Organizing & Storage

There are plenty of books and articles out there that can tell you exactly how to clean and organize your home, but do you want to understand your clutter better? After all, understanding your habits is one of the keys to getting better at managing them and becoming more organized.

See it "magically" transform from chaos to order.

The very hardest part of clearing things out of your home isn’t the actual brawn of walking them out the door. Nope, there’s another muscle that needs exercising to prepare for this fight: Your brain. The tough part of decluttering is truly the mental aspect of deciding what should stay, and ultimately, how to get over the hurdle of liberating those once-worthy objects from our ownership. You have to be merciless.

Bullet journals basically do it all—they’re a totally customizable place to keep track of just about everything in your life, and they’re beautiful enough to be Instagram content (seriously, every time I look at a bullet journal I’m reminded that I need to up my penmanship game!). There’s also so much bullet journaling content out there that, if you’re new to the whole concept, it can be a little overwhelming. Where do you start?

The hardest part about decluttering has to be the “getting started.” Without a real nudge to dive in and actually do it, you might never feel the urge to, say, tidy up a few over-stuffed baskets or cluttered drawers. So that’s exactly what we’re going to do today. The thing is, today’s “room sweep” micro-mission is a timed exercise. All you have to do is focus your energy on one area—today, the entryway—and deal with it for just 20 minutes.

New technology is forever changing the way we live with media at home, but I bet you’re still hanging onto some relics of the past. Instead of ignoring them—hidden away behind the doors of a TV console or the depths of a storage closet—today, we’ll try and cut down on those collections. If you have a cherished collection—say, a perfectly curated assemblage of vinyl records or books—today’s mission will go quickly.

My problem isn’t the physical act of cleaning my fridge out; I do that every now and then without trouble. The real issue is keeping my fridge organized and functional for more than a week or two at a time. The whole beautiful array of fresh veggies and lined up condiments will slowly turn into a jumbled clutter that hides almost-expired products and allows dishes of leftovers to grow their own ecosystems in the back.

It’s the final week of our month-long decluttering plan (you can catch up here if you want to join in), and hopefully your home is feeling lighter, leaner and more in-control than ever. That’s why now is the perfect time to set up a system that I believe is the secret to keeping future clutter from getting out of hand.

I don’t know about you, but my bathroom is usually the first casualty to clutter. I think it’s because it’s the last room I spend time in on my most hurried, out of control days. In a rush to get out the door, I leave my bathroom in a mess of tissues, makeup and hair products that, yeah, don’t get picked up as quickly as they should when I get home. So my bathroom has always been in a perpetually messy state that lends itself to attracting more clutter.

Decluttering is an exercise in introspection. You need to think about the way you feel about your things (aka the entire KonMari philosophy) and also about when and how you use them. Who wants to hang on to things they don’t need? It’s that question—will I really use this?—that is at the heart of my favorite closet decluttering exercise: The reverse hanger trick. The idea is that you turn all the hangers in your closet around so that they hang backwards on the rod.

We’re on a mission to do something good for our homes each weekend. Sometimes we have to roll up our sleeves and tackle a dreadful, somewhat thankless task that simply must get done. Other weekends, we do something that feeds the soul for the week ahead. This weekend, rather than a deep-dive in one particular area, we’re going to blitz around our homes and attack a handful of 5-minute tasks. Turns out you can get a lot done in five (or 10, or 15) minutes.

For someone who lives in the scorching-hot-nine-months-out-of-the-year South, I have a surprisingly large amount of blankets and over-sized sweatshirts. The blanket collection has been growing ever since I left home, with quilts my mother has gifted me, vintage afghan blankets I’ve found while thrifting, and a glut of cheap throws I always buy any time I spot one on sale at TJ Maxx or Target.

If you ask a feng shui expert about the space under a bed, they’re going to tell you to keep it clear — that putting anything in that space will block energy from circulating around your body when you sleep. So, basically, they’re going to tell you the exact opposite of what I’m about to suggest. But as a mother of two little ones, I find the space under kids’ beds to be prime real estate.

For the aesthetes among us, the journey of organizing doesn’t begin and end with an approved checklist of what to get rid of. It’s more than a mindful or tactile task; if you’re a lover of design, organizing a home is organically something visual. That notion is mostly ignored in the modern decluttering book canon — for example, there are zero photographs in “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up” — and we’re not the only ones who noticed.

Traveling with kids isn’t easy. Among the challenges that come from being away from your own home and routine, dealing with your family-closet-on-the-move, (that is, your suitcase) is high on the list. But preparing beforehand and having the right tools can prevent you from spending your precious time away from home digging for clothes in a tangled mess made of four people’s maybe-clean, maybe-not wardrobes.

