Organizing & Storage

Person in a beige sweater opening a pink gift box, sitting on a light-colored sofa.
Marie Kondo Showed Us How Her New Organizing Boxes Work
Drawers are my organizational kryptonite (OK, fine, that and the “clothes chair,” if I’m really confessing weaknesses). I can get everything folded up and fairly neat looking, but the first time I need to grab a T-shirt on my way out the door to the gym in a rush? It all goes down one big jumbled slippery slope of messiness. No amount of purging—or even, dare I say, Kon-Mari-ing—has helped. But now, the KonMari architect herself, says she can help.
Laura Schocker
Jul 25, 2018
10 Brilliant Storage Ideas to Steal from These Tiny, International Airbnbs
If you want to (affordably) escape to an amazing city, renting a tiny Airbnb might be your best bet to get the perfect location. And one of my favorite things about staying in an Airbnb, especially one that’s someone’s home that they rent out versus one that’s really working as a hotel, is seeing the clever tricks they use to make living in teeny spaces work out. While we don’t usually recommend stealing from Airbnbs (that’s wrong! And illegal!
Ayn-Monique Klahre
Jul 25, 2018
7 Secrets for a Less-Messy Living Room
Living rooms come in all shapes and sizes, and unfortunately, the smaller the apartment, the harder it can be to keep yours organized. Throw in a busy work schedule and a somewhat active social life and suddenly a tiny living room can turn into a cluttered disaster zone, especially when you don’t have a lot of extra room for storage. But fret not my busy, unorganized friends; we’re here to help.
Caroline Biggs
Jul 23, 2018
4 Ways to Hack Our Favorite $3 IKEA Organizing Staple
The magic of IKEA pieces is not only in their well-thought-out, small-space-maximizing design, but in the numerous ways each versatile piece can be repurposed and hacked. Here are four ways to transform one of our very favorite IKEA staples, the VARIERA bag dispenser, into more than meets the eye.
Shifrah Combiths
Jul 23, 2018
One Simple Way to Reduce Visual Clutter All Over Your Space
You may have only heard of decanting when it comes to wine, but this technique is a game-changer for organizing your home. By moving everyday products into containers, you’re eliminating the visual clutter created by clunky shelf packaging—which was never meant to fit neatly on your shelves. This is also great for those who buy—or want to buy—in bulk. No need to store the extra-large box on your shelves, instead, decant into a usable jar and refill as needed.
Samantha Zabell
Jul 16, 2018
9 Ways to Use Basic Wire Baskets All Over the House
I’m always searching for ways to make organization look like it’s part of my decor (an inescapable reality of small apartments with no closets). Flimsy plastic bins just don’t cut it. Lately, I’ve been turning to basic wire baskets to use all around the house. Once you start thinking of them less like boxes, and more like flexible storage or shelves that don’t require brackets or a saw, you open up new organizational possibilities.
Cat Meschia
Jul 13, 2018
7 Ways to Hack Your Way to More Closet Space
Closets come in all shapes and sizes—and often, with not enough storage space. Thankfully, with a little imagination (and research), you can turn your cramped closet into a stylish storage hub, no matter how tiny it may be. To prove our point, we rounded up some of the easiest—and not to mention, affordable—ways to carve out more storage for your wardrobe.
Caroline Biggs
Jul 4, 2018
The Organizing Accessories Expert Travelers Always Have in Their Suitcase
If you think packing is stressful, it’s probably because you don’t have the tools to make it easy. Take it from me, a converted messy person. I was a slob to the nth degree; where chaos reigned in any room I stepped in. But I quickly learned the only reason that most of my messes happened was because I refused to invest in actual organizing tools, which are literally designed to keep your life tidy. When every item has a home, it’s hard to be messy.
Marlen Komar
Jun 30, 2018
The $13 Way to Take Charge of Your Messiest Kitchen Cabinet
It’s an unfortunate truth of small space living that the tinier the kitchen, the harder it is to find storage space—and worse, stay organized. While some of us invest in new ways to carve out storage space and keep our kitchens tidy, others are forced to forgo their non-essential (and clutter-causing) kitchen wares, especially plastic Tupperware. But fret not my lunch-packing (and leftover-loving) friends, there’s hope for your messy Tupperware cabinet.
