What I’m Doing to Get My Home Organized Right Now
Clutter doesn’t arrive in a dramatic heap. It shows up one decision at a time. A stack of mail that gets slid to the side. That one chair everyone pretends isn’t becoming a holding area.
What finally got my attention wasn’t the mess…it was the low-level irritation that came with it. I was spending too much time moving things around instead of using them. And once I noticed that, I couldn’t unsee it.
So I’m trying to get my act together and organize my home more intentionally. It’s certainly never going to be Pinterest-perfect, but hopefully, it makes daily life feel calmer and less fussy. This is what I’m working on right now.
My Go-To Home Organization Tips
I’m a firm believer that organization doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It’s about creating systems that work for you and your family. Here are a few simple hacks that make a big difference:
One In, One Out: This is a classic for a reason! Whether it’s clothing, kitchen gadgets, or decor, if something new comes into your home, something old needs to leave. It’s a simple way to prevent clutter from accumulating and to be intentional about which items you’ll actually reach for.
The Power of Vertical Space: Don’t forget about walls and the insides of cabinet doors! Utilizing vertical space with shelves, hooks, and organizers can free up valuable counter and floor space.
Divide and Conquer: Large drawers and cabinets can quickly become black holes. Breaking them down into smaller, defined sections using dividers or small bins makes it so much easier to keep things tidy.
Declutter in Small Bursts: You don’t need an entire weekend to get organized. Even 15–20 minutes a day can make a significant impact. Tackle one drawer, one shelf, or one small area at a time. This approach turns a daunting task into something much more manageable.
Give Everything a Home: Clutter builds up when everyday items like mail, keys, pens, receipts, and shoes don’t have a clear place to go. Instead of setting them down wherever you happen to be, create simple spots for them to land. A tray for mail, a bowl for keys, a drawer for pens, and a basket for shoes by the door can make all the difference. When everything has a home, you stop making constant decisions about where things go, and your space stays tidy with little effort.
How to Organize Your Kitchen and Pantry
As your household evolves, your kitchen should too. If you’re an empty nester or simply cooking for fewer people, your pantry shouldn’t still look like you’re feeding a small army.
Prioritize Transparency: Try moving your most-used staples like grains, pasta, or nuts into glass canisters. This allows you to see exactly what you have at a glance, so you don’t end up with three half-used bags of rice.
Audit Your Tools: You likely have a drawer full of gadgets you haven’t touched in years. Keep the high-quality essentials and donate the duplicates. Use adjustable dividers to ensure your whisks and wooden spoons stay in their own lanes.
How to Organize Your Vanity and Bathroom
The bathroom is often where we start and end our days, so it deserves to feel like a spa rather than a cluttered cabinet. You can transform this space by being intentional about what stays on your counters.
Perform a Beauty Audit: Go through your skincare and makeup and toss anything that’s expired or just didn’t work for you.
Clear the Visual Clutter: Use clear tiered organizers for your daily essentials. By keeping your serums and perfumes visible but contained, you maintain the “flow” of the room without sacrificing accessibility.
Hide the Essentials: If your laundry or extra towels are taking up floor space, look for ways to tuck them away. A tilt-out hamper or a dedicated basket for guest linens can make even a small bathroom feel much larger and more serene.
How to Organize Your Digital Life
Physical clutter is only half the battle. In a world where we’re constantly connected, digital clutter can be just as draining. Take a few hours this week to clean up your digital world so your devices feel like tools rather than burdens.
Reset Your Desktop: If your computer screen is covered in random icons and downloads, clear it off today. Create three simple folders labeled Work, Personal, and Receipts. It’s amazing how much more focused you’ll feel when your screen is clean.
Curate Your Inbox: Be ruthless with your subscriptions. If a newsletter or a promotional email doesn’t provide value or joy, unsubscribe immediately. You shouldn’t have to delete twenty emails every morning just to find the one that matters.
Cull Your Photos: Don’t let thousands of blurry photos or old screenshots weigh down your phone storage. Spend fifteen minutes while you’re waiting for appointments or relaxing in the evening to delete the duplicates. It’s a slow process, but your future self will thank you.
