Whether you need to organize your home with the new school year upon us or you are looking to put your house on the market, it is always a great time to organize. Often we are overwhelmed with clutter and don’t know what to do. Today we are discussing five home organization tips that anyone can implement regardless of the size of their space.
As I was researching the best way to discuss organization tips and decluttering, Nick Lewis‘ title, “You’re Organizing Your House Wrong!,” captured my attention. His video is straightforward and filled with practical tips. My favorite part is that he shows what not to do along with pictures of what to do. It is easy to see why his tips work with such great visual examples. So let’s explore his tips.
Stash Your Appliances
This tip alone will make a huge difference in the aesthetics of your kitchen, especially if you are putting your home on the market. Our kitchen countertops should not be a display shelf for all of your appliances. Put them away. However, Nick permits you to leave out what you use daily. So, perhaps your coffee maker can stay, but probably not your toaster. Evaluate your life and habits while storing as many appliances as you can.
In doing so, your kitchen will immediately appear less cluttered. You will have more space to work in the space. Additionally, it will be easier to clean. All you have to do is wipe down the counter.
Store Behind Closed Doors
Open shelving and glass cabinet doors are popular. However, according to Nick, they should only be used to display aesthetically pleasing items. Otherwise, you are displaying too much and it can make the room feel cluttered and unattractive. Therefore, take advantage of your solid kitchen cabinets, furniture with doors, and closets to hide your much-needed but not display-worthy items.
Now that doesn’t mean to stuff your things and pray that the door doesn’t burst open. Store your belongings in an organized way while considering what adds visual interest to your space. Everything else goes behind closed doors.
Set Up Drop Zones
Look around your home for telltale signs of clutter. Where do you need to create drop zones? Coats, shoes, keys, backpacks, and mail are typical items that need a place near the door. Is your treadmill covered in clothes? If so, find a solution that allows you to hang your clothes deliberately.
Maybe you need to change your habits. Maybe you need to work with your habits. Either way, only you know what will work best in your home. If the drop zone system you set up functions well, your space will look less cluttered and you will save time trying to get out the door. You’ll never ask, “Have you seen my keys?”
Secure Boundaries with Anchors
Once you have stored what you don’t use daily, now you need to come into your different rooms and anchor the items that are displayed. Use trays, baskets, bowls, jars, glasses, or anything else that is functional and beautiful to create a natural boundary for the display items. In this way, your bathroom vanity, for example, will not get overrun with soaps, lotions, makeup, hair accessories, and much more.
As a rug anchors a room, smartly utilizing these trays and baskets keeps your daily use items confined. From your drop zone by the front door to the toothpaste and toothbrush in the bathroom, create a designated place for everything.
Spend Money on Organizational Tools
As you go through each room in your house tackling your clutter problems and organizing each drawer and shelf, don’t be afraid to spend money on organizational tools. You can find all kinds of organizational tools online. Think through what each space needs so you are spending your money wisely. It will be an investment, but it doesn’t have to break the bank.
As you get rid of things, see what you can repurpose. Boxes, baskets, and bins of all sizes will help you keep things organized. The adage, “a place for everything and everything in its place,” rings true. You just might have to buy or find the tool that creates the place.
I hope these five home organization tips inspired you to declutter your home. All the tips work well together helping you achieve a well-organized space. Nick says it best, “Working with the behavior you already have, put natural limits on how much stuff you actually will display. Store everything you don’t use every day with closed storage.” That is his advice in a nutshell.