The entryway. It’s the last touch point with home on the way out the door, and the first point of contact after a long day. Home to shoes, bags, and accessories, it carries the important responsibility of organizing the things that help your day run more smoothly— not to mention warmly welcoming you and your guests back home.

Have you ever noticed that stepping into your cluttered, messy closet makes you stressed? Understatement of the day? Well, you’re not alone. It turns out that exposure to a greater density of “stuff” – like a jam-packed closet – can lead to higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Assistant professor of psychology Darby Saxbe, Ph.D., worked on an intriguing study at UCLA where married, dual-income couples gave researchers a video tour of their home.

If your home doesn’t contain at least one disastrous closet, I salute you. (And if you only have one closet, it’s even more likely to be overstuffed and overwhelmed!) This doorless closet, which was a catchall for everything from cakestands to lampshades, got a full makeover for less than $100 and is now totally display-worthy.

If the bathroom drawers are overflowing, the bedroom dresser is buried under a pile of bottles and jars, and your closet door unable to shut because its so stuffed, it may be time to rethink your current beauty supply storage setup. But don’t be under the impression that this kind of organization undertaking has to be expensive. The very easy and affordable storage ideas in this beauty blogger’s home could be be just the solution you need to tame your products and accessories!

Many of us are familiar with the floor/chair/bed-covered-in-clothes issue that can strike one’s bedroom at any time (or, all the time). Whether it’s the clothes you plan on wearing the next day, the clothes you wore that day, or the product of a flurry of outfit changes until hitting on just the right look—you can’t have a bedroom that’s a sanctuary if you’re swimming in articles of clothing.

Tuesday, March 20, marks the first official day of Spring! Depending on where you are in the country, it might still feel very much like Winter outside, but the equinox is, indeed, upon us, which means warmer weather can’t be too far behind (…right?). In the meantime, you can use that fresh start on the calendar to get going on some of your goals for the new season.

Tax prep can be a major drag. Along with gathering all of your W-2’s and interest statements, you have to organize a mountain of paperwork—think: receipts, expense reports, and so on—to file your taxes properly. Luckily, there are several smartphone apps designed to streamline the daunting process of preparing your taxes. From receipt organizers to mileage trackers, here are five foolproof (and totally free!) apps that will have you ready for tax season in no time.

There’s no doubt about it: As well as being cozy and adorable, stylish small spaces also hold a TON of smart storage ideas. The ones below are some of the best solutions we saw in small house tours this year. No matter your home’s size, you’ll find inspiration for how to store more stylishly in 2019. When a professional organizer lives in a tiny studio apartment, expect great ideas, like these floating wall-mounted IKEA cabinets that were hung close to the ceiling.

The first time I cooked with my now-husband, I was surprised to learn he had a collection of cast iron pans in an array of sizes. What impressed me most wasn’t that he had a larger (and more well-seasoned) set of cast iron than me, but the smart way he stored his cast iron pans. Instead of simply nesting cast iron pans one inside another, metal on metal, he used a single paper towel to separate each piece of cookware to prevent friction.

A stand mixer is a staple of many home cooks’ kitchens—and it can also be an amazing focal point. It’s sculptural! It’s industrial! It comes in so many different colors! On the flip side, a stand mixer can be big and bulky and presents a fair share of other problems you might not have anticipated before you decided to spring for one. But don’t fret—there’s probably a hack for whatever it is that’s ruining your stand mixer state of bliss.

Along shoes-on-or-off policies and the paper towel/rag debate, few topics are as polarizing as “rainbowtizing” books. People have feelings about their books, and how they are organized on the shelf. Yes, it’s totally a personal preference, with compelling reasons supporting every method. But I have a case to make for rainbow order when it comes to kids’ books. Once I rainbow-ordered my kids’ books, I haven’t looked back.

If you’re excited about getting a glimpse into strangers’ closets, you’re only going to get half the thrill you’re hoping for, because one of these closets has been converted into something a little unexpected. Here’s how the homeowner describes that closets before their makeover: The before photos were from the day we bought the house.

I’ve got tons of hair ties laying around—my go-to are Goody Ouchless without the metal band. They come in packages of 37 and upwards, but they still seem to always disappear. If you have long hair, I know you hear me on this. Target Goody Ouchless Elastics 5 Buy now So I’m constantly buying new packages and picking up plain single ties at the gym. I tend to keep one on my wrist at all times.

Decluttering a space is a gargantuan task, no matter how small the space itself might seem. That’s because the real challenge isn’t how much stuff you have, or how messily it might be lumped around. The really tough part of decluttering is when you pick up a single object in your hand, knowing you have no good reason to keep it, but finding it impossible to let the thing go.

There’s a hard way and an easy way to deal with a big mess of clutter. The hard way is trying to commit to tackling it all at once, mentally planning for a weekend project you know will never come, as you once again sit and dawdle and tell yourself it’ll be easier when the weather’s better, or when things aren’t as crazy in your life. The easy way is to chip away at the mess, little by little until it’s in a good place.