Helpful Items for a More Organized Home
Sometimes, a few key pieces of organization equipment can make all the difference. They act as silent helpers, making it easier to maintain the systems you put in place. Here are some of the items I’m shopping for and have already.
Shoe Organizer Cabinet
Our back entryway was constantly overflowing with shoes, which is never a welcome sight when I come home, so we ordered this stylish cabinet to keep everything tucked away and out of sight. Remember to check the measurements, or your husband’s shoes may not fit! My husband wears a size 14, and his shoes have to go in sideways 🙂
Drawer Dividers
There is something so satisfying about opening a drawer where everything has its own place. After cleaning out the clutter, these dividers help maintain that order so items don’t shift around every time you pull the handle.
If you’re looking for more of a drawer divider for a dresser or nightstand, you’ll want to try these! I like that they have mini dividers you can add in that you could use to organize socks or underwear. If you prefer fabric dividers, these are highly rated on Amazon and come in a variety of colors.
Coat Rack
This is the perfect landing zone for daily handbags and jackets. The wall-mounted coat rack uses vertical wall space, keeping items off the chairs or the floor while still keeping them within easy reach.
If you prefer a freestanding coat rack, I was browsing and noticed that this one and this one look sturdy and are more modern than a traditional wooden one.
Shelves for the Laundry Room
The laundry room often gets overlooked, but adding proper shelving makes a big difference. It gets detergents and bins off the floor, and I like that this setup includes a rod for hang-drying and the option to add wire bins for any extra laundry items.
If hanging storage isn’t a priority, consider adding this countertop over your washer and dryer instead. It keeps everything within easy reach and gives you a clean, flat surface for folding laundry or organizing supplies.
Foldable Clothes Drying Rack
This foldable rack is a brilliant find for air drying your clothes or organizing your outfits while you are packing for a trip. The two-tier design provides ample space, and it can easily fold up and fit in a corner or closet.
Slim Velvet Hangers
It seems like such a small change, but switching to matching hangers made my closet feel more put-together instantly. Everything looks cleaner and more orderly, which makes getting dressed a little less stressful. I prefer slim velvet hangers because they keep clothes from slipping and take up less space, so nothing feels bulky or overcrowded. It’s one of those small upgrades that makes a noticeable difference.
I also discovered this hanger organizer stacker that is worth getting. It gives you one place to easily store all your spare hangers and doesn’t take up much space.
If you’re ready to take the next step on your closet edit, be sure to visit my guide on How to Declutter Your Wardrobe.
Outdoor Mats
Practicality is key even on the doorstep! After we had the roof power-washed, our old mats became completely saturated and started to fall apart. Fresh mats at the door are a small touch, but make a nice impact.
New Plates
I somehow realized we only have 6 everyday plates left in our house, and I should probably get a new set of dishes. Use this as a chance to look at what you own and determine what needs to be replaced this year. I have this set from Williams Sonoma in my cart. It’s simple, clean, but a little more fun than your plain white plates.
Water Bottle Organizer
If you are tired of water bottles tumbling out of the cabinet every time you open it, this water bottle organizer is a simple fix that actually works. It keeps everything stacked neatly so you can see what you have and reach for what you need without the usual juggling act. You can choose how many tiers you want, depending on your cabinets.
Automatic Soap Dispenser
An automatic soap dispenser is one of the genius products you don’t even realize you need. My assistant was telling me how she uses hers, especially when she has to wash her hands in the middle of cooking. It keeps the sink area much more hygienic and eliminates those messy soap drips and rings on the countertop.
Garage Organizer
The garage often becomes the catch-all for things we don’t use daily, and these overhead racks are a lifesaver for getting those bulky seasonal bins up off the floor and out of sight. I love that they utilize the unused ceiling space.
If you don’t have the overhead clearance for a ceiling rack, a heavy duty rolling storage rack is a fantastic alternative that makes it incredibly easy to move your storage bins around whenever you need to reorganize or clean the garage floor.