Caroline Biggs
Jun 25, 2018
Why You Should Use Magnets to Organize Your Bathroom
Magnets are little gravity-defying miracles, and mighty in their myriad uses. One of the best places to put their small-yet-powerful selves to work is in the bathroom. Use one or two or 10 there, and keep everything in its proper place. No more hunting around for loose bobby pins, nail clippers, or your favorite eye shadow.
Dabney Frake
Jun 18, 2018
The $10 Way to Tame Your Bedroom’s Biggest Trouble Spot
Every home has its trouble spots, and clothing piles are a big one in many bedrooms.
Dabney Frake
Jun 14, 2018
Before and After: An $80 Closet Makeover That’s Organized and Stylish
This guest room closet was due for an update—it was originally dark brown—but its owner didn’t want to drop a ton of cash on it. After spending a few weeks and $76.69, this closet is now practical and super cute. The makeover by Jessica and Brett of The Mountain and Moon is darling. The new shelves add a ton of valuable storage, the accordion rack is as pretty as it is helpful, and that dotted wall is eye-catching!
Tess Wilson
May 24, 2018
Why Everyone Should Start a Bullet Journal
If you were one of the folks—like me—hoping bullet journals would be a flash-in-the-pan lifestyle trend, I have to report that we’re wrong. Bullet journals are here to stay. Why did I write off bullet journals for so long? (Pun absolutely intended.) Well to me, they seemed like they existed as a sort of vanity project—an Instagram-worthy journal where perfect people can showcase the elements of their perfect life in perfect handwriting.
Taryn Williford
May 20, 2018
Use Keurig K Cups or Coffee Pods? This Storage Hack’s For You
Use Keurig K cups or Nespresso coffee pods? If yours live in one of those bulky carousels on your counter, or take up an entire drawer, they are using precious kitchen real estate. Here’s a great quick (and temporary) way to up your storage game with an affordable, DIY solution that frees up space, and lets you easily see and grab the flavor you want. Best of all, it only takes minutes and just a couple of bucks.
Dabney Frake
May 19, 2018
8 Bedrooms That Master the Open Closet Storage Trend
While house hunting, you sometimes fall in love with a place so quickly you don’t notice what’s not there. When I realized my first apartment had no closet, I made do with a cheap, pop-up wardrobe that looked liked I never really, truly settled in. I wish I had seen some better ideas first (searches for open closets are up 126% on Pinterest) because so many clever people have fully embraced the open storage trend.
Cat Meschia
May 17, 2018
11 Uses for Magnetic Knife Racks You’re Probably Overlooking
I’m prepared to say that 85% of U.S. citizens have one of these magnetic knife holders hanging somewhere in their kitchen (that’s a totally made up number btw), and the other 15% should get on board. And then 100% of us should look for other places to mount them in our homes, because these simple little strips are good for so much more than just knives. Here’s a whole bunch of ways they make organizing easy.
Dabney Frake
May 17, 2018
5 Professional Organizers Share Their #1 Tip for Messy People
Getting your sh*t together isn’t easy. Staying organized is especially hard when you’re a self-proclaimed “messy” person. Luckily, we know some amazing professional organizers to call upon for help. We hit up five of our favorite pro-organizers for the number one piece of advice they’d give “messy people” looking to get their homes—and lives—in order and here’s what they had to share.
Caroline Biggs
May 13, 2018
This Simple Project Takes Storage to A Whole New Level
When it comes to storage, there are things we want conveniently within reach, and easy to grab at a moment’s notice. And then there are things we have to keep out of necessity, but only use occasionally (and sometimes, face it, never at all). Hanging some storage up near the ceiling is a great way to make the most of your square footage. These floor-freeing solutions that give us very high hopes.
Dabney Frake
May 9, 2018
This Smart $3 Hack Turns Any Available Surface Into Temporary Extra Storage
Is your kitchen bursting at the seams? If you’re going a little crazy trying to fit all your stuff in your space, this is the hack for you. It’s a great quick (and temporary) way to up your storage game with an affordable, DIY solution that makes better use of your cabinets and shelving. Each of these hacks start with inexpensive PVC strips , which you can buy very cheaply at Home Depot, or for a little bit more on Amazon.
Dabney Frake
May 7, 2018
How to Double Your Closet Space for Under $20
When we found out we’d be adding another girl to our family, it didn’t take long before we began to consider future bedroom layout arrangements. My older daughter’s closet, though pretty well-purged, is full on one half with clothes hanging on a rod, and on the other half with built-in shelving. How could we make room for a new little one’s clothes? Then I remembered a genius storage solution I’d seen in a friend’s closet: a hanging closet rod.
