With the holidays come and gone, your home interior could look like it’s been hit with a festive hurricane. Chances are, there are lots of new items taking up space, and your old items are getting lost in the shuffle.
What better time than now to do a little spring cleaning? Start fresh and create some zen with these clever and budget-friendly home organization tips.
Tidy up first
It doesn’t make much sense to start organizing your home if its full of things you never use. So, if you’re not sure where to start, definitely read Mari Kondo’s international best-seller, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.
There are organization tips in Kondo’s book. But perhaps more importantly, she guides you in assessing your possessions and deciding what’s worth keeping and what’s not.
Her question, “Does it spark joy?” can help you narrow down what you truly love. And this method is used by many other organization gurus, including Chez Larsson, who believes you should only own what you love.
To help you declutter, here are two simple tips:
- Ask yourself: Do I really need this? If not, move on to the next step:
- Have a donation bag/bin ready to go. If you don’t need something, just imagine how it will be loved and useful by someone else. That makes it easier to part with your older things.
Once you truly love what’s in your home, it makes sense to organize it.
No more “miscellaneous”
While you’re busy getting rid of unwanted and unused items, get rid of one more thing: the word, “miscellaneous”. Now, everything has a name and purpose.
So, avoid creating a storage bin or area for those miscellaneous items. Everything has a name, and everything has a place!
Can you see what you have?
There’s that common saying, “Out of sight, out of mind”, and nothing could be truer when it comes to your possessions. How many times have you gone through your closet to find old treasures you completely forgot about – all because you didn’t see them?
So, a top tip to keep in mind is that no matter how you organize, always make sure you see what you have. If you can’t see everything, chances are, you have too much. Or, at the very least, you’re trying to fit too much into one space.
Create white interiors
Having a white interior makes your home look instantly brighter and more spacious. On the flip side, dark furniture, flooring and window treatments can make it feel more muddled and messy. What’s more, it’s harder to keep things organized when you can’t see them.
So, focus on creating a white (or light) home interior. You’ll feel more motivated to keep it neat and tidy.
Entryway Organization Ideas
How does your entryway feel? It should feel welcoming, spacious and ready. But too often, it feels crowded and disorganized, and no one wants to feel frustrated as soon as they walk in the door.
To make your home feel better, create an entryway that’s both efficient and tidy. Do this by utilizing the following items:
- Set up a shelf for shoes and boots
- Use hooks for hats, coats, accessories, umbrellas, and bags
- Arrange a vase for umbrellas
The most important factor to keep in mind with entryways is to keep everything off the floor.
Liven up dead space
We often think that we don’t have enough space. But that’s usually not true. In fact, most homes have a lot of space, but we just don’t use it. In other words, your home probably has lots of dead space that you could repurpose.
Think about all the space below your bed. Or, what about the space above doors, windows, and cabinets. What about garage walls, or walls throughout your home?
These are spaces that you can easily utilize for storing and organizing. All you need to do is add shelving units, hooks, bars, etc. You’ll be amazed at how much functional space you can add to your home when you start to use dead space. What’s more, it frees up the rest of your home.
Invest in clear storage containers
When you’ve decluttered and gotten rid of everything you don’t want, you’ll have much less to store. Plus, when you use dead space, you gain lots of new space So, to make the most of your organizing efforts, invest in some clear storage containers.
This will help you find exactly what you’re looking for. And it will also prevent your storage areas from getting out of control.
Color code document files
Obviously, you don’t want to have clear storage containers for everything! But for all the filing that happens behind closed doors, try color-coding your documents for a visually-appealing space.
Repurpose what you already have
There are so many gadgets and storage products you can buy. But the truth is, you can usually make do with what you have. If you’re still skeptical, here are some easy ways to repurpose your home’s items:
- Give dressers a facelift by attaching shelves, hooks, and bars to the side
- Use an old CD rack for dishes and lids
- Use a magazine file for hair tools
- Reuse glass jars for spices, making them easier to identify
- Use clear bins and plastic bags for frozen foods
- Use muffin tins to hold office supplies
- Transform shower rings into accessory hangers
- Organize your nail polish in old spice racks
Wardrobe organization tips
Most women suffer from having a crowded and messy wardrobe, but lifestyle blogger, The Anna Edit, has you covered with practical tips to help you create an Instagram-worthy wardrobe.
Here are some of her top suggestions:
- Take everything out and clear out seasonal clothing. Donate unwanted pieces to charity
- Invest in uniform hangers for a more visually pleasing closet
- Organize pieces by length, color, occasion, or category
- Fold all knitwear to help it hold its shape
- Use clear containers for shoes. Or, reuse old boxes with a photograph of the shoes inside for easy reference
- Add hooks to wardrobe wall for scarves, bags, and accessories
When your home is tidy and organized, it’s easier to feel calmer and happier. Which tips are you most excited to try?