Other Organizing Finds
My chargers and tech cords seem to travel with me to every room of the house, and these silicone ties are the only way I have found to keep them from becoming a tangled mess in my favorite tote bag.
I love keeping my daily skincare and perfumes within arm’s reach, and this spinning carousel lets me keep my vanity looking like a curated boutique while maximizing every inch of my counter space.
This sleek wall unit also looks like a smart idea, because it provides all the USB ports and extra outlets I need for my phone and computer without the clutter of extra cords on the floor.
I’m not trying to create a perfectly organized house. I’m trying to create a house that requires less effort to live in. Fewer small decisions. Less visual noise. More room to move through the day without constantly negotiating with my stuff.
This is an ongoing reset, not a finish line. And honestly, that feels realistic. A home that works well enough most days is far more useful than one that looks impressive once a year.
If you’re in the middle of your own reset, I’d love to hear what you’re tackling first. Sometimes knowing where someone else started is all it takes to begin.
Great ideas. My pet clutter annoyance is my electric toothbrush. Wish someone would design an attractive holder to hide it and its cords but also provide easy access.
Agreed!
The Boden dress was a style on my list for spring/summer. I wanted a knee length caftan style with 3/4 sleeves. Perfect! I ordered the blue version. Thanks!
Most homes don’t have enough closets and most people do not buy storage units. Open shelving is most common. “Put things away”. Where is “away”?
Everyone needs project and surface space. A room, a corner, table(s) for projects. Most of us don’t have that dedicated space.
Amazon clutter now takes up our entryways.
Decluttering takes a high level of executive function. Many people just don’t have it. And it’s all decision-making. Decision fatigue is real. Solution: buddy up with someone to help you or hire an organizer.
Those are my tips as a professional organizer who has seen a lot of homes.
Jennifer – I’ve been following your blog for many years. You just keep getting better. Thanks for all the great insights on helping us build our confidence to be our best selves as we age. It’s an ongoing process, like decluttering!
Thanks Marian!
To get drying laundry from taking up floor space, I bought a laundry rack that hangs from the ceiling. You use a pulley to raise and lower it. I found one at Lee Valley Canada. Sheets might be too heavy for it, but 90% of my items can dry on it. Very happy with it.
Great organizing ideas. Something about the new year makes me want to declutter the whole house. My husband is a CPA and wants to save. Every paper he touches. Drives me crazy 🙃 I just cleaned out our linen closet and it feels so great. I just hope I can keep it that way.
I’m a firm believer in Everything has a Place and Everything in its Place. My husband does not! So, it falls to me to put his things away. I know! But clutter or messes drive me crazy. I put drawer dividers in all my kitchen drawers to organize and got rid of pieces I no longer need. I took the measurements of my bathroom drawers and went to a store placing acrylic containers together until they fit that measurement. Now all our stuff is organized. In my laundry room I had drawers below the counter and cupboards installed above. All my laundry needs are tucked away above. Below I have a drawer for keys, sunglasses, etc, another for dog stuff, under that one fir hats, gloves, etc, another for my swiffer stuff, the bottom two drawers have liners and that’s where I tuck my everyday footwear. In my closet I have all white hangers to look neater and my clothes are arranged by sleeveless, short sleeve, long sleeve, etc and by colour. I hang my husbands so they remain neatly as he would hang willy nilly, or not at all. I’m constantly decluttering and donating. My husband afraid he will be next. lol
LOL, my husband wonders that sometimes too. Of course…I am that person who will we reorganize an already loaded dishwasher 🙂
The line “ if you’re an empty nester your pantry should not look like you are feeding a small army” is one by which I really abide.
For our current 2 person home, I purchase small / regular sizes of condiments and snack items. I gave up the warehouse clubs memberships (sorry Costco).
Also, although we recently downsized into a smaller home and no longer have a separate pantry, I still keep separate areas in the kitchen for baking vs. cooking.
1) a baking corner with a cabinet for flours, sugars, vanilla, chocolate chips (etc.), an area for the mixer and storage for bowls and measuring cups. Staples are stored in clear glass containers as suggested.