Shifrah Combiths
May 7, 2018
The One $7 IKEA Storage Item I’ve Kept After Multiple Moves
I’ve had my fair share of IKEA items over the years. There was a KARLSTAD sofa in my first apartment (which I sold to a friend), a BESTA wall cabinet that got left behind when I moved from Boston, and countless little items I’ve bought then used up or purged along the way. Few things, however, have stuck around over time and made it through multiple moves over the years. But there’s one thing that I bought perhaps 15 years ago (maybe?
Dabney Frake
May 6, 2018
Small Space Storage Tips—From People Who Live in Tiny Homes
In any home, large or small, storage tends to be one of the top gripes. There’s a good chance that your basement — if you even have a basement — is filled with needless items that you’ve collected over the years. You’ve probably lived through the experience of donating several coats in your closet, so you can, um… make room for new coats. And let’s not even discuss that clutter that currently resides under your bed.
Shelby Deering
May 6, 2018
Smart (and Cheap) Ways to Store More in Your Bedroom
There’s something so cozy about a small bedroom, but there’s also something pretty maddening about trying to figure out how to put all your stuff in one. And the fact that tiny bedrooms often come with tiny closets often makes things worse. What’s a cash-strapped small-space dweller to do? We’ve rounded up a few solutions that will make a little extra room for your stuff without breaking the bank. No space for shelves in the bedroom?
Nancy Mitchell
Apr 26, 2018
Before and After: A Brand New Look for A Plain IKEA VITTSJÖ
IKEA’s VITTSJO shelving line boasts clean, modern lines, and an attractively reasonably price, but one DIYer found it to be lacking a bit of flair. The shelf unit is now chic and unique—and hopefully a little bit more kitten-proof! Tonya Sutfin of Happy Go Home Vittsjo created this makeover, and the results are so great!
Tess Wilson
Apr 26, 2018
Before and After: This Garage Makeover Manages a Huge Mountain of Stuff
A tale as old as time: you find yourself with the luxury of space—a shelf, a closet, a garage, a basement—and then you observe yourself slowly but surely filling it. Suddenly, there are piles and heaps and plenty of shame. One hardy soul managed to turn things around, creating a garage that’s a joy rather than embarrassment. Let’s all get inspired to clean up our own messes!
Tess Wilson
Apr 25, 2018
Here’s The Minimalists’ Best Advice for Dealing With Sentimental Clutter
My husband and I recently replaced our dresser, which spurred an event which I’ll be referring to in the confines of our relationship history as “The Great T-Shirt Eradication of 2018.” You see, between us, we own many, many tees. We could, as a couple, each wear a different shirt every day and maybe make it until Independence Day without doing laundry. At least, that was the case before “The Great T-Shirt Eradication of 2018.
Taryn Williford
Apr 25, 2018
5 Affordable Organizing Solutions I Swear by in My Kitchen
I don't have a fortune to customize the cabinets from top to bottom — just a few dollars here and there to maximize my kitchen's storage potential.
Taryn Williford
Apr 20, 2018
The Best Small Space Organization Solutions—According to People Who Live In Tiny Homes
Even if you're not so sure the tiny life is for you, you can borrow these smart organizing strategies.
Shelby Deering
Apr 19, 2018
The One Thing Your Small Space Needs From IKEA’s New Releases
If you’re dealing with organizing a small space, it’s highly likely that at some point, you’ll be hitting up your nearest IKEA. And thankfully, the Swedish retailer recently released a real workhorse of a system for diminutive dwellings. We’re expecting to see this one thing in many a cramped kitchen very soon. The sage advice when you’re short on floor space is to maximize your walls. And the new KUNGSFORS series is definitely here to help with that.
Tara Bellucci
Apr 12, 2018
Clever Small-Space Ideas From a Super Functional 269-Square-Foot Apartment
Any way you slice it, 269 square feet is just not a lot of space. But thanks to a clever design, and lots of smart storage solutions, this small Japanese apartment manages to fit in everything that’s needed for living comfortably—and look good doing it. Here’s how. Open shelving can be a nice way to display your stuff, or keep things you need within easy reach, but it’s not always the best choice for small spaces.