Kitchen clutter is like a gas: It’ll expand to fit the space allowed. If you have a small kitchen, you probably feel like there’s never enough space for your stuff. Well guess what? Big kitchen people have that same problem, too. No matter how many cabinets you have, or whether your countertop is better measured in inches or acres, your kitchen can probably use a little slimdown. So that’s what we’re going to do today. Do a 20-minute decluttering sweep of your kitchen.

Keeping your home clean around the clock isn’t the work of wizardly magic. It’s just an exercise in focus. You have to commit to give every single thing at home a place where it belongs, even if that place is kind of a zoo. That’s why, if you want to keep your home clutter-free, you don’t need a junk drawer… you need several. Let’s face it, not every object you own is easily categorized.

Harbor Freight is a great go-to source for inexpensive tools and project supplies—when you need to get something done, but don’t want to shell out a bunch of cash for pricey materials, especially for quick one-off jobs. A brief stroll through the store (or a glance at the website) reveals something else: it’s also an amazing source for cheap and versatile storage you can use in pretty much every room of your home.

One of the biggest reasons writing is so powerful is that it removes the swirling thoughts from our heads and puts them into a space where they’re far from lost. From the insights and resolutions that come from journaling to the highly practical peace of mind that comes from jotting down that new appointment on our calendars so we don’t have to not forget it, once pen is put to paper, something magical happens.

Whether you’re a pet owner looking for some inspiration, a design enthusiast who loves a good transformation, someone stressed out by this photo who needs to know that this closet is nice and neat now, or simply a human who could really use some photos of two darling dogs, this is for you. I so appreciate the realness of this photo, as well as that of this paragraph: With five children we found our entryway coat closet in constant disarray.

There’s clutter that’s obviously clutter: junk mail in stacks on the counter, toys with missing or broken parts, duplicate kitchen tools that never get used. And then there are the things that seem important or that aren’t as easy to get rid of as, say, tossing in the recycling bin or loading in the car for a drop off at the donation center. These things sit in our homes and take up valuable space in our drawers and in our minds when we encounter them.

Physical clutter is the most in-your-face kind of clutter, and (especially in the Marie-Kondo-fueled cultural moment we’re having) the most obvious type of clutter to tackle. And yet, there’s a far less visible sort of mess that can also contribute to chaotic feelings, frenzied brains, and drained energy: digital clutter.

We have a step-by-step guide to get you started on a cleaner, smarter device.

Q: Please help me resolve a debate with my beloved boyfriend. He insists that oven mitts cannot be kept on the oven door or anywhere near the stove, as it is a fire hazard.

As a renter, building your own built-in bookshelves is out of the question (unless you butter up your landlord, I guess). But you can get kind of close. Here are a handful of storage solutions that, like liquids and cats, will fill any space. And the best part about modular, design-your-own pieces is that they can be reconfigured to work in your next apartment (and every apartment after that!). Boxy modules snap together with small clips, and can be placed on the floor or on top of a stand.

We’ve written a lot about downsizing over the years, sharing tips from experts and house tours, but sometimes the best ideas actually come from you, our readers. From how you let go of your things to the unexpected pros and cons of moving to a smaller space, you’ve shared it all with us. So, for those of you moving or looking to go the minimalist route, here’s a roundup of our readers’ best advice on downsizing, straight from the comments.

Here's why labeling is key to a well-maintaned organizational system

These organization systems are a step in the right direction and are also small space-friendly.

Garages often require more TLC than the rest of our homes. They’re a dumping ground for failed projects, items you can’t seem to part with, tools, gadgets, cars, and more—and keeping the mess in check can feel impossible.If you’re ready to set aside a weekend to transform your garage space but don’t know where to start, don’t fret. To simplify this space, start with a corner and work your way out.

Eliminate the need to search for where things are and where things go.

Whether you’re sprucing up for company or just trying to maintain a tidy home on the reg, there are several things that can hinder your efforts. Kitchens are a notoriously tough room; no matter how often you scrub, sweep, and organize, if you do any of these six things, it will still look messy. This one may be obvious, but too much stuff on your countertops is a total no-no.

Have you ever noticed there's never a bathroom line at Disney World? The magic behind those disappearing bathroom queues is one simple detail.

Your freezer is a magical place. It’s a place for pints of ice cream (to devour while binge-watching whatever is new on Netflix); for giant ice cubes (to make adult cocktails); and, most importantly, for nourishing meals (to sustain you when you think your only option is takeout). Obviously, you don’t have to be a wizard in order to take care of this magical place. But you—and your freezer!—will be better off if you know to avoid these common organizing mistakes.

Channel the energy behind the change in seasons to feel more in sync with your home.