2) a separate savory/cooking area near the gas cooktop (a cabinet for the small amount of canned tomatoes, beans, and 2-3 kinds pasta/rice that I keep on hand, a shelf for oils/vinegars, and one for spices)
Happy Organizing everyone!
I am about to retire and feeling the same way you do about the clutter in my home. I plan to take some time, over time, to address the clutter and these suggestions are very helpful. Thank you!
So many great ideas here. Thank you!
I was especially captured by your first two lines: “Clutter doesn’t arrive in a dramatic heap. It shows up one decision at a time.” So true, and probably applies to many things in life, in general. I’m fairly well organized, but don’t want to think about how many hours of life I’ve wasted looking for that thing “that I’m pretty sure is around here somewhere”!
Always enjoy reading your blog.
Not only does my husband save every piece of paper that comes in the mail — he also refolds each one and puts it back in the envelope! When I try to go thru them I have to remove each and unfold before I can decide if it’s worth keeping!!!
That beats my husband:)
Jennifer, so many great organizing tips and organizers.
If you are finding too many subscriptions while in Gmail, there is a option to manage them under the “inbox” tab in the left column….scroll down and there is the option “manage subscriptions.” Very handy.
I too ruthlessly subscribe to one in, one out. Sometimes more than one out. This week I gave two Coach purses to friends. They were happy to have them and I no longer carried them-too big, too heavy-I am on a streamlining mission. I have deep drawers and use stackable divided trays in a couple of them. My washer opens at the top, so no countertop for me (although it is useful space during a party and I have a plywood piece that fits over both that can be covered with a cloth-they’re in a separate pantry).
I can’t abide clutter and actually after living here 18 years, I have drawers that are empty. We as a society just seem to buy and buy, never thinking that enough is the goal. Not too much.
I love all your suggestions but I never saw a part about the husband who saves everything! Mine does also and he really doesn’t like me to “organize” his “stuff.” 😂😬
Same! Mine loves all his stuff.
Same here! I’ve been known to try and tidy up his “chaos” but he doesn’t go for it at all. We have more bits and pieces of “stuff” than we know what to do with but every one of them is important to him. And to be honest, sometimes we do need something that he has squirreled away for years. I’ve learned to tidy my stuff and areas and let him take care of his own. And eventually … not often … he does a purge that pleasantly surprises me.
Hi, Jennifer. So timely. I spent the past week reviewing my kitchen a shelf at a time. I’m not quite done, but it’s been so helpful. I’m now marking the expiration dates of cans in large print on their labels and have moved the most recent dates to the front. A tip for lingerie drawer dividers: look at the vertical (height) measurements as well. My drawer is big but not high: the dividers didn’t fit. Also, be careful of laundry room shelves and cabinets. You’re doing to need to clean the filters etc at some point and want to be able to get to them w/o too much work.
One of my biggest organizational “wins” takes place in my closet. Have you heard of the hack where you turn your hangers around and then turn them back when you wear what’s on the hanger? I tried that and it drove me crazy. All those hangers not facing the same way? YIKES!! 😳Instead, I place a large colored paper clip over each hanger and then remove the paper clip when I wear the item. At the end of a year I donate any items that still have the paper clip on the hanger. This is an easy method to keep track of what I’m actually using.
That’s a great idea! Backwards hangers would drive me batty.
Thank you for such wonderful tips, Jennifer! I just tackled the mountain of shoes in our walk-in (grateful I have one, but wish it was bigger) closet. I abide by your rule: one in and one out when it comes to shoes, but such advice falls on deaf ears when it comes to my husband. I recently broke down and purchased a slew of plastic see through shoe boxes and took pictures of each pair which I then taped to the outside. We have wire shelves above our rods and I stacked (his) boxes in several rows which almost reached the ceiling. Not a perfect solution (I’d love to pitch a few pairs), but at least it gets them off the floor.
Good idea. Does he ever reached for them? Mine doesn’t, but he still wants to keep them.