Nancy Mitchell
Apr 11, 2018
The $1 Kitchen Storage Trick That Might Save Your Plates
If you’re a practical person and invested in high quality tableware in classic white, good for you! Your dinner guests will have to look long and hard to spy those tiny chips your plates may have accumulated over the years. For the rest of us who opted for brightly colored vintage dishes that we have to constantly protect with our lives — we need all the help we can get to keep our priceless pieces looking pristine. So what help do we offer? What ingenious tip have we? Ready for it?
Ashley Poskin
Apr 10, 2018
Why You Should Always Steal the Shower Cap From the Hotel
Who among us hasn’t snatched a tiny hotel toiletry (or 10) in our time? Let she without blame cast the first miniature moisturizer bottle. For the record, though, why would they leave them out if they didn’t want you to take them? We say keep growing your collection. And while you’re at it, make you don’t forget the most underrated of items: the humble hotel shower cap. You may be wondering, “But, why? Like, why?
Julie Sprankles
Apr 9, 2018
The IKEA Storage Piece We Spot Over and Over Again (It’s Under $100!)
The folks at IKEA seem to have a knack for making pieces that are incredibly simple and also fit into all different kinds of interiors. They’re like the little black dresses of design. Case in point: the IKEA PS cabinet, which looks like a school locker and a credenza had a baby and somehow, despite its somewhat industrial appearance, is just the right thing for all kinds of spaces. And the best thing? It costs less than $100.
Nancy Mitchell
Apr 5, 2018
Why You Should Leave a Cup of Rice in Your Closet
Rice is a staple on dinner tables around the globe, but has many other great uses that go beyond the kitchen. Most of us have used it to save our cell phones from unfortunate run-ins with water because it’s hygroscopic and can trap the water molecules, but have you ever used it to trap odors? A cup of rice in a stinky space can make a world of difference. Making a deodorizing rice jar is one of the easiest, and best smelling things you can do for your home.
Ashley Poskin
Mar 28, 2018
Why the “Target Trick” Could Help Eliminate Junk Drawers from Your Life Entirely
Also: why you should never call it a "junk drawer."
Adrienne Breaux
Mar 27, 2018
7 Times You’re Actually Just Hoarding When You’re Trying to Organize
We’ve all been there. It’s almost springtime and after a long winter spent indoors, you’re ready to get your home nice and clutter-free for the warm weather season. Unfortunately, sometimes instead of successfully clearing out the clutter in our homes, we simply wind up organizing stuff we shouldn’t keep in the first place. While catchall storages bins and closet organizers might seem space-savvy, they often end up helping us hoard things we should be getting rid of.
Caroline Biggs
Mar 22, 2018
Declutter With Confidence Using This Professional Stylist’s Closet Cleanout Checklist
What’s the easiest target when decluttering fever hits you? The closet, of course. It’s probably overflowing with clothes you haven’t worn since college or things you’re not sure why you even bought in the first place. And sure, there are plenty of cliches out there about when to get rid of clothes.
Dana McMahan
Mar 19, 2018
The Best Thing You Can Do For Your Entryway Under $75
Your entryway is one hard worker, and the gatekeeper to the rest of your home. Mail, grocery bags, shoes, and gear regularly come and go, and your home’s well-being depends in part on its ability to filter out the clutter and prevent mess from trickling into your main living space. A good hardworking entryway bench is the ultimate secret weapon, combining style, seating and storage to keep everything clear of chaos and mess (and to look good doing it).
Dabney Frake
Mar 14, 2018
7 Things You Need to Declutter Before You Spring Clean
It's smart — before you dig in on your spring clean — to minimize the stuff that needs to be cleaned and cleaned around.
Shifrah Combiths
Mar 13, 2018
4 Messes, 4 Makeovers: Real Life Redos of Some Very Disorganized Closets
If you have a disastrous closet, but are bound and determined to get it in shape this spring, let the following four transformations be major inspiration. Whether it’s a sliver of space, or a full on walk-in closet, there’s an organizing solution out there for you. See how these four people (with very different set ups) maximized their storage and made their lives more efficient. Katy’s issue definitely wasn’t space.
Dabney Frake
Mar 13, 2018
Smart Organizing Secrets to Steal From People Who Live Without Closets
“I have so much closet space I don’t even know what to do with it,” said nobody ever. I mean, even president Obama has a closet-space shortage, so for those of us wishing for just one more little nook to stuff our things in—we’re not alone.
