How to Organise Your Home

Neat as a pin is as easy as pie when you take home arrangement one step at a time. We'll take you through it

Laura Gaskill 4 July 2017

Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance checklist. My favorite pieces to write center around the emotional aspects of home and savoring life's simple pleasures. Decluttering course + discount for Houzzers: https://www.lauragaskill.com/welcome-houzzers

Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance... More

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It feels wonderful to lighten up the home by l etting go of clutter, doesn’t it? Join us this week as we look at a host of great ways to place what’s left in a beautiful way.

Stonebreaker Builders & Remodelers

Aim to leave about 20 percent “breathing room” on each shelf
If that sounds unattainable, just open up as much free space as you can. It often takes several rounds of decluttering before you feel like you’ve gotten rid of everything you can.

Why 20 percent? Notice in photos of homes you admire how much storage is actually filled, and I think you will find there is usually a significant amount of breathing room left between items.

Style note: Throw in a sculpture or decorative sign to liven up an otherwise practical storage space.

Zinc Art + Interiors

Gain steam by starting small
I recommend starting your cleaning in an area that can be finished in a single morning. For many of us, the bathroom or hall closet is a good choice. Go for obvious junk first, such as expired medications and empty bottles of shampoo (be sure to dispose of medications properly – do not flush down the toilet), and then move on to that stash of product samples you know you are never really going to use.

Style note: Snap up matching white storage containers the next time you are at Ikea to create a pulled-together look like the one shown here.

Shabby-Chic Style Bathroom Keswick & Country

Decant everyday items into pretty containers
The simple step of removing the outer packaging from most standard household items instantly makes them more attractive. Neat stacks of toilet paper rolls, jars of cotton swabs and bowls of soap bars will bring a sense of order to your bathroom cupboards.

Style note: Repurpose a vintage glass-front cabinet to house extra supplies in the bathroom. Wire baskets and glass canisters are nice looking and practical additions.

Browse through images of colourful storage containers

Crate&Barrel

Yellow Storage Tub - USD 9.95

Choose cheerful storage
If you are in the market for a few new storage containers, seek out ones that make you smile, and I swear you will be more likely to use them. Use one of these handy sunshine-yellow buckets for laundry, extra towels, cleaning products or bath toys.

TruexCullins Architecture + Interior Design

Address clutter hotspots
Every home has a few spots where clutter tends to accumulate – the kitchen counter, the back door and so on. These places are often along our most frequently traveled paths through the house, so it makes sense to work with the hot spot rather than try to eliminate it. Simply placing a bit of storage in the problem area should do the trick.

Style note: In the kitchen, try using a few strategically placed file boxes to quell the mess.

Charmean Neithart Interiors

Make your pantry pop
A clean, well-ordered pantry will help make meal prep a breeze and can even inspire healthier choices.

Step 1: Take every last thing out of the cupboard. Really, everything.

Step 2: Toss anything that is expired or bad.

Step 3: Fill a bag with food that is still good but that you know your family won’t eat, and donate it to your local food bank.

Step 4: No one needs three half-empty bags of flour. Open them up and dump them into one nice-looking glass jar. Ta-da! Now repeat with any other partially empty staples.

Step 5: Put everything that’s left back in, but this time create zones. Put cans with cans, breakfast stuff together and so on. Place the healthiest choices at eye level.

Style note: Can a pretty wallpapered backdrop inspire you to keep things tidy? Who knows, but it sure would be fun to give it a try. Alternatively, you could paint the back wall a bright hue for a similar effect.

Divine Design Center

Optimise your drawer space
Once you have created extra room by culling out unnecessary duplicates (do you really need five whisks?) and tools you do not like or use, rethink the contents of your drawers, one by one. For instance, you might rather have a canister of frequently used tools on the counter and use your drawer space for spice jars or teas instead. Or you could install one of those magnetic knife racks and free up room for your everyday dishes where they will be easily reached.

Think creatively – this is your kitchen, and it should work for you.

Learn how to pack a punch in the kitchen

Hoedemaker Pfeiffer

Be mindful of what is on display
So often we place things on our kitchen counters as a sort of default – but do you really want to be looking at all of that stuff everyday? Hide eyesores behind closed cupboard doors and leave the prime counter space for pretty tea things, a matched set of spice jars or a basket of fresh dish towels.

American Traditional Utility Room Clean Laundry Room

Tackle that cleaning closet
Whether you have a dedicated utility closet or simply a stash of supplies under the sink, getting this area under control will help manage daily tasks with ease. Pick up a few attractive baskets to store supplies, take that pile of plastic bags to the recycling centre and hang brooms, mops and dusters from wall hooks.

Update your workspace
Sorting through stacks of paper has got to be one of the least appealing organising tasks, but as with a visit to the dentist, you know you’ll feel better when it’s done.

Set aside a whole morning to tackle this area, and plan a fun activity as a reward for afterward. Consider signing up for online statements and digital subscription services to cut down on future paper overload.

Style note: Choose one style and colour of storage and file boxes for an orderly look.

8 ways you can squeeze your office into your home

The Container Store Custom Closets

Bright Stockholm Office Storage Boxes - USD 9.99

Use colour to your advantage
Colour-coordinated storage boxes are great for corralling paperwork, instruction manuals and photographs. You could choose all one colour for a cohesive look or use a colour-coding system to easily find different types of documents.

Check out some innovative storage solutions for everyday items

Astleford Interiors, Inc.

Host a closet-clearing party
You can certainly do this on your own, but if you are having a hard time getting motivated to organise your closet, think about inviting a few good friends to help out. Provide refreshments and fun music, and let your friends help give you that extra nudge to finally ditch those less-than-flattering pieces in your wardrobe.

Astleford Interiors, Inc.

Think like a boutique owner
Once you have your clothes edited down to those you actually wear and love, it’s time to think about how to organise what’s left. Let’s take a few tips from posh clothing boutiques.

Put together a favourite outfit on a single hanger where you can easily grab it on a rushed morning.
Keep off-season clothes out of sight.
Store bags and shoes on shelves.
Display favourite jewellery on stands or hand sculptures.

peterbristol.net

Training Dresser - USD 1,500

Don’t forget the little ones
Kids’ stuff can get out of control, as any parent knows. Make things easier for the little ones in the house by labelling drawers or baskets with what goes inside. You could even trace outlines of clothing shapes or stamp out words on drawer fronts for a creative and organised room.

Looking for beautiful shelves for your children’s room?

Read more:
Smart Storage Solutions for All Spaces

Tell us:
How have you tackled clutter in your home? Give us some of your tried and tested organising tips in the Comments below.