn't have to be as tiresome and overwhelming as it might seem. With a few simple tricks and tools, you can organize everything from stacks of sweaters in the closet and piles of paperwork at your desk to baking essentials in the kitchen and spare linens in the laundry room in a few hours (or less!).

To get started, there are a few simple organizing rules to keep in mind. For instance, when you can, it's always helpful to group like items together and sort them by the frequency at which you use or wear them. In other words, don't let your fine dinnerware take up precious space in the pantry when everyday mugs and neatly stacked bowls could be of better use. Something as simple as adding a battery-operated light to a dim closet or cabinet could help you better find what you need and avoid shuffling around in the dark.

Read on for more of our pro organizing tips, sure to help you straighten out your space in no time.

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Start with the Kitchen

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Getting this high-traffic area in order can help you be more efficient and less stressed during mealtime—and beyond! The first step: Store things where you use them. Pots and pans are best kept near the range or cooktop; mixing bowls near the countertop you use for food preparation; plates, glasses, and flatware near the dishwasher.

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Arrange Appliances

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How to Clean Small Appliances

Frequently used small appliances—such as a toaster and coffeemaker—should be stored on the counter; ones seldom needed on a lower cabinet. Install a drawer onto a deep lower shelf for appliances used occasionally, such as a rice cooker and blender.

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Keep Like with Like

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Tips on Keeping Your Pantry Clean

Store all bakeware in the same cupboard, all wooden spoons in the same ceramic crock, and all spices in the same drawer. It becomes much easier to find items when you know roughly where they should be.

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Sort Items Vertically

Store your most frequently used items in the most accessible places. Keep things you use most often at eye level; store heavy items below waist level; and infrequently-used items on high shelves or in another area of the house.

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Use See-Through Bins

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Keep small kitchen items in containers with see-through bins. This will make it easier to quickly asses what you have in stock.

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Declutter Yearly

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Make a habit of taking an annual inventory of all utensils, cookware, and dishware and get rid of unnecessary duplicates, items damaged beyond repair, or things no longer used.

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Nest Bowls and Pots

This storage method can help conserve space. Place paper plates or sheets of paper towels in between layers to prevent scratching. Use non-absorbent coated paper plates between cast-iron pans, which tend to retain traces of oil.

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Stack by Shape

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Stack trays and platters by shape: round platters in one stack, oblong platters in another. Or lean platters against the back wall of a cabinet (secure them using rubber bumpers) and stack plates in front.

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Group by Function

Credit: Raymond Hom

Group glassware and dinnerware by function. For example, keep everyday plates, bowls, cups, and glasses in one area. Store glasses upright to protect rims.

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Baskets and Bins

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Use baskets and bins to contain small items that might otherwise create clutter, such as spices, dish towels, or cleaning supplies.

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Drawer Dividers

Divide flatware or utensils within drawers. Arrange separate components to fill a drawer, or look for expandable one-piece units.

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Use Gliders

How to Organize Under the Sink

Hanging plastic or wire baskets, or baskets on gliders placed in base cabinets, makes access to cleaning and other supplies easier.

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Lazy Susans

Use lazy Susans for organizing condiments, spices, or vitamins. These multi-tier turntables can make the most of corner base cabinets and storage spaces.

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Stack Shelves Within Shelves

Stacking shelves can maximize space on existing shelves. Place plastic-coated wire shelves to double storage capacity for dishes, cups, glasses, pots, and pans.

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Use Space Beneath Shelves

Slip an under-shelf wire rack over a shelf to take advantage of the often-unused space below.

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Beat Clutter in the Bathroom

Credit: Raymond Hom
This Design Idea Could Transform Your Bathroom

The same principles that work in the kitchen also apply to the bathroom. Start by grouping like things together, such as all cosmetics, in a plastic bin or washable bag, all skin-care products on the same medicine-cabinet shelf, or all shampoos in one spot under the sink.

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Toss Old Cosmetics

Credit: Aaron Dyer

Cosmetics have a finite shelf life, as do skincare products and medications. Every year, take an inventory, and throw out those items that are expired, you no longer use, or are damaged. Do not flush expired drugs down the toilet as this can affect the water supply. Instead, consult your local pharmacy about take-back programs.

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Tackle Your Closet

An organized clothes closet can simplify busy mornings and make every day just a little bit better. Two or even three short rods installed one above the other, rather than one high one, will maximize hanging space for short items like shirts, skirts, and folded trousers. Reserve another area for longer items such as coats and dresses.

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Use Adjustable Shelves

Opt for adjustable shelves rather than fixed ones. They will allow you to change the arrangement of the closet as your storage needs evolve. Open storage cubes rein in piles of folded shirts and sweaters and keep them from toppling over.

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Don't Forget the Floor

Install shelves or cubbies at the base of a closet and you'll never have to rifle through items strewn across the floor again.

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Optimize Space

If the ceiling is high, install shelves above the rods to store items you don't use every day, such as hats, gloves, and other off-season clothing. Walls and the backs of closet doors can support hooks, peg-board (to which you can secure any number of hooks), mirrors, and even bulletin boards for messages and mementos.

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Streamline Accessories

To keep smaller items like jewelry and scarves from getting scattered (or lost!), gather them into designated containers within drawers or in labeled stacking bins on shelves.

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Illuminate the Interior

A dark closet makes it difficult to locate what you need (as well as to get rid of the things you don't). Consider battery-operated lighting if your closet has no power source. Better yet, have an electrician install recessed ceiling lights that turn on automatically when the door is opened. An incandescent light can also help prevent mildew.

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Reassess Regularly

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Consider Hosting a Clothing Swap

To keep your closets functioning optimally, re-examine them every six months. If the types of items you're storing have changed, rearrange the shelves, rods, and bins.

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Keep Sheet Sets Together

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In the linen closet, store sheet sets together in one pillowcase to make it easier to find what you need when making a bed.

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Love Your Laundry Room

Credit: Ryan Liebe
Essentials for an Efficient Laundry Room

Whether it's in a tiny closet or a spacious basement, an organized laundry room is key. Arrange products and supplies according to how you use them. Anything you need regularly should be placed within easy reach; extras and incidentals can be stored on a high shelf or another out-of-the-way spot.

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Use a Drying Rack

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Keep a drying rack handy for drip-dry items, either one that is collapsible or one that folds away next to the wall.

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Manage the Home Office

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How to Declutter and Organize Your Paperwork

Keep stress at bay when working at home with a decluttered desk. First step: Organize paperwork. Considering the volume of mail that can accumulate on any given day, one in-box might not do the trick. Try a system of four main in-boxes: for personal correspondence, bills, catalogs, and papers to file.

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