Dana McMahan
Mar 12, 2018
Before and After: An Empty Entryway is Now a Functional Triple Threat
This shoe storage had its issues — scuffs, unpainted areas, general ricketiness — but it’s still better than my Heap O’Shoes. Can the less-than-ideal but serviceable shoe storage racks be improved upon? Is attractive, accessible, adaptable, practical shoe storage actually possible? We shall see. This is amazing! It looks incredibly cool, and the shoes are within easy reach of both the door and the shoe-putting-on bench.
Tess Wilson
Mar 11, 2018
7 Sneaky Ways Your Stuff is Stealing Your Time
Sometimes your stuff gets in the way of, well, life. Whether it’s not being able to find your keys when you’re already running late for work or missing a train because you took too long digging through your purse for your transit card, searching for everyday essentials can have a major impact on your daily routine.
Caroline Biggs
Mar 2, 2018
Before and After: A Masterful Master Closet Makeover
This is another in a series of bravely honest closet photos that have been submitted lately—such as this one—and we cherish each and every one. Keep sending your unfiltered closet pics so the rest of us can be wildly inspired by your brilliant closet makeovers! But before we admire the closet now, let’s get a full-length view of the closet before . . .
Tess Wilson
Feb 25, 2018
8 Unexpected & Creative Ways to Store All Your Shoes
Do you have too many pairs of shoes? It was a trick question! Of course you don’t! You just have to get a little more creative with how you store them. Part of this creative process is deciding whether you want to hide or display your footwear. For example, I have some amazing pairs of shoes that I love showing off, but then there are the dirty sneakers, the old Teva sandals, and the “too-loved” everyday flats that don’t need to be celebrated.
Anita Shriver
Feb 25, 2018
How I Finally Broke my Ziplock Bag Habit
We all have our home vices, don’t we? Taryn, our Lifestyle Editor, for instance, went on a “Green Clean” journey to reduce her dependance on paper towels last year — a move that made me take a good hard look at my own wasteful practices in and around my home. I’m pretty good about remembering to bring my reusable bags to the grocery store (and when I forget, I always try to return the plastic bags to the recycling bin at my local Publix on the next trip).
Arlyn Hernandez
Feb 24, 2018
The Best Cleaning & Decluttering Plan for Every Myers-Briggs Personality Type
Cleaning and organizing strengths and pitfalls for each type, as well as suggestions for how to tackle homekeeping and embrace your unique personality,
Anne Momber
Feb 22, 2018
Before and After: An Endlessly Satisfying $100 Closet Makeover
This is one of the most inspiring types of projects: it was done for approximately $100, it includes a detailed budget breakdown, it is neither glamorous nor thrilling, both the before and the after photos were taken in the same artificial light, and it hugely improved someone’s quality of everyday life. May we all tackle similarly approachable yet satisfying projects! Let’s explore. It’s so much brighter now! Well done, Old House To New Home.
Tess Wilson
Feb 21, 2018
Mandy Moore’s Pantry Is Organization Goals
We love a good sneak peek inside a celeb’s home via Instagram. If you’ve been following This Is Us star Mandy Moore lately on the ‘gram, you’ve seen an eyeful of her newly renovated pad, and recently, we got a look inside the pantry. While Moore and fiancé Taylor Goldsmith moved in last month, final touches are still in the works on the mid-century space.
Tara Bellucci
Feb 20, 2018
30 Ways to Remake the IKEA MOPPE Mini Storage Chest
The MOPPE is one of IKEA’s most popular products, and it’s not hard to see why: it offers six storage compartments for $16.99, it’s made of attractive minimal birch plywood, it’s eminently stainable and paintable, and its drawers can be reversed to hide the opening notches. As one featured DIYer put it, it’s a perfect craft victim. Here are 30 ways to make the MOPPE — freshly available after a much-lamented hiatus — your own.
Tess Wilson
Feb 18, 2018
Before and After: The $100 Closet-Turned-Mudroom Makeover
Other than the John Malkovich/Narnia door in the back, this was a totally ordinary closet. Thanks to a clever vision, some spatial strategizing, and a bunch of affordable accessories from IKEA and Target, this closet is now a super-handy mini-mudroom — and the whole makeover cost less than $100. For such a small space — just 3’x3.75′ — this room now contains an enormous amount of super-smart storage.
