Break It Down
When I was first decided to organize my home, I was completely overwhelmed by the number of “projects” that I would need to complete in order to be organized. I was looking at the big picture of my home instead of looking at the smaller spaces. To help yourself feel less overwhelmed by the task of organizing your home, try looking at your home in smaller chunks. Try tackling just the junk drawer or a single cabinet in the kitchen. Accomplishing multiple organizing projects (the junk drawer AND the cabinet) as opposed to just one project (the whole house) you will feel much more accomplished and less overwhelmed.
Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day
I had this idea in my head that organizing my entire home was going to happen all in one day and that my organizing system would be perfect in every way. I soon realized that this was not always going to be the case. Realize that you don’t have to organize every piece of your home all at once and that your organizing system may require a few tweaks along the way.
Assess the Situation
Before deciding which boxes, baskets, and other handy organizing systems you would like to use, take an inventory of what you have and what items you are going to keep. Nothing is more frustrating than buying boxes, baskets and bins for your items to go in and then it doesn’t all fit or it doesn’t work how you thought it would. If you first find out what you have it is a lot easier to create an organizing system that works the first time around.
Utilize Free Printables
These days there are a plethora of free printables across the web that are super handy when deciding to organize your home/life. My personal favorites are linked below:
Hunt for the Right Storage Solutions
This little tip can be the most helpful. Once you have assessed the situation and discovered how much of each item you will be storing, finding the right storage solutions can make a world of difference. For years I have been reorganizing my craft room with the boxes and bins that I have accumulated over the years. Some of these bins were once a perfect fit for the items that I had at the time, but no longer function properly for the items I have now. When I took the time the shop around for the perfect storage solutions, I discovered that my organizational system was much more functional and fit the space I had!
Rethink A Space
Just because you would normally put your pots and pans in the kitchen cabinets doesn’t mean that is where they always have to live. I recently moved from a rental home with a very large kitchen to a home with almost no cabinet space. I found myself having to find a home for all of my pots and pans that I used on a daily basis. I needed to find a space that was still easily accessible while cooking, but that would still allow my pans to remain hidden. My pantry has a space at the bottom that is just tall enough to fit a short two-shelf bookcase into. I measured the space, shopped around, and found a bookcase that fit! The point is, look beyond the usual use for a space. I have utilized more space in this home then I ever have before. Under the sink in my half bath now houses excess diapers and wipes and extra cleaning supplies not just toilet paper and towels. I added a shelf in the water heater closet above the water heater and above the washer and dryer in the laundry room. I bet you have more storage space in your home than you think! In the example below, tall slender bookcases on either side of a door frame utilize the normally wasted space.
Think Vertically
Think of ways to maximize your storage space up high. Shelves and tall bookcases can add a ton of storage space and add a big impact to a room. Snag a pair of mismatched bookcases at thrift stores and paint them the same color to create a cohesive look. Or choose a tall skinny cabinet to place between the sinks in your bathroom to add more storage like this one from Better Homes and Gardens.
Look for Double Duty Storage & Décor
Some of my most favorite home accents are the ones that are multi-functional! My grandmother’s candy dish is on display on my entry table and corrals my keys so I always know where they are. Pretty baskets on a sectioned bookcase look clean and organized and disguise a ton of clutter.
Think About What Works for You & Your Lifestyle
Not all organizational techniques are going to work for the way you live. Think about the way you live and how easily you can maintain a certain organizational system. Is the system simple enough that it’s easy to maintain? Does it work with your daily routine and make your life simpler? If not, you won’t stick with it.
If It’s Not Working, Change It
I can’t tell you the number of times I got my craft supplies all organized only to discover that I could never find what I was looking for. I had to continually reorganize my supplies until I came up with a system that I could actually utilize! An organizational system may seem like the perfect solution for your needs in theory, but if it’s not working for you, change it!
Rethink Common Uses of Everyday Items
Need organization, but have a tight budget? No problem! There are a ton of storage solutions that utilize items you already have in your home. Rinse out icing containers, cover the outside in scrapbook paper, and presto! you have pretty containers to house hair ties, office supplies, you name it, the possibilities are endless. Use a wine rack to hold towels in the bathroom, a dish drying rack to sort files, ice trays to organize office supplies, turn cereal boxes into magazine holders, etc!
Allow for Expansion When Necessary
The one thing I find most frustrating about organizing my home is when I forget to allow for expansion. Take my kitchen pantry. I spent an afternoon taking everything out of my pantry, sorting it by type, and then placing everything back into the pantry. I was so excited because the pantry looked so neat and tidy…then I went to the grocery store. I came home and had no space to put the extra canned goods I had just bought. When tackling an organizational project such as the kitchen pantry remember to allow for EXPANSION when necessary!
Remember this gadget from the Home Organization Challenge - Pantry Organization post? It allows for expansion when necessary!
Adopt the Gain One/Lose One Philosophy
Now not all projects will allow room for expansion. In these cases, adopt the gain one/lose one philosophy. If you buy another pair of shoes, but have no room to store them, then you must choose one pair of shoes to sell/donate before you can add another pair to your closet. This concept also works wonders with children’s toys!
Set Up a Donations Box
If you are like me, you tend to accumulate clutter on a weekly basis. Set up a permanent donations box in your laundry room or garage that you can place those unwanted items into. Take the donations box to a donations center when the box gets full. Tackling clutter on a daily basis makes home organization much less overwhelming and stressful!
Have a great organizing tip? Share it below!
Please note that we do not receive commission in anyway for the promotion of content from other websites/blogs. The intent and purpose of all information in this post is merely for reference.
Please note that we do not receive commission in anyway for the promotion of content from other websites/blogs. The intent and purpose of all information in this post is merely for reference.
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