Before we dive into organizing, one tip to help keep the clutter under control is the "one in, one out" rule. All that really means is that if you get a new book, for example, you should donate one of your old books. This will help keep the organizing systems that you are doing to implement in place and working for you.
Now we can move on to what you really came here to read, the organizing! After clearing away the things that you don't need, don't want, or don't use, organizing will be much easier.
I will be the first to tell you that you don't have to run out and spend a fortune to get organized. You can do just as good and be thrifty. In fact, many thrift shops have just what you need at a fraction of the price! I often find great deals on many items at local Goodwill stores. Other local thrift stores have low prices on organizing accessories as well. If you are in a bind, and must buy new, dollar stores are a great place to start. I am lucky enough to have a Dollar Tree that's about five minutes away from my home. They carry storage bins, plastic containers, baskets, and many other products that are useful in getting your belongings in order. You can find many larger storage apparatuses at Walmart or Target as well. On sale items are the best, because the money you save can be used on something that will bring you joy, like a night out with family or friends.
On to organizing your things! Let's start (again) with one room at a time. Narrow it down to one section at a time as well. Clothes are a good place to begin. To maximize the available space that you have, start with storing away clothes and accessories that are out of season. Vacuum storage bags are great for several reasons. First, they take bulky items and when the air is removed from the bag, the items are compressed and take up much less room. Secondly, they protect your clothes from insects, mold, and unpleasant smells. They can also be reused when it's time to switch wardrobes with the changing seasons. They work wonders for tucking away bulky comforters and quilts. I tend to use them over conventional large plastic storage tubs that are difficult to handle when full of heavy items.
It seems easier for me to access my shoes when they are off of the floor. My go-to favorite for organizing shoes is an over-the-door shoe rack. This puts shoes at eye level and keeps them out of the way. They come in many different styles. There are metal ones that allow for heavier, larger shoes and the plastic "pocket" type that are good for smaller, lightweight shoes and sandals. If you are lucky enough to have room for shelves in your closet or room, then you have that option as well. The crates that Walmart offers during their "Back to School" sale are stackable and work well for this too.
Plastic Over the Door Shoe Rack
Metal Over the Door Shoe Rack
Stackable Crates
Organizing accessories, such as scarves and jewelry can be made simple by using wall space and creating a set of hooks to hang them on. I have personally mounted a curtain rod and currently hang my necklaces and bracelets on it. It creates an attractive display and makes choosing a piece and then putting it back almost effortless. You can do this with scarves as well. Just find an empty space on a wall and hang a short curtain rod that is sturdy enough to hold what you put on it. There are tons of ways to organize your accessories. I will do a separate blog on some of the ways that I utilize in my home.
Books and magazines can get unruly before you know it. I am a collector of books in the most nerdy sense. I don't really collect them for their worth, but more like I get attached to the characters in them and then have anxiety about parting with the book after I'm finished reading it. What if I want to read Harry Potter again? And let's be honest, who doesn't, right? So, I have several bookshelves throughout my house that are full of books. When I buy something new, it usually goes on the shelf that is most easily accessible to everyone that comes into my home. Most of my tried-and-true favorites go on the largest shelf in my hallway. Others, like my Grateful Dead Scrapbook that I was luck enough to find on sale, are kept on one of the shelves I have upstairs with other keepsake books. I have a box for books that need new homes and I most often end up giving them to friends or family members. I don't keep magazines longer than 3 months. If there is an article or a photo in an issue that I want to keep I tear it out and it goes in a folder with the family of mismatched magazine "leavings" that I've kept.
A home office is a very useful thing to have, even if you don't work from home. It's nice to have a space dedicated to it. I have a home office/crafting space, so things can get ugly really quick if I don't keep some system of organization going on. I have too many craft supplies to list here, so that will be another blog in itself. On my desk, I have a shallow, flat-bottomed basket with different containers in it. I have one, three compartment pencil holder, one wire pencil cup and two repurposed coffee mugs (that I thought were nice) to hold various pencils, pens, and other tools. Everything is sorted by what it is (i.e. pens in one cup, pencils in one cup, Sharpies in one section, etc.) and it's all within reach. Small plastic containers work great for corralling office supplies as well. An office tour will have to accompany the "craft supplies" blog, I suppose.
In the kitchen, we don't always have the space we need. I know that I don't. It's easy to designate a cabinet to plastic food containers and just close your eyes and throw it in......... that is, until you need it again and have to dig through all those mismatched lids and bowls that are scattered in there. It's best to get a small plastic stack-bin to stand all of your lids up so that they are easy to get to and easy to find the one you need when you need it. Organizing is about making your life simpler and allowing for better time management. Pots, pans, and even dishes can benefit from adding metal shelf dividers. This stands the item on it's side and makes for easier retrieval and return while utilizing vertical space within cabinets. If stacking is your thing, however, locker shelves let you make use of vertical space for plates, bowls, and the like.
Stack-bins for Plastic Lids
Metal Shelf Dividers
Locker Shelves for Your Plate-Stacking Pleasure
Your laundry room is one of the most versatile rooms of your home. It collects all of your laundry, dirty and clean, and if you are anything like me, it's a catch-all for things that are out of place. It's good to have a sturdy shelf here to stack detergent, fabric softener, and anything else you use to clean your clothes. I love to use smaller laundry baskets on shelves like drawers. It makes it easy to take the whole basket down when I need to get an item and it prevents stray items from falling off of the shelf, keeping everything together. You can find great shelving products and ideas at Lowe's.
Shelf and Baskets from Lowe's
If you made it this far, thank you so much for reading! I'm cutting this "short" so that you don't fall into a coma (and you have a reason to read my next post). I will go further into detail on a few things as well as go over the rooms that I skipped in the following update. Thanks again for reading and I hope you join me again.
Note: None of the photos above are mine, they all came from google.
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