Tess Wilson
Feb 17, 2018
Stop Making These 5 Storage Mistakes in Your Small Space
One of the most pressing challenges of living in a small home is: where are you gonna put all your stuff?
Nancy Mitchell
Feb 15, 2018
Kristen Bell Relaxes With Organization Photos And We So Relate
Stress can kill you, so it’s important to indulge in self care and relax on a regular basis. For some, that means meditating or taking a bath, but for relatable human Kristen Bell, it means scrolling through images of organized spaces. Bell shared on her Instagram Story this weekend that browsing organization porn is her favorite Saturday morning ritual. And we totally get it. Her drug of choice? @lifeinjeneral. And we can see why.
Tara Bellucci
Feb 12, 2018
6 Essential IKEA Pieces That’ll Help You Take Control of Your Shoepocalypse
One of the most common questions we see around Apartment Therapy from readers revolves around shoe storage. No matter if they have a small space or a sprawling home, there never seem to be enough space for shoes (at least in a way that looks good and is easy to maneuver). Of course, baskets throw in a closet or near the front door is a fast and cheap fix, but who really wants to dig through a dirty tangle of tennis shoes and boots every time you’re running out the door?
Arlyn Hernandez
Feb 12, 2018
8 Pictures that Prove IKEA’s EKBY ALEX is the Sleekest Storage Around
At $46.99 and a mere 12 inches deep, the EKBY ALEX is one of IKEA’s best examples of sleek, minimal furniture that lends itself to an impressive array of uses and customization options. With two drawers and a surface that can be used as a shelf or table, the EKBY ALEX maximizes storage in small spaces like only our favorite Swedish pieces can.
Shifrah Combiths
Feb 7, 2018
What Exactly is a Coverlet? And How is it Different from Other Bedding?
When it comes time to choose bedding for your home, you’ll find plenty of options. From solids to prints, synthetics to natural materials, designer brands to bed-in-a-bag sets — but before you make any of those decisions, you must first figure out which type of bedding you want. And this is where we delve into one of life’s little mysteries: the difference between coverlets and other kinds of bedding.
Julie Sprankles
Feb 5, 2018
5 Reasons Now is the Best Time to Declutter
Clearing clutter out of our physical spaces, and therefore out of our lives, has the power to refresh the space in our heads. While this alone makes any time a good time to declutter, there’s something about this time of year that puts us all in the mood to cozy up, buckle down and start over.
Shifrah Combiths
Feb 4, 2018
Ten Under-$40 IKEA Finds That’ll Double the Storage in Your Bathroom
10 brilliant ideas for your walls, countertops and awkward corners.
Caroline Biggs
Jan 18, 2018
Before & After: This IKEA Hack Is Every Neat Freak’s Dream
Evygenia from Foxy and Brass has a small desk that’s tucked inside an alcove in her apartment, and it’s surrounded by built-in shelving. To get herself organized, she hacked an IKEA SKADIS pegboard to fit the space. Not only does the spot look ten times better, but the project solved more than one small space problem. First she cut the pegboard exactly to size [note: the SKÅDIS pegboard isn’t currently available in the U.S.
Dabney Frake
Jan 15, 2018
3 Things Super Organized People Do at Home that You Don’t
Each of us has personal feelings about cleaning and home keeping. But what remains remarkably similar across the board is the trouble spots that we all find tricky to solve. Which, by extension, means that those perpetually organized people who never seem to have the stuff explosions most of us fall prey to have found successful ways to address these very same sticking points. Nothing multiplies like paper piles.
Shifrah Combiths
Jan 7, 2018
How to Use This Unexpected IKEA Product in Every Room of the Home
IKEA’s Algot collection is a closet system, a modular, budget-friendly alternative to something like the Container Store’s Elfa. But like a lot of IKEA products, it’s also incredibly versatile, suitable for a huge variety of uses that go far beyond closets. Here are some of our favorite ways to use Algot shelves, drawers, and bins in every room of the house. Algot can be a bit of a lifesaver in a closetless entryway, providing drawers, shoe racks, hanging bars, and shelves.
Nancy Mitchell
Jan 5, 2018
Your New Year’s Cosmic Cleanout: The Perfect Cleaning & Decluttering Plan for Every Zodiac Sign
New Year’s perpetually brings on the urge to purge, and with Mercury now out of retrograde and a pack of planets in Queen-of-the-Capsule-Collection, Capricorn, it’s a luminous moment to catch some serious stardust with your Swiffer.
Bess Matassa
Jan 4, 2018
Do This and You’re One Hour Closer to a Happier, Healthier Home
There’s a quote by French writer Antoine de Saint Exupéry that I’ve always loved to repeat to myself when I need perspective: “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” As much as you want your home to be a better, happier place, you have to understand that it takes work to get there. And not all of that work is spent on hands and knees, scrubbing showers or sorting drawers. Much of the work is just planning — deciding what to do and committing to when to do it.
Taryn Williford
Jan 3, 2018
It’s Time to Reset Your Home for 2018: Let’s Kick Off the January Cure!
Happy New Year! It’s always amazing to me what a boost your mind and body can get — in the form of renewed energy, motivation, and focus — by seeing the calendar reset at January each year. It’s the perfect time to make a fresh start, which includes getting your home primed for the year ahead. Because who doesn’t want a home that works better and looks better, too?
Taryn Williford
Jan 2, 2018
Before & After: This Old Closet Now Puts Up a Good Front
Medina and her husband Vince inherited this built-in closet when they moved into their current rental, and had to find a way to make it work — especially since the tiny bedroom doesn’t allow for much more storage. They removed its ugly outdated doors early on in their tenancy, but that just left them with this awful view of red faux wood grain, which Medina especially couldn’t stand.
Dabney Frake
Dec 31, 2017
Why You Should Keep a Dry Erase Marker in Every Room of the House
Your most on-top-of-it friends? I’ll let you in on their secret for staying organized: Write everything down. Your brain has to do a lot of day-to-day hustling, so anything that you can clear out of it and get onto paper is something you’re sure to remember when needed. But the thing is, you don’t need paper at all. Dry erase markers can do a lot of heavy lifting around your home.
Taryn Williford
Dec 12, 2017
7 IKEA Closets that Look Like a Million Bucks
If you’ve ever priced custom closets, you know that they cost a lot. Like, a whole whole lot. But the good news is that you don’t have to spend a million bucks (or even a thousand) to get a closet that looks like a million bucks. Your secret weapon for custom-ish closets? IKEA.
Nancy Mitchell
Dec 11, 2017
The Key to Decluttering Without Burning Yourself Out
Decluttering—especially if you have a lot of stuff to begin with—can be an exhausting task. You can spend hours going through your things and realize you’re not even remotely close to being done with all your sorting. If you always feel totally spent when you’re done with a major decluttering session, the key might be in avoiding those giant, day (or weekend!) long clean-outs in the first place.
Brittney Morgan
Dec 6, 2017
This Decluttering Pro’s 10-Percent Method Will Help You Pare Down Guiltlessly
Here’s the thing about stuff—even when we don’t need it, it’s easy to become attached to it, assign meaning to it or feel guilt about getting rid of it. Gifts from loved ones or an expensive purchase you regret but can’t return can weigh you and your home down. So, what do you do when you feel like you can’t part with anything you own—even when you have multiples that you don’t need?
Brittney Morgan
Dec 1, 2017
5 Life-Changing Home Habits You Should Start in Your New Apartment
Sometimes moving into a new apartment is just the push you need to start over. It’s a clean slate—your new home is clean and empty, and as you move in, you have the power to decide where everything goes and what you want your home to be like.
Brittney Morgan
Nov 27, 2017
Where to Stack Coats and Bags When You’re Having a Big Party in a Small Space
Nothing is more fun during the holiday season than hosting friends and family for a gathering. But what happens when you love to entertain but don’t actually have a ton of room or even a proper coat closet to store everyone’s stuff? Fret not, friends—a cramped living space doesn’t have to be a problem. Here are five options to consider when deciding where to stow your guests’ things during your holiday festivities this season.
Caroline Biggs
Nov 22, 2017
The $1 Storage Solution You Won’t Know How You Lived Without
I’ve picked up the odd Dollar Tree clear plastic bin here and there for, well, I can’t remember what for now that I use them for everything. Seriously, since discovering and drooling over The Home Edit‘s Instagram feed (I even rainbowtized my apps, but that’s a story for another day), I’m clear-binning all the things. Here’s why I wish I’d started organizing with them years ago.
Shifrah Combiths
Nov 